by Patrick McCreless

Before Rep. K.L. Brown’s sister succumbed to breast cancer 25 years ago, she used medicinal marijuana to ease her suffering.

Brown now wants legislation to provide similar relief to other chronically ill Alabama patients.

A Republican of Jacksonville, Brown said Friday that he will sponsor a bill during the 2012 legislative session to legalize medicinal marijuana in Alabama.

“My sister used it very successfully to control her nausea and pain,” Brown said. “I think the time has come for the state to consider medical marijuana.”

Brown said he expects to pre-file the bill by November. Brown added he had already met with state health department officials to discuss their potential role in providing medicinal marijuana if the bill is passed and will soon meet with other lawmakers to discuss the legislation.

“I think we’ve got a lot of citizens with Parkinson’s Disease, with cancer, with HIV … we’ve got a lot of people who could benefit from pain control,” Brown said.

Brown emphasized, however, that the bill was in no way part of a larger effort to decriminalize marijuana completely in the state.

“This is not a recreational marijuana legalizing bill at all,” Brown said. “It’s strictly for medicinal purposes and will be closely monitored by the health department and law enforcement.”

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