ASA's Medical Marijuana in the News: Week Ending 6/8/07

VERMONT: Expanded Medical Marijuana Law Enacted RHODE ISLAND: Bill Vetoed, Override Certain CONNECTICUT: Medical Marijuana Bill Goes to Governor MICHIGAN: Initiative Language Approved TEXAS: State Considers Medical Marijuana COLORADO: One Case Dismissed, Another Pending CALIFORNIA: Some Cities Regulating, Some Not FEDERAL: California Crackdown Continues -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- VERMONT: Expanded Medical Marijuana Law Enacted The two-year-old medical marijuana law in Vermont has now been expanded to include more medical conditions. Instead of letting doctors make the determination as to appropriate patients and conditions for medical marijuana treatment, many state lawmakers are prescribing which patients should be protected from prosecution. Medical marijuana expansion becomes law by Associated Press, Rutland Herald (VT) Vermont's medical marijuana law — which lets people with life-threatening conditions use the illegal drug without fear of prosecution — now covers people with chronic, debilitating conditions. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- RHODE ISLAND: Bill Vetoed, Override Certain A veto by the governor was expected in Rhode Island, since he had attempted to block the bill the legislature passed a year ago. But the success of the state program was undeniable, and the margin of support was even more overwhelming this year. Part of the reason is the advocacy of lawmakers such as Tom Slater, who championed the cause of medical marijuana patients. Medical marijuana: His name’s on the law by M. Charles Bakst, Providence Journal (RI) Decades from now, folks may notice Tom Slater’s name on a Rhode Island law allowing use of marijuana to ease the pain of cancer and other serious diseases. And they’ll wonder, admiringly I think, “Who was this guy? What was he about?” Carcieri vetoes medical marijuana by Michael McKinney, Providence Journal (RI) As expected, Governor Carcieri yesterday vetoed medical marijuana legislation. And Democratic House leader Gordon Fox said he believes state lawmakers will override that veto. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- CONNECTICUT: Medical Marijuana Bill Goes to Governor With a University of Connecticut poll showing 83% of voters support a medical marijuana law, legislators there have passed one, after five years of consideration. Passage was helped by a lawmaker’s account of buying marijuana illegally for her cancer-stricken husband. Cannabis Measure Passes Senate by Colin Poitras, Hartford Courant (CT) After five years of on-again, off-again debate, Connecticut lawmakers Friday passed landmark legislation allowing seriously ill people to grow marijuana at home to ease their pain or reduce unpleasant side effects of treatment. Medical marijuana bill in Rell's hand by Keith M. Phaneuf, Journal Inquirer (CT) For the last five years, state Rep. Penny Bacchiochi, R-Somers, and legislative allies from both parties have fought to legalize marijuana use for medicinal purposes. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- MICHIGAN: Initiative Language Approved Voters are trying to force the state legislature to act on a medical marijuana bill. With enough signatures, the initiative will go to the legislature for action; if they fail to pass it, the voters will decide the matter. To date, voters in five cities – Ann Arbor, Detroit, Flint, Ferndale, and Traverse City – have passed local initiatives supporting medical marijuana by margins between 60 and 74%. Effort to legalize medical marijuana moves forward by Associated Press, ABC News WZZM (MI) An effort to legalize marijuana for medical use in Michigan has cleared a key procedural hurdle. A state elections board has approved the form of petitions being circulated by the Michigan Coalition for Compassionate Care. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TEXAS: State Considers Medical Marijuana When he was governor of Texas, George W. Bush said the decision about medical marijuana should be left to the state. Lawmakers there tried to get a bill considered again this session, for the third year, but failed earlier this week. Pros and cons of medical marijuana by Ivanhoe Broadcast News, News8 Austin (TX) Estimates are that about 300,000 people in the United States use medical marijuana. In April 2007, New Mexico became the 12th state to allow it -- joining Washington, Oregon, California, Alaska, Maine, Nevada, Vermont, Colorado, Montana, Hawaii and Rhode Island. By federal law, however, the substance is illegal. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- COLORADO: One Case Dismissed, Another Pending Just last week the case against a caregiver couple was dismissed by prosecutors. But another couple, also registered in the state program, is now facing charges because local law enforcement claim they have more marijuana plants than state law allows. Couple claim drugs are only for medical use by Sara Gandy, NBC 9News A Fort Collins couple facing marijuana charges told members of the Larimer County Sheriff's Office Criminal Impact Unit that the marijuana found at their home was for medicinal use. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- CALIFORNIA: Some Cities Regulating, Some Not ASA’s study of dispensaries in the state shows that cities and counties that have established regulations for dispensary operations have had good experiences. And a UC Berkeley researcher found that the most seriously ill and injured are those who are most reliant on dispensaries for safe, consistent access. ASA’s report and a summary of that research can be download at http://AmericansForSafeAccess.org/dispensaryreport. Medical pot clinic proposed by David Bolling, Sonoma Index-Tribune A medical marijuana dispensary will open in the old Nicholas Turkey headquarters on Riverside Drive if the Sonoma County Planning Department approves a use permit application. La Quinta just says no -- to medical marijuana by Marcel Honoré, The Desert Sun The La Quinta City Council voted 5-0 Tuesday to ban medical marijuana dispensaries, making La Quinta the second valley city after Palm Desert to ban the dispensaries outright. Pleasanton passes ban on pot shops by Meera Pal, ANG Newspapers After some additional vetting of the medical marijuana issue, Pleasanton has become the latest East Bay city to ban marijuana dispensaries from operating within its borders. Yucaipa puts hold on medical pot by Andrew Edwards, San Bernardino Sun (CA) Add another town to the list of Inland Empire locales where officials are saying "no" to medicinal marijuana. At least for now. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- FEDERAL: California Crackdown Continues Ed Rosenthal may not be going to jail, but federal prosecutors are trying to do more than just send a message with his conviction. They have been targeting others who are helping patients in California. Currently more than 90 people are facing federal charges related to medical marijuana. One case involves a San Francisco Bay Area medical marijuana dispensary that provided medicine for upwards of 1,000 patients. The dispensary’s operator and a manager are being charged with federal drug crimes that could send them to federal prison for decades. Verdict clouds pot picture by Sarah Acker, San Francisco Bay Guardian Medical marijuana activist and author Ed Rosenthal was found guilty of three federal felonies related to the cultivation and distribution of marijuana May 30. He was found not guilty on one other charge, and a deadlocked jury prompted the prosecution to drop a fifth charge. Rosenthal will serve no jail time. More charges in Hayward pot-club bust by Josh Richman, ANG Newspapers Federal authorities have added more charges against the two people arrested in the December raid of a Hayward medical marijuana dispensary, claiming the storefront operation's purpose was avarice, not altruism.