POT BACKERS SEEK SUPPORT FROM STATE LEGISLATURE

AUGUSTA, Maine -- A group of residents angry with the Legislature's
latest changes to the state's medical marijuana law are planning a
quiet but concerted effort today to persuade the new crop of
lawmakers in Augusta to make changes.

According to Cynthia Rosen of Washington, the residents are seeking
either a moratorium on or repeal of a law that ORIGINATED from a bill
titled "An Act to Amend the Maine Medical Marijuana Act," which was
passed overwhelmingly in April of this year.

The bill, which was known in legislative circles as LD 1811, followed
a citizen-initiated referendum in November 2009 that was meant to
increase access to marijuana for people with medical symptoms that
could be eased by the drug. According to Rosen and others, the
Legislature changed the intent of the initiative with passage of LD 1811.

"Medical marijuana patients and providers have been doing what
they've been doing for over a decade," said Rosen, who along with her
husband is a medical marijuana provider. "Under the amendment [by the
Legislature] they'll be made criminals."

Among other things, Rosen objects to the requirement that medical
marijuana patients and providers register with the Maine Department
of Health and Human Services. That registration requires the patient
to let the state have access to medical records and in the case of
providers, inspect the crop at will. Any medical marijuana patient
who doesn't register by Jan. 1 will be considered in violation of the
law, according to Rosen, a tea party activist who said her major
reason for spearheading today's effort is because she believes the
Legislature overstepped its authority by defying the will of the voters.

She said today's action would consist of a group of people from
across the state either soliciting support from legislators in the
State House one-on-one or making contact through mail or electronic
means. The goal is to find lawmakers who will support a bill to
repeal or overhaul LD 1811.

"There are a whole host of reasons why people would not want to
register," she said. "By registering you are basically confessing to
doing something that the federal government deems illegal."

Donald Christen, founder of a pro-marijuana group called Maine
Vocals, who has been a proponent of loosening the state's medical
marijuana laws, said he supports today's campaign. Among other
things, Christen argues that the new law puts restrictions on the
amount a provider can possess that are out of line with what a
typical marijuana plant can produce. He also objects to the
registration requirement, because he said it will discourage people
from receiving the relief they are entitled to.

"The whole crux of the medical marijuana law is that it is a medical
necessity," he said. "Too many people don't understand that. For a
lot of people, if it was known that they asked for that medical
marijuana card, they'd lose their jobs."

Shenna Bellows, executive director of the Maine Civil Liberties
Union, said her group would not be directly involved in today's
campaign, though it has "opposed LD 1811 from the start."

"We're hearing from numerous patients who suffer from cancer or
HIV-AIDS who fear they'll lose their medication under this new law,"
she said. "The MCLU is wholeheartedly supporting a variety of
grassroots efforts that are springing up all over the place to do
things such as end mandatory patient registration."