Alabama to Vote on Bill Next House Session

A bill allowing medical marijuana has passed the health committee and is going to be put on the house floor next time the house meets, probably late this year. They may be the first deep south state to pass a medical marijuana law. Don't think this has been posted yet but the fact that it's passed the sub-committee is pretty huge. The biggest obstacle is our governer, who ironically was a doctor, but is very conservative, so it will be an interesting story to watch.

http://www.annistonstar.com/pages/full_story/push?article-Medical+marijuana+makes+sense &id=12779477&instance=recentComments

In Alabama? Really? Way to bring the South out of the Dark Ages.

They don't even allow Home Brewing in Alabama. This is pretty shocking.

Yeah I was surprised too. You can't buy ALCOHOL in this county. The member sponsering the bill is the first openly gay person ever to be elected and she's convinced a lot of people. I was honestly surprised an outted lesbian would be elected to anything. I see this as a good sign, for the entire country. I believe if a state that is so conservative passes a law like this, congress will soon make it federal. Even if the governer vetos it, it will still show most of the state approves.

Gay elected official in Alabama?!?!?!?

Passing medical marijuana laws?!?!?!?!?

Ok, I'm not falling for it anymore. Sounds too much like an Onion article.

Actually, it's not bullshit. It's amazing to me, too, and I grew up half an hour from Anniston, but I was reading about the bill last month on one of the med sites. They weren't expecting it to come up for a vote in the subcommittee till next year, last I heard. I wonder how they got it expedited like that.

And cranker, Calhoun Co is not dry.

I don't live in Calhoun county, didn't mean to imply that. And no it's not an onion article, I've been following it since late march/early april. The bill being pushed through so quickly was a shock to everyone frankly, we thought it would take til mid session next year then the next year brought up if it passed. One of the members of the house, a former law enforcement officer (I forget his name atm) said that they would actually take confiscated marijuana and pass it along to patients with serious cancer. Look up Alabama House Bill 386. There's 2 when you search, one from a few years ago and the current one which is the Marijuana bill. The really impressive thing is the vote in the subcommittee was heavily in favor.

No way Bentley let's it pass. Hope they keep fighting though. Bentley hasn't been great so far from what I hear.

g/l I hope Bama is the 17th I think its going to take some very Conservative states to open thier eyes to MMJ before we are able to get some of the more Liberal states still on the border line to commit to a MMJ bill. Its sad they dont take this kind stuff to the people and let us choose. I see alot of states were there are good bills being passed threw commities and even Senate and there is great public support upto 70% but are being shot down by one person the Governer.

Its sad how our current laws would rether people take hard core drugs to ease thier pain and end up with people addited to pills then smoke a bowl or eat a brownie.

1gamma45 said:

g/l I hope Bama is the 17th I think its going to take some very Conservative states to open thier eyes to MMJ before we are able to get some of the more Liberal states still on the border line to commit to a MMJ bill. Its sad they dont take this kind stuff to the people and let us choose. I see alot of states were there are good bills being passed threw commities and even Senate and there is great public support upto 70% but are being shot down by one person the Governer.

Its sad how our current laws would rether people take hard core drugs to ease thier pain and end up with people addited to pills then smoke a bowl or eat a brownie.

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I hope so too, 1gamma. I spent the first 25 years of my life in that state, and it would be an incredible thing to be able to have a med grow on that fertile Alabama soil (provided you aren't sitting on top of one of those damn red clay beds. hehehehe). Seriously, congrats on the small victory, and good luck in the upcoming battle. I'll be rooting for you guys.

Bentley (the Alabama gov.) is a bible thumper, but he's also been named one of the best dermatologists in the US. I think the fact that he has a medical background is really the best thing. He's already been under scrutiny for his religious speeches, so it could go either way. I think that seeing the several other states passing or bringing up laws and this statement :

"Alabamians strongly support protecting the seriously ill from arrest. A 2004 poll by the Mobile Register and the University of South Alabama found that 75 percent of respondents supported legalizing marijuana for medical use under a doctor's supervision."

goes a long way. That number keeps increasing. Even the people who had reservations about the bill have said that they were not strong enough to kill the bill.

It's a nice thought but keep in mind this is a state that just defeated the attempt to legalize homebrewing (something recognized at the federal level)...

Just keep in mind, Kib, that wonders never cease, and that this bill has already surprised a shitload of people. Like I said earlier, I didn't even think it was up for a committee vote until next year at the earliest.

True, but for the homebrew bill, just from the SPONSORS of said bill, there were 2 abstains, 4 pass and 6 no.

They're politicians. Never trust them.

This is the actual 40 minute session of discussion from the health committee on the process of how this bil was talked to, amended, and passed. It's a rare glimpse into the way a bill is put together.

http://nallforgovernor.blogspot.com/2010/04/video-of-alabama-house-committee.html

If you don't watch the whole thing, you should watch the 2nd short one. The 2nd half talks about how in one place they have been for years using confiscated marijuana, given by the sheriff to people with cancer.

I will have to look more into this. I just can't see this ever passing. Once the pubic becomes aware of the possibility, there will be organized protests for sure.

The bill was made public in 2010 and a poll then showed 76% in favor. In the video the room is filled with pro-mmj activists watching as they debate. I think with dry counties, ect. people get the wrong idea. I know a lot of people who will not drink alcohol but would be in favor of MMJ. Strict conservatives that are all for it as long as there are enough watchdog provisions. And the guy on the tape that is so against it lost his re-election bid. It's all going to come down to the gov. in my opinion.

Well that would be great. I just wonder about that poll. I tend to think the churches will organize against it en mass if it gets close. Guess we all need to start flooding Bentley's office with support.

Learning2Hydro said:

Well that would be great. I just wonder about that poll. I tend to think the churches will organize against it en mass if it gets close. Guess we all need to start flooding Bentley's office with support.

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There is a southern baptist pro-MMJ Alabama group I found on the web. I think that some might organize against it, but I think on the whole there will be a lot for it. Churches, especially the clergy, see the effects of cancer ect up close more often than anyone except for doctors. I think they would probably see it as compassion.

cranker said:

There is a southern baptist pro-MMJ Alabama group I found on the web. I think that some might organize against it, but I think on the whole there will be a lot for it. Churches, especially the clergy, see the effects of cancer ect up close more often than anyone except for doctors. I think they would probably see it as compassion.

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That is another interesting point. I'll look that group up. Should be a good read, if nothing else.

cranker said:

The bill was made public in 2010 and a poll then showed 76% in favor. In the video the room is filled with pro-mmj activists watching as they debate. I think with dry counties, ect. people get the wrong idea. I know a lot of people who will not drink alcohol but would be in favor of MMJ. Strict conservatives that are all for it as long as there are enough watchdog provisions. And the guy on the tape that is so against it lost his re-election bid. It's all going to come down to the gov. in my opinion.

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Problem with that is we the people are not padding the pockets of the people we elected so the fact that 76% of the people want it mean they dont matter 100% to the people they elected to pass the laws for the people. Its the same song and dance as NY has been on for the last 10 years the majority of the peolpe in NY over 62% feel it should be leagle. Another pole showed 71% supported MMJ. In 2009 and then again in 2010 NYS Senate Health commity passed a MMJ bill in 2010 the NYS Senate voted to pass a MMJ bill and guess what happened it was vetoed by the Gov for no reason but he was in a pissing match with Senate and now we elected a toolbox that just before he was elected came out to say he will used to smoke pot but feels it has no medical value and will never support a MMJ bill in NYS.

These people are asshole and we forgot sometime long ago that this is our home and we elect people to represent us. When they fail they need to go this is a government for the people by the people. F them and thier BS lies and laws.