GOP lawmaker blasts Corbett, party leaders as ‘hypocrites’ over medical marijuana

    The leading Republican proponent for medical cannabis in Pennsylvania says his party leadership has exhibited “the high mark of hypocrisy” for discussing liquor privatization while halting the progress of his own bill.

    “We have leadership discussing and talking about expanding alcohol sales, which is the No. 1 drug addiction problem we have in this commonwealth and in this nation,” said Sen. Mike Folmer, R-Lebanon, on the Senate floor Monday.

    He’s been collecting support for a bill to legalize an oil extract from the marijuana plant that supporters say treats severe epilepsy and other illnesses.

    Folmer aimed a good bit of his criticism at the Corbett administration. Department of Drugs and Alcohol Programs Secretary Gary Tennis has called medical marijuana a “Trojan horse” leading to legalization of recreational marijuana in other states.And Folmer noted the push for liquor privatization comes from Gov. Tom Corbett.

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    “He’s one of the prime advocates to have alcohol expansion throughout the commonwealth,” Folmer said. Which is far worse, I believe, than what I’m trying to achieve.”

    A recent comment by Corbett appeared to send Folmer over the edge. PennLive quoted the governor saying he wouldn’t support medical marijuana, even if his young grandson had a disease that could be treated by it.Folmer vented his frustrations at the end of the Senate session Monday, when members are invited to voice any “petitions and remonstrances,” or Ps and Rs.

    “Oh, I’m going to do Ps and Rs on this until I’m blue in the face,” Folmer said.

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