cannabisnews.com: Medical Marijuana Bill Vetoed
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Medical Marijuana Bill Vetoed
Posted by CN Staff on July 11, 2009 at 05:28:30 PT
By Karen Langley, Monitor Staff
Source: Concord Monitor
New Hampshire -- Gov. John Lynch yesterday vetoed a bill to legalize marijuana for seriously ill patients, saying there are "serious flaws" in legislation supporters call the strictest in the nation. Lynch said in a statement he "remains open" to tightly controlled medical marijuana, but he said the bill passed by the Legislature two weeks ago lacks adequate safeguards on the drug's cultivation and distribution. He said he fears the amount of marijuana allowed under the bill could prove addictive or damaging.
The bill would allow, if recommended by a physician, a small amount of marijuana to patients suffering severe pain or nausea from symptoms or treatment of diseases such as cancer, AIDS or multiple sclerosis. Lawmakers had tightened the bill after Lynch voiced concern about an earlier version that would have allowed patients to grow marijuana at home. The final version would allow marijuana only in three nonprofit "compassion centers" throughout the state, where workers who had passed background checks would disperse limited amounts of the drug to registered patients. But Lynch said he was not convinced the centers would keep marijuana in the right hands, arguing the bill did not require sufficient oversight of volunteers working at the centers. "We cannot set a lower bar for medical marijuana than we do for other controlled substances, and we cannot implement a law that has serious flaws," he said in his statement. Advocates said they were disappointed in the veto of a bill they said would have regulated the drug more tightly than in any of the 13 states where medical marijuana is allowed. Rep. Evalyn Merrick, a cancer survivor who sponsored the bill, rejected Lynch's arguments as politically motivated. Merrick, a Democrat from Lancaster, said the governor denied a bill that would have given relief to the state's most vulnerable citizens. She said limiting marijuana cultivation to the compassion centers would ensure its quality and security, and she said the system of fees established in the bill contradicts Lynch's concern that only the wealthiest residents could afford marijuana. "This is clearly a politically directed decision, based on misinformation and lies," she said in a statement. "It appears the governor may not have thoroughly read the bill in its entirety." Rep. Cindy Rosenwald, who helped usher the bill through the Legislature, said lawmakers believed they had addressed the governor's concerns. She questioned his reference to marijuana as an addictive drug. "There's a difference maybe between habit-forming and addictive," said Rosenwald, a Democrat from Nashua. "If you want to talk about addictive, talk about opiates and narcotics. Prescription drugs are addictive, marijuana isn't." She also questioned the governor's reference to the illegality of marijuana under federal law, given that U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder said in March that federal raids would target only marijuana users who broke state law. Supporters at NH Coalition for Common Sense Marijuana Policy were angered but not surprised by the veto, said Matt Simon, executive director of that group. He said Lynch had given little sign of supporting the legislation and did not meet personally with seriously ill patients lobbying for medical marijuana. "It's just clear he hasn't adequately studied this issue," Simon said. "The wording of his statement: I have tremendous compassion for these patients I've refused to meet with?" Lynch spokesman Colin Manning said people representing the governor's office have met with many supporters of the bill. Supporters have one last shot at passing the bill if they rally two-thirds of the lawmakers of each house to override the governor's veto. That will likely be a thornier matter in the Senate, where last month's vote was 14-10. The House passed it 232-108. Rosenwald said she would not speculate about the chances of overriding the veto in the Senate, but Simon said he knew of a few senators who were on the fence when they decided to vote against the bill. He wouldn't name names. The House has not yet scheduled a session to address the vetoed bill. Source: Concord Monitor (NH)Author: Karen Langley, Monitor StaffPublished: July 11, 2009Copyright: 2009 Monitor Publishing CompanyContact: letters cmonitor.comWebsite: http://www.concordmonitor.com URL: http://drugsense.org/url/9lFrjN4ORelated Articles:Lynch Vetoes Bill Legalizing Medical Pothttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread24914.shtml NH Governor Vetoes Medicinal Marijuana Billhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread24913.shtml
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Comment #10 posted by FoM on July 12, 2009 at 18:23:42 PT
Dankhank
You're welcome. I understand.
[ Post Comment ]
Comment #9 posted by Dankhank on July 12, 2009 at 17:29:40 PT
emails
I never got crazy over email.sorry for not responding.sometimes I don't check for a week or more.I have a European view of email, meaning I check sporadically.Americans are maniac, if we don't check daily, like my spouse, we are suspect.I appreciate your concern ... thanks
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Comment #8 posted by FoM on July 12, 2009 at 04:33:17 PT
Dankhank
It's really good to see you. I sent you a couple emails and you didn't respond so I was worried. I guess I don't think much about these things and I don't base how I feel on issues from years gone by but on where we are right now in society. I really don't remember ever studying about any wars in school. Maybe we did but I must have let it go over the top of my head. I loved our value based classes that were more about what is right and what is wrong.
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Comment #7 posted by Dankhank on July 11, 2009 at 21:28:46 PT
Blue-dog ...
is a democrat that is elected from a supposed "conservative-leaning district.We got ONE in Oklahoma, the rest of the reps are Repug.I think of them as Repug-lite. somewhat ... though they should really be called Reddish-Dog Dems.I'm a yellow-dog Dem. I will vote for a yellow dog before EVER voting for a Repug.:-)
[ Post Comment ]
Comment #6 posted by Sam Adams on July 11, 2009 at 09:39:07 PT
governors
they seem to be a very paternalistic lot, I've wondered before if they're the easy link in the chain to bribe....here's another new member to the veto club.....Hawaiihttp://norml.org/index.cfm?Group_ID=7648
[ Post Comment ]
Comment #5 posted by FoM on July 11, 2009 at 08:37:49 PT
runruff
I watched the Ed Show on MSNBC last night and Zack Space someone who I voted for was hesitating about a public option for health care. I had so many thoughts running thru my mind that I decided to write him. He is called a Blue Dog Democrat but I am not into titles of any sort so I don't know what that means actually. I explained politely and in very few words the need for a public option. I live in a conservative portion of Ohio. Everyone I know is hoping for a public option. They need to listen to people who elect them or we can change our minds the next time.
[ Post Comment ]
Comment #4 posted by runruff on July 11, 2009 at 08:23:17 PT
He is posturing for a phantom party!
The folks he is posturing for [anti-MMJ] is only about 20% of the nation at this point and will someday be about 1%!I've heard that this "public servant" has higher aspirations?He is just the 20Th century, [Reagan, Bush, Clinton, Bush] old school politician we want to phase out of our otherwise great political experiment called a Democratic Republic!Mankind has proven time and again that we cannot be trusted to be good stewards in the Garden! We are not very good stewards of our own political system which by last account needs total participation by it's stewards, the people, in order to properly workLynch is but a symptom! He is a weed in the untended garden of politics. If people took their leaders as seriously as they take their ball club even, this would be a better USA. I've said, either Lynch is a cold hearted bass turd or he is too ignorant to be holding that job! Letting LEO's make policy? Letting LEO's decide on medical issues? This is so demonic!
[ Post Comment ]
Comment #3 posted by FoM on July 11, 2009 at 07:36:51 PT
Small Town Endorses Medical Marijuana
July 11, 2009URL: http://www.columbiatribune.com/news/2009/jul/11/small-town-endorses-medical-marijuana/
[ Post Comment ]
Comment #2 posted by FoM on July 11, 2009 at 07:02:00 PT
NH Governor Vetoes Medical Marijuana
July 11, 2009URL: http://www.eagletribune.com/punewsnh/local_story_192003756.html
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Comment #1 posted by kaptinemo on July 11, 2009 at 05:49:42 PT:
Governor Lynch, meet King Pyrrhus
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyrrhic_victoryHe and his prohibitionist pals have got a lot in common with ol' King Pyrrhus. This latest bit may well prove to be the swan song of his political career, as it will be remembered...for the same reason people remember what a 'Pyrrhic victory' means.
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