MIDDLESEX TWP — The pared-down medical cannabis bill that recently passed by a landslide in the state Senate is headed for the House of Representatives, and a township mother hopes success there will mean relief for her daughter.

Heather Shuker, whose daughter, Hannah Pallas, suffers from a severe seizure disorder, said medical cannabis could reduce or eliminate her daughter's seizures. Shuker and a group of other parents have been pushing state legislators to legalize medical marijuana for a variety of conditions.

The initial bill in the Senate included 45 illnesses and conditions that would be eligible for the limited use of medical marijuana, but the list was pared down to just 10.

While cancer, seizures, ALS, Parkinson's disease, post-traumatic stress disorder, and multiple sclerosis were some of the conditions that remain in the bill, glaucoma, HIV/AIDS, muscular dystrophy, diabetes, Alzheimer's disease and Crohn's disease were removed.

“I don't know how the government can pick and choose what diseases are qualified to receive medical cannabis,” Shuker said. “The legislators who said they can't play doctor have now decided to play doctor.”

But she admitted she is glad the bill, such as it is, was approved in the Senate by a 43-7 vote.

“I'm not unhappy with the bill because we still feel it's a good foundation,” Shuker said.

Sponsoring Sen. Mike Folmer, R-48th, agreed that the pared-down bill provides a solid foundation on which to build a successful and compassionate medical marijuana law. But he was surprised that glaucoma and other diseases that would benefit from the cannabis-based oils, edibles or tinctures permitted in the bill were removed.

“I was not happy,” Folmer said, “but we needed a supermajority vote, and we had to play on the more cautious side because of the fear of this plant.”

Folmer said while Senate proponents of the bill allowed the concessions to get the bill through, more medical conditions and forms of medical marijuana can be added.

“That is going to be so easy to put back in,” Folmer said of glaucoma, which damages the eye's optic nerve and can result in blindness.

Folmer said legalizing and regulating the plant's use will benefit all concerned.

“Law-abiding sick people, not stoners, are doing this illegally and they're at the mercy of charlatans,” Folmer said.

He noted that in the 23 states, plus Washington D.C., that have medical marijuana laws, prescription drug overdoses have decreased by 25 percent.

“And that's in a short time frame,” he said.

Folmer predicted that if the House bill makes it out of committee and to a floor vote, it will pass.

“If we get a floor vote, I think we can win,” he said.

He said should the bill, which Gov. Tom Corbett has vowed to veto, becomes a law, doctors would give eligible patients a medical marijuana card. Patients would then use the card at a medial marijuana dispensary that has been licensed by the state to sell cannabis.

The ability of medical users to smoke or vaporize certain forms of cannabis was removed from the Senate bill, according to Folmer's website.

Shuker said her counterparts are at the capitol building every day, advocating for the law on behalf of their children.

“We are also sending 'cannifacts' to senators and representatives just to continue to educate them on the benefits of medical marijuana,” she said.

Shuker said Hannah, who averages 100 seizures per week with medication, finally returned to school on Wednesday after an extended period of lethargy, balance difficulty, and increased seizures.

“She's a trooper,” Shuker said. “We try to get her to school as many days as we can.”

She said Hannah missed 80 days of school last year.

“She absolutely would be able to attend more (if she were prescribed medical cannabis,)” Shuker said.

The state House returns to session on Monday.