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According to recently published reports, The House of Representatives voted in favor of legalizing the production and distribution of medical marijuana in Connecticut, with a final vote of 96-51. If the bill is passed by the Senate and signed by the governor, as expected, Connecticut will join the ranks of states with MMJ laws already in place. Although the debate touched on topics like notions of mercy, the limits of medicine and fears of drug abuse, the main question in this debate—and every other debate surrounding the legalization of MMJ—is how can a state regulate the sale of controlled substances with medical benefits, when the production and sale of such is expressly prohibited by federal law? Representative Prasad Srinivasan, R-Glastonbury, admits that this predicament leaves people feeling torn. While Srinivasan vouches for the medical benefits of cannabis, he opposes creating conflict with federal laws. Reports indicate that the bill will establish guidelines and a bureaucracy to oversee the use of MMJ in Connecticut. Barry Williams, a man who testified at a public hearing about how medical cannabis has provided rare relief for his advancing Parkinson’s disease, was sitting in the House after the debate yesterday began. But a major argument is that medical marijuana can’t be easily inserted into the existing system of prescription drugs, which is regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Many argue that there is no way to know what exactly is in product, whether the product is too potent or not, and whether it has contaminants. Meanwhile, to combat the unregulated aspect of medical marijuana, many, if not all, of the 18 states with MMJ laws in place, have seen a number of MMJ testing labs crop up. Medical labs, and labs dedicated to medical cannabis testing, now offer potency testing, using gas chromatography, and also provide testing for pesticides and other contaminants; thus, providing some sort of regulation in the industry. But, unlike other prescription drugs, medical cannabis comes with a few extra restrictions: MMJ can’t be consumed on university property, the workplace, in the presence of a minor, or in any public place. Basically, if you need it, you’re going to have to consume it at home and leave it there. To continue, the Connecticut bill would only allow physicians to certify a need for the drug, if the patient is suffering from certain chronic illnesses. Among the illnesses listed on the bill are: cancer, glaucoma, HIV/AIDS, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, cachexia, wasting syndrome, Crohn’s disease, post-traumatic stress disorder, and intractable spasticity as the result of spinal damage. The bill also states that the medical cannabis will be grown indoors, in secure facilities, and that the Department of Consumer Protection would license and oversee no more than 10 growers and 10 dispensaries. Still, some representatives can’t fathom jumping on the MMJ train, despite the heartfelt stories they hear time and time again on the House floor. Some believe the subject is just too murky, and that it is going to be difficult for law enforcement to determine what is and is not medical use.
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