HOUSE MAKES MEDICAL MARIJUANA LAW PERMANENT

PROVIDENCE - By a vote of 49-12, more than enough to override an
expected veto, the House of Representatives Wednesday approved making
Rhode Island's medical marijuana law permanent, with a few minor
amendments. The Senate is scheduled to take up an identical bill
today and leaders say it is expected to pass easily in that chamber
as well. At a Statehouse news conference Wednesday, Gov. Donald
Carcieri, who vetoed the original legislation two years ago, repeated
his opposition and suggested another veto is likely. "It's illegal,"
Carcieri said in response to a question, "the Supreme Court has ruled
it is illegal.

We are putting people in a position of having to acquire this illegally.

I don't know why as a state we think this is a good thing to do. I
understand the empathy for people in pain and suffering who get some
relief from this, but I think from a public policy standpoint it is
really ill-advised. Asked if he would veto the legislation a second
time, Carcieri said, "let's see if they make any changes.

If it is the same as it was the last time, it is probably going to
get the same result." Rep. Thomas Slater, who championed the
legislation in the House and whose name is in the title of the bill,
said if the state tried to try to dispense the drug to certified
patients so they did not have to buy it on the street as opponents
including Carcieri worried about, that is what would make the program
run afoul of the federal government. Federal drug enforcement
officials have said they are not going to devote resources to
individuals growing a few plants for their own medical use, Slater
said, "but if we did try to dispense it in dispensaries, they would
be all over the place like they are in California. What we would do
is shine a light on ourselves and we would have the federal
government in here confiscating all the marijuana." During the floor
debate, Johnston Rep. Stephen Ucci said he was concerned that the
House was going to debate the issue on the same day that the Bishop
Hendricken boys high school basketball team was in the chamber to be
honored for winning a championship. "This bill legalizes an act that
begins with an illegal act," Ucci said. "You have buy it illegally."
The bill allows an individual who is certified by a physician as
having a debilitating medical condition such as cancer, AIDS or
multiple sclerosis to obtain a card from the state health department
that would protect them from arrest or prosecution if they possess
2.5 ounces or less of "useable marijuana" or 12 plants.

The patients, many of whom are too sick to do their own cultivation
or procuring of the drug can designate one or two "caregivers" to
assist them with obtaining and using the drug. A caregiver can serve
up to 5 patients, but he or she can possess no more than 24 plants or
five ounces of the drug at any one time. A caregiver must be at least
21 years of age and, under an amendment approved Wednesday, can not
have a felony drug record.