D.C. MARIJUANA RULES NOT COMING UNTIL NEXT YEAR

D.C. Mayor Adrian Fenty plans to leave the nitty-gritty of medical
marijuana rules up to three city agencies, according to draft
regulations obtained by The Washington Examiner -- but not until next
year.

The mayor's office is expected to make the draft order public this
week.

Medical marijuana became legal in the District after Congress chose
not to override the D.C. Council's law within the 30 days allowed by
home rule.

The mayor's draft order calls for the District Department of Health,
the Alcoholic Beverage Control Board and the Metropolitan Police
Department to share duties of regulating the drug -- but they won't be
able to make the rules until Jan. 1, 2011.

Proponents of medical marijuana wonder what's taking so
long.

"This seems like a really long time, and I don't know why they
wouldn't have already done this," said Jeffrey Kahn, a rabbi who hopes
to open a medical marijuana dispensary near the Takoma Metro station.

Until agency regulations come out in 2011 and dispensaries are allowed
to open, marijuana will be illegal, even for those with qualifying
medical conditions.

"The administration is committed to ensuring the regulations will
support clear and safe dispensing of marijuana for medicinal
purposes," Fenty spokeswoman Mafara Hobson said, declining further
comment.

The mayor's draft document, dated July 23, grants authority to the
Health Department to create ID cards for marijuana patients and
administer the policy by which low-income patients will receive
discounted marijuana. It also leaves it up to the agency to define
"any other condition" that would qualify patients for the drug.

Kahn was also concerned that the mayor's orders are too
vague.

"There has to be a really careful process put in place, but I think
this document is really lacking details as to the process," he said.

The Health Department will oversee registration of patients and
caregivers; the ABCB will register dispensaries and cultivation
centers; the police will enforce criminal provisions and help the ABCB
in assessing dispensaries' security plans.

The draft also calls for creating a seven-member Medical Advisory
Committee that will monitor progress of the medical marijuana program
and report to the D.C. Council.