Though a bridge too far a few years ago for Louisiana lawmakers, the Legislature Wednesday gave final clearance to allow patients to smoke marijuana for medicinal reasons.
House Bill 391 approved minor wording changes added to the state Senate on a vote of 76-17 and sent the legislation off to Gov. John Bel Edwards, who has indicated he may very well sign it.
The companion legislation, however, picked up a controversial rider and is still in the Senate. House Bill 514, which set out the taxes and fees for the sale of smokable medical marijuana, was amended to extend the temporary additional near-half cent state sales tax in order to fund road repairs. The tax and fee bill cleared Senate Finance on Wednesday.
The legislation is sponsored by state Rep. Tanner Magee, the Houma Republican who is the second highest ranking member of the House. When the medical marijuana framework was set up in 2015, enough legislators agreed to approve but only on promises that marijuana wouldn’t be smoked.
The program was limited.
Only patients with handful conditions were able to use liquids and lotions made with oils from cannabis. LSU and Southern University were given the contracts to grow and process marijuana. The medicinal products are dispensed through nine dispensaries scattered around the state. [Read more at The Advocate]
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