By John Lyon “There’s just too much Arkansas News Bureau evidence that the terminally LITTLE ROCK — A group ill, that cannabis has been a advocating for a state law very good drug to help them legalizing the use of have a better quality of life marijuana for medical at the end of their lives,” purposes will make a two-day said Malone, a pharmacist. pitch to lawmakers during the But Sen. Jim Luker, D-Wynne, first week of the 2011 chairman of the Senate legislative session. Judiciary Committee, said he Arkansans for Medical would not be inclined to Cannabis has scheduled a support such a bill. program for Jan. 12 and 13 in “I don’t know that that’s a the state Capitol’s second- wise thing to attempt to, by floor rotunda. The a state law, make something Legislature convenes Jan. 10. legal that’s still a “There’s 30 major medical violation of federal law,” problems that (marijuana has) said Luker, a lawyer. “And I been shown to either think the experience in some substantially help or of the states, like alleviate some of the high- California, has been that dollar opiates that people they can’t really control it, take to combat these diseases, they can’t limit it to ” said Robert Reed of Van medicinal uses.” Buren County, the group’s Reed said his group has spokesman. contacted nearly every member Physicians, law enforcement of the state Legislature. officers and patients who use About 20 have expressed medical marijuana will be on support for the idea, and hand to provide information many others are undecided, he to legislators, Reed said. said. Fifteen states — none in the “We’re extremely, extremely South — and the District of confident,” Reed said. Columbia have legalized The group wants a law that medical cannabis. would allow doctors to State Sen. Randy Laverty, D- prescribe cannabis, allow Jasper, who received a liver patients to use it with a transplant last year as part prescription and allow of his treatment for liver caregivers and patients to cancer, has said he plans to grow it. file a bill in the 2011 Reed said the issue is session to legalize medical personal for him for two cannabis. reasons: His wife is a cancer Laverty is vice chairman of patient, and he is a disabled the Senate Committee on Vietnam War veteran. Public Health, Welfare and “Our veterans here in Labor, one of the two Senate Arkansas are going to be committees most likely to denied coverage if they show consider such legislation. up positive on a urinalysis The other would be the Senate test, when cannabis has been Judiciary Committee. proved to help things like UPDATE: Public Health PTSD (post-traumatic stress Committee Chairman Sen. Percy disorder) and amputation pain, Malone, D-Arkadelphia, said ” Reed said. he would need to study the UPDATE: If the Legislature bill and learn how similar does not pass a bill, the laws have worked in other group plans to propose a states, but he is inclined to ballot initiative, Reed said. support the idea.
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