x-sender: governor.haley@sc.lmhostediq.com x-receiver: governor.haley@sc.lmhostediq.com Received: from mail pickup service by IQ12 with Microsoft SMTPSVC; Thu, 12 Nov 2015 17:42:50 -0500 thread-index: AdEdm3Wwr89E8+MtTc+2Xa++PNc/wg== Thread-Topic: Please support HB 3140, the 'Put Patients First Act' From: To: Subject: Please support HB 3140, the 'Put Patients First Act' Date: Thu, 12 Nov 2015 17:42:50 -0500 Message-ID: MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit X-Mailer: Microsoft CDO for Windows 2000 Content-Class: urn:content-classes:message Importance: normal Priority: normal X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.1.7601.17609 X-OriginalArrivalTime: 12 Nov 2015 22:42:50.0411 (UTC) FILETIME=[75CF47B0:01D11D9B] CUSTOM Mr Rocky O Bensch Concerned Citizen ASA, LEAP, NORML and innumerable others PO Box 392 147 Song Bird Trail Pickens SC 29671 rockybensch@gmail.com 864-507-3095 864-552-0399 GOVE Please support HB 3140, the 'Put Patients First Act' 99.24.157.29 Ma'am, Please support HB 3140, the 'Put Patients First Act' which would create a system for medicinal cannabis to be cultivated, harvested and possession and sales regulated for a variety of medical ailments, in our State. I must insist that 'chronic pain' be added to the list of allowable ailments, as the current prescriptions of opioids are a highly dangerous method of treatment of such and have not been scientifically proven to alleviate said chronic pain any better than does cannabis, whilst putting the patient at a far higher risk. Innumerable Americans and South Carolinians die, annually, due to overdoses of opioids. No one has ever been shown to have died from an overdose of cannabis and it can treat chronic pain just as well, or better than can the more dangerous opioids. Under House Bill 3140, the "Put Patients First Act", seriously ill patients would be able to possess and cultivate a limited amount of marijuana. It also creates a system of registered medical marijuana providers to ensure patients have safe and reliable access. According to a July 2014 poll by ABC News 4/Post and Courier, most South Carolina voters support allowing qualifying seriously ill patients to access medical marijuana legally, instead of being treated as criminals. Support was found across party lines, age, race, sex, ideology, and geography. It's clear now more than ever: South Carolina should enact a workable medical marijuana program. Additionally, South Carolina lawmakers are proving that sensible and humane marijuana policy isn't a partisan issue. State Representative Mike Pitts - a Republican - has not only cosponsored House Minority Leader J. Todd Rutherford's medical marijuana bill, he's also introduced his own common-sense proposal to decriminalize marijuana possession. House Bill 3117 would replace South Carolina's criminal penalty for marijuana possession of up to one ounce of marijuana with a simple civil fine, similar to a traffic ticket. There is a worrisome problem remaining, with the above paragraph wherein cannabis possession would be treated with a civil fine, 'similar to a traffic ticket'. That problem is the SR-22 insurance mandates. As things stand, now, a patient could be legal in their possession of cannabis, but having a gram more than the allowed amount, which would generate a fine, but would also mandate the person carry SR-22 High Risk Insurance for a period of three (3) years. A great many people, living and working in this State cannot afford the high cost insurance that has been mandated and are forced to obtain mopeds/motorbikes, which are the cheapest form of motorized vehicle allowable under this law, to carry said insurance upon. They are not allowed to simply forego driving for that period. These vehicles are totally inappropriate for utilization during the colder months of the year and are a road hazard even when used according to the law, as they can only travel at about 35mph, causing traffic jams and accidents, whenever they are encountered upon the two lane country roads that make up the majority of the roads across this State. A person, such as you, or myself, can afford to pay for the SR-22 High Risk Insurance, for the mandated three year period, on our vehicles, but the unfortunate, poor folks are not in a position to do so. This is inequitable and unfair in the extreme! I have been meaning, for quite some time, to write to you about the total inequitably of such a law. In fact, every time I am forced to wait in a line of traffic, in a 55mh zone, stuck behind a motorized bike traveling at their top speed of 35mph. Which happens virtually every time I leave the house, as I live out in the countryside, on my 8 acres of land. Only the 'lower working classes' (a Marxist term) are forced to suffer this form of indignation, especially when out in the rain or snow, whilst we more fortunate still enjoy our nice warm covered cars, trucks and SUVs. SR-22 was a give away to the Insurance Companies, in this State. It is unfair in that it causes non-similar outcomes amongst the different 'classes' of citizens of this State and should be replaced with something fairer. Again, Please support HB 3140, the 'Put Patients First Act'. Sincerely, Rocky Bensch