State Health Commissioner Opposes Medicinal Pot…For Now

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — A Minnesota Senate committee will resume discussing a bill that would legalize medical marijuana after the Legislature returns from its Easter/Passover break.

Lawmakers begin their recess Thursday evening and reconvene April 22.

Medical-marijuana advocates who testified Thursday shared stories of sons, daughters and themselves suffering from maladies that no conventional medications helped. Some described using pot to alleviate debilitating pain from muscular dystrophy and Chrohn's disease. Others spoke of their hope that medical marijuana would halt nonstop seizures caused by epilepsy that afflict their sons and daughters.

A few senators supported the bill sponsored by Minneapolis Democrat Scott Dibble.

But the commissioners of the state health and human services departments both testified the wiser course would be to proceed with caution until research reveals pot's medical pros and cons.