KEYSER, W.Va. — West Virginia lawmakers told those attending a town call meeting Thursday that medical marijuana companies have expressed an interest in locating in Mineral County.
“It (medical marijuana) is now going through the rule-making process,” Del. Gary Howell told those gathered at the Mineral County Courthouse. “Typically right after session the rules would be out. There are several companies that have looked at Mineral County for this, too.”
Howell’s response was prompted by a question from Connie Sutton of Keyser, who indicated the drug could be used to treat veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder.
The medical marijuana bill was passed last legislative session and can only be distributed in oil or pill form. The state will not tax medical marijuana because medicine isn’t taxable, Howell said.
The house version of bill included a reciprocity clause with Maryland.
“Essentially if we did reciprocity with Maryland, which has already legalized it, if you had a West Virginia card you could go over in Cumberland and use their dispensary,” Howell said.
Dispensary and growers licenses would be issued.
Although the state legalized medical marijuana, it is still illegal on the federal level, which could create some legal issues, lawmakers said.
“There is still issues because Congress has it as a Schedule 1 (drug),” said Sen. Charles Trump. “Until Congress deschedulizies it, there are going to be those problems almost everywhere. We are in this world where a majority of states are one place and the federal government is somewhere else. I worry about people getting caught in the crossfire on that.”
The Drug Enforcement Agency classifies Schedule 1 drugs as having a high potential for abuse with no accepted medical treatment use in the U.S.
Trump, who is a lawyer, received a letter from the state bar indicating that any lawyers that assist a client in setting up a medical marijuana business will be jeopardizing their law license.
Since marijuana is Schedule 1 drug, doctors can’t prescribe it and pharmacies can’t sell it, so dispensaries are used, Trump said. Doctors have to certify that a person suffers from a condition in which marijuana can be utilized medicinally, he said.
Sutton also asked the legislators if growing hemp or cannibas could be legalized in the state.
A letter has been sent to the Department of Agriculture requesting the hemp be reclassified.
“We have an excellent growing climate for it,” Howell said. “The reason it was outlawed is visually you can’t distinguish it from the marijuana plant … it was an issue for law enforcement. Now with modern technology they can detect it pretty quick — I think we should be able to move forward on this.”
credit:times-news.com
