Pa. Senator Leach Discusses Merits Of Marijuana Legalization On WPHT
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Chris Stigall debated the merits of marijuana legalization with Pennsylvania State Senator Daylin Leach this morning on Talk Radio 1210 WPHT.
Leach, while fully supporting the general legalization of marijuana, is working on a bill that would legalize a medical form of the drug to treat epileptic seizures. He says the plant this medication is derived from is bred to remove all the intoxicating effects and does wonders when used to treat children suffering from seizures, but "we can't get it to people in Pennsylvania because we have this crazy law that says while we can give people derivatives of opium, and we can give them all kinds of brutally, horrible medicines, we can't give them this simply because of the fear of the word 'marijuana.'"
Stigall countered that he believes this is just the first step in a push to completely legalize marijuana and criticized the fact that in Pennsylvania, alcohol sales are limited to the state store system.
"I hate the state store system. When you talk about Prohibition and how put upon the pot community is in this state…I can't buy a bottle a wine after 9. I can't feel you on that when I can't buy a bottle of booze without going out of my way," Stigall said.
Leach attempted to separate the issues of marijuana and alcohol sales, saying the state store system would be one way of taxing and regulating sales of the drug but using the current infrastructure would stop transactions "behind the bowling alley on the street."
Stigall and Leached debated whether this plan was just a cynical attempt to allow marijuana universally, with Leach arguing, "That is a different issue for a different day."
