cannabisnews.com: Lawmakers Change Minds on Marijuana





Lawmakers Change Minds on Marijuana
Posted by CN Staff on March 14, 2007 at 08:28:42 PT
By Kate Nash 
Source: Albuquerque Tribune
Santa Fe, New Mexico -- Gov. Bill Richardson worked hard to change minds on a medical marijuana bill he wants to sign into law.Apparently he didn't change a single one - according to the Democrats who did what he wanted and switched their votes from "no" last week to "yes" on Tuesday.
The five lawmakers who changed all said that calls from and talks with the governor or his staff played no role in their decisions."He talked to me, but he didn't actually change me - I changed on my own," said Rep. Richard Vigil, a Democrat from Ribera.Vigil said he changed his mind after being assured by supporters that the measure would only allow marijuana use for medical purposes.The House last week killed a similar bill 33-36. The Senate then sent another medical marijuana measure, essentially the same as last week's, to the House.Tuesday's vote was 36-31.Rep. Andrew Barreras said the Governor's Office asked about how he would be voting, but didn't pressure him."All they asked me was how I was going to vote on it and why I was going to vote," he said.Barreras, a freshman Democrat from Tom‚ said he talked to people in his parish, his family and his constituents before deciding to vote yes this time."I prayed about it a lot. I spoke with my wife and children," he said. "If it's real stringent how they use it, then I think it might be OK."Rep. Ernest Chavez, an Albuquerque Democrat, said he got an earful from constituents after he voted against the bill last week."They said, `You told us you were going to vote yes,'" he said. In past years he has supported the idea, but was just temporarily persuaded by opponents last week to vote no, he explained.Chavez said he also met personally with the governor since the last vote, and told him, when asked, that he would reconsider.Rep. Mary Helen Garcia, a Democrat from Las Cruces, said Richardson talked to her "but that wasn't the convincing factor.""After careful consideration and talking to my family friends . . . I was convinced to go ahead and change it," she said of her vote.Rep. Thomas Garcia said he has spoken to people from the Governor's Office on several issues recently, but couldn't recall any conversations about the medical marijuana measure specifically."I may have spoken to someone in his office, but I'm not sure. I don't want to commit to it because I don't know," he said.Garcia, appointed by the governor to replace then-Rep. Hector Balderas after Balderas won election as state auditor, said the debate changed his mind."What came out of the debate was that first you have to get your doctor to approve it and your doctor has to get eight other people on this board to concur," said Garcia, a Democrat from Ocat‚.The measure calls for a board to agree that a patient needs the marijuana for medical purposes.The measure, amended by the House, now goes back to the Senate for consideration.If the Senate passes the bill before the session ends Saturday at noon, Richardson has indicated he will sign it.Secretary of State's Office records show Richardson's 2006 gubernatorial campaign gave at least $500 in campaign contributions to all but one of the Democrats who switched votes on the bill, although the lawmakers said that didn't play a role in their votes.Barreras received the most, including $8,305 in contributions and in-kind donations.He said that wasn't a factor in his decision."A lot of people helped me in my campaign," he said."Whoever helped me in my campaign, I made it clear, if you want to help me, you help me, but I'm going up there to represent my constituents."The Secretary of State's Web site had no campaign records for Thomas Garcia, who was appointed after the election.The House debated the measure for nearly three hours.Rep. Antonio "Moe" Maestas, a Democrat from Albuquerque, presented the bill in the Senate for sponsor Sen. Shannon Robinson, also a Democrat from the Duke City.He said the measure was about being compassionate to people suffering the most from serious ailments, including cancer, AIDS and multiple sclerosis.Opponents argued that the bill would open up the door to large-scale illegal drug use.But Maestas said that wouldn't be the case."This is not recreational drugs, this is medical cannabis," he said.Rep. Larry Larra¤aga, an Albuquerque Republican who opposes the bill, offered an amendment accepted by the House that requires places that are licensed to dispense the medical marijuana to be at least 300 feet from a school.The amendment means the bill goes back to the Senate for consideration before it can go to Richardson.Lawmakers crossed party lines to support the measure."It's the most unlikely coalition in the history of this body," Maestas said.Source: Albuquerque Tribune (NM)Author: Kate Nash Published: Wednesday, March 14, 2007 Copyright: 2007 The Albuquerque TribuneContact: letters abqtrib.comWebsite: http://www.abqtrib.com/Related Articles & Web Site:Drug Policy Alliancehttp://www.drugpolicy.org/House Approves Use of Medical Marijuanahttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread22743.shtmlSecond Time Around, House OKs Marijuana http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread22742.shtmlMedical Marijuana Bill Back on Floorhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread22741.shtml
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Comment #7 posted by RevRayGreen on March 14, 2007 at 15:26:35 PT
Since you can't grow your own 
There are some very remote areas in New Mexico, how many
'distribution centers' will be available, I'm sure it
will be based on poulation but some towns, ranches could
be 100+ miles from the next, especially in Northern NM :(,
where I have in-laws/Farmington area.
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Comment #6 posted by FoM on March 14, 2007 at 15:05:13 PT
Lawmakers Give Final Approval To Medical Marijuana
March 14, 2007SANTA FE (AP) - Lawmakers have sent Gov. Bill Richardson a bill legalizing the medical use of marijuana.Richardson is expected to sign the measure.The Senate gave final approval to the bill on Wednesday, agreeing with a minor change the House had made in the legislation.The bill creates a program in the state Department of Health.Patients with debilitating illnesses or in hospice whose doctors recommended them could be certified to use marijuana.They could not grow their own. The health agency would be in charge of obtaining and distributing it.The bill’s supporters say New Mexico will be the 13th state to authorize some sort of medical marijuana program. Copyright 2007 by The Associated Presshttp://www.kobtv.com/index.cfm?viewer=storyviewer&id=31045&cat=NMTOPSTORIES
 
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Comment #5 posted by Sam Adams on March 14, 2007 at 09:37:06 PT
I read the bill
Good and bad. It appears to provide legal protection for patients and/or their caregiver to possess cannabis. It appears to allow licensing of cannabis production facilities, I'm unlear on whether it has to be the state itself, or if it could be a private or nonprofit entity.It does appear to have the most restrictions & government involvement of any of the states with real laws. The question has to be: will anyone even use the law? The way it's written, I definitely wouldn't bother. Why should I jump through hoops to prove to a bunch of government bureaucrats that I need a certain amount of cannabis? And do it again every year? I'd rather take the application fee & buy more medicine.In Vermont MPP was able to pass a near-useless law a couple years ago, with the confidence that they'd come back this year & fix it. It looks like this is going to happen.But once Richardson is gone, it doesn't look like these buffoons will do anything else. Even if he's there, will they follow through to upgrade it? 
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Comment #4 posted by FoM on March 14, 2007 at 09:25:02 PT
dongenero
Very interesting observation.
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Comment #3 posted by dongenero on March 14, 2007 at 09:19:08 PT
AP,Reuter, health news headlines????
Where is this in the AP or Reuters health news headlines?figures.
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Comment #2 posted by nuevo mexican on March 14, 2007 at 09:16:38 PT
This favorable story will follow Bill Richardson..
'The House debated the measure for nearly three hours.'comment:I hope Reena has a transcript!Rep. Antonio "Moe" Maestas, a Democrat from Albuquerque, presented the bill in the Senate for sponsor Sen. Shannon Robinson, also a Democrat from the Duke City.He said the measure was about being compassionate to people suffering the most from serious ailments, including cancer, AIDS and multiple sclerosis.Opponents argued that the bill would open up the door to large-scale illegal drug use.But Maestas said that wouldn't be the case."This is not recreational drugs, this is medical cannabis," he said.Awesome!End of story, 'this is not recreational drugs, this is medical Cannabis'!Funny how long it took for the right words to flow out of the mouths of legislators, Gov. Gary Johnson ALWAYS had it right, and that was how long ago?This IS good, and all that needed to be said was, this is medical Cannabis.....he leaves out the 'stupid, don't you get it part)'?More progress, Debate on the Iraq War, FOUR years too late, starts today! On C-Span.org now!Editorial Pages Call for Axing Attorney General "We haven't seen a renegade U.S. Justice Department like this since John Mitchell ran it for President Nixon," declared the Sacramento Bee. "With a new Congress beginning to exercise serious oversight, the problems at the Justice Department and with its leader, Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, are becoming clearer by the day. And what is becoming most clear is that Gonzales must go."The Washington Post implies the same thing. The Los Angeles Times agreed but placed much of the blame on President Bush.http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003557783On CNN, bush is telling the people of Mexico about 'my country'!So I'm puking now, excuse me!
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Comment #1 posted by medicinal toker on March 14, 2007 at 08:36:44 PT
making it tougher for patients
Good to see the bill back on track, but the clause that requires a board to approve each patient is ridiculous. The experiences of other states show this type of restriction is over the top. A doctor can prescribe morphine, oxycontin and all sorts of much more dangerous drugs with the stroke of a pen. No board is necessary. They clearly still don't get it.
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