MEDICAL MARIJUANA BILL SIGNED

ANNAPOLIS -- Gov. Robert Ehrlich signed a medical marijuana bill Thursday,
reducing the criminal penalties for patients who use the drug to reduce
severe pain.

After a flurry of vetoes the day before, Mr. Ehrlich also endorsed
legislation enabling local school boards to allow charter schools.

Supporters praised the signing of the Darrell Putnam Compassionate Use Act,
which provides a total $100 fine and no jail time for marijuana possession
if proof of medical necessity is offered. The act is named for a former
Green Beret who used marijuana in the waning years of his terminal cancer.

The White House had lobbied Mr. Ehrlich to veto the bill, something the
governor acknowledged at a press conference following the signing. He said
he hoped signing the bill had not damaged his relationship with the Bush
administration.

"I do believe people are reasonable and can distinguish between what drugs
are doing to our nation and specific issues" such as end-of-life decisions,
he said.

Mr. Ehrlich's stand impressed some.

"I really thought with the pressure coming from the White House that, if
not the governor, then senior members of the state Republican party would
pressure him to veto the bill. So I'm thrilled that the guy is putting his
personal principals above partisan politics," said Delegate Rick Weldon,
R-Frederick. "I still think it is possible to say that this is about
compassion rather than politics."

Don Murphy, a key supporter of the legislation and a former Baltimore
County delegate, finally saw all his lobbying pay off.

"If there's such a thing as a great day for cancer patients, today is such
a day," he said.

Even House Speaker Michael Busch, who had voted against the legislation
over two years when it came to the House of Delegates, said the legislation
was the best the state could do.

"I do believe that the legislature last year and this year put (the
legislation) in absolutely the best posture, considering you don't have
pharmaceutical controls" over distribution.

The Putnam Act still means marijuana possession is illegal and
prosecutable, and the legislation conflicts with federal law. That was one
of the General Assembly's greatest concerns.

"It's our hope that we can now get some changes at the federal level," said
state Sen. David Brinkley, a New Market Republican and cancer survivor who
fought for the legislation.

But, he said, "I don't know that the Maryland legislature is ready to
tackle it any more aggressively. We'll keep trying, but it's taken us five
years to tackle this threshold."

Even as the bill was signed, opponents attempted to crash the event. Joyce
Nalepka, president of Drug-Free Kids, twice tried to enter the line into
the signing room, and was twice removed by Maryland State Police.

After being escorted out, an emotional Ms. Nalepka, wearing a button
showing a marijuana leaf with a line through it, said she was upset at the
action. "All of the legalizers march into the governor's office. I came up
and they assign three police officers to escort me out."

The governor also signed the Public Charter School Act of 2003, which
allows the establishment of public charter schools in Maryland. It provides
parents, teachers and charter school advocates with an appeal to the state
Board of Education if the local board denies a charter.

Similar legislation died in the General Assembly the last three years, but
won passage this year, although in a vastly revised form from the initial
bill proposed by the governor. Despite that, the administration has been
claiming victory.

"Today marks a major victory for parents, teachers and students," Mr.
Ehrlich said. "My charter school initiative gives parents the freedom to
move their child out of a failing school and into a creative learning
environment where they can reach their full potential."

Maryland is the 41st state to enact a public charter school law, allowing
children to qualify for part of $200 million in federal money to support
charter schools.

The list also included a piece of legislation initially promoted by former
Delegate Sue Hecht to require the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene
develop guidelines allowing visual monitoring in nursing homes.

The bill is named Vera's Law, after Ms. Hecht's mother, who suffered abuse
at a nursing facility.

Ms. Hecht was on vacation and unavailable for comment.