(Wikipedia)

(Wikipedia)

The Senate Health and Human Services Budget Division heard a controversial medical marijuana bill on Tuesday. The bill would allow for severely ill patients to procure marijuana either through a nonprofit registered through the state or to grow up to 12 plants themselves. The bill passed the committee by a voice vote, but not before a grilling from Sen. Julie Rosen, R-Fairmont.

Rosen wanted to know how to measure THC content in medical marijuana, how to prevent tampering, and what the sentencing guidelines would be for abuse.

But even further, “I’m very concerned about the parameters of the products that is coming out. Who’s growing it, what is grown, what type of herbicides and pesticides are being used on the product?”

Sen. Steve Murphy, DFL-Red Wing, the chief author of the bill, said that the small number of plants, a 12-plant limit grown by the patient or by a nonprofit in a locked facility, negate the need for chemicals. “Other than Miracle Grow, I think that’s about it,” he said.

Rosen continued, “Who is controlling the quality of these plants? You are using a plant as a medicinal painkiller, and there is a lot of room for tampering.”

Murphy said, “Since this state was formed, there have been zero deaths from use of marijuana.” He pointed out that these are users of illegal marijuana, which is highly prone to tampering.

And in terms of THC content in marijuana, one of the plant’s active chemicals, Murphy said that patients control their own dosage. “There are no cases in the history of the world of anyone overdosing on marijuana and dying. I mean zero,” he said.

But after several rounds of questions, Murphy speculated on what the real concerns of opponents: that this bill would be a break from drug war policy. “You know, this country has spent billions on the war on drugs and [drug use] more prevalent than it ever has been,” he said. “This bill is simply to allow these patients to use this legally without being outside the bounds of the law.”

The bill faces its next test in the Senate Finance Committee and, if passed, will be considered by the full Senate.