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House votes to give Missourians with debilitating illnesses access to medical marijuana

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — Patients with debilitating illnesses would be allowed access to medical marijuana under legislation given approval by the Missouri House on Tuesday morning.

Neely

Rep. Jim Neely’s HB 1554, which passed in a 112-44 vote, would give people with cancer, glaucoma, HIV, AIDS, ALS, Crohn’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, epilepsy, Alzheimer’s disease, and multiple sclerosis the option of obtaining a smokeless form of marijuana as medication.

“We must show compassion for patients left without hope,” said Neely. “That’s the genesis of this bill.”

The legislation originally started out with just allowing those who are terminally ill to access medical marijuana but was expanded during the perfection process. Increasing the scope of the bill to include long-term, debilitating illnesses gave some Representatives pause.

“I am going to vote for this bill even though I have extreme reservations about the other conditions that were added on,” said Rep. Lynn Morris. He questioned what marijuana could even do for some of the conditions listed and if adding the conditions was too big of a step.  

“That’s what we are all afraid of, that it is going to expand. That’s what we’ve seen in other states,” said Rep. J Eggleston.

For some, medical marijuana for anyone — no matter the reason — wasn’t something they could support.

Eggleston pointed out that the conditions covered in the bill are also covered in another bill that would treat the conditions without the patient getting high.

“It is so interesting that [Rep. Keith Frederick] also [has] a bill — a House committee bill — that didn’t use marijuana that got you high, it used CBD oil,” said Eggleston. “We adopted that the other day, we have yet to third read it yet, and in that bill, it will address treating those same folks with something that won’t get you high that suffer from cancer, HIV, AIDS, ALS, Parkinson’s, MS, and epilepsy.”

Another representative in opposition to the bill pointed out he didn’t know of “any other medicines that become medicines by an act of the legislature” versus the process set in place through the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

The effect marijuana will have on the population was also a point of contention. Frederick attended a presentation this month and part of the Powerpoint presented addressed marijuana and other drugs.

Rep. Keith Frederick PHOTO/TIM BOMMEL – HOUSE COMM

“It showed that individuals that were habituated to marijuana — pretty much addicted to marijuana — were three times more likely to also be addicted to heroin,” said Frederick.

Supporters argued that medical marijuana can provide relief for Missourians who are suffering and gives patients the option of another medicine.

“I’ve got friends and family members who are impacted by some of these debilitating diseases,” said Rep. Clem Smith. “It’s a hard thing to watch when someone is going through pain or they know there’s an expiration date on their life and they just want to get to that point and have some kind of resolve or some sort of peace and this may help them get there. It is not forcing anyone to do it.”

Floor Majority Leader Rob Vescovo also stood up in support of the legislation, simply stating “I am going to go ahead and cast my vote for the terminally ill in my district and across the state.”

Rep. Shamed Dogan’s perfecting amendment was adopted on the bill, which eliminating references to a statute that didn’t exist. The legislation is now in the hands of the Senate with less than three weeks until the end of the session.

Even if the bill doesn’t make it across the finish line this year, the legalization of medical marijuana is still a possibility with three different initiative petitions gathering signatures for the November ballot.