Pennsylvania House approves Medical Marijuana Bill

Posted by Sagar Satapathy on March 18, 2016.

In a major development, a bill legalizing medical marijuana was approved on Wednesday by the Pennsylvania House in a 149-43 vote. If the bill enacted into law, medical marijuana would be given patients suffering from various diseases and ailments.

Supporters said it would help relieve the suffering of sick people. "Today we have the opportunity of offering hope to the parents of these children, to the patients, offering the hope of letting them, along with their doctors, decide how to best treat the conditions they're dealing with on a daily basis," said Republican Jim Cox.

Medical marijuana is used to treat seizures, nausea from cancer chemotherapy and other chronic illnesses, as well as alleviate muscle spasms from multiple sclerosis and chronic pain.

The opponents in the House, however, said the bill would unleash addiction and unknown medical ramifications for people its supporters were seeking to help. They also observed that the law would create additional problems, like open the door for people who are not ill to obtain access to the substance.

Currently, marijuana is legal for medical purposes in 23 states as well as the District of Columbia.

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