SENATE COMMITTEE NARROWLY DEFEATS MEDICAL MARIJUANA BILL

A Maryland legislative bill which would have lessened punishment for the
medical use of marijuana failed in a Senate committee by one vote last
month. The Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee voted unfavorably on H.B.
1222, the Darrell Putman Compassionate Use Act, although the statute passed
80-56 in the House. This is the farthest a medical marijuana bill has come
in the Maryland legislature. Under its terms, a conviction for medical
marijuana use would be similar to a parking ticket, and no criminal record
would result. Eight states--Alaska, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine,
Nevada, Oregon, and Washington--currently have laws that protect medical
marijuana patients.