HOUSE BACKS MORE RESTRICTIVE MEDICAL MARIJUANA BILL

MONTPELIER -- The House has joined the Senate in endorsing legislation
that would protect seriously ill Vermonters from arrest and
prosecution if they smoke small amounts of marijuana to ease
conditions such as intractable nausea or pain.

But, there's a hitch.

The House bill, which won all but final approval Thursday by a vote of
79-48, might be too restrictive for the Senate.

"I happen to believe the House-passed bill is woefully inadequate,"
Senate Health and Welfare Chairman Jim Leddy, D-Chittenden, said
Thursday evening. "It is a symbolic statement rather than a
commitment. Are we into symbolism or making a difference?"

The Senate has twice passed marijuana bills that would allow
Vermonters with a broad range of debilitating conditions to seek
protection from prosecution if they use marijuana. The Senate versions
also would allow patients to grow more plants for their personal use
than the House plan.

Rep. David Zuckerman, P-Burlington, who has led the fight in the
Legislature for a medical marijuana exemption, tried Thursday to
persuade the House to go along with the most recent Senate proposal.
His amendment failed by a vote of 87-49.

House Health and Welfare Chairman Tom Koch, R-Barre, admitted he only
recently became persuaded to support any bill at all. He urged support
for the more restrictive approach that his committee drafted.

"I believe this proposal meets the expectations of the people of the
state of Vermont where poll after poll says they support marijuana for
medical purposes," Koch said. "I think what they are saying is they
want some compassionate use."

"We aren't making marijuana legal," Koch stressed. "We are saying, for
a small number of people, we will not initiate the process of
prosecuting someone for possession."

Opponents dominated the two hours of debate.

Rep. Harvey Otterman, R-Topsham, noted the federal bans on marijuana
use. "I am amazed that we as a Legislature would consider ourselves
qualified to overrule the Food and Drug Administration."

Rep. Loren Shaw, R-Derby, said support of the bill conflicted with
legislators' sworn oath to uphold the law.

Rep. Curran "Spike" Robinson, R-Richmond, argued the bill wasn't
needed. "If someone is terminally ill and believes marijuana will help
them, they will use it."

Rep. Tom Depoy, R-Rutland, said he couldn't endorse a medicine that
was smoked and introduced dozens of chemicals into the bodies of
people already struggling to survive.

Supporter Rep. David Brown, R-Walden, countered the legalistic and
scientific arguments against the bill with a simple, emotional plea.
"I hope this bill passes for our sick friends."

The House takes a final vote today. The bill's future remains
uncertain. In addition to Senate opposition, Gov. Jim Douglas has
repeatedly said he worries about passing a state law that conflicts
with federal law and sends a message to youth that illegal drugs are
OK.

"The governor doesn't issue veto threats," Douglas spokesman Jason
Gibbs said Thursday. "He will wait and see what the final product is
before making a decision."

In other action around the Statehouse on Thursday:

- - Legislative pay: Senators agreed to a compromise proposal to give
lawmakers their first pay raise in seven years. Their weekly salary --
paid only when the Legislature is meeting -- would rise from $536 to
$589. The bill also gives a 4.5 percent pay increase to judges and
political appointees. The House has yet to vote on the compromise.

- - Photo licenses: The Senate also approved a compromise that calls
for all new Vermont drivers' licenses to include a photograph.
Vermonters with non-photo licenses will be allowed to keep and to
renew them.