During the House session beginning Monday, March 14, Pennsylvania representatives will consider a Senate bill legalizing medical marijuana.

The bill passed the Senate by a vote of 40 to seven, with two senators not voting. Senator Scott Hutchinson voted against the bill.

Representative Kathy Rapp said, “I’m still very much opposed to that. The House (Health) committee is still gathering information, and Chairman (Matthew) Baker is adamantly opposed. I am sure he is going to be leading the opposition. I’m going to be a no vote.”

She said she wasn’t sure how much, if any, debate there would be. “It depends on what is being discussed in caucus,” she said, as the budget debate is still looming.

“I do think there are medicines for children that can be used instead, and it hasn’t been approved by the FDA. The medical profession is opposed,” she said.

The National Institute on Drug Abuse says, “The FDA requires carefully conducted studies (clinical trials) in hundreds to thousands of human subjects to determine the benefits and risks of a possible medication. So far, researchers have not conducted enough large-scale clinical trials that show that the benefits of the marijuana plant (as opposed to its cannabinoid ingredients) outweigh its risks in patients it is meant to treat.”

“I’m not really opposed, but I’m not completely sold, either. It could open the door for the legalization of marijuana,” she said.

She added that it would have to be a 100 percent cash business, since banks are not allowed to handle money from the sale of an illegal substance. Regardless of what the states do, marijuana is an illegal substance in the view of the federal government, and banking regulations are federal.

Rapp said she wants to see the results from other states.

She said the bill was authored by Senator Mike Folmer. “I hold him in high regard, he’s a very good man. Maybe down the road, I’ll change my mind.”

She added that she has had many emails from constituents opposed to the legalization, but also some in favor.

The Office of National Drug Control Policy reports, “Since 1996, 23 states and Washington, DC have passed laws allowing smoked marijuana to be used for a variety of medical conditions. It is important to recognize that these state marijuana laws do not change the fact that using marijuana continues to be an offense under Federal law. Nor do these state laws change the criteria or process for FDA approval of safe and effective medications.”