Pubdate: Mon, 26 Aug 2013
Source: Day, The (New London,CT)
Contact:  2013 Associated Press
Website: http://www.theday.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/293

LAWMAKERS TO VOTE ON MEDICAL POT RULES

Hartford ( AP) - A special legislative committee must decide on 
Tuesday whether to approve proposed regulations that spell out the 
details of Connecticut's medical marijuana program.

The General Assembly's Regulation Review Committee is scheduled to 
vote on the wide-ranging regulations, which include the quantity of 
active ingredients in a product, background checks for caregivers of 
patients and other rules.

Lawmakers passed legislation in 2012 that created the medical 
marijuana program. Gov. Dannel P. Malloy then signed it into law.

After first recommending that the committee reject the regulations, 
legislative attorneys are now recommending that lawmakers approve the 
rules on Tuesday after reviewing revisions by the state Department of 
Consumer Protection. The Legislative Commissioner's Office also cited 
118 technical corrections that are needed.

Some members, however, still have concerns about approving 
regulations for an industry that violates federal drug laws and 
whether lawmakers, state employees who regulate the system, marijuana 
growers and distributors could be liable.

Rep. Selim Noujaim, R-Waterbury, the committee's co-chairman, said he 
plans to pose questions about the federal liability and other issues 
to representatives from the attorney general's Office during Tuesday 
morning's scheduled meeting at the Legislative Office Building in Hartford.

While Noujaim did not vote for the 2012 bill that created the medical 
marijuana system, he said he understands that he has a different role 
as a member of the Regulation Review Committee. Noujaim and his 
fellow members are charged with making sure the regulations match the 
intent of the law and are sound.

"I am very cognizant that I have two different roles right now," he said.

Unlike most legislative committees, the 14-member Regulation Review 
Committee is evenly divided between Democrats and Republicans.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom