REVISIONS MADE IN BILL TO LEGALIZE MARIJUANA

Sen. Rory Respicio yesterday revised and reintroduced his bill that
would allow for the medicinal use of marijuana on Guam.

Among the changes to "The Compassionate Health Care Act of 2010,"
which is now Bill 423, specific language was added to state that
doctors cannot write prescriptions. Instead, they can only recommend
the drug and certify that it has been recommended.

"This falls directly in line with decisions by the 9th Circuit Court
of Appeals and the U.S. Supreme Court," Respicio said. "This issue was
pointed out by a legislative analyst from the Marijuana Policy Project
in Washington, D.C., who reviewed the bill."

The revised measure includes the establishment of an oversight body,
the Medical Cannabis Policy Commission, which would include the
Legislature's health committee chairperson, two physicians, a nurse
and the public health director, that would meet six times a year to
evaluate doctors' recommendations for who may use cannabis.

The group also would oversee the health-care centers that will be
allowed to grow, process and dispense cannabis to people with
debilitating conditions. It would regularly report its findings to the
Legislature, according to Bill 423.

Respicio also amended a provision that would have decriminalized the
use or possession of small amounts of marijuana.According to the
original measure, anyone caught in possession of less than one ounce
of marijuana won't be in violation of the current law, which includes
a fine of $100. The new bill nixed that provision.

"I believe the discussion should focus on the medicinal use of
cannabis for patient care and on providing treatment for those in
need," Respicio said yesterday. "Unfortunately, discussion has
concentrated on everything related to cannabis except how it can help
these seriously ill patients.

Twenty-six states and the District of Columbia permit the use of
medicinal marijuana.