State legislators table medicinal marijuana bill

By Alex Ruoff • Staff Writer • July 1, 2009


MILTON --When Jake Mills' wife was diagnosed with stomach cancer last year, the couple looked at every possible way to curb the side effects of chemotherapy and prescription drugs, even medicinal marijuana.

"They tell you all about the dangers of going through the drugs and the surgeries, and we asked about everything," the Milton resident said. "No one really gave us a straight answer, and everyone had a different opinion."

Because so many are unsure if the drug should be legalized, state legislators are tabling their vote on Senate Bill 94, which could provide for medical marijuana use by patients prescribed the drug by certified doctors.

The issue has caused debate in the medical community over the years, which could be why the Medical Society of Delaware has reportedly stood neutral on the issue.

Under the proposal, doctors could issue ID cards that would allow patients to purchase up to six ounces of marijuana at state-controlled centers, or grow up to 12 plants in their home.

The bill, sponsored by Sen. Margaret Henry, D-Wilmington, passed through a Senate committee without opposition, but has not come up again during the summer congressional session, which ends this week.

"We're talking about a move that could provide relief for so many people with serious problems," said Bruce Mirken, a representative for the Marijuana Policy Project -- a group that advocates the legalization of the drug.

Mirken said there is significant medical evidence to prove that marijuana use can curtail side effects from pain medications and neuropathic disorders.

Julie Hattier, who practices with Beachview Health Associates in Millville, said she's had experience with prescribing Marinol, a pill derived from marijuana's active ingredient THC, which can be a great anti-depressant.

"When I practiced in Utah, I did find it helpful for certain patients," she said. "But I wouldn't recommend you smoke anything."

Hattier said marijuana's active chemicals help raise serotonin levels, which directly alter moods and help fight depression brought on by other medications. But there are better ways of administering the drug, she said.

"Marinol can be helpful, but I don't think I would prescribe marijuana as there are still many chemicals found in it that could be harmful," she said. "It would be like telling someone to smoke tobacco, and I would never do that."

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