BY RICHARD L. FRICKER
State Sen. Constance Johnson revealed that Health and Human Services Committee Chairman Sen. Brian Crain has agreed to a one day hearing on her bill to allow the sale of medical marijuana in Oklahoma.
In an e-mail, the Forest Park Democrat said Sen. Crain “is willing to meet for one day only, between the end of September and Oct 10.”
Sen. Johnson has submitted a medical marijuana bill during every legislation session since taking office in 2005. This is the first time the bill has reached the hearing level.
Her statement continued, “We now need to provide the names and credentials of the types of providers he [Sen. Crain] has said he wants to hear from [medical doctors/providers specifically], as he is unwilling to commit any further until he knows who will be presenting.”
Her bill says, “No physician in this state shall be punished, or denied any right or privilege, for having recommended marijuana to a patient for medical purposes.”
It continues, “Oklahoma Statutes relating to the possession of marijuana and … Statutes relating to the cultivation of marijuana shall not apply to a patient, or to a patient’s primary caregiver, who possesses or cultivates marijuana for the personal medical purposes of the patient upon the written or oral recommendation or approval of a physician.”
According to Johnson, “He [Crain] has agreed that the session will focus on pro medical marijuana presentations only.” She added that Crain does not expect that many legislators will attend the session.
She also noted that she had been informed that Rep. Doug Cox and Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services Commissioner Terri White have already expressed their opposition to the bill.
Currently 17 states and the District of Columbia allow the sale of medical marijuana. At least 11 other states have legislation pending in various forms.
– Richard L. Fricker lives in Tulsa, OK and is a regular contributor to The Oklahoma Observer. His latest book, The Last Day of the War, is available at https://www.createspace.com/3804081 or at www.richardfricker.com.
They should allow medical marijuana for a short period ( 6 months to a year ), just to see if the doctors in Oklahoma would prescribe it. Because if doctors wont prescribe it theres no reason to legalize it. I am from California and I do believe in medicinal marijuana.
I really, really wish Oklahoma would just give medical marijuana a try as well. Marijuana for me is not something I need or even want. I do not like the way it makes me feel. However, I know several people in my personal life that are on twenty plus medications for pain, depression, or some other mental disorder. I know a person who has passed away and they were on many medications and mixing alcohol. There is no clear definite reason that this is what killed him because there hasn’t been an autopsy report released back to the family. I know that these people and people like them would be helped if this was just an option to try.
Honestly to me it kind of laughable that this is stills an issue in Oklahoma. The research is out there, the study shows it does help people. I just don’t get why it taking this long and this is such an issue in the U.S.A in general when drinking and smoking is legal in this country. It helps people sleep, also helps them relax through the pain or medical issue a lot of time. I just find it funny that they will only hear this out for one day and not many people will probably show up to the session when it there job also. Give me a break they are paid to show up to these type of things. I am also not saying that it should be legal all in general but at least for medical purposes it should be.
I believe if medical marijuana is needed for a patients well-being then it should be legal. The legislative is making difficult and making it seem like making medical marijuana legal is making marijuana legal to everyone period. It’s just like perscription medicine that is legal for people who really needs it; It’s prescribed to just anybody and it’s not legal for anybody to just take. If a sivilian gets pulled over by a policeman with unsubscribe pills in their car, they are going to jail. So making medical marijuana legal is not such a bad idea. Some people need it and already is spending enough money on doctors and the drug; let alone having to spend money to move somewhere where it’s legal or where they have to travel to treat what they are diagnosed with.
Being a native from Oklahoma, this issue is funny to me. Because no matter how those doctor present there information on legalize marijuana. It will not happen. Oklahoma is on the Bible Belt
The legalization of marijuana would be the worst thing to get approved. Imagine how easy teens, and addicts will be able to get their hands on this. Kids are starting to smoke at a younger age. At my time it was fifth teen and now twelve year old kids are smoking and thinking they’re cool. Yes, I think for medical purpose, it’ll do a fantanstic job and people will be more than happy to smoke it when in pain but I think the cons outweigh the pros.