PA Medical Cannabis Bill on Tap

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Lawmakers in Pennsylvania will introduce a medical marijuana bill on Monday in the state Senate.

The good news: The measure – called The Compassionate Use of Medical Cannabis Act – has bi-partisan support, with Republican Mike Folmer and Democrat Daylin Leach sponsoring the bill.

The bad news: Lawmakers doubt it will even make it to a vote because of Pennsylvania’s strong stance against marijuana legalization.

The bill faces stiff opposition in the Senate and from Gov. Tom Corbett, who said he’ll veto any bill legalizing any form of marijuana.

“I don’t sense any significant change in the view of the members of the Senate on the issue,” said Erik Arneson, spokesman for Pennsylvania’s Senate Majority Leader Dominic Pileggi. “And the governor remains clear in his stated intention to veto it if it ever were to pass. So we have no intense of taking the bill up any time in the session.”

The measure would legalize the use of medical marijuana by patients as prescribed by attending physicians. It’s modeled after Senate Bill 770, which has stalled in committee.