House Hears Testimony Tuesday on Medical Marijuana

Bob Newland sends out a preview of the testimony the South Dakota House Health and Human Services Committee will hear on HB 1127, a measure sponsored by our own Gerry Lange to legalize medical marijuana. Here's Bob's Sunday list of folks coming to speak in favor of HB 1127:

• A former Denver detective who now lives in Sen. Abdallah’s district in Sioux Falls.
• A 25-year-old student and champion cowgirl who suffers debilitating migraines.
• A 23-year-old student who has lost a leg from cancer.
• A 45-ish eastern South Dak. businessman who suffers a degenerative digestive disorder palliated by cannabis.
• A rancher with AIDS who has done time for trying to sustain his own life.
• The rancher’s doctor.
• A former chairman of the MS Society, North Central States Chapter (8000 members).
• At least one more member of the MS Society, NC Chapter
• A 1990 Gulf War veteran, with nerve damage due to exposure to chemicals
• A federally supplied medical marijuana patient, who gets a tin with 300 perfectly-rolled marijuana cigarettes each month. (For more information about the program under which she receives her medicine, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compassionate_Investigational_New_Drug_program)

Funny: the backers of medical marijuana don't sound like the evil, loopy dopesmokers Larry Long and and some DWC commenters would have you think they are. They sound like neighbors, folks who might deserve a fair hearing.