Search Results: patriot-news (6)

Photo: Lara Brenckle/The Patriot-News
Supporters of the movement to legalize medical marijuana in Pennsylvania rallied on the steps of the state Capitol in Harrisburg in July 2009.

​On Thursday, four state senators in Pennsylvania introduced Senate Bill 1003, which would legalize the medicinal use of cannabis in the Keystone State.

According to an unofficial PDF of the bill viewed by Randy LoBasso at PhillyNow (the official bill has not been made public), it would provide for “the medical use of marijuana; and repealing provisions of the law that prohibit and penalize marijuana use.”
The bill’s language contends there are several reasons why this needs to happen now: first of all, modern medical research “has discovered a beneficial use for marijuana in treating or alleviating the pain” or symptoms caused by certain medical conditions. Secondly, 99 percent of  all marijuana arrests are made under state, not federal law. And thirdly, 15 other states have already enacted such policies “for the health and welfare benefits of their citizens.”

Photo: Lara Brenckle/The Patriot-News
When will Pennsylvania legislators finally get it? Their constituents support medical marijuana! Supporters of the the movement to legalize cannabis for medicinal purposes rallied on the steps of the state Capitol in Harrisburg in July 2009.

“It may be as addictive as chocolate.”

~ Rep. Mark Cohen (D-Philadelphia)

A bill has been introduced in the Pennsylvania Legislature to legalize the medicinal use of marijuana — and a new survey shows that about 80 percent of state voters support the move.

“Even though there is broad popular support for legalizing medical marijuana in the state, prospects for its legalization seem slim,” wrote pollsters G. Terry Madonna and Berwood Yost, both Franklin & Marshall College staffers.

The poll also showed that only 33 percent of the state’s voters favor the outright legalization of marijuana, reports David Warner of the Mechanicsburg Patriot-News.

Graphic: City-Data.com

​A Pennsylvania man allegedly wrapped a bag of marijuana in his court paperwork and stuck it in his pocket before going to visit his probation officer last week.

Carlisle police said pot was discovered when the probation officer patted down Thomas E. Borders, 22, of Carlisle, Pa., reports Chris A. Courogen of The Patriot-News.
One would think that court paperwork wouldn’t rank highly on a list of where to keep your stash, but oh well.
The paperwork within which the marijuana was wrapped was a letter outlining the terms and conditions of Borders’s probation, police said.

Photo: Lara Brenckle/The Patriot-News
Supporters of the movement to legalize medical marijuana in Pennsylvania rallied on the steps of the state Capitol in Harrisburg in July 2009.

​The debate over legalizing medical marijuana in Pennsylvania has heated up in recent weeks, but the issue is still not a priority in the Legislature, according to a spokesman for House Majority Leader Todd Eachus.

“He believes it’s an issue that deserves greater discussion, but now is not the time for that,” spokesman Bill Thomas said, reports Bob Kalinowski at Citizens Voice.
“This is an issue that deserves further discussion, but it is not a priority,” Thomas said.
A group supporting legalization of cannabis for medical use held a rally on Public Square in Wilkes-Barre on May 8. Then, on Wednesday of last week, area police and anti-drug activists held a press conference at Luzerne County Courthouse to urge lawmakers to reject any proposals to legalize medical marijuana.

Photo: The Patriot-News
“That’s a good boy… We wont let those mean old potheads talk to my good boy anymore, no we won’t…”

​A Florida man has been charged with striking a police animal for telling a drug dog to “sit.”

Mario Duane Porter, 21, of Gainesville, was charged last week with “striking a police animal” (which supposedly includes “interfering with a working police animal”), disorderly conduct, possession of drug paraphernalia and refusing to sign a citation for violating the city’s noise and window tint ordinances, reports Karen Voyles of The Gainesville Sun.

Photo: Coaster420
Medical marijuana: Will Pennsylvania become the Keystoned State? Oh, yeah… Stereotypes bad.

​ The good news, according to the Harrisburg Patriot-News, is that Pennsylvania is finally having a discussion about medical marijuana.

The bad news? “In our socially conservative state this is likely as far as the debate will go on the issue,” the editorial says.
Pennsylvania’s House Health and Human Services Committee last week heard from patients, doctors, and medical marijuana advocates who said the state should legalize the herb for those suffering debilitating medical conditions.