CONN. CONSIDERS BILL ON MEDICAL MARIJUANA

HARTFORD- For the past two years a bill to fully legalize the medical use
of marijuana has been snuffed out in the early days of the legislative
session. But this year the proposal, which is similar to a Maine law, finds
itself sitting on the House of Representatives calendar, waiting for a
possible floor vote. "I'm more shocked than anybody to get it through the
committee process," joked Rep. James Abrams, D-Meriden, the main proponent
of the legislation.

Abrams acknowledges he isn't sure whether the bill will be called up for a
vote in the House. But he said there appears to be a fair amount of
bipartisan support for the bill, which actually builds upon Connecticut's
existing medical marijuana law passed in 1981.

"If we get a vote, it will be close. It's not going to pass by a wide
margin," Abrams said. "It's something that takes some education."

A Better Way Foundation, a New Haven-based nonprofit group that supports a
shift in Connecticut's drug policy from a public safety issue to a public
health issue, has taken on that role.

The group, which hired a lobbying firm and started an e-mail campaign, has
scheduled a news conference for Wednesday to unveil a list of more than 200
medical doctors across the state who have sent postcards saying they back
medical marijuana.

Robert Rooks, the foundation's executive director, said the group wants to
show lawmakers there is support for the bill within the medical community
as well as the general public.

"So many people say they support it, but because of the powers that be and
who they work for, they can't come out and support it," Rooks said. "It's
frustrating."

In 1981, Connecticut was one of the first states in the nation to pass a
medical marijuana law. Under that law, a doctor is allowed to prescribe the
illegal drug to relieve nausea associated with chemotherapy and eye
pressure from glaucoma.

But the law is unworkable because, under federal law, any physician who
prescribes marijuana can be sent to prison and risks having their medical
license revoked, Abrams said. That's why a single prescription for
marijuana has not been issued since the law passed.

Abrams said former state Rep. John G. Rowland, now the Republican governor,
and newcomer Moira Lyons, now the Democratic House speaker, both voted for
the 1981 bill.

The new proposal would allow a doctor to provide a written certification
that would qualify a patient to use marijuana for medical purposes. The
patient would be able to grow up to three plants for personal use and could
use that certificate as a legal defense for having the illegal substance.

It would be up to the patient to possess the marijuana seeds.