Pubdate: Thu, 16 Jun 2005
Source: Newport Daily News, The (RI)
Copyright: 2005. The Newport Daily News.
Contact:  http://www.newportdailynews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1808
Author: Joe Baker, Daily News staff
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mmj.htm (Cannabis - Medicinal)

PANEL OKS MEDICAL MARIJUANA

PROVIDENCE - The House Health, Education and Welfare Committee gave a
ringing endorsement to medical marijuana legislation Wednesday,
providing hope that the General Assembly has enough votes to override
an expected gubernatorial veto.

Buoyed by the 10-2 committee vote, the bill's sponsor, Rep. Thomas C.
Slater, D-Providence, predicted he would get more than 60 votes on the
House floor, or about 80 percent of the chamber. Last week, the Senate
passed a nearly identical bill 34-2.

Both chambers need 60 percent approval to override a veto. But Slater
said he hoped the override vote wouldn't be necessary.

"This is big out there in the public," Slater said. "The governor
usually listens to the public. I hope he listens to them this time."

The legislation would allow doctors to prescribe marijuana for
patients with debilitating or chronic diseases, such as cancer, AIDS,
multiple sclerosis or Crohn's disease. Patients would receive a
registration card from the Department of Health that would allow them
to grow up to 12 marijuana plants or to possess up to 2.5 ounces of
marijuana without fear of state prosecution.

Patients also could enlist a primary caregiver, who also would be
registered with the state and be exempt from prosecution.

The committee made four changes to the bill Wednesday, but Senate
sponsor Rhoda E. Perry D-Providence, approved them all, Slater said.
The changes would:

- - Require that a primary caregiver be a Rhode Island
resident.

- - Prohibit anyone with a felony drug conviction from being a primary
caregiver.

- - Require the Department of Health to provide local law enforcement
officials with the number but not the names of qualified medical
marijuana patients in their communities.

- - Have the law expire on June 30, 2007. After receiving a progress
report from the Department of Health, due by Jan. 1, 2007, the
legislature would reconsider whether to extend the law.

Slater said he was proud of the bipartisan support he received in
committee. Three Republicans, including Minority Leader Robert A.
Watson, R-East Greenwich - an ex-officio member of all House
committees - voted for the bill.

The two lawmakers opposing the bill were Rep. John J. Loughlin II,
R-Tiverton, and Rep. Rene Menard, D-Lincoln.

Although there was no debate on the bill, Loughlin said during a
previous hearing that because marijuana is not classified as a
medicine "it is impossible to determine what is an effective dosage." 
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MAP posted-by: Richard Lake