Matt Schickling, the Wire
If state Sen. Mike Folmer (R-48) had his way, Pennsylvania would join Washington, D.C. and the 23 states that already legalized medical cannabis programs.
Folmer, along with state Sen. Chuck McIlhinney (R-10) and Bryan Allen, who is chief of staff for state Rep. Tina Davis (D-141), led a discussion at Bucks County Community College on March 24 aimed at advocating for legalization of marijuana as a medicine in the state.
Currently, the focus is on legalizing a strain of cannabis high in CDB, “a compound with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties,” and low in THC, “the psychoactive ingredient in cannabis,” according to a memo by Folmer.
As it stands, the medication would be distributed in oil form with little to no psychoactive effect, but the legislators are pushing to include other forms of ingestion, like vaporization.
Folmer, who represents a district comprised of parts of Dauphin, Lebanon and York counties, appealed to his background as an otherwise conservative politician representing a conservative area.
“My district is about as red as you’re going to get,” he said.
But in November 2013, Folmer met with representatives from Campaign for Compassion, a community group whose goal is educating the public about the positive effects of cannabis treatment. They left him with a wealth of information, which inspired subsequent research by Folmer.
“I realized I was lied to for 70 years,” Folmer said. “The American citizen, Pennsylvanians specifically, had been bamboozled with a gross amount of misinformation.”
Folmer followed through by teaming up with Pennsylvania’s “Liberal Lion”, state Sen. Daylin Leach (D-17), to co-sponsor cannabis legislation. The original product, Senate Bill 1182, was believed by many advocates to be too limited in scope.
It passed 43–7 in the state Senate, but never came to a vote in the House.
Now, they’re pushing Senate Bill 3. While still limited, supporters are hopeful that it can act as a foot in the door for a more expansive program.
The bill designates treatment to only a few diseases and limits the method of consumption, something advocates believe should be handled by doctors, not legislation.
Folmer was emphatic in expressing his stance on the issue during the forum.
“You, as ‘we the people’, should not allow our government to dictate what foods we can eat and what medicines we can take,” he said, almost shouting. “The whole point of Senate Bill 3 isn’t about the high, it’s not about recreation. It’s about giving compassionate, accessible access to a quality alternative. It’s about giving doctors and patients one more arrow they can put in their quiver as they fight for their lives.”
McIlhinney took issue with the classification of marijuana as a schedule 1 substance, calling it an “arbitrary decision many, many decades ago.” This classification means that, by law, marijuana is considered to have a high potential for abuse and is non-medical in nature.
He suggested that if more people understood the potential upside of medical marijuana, the stigma against would be lifted and laws could be passed.
“We can only do what you guys allow us to do,” McIlhinney said. “We’re elected to represent you and we’re not out there to make decisions for everybody without having everybody understand what it is we’re doing and why we’re doing it.”
Allen, who is also a Bensalem Township councilman, spoke on Davis’ behalf. The state rep was in Erie for a policy committee hearing.
“She realizes that medical marijuana legislation is at a critical juncture in the commonwealth,” Allen said. “What we need is impetus in the state House of Representatives.”
Allen said that the first medical marijuana bill was filed six years ago and that those who have not been moved by medical testimony, personal stories of pain and suffering or the states that have already put medical cannabis laws into place are being guided by “fear and misinformation”, according to Davis.
When the question arose about legalizing marijuana for recreational use, each avoided an outright answer, opting instead for a political one.
“I can’t sit here today as your state senator and say I’m for it unless I have some proof. I can’t get the proof unless we reclassify it,” McIlhinney said. “It’s political speak for in ‘in time.’ ”
Lawmakers were not the only ones speaking out for medical marijuana.
Dana Ulrich, a Bristol Township resident and representative of Campaign for Compassion, outlined her daughter Lorelei’s struggle with epilepsy. Until she was 22 months old, she was a happy, healthy child, but as her epilepsy progressed, she had up to 700 seizures a day, literally millions over a lifetime, according to Ulrich.
The child has been on over 18 different medications, tried different diets and even underwent surgery to help ease the seizures. Pharmaceuticals have not come without both physical and psychological effects and, overall, have not given Lorelei a solution.
“We know that our little girl is perfect and she is in there somewhere and we’re hoping we can get her back if we can find a suitable treatment,” Ulrich said. “We don’t see her smile or laugh that often, so we cherish the moments when we do.”
Ulrich wants a non-intoxicating, oil-based medication, which she believes medical cannabis can offer.
“There is no high associated with it,” she added. “Dictating somebody’s health care by the ZIP code in which they live seems a little barbaric to me.”
She related Lorelei’s story with that of Franky Talley, a Levittown child who died at the age of 5 from Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma, an inoperable brain tumor.
“Franky went through hell. Most cancer patients do,” Ulrich said. “Could cannabis have helped Franky? Could cannabis have saved his life? His mother will never know.”
“If that doesn’t infuriate every single one of you in this room, then you’re not listening and if that doesn’t resonate with our legislature, then they’re not listening,” she added, her voice shaking.
Franky’s mother, Tiffany Fusco, was present and spoke from the audience after the presentations.
“I often wonder if this would have helped my son,” she said. “I’ll never know.”
For more information on Senate Bill 3, visit www.senatorfolmer.com/compassionate-use-of-medical-cannabis/.
