|
|
| Medical Marijuana Bill Moving Forward |
|
Posted by FoM on March 26, 2002 at 13:57:19 PT By Susan Gervasi, Journal Staff Writer Source: Prince George's Journal 
After winning House Judiciary Committee approval, legislation radically softening penalties for the medical use of marijuana was expected to be voted on Monday night by Maryland's House of Delegates. With a House majority vote, the Darrell Putman Compassionate Use Act would proceed to a Senate committee for consideration, and then to the full Senate. An amended version of the bill got a second reading Monday in the House. As amended by the Judiciary Committee, it permits a defendant arrested for possession of marijuana, or marijuana paraphernalia, to introduce - ``and the court shall consider as a mitigating factor" - evidence of ``medical necessity." If convicted, that person could not be fined more than $100, and could not be sentenced to jail. Under current Maryland law, posession is punishable by a $1,000 fine and a year in jail. ``We have basically decriminalized the medical use of marijuana," said Judiciary Committee Chairman Joseph F. Vallario Jr., D-27th-Upper Marlboro, speaking from the House floor Monday afternoon, where his committee's favorable report was received. ``So that someone who's in pain won't serve jail time. This is a type of effort to grant relief to some of these people in need." The bill passed Vallario's committee Friday with a 14-4 vote. Some scientific studies - and much anecdotal evidence - have suggested that smoking pot can be helpful to those suffering from the side-effects of cancer treatment, glaucoma, Crohn's disease, multiple sclerosis and epilepsy. Several Judiciary Committee witnesses who had used it for medical purposes recently urged the committee to support legislation for its medical use. Cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy endorsed its value as an anti-nausea treatment, as well as an appetite enhancer. For the bill's chief sponsor, Del. Donald E. Murphy, D-Baltimore County, the measure reaching the House floor consituted a major victory, though major parts of his original measure had been deleted - such as provisions allowing patients to grow their own with physicians' approval. ``I'm very happy," said Murphy, who has tried in the past two sessions to get medical marijuana legislation onto the floor. ``It lifts the fear of incarceration for cancer and AIDS patients. Defendants can introduce evidence of medical necessity and judges must consider it." Murphy - whose bill had more than 50 co-sponsors, or more than a third of the 141-member House - named his legislation for the late Darrell Putman, a Green Beret and Howard County farmer who died in 1999. Putman found smoking pot helped him cope with lymphoma, and lobbied for its medical legalization. Although marijuana possession is a federal offense, eight states have laws that allow for its medical use, and federal officials have indicated no interest in prosecuting such users. Related Articles & Web Sites: Marijuana Policy Project Coalition for Compassionate Access Medical Marijuana Advances In Md. Penalty Compromise May Save Marijuana Bill Penalty for Medical Marijuana Use Capped Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help |
 |
|
Comment #3 posted by Dan B on March 26, 2002 at 16:24:36 PT:
|
| WARNING: Do not use if terminally prohibitionist. May cause improvements in rhetorical communication, openness of mind, and interest in the welfare of others. May also cause flashes of insight and inspiration. On second thought, use liberally if terminally prohibitionist. [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #2 posted by FoM on March 26, 2002 at 15:29:59 PT |
| I don't know what a warning would be but this is what I would put on a bottle of pot? That's really funny. Warning: This substance might have a side effect. It might cause a big smile. [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #1 posted by p4me on March 26, 2002 at 15:02:43 PT |
| Although marijuana possession is a federal offense, eight states have laws that allow for its medical use, and federal officials have indicated no interest in prosecuting such users. The federal officials need to make new laws to reflect this belief. Of course the country is "Blinded by the Right." Has anyone read this book by David Brock? I want to raise an interesting issue regarding MMJ. As everyone knows that gets pills there are warning labels on the bottles. The path of GW Pharmacuticals is to use a process similar to the freeze drying of instant coffee to make whole cannabis into pills. What do you think the warning label on these bottles will be? VAAI [ Post Comment ] |
| Post Comment |  |
 |  |