"We have no problem with the medicinal use of drugs," we wrote in this forum nearly a year ago.
The April 10, 2014, editorial supported state legislation to permit the use of cannabinol oil for medical patients who suffer seizures.
Legislators now are considering a proposal by Rep. Dave Hinson, R-St. Clair, to allow the use of marijuana for medicinal purposes.
Marijuana differs from cannabinol oil, which does not create a high for the user and, consequently, cannot be misused as a recreational drug.
Readers of this forum are aware that we adamantly oppose legalization of marijuana for recreation use.
Hinson's bill would require growers and distributors of medical marijuana to be licensed and to follow specified security procedures. Patients would be required to obtain a physician's prescription for a specified medical condition. And the bill would limit the amount of marijuana a person could obtain without special permission to 2.5 ounces every two weeks.
Television personality Montel Williams, who testified Monday in favor of Hinson's bill, called it "a tightly controlled medical marijuana bill so patients and doctors can determine what their course of treatment should be and nobody else."
Opposition to the medical marijuana proposal largely is based on the fear that it will lead, eventually, to legalization of recreational use.
Jason Grellner, vice president of the National Narcotics Officers Associations' Coalition, said: "Every legislator that brings this forward, I don't care what state you're in, believes they've built the perfect mouse trap. There are so many unanswered questions and loopholes and pitfalls. You can't write a law tight enough."
We share those concerns, but not to the extent that we align ourselves with the opposition.
Proponents of recreational marijuana use invariably will use this legislation, if approved, to get their proverbial foot in the door. That issue, however, deserves to be discussed and debated on its own merits.
The medical marijuana proposal for physicians and their patients is designed to provide treatment and relief, not a recreational high. We encourage lawmakers to craft a tightly written law. If they succeed, approve it.