PA. Would Allow Medical Treatment, Research Uses HARRISBURG - Both patients and academic researchers would have access to marijuana for medical purposes under milestone legislation to place Pennsylvania among the ranks of states with legal cannabis programs. The measure approved by House l awmakers Wednesday envisions a research role for hospitals, universities and academic medical centers into the use of medical marijuana to treat diseases. The Commonwealth Medical College in Scranton sees a potential avenue for getting involved with medical marijuana research in the future. [continues 317 words]
HARRISBURG, PA. (AP) - The Pennsylvania House of Representatives took up a proposal Monday to permit the use of marijuana for medical purposes, a potential breakthrough for supporters who have worked for several years to get legalization through the Republican-controlled Legislature. The debate began with passage of an elaborate amendment, crafted by a bipartisan task force, laying out rules for how the program would work, including eligibility and regulations. It was approved by a 152-38 vote, but the measure still requires a final House vote. [continues 346 words]
Medical marijuana has the support of the Delaware County delegation because of its potential to decrease opiate addiction while simultaneously offering relief to those with chronic or terminal conditions. As state legislators work their way through hundreds of amendments, at consideration is Senate Bill 3, which would allow patients who have a recommendation from their doctor to purchase and use medical cannabis from a licensed center. It would allow for the use of a cannabis oil that is high in Cannabidiols with antiinflammatory and antioxidant properties and low in Tetrahydrocannabinols, the psychoactive cannabis ingredient. [continues 678 words]
A rare thing could happen in Harrisburg this week. The Pennsylvania House of Representatives could pass a bipartisan bill that the governor is eager to sign into law. This legislation could help thousands, including many children, with debilitating health problems. It is Senate Bill 3, which passed the Senate last May 12 by a 40-7 vote. This legislation would allow the use of medical marijuana in our state, something already available in 23 other states ("Pa. House Close to Vote on Medical Marijuana," March 14). [continues 265 words]
HARRISBURG (AP) - The Pennsylvania House of Representatives took up a proposal Monday to permit the use of marijuana for medical purposes, a potential breakthrough for supporters who have worked for several years to get legalization through the Republican-controlled Legislature. The debate began with passage of an elaborate amendment, crafted by a bipartisan task force, laying out rules for how the program would work, including eligibility and regulations. It was approved by a 152-38 vote, but the measure still requires a final House vote. [continues 347 words]
PA. House Takes Up Medical Marijuana Legislation HARRISBURG - The Pennsylvania House on Monday took up legislation to allow the medical use of marijuana in the state, beginning to prepare the bill to send back to the Senate later this week. By a vote of 152-38, the House approved a comprehensive amendment from House Judiciary Committee Chairman Ron Marsico, R-Dauphin, that would establish a system of growers and dispensaries to provide marijuana to patients with certain conditions who receive certification from a doctor. The House considered a number of other amendments before adjourning for the night, with plans to continue today. [continues 346 words]
Medical Marijuana Deserves House Approval The state House of Representatives should strike a blow for common sense this week and pass the medical marijuana bill that's before it. Senate Bill 3, approved with overwhelming bipartisan support from senators last May, has been examined, deliberated and amended to address every concern. Pennsylvanians suffering from diseases that could possibly be treated with cannabis deserve the lawmakers' action. A legitimate criticism of medical marijuana is that regulation, based on the experience in other states, can be so lax as to serve as de facto legalization. Ask anyone in California how easy it is to find a Dr. Feelgood who is quick to certify that self-described "chronic pain" makes one eligible to buy weed from a handy dispensary. [continues 193 words]
HARRISBURG - The state House could decide as early as this week on whether Pennsylvania should become the 24th state to legalize medical marijuana. The House began debate Monday evening on a legalization bill approved last spring by the Senate. Under the measure, people who suffer from certain conditions would be able to access medical cannabis in oil, ointment, and pill forms. But as with all big-ticket bills in the Capitol that inspire deep divisions, it could fall victim to politics. The Republican-controlled chamber is considering a lengthy list of changes to the measure, which advocates say could make access more difficult for those who need it. [continues 542 words]
HARRISBURG (AP) - The Pennsylvania House of Representatives took up a proposal Monday to permit the use of marijuana for medical purposes, a potential breakthrough for supporters who have worked for several years to get legalization through the Republican-controlled Legislature. The debate began with passage of an elaborate amendment, crafted by a bipartisan task force, laying out rules for how the program would work, including eligibility and regulations. It was approved by a 152-38 vote, but the measure still requires a final House vote. [continues 217 words]
HARRISBURG (AP) - The Pennsylvania House of Representatives took up a proposal Monday to permit the use of marijuana for medical purposes, a potential breakthrough for supporters who have worked for several years to get legalization through the Republican-controlled Legislature. The debate began with passage of an elaborate amendment, crafted by a bipartisan task force, laying out rules for how the program would work, including eligibility and regulations. It was approved by a 152- 38 vote, but the measure still requires a final House vote. [continues 300 words]
HARRISBURG - After months on the back burner, legislation to permit the medical use of marijuana in Pennsylvania is scheduled for a House vote this week. The Senate approved medical marijuana bills in September 2014 and again in May 2015, and Gov. Tom Wolf supports allowing the treatment. But the legislation, which would establish a highly regulated industry and which faced opposition from some House Republican leaders, did not fly through the House. The chamber held hearings and convened a task force to study the issue. [continues 512 words]
Following Wilkes-Barre City Council's vote to decriminalize the possession of drug paraphernalia last week, city police Chief Marcella Lendacky is now studying whether the city should follow the lead of Philadelphia and some other, larger cities and do the same for small quantities of marijuana. Proponents of decriminalization say marijuana arrests clog the court system with non-violent offenders whose future career and education prospects are often ruined for doing something that is treated like a traffic ticket in some parts of the country and totally legal in others. The move would give police officers the discretion to file summary charges for possession rather than more serious misdemeanor charges. [continues 210 words]
WILKES-BARRE - Starting today, adults found to be in possession of drug paraphernalia in the city might catch a break from the Wilkes-Barre City Police Department. City council at its regular meeting Thursday voted 5-0 to pass the second and final reading of a paraphernalia ordinance downgrading possession from a misdemeanor to a summary offense at the discretion of the arresting officer. Factors that police will consider include the criminal background of an offender and whether the person is going to be facing more serious charges. [continues 542 words]
Township to Steer Eligible Addicts to Treatment - Free of Charge UPPER DARBY - With nearly 200 drug overdoses and 20 heroin-related deaths recorded in Upper Darby last year, township authorities are offering the police department as a "safe haven" to township drug users who voluntarily request help to find treatment. Calling drug addiction the "Number One war in America" that impacts youth as readily as middleaged men and housewives, Mayor Tom Micozzie said, "We're killing the fiber of our community ... We need to do better here in America." [continues 775 words]
While legalizing medical use of cannabis (marijuana) will lower hard drug addition rates as Kaytee Moyer states in her op-ed (Here's how medical marijuana will slow down opioid abuse in Pa., March 2 PennLive) completely re-legalizing it will lower them more. Selling cannabis in a government regulated market separates sales where people may also sell hard drugs. Some citizens who legitimately use opioids for medical conditions will choose cannabis even more, if it's available over the counter, like in Colorado and that will lower hard drug addiction rates. [continues 128 words]
Drug overdose deaths are claiming the lives of more Pennsylvanians today than even motor vehicle accidents. In 2014, 2,500 individuals - seven people a day - succumbed to fatal overdoses from prescription opioids and heroin in the commonwealth, a staggering 20 percent increase over the previous year. Sadly, we expect that number to grow when 2015 statistics are released this summer. Drug addiction is the public health crisis of our time. In fact, it is the worst public health crisis I have seen in more than 30 years as a health professional. [continues 209 words]
This legislative session has been a difficult one, with a drawn-out and contentious debate about the budget and slow progress on an issue that is vital to thousands of Pennsylvanians who face devastating illnesses - medical cannabis. The Legislature has been considering some form of a medical cannabis bill since 2009 and every two years the session ends before anything is done to help suffering patients. Last May, the Senate overwhelmingly approved Senate Bill 3, the latest incarnation of this much-needed bill. During the summer, I served on a working group appointed by House Majority Leader Dave Reed to examine the issue. [continues 489 words]
We have a problem in Pennsylvania. Most of us are personally aware of the devastating impact this epidemic has had on our state. If you don't have someone who has suffered within your own family, you likely know someone from your high school class or community who is fighting an uphill battle against this devastating addiction. It's time to do something about opioid abuse in Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania's opioid abuse epidemic has been rocking the state for several years. [continues 420 words]
Andrew Follett Introduces 'Cannagenix' Line of Hemp Foods With Plans to Grow His Own "My end goal in this journey is to have large acreage of a variety of hemp strains tailored to specific industry, and a processing plant capable of a broad spectrum of product-specific processing." - Andrew Follett, owner of Follett Health Solutions LLC Andrew Follett is like many entrepreneurs in the area: young, energetic, with a burning desire to talk about his newest venture. But unlike those who have created the latest app or video game, Follett has a public relations hurdle to clear before his startup can become a success. [continues 712 words]
TOWANDA - While the City of Ithaca, N.Y., is considering establishing a safe and supervised place for addicts to use their drugs, two Bradford County officials said they were opposed to the idea. At Thursday's meeting of the Bradford County commissioners, Commissioner Doug McLinko said he was firmly opposed to the proposed facility. "You can count me out of that 100 percent," McLinko said. He said the facility would be "enabling drug users." Bradford County Coroner Tom Carman was also opposed to the facility. "Heroin shots is not the answer," Carman said. [continues 114 words]
WILKES-BARRE - It's not a soft spot in their heart that has city officials pushing to decriminalize a minor drug offense, but rather a soft spot in their wallet. Mayor Tony George and his administration aim to reduce possession of drug paraphernalia from a misdemeanor criminal offense to a summary offense so the city could boost its coffers with the money collected through city-issued citations. City council at its regular meeting Thursday unanimously approved the first of two readings of the motion to amend Wilkes-Barre's ordinance. The maximum penalty for a summary conviction is a $300 fine. Defaulting on the payment could land an offender in Luzerne County Correctional Facility for up to 90 days. [continues 591 words]
This week, Ithaca Mayor Svante Myrick unveiled a plan to tackle the city's heroin epidemic. It's a plan modeled after strategies employed in certain parts of the world, but yet to be implemented in the United States: Give heroin users a safe place to shoot up that's monitored by medical professionals. According to what the mayor has said in various media reports, these centers have seen their fair share of overdoses, but have yet to result in a death. [continues 800 words]
TOWANDA - While Bradford County is experiencing a heroin epidemic, there aren't any treatment facilities for addicts in the county and the ones elsewhere in the region are full, officials said. Speaking at the Bradford County commissioners' meeting on Thursday, Bradford County Coroner Thomas Carman said the region's drug rehab facilities, which are located outside the county, "are full," so getting a local addict into a rehab facility "is a challenge." "There are so many people who need treatment, but we don't have enough facilities for them," the coroner said. [continues 747 words]
Andrew Follett Introduces 'Cannagenix' Line of Hemp Foods With Plans to Grow His Own Andrew Follett is like many entrepreneurs in the area: young, energetic, with a burning desire to talk about his newest venture. But unlike those who have created the latest app or video game, Follett has a public relations hurdle to clear before his startup can become a success. That's because Follett Health Solutions LLC sells the "highest quality hemp foods and ingredients, to retail, food service, bulk customer, as well as end consumer product manufactures." [continues 342 words]
The PHS Philadelphia Flower Show is meant to be a temporary display of horticultural splendor, not a chronic one. So the show organizers put the kibosh on a display that was to tout legalization of marijuana. Turns out blooms are welcome, bud not so much. Philly NORML, a pro-legalization group, was urging volunteers to join a booth at the show organized by Green Rush Advisors. But Alan Jaffe, a spokesman for the Flower Show organizer, the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, said the group had already been told it would not be welcome. [continues 197 words]
My son, Marksen, 7, was diagnosed with autism at age 2. He has always had difficulty with behavioral issues, but his condition has worsened greatly in the past year: He has become violent toward himself and others, especially his family. Marksen has been to the hospital at least 50 times in the last year- to the emergency room, gastrointestinal doctors, and an autism specialist. We've tried various medications, with numerous side effects and little relief. He suffers daily. What are we to do? [continues 101 words]
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration's decision last month to relax requirements for marijuana-derived research is encouraging. The Pennsylvania Medical Society, on behalf of our members and their patients, urges that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration also work to support research that will lead to the development of safe treatment options. We also urge the FDA to reschedule marijuana from a Schedule I to a Schedule II substance to facilitate research across the country. With legislation to legalize medical marijuana pending in Pennsylvania, we are hopeful that the DEA decision will slow down state legislation on marijuana legalization in favor of FDA-approved clinical research and rescheduling of the substance. Advocates and patients want to use marijuana for illnesses and conditions despite incomplete and limited FDA research on its safety and effectiveness. Society members prefer additional research and clinical study before Pennsylvania allows medical use of marijuana. This position is aligned with the American Medical Association's policy. Dr. Scott E. Shapiro, president, Pennsylvania Medical Society, Harrisburg [end]
An investigation involving several law enforcement agencies ended in police seizing nearly 250 pounds of marijuana from three men, including a California sheriff's deputy, last week, York County District Attorney Tom Kearney said Monday. Police laid out dozens of bags of marijuana, fanned-out $100 and $20 bills, a handgun and other items during a news conference Monday at the Penn Township municipal offices. The evidence was seized during the West Manheim Township drug bust. Kearney commended the York County Drug Task Force and Penn Township, Springettsbury Township, Hanover Borough and York Area Regional police departments for working together on the investigation that resulted in the arrest of the California deputy and two other men. [continues 747 words]
A sheriff's deputy is among three California men charged by police in York County in connection to 247 pounds of marijuana seized last week after a traffic stop in the Hanover area. Christopher Heath, 37, of Bangor, had his badge and service weapon when he was arrested last Tuesday, along with Ryan Falsone, 27, of Oroville, and Tyler Long, 31, also of Bangor. All three have been charged with delivery of marijuana, criminal conspiracy to deliver marijuana and possession with intent to deliver marijuana. [continues 387 words]
Inside Pennsylvania
