This past Wednesday, the Pennsylvania Senate overwhelmingly passed a bipartisan Senate Bill 1182 legalizing the use of several forms of medical marijuana.
SB 1182 passed with historic support.
After 50 minutes of debate, every Democrat voted “yes,” as did 20 of 27 Republicans. Several “yes” votes came from senators who have law-enforcement backgrounds.
The original has been amended to help pass it through the senate.
Senate Bill 1182 was introduced by Senators Folmer and Leach in November, 2013. Patients were skeptical, fearing a CBD only “compromise” bill which could pass PA’s very conservative state legislature. But, as Josh Stanley testified at a January, 2014, Senate Judiciary Committee hearing, SB 1182 was one of the best and most comprehensive bills he’s seen introduced in any state legislature.
(Lady Bud)
“Senate Bill 1182 was amended to address a number of concerns, which resulted in the removal of vaporization and a shorter list of diseases that medical cannabis can be prescribed to treat,” Senator Folmer said Tuesday, after the bill was approved by a final Senate committee before being scheduled for a vote by the full Senate. “While some may be disappointed, we’ve come a long way from where we started. More importantly, we can help people with this bill – people who previously had no hope.”
“Had the bill not been amended, we would not be looking at passage by the full Senate,” commented the bill’s primary sponsor Republican Senator Mike Folmer
This is the first time a bill of this nature has passed the Pennsylvania Senate. Victory is still in the horizon as the fight is not completely over.
“History has been made, as this is the first vote a bill of this kind has ever seen in Pennsylvania,” Senator Mike Folmer (R) said Wednesday, following the vote.
The bill is expected to face tough opposition from House Republicans and Governor Tom Corbett.
“Our fight isn’t over yet, as the bill now goes to the House of Representatives. Your citizen lobbying, passion and pleas need to continue to be heard in the House as time is limited and lives are depending upon Senate Bill 1182 being signed into law,” said Folmer. “Again, thank you everyone, and I will continue this fight with you!”
Qualifying medical conditions included in the bill:
- Cancer
- Epilepsy and seizures
- Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (Lou Gehrig’s Disease)
- Cachexia/wasting syndrome
- Parkinson’s Disease
- Traumatic brain injury and post concussion syndrome
- Multiple Sclerosis
- Spinocerebellara ataxia (SCA)
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Severe fibromyalgia
- Wasting syndrome
This bill marked an important development in the state of Pennsylvania, lately known as “The Hinterlands of Cannabis Reform”