CARCIERI VETOES BILL ALLOWING MARIJUANA DISPENSARIES

PROVIDENCE -- Republican Governor Carcieri has, as promised, vetoed
legislation that would make Rhode Island the second state in the
nation to allow state-licensed dispensaries to sell marijuana to the
chronically and critically ill.

In his first veto message of the year, Carcieri said: "Although the
intent of the legislation is to allow consenting adults to use
marijuana only for medicinal purposes based on illness, the increased
availability, along with a complacent attitude, will no doubt result
in increased usage, and will negatively impact the children of Rhode Island."

However, the identical House and Senate versions of the
marijuana-dispensary bill passed both chambers with enough votes to
easily override the governor's veto.

In fact, the lead House sponsor -- Rep. Thomas Slater -- said both
the Senate president and the House speaker have promised him they
would override the veto, if necessary. Echoed the Senate sponsor,
Rhoda E. Perry: "I believe we have the intent and the numbers to
override the veto."

In an interview on Friday moments after the veto came down, Slater
said he expects to start a medical marijuana protocol on his own
doctor's advice in the coming days in an effort to help relieve the
symptoms of advanced breast cancer and stimulate his appetite.

State law already allows doctors to prescribe marijuana for use by
people with severe, chronic and debilitating illnesses, such as
cancer, hepatitis C and HIV. As of April 30, there were 681 people
registered to do so with the Department of Health.

But that law, adopted in 2006, does not provide a legal avenue for
any of these registered patients -- or their 581 registered
caregivers -- to obtain the drug.

"The principal problem that our patients had was their fear of
dealing with the illegal market," said Perry, D-Providence. "They
were very frightened."

The vetoed legislation would allow the state health department to
license up to three "compassion centers," to provide marijuana to
registered qualifying patients.

"Regardless of licensing status with the state" Carcieri said anyone
associated with the dispensaries would still be at risk for
prosecution by the federal government, "while significantly
complicating the responsibilities of state and local law enforcement
officials."

He said the creation of the dispensaries would also foster "a public
perception that Rhode Island is complacent towards drugs that are
illegal in the United States, especially as Rhode Island has already
experienced a recent significant increase in marijuana usage among
persons 12 years and older."

He cited a survey by the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health
Services Administration that showed an increase in marijuana use in
Rhode Island between 2006 and 2007. Among all people ages 12 and
older surveyed in 2007, 16.1 percent said they had used marijuana
within the past year, compared with 14.9 percent the year before.
Marijuana use in Rhode Island is among the highest in the nation,
greater than the national average of 10.2 percent.

Perry said she was aware of the statistics, but did not believe they
were a result of the legalization of marijuana for medical use.

Earlier this year, New Mexico became the first and thus far, the only
state to license nonprofit producers of medical marijuana.

Late Friday, Senate spokesman Greg Pare confirmed leadership plans to
hold an override vote before the session ends. House spokesman Larry
Berman said no decision had been made by House leaders.