Culture wars, not science or good government, are to blame for the fact that marijuana is illegal for use as a medicine.

That was a major theme at a gathering outside the Pennsylvania Capitol on Monday which drew a contingent of medical marijuana backers that crossed cultural, age and political lines.

One of the speakers was Shawn Berkebile, the pastor of what he described as a largely conservative Lutheran congregation in Abbottstown, Adams County.

"Talk about it as a medicine," he urged the crowd. "It is an amazing thing that has given life and health to so many people."

Berkebile said he and many others in the congregation were swayed by a young girl who has disabling seizures which aren't controlled by conventional medicines, and who has sustained liver damage from the medicines.

The rally also

who are leading the political fight to pass SB 1182, which would legalize medical marijuana in Pennsylvania — state Sen. Daylin Leach, a liberal Democrat from the Philadelphia area, and Sen. Mike Folmer, a conservative Republican from Lebanon County.

Following the rally, Folmer said access to medical marijuana is a "God-given" right and said there's near

in the Republican-controlled, 50-member state Senate.

"I have 44, 45 votes. I might even have 48 votes," he said. Folmer said he has been assured a vote by the full Senate will take place next week, although he didn't know specifically when.

But the obstacle, many speakers argued Monday, is a Republican-controlled state House and a Republican governor who they said are unwilling to carry out the will of the people. They point to public opinion surveys indicating a majority of state residents favor legalizing marijuana for medical purposes.

Leach estimated legalizing medical marijuana would receive about 160 votes in the 203-member state House. But no vote will take place unless House leaders allow it, and as of late last week, a spokesman said House leaders view it as a federal issue.

Leach further told the crowd he and Folmer have spoken to Gov. Tom Corbett and failed to change his view that marijuana is a "gateway drug," and that SB 1182, which would allow marijuana to be used in a variety of forms to treat many different illnesses, would lead to increased recreational drug use.

— he is willing to grant access to a non-intoxicating oil contained in marijuana to children with severe seizures. But that falls well short of the goals of supporters of SB 1182, who contend marijuana contains assorted ingredients which can benefit people with many different illnesses, including cancer and post traumatic stress syndrome.

Leach, who called the SB 1182 supporters "the best lobbying organization I have ever seen up here," urged them to continue pressuring House leaders and Corbett, and suggested that, with a tough election looming, Corbett won't want to be the barrier between sick children and the medicine their families want.

Following the rally, Folmer said that Corbett "is not my enemy," and that, in the event a bill is passed, he would ask him to allow it to become law by refusing to sign it.

The rally, held on the Capitol steps, drew people ranging from counter culture-types to parents pushing sick children in wheelchairs to grandparents holding poster-sized pictures of sick children.

The crowd included about a dozen little leaguers, wearing team shirts, who, along with their coaches, came out in support of the Abbottstown-area girl who is part of Berkebile's congregation.

One of the rally speakers was a newer member of the cause, state Rep. Mike Vereb, a Republican and former police and narcotics officer from Montgomery County.

He said he was "a no until a few months ago" but changed his mind after learning more.

"With facts we can get votes," he told the crowd.