Pubdate: Thu, 12 Mar 2009
Source: Oregonian, The (Portland, OR)
Copyright: 2009 The Oregonian
Contact:  http://www.oregonlive.com/oregonian/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/324
Author: Janie Har
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mmj.htm (Cannabis - Medicinal)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?161 (Cannabis - Regulation)

OREGON HOUSE BILL WOULD TAX MEDICAL MARIJUANA

A Republican Lawmaker Offers Another Suggestion: Have State Grow It

SALEM -- Here's the latest money-raising proposal to come from 
lawmakers: a $98 tax on every ounce of medical marijuana sold.

Better yet, says Republican Rep. Ron Maurer, the state should grow 
the drug and dispense it to authorized users through pharmacies.

Radical? For sure. Even California, a state where dope dispensaries 
run rampant, doesn't have government workers growing pot.

Maurer knows exactly how outrageous his idea sounds. That's why the 
health care clinic owner from Grants Pass coaxed two Democrats and a 
fellow Republican to sponsor House Bill 3274 with him.

"I'm not a pot guy, but the water's under the bridge. That's not the 
issue," Maurer said. "Let's not even discuss that. Let's discuss is 
the program working? The answer is unequivocally no, that the program 
is not working."

Oregon voters approved the use of medical marijuana in 1998, saying 
terminally ill patients should be able to smoke the drug to relieve 
their pain. More than 20,000 people hold cards to do so in Oregon, 
according to the latest numbers from the Department of Human 
Services, which administers the program.

Patients can't buy the drug legally in Oregon -- smoking marijuana 
recreationally is not legal in any state -- but can have it grown for 
their own use.

Maurer says that's led to a murky situation where the state doesn't 
really know who's growing for whom. Patients also don't know if their 
marijuana is safe.

The tax would pay for the costs of the program, with a portion to 
cities and counties near grow sites. His fellow sponsors are Reps. 
Carolyn Tomei, D-Milwaukie, Chris Harker, D-Beaverton, and Jim 
Thompson, R-Dallas.

Likely, the proposal won't go anywhere, but it will get an airing in committee.

"When we have bipartisan support like that for a bill," says Geoff 
Sugerman, spokesman for House Speaker Dave Hunt, "it is typical that 
it will at least get the courtesy of a hearing."

Maurer hopes so. He says liberal Democrats like the idea, because 
they don't mind taxes and they want to fix the system. And Republicans?

"The most conservative people I've talked to stop and say, 'I don't 
like the taxation, but I can tax that.' "
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom