cannabisnews.com: Marijuana Bill Returns Marijuana Bill Returns Posted by CN Staff on December 24, 2002 at 11:45:25 PT By Clifford G. Cumber, News-Post Staff Source: Frederick News Post A medical marijuana bill that gained strong bipartisan support over the last three years but was ultimately killed will be brought back in the next General Assembly session with state Sen.-elect David Brinkley as sponsor."Well, we're going to reintroduce it, so we'll see," Mr. Brinkley said Monday. "I haven't spoken to anyone in the Senate about it yet." Officials predict it faces a smoother passage in the 417th session of the General Assembly. The bill, which would allow the chronically ill to defend themselves from marijuana possession charges if they can prove its use is essential to alleviate their ailment, made it through the House of Delegates in March 2002. It was killed by a single vote in the Senate's Judiciary Proceedings Committee. At the time the bill's leading sponsor, Baltimore County Republican Delegate Donald Murphy, had agreed with Judicial Proceedings member Sen. Tim Ferguson to shepherd each other's bills through the their committees. At the 11th hour Mr. Ferguson voted against the marijuana bill, the single vote that killed it, prompting Mr. Murphy to charge Mr. Ferguson with lying. The votes had been lined up ahead of time by Mr. Murphy, leading him to believe the legislation would make it out of the committee."He (Mr. Ferguson) failed to do what he said he would do," Mr. Murphy said Monday. Mr. Ferguson responded at the time that shepherding the bill did not equal a vote in support.Both Mr. Murphy and Mr. Ferguson lost their seats to redistricting, Mr. Murphy choosing not to run again and Mr. Ferguson ousted in the primary against Mr. Brinkley. The face of the Judicial Proceedings Committee has changed too, with a new chairman, Sen. Brian Frosh, a liberal Democrat. State Sen. Alex Mooney, R-Frederick/Washington, was recently re-appointed to Judiciary Proceedings after his removal a year ago.Mr. Mooney said as in the past the bill will likely not get his vote."At this point I don't see any reason to change my position," he said.The major facotor was the police, who had told him it would make drug prosecution harder, he said."Legalizing it for medical reasons would make it practically impossible to prosecute anyone else for marijuana use for any reason whatsoever," Mr. Mooney said.But, Mr. Murphy said, other key opponents, Judiciary Proceedings Chairman Sen. Walter Baker and House Speaker Casper Taylor, in particular are out of the way since the election."I think there'll be more interest in this bill because many of the leading opponents ... all lost," he said.More importantly, the bill could have the new administration of Gov.-elect Robert Ehrlich behind it. As a congressman Mr. Ehrlich was one of 42 co-sponsors to sign Massachusetts Rep. Barney Frank's States' Rights to Medical Marijuana Act legislation. The bill would allow states to determine their own policy on medical marijuana without federal interference."I don't know if Gov. Ehrlich will make this an administration bill, but I do know he will sign it," Mr. Murphy said. Source: Frederick News Post (MD)Author: Clifford G. Cumber, News-Post Staff Published: Tuesday, December 24, 2002 Copyright: 2002 Great Southern Printing and Manufacturing CompanyWebsite: http://www.fredericknewspost.com/Contact: http://www.fredericknewspost.com/contact/Related Articles & Web Site:Medical Marijuana Information Linkshttp://freedomtoexhale.com/medical.htmMedical Marijuana Bill Killed by 1 Vote http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread12453.shtmlMarijuana Bill Nearing Crucial Vote http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread12438.shtmlMedical Marijuana Advances In Md.http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread12360.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #6 posted by Nasarius on December 25, 2002 at 11:29:46 PT Which Congress? It's always a bit confusing when a local newspaper publishes a story about a bill and expects people to know that it's in the state legislature, and not the national one. In this case, yeah, they're talking about the Maryland state Senate. Still, good stuff. Every state we have discussing this issue is one step closer to finally making it illegal for the DEA to arrest the sick and dying. [ Post Comment ] Comment #5 posted by FoM on December 25, 2002 at 08:14:55 PT Merry Christmas I'm looking for news but so far there isn't really anything to post. We got just a little snow but it is snowing now and we might get more. We had a wonderful time visiting our family yesterday and came home and watched a few Christmas specials. We watched my favorite special called The Year Without a Santa Claus and the 1951 version of Scrooge. They then showed some old cartoons and the one I couldn't believe they showed was one called Here Comes Suzy Snowfake. I must have been about 5 years old when that was on tv. Merry Christmas one more time! [ Post Comment ] Comment #4 posted by mayan on December 25, 2002 at 03:38:46 PT Coincidence? "I think there'll be more interest in this bill because many of the leading opponents ... all lost," he said.Any politician that rails against the medicinal use of cannabis is failing to represent the vast majority of their constituents! Is it just coincidence that some of these bums were thrown out onto the street? I would like to think not.The way out is the way in -FBI Agents Expose the Truth About the Hidden Forces Behind 9/11: http://www.voxnyc.com/archives/00000072.htmNORAD 9/11 Stand Down Math: http://www.mycountryrightorwrong.net/NORAD911StandDownMath.htmThe 9/11 Conspiracy: http://members.aol.com/sneiracs/911.htmThe 9/11 Truth Movement - Selected Resources for Researchers and Activists: http://www.globalresearch.ca/articles/LEV212A.htmlMore 9/11 Links: http://www.keystonereport.com/911.htm [ Post Comment ] Comment #3 posted by BGreen on December 25, 2002 at 02:18:37 PT This Is What Needs To Happen More Often! "I think there will be more interest in this bill because many of the leading opponents ... all lost," he said.My Christmas wish for everybody is for the rest of the opponents to lose. [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by knox42897 on December 25, 2002 at 00:12:55 PT: MEDICAL MARIJUANA ITS THE LAW! "Legalizing it for medical reasons would make it practically impossible to prosecute anyone else for marijuana use for any reason WHATSOEVER," Mr. Mooney said.I wonder if they are finally realizing that there is no recreational marijuana?I don't take asprin recreationally and I have never smoked Marijuana recreationally. I can't wait until the rest of the sheople wake up. [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by The C-I-R-C-L-E on December 24, 2002 at 20:26:44 PT Hey, 42 co-sponsors! Not bad... With 435 "Representatives", that's basically 10% of the congress-creatures in the House.Based on the 2000 census, there are 55 million americans living under state MMJ laws, or 20% of the US population.If those two numbers can equal each other and then move forward, then look out... [ Post Comment ] Post Comment