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6/9/2005
The Rhode Island Senate has
approved a measure allowing the use of marijuana for medical purposes,
despite a new Supreme Court ruling against such laws and a promised veto
from Gov. Don Carcieri.
The
Providence Journal reported June 8 that the 34-2 Senate vote is the
first step toward making Rhode Island the 11th U.S. state to legalize
medical marijuana; a House vote is next.
The lead sponsor of the measure, Rhoda Perry (D-Providence), invoked the
memory of a nephew who died of AIDS in seeking passage. Cosponsors
included a former police officer, a nurse, and a lawyer. Perry
acknowledged that even if the law passes, medical-marijuana users would
have to buy the drug on the streets.
Under the measure, the state Health Department would issue registration
cards allowing patients and caregivers to possess up to 12 marijuana
plants or 2.5 ounces of the drug for medical use.
However, state police officials criticized the measure for not defining
which "debilitating conditions" qualify an individual to use the drug
medically. A Carcieri spokesperson said the governor "supports
reasonable efforts to make sure that patients suffering from
debilitating diseases receive the pain relief they need and deserve,"
but said the current bill would "allow virtually anyone in Rhode Island
to grow and distribute large quantities of marijuana almost anywhere
they wanted ... Marijuana farms could sprout up anywhere in this state."
Source:
Join Together
Online.
Join Together is a project of the
Boston University School of Public Health |
