Mom seeks intervention on medical marijuana from Corbett
FILE - In this file photo, a woman loads an oral syringe with cannabis-infused oil used to treat her 4-year-old daughter who suffers from severe epilepsy, at their home in Colorado Springs, Colo. (Brennan Linsley/AP Photo, file)
A mother pushing for medical marijuana legalization in Pennsylvania says Gov. Tom Corbett is striking a hypocritical tone on drug policy.
Lolly Bentch of Dauphin County said she was glad to see the governor sign a bill to fight deaths from heroin overdoses.
The measure will grant limited immunity to bystsanders who report heroin overdoses, as well as expanding access to a drug that can reverse an overdose.
Corbett said it’ll ensure people who help their loved ones aren’t punished.
But Bentch is urging the governor to apply the same logic in cases where parents want to get medical marijuana from states where it’s legal, and bring it back to Pennsylvania to treat their kids’ seizures.
“It shouldn’t be a crime for us to save our loved ones, as it should not be for a heroin addict’s loved ones to save their life,” Bentch said.
Bentch’s 6-year-old daughter suffers from seizures she says can be eased with a marijuana oil extract.
The governor’s spokesman responded that marijuana remains an illegal substance under federal law.
A measure to legalize some forms of medical marijuana has passed the state Senate. It could be considered by the House in the five remaining days of the legislative session.
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