Legislators want medical marijuana farming in Minnesota

Sounds good to me, but I doubt the religious wing-nuts are going to go along with this.

Devil weed – legal in MN?? I can just imagine the preachin’ from the pulpit that’s going to take place. Hell, I bet they gonna wanna burn us some liberal witches for even suggesting this.

Kinda a dilemma for Repubs though. It would bring in more money. What to do? What to do? Hmmmmmmmmm…………..

Two questions.

What kind of fences and security would these farms have? And why did my neighbor suddenly develop an urge to go “walkin’ down a country road?”

Why be able to export to other states and not consume in MN?

Ridiculous!

Cannabis is a safe, effective, god given, natural herbal remedy.

Make it legal! Stop this nonsense.

Prohibition is big government, fiscally reckless and causes crime.

Hold your politicians accountable.

Actually, do a little research into hemp grown for fiber. The leaves are bitter, and make for a bad smoke. The neighbor kids may pinch some leaves, for a joint, but only once.

The usual suspects. Phyllis Kahn once proposed a bill to allow 12 year-olds to vote, figuring I suppose that most 12 year-olds agreed with her politics.

Ohhhh,I don’t know about this idea… Why should it be so regulated ?Look at all the poisons and toxic crap they put on tobacco when the “gov.” regulated it.What if they only raise cannabis with a low thc content or rag weed that taste like dried up cow dung? What if they use chemicals and herbicides on it ????I do not think the state governments themselves should own the rights to the plant .I think the people should all have rights to the plant.We should not be forced to buy it from government regulators .Cannabis and hemp should be given to the people to use as they wish to sustain them selves as medicine and food and as fuel and any other useful reason they can think of .

Dennis. You’re a typical lying Republican.

These governments are clinging hard to this little herb.Frankly I think government security is a little more than wayy over kill for a little non toxic herb…I mean look at alcohol ..Jesssss if you want to make a dangerous intoxicant illegal make alcohol illegal make tobacco illegal ,start with viagra …But keeping a non toxic plant from the public is just ridiculous, give it up,If they produce this light weight thc free herb that tasted like dried up cow dung and pesticides then all the medical patients can just go back to buying it from people they can actually trust to raise it.

Bat Guano makes good fertilizer. I had a friend who tried to introduce a bill to fund state sponsored ice cream stores back in the day.

Who really cares who has access to a non toxic, non lethal,herb?

Having studied the medical marijuana dispensary regulations in all the states it’s clear no state will support this idea of buying from another state. All the state’s laws have residency requirements and others have a closed loop or 70% requirements they must produce on site, others have local hiring regulations.

I don’t see any success basing your state law on another state’s law. No state is going to allow another state to swoop in and take the money out of state.

MN should pass it’s own MMJ bill and legalize dispensaries and cultivation facilities.

This has as much chance of coming to fruition as Oakland, Ca’s dream of pot warehouse plantations.

INTERSTATE TRANSPORTATION of CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE- not allowed by DEA, ever.

But this effort is very worthwhile, as part of the larger movement of states’ authorities towards sensible treatment of the cannabis issue.

It’s important to continue to stake out areas of control by local and regional govts, which can ultimately gather the overwhelming support across most states needed for legalization nationally.

Frankly,I think we should be planting it far as the eye can see for food and medicine and fiber for paper and cloth …But I think the public should own this plant, not some controlling monopoly or any one who may be controlled by any related monopolies. This, it seems is one of my biggest reservations about having it controlled by the same big industries who wish us to keep it illegal.Obviously because the state may be compromised by these competing monopolies we should not take comfort in knowing our products will come to us in altered states as did tobacco, which was served up laced with arsenic,pesticides and herbicids.For this reason I think the public should be able to grow and use this product how ever they wish so they can be assured of its purity.

Does Minnesota elect the brain dead to their legislature? Have these people never heard that the Feds are in charge of commerce between the various States?

Minnesotans should think about the possibility that this bill is proposed only to distract people from wondering why the Legislature is unwilling to address the fiscal calamity that is happening in the State. How many billions of a deficit forecast for next year, and your idiot lawmakers have the time to write up an absurd, cockamamie bill that literally has no hope of seeing the light of day. Don’t let them distract you. Even if this law was passed and signed into law there’s nobody stupid enough to try to do it.

PS lots of medical cannabis States’ laws like the medicine produced in that State.

“Phyllis Kahn, a Minnesota state representative, said, “If we trust them to drive at 16, why don’t we trust them to vote?” and added that “an irresponsible driver can do much more harm than an irresponsible voter.” Ms. Kahn had proposed letting 12-year-olds vote (government pamphlets are written at a sixth-grade level, after all) but raised her sights to 16. ”

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/26/weekinreview/26belluck.html?_r=1

“The trouble with our liberal friends is not that they’re ignorant; it’s just that they know so much that isn’t so.” – Ronaldo Magnus

By the way Virginia, that I know of ,dose not have medical cannabis legalized yet.

ya sorry but if clueless farmers start growing crops of cannabis there is no way it’ll be medical grade. Medical patients want/need top quality sensimilla not commercially grown schwag.

[...] http://minnesotaindependent.com/78197/legislators-want-medical-marijuana-farming-in-minnesota/ [...]

When are we going to bury “reefer madness” hysteria once and for all?

Until such time that cannabis is no more regulated than, let’s say, carrots in your garden, we have to push back against the hysteria and ignorance.

A suggestion.

We need to add Minneapolis and St. Paul to the 420 (April 20) celebration of cannabis:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/420_(cannabis_culture)

Imagine 10s of thousands of people gathering in Loring Park, toking up.

Seems more and more states will be confronted with the issue of changing laws for med marijuana. Enforcement has done nothing to stop demand or use. Lots of money spent. No results. Could add to tax base and help clean up related crime. Should be given serious consideration.

Eric, they say potheads have no ambition, but to date we’re the only cohort who has managed to steal a day from the calendar. Even the drinking alcohol afficianados had to appropriate a previously established holiday. 4/20 is our property now.

sandy, Virginia was one of the first States to pass a medical cannabis law, way back in 1978. It’s a worthless law, in all those decades not one patient has gotten a stick of medicine because it requires a prescription from a doctor and that the medicine come from a pharmacy. But on the day that the Feds give up on their idiotic prohibition, some Virginians will have access to this medicine.

http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?000+coh+18.2-251.1+500025

oops, typo, 1978 should be 1979 above.

[...] us the heads up that seven members of the Minnesota Legislature have submitted a bill to allow for the growth of medical marijuana in the state and export it to the sixteen other states (none of our neighbors, btw) that have already legalized [...]

Jesus said to do unto others the way would have them to do unto us. None of us would want our child thrown in jail with the sexual predators for using a little marijuana. None of us would want to see our parent’s home confiscated and sold by the police for growing a couple of marijuana plants to ease the aches and pains of growing older. It’s time to stop putting our own families in jail. It’s time to let ordinary Americans grow a little marijuana in their own back yards.

sandy says, “Who really cares who has access to a non toxic, non lethal,herb?”

Marijuana doesn’t fit this description.

It is known to cause cognitive deficits in those who start using it when they are young (ever hear the term “pothead”?).
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/11/101116104202.htm

It causes over-production of certain immune system-suppressing cells, potentially making the user more susceptible to cancer and infections.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/11/101124214728.htm

While claims of lung cancer caused by marijuana are unproven, it has been shown that life-long marijuana smokers have significant lung damage in their 40′s that does not show up in tobacco users until their 60′s.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/080123104017.htm

It’s all very well to debate the merits and usefulness of government-imposed limits and prohibitions, but let’s do so using known data.

If the authors of this bill think Minnesota will get significant tax revenue by competing with the thousands of backwoods marijuana farmers in California, they’re living in a pot dream.

The legislature needs to concentrate on demonstrably effective means of limiting government expenditure to within the predictable revenue, not waste time on smoke-blown wild ideas wafting off into the blue sky. Until the budget is balanced, this bill should be nothing more than a silly distraction for us bloggers.

[...] bill (HF662) states: “The legislature finds that the production and export of medical marijuana can [...]

What about the folks in Minnesota? Don’t they get to enjoy freedom from pain or nausea without the harsh side effects of pills? The Minnesota legislature must not care much about the people who voted for them!

Great idea! Go for it! All you need to do is get the SCOTUS to overturn their abominable Ashcroft-v-Raich and Wickard-v-Filburn miscarriages and acknowledge that they do not equate to the 18th amendment…

Lotsa Luck!

-San Jose California

How about a trade, you guys send some of your MN weed to Ohio, and we will send you some of our Buckeye Bud. deal?

[...] Legislators want medical marijuana farming in Minnesota … [...]

I don’t think that states that already have medical marijuana need other states selling to their dispensaries, they have enough people in their states doing that already, and getting it there through states that marijuana is illegal would present one hell of a problem. I’m from the Oregon/California border and why would I want marijuana from MN, there’s not a good enough growing season here anyway, why not have medical marijuana for people in MN, instead of keeping liqueur stores open as much as possible, I’m stuck here for now and can see how bad the alcohol problem is here MN and the sever health problems that come with it..

Does anyone in MN even really know anything about growing Marijuana, you don’t through seeds in the ground and hope that they will grow, I mean really who was the Moron who thought up this stupid idea; growing Marijuana that dispensaries will even take requires some science to do it. I have spent the last five years as a legal grower out west; you have to know when to start growing from seeds (clones are better) to have them sexed and have them in the ground by mid April (not in MN), does anyone even know how to sex a plant or when to do it? if this is not done you can ruin crops for miles. Then you need know how to plant them proper so you don’t shock the plant, improper planting can cause the plant to turn male ruining crops, holes have to be dug according to how big you want the plant, each plant needs a lot of fertilizer and nutrient rich soil along with other products, average cost per plant $300 or more for out door growing and indoor the cost more than triples or more usually more. If anyone wants an example of marijuana grown farm style get some Mexican swag or non smoke-able hemp, I guarantee that no other state will even consider getting Marijuana from MN, then the harvest time trimming, tedious time consuming work (this is a must to sell) and there you just added to the cost a person can pay as much as $1000.- per plant to grow it right. Dispensaries don’t pay thousands per pound like most people think. Tell that to the Legislature’s.

I’d like to come from a place of love on this subject but there are so many ignorant people out in the world who haven’t been faced with a REAL situation in life that shows them the truth. I am a registered republican, Christian, disabled veteran (served in Bosnia, Mogadishu, and the Gulf and had a full grand Mal seizure in combat fighting for the country which I love). I have worked as a businessman for the past 13 years at a Fortune 100 company, have a 4 year old daughter and do not smoke marijuana. Now you have my biased background.

In June of 2010 my fiance was diagnosed with a rare form of Pancreatic Cancer. She has 6 tumors on her Pancreas one of which is 30mm. We were told it’s terminal. She has undergone 4 rounds of radiation since (its very hard on the body and she needs breaks). Because the Pancreas regulates both insulin production and digestive enzyme production her nausea and pain are unbearable for her.

Her doctors prescribe 100 5mg of dilaudid per month. For those who don’t know what dilaudid is, it’s made from the same plant that heroin is and is a scientifically engineered version of Morphine. I highly addictive and mind altering substance, that in order to combat the intense pain she experiences, causes her to become so intoxicated that she isn’t the same person that she is sober. It also compounds her nausea. She hates every aspect of it. To counter the increase nausea that caused her to go from 120 lbs to 85 lbs (and would eventually kill her from wasting away as the cancer also sucks out what little calories she could inject) they prescribed 3 different forms of anti-nausea medications, none of which worked at all.

We ended up needing to go to the ER because she was throwing up blood. The doctors diagnosed it as a torn esophagus because of the constant throwing up.

At that point I had enough. We asked the oncologist what to do. He indicated that by law he is prohibited from providing a suggestion we haven’t looked into and that is all he could say. I knew exactly what he meant and went from there.

I did my research and have come to find the typical debate. The big Pharma’s lobby our Govt in an effort to continue to make profits off a huge industry (medicating cancer and terminal patients is HUGE business in the billions of dollars). They commission studies (many ignorant people have posted such studies in forums such a this, acting as unintended evil parrots, thinking they are adding educated and informed opinions).

I am here to tell you that I and my fiance know first hand that the truth is (at least for medical use), the drug provides complete relief of her nausea, partial relief of her pain to a point where she doesn’t need to use MORPHINE which has side effects such as death if consumed too much. I am here to tell you first-hand from my heart of hearts if you are reading this, PLEASE get educated on why such a drug like marijuana is not being considered for a controlled substance while, percocet, dilaudid, morphene and other massively addicting, side effect causes narcotics are regulated (and highly abused on the street by the way). My fiance and many other lives depend on your education.

As a previous defender of our freedoms, I should not have had to knock on my neighbors doors to explain why my fiance would be out back on our deck smoking marijuana once in a while, pleading with them not to call the police as we are both contributing members of society who are not criminals in any way. It was embarrassing and I was ashamed for the first time in my life to call myself an American. Because I realized, we are not truly free when we are bound by a government that defends a financial industry before it defends the freedom of its citizens to seek relief while dying.

As for Pawlenty, I hope he repents first, but if not, I hope he is judged for cow-towing to lobbyists, because he has perpetuated pain and suffering in this world that doesn’t have to exist. As far as the other people on my side of the aisle who refuse to seek out the truth because of stereotypes, I pray to God every day that they will find love in their hearts because without it, the misinformed are condemning people to suffer. I also pray that they never have to come by this knowledge that way I have.

Most of all I pray that God helps me with my anger towards my brothers and sisters of this world who are not purposely hurting others, but by their actions do so.

With love,
Ian

Legalize it. The only thing toxic about Marijuana is a corrupt United States Government. Come on Minnesota educate yourselves. Cannabis is a non toxic, non lethal, plant..

Quit smoking it….Still support it. Marijuana use is not the cause of our problems. It is a (perceived) treatment. The addictive process is not the cause. It is a symptom of something greater. The cause of addiction stems from psychological defects with environmental roots. The environmental roots are frequently experiences that have occurred from maltreatment as infants/toddlers/youth. If a child is brought up in a secure, healthy, nurturing environment they are not going to feel the need to go into an alternative environment looking to fill the emptiness that was initially experienced growing up.

That having been said; isn’t it time we begin questioning WHY our governing body is allowing/funding the building of correctional institutions at a ratio that exceeds those of treatment centers, social services, and educational institutions????

We are manufacturing crimes while complaining about an increase in crime. All the while we are defunding programs intended to help people better themselves. Does this make ANY sense?

I’m just sayin…..

If we spent more time educating parents about raising children in healthy environments, and making healthy food affordable, we would have fewer reasons to be worried about lying to the public about cannabis and worrying about whether hard drugs would even get a foot hold.

FACT: Tobacco IS a hallucinogen AND addictive(more so than heroin). If you take pure organic tobacco and put it in a bong you will be devastated by the strong effects. The cigarette just enhances it’s stimulating effects and bolsters the addictive properties.

Quit smoking it….Still support it. Marijuana use is not the cause of our problems. It is a (perceived) treatment. The addictive process is not the cause. It is a symptom of something greater. The cause of addiction stems from psychological defects with environmental roots. The environmental roots are frequently experiences that have occurred from maltreatment as infants/toddlers/youth. If a child is brought up in a secure, healthy, nurturing environment they are not going to feel the need to go into an alternative environment looking to fill the emptiness that was initially experienced growing up.

That having been said; isn’t it time we begin questioning WHY our governing body is allowing/funding the building of correctional institutions at a ratio that exceeds those of treatment centers, social services, and educational institutions????

We are manufacturing crimes while complaining about an increase in crime. All the while we are defunding programs intended to help people better themselves. Does this make ANY sense?

oops the first one took awhile to post

I think that marijuana should be legal to grow up to 3 plants. and it should be legal to have under 2 ounces of marijuana because all marijuana is a(n) herb and everything else that is growing wild isn’t illegal. Marijuana is only dangerous if people make it dangerous by lacing it with other dangerous drugs. marijuana by its self in its natural form is not dangerous and helps with pain and anxiety.

Should the state implement a mmj law?
I find it a lucrative notion as this is why…

if the state has implemented the law:

Lets just use Colorado numbers…

State MMJ registration fee is: $90.00

Dispensary License fee is:
(type1*) $7500.00
(type2*) $12,000
(type3*) $18,000
optional Premises Cultivation License $1250.
Medical Marijuana-infused Product Manufacturer: $1250.

*Type 1=300 or fewer patients, all Minnesota residents;
*Type 2=301 to 500 patients;
*Type 3=501 or more patients.

Okay so now that we have that foundation of the license fees ( taxes)

One person goes to a MMJ doctor whom charges $180 for the evaluation of the patient to make sure they qualify for the card.
This is the first time this dr see’s this patient, so he just revenues an extra $180 to prescribe his legal mmj card.

Now the patient has to register it with the state.
State fee is $90.00 and the license has to be paid for every year. So every year they have to go see a doctor and pay state fee’s.
(if one patient stays on the card for 5 years thats 450 spent on state fee’s just to hold his card.

Now the patient needs to buy products to grow his mmj plants. He has to go to a hydroponic store that specializes in
his grow.

Someone has to open up a hydroponic store. They have to get a tax license a city license and a business license to open up a new store.
Lets say the license fee’s altogether is around $1000. just in license fee’s.
Now they have to rent a building or buy a building. Now they have to pay property taxes on that building.
They have to fill the store with products to sell to that one patient as they know more patients are coming.
They will need to hire employees…
Now the factory that manufactures those products
now may need to hire one person to help with the production.

While that one patient waits for his plants to grow to obtain his medicine he needs a store to purchase his meds while he waits
for a four or five month process. Now he needs to go to a dispensary…

Now someone needs to open up a dispensary to provide safe mmj to the patients…
they now have to obtain a license $12,000.
A state sales tax E.I.N. number and FEIN number and city and county service tax.
Theres an additional $2000.
Now they need a grow warehouse… They will need to hire at minimum 5 farmers AND rent or purchase a secure warehouse $1500 a month. They need to go to the hydro store and purchase $10,000 to $25,000 in merchandise and taxes, to grow for the mmj patient.
At the store they will need to hire at least 3 people to run the shop. (3 people out of work collecting unemployment now have tax paying JOBS…

Just from implementing the MMJ Law (without legalizing it) these state fee’s are every single year from the Patient to the dispensary!
One patient brought a whole new industry into the system of taxes

so what we have here in taxes to pay off a deficit is a very damn good start.

from taxes with one patient accumulated a whole system and the state license fee’s and tax fee’s
$16,590. because 1 person needed medical marijuana…

i think California would change its mind if they could
if you are truly in pain talk to your doctor about methadone
it is very inexpensive ,it kills pain ,and very little to no side affects at all
if you are sincere your doctor will prescribe it
minimal doses are needed
but if you are a doper then it will be just another problem
2 ounces of mmj is alot for private use
i say no to it
if you need mmj you can get it any way
so why complicate and make an enforcement night mare

because marijuana is half of all the crime in my town. i got a $200 fine for have 2 grams. like it doesn’t make sense to me why marijuana is illegal!?! alcohol and tobacco are worse than marijuana! Alcohol causes liver and immune system problems! tobacco cause lung and respiratory problems! marijuana helps with cancer and AIDS patients and helps with glaucoma. marijuana is nothing more than an herb. a god given plant.

marijuana is safer than prescription drugs. If you take too much prescription drugs you will overdose and die if you smoke too much pot you will get high and fall a sleep there are no recorded deaths from just marijuana.

legalize my medicine here in MN!!!!

Give the People want they want!!

Freedom!!!

I don’t even drink that much I’d rather smoke weed

Does any politician know what FREEDOM is?! America lies to us and tells us we are free, but every person with a brain knows we aren’t really free! Freedom says it’s ok to grow a plant mad by the Lord Jesus Christ himself! Shit, we can’t even grow the plant if we thinks its pretty and would look good in my garden. It’s all about power and control! If we took alcohol away from people and gave them an herbal remedy called marijuana, their wouldn’t be drunkin driving and spouse abuse because everyone would be to damn happy to beat their wives! And we wouldn’t be killing our livers. If they say making pot legal is a safety issue, than that’s a load of shit! Alcohol and cigarrettes are safety issues! And the whole legal to grow it, but not use it is the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard. Who the hell had the

Whats worse Marijuana or Crime? Whats better Marijuana or alcohol? Whats less healthy for you Marijuana or Cigarettes

yea