Minnesota passes concentrate-only medical marijuana bill

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Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton and a bud of marijuana that Minnesota medical marijuana patients won’t technically won’t be able to access .


Though qualifying Minnesota medical marijuana patients will only have the option of vaporizing and eating concentrated forms of marijuana, at least they’ll have access. Less than two months ago medical marijuana seemed dead, at least as far as this legislative session was concerned. But during a press conference this afternoon, Scott Dibble and Carly Melin announced that the Senate and House have come together on a medical marijuana compromise.


Dibble said the compromise bill is based on the more restrictive House model. There will be eight so-called “alternative care centers” around the state. Qualifying condition for a “medical cannabis” prescription include cancer; terminal illness; glaucoma; HIV/AIDS; and Crohn’s Disease. PTSD isn’t included as a qualifying condition. Dibble indicated he isn’t happy about that, but said, “It’s a compromise… It’s not a perfect process.”
Patients won’t be able to smoke or vaporize loose-leaf marijuana, but will have access to “whole-plant extracts,” as Dibble put it. Rep. Dan Schoen (D-Cottage Grove) characterized the bill as “the strictest and most regulated in the country” as far as medical marijuana goes.
Gov. Mark Dayton announced he’ll sign the bill into law even before this afternoon’s press conference even began.
Read the rest over at the Minneapolis City Pages.

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