Pubdate: Tue, 16 Dec 2014
Source: Pottstown Mercury (PA)
Copyright: 2014 The Mercury, a Journal Register Property
Contact:  http://www.pottstownmercury.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2287
Page: A4

WOLF, GOP SHOULD MOVE ON MEDICAL POT

All the Pundits Have Been Busily Clucking About What a Rocky Road 
Lies Ahead for New Gov. Tom Wolf.

They're right, of course. The state's financial situation is dire - 
and both Republicans and Democrats are playing the blame game. The 
new governor is sure to find himself at odds with an even more 
solidly Republican Legislature (thanks to gerrymandering). 
Inequitable school funding is a huge problem across the state. Small 
cities such as York are imploding into insolvency.

Hey Mr. Wolf, remind us again why you wanted this impossible job. 
Yeah, it's going to be tough. So why not start with something easy?

Why not get the ball rolling with a quick win-win for both the 
governor and the Legislature?

Then they can all say, "See? We're not overly partisan. We're willing 
to work with the other side on an issue that's important to 
Pennsylvanians." What issue might that be? Not state liquor store 
privatization. Not pension reform. Not property tax reform or 
revamping the school funding formula.

We're talking about medical marijuana legalization.

A bill co-sponsored by conservative Sen. Mike Folmer, 
R-Lebanon/Dauphin/York, passed the Senate last term, but not the House.

That means the bill must start all over again with the committee and 
hearing process before passage.

That's probably just as well because outgoing Gov. Tom Corbett was 
not especially high in this idea. But his successor is. Tom Wolf has 
said he favors allowing medical marijuana - and he even proposed 
decriminalizing possession of small amounts of pot by people who 
don't need the drug for medical purposes.

We're not sure Pennsylvania is ready for recreational pot like 
Colorado (then again, we weren't sure it was ready for gay marriage, 
but we have it now and the commonwealth has not crumbled).

But overwhelming majorities of Pennsylanians favor allowing marijuana 
for medical purposes - particularly to help fight seizures suffered 
by youngsters.

And the bill proposed last session by Sen. Folmer and liberal Sen. 
Daylin Leach, D-Montgomery/Delaware, was fairly limited in application.

We're not talking about dispensaries on every corner to provide pot 
to people suffering from "back pain" or the blues.

We're talking about allowing usage by people suffering from cancer, 
Parkinson's, ALS and other deadly afflictions.

This is an idea that both liberals and conservatives can support.

Even conservative U.S. Rep. Scott Perry, R-York County, has taken the 
lead on the issue by sponsoring legislation that would clear some 
federal hurdles to medical marijuana usage.

Yes, this should happen early in this legislative session. It's such 
an obvious place to begin the relationship between the new governor 
and the Legislature that even a stoner could see it.

Get started with a positive success.

There will be plenty of time for partisan disagreement later.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom