HOUSE REJECTS USE OF MEDICAL MARIJUANA

CONCORD - The House voted by a narrow margin yesterday to reject a
bill that would have allowed patients to use marijuana for relief of
painful symptoms.

HB 774 would have allowed a person who obtained a doctor's certificate
to possess seven marijuana plants and 3 ounces of dried marijuana.

The bill was killed on a 186-177 vote, despite pleas from some House
members, including a cancer survivor, to pass it. The bill applies to
any patient suffering what it says are "debilitating medical
conditions." Opponents said that immunizing patients from state
prosecution would pit state law against federal law that bars
possession or use.

Rep. Evelyn Merrick, D-Lancaster, said she still suffers the lingering
effects of cancer treatment.

During chemotherapy after a bone transplant, she said, "no acceptable
pain killer, drug or remedy of any kind afforded relief. The treatment
was often worse than the disease."

Rep. Joseph Miller, D-Durham, a retired physician, argued against
legalization.

"Marijuana is not a real medicine which is disease specific, nor is it
a pure substance," he said. It is often contaminated with pesticides
and microbes, he said.

"I, too, am distressed by end-of-life suffering, but there are an
abundance of other drugs," Miller said.

Speakers who favored the bill noted that 11 states have passed similar
measures, including Vermont, Maine and Rhode Island.

The House passed HB 583, which provides $1 million for services to
those suffering HIV/AIDS. The bill directs the Department of Health
and Human Services to use the money to attract federal matching funds
that would expand services.

Among the bills that were killed were:

CACR 15, a constitutional amendment that would have required judges to
go through a voter review on a regular basis.

HB 565, by a vote of 241-118. The bill would ban the use of the most
common leg traps. Opponents of the traps argued that they are inhumane.

HB 864, which would have required outpatient abortion facilities to be
licensed. Opponents said the state already licenses the professionals
who provide abortions, and facilities meet Medicare, Medicaid and
private insurers' standards.

A bill that would have required a certificate of death to be issued
for a stillborn child was sent back for more committee work because of
a technical error. It will not return to the full House until January.