The Parkersburg News and Sentinel
Two marijuana issues are on the agenda for West Virginia legislators this winter. One — whether to legalize the drug for recreational use — is and should be controversial. The other, regarding use of the plant’s active ingredient for medicinal purposes, is not open to reasonable argument.
Lawmakers already have enacted a measure intended to allow sale of THC, found in marijuana, to those who may benefit from it for health-care reasons. Prescriptions from doctors will be required. That provides some assurance against abuse. Another safeguard is that the marijuana plant itself cannot be marketed; only the THC, perhaps in pill form, is permissible.
Sales were supposed to begin this summer, but a substantial obstacle lies in the way. It is the fact that sale of any form of marijuana, including THC, remains illegal federally.
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