Pubdate: Sat, 06 Apr 2002
Source: Prince George's Journal (MD)
Copyright: 2002 The Journal Newspapers
Contact:  http://cold.jrnl.com/cfdocs/new/pg/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/707
Author: Susan Gervasi
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mmj.htm (Cannabis - Medicinal)

MEDICAL MARIJUANA BILL FAILS IN SENATE

A measure that would have allowed Marylanders possessing marijuana for 
medical reasons to claim medical use as a court defense - and would have 
limited the penalty if found guilty to no more than $100 - failed 5-6 
Friday in the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee.

Sen. Leo E. Green, D-23rd-Bowie, cast one of the committee's six votes 
against the measure. Green is the only Prince George's representative on 
the panel.

Maryland law holds that marijuana possession is a misdemeanor, subject to 
penalties including a year in jail and a $1,000 fine.

The Darrell Putman Compassionate Use Act, which passed the House of 
Delegates earlier this session, was sponsored by Del. Donald Murphy, 
R-Baltimore, whose bill had more than 50 cosponsors, or more than a third 
of the 141-member House.

The measure was named for a Green Beret and Howard County farmer who died 
in 1999. Putman found smoking pot helped him cope with lymphoma, and he 
lobbied for its medical legalization.

Although marijuana possession is a federal offense, eight states have laws 
allowing for its medical use, and federal officials have indicated no 
interest in prosecuting such users.

"This is a bad day for patients in Maryland, whose only crime is taking 
their medicine," said Billy Rogers of the Marijuana Policy Project, which 
lobbies for medical marijuana legislation throughout the country.

"We had an uphill climb in this committee. Last year in this committee, we 
lost the vote 7-3; this year by only one vote," he said. "We'll be back 
next year, and we're going to win next year."

Rogers said his group will let voters know which legislators "stood in the 
way of patients getting their medicine."
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MAP posted-by: Ariel