Commentary

I had the opportunity to be in the House State Affairs committee hearing on SB 1146, legislation sponsored by Sen. Curt McKenzie to help families dealing with severe epilepsy in chilren. It was some of the most heart-breaking testimony I have ever seen during my time working the Idaho Legislature.

McKenzie’s bill would provide some legal protections to parents who treat seizures with an oil extracted from the cannabis plant.  Parents testifying argued that other medical treatments had proven ineffective at arresting seizures, which can last for hours.

On the first pass through, the legislation died on a tied-vote, largely upon fears that this bill would open the door for legalizing marijuana in the state of Idaho. Such fears seem greatly misplaced, as this oil has no psychotropic side-effects. That sets it apart from the masquerade of “medical marijuana” – which has already created huge problems for states like Colorado and Oregon.

To blindly ban any by-product of a plant, simply because there are illegitimate and even evil uses to which that same plant or herb might be put, strikes me as unreasonable. After all, we read in Genesis that God gave mankind dominion over such matters for his care and well-being:

                “The God said, ‘I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and

                every tree that has fruit with seed in it….God saw all that he had made, and it was very

                good.”       (Genesis 1:29, 31).

Fortunately for the families suffering with this heart-rending situation, the State Affairs Committee reversed itself later this week. We commend those legislators who changed their votes: It was the compassionate and life-affirming thing to do.

                             – David Ripley