Former Minnesota Governor Ventura Testifies He Bought Illegal Marijuana To Save His Wife
Former Governor Jesse Ventura shares details in recent testimony about his and his wife's experience with marijuana and the marijuana laws. Ventura has been a proponent of the legalization of cannabis in the State Of Minnesota for some time. He recently explained how he and his wife were forced to break the law in the past to get the help they desperately needed.
CCX Media reported on the omnibus cannabis bill hearing, which ultimately passed this round. Ventura passionately talks about how marijuana was able to help his wife, Terry. In the video, you can see him say that he had to choose between Minnesota law and his wife. "Guess what, my wife won."
Terry was diagnosed a decade ago with later in life seizure disorder. Ventura says that "my life was gone." "Cannabis saved our lives, not mine, but the 38th first lady of Minnesota."
They relied on receiving cannabis illegally before medical marijuana was legalized in Minnesota. That took place in 2014. Prior to that, Ventura says they had received cannabis from friends in Colorado to get the cannabis products they needed to help treat his wife Terry's chronic seizures.
He continues that they had to break the law to keep her seizure free until medical marijuana was finally approved in Minnesota. She was suffering seizures two to three times a week and no legal medication helped. Four different medicines tried caused serious side effects. They drove to Colorado and were forced to break the law. Cannabis drops under the tongue worked and kept her seizure-free. She hasn't had a seizure since.
Jesse Ventura has previously said that he received a personal pledge from Governor Tim Walz that they will pass marijuana legalization.
Jesse Ventura also testified in the senate in support of legalizing cannabis. He said in that testimony that he's the one that started this process of legalization 20 years ago. He wants to be alive to see it pass into law. He has been a long-time supporter of hemp and cannabis.
There are opponents to the legalization of medical marijuana. The concerns range from the fact that science shows that the human brain doesn't fully develop until a person reaches their mid-20s. There also are concerns about impaired driving and accidents under the influence of marijuana.
Testing for impairment of a driver from marijuana is still being developed. In states like Colorado where marijuana has been legal for years have been tackling different ways to tell if a driver is impaired. According to the Colorado Department of Transportation, a blood test alone is not enough to arrest someone. A field sobriety test and the officer's discretion are needed.
The committee passed this round of the cannabis bill. Many proponents of marijuana legalization say this could be the year it passes in Minnesota.
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