cannabisnews.com: Committee Backs Medical Marijuana





Committee Backs Medical Marijuana
Posted by CN Staff on February 07, 2003 at 08:46:49 PT
By David Mace, Vermont Press Bureau 
Source: Times Argus 
Montpelier -- A bill that would legalize marijuana use for people with serious illnesses such as cancer or AIDS has cleared its first legislative hurdle but still faces a long — and uncertain — road before it becomes law. On Thursday the Senate Health and Welfare Committee unanimously approved the measure, which would allow patients to register with the state and be immune from prosecution under state drug laws.
“I’m pleased,” said committee Chairman Sen. James Leddy, D-Chittenden. “I thought we looked at all sides of the question and clearly felt this was something that should move forward.” The bill, modeled closely after one that passed the Vermont House last year with the support of Democrats, Progressives and Republicans, requires a doctor’s certification that the patient suffers from one of several specified conditions and needs marijuana to relieve symptoms. The Vermont Department of Health would determine whether the person was eligible, and patients who were rejected could appeal to a three-doctor panel appointed by the governor and confirmed by the Senate. In addition, a person could register to be a patient’s caregiver, and the Department of Health would keep the records confidential unless police needed to verify the information. People authorized to use medical marijuana would not be allowed to smoke it in virtually any public place and could not be under the influence while driving or in other circumstances when it could endanger others. The measure would also allow a registered user or caregiver to grow medical marijuana in a locked indoor facility and transport it in a locked container. Since police would need a search warrant to look in the container, there would be time to check the database and determine whether the owner was exempt from prosecution. While a similar bill passed the House last session, Senate leaders said there wasn’t enough time to take it up fully. The Senate approved a more modest “affirmative defense” bill that would have allowed sick people arrested for marijuana possession to claim their illness as a defense against prosecution. The two sides couldn’t reach a compromise and instead appointed a study committee to look at the issue. That panel determined that marijuana did have medical benefits and that a program to permit such use could work. But one of the senators who had reservations about the measure last year is Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Sen. Richard Sears, D-Bennington, and his committee is the bill’s next stop. Sears said he plans to give the bill a full and fair hearing in his committee. He also acknowledged he’s worried the state may send the wrong message to young people by legalizing medical marijuana, a concern that was highlighted by recent testimony from some teenagers before the committee that it would confirm some of their peers’ use. “A lot of kids don’t care,” testified Jesse Boulanger, 19, of Brattleboro. “But the kids who smoke pot will be like, ‘Sweet, now I can do it without getting in trouble.’ … They’ll do it anyway.” “They’ll think it’s OK to do it because you guys are legalizing it,” testified Samantha Gambero, 17, of Milton. “My biggest concern is that we not send a mixed message with respect to marijuana,” Sears said Thursday. “… We’re talking about a drug that can be abused and can be used to help some people. And there’s a huge difference.” Law enforcement officials are still opposed to the measure. Winooski Police Chief Steve McQueen, who was the Association of Vermont Chiefs of Police representative on the summer study task force, and Assistant Attorney General John Treadwell both said the bill would still expose patients to the illegal drug trade and to a product without any quality control. “The attorney general’s office is (also) concerned that the bill would expose seriously ill people to federal prosecution under the guise of protecting them,” Treadwell said. Advocates expressed optimism about the passage. “We’re really hoping this is the year when those in need of medical marijuana will be able to have it legally,” said Virginia Renfrew, a lobbyist for the HIV Public Policy Project. Rep. David Zuckerman, P-Burlington, who helped shepherd the bill through the House in the last session, said he believed the measure could pass again. But whether Gov. James Douglas would sign it is unclear. “I haven’t taken a position on that,” he said. “I’ve not been enthusiastic in the past because law enforcement officers have not been generally supportive.” Douglas noted that former Gov. Howard Dean, who is also a physician, had opposed the bill on the grounds it wasn’t medically necessary. Douglas said he would consult with health officials on that point and with law enforcement officials before making up his mind. “I need to get a lot more information before deciding.” Source: Times Argus (VT)Author: David Mace, Vermont Press BureauPublished: February 6, 2002Copyright: 2002 Times ArgusContact: info timesargus.comWebsite: http://timesargus.nybor.com/Related Articles & Web Site:Medical Marijuana Information Linkshttp://freedomtoexhale.com/medical.htmVermont Study Endorses Medical Marijuanahttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread14742.shtmlMedical Pot Bill is Killedhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread12949.shtml
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