On Thursday Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards signed Senate Bill 271, a bill that makes Louisiana the first state in the south to create a comprehensive medical marijuana program.
The new law replaces language in the current medical marijuana law that said physicians had to “prescribe” medical marijuana patients, something that is impossible under federal law due to marijuana’s status as a Schedule I drug. The new law also removes glaucoma as a qualifying medical condition. Approved conditions now include:
- Spastic quadriplegia
- Symptoms from chemotherapy
- Cachexia (wasting syndrome)
- Crohn’s Disease
- Multiple Sclerosis
- Muscular Dystrophy
- Seizure disorders
- Severe spasms
- Spasticity
Under the new law medical marijuana will be produced by a single cultivator and distributed to patients through up to 10 pharmacies, a model we have not yet see in the rush to reform medical marijuana laws across the country.
“Seriously ill Louisianans are grateful to Gov. Edwards and the legislature for their efforts to fix our unworkable medical marijuana law,” said David Brown, president of Sensible Marijuana Policy for Louisiana. “SB 271 brings us closer to providing relief to the suffering of our most vulnerable residents. We hope that they will continue that work by approving SB 180 to ensure that medical marijuana patients and providers are protected from criminal sanctions. Patients shouldn’t be treated like criminals for using the medicine that works best for them.”
A separate bill, Senate Bill 180, is currently being considered in the House. If passed SB 180 would provide legal protections for patients.
Learn more
You can read SB 271 below in its entirety or click here to download a PDF version.
[su_document url=”https://southerncannabis.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Louisiana-SB271.pdf”]
It’s hard to call that a win but I guess if you have to. For only 9 conditions is hardly worth the time it took to write the bill.
Ending the war on cannabis starts with reducing the harm done to others by the war, and a lot of time that only comes in small steps.
It means alot to those people like myself living with one of these nine disorders!!!! And looked at like criminal and hav to explain to people like u that only thing works n no side effects like these man made pills!!!!
What about people with documented chronic pain. It is getting impossible to get any pain medication for long term use. Drs. are becoming afraid to prescribe the medicines that really help. Maybe marijuana is the answer. I hate to think of living the rest of my life in the kind of pain I face every day. I am a 60 yr. old grandmother and I definitely dont want it for recreational use, but I do know it works!
This is so true!!! I suffer with chronic arthritis in both knees….. and NO PAIN MEDS WORK. And the dr’s don’t want to prescribe anything strong long term!!!! SUCKS
Might as well be dead !!
What about all of us amputees including military vets who have lost entire limbs (My right leg in this case) who daily suffer through the pain of phantom nerve pain…which feels like somebody is still cutting off your missing limb, and where high thc marijuana is the ONLY thing that really works for the pain?????? why is not PAIN addressed in this new law????
What about for depression and anxiety?
My thoughts exactly. I have both and panic attacks. I’m always better after smoking.
What about someone living in a state (Colorado), have a medical marijuana card, and gave up pain killers to get on the marijuana, which has no side effects, and wants to move to Louisiana. How am I going to be treated in that state. Will I be allowed to bring my marijuana with me. How will I be able to get what I need if I don’t fit any of the 9 categories.
Also, what about visiting someone in your state for several weeks at a time and having to bring my marijuana across the state line with me. Am I going to be sent to jail for possession. And WHAT ABOUT those suffering from PTSD, etc. God knows they need something.
Wouldn’t it be great (and less problems) if the Federal government would legalize marijuana for the whole US and let each state work out the details.
Please consider patients who have been in pain management for chronic pain due to injuries and patients who have fibromyalgia
Its the .most unbearable pain you can be in and mine is progressing pain meds help take the edge off but not enough I smoked weed to keep me out of the hospital when I had chemo it was the only thing that helped but now I need help with the above conditions or I might as well be dead cause I have no life now I spend most of it in the bed I read fb comments from others just like myself and they all have hope that soon this will be an affordable option for us because most are disabled or can not hold down a job please please put this in our drs hands as a tool. Along with
pain meds to help us we are at witts end