GOVERNOR BUSTS MEDICAL MARIJUANA BILL

PROVIDENCE - Standing firm on his veto threat despite an almost
certain override in both chambers of the General Assembly, Gov.
Donald Carcieri Monday rejected legislation to make Rhode Island's
medical marijuana law permanent.

In identical veto messages to House Speaker William Murphy and Senate
President Joseph Montalbano, Carcieri said: "If enacted, this
legislation will enable qualified persons to acquire, possess,
cultivate, manufacture, use, deliver, transfer or transport marijuana
or paraphernalia relating to the consumption of marijuana" for
problems ranging from cancer to unspecified pain.

"As I said in my veto message in 2005," Carcieri reminded the
legislative leaders, "I support efforts to provide effective pain
management to persons suffering from debilitating conditions, but not
in a way that violates federal law and ignores the drug approval
process as established by the Food and Drug Administration."

The governor said that would result in an increase in illegal
activity as well as the use by Rhode Islanders of potentially unsafe
substances. He pointed out that marijuana is still classified by the
medical community as a hallucinogenic drug and is classified by the
federal government as a Schedule 1 drug (drugs that have high
potential for abuse and which currently have no accepted medical use).

"As a result," he explained, "this legislation could potentially
subject Rhode Islanders to federal prosecution, while significantly
complicating the responsibilities of state and local law enforcement
officials."

The "bottom line," Carcieri said in his veto message, is that "this
legislation would give vulnerable Rhode Island citizens a false sense
of security regarding the legality and safety of producing,
distributing and using marijuana, a substance which is neither legal
under federal law nor regulated in any way by any government agency."

The law, passed in 2005 over Carcieri's veto, exempts people with
serious, painful or degenerative illnesses, such as cancer, AIDS or
multiple sclerosis, who obtain certification from a physician, from
state laws regarding the possession, cultivation and use of 2.5
ounces of "useable marijuana" and up to 12 marijuana plants. A
patient can designate two caregivers who are then certified to
possess the same amounts. A caregiver can serve up to five patients,
but is limited to a total of 5 ounces of marijuana or 24 plants.

The original law was written with a sunset provision that will cause
it to expire June 30 if the legislature does not override the
governor's veto. If that happened, sponsors said, the exception in
the law for medical marijuana would be void and they would have to
pass a new law from scratch next January.

But the veto message drew quick assurances from leaders in both the
House and Senate that they would call votes to override the
governor's action and pass the law over his objection.

House Majority Leader Gordon Fox issued a statement Monday saying, "I
fully expect that we will place a vote to override the Governor's
medical marijuana veto on the floor calendar before the end of our
session. The vote on Rep. (Thomas) Slater's bill made it clear that
there is an overwhelming majority in the House willing to remove the
sunset clause on this compassionate legislation."

Montalbano issued a statement saying: "The Senate will consider a
veto override of Senator Perry's compassionate medical marijuana
legislation prior to final adjournment of the 2007 session. The state
has not experienced any problems during the law's trial period, and
medical marijuana is in some cases the only treatment option that
effectively alleviates chronic pain and nausea in terminally ill
patients, which is why the measure is supported by health
organizations such as the Rhode Island Medical Society, the American
Nurses Association and the American Public Health Association."