New Pa. Medical Marijuana Bill Proposed
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) – If medical marijuana is legalized in Pennsylvania, 11-year old Hannah Pallas of Valencia would be the first recipient, says her mother, Heather Shuker.
"To see her suffer every day is pretty hard to deal with," Shuker told KDKA political editor Jon Delano on Wednesday.
Hannah has an extreme form of epilepsy.
"She has over a hundred seizures each week," her mother said.
Seizures that medical marijuana could significantly reduce, as children discovered in Colorado where all uses of marijuana are now legal.
"They've had over a 90 percent success rate with these children. Many of these children have a severe decrease in their seizures," noted Shuker.
But without medical marijuana here, Hannah -- who used to play outdoors, jump on the trampoline, and run around the house -- is slowly dying.
"It's extremely frustrating. I see what she goes through every single day. She has digressed tremendously," said Shuker.
Now a bi-partisan bill to legalize marijuana when prescribed by a doctor has been introduced by Republican PA Sen. Mike Folmer of Lebanon County and Democratic PA Sen. Daylin Leach of Montgomery County.
LISTEN: Senator Leach Speaks With KDKA NewsRadio 1020's Mike Pintek
"Everyone should have access to this drug and everyone would if it was a derivative of the yucca plant. But because it's marijuana people become irrational," said Leach.
The medicine is a marijuana oil extract that makes no one high like smoking weed, but Governor Corbett says he will veto the bill because the Food & Drug Administration has never conducted trials.
"The FDA has not approved the use of it yet," noted Corbett.
"We have a governor who is standing in the way of sick kids getting medicine that could save their lives, and that is unconscionable," said Leach.
Shuker says she's tried to meet with the governor but no success yet.
"I'm saddened by it," Hannah's mother responded. "We don't have time to wait for the FDA."
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