Medical Marijuana: Rhode Island Dispensary Bill Passes House, Now Goes for Final Senate Approval
Rhode Island is poised to become the first state to expand an existing medical marijuana law to allow for the operation of dispensaries after the House Wednesday gave final approval a bill that would do just that. The bill passed by a whopping -- and veto-proof -- majority of 64-4.
Rhode Island State House
Gov. Donald Carcieri, no friend to medical marijuana, is likely to veto the bill. But given the overwhelming vote in favor of the bill, an override vote seems destined to succeed.
The bill would allow up to three dispensaries to grow and sell marijuana to patients in the state's medical marijuana program. The 2006 bill legalizing medical marijuana in the state -- after the legislature overrode a Carcieri veto -- did not have any provision for providing marijuana for patients.
The push for the bill was led by the Rhode Island Patient Advocacy Coalition and the Marijuana Policy Project.
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using the loophole
Comment posted by Robert G. on Sat, 06/06/2009 - 4:49pmWhen is one of these dispensary measures going to wake up to the fact that if they get to be sizable, there will be federal interference with their operation -- and therefore that they should empower the police to produce and distribute prescription marijuana, because they are exempt from federal registration requirements?