A MARIJUANA BILL OFFERS MEDICINAL AND FINANCIAL BENEFITS

A medicinal marijuana bill is being considered in the state House and
Senate in Harrisburg. The bill would allow qualified people to ingest
cannabis for ailments such as cancer, glaucoma, multiple sclerosis,
AIDS and many others.

To receive a verification card from the commonwealth, a user would
have to first have what the state deems a "bona-fide doctor-patient
relationship." You would have to go to a physician familiar with your
specific medical history, and not just see some doctor at random.

The final step to receiving a card would be to have all the proper
documents filled out and submitted.

Under the proposal, you would be assessed a $50-a-year fee to grow or
possess cannabis.

Those choosing to grow their own would be permitted to possess up to
one ounce of usable cannabis, and six plants.

If you didn't want to grow it, you could have someone (a caregiver)
grow it for you, or you could purchase it from a state-regulated
compassion clinic.

The state Department of Health would be charged with keeping pertinent
records data (doctor's name and address, patient's name and address,
medical condition, and caregiver's name and address if
applicable).

Also, the compassion clinics would have to maintain detailed records
of those who purchase cannabis from them.

That is the bill in a nutshell.

The economic implications of this bill are immense. As I mentioned,
the state would collect a $50-a-year fee for each card issued. What I
didn't mention is that the fee is on a sliding scale, so it never
would drop below $50, but could rise, generating additional revenue.

Recently, USA Today published a report on Colorado's emerging
medicinal cannabis industry. The newspaper reported that there are
about 66,000 people in the state who have either received a card or
are on a waiting list. Let's use that number in an example equation:
66,000 times $50 is $3.3 million. That number grows exponentially when
you factor in the state's six percent sales tax.

Finally, police departments would be able to focus their attention and
valuable tax dollars on catching the real criminals. Not to mention
that nine out of 10 people arrested on cannabis-related counts are
charged for minor possession only.

So if we changed the marijuana laws in our state, we could also help
address the problem of overcrowded prisons.

All of this adds up to much-needed help for a state possibly facing an
$850 million budget deficit.

Now let's talk about cannabis as a medicine.

Cannabis has been used by mankind for thousands of years, resulting in
what I believe are no adverse effects on society. In fact, it was the
most prescribed medicine in the world until the rediscovery of aspirin
in the 1900s.

Remember, alcohol Prohibition required a constitutional amendment;
cannabis was outlawed with one congressional hearing, in 1937.

In 1985, a synthetic version of T.H.C. - called Marinol - was
patented. It is 100 percent T.H.C. with no other cannabinoids to even
out the effects.

Studies have shown that when compared to the medicinal benefits of
natural canna-bis, Marinol doesn't hold a candle to it.

Also, Marinol is a Schedule 3 drug, while cannabis is a Schedule 1
drug, with no medical applications.

Pills kill an estimated 100,000 people a year, while in 10,000 years
of use, no one has ever died from cannabis.

Jack Herer, author of "The Emperor Wears No Clothes," and a person
whom I consider to be a mentor, said, "No one has ever died from
cannabis that wasn't shot by a cop."

Also, many people need to take more pills to even out the side effects
from their pills.

It's a vicious cycle of exploitation.

If you are interested in learning the true history of the amazing
cannabis plant, do your homework.

In addition to reading Herer, I would suggest Canadian author Rick
Simpson, who is in prison for curing people with cannabis oil - which
he gave for free.

Can you see a pharmaceutical company giving away medicine for
free.

Ha!

I crack myself up.

Gary Tokar lives and works in Johnstown and in 2009 was an
unsuccessful candidate for city council.