MINNEAPOLIS, April 16, 2008—A controversial bill to allow the use of medical marijuana will soon go to the floor of the Minnesota House.

SF 345, which is sponsored in the House by Rep. Thomas Huntley, DFL-Duluth, passed last year in the Minnesota Senate. Last week it was approved by the House Ways and Means Committee by a strong 13-4 vote. Gov. Tim Pawlenty has indicated that, if passed by the full House, he may use his veto pen to set it aside.

The MMA takes no position on legalizing medical marijuana.

The bill's chances were improved by a recent statement by the American College of Physicians, supporting the idea of decriminalizing the medical use of marijuana.

Proponents of the bill are airing TV ads showing seriously ill patients urging Minnesotans to call Pawlenty and ask him not to veto the bill.

Opponents of the bill include law enforcement agencies, who say that the experience in other states is that is difficult for officers to distinguish legal, medical marijuana from the illegal, nonmedical kind.

Twelve states – Alaska, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington – allow medical use of marijuana.