Pubdate: Thu, 28 Apr 2005
Source: Decatur Daily (AL)
Copyright: 2005 The Decatur Daily
Contact:  http://www.decaturdaily.com/decaturdaily/index.shtml
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/696
Author: Phillip Rawls, Associated Press Writer
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mmj.htm (Cannabis - Medicinal)

MEDICAL MARIJUANA LEGISLATION APPROVED BY HOUSE

MONTGOMERY - Legislation to legalize the use of marijuana for medical
purposes got approved by a legislative committee Wednesday, but
neither the bill's sponsor nor the panel's chairman expect it to get
any closer to becoming law this year.

"I know it's not going to move," said the sponsor, Rep. Laura Hall,
D-Huntsville.

The House Judiciary Committee approved the bill on a sharply divided
voice vote Wednesday. Because of the voice vote, there is no official
record of how committee members voted.

The marijuana bill now goes to the House with only three meeting days
left in the legislative session.

Hall and committee Chairman Marcel Black, D-Tuscumbia, urged the
committee to approve the bill to foster negotiations with medical
groups and others before next year's session of the Legislature. "I
want to work through this activity for the next year," Hall said.
Hall's bill would allow Alabamians with chronic or persistent medical
conditions to use marijuana for pain relief if a doctor approves it.
Hall said marijuana should be an option for people with chronic pain
who have found other pain killers ineffective.

The Judiciary Committee first discussed her bill April 20, but delayed
action on it for a week so she could make changes suggested by
committee members.
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MAP posted-by: Richard Lake