Pubdate: Tue, 11 Mar 2014
Source: Buffalo News (NY)
Copyright: 2014 The Buffalo News
Contact: http://drugsense.org/url/GXIzebQL
Website: http://www.buffalonews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/61
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mmj.htm (Cannabis - Medicinal)

COMPASSIONATE CHANGE

GOP in State Senate Taking a Big Step in Softening Opposition to Medical Pot

The shifting by the Republican conference in the State Senate on the 
topic of medical marijuana is remarkable, and can't come fast enough.

Otherwise, there will be more cases like that of Wendy S. Conte of 
Orchard Park. Conte recently set up residency in Colorado so that her 
8-year-old daughter, Anna, could get access to that state's medical 
marijuana program.

Anna suffers from debilitating seizures. Her mother is not alone in 
going so far as to change legal residence in order to secure the 
treatment she believes will help her daughter.

News Albany Bureau Chief Tom Precious wrote about Conte and others 
who, frustrated with New York's inertia on allowing access to medical 
marijuana, are going to such desperate lengths. Who can blame them?

Apparently not even some of the Senate's most stalwart opponents of 
medical marijuana.

One of them, Senate co-leader Dean Skelos, a Long Island Republican, 
was recently quoted saying that members have indicated support for 
medical marijuana, "but at the appropriate time we'll discuss it and 
see if we take any legislative action."

Not exactly a ringing endorsement, but light years away from his past 
efforts to single-handedly kill medical marijuana.

It should be enough to finally get New York in line with 20 states 
and the District of Columbia that have legalized marijuana for 
certain medical patients with a doctor's permission. In one of those 
states, Colorado, there is a long waiting list for access to an 
unusual form of marijuana. So much so that Conte is waiting it out in 
Western New York until her daughter's treatments can start in October.

The discussion about the acceptance of medical marijuana involves 
seizure patients such as Conte's daughter as well as people with 
cancer, AIDS and other debilitating diseases who cannot get relief 
from traditional medications.

The type of marijuana many parents are interested in is called 
Charlotte's Web. It has low levels of tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, 
the compound that gets marijuana users high. It also has high 
cannabidiol, or CBD, which advocates say can reduce seizures when 
taken in liquid, gel or paste form.

This is a far cry from the illegal and likely tainted marijuana sold 
on the streets that opponents of legalization fear will create a 
slippery slope toward addiction. Absent much of the ingredient that 
gets people high, it is tough to imagine that form of medical 
marijuana as a gateway drug. But opponents will continue to oppose, 
no matter the logic.

It is good to see some Senate Republicans at least considering the 
facts. Those senators include Mark Grisanti of Buffalo, George 
Maziarz of Newfane and Patrick Gallivan of Elma. They were either 
opposed or did not push the issue, but have now gained comfort with a 
medical pot bill.

Most notably perhaps is Gallivan's support, given that he is a former 
Erie County sheriff. He does not favor a broad medical exemption for 
marijuana, saying it should be restricted to forms with THC and CBD 
levels like those in Charlotte's Web.

Senate Republicans do not support relaxation of marijuana laws for 
recreational use. That's fine, at least for now, as the nation's 
attitude on marijuana continues to shift. But they should get behind 
legislation that could offer relief to desperate patients.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom