By The Associated Press Source: Associated Press Providence, Rhode Island -- Patients suffering from debilitating medical conditions would be able to grow and use marijuana without risking arrest under a bill being debated before a legislative committee on Wednesday. The Rhode Island Medical Marijuana Act would shield patients suffering from diseases like cancer and AIDS from being prosecuted for smoking marijuana. Their doctors and caregivers would also be protected. The bill, filed in both legislative chambers, is due for public debate Wednesday before the House Committee on Health, Education & Welfare. The Senate Committee on Judiciary is scheduled to consider the same bill Thursday afternoon. Ten states already have laws permitting the medical use and cultivation of marijuana, according to the text of the bill. "This is not a liberal bill," said Sen. Rhoda E. Perry, sponsor of the Senate bill. "It's a medical bill. It's a bill that has to do with compassion and it's modeled after those bills that have been successful in both Colorado and Oregon." Patients qualified to use marijuana for treatment would be issued special identification cards with their name, address and date of birth, as well as the name of their primary caregiver. The patients would then be allowed to possess up to 12 marijuana plants and 2½ ounces of usable marijuana without facing arrest. According to statistics from the federal government, 99 percent of marijuana arrests are made under state law rather than federal law. "Consequently, changing state law will have the practical effect of protecting from arrest the vast majority of seriously ill people who have a medical need to use marijuana," the bill states. Perry said she had a nephew who recently died of AIDS and "had extraordinary difficult times with pain management, with nausea, with wasting, etc." "In my own way, I'm dedicating the passage of this bill to him," she said. The Providence Democrat said the measure had the support of the American Medical Association and other industry groups. Nathaniel Lepp, executive director of the Rhode Island Patient Advocacy Coalition, said doctors have used marijuana successfully to treat the symptoms of cancer and other diseases. "It is an unfair policy to threaten medical professionals and sick people with arrest for using medication," Lepp said. Note: Measure Would Eliminate Arrest Risk For Certain Patients Source: Associated Press (Wire) Published: May 18, 2005 Copyright: 2005 The Associated Press Link to article: http://www.cannabisnews.com/news/thread20694.shtml
By Jeremiah S. Jeremiah Jr. Source: Providence Journal \t\tRhode Island -- The use of marijuana for medicinal purposes continues to \t\tbe a subject of great debate. This topic has become a salient one for \t\tRhode Island because a state Medical Marijuana Act is under \t\tconsideration. \t\t \t\tAs chief judge of the Family Court, founder and past president of the \t\tNew England Association for Drug Court Professionals, and a board member \t\tof the National Association for Drug Court Professionals, I am concerned \t\tabout the lack of clarity in this proposed act. \t\t \t\tAlthough there is still much dissension over the scientific findings on \t\tthe medical use of marijuana, there is little dispute that stringent \t\tregulations are required in this matter. \t\t \t\tUpon examining the proposed act, I see few safeguards. Qualified \t\tpatients could have up to 12 marijuana plants, as well as 2 1/2 ounces \t\tof usable marijuana, but the bill does not refer to how patients would \t\tacquire these marijuana plants. This detail is important, because \t\tmarijuana continues to be a controlled substance. Under the federal \t\tControlled Substances Act, cannabis is classified as a Schedule I drug, \t\tindicating a high potential for abuse. In the proposed Rhode Island \t\tMedical Marijuana Act there are no provisions for physicians to \t\tprescribe a Schedule I drug. Such a drug may only be recommended, by \t\twritten certification, qualified by certain medical conditions. \t\t \t\tGiven that patients cannot obtain marijuana as they do other \t\tprescriptions, how will cannabis be obtained, delivered and transported? \t\tThese are questions yet unanswered that must be addressed by regulation. \t\t \t\tAssuming that patients could obtain 12 marijuana plants, where would \t\tthey be grown? Under the current proposal, these plants could be grown \t\tin a backyard. This concern is not to imply that patients who grew \t\tmarijuana would be interested in any illegal activity, yet it points to \t\tthe need to address concerns of access. Under such conditions, marijuana \t\tcould easily be stolen or misused in some fashion. Where are the \t\trestrictions on the disposal of "unusable marijuana," including "seeds, \t\tstalks and roots of the plants"? These parts are deemed "unusable" for \t\tmedical purposes, yet should not be seen as benign or insignificant. In \t\tfact, such parts are often sought for their psychoactive properties \t\tand/or use in plant reproduction. \t\t \t\tPhysicians alone cannot effectively monitor marijuana use. Because \t\tmarijuana can be only recommended, not prescribed, traditional checks \t\tand balances may be missing. \t\t \t\tWould effective monitoring fall upon law enforcement? Law enforcement \t\tneeds clarification on how to differentiate medical use from illegal \t\tpossession: How would law enforcement obtain information on reasons for \t\tpossession and respect a patient's right to privacy? \t\t \t\tAlthough provisions are made for patients to have a registered \t\tidentification card, obtained from the state Department of Health, it \t\tmay be difficult for law enforcement to verify the authenticity of some \t\tcards. \t\t \t\tAt this time, there are no requirements for such cards to have pictures. \t\tThis is only recommended in the proposed act. In the proposal, the \t\tDepartment of Health could release information to law enforcement simply \t\tby confirming a random identification number. Such a procedure raises \t\tconcerns when juxtaposed with other provisions in the proposed act, \t\twhich allow up to 10 days before a card can be reported as lost. The \t\tproposed act also states that if the Health Department fails to issue a \t\t"valid registry card in response to a valid application submitted \t\tpursuant to this chapter within twenty days of its submission, the \t\tregistry identification card shall be deemed granted and a copy of the \t\tregistry identification application shall be deemed a valid registry \t\tidentification card." \t\t \t\tHow is the Health Department to know if an application is valid? The \t\tproposed act allows 15 days for the department to verify or reject an \t\tapplication. Delays in operations are at times inevitable; therefore, \t\tthe assurance of the validity of such applications may pose unforeseen \t\tchallenges. Efficiency is a priority for the patient, yet an application \t\tshould not be approved before all qualifications are met. \t\t \t\tFinally, even if the state's Medical Marijuana Act does pass, there \t\twould continue to be complications with federal laws. Given this, the \t\tproposed act states, "Any state or local law enforcement official who \t\tknowingly cooperates with federal law enforcement agents to arrest, \t\tinvestigate, prosecute, or search a registered qualified patient or a \t\tprimary caregiver or his or her property for acting in compliance with \t\tthis chapter shall have his or her employment suspended or terminated." \t\t \t\tSuch conditions may weaken law enforcement's authority to differentiate \t\tmedical from non-medical marijuana use. \t\t \t\tMarijuana is a much-sought-after drug of adolescents. Since the start of \t\tthe Rhode Island Juvenile Drug Court, in 1999, the recorded number of \t\tarrests for marijuana possession is staggering. Records of the Juvenile \t\tDrug Court Diversion Program (designed to curtail first-time drug \t\toffenders) show that of 646 drug arrests, 511 involved marijuana. The \t\tJuvenile Drug Court Post Adjudication Program, which handles more \t\tserious offenses, records that out of 415 cases, 291 included marijuana \t\tcharges. \t\t \t\tIn many of these cases, marijuana charges accompanied other charges, \t\tsuch as possessing a firearm, being disorderly, theft, truancy, driving \t\tunder the influence, and possession of other serious drugs. \t\t \t\tThus, marijuana may not be viewed in the same light as other restricted \t\tdrugs used for medical purposes, such as prescription opiates, \t\tbenzodiazepines or barbiturates. Marijuana's classification as a \t\tSchedule I drug and the apparent lack of clarity in the proposed \t\tregulation are strong concerns regarding this legislation. \t\t \t\tThe issue of medical marijuana remains complex, and it is important \t\tenough to deserve our prompt attention. It is equally important to \t\tassess whether assisting one party will create conditions that \t\tjeopardize other parties. Prudent regulation of marijuana cannot be \t\tviewed as a formality; rather, it is a necessity -- one that ensures \t\tsafety for young citizens and compassion for those who search for a \t\tmedicinal adjunct for medical problems. \t\t \t\tJeremiah S. Jeremiah Jr. is chief judge of the Rhode Island Family \t\tCourt Source: Providence Journal, The (RI) Author: Jeremiah S. Jeremiah Jr. Published: Thursday, May 19, 2005 Copyright: 2005 The Providence Journal Company Contact: letters@projo.com Website: http://www.projo.com/ Link to article: http://www.freedomtoexhale.com/problem.htm
By Liz Anderson, Journal State House Bureau Source: Providence Journal \t\tProvidence, Rhode Island -- Lawmakers with their own family stories of \t\tcancer treatments and patients who have suffered the agony of \t\tdebilitating diseases stepped forward last night to urge a House \t\tcommittee to legalize the use of marijuana for medical reasons. \t\t \t\tBut the bill, which appears to be gaining steam in both chambers of the \t\tAssembly, also drew opposition from both the Carcieri administration and \t\tstate police, and concerns from a chief state court judge. \t\t \t\tThe House Health, Education and Welfare Committee did not vote on the \t\tbill, which has been sponsored by two-thirds of the chamber's members. \t\tBut the committee chairman, Rep. Joseph M. McNamara, D-Warwick, \t\texpressed a willingness to work on the issue. \t\t \t\t"I don't think anyone I've talked to is against giving people who are \t\tchronically ill any substance that can help them," he said before the \t\thearing. McNamara said his concerns were the safety of the drug, and \t\t"instituting proper controls" on its use. \t\t \t\tThe bill would make Rhode Island the 11th state to protect patients, \t\ttheir caregivers and doctors from arrest under state drug laws if a \t\tdoctor certifies, to the state Health Department, that a patient has a \t\tdebilitating condition -- such as cancer, glaucoma, nausea, or AIDS -- \t\tthat could be helped through marijuana. \t\t \t\tThe state would issue the patient and his or her caregiver registration \t\tcards that would authorize the possession of up to 12 plants or 2.5 \t\tounces of "usable marijuana" at any time. The bill does not address \t\twhere the marijuana would come from. \t\t \t\tThe Senate Judiciary Committee heard testimony on the bill in early \t\tApril, and tonight is expected to pass it to the full Senate for a floor \t\tvote. \t\t \t\tChairman Michael McCaffrey, D-Warwick, said there would be several \t\tchanges proposed before its approval, including language to "tighten up" \t\tHealth Department controls. \t\t \t\tThe House sponsor, Rep. Thomas C. Slater, D-Providence, said he had been \t\ttold the Senate planned to increase the minimum age for a sanctioned \t\tcaregiver from 18 to 21, and increase the time the Department of Health \t\thas to review an application, among other tweaks. \t\t \t\tSlater said he was discussing other potential changes in the House \t\tcommittee, including reducing the amount of marijuana allowed at any \t\tgiven time and requiring the Health Department to distribute the drug. \t\t \t\t \t\tIn a March 2004 poll for the Marijuana Policy Project, Zogby \t\tInternational asked Rhode Island residents whether they would support a \t\tbill "that would allow people with cancer, AIDS and other serious \t\tillnesses to use and grow their own marijuana for medical purposes, as \t\tlong as their physician approves." The response was 69 percent in favor, \t\t26 percent opposed, and 5 percent unsure. \t\t \t\tStill, Governor Carcieri's administration yesterday opposed the change. \t\tIn a letter to the committee, Dr. David Gifford, director of the \t\tDepartment of Health, noted the bill does not address how people would \t\tget the drug, and said asking the state to regulate it "is problematic." \t\t \t\t \t\tGifford also wrote that the "principle active ingredient" in marijuana \t\t-- THC -- is available in pill form, and contended smoking marijuana \t\tplants "does not appear to be superior" as a treatment. (The patients \t\twho testified strongly disagreed, saying many people found the pill \t\tineffective.) \t\t \t\tThe bill also drew opposition from the state police and from Rhode \t\tIsland Family Court Chief Judge Jeremiah S. Jeremiah, who sent lobbyist \t\tDavid Tassoni to express concern that legalizing medical marijuana could \t\tmake the drug more accessible generally and undo the court's work to \t\tcrack down on marijuana use among young people. \t\t \t\tTassoni suggested the bill needed serious "tweaking." \t\t \t\tLt. LeRoy Rose, of the Rhode Island State Police, said the bill did not \t\tdefine what constituted a "debilitating disease" and suggested \t\tlegalizing marijuana could potentially increase the state's already high \t\tnumber of drug and alcohol fatalities. \t\t \t\tAlso, he said, if someone licensed to use marijuana is in a car accident \t\tand under the influence of the drug, the bill protects them from \t\tprosecution -- a protection not afforded someone who has become drowsy \t\tfrom a prescribed painkiller. \t\t \t\tSlater, the House sponsor, knows the pain cancer can cause. His father, \t\tuncle and brother died of the disease; of six siblings, four -- \t\tincluding him -- have been cancer patients. Slater was diagnosed two \t\tyears ago with breast cancer, which spread to his lungs; he begins \t\tradiation therapy this summer for an unrelated diagnosis of prostate \t\tcancer. \t\t \t\tHe said his own experience has made him more compassionate about the \t\tissue, though, "I'm not that sick that I think I would need [marijuana]" \t\tnow. \t\t \t\t"People who really need it are those on their final days who can't eat, \t\tcan't keep anything down," he said, or who are in constant pain. Rep. \t\tSteven M. Costantino, D-Providence, spoke of losing a brother to cancer, \t\tand more recently, a cousin. His brother, he said, wasted away from an \t\tathletic 220 pounds to less than 100 pounds before his death. \t\t \t\tThe bill, he said, is "not about illicit use of marijuana in the streets \t\t. . . This is compassion in its greatest form." \t\t \t\tAmong the groups supporting the measure are the Rhode Island Medical \t\tSociety, the Rhode Island State Nurses Association, the Rhode Island \t\tAcademy of Family Physicians, the American Bar Association, and AIDS \t\tProject Rhode Island. \t\t \t\tPatients such as Debra Nievera, of Coventry, who said she suffers from \t\trheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis and Crohn's disease, urged the \t\tbill's passage. Nievera, a slender woman with long curly hair, told the \t\tcommittee that traditional treatments haven't provided relief for her \t\tpain, so "I am seeking alternatives that will somehow allow me to lead a \t\tnormal life." \t\t \t\t"Take a good look at me," she said. "Do I look like somebody who should \t\tbe arrested or thrown in jail because I choose to use medical marijuana \t\tto help me with my pain?" \t\t \t\tThe committee also heard from Fort Lauderdale, Fla., stockbroker Irvin \t\tRosenfeld, who said he is one of a handful of surviving patients who \t\tlegally receive marijuana through a federal program. \t\t \t\tRosenfeld said he joined the program in 1982 and is regularly shipped \t\t300 cigarettes at a time in a tin. By his account, he smokes up to a \t\tdozen marijuana cigarettes a day to successfully alleviate the pain from \t\ta condition that causes him to sprout painful tumors on the ends of his \t\tbones. \t\t \t\tThe program was discontinued a decade later, and the federal government \t\thas not shown a willingness to address the issue since, Rosenfeld said, \t\tleaving it up to the states to act. \t\t \t\tNote: No vote is taken on a bill that would make Rhode Island the 11th \t\tstate to protect patients, their caregivers and doctors from arrest \t\tunder state drug laws. Source: Providence Journal, The (RI) Author: Liz Anderson, Journal State House Bureau Published: Thursday, May 19, 2005 Copyright: 2005 The Providence Journal Company Contact: letters@projo.com Website: http://www.projo.com/ Link to article: http://www.freedomtoexhale.com/prosandcons.htm
By Jim Baron Source: Pawtucket Times Providence, R.I. -- After listening to nearly two hours of often-impassioned testimony about the medical use of marijuana, the chairman of the House Health, Education and Welfare Committee said that "philosophically, it is something the committee would look at," if the proper controls could be put in place. "That's our challenge," Chairman Joseph McNamara said after the hearing. "Distribution, control and regulation are major issues that have to be addressed." McNamara said he expects to work with the state Department of Health on some of those details in the coming weeks. "It's bad enough when you have a devastating disease that you are trying to fight," said Irvin Rosenfeld, one of seven patients still receiving medical marijuana from a government program that was closed in 1992, "and then when you find a medicine that actually works for you, you are labeled as a criminal. It's just not right." Holding a large silver can containing rolled marijuana cigarettes and holding one of the cigarettes up for the committee to see during his testimony, Rosenfeld said he smokes 11 ounces of marijuana every 25 days. While the use of most medical marijuana is still illegal under federal statutes, Rosenfeld said, states have begun passing laws to make it legal because they are telling the federal government, "we are tired of making criminals out of our sick patients." Rep. Thomas Slater, who introduced the bill in the House of Representatives, agreed, calling his legislation, "a reasonable measure that protects sick people from the possibility of arrest. "This bill is very narrow in scope," Slater told the panel. "What it simply does is offer protection from arrest and prosecution to patients who use marijuana in conjunction with their doctor's recommendation. "These people are not a threat to society, and there is no reason to have them risk going to jail." Rep. Steven Costantino, who said he lost a brother to cancer two years ago and a cousin to the same disease last week, said, "this is about compassion. This is about an end of life issue that allows someone to die in dignity. We can throw everything up in front of this legislation to say why we shouldn't do it. "If you have to tweak it, tweak it. If you have to fix it, fix it. But let that patient who is in someone's home right now who is wasting away at least have the opportunity to die in dignity." This is how the proposed law would work: Licensed physicians would recommend the medical use of marijuana to patients with degenerative or crippling diseases such as cancer, multiple sclerosis, AIDS, epilepsy and chronic pain. The R.I. Department of Health would then provide those patients with registration identity cards which would be in effect for one year and renewable. The patients, their doctors and up to two primary caregivers would then be protected from arrest, prosecution and other penalties for having a quantity of marijuana that does not exceed 2.5 useable ounces or 12 plants. The HEW committee took no vote on the bill Wednesday. The Senate Judiciary Committee is scheduled to vote on the Senate version of a medical marijuana bill, sponsored by Sen. Rhoda Perry, this afternoon. "This is not some devious attempt to legalize marijuana," said Rhonda O'Donnell, a 42-year-old mother of two who is a registered nurse and suffers from multiple sclerosis. She urged the lawmakers to, "Make this a medical decision, not a political one. This is a decision that should be between a doctor and a patient." One of the few witnesses to speak against the bill, State Police Lt. Leroy V. Rose, Jr. told the committee that marijuana is "a widely abused drug in Rhode Island. Unfortunately we are number one in drug and alcohol (traffic) fatalities. We feel that legislation would potentially increase that, something we are not very proud of. "Secondly, if we had someone who was using it for medical purposes and they were involved in a fatal accident, or stopped for being impaired, this legislation says it cannot be used in a criminal investigation. In a letter to the committee, Department of Health Director Dr. David Gifford said the department recognizes the potential benefit of the active ingredient in marijuana plants in certain medical conditions, but does not support the legislation. How patients would access the marijuana is not addressed in the legislation, he said and prescribing marijuana by physicians conflicts with federal regulations. Source: Pawtucket Times (RI) Author: Jim Baron Published: May 19, 2005 Copyright: 2005 The Pawtucket Times Contact: editor@pawtuckettimes.com Website: http://www.pawtuckettimes.com Link to article: http://www.cannabisnews.com/news/thread20699.shtml
By Eric Tucker Source: The Day Providence, R.I. -- Patients suffering from debilitating medical conditions would be able to grow and use marijuana without risking arrest under a bill up for debate before a legislative committee on Wednesday. The House Committee on Health, Education & Welfare heard testimony Wednesday evening on the Rhode Island Medical Marijuana Act, which would shield patients with diseases such as cancer and AIDS from being prosecuted for using marijuana. Their doctors and caregivers also would be protected. "We can all agree that there are people out there who are very sick and are using marijuana because it's the only thing that gives them relief,†Rep. Thomas C. Slater, D-Providence, sponsor of the House bill, told the committee. Slater said the bill was narrowly tailored and would not generally legalize marijuana. He said he believed the state Health Department would supply the drug to eligible patients Patients with breast cancer, multiple sclerosis and other diseases took turns touting the benefits of the bill. “I urge you to avoid playing politics with medicine and pass this bill today,†said Rhonda O'Donnell, 42, of Warwick, who has multiple sclerosis. “Take a good look at me,†testified 52-year-old Debra Nievera, who suffers from rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn's disease and other ailments. “Do I look like someone who should be ... thrown in jail because I choose to use marijuana for my pain?†Nievera asked. But not everyone supports the bill. The state Health Department issued a three-page release against the measure. Law enforcement officials also voiced opposition. “Marijuana is a widely abused drug in Rhode Island,†State Police Lt. LeRoy Rose told the committee. The bill was filed in both legislative chambers. The Senate Committee on Judiciary was scheduled to consider a slightly different version of the legislation this afternoon. Ten states already have laws permitting the medical use and cultivation of marijuana, according to the text of the bill. “This is not a liberal bill,†Sen. Rhoda E. Perry, sponsor of the Senate bill, said before the hearing. “It's a medical bill. It's a bill that has to do with compassion and it's modeled after those bills that have been successful in both Colorado and Oregon.†Perry said she expected the Senate committee to vote on the bill today. Patients qualified to use marijuana for treatment would be issued special identification cards with their name, address and date of birth, as well as the name of their primary caregiver. The patients would then be allowed to possess up to 12 marijuana plants and 21/2 ounces of usable marijuana without facing arrest. According to statistics from the federal government, 99 percent of marijuana arrests are made under state law rather than federal law. “Consequently, changing state law will have the practical effect of protecting from arrest the vast majority of seriously ill people who have a medical need to use marijuana,†the bill states. Perry said she had a nephew who recently died of AIDS and “had extraordinary difficult times with pain management, with nausea, with wasting, etc. “In my own way, I'm dedicating the passage of this bill to him,†she said. Quote: “We can all agree that there are people out there who are very sick and are using marijuana because it's the only thing that gives them relief.†-- Rep. Thomas C. Slater, D-Providence Source: Day, The (CT) Author: Monte Whaley Published: May 19, 2005 Copyright: 2005 The Day Publishing Co. Contact: editor@theday.com Website: http://www.theday.com/ Link to article: http://www.cannabisnews.com/news/thread20700.shtml
By Joe Baker, Daily News Staff Source: Newport Daily News Providence, R.I. -- When he was 10 years old, Irving Rosenfeld was diagnosed with multiple congenital cartilaginous exostosis, a long description for a condition that means painful tumors grow on his bones. The tumors cause severe muscle spasm and tears. Doctors told him he'd be lucky to make it through his teenage years. But on Wednesday, Rosenfeld, now 52 and a successful stockbroker, was in Rhode Island to share his success story. Testifying before the House Health, Education and Welfare Committee, Rosenfeld held up a round aluminum tin containing the drug he claims has allowed him to lead a normal life. "I think it's the fountain of youth as far as I'm concerned," Rosenfeld said as he displayed a plastic baggie containing 10 marijuana cigarettes. Despite the presence of a Rhode Island state trooper, Rosenfeld did not fear arrest for pot possession. One of six Americans in the federal government's medical marijuana program, Rosenfeld has been getting 300 marijuana cigarettes every month since 1982 from Uncle Sam. The marijuana is grown in a lab on the University of Mississippi campus. Then-President George H.W. Bush shut the program down in 1992, but those already in the program continue to receive their monthly dosages. Wednesday, Rosenfeld tried to convince legislators that Rhode Island should become the 11th state to approve its own medical marijuana legislation. "This is a federal issue. It should not be a state issue," Rosenfeld said. "But guess what? The federal government isn't doing anything." Despite growing support from the medical community, the federal government has fought various state efforts to make marijuana available for those with debilitating diseases, including cancer, multiple sclerosis and AIDS. The bill being debated Wednesday, sponsored by Rep. Thomas C. Slater, D-Providence, is identical to a Senate version sponsored by Sen. Rhoda Perry, D-Providence, which is scheduled for a committee vote this afternoon. Supporters tried to convince committee members that they wouldn't be legalizing "reefer madness," just showing compassion for those with serious and painful diseases. Rep. Steven M. Costantino, D-Providence, chairman of the powerful House Finance Committee, told committee members that two years ago his brother, father of Salve Regina University baseball star Damien Costantino, died of cancer. Before his death, his brother went from 220 pounds to 90 pounds, Costantino said, because the illness stripped him of his appetite. Marijuana may have helped ease his suffering, and by extension, the suffering his family had to endure watching him waste away, Costantino said. "This is about an end-of-life issue," Costantino said. "This allows someone to die with dignity." Kaelyn McGregor, director of administration and vice president of research at Brown University, said she has been diagnosed with breast cancer and doctors have told her she has no more than seven years to live. Her chemotherapy leaves her weak, nauseous and unable to eat and get a full night's sleep. But if she smokes as little as half a joint, she can eat, her nausea is controlled and she can sleep through the night, McGregor told the committee. The legislation would allow a patient with defined symptoms or diseases to get an identification card from the state Department of Health allowing him or her to grow up to 12 marijuana plants or possess 2.5 ounces of marijuana for medical use. The marijuana would have to be prescribed by a licensed physician. Some committee members, including Chairman Rep. Joseph M. McNamara, D-Warwick, were concerned that the bill did not establish any system for distribution of the marijuana, meaning patients would still have to depend on street dealers to get their stash. "Our challenge is to develop some language so we can be confident that there is some control of regulation and distribution," McNamara said. Rhode Island State Police Lt. LeRoy Rose testified against the legislation. Rose said the bill as written would not allow police to charge someone for driving under the influence of marijuana if he or she had a legal prescription. David Tassoni, representing the Family Court, said he was concerned about increasing access of marijuana to children. Rep. John J. Loughlin II, R-Tiverton, the only local legislator on the committee, said his research indicated marijuana was not classified as a medicine and "it is impossible to determine what is an effective dosage." Steve Brown, executive director of the state chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union, said it was inappropriate to kill the legislation because a few people might abuse the law to smoke marijuana recreationally. Lawmakers don't do that for regularly abused prescription drugs such as Valium, Brown said. "To prohibit people who are dying (from using a helpful drug) on the theoretical possibility that there are some people out there who will use the drug and might get into an accident is really pitiful," Brown said. The committee did not take a vote on the bill Wednesday. Slater said he was confident the bill would be voted out of committee. He said if McNamara's committee refused to vote it out, he would seek to get it transferred to Costantino's House Finance Committee on the basis that the Department of Health might need money to implement the law. Source: Newport Daily News, The (RI) Author: Joe Baker, Daily News Staff Published: May 19, 2005 Copyright: 2005 Newport Daily News Contact: Editor@NewportRI.com Website: http://www.newportdailynews.com/ Link to article: http://www.cannabisnews.com/news/thread20703.shtml
By The Associated Press Source: Boston Globe Providence, R.I. -- Patients suffering from diseases like cancer and AIDS would be shielded from prosecution for smoking marijuana, under a bill passed Thursday by the Senate Judiciary Committee. Eligible patients' doctors and caregivers also would be protected under the bill, called the Medical Marijuana Act. The committee passed the bill on a 9-2 vote, with Sens. Leonidas Raptakis and Leo Blais opposing. It now goes to the full Senate for consideration. The House Committee on Health, Education and Welfare considered its own bill on medical marijuana on Wednesday. Sen. Rhoda Perry, the bill's main sponsor, said the bill is intended for very ill patients who suffer pain, nausea or other symptoms from painkillers. The Providence Democrat acknowledged when questioned by another senator that any Rhode Island distributor would be acting illegally. Later, she said there are legal sources for medical marijuana outside the state. Some senators voiced reservations about the bill, but voted it out of committee anyway. "So, let's try it," said Sen. Joseph Polisena, D-Johnston. "If it works, we've helped people in this state." The Rhode Island State Police and the state Health Department oppose the legislation. State Police Lt. LeRoy Rose said police were concerned about where patients would get the drug, and the amount a patient could have. Ten states already have laws permitting the medical use and cultivation of marijuana, according to the bill. The Senate bill included some late revisions. They include requiring the primary caregiver to be 21 years of age, giving the Health Department 30 days to review a patient's application and adding certain nonprofit organizations as primary caregivers, according to Perry. Source: Boston Globe (MA) Published: May 19, 2005 Copyright: 2005 Globe Newspaper Company Contact: letter@globe.com Website: http://www.boston.com/globe/ Link to article: http://www.cannabisnews.com/news/thread20708.shtml
By Joe Baker, Daily News Staff Source: Newport Daily News Providence, R.I. -- The Senate Judiciary Committee Thursday overwhelmingly approved legislation that would allow residents with debilitating diseases access to marijuana to ease their suffering. The 9-2 vote was the first time any legislative committee has approved the bill, which has been introduced for the past five years. The bill will be considered by the full Senate next week. The House of Representatives is considering similar legislation. That bill was co-sponsored by 50 of the 75 representatives, giving supporters confidence that the measure can win House approval. Dedicating the bill to her nephew Edward O. Hawkins, who died of complications from AIDS in 2004, Sen. Rhoda E. Perry, D-Providence, said the bill would ease the suffering of people who have nowhere else to turn. "It is time this bill passed so we can alleviate the pain, nausea and discomfort of these very ill people," Perry said. The legislation would allow those who get a doctor's referral to be certified by the Department of Health to legally possess up to 12 marijuana plants or 2.5 ounces of marijuana. The legislation also allows the patient to designate two "primary caregivers" over the age of 21 who would assist the patient in obtaining marijuana. The caregivers also would have to be certified by the Department of Health. Although the legislation does not address how the patient would obtain the illegal substance, it would allow nonprofit organizations, such as hospices, to "acquire, possess, cultivate, manufacture, deliver, transfer, transport, supply or dispense marijuana" to qualifying patients. Committee approval came after the bill was amended, stripping out a section that would subject local police officers to losing their jobs if they assisted federal police officers in arresting local patients allowed to use medical marijuana. The federal government does not recognize state-approved medical marijuana laws. Ten states now have such laws. "I think this is going to help a lot of people," said Sen. Joseph M. Polisena, D-Johnston. Sen. Leo R. Blais, R-Coventry, one of two senators who opposed the bill, said he feared doctors who prescribed medical marijuana could open themselves up to lawsuits if a patient developed problems from smoking it. The other opponent was Sen. Leonidas P. Raptakis, D-Coventry. On Wednesday, David R. Gifford, director of the Department of Health, sent a letter to House Health, Education and Welfare Committee Chairman Joseph M. McNamara, D-Warwick, opposing the legislation. Among the reasons Gifford gave for opposing the bill was that it conflicts with federal law and "smoking marijuana plants can be harmful." Perry blasted Gifford for sending a letter and not showing up to testify against the bill so he could be questioned by legislators. "This is not an area that Dr. Gifford knows much about," Perry said. Jeff Neal, spokesman for Gov. Donald L. Carcieri, said the governor had drafted a letter to be sent to senators stating his position, but Neal would not release the contents of the letter because he was not sure if the final version had been distributed. Senate Majority Leader Teresa Paiva Weed, D-Newport, and Sen. Charles J. Levesque, D-Portsmouth, voted in favor of the bill. Source: Newport Daily News, The (RI) Author: Joe Baker, Daily News Staff Published: Friday, May 20, 2005 Copyright: 2005 Newport Daily News Contact: Editor@NewportRI.com Website: http://www.newportdailynews.com/ Link to article: http://www.cannabisnews.com/news/thread20709.shtml
By Joe Baker, Daily News Staff Source: Newport Daily News Rhode Island -- OK. Right up front, full disclosure: I have inhaled. Considering I came of age in the 1960s, this shouldn't come as any surprise. Those of my generation can understand. Those younger need to know that the vast majority (and that is no exaggeration) of my peers also inhaled. Pot was so prevalent in the late 1960s and early 1970s that if a cop busted you and you had less than an ounce, he would just confiscate it and send you on your way. And you can be sure that pot would never see its way to the evidence room. Now that my soul has been bared, let's move on to the subject of medical marijuana. Last Thursday, the Senate Judiciary Committee approved legislation that would make Rhode Island the 11th state in the country to legalize marijuana use for patients suffering debilitating medical problems, like cancer, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis or AIDS. On Wednesday, the House Health, Education and Welfare Committee heard two hours of testimony on its version of the legislation, most of which supported the bill. Let's get down to basics. Those of us fortunate enough to be healthy cannot begin to imagine the pain and suffering of someone undergoing chemotherapy. We may be able to intellectually understand, but can we ever really know the side effects of the very powerful medication AIDS patients must take in an attempt to control that deadly disease? Nor is it easy to really feel the pain of MS patients whose joints lock up daily, preventing them from leading a normal life. If it were only Cheech and Chong admirers promoting medical use of marijuana, opponents might have reason to be leery. But groups such as the Rhode Island Medical Society, the Rhode Island Nurses Association, the American Academy of Family Physicians and the American Public Health Association have endorsed the movement. When normally conservative states like Arizona, Alaska and Montana adopt medical marijuana laws by wide margins, you know support is not limited to spaced-out potheads. One argument opponents like to raise is that medical marijuana laws will increase juveniles' accessibility to pot. Anyone reading the police log in the paper knows there is no accessibility problem now. It apparently isn't hard to find. So it's unlikely that legalizing medical marijuana is going to increase the supply out there on the streets. Opponents also like to raise the specter of thousands of potheads lining up to get access to legal weed. Again, accessibility isn't the issue. And if the bill clearly defines the qualifying symptoms, it will make it difficult for a doctor to prescribe marijuana for patients or for the state Department of Health to certify the patient's right of access to medical marijuana. Steve Brown, of the American Civil Liberties Union, hit the nail on the head when he told the House committee that providing comfort to seriously ill patients was worth the possibility that a few people might somehow skirt the law and get access to legal marijuana illegally. That possibility doesn't stop doctors now from prescribing very serious drugs (Valium, Percocet, Vicodin, OxyContin, to name a few) with much more potent side effects. Finally, despite the fact that marijuana has been widely used for more than 30 years (really a lot longer, but it just wasn't publicly recognized), there has been little scientific evidence that it is all that harmful. Oh, sure, some opponents are going to dig out some obscure studies showing that reefer madness is a reality. But supporters can dig out their own studies to disprove that. Given the lack of solid proof that marijuana is the evil weed opponents make it out to be - and given a set of regulations for allowing its medical use - denying its use to those in desperate physical need hardly seems like the American thing to do. Where are all those compassionate conservatives when you really need them? Complete Title: From The Statehouse: Marijuana is Justified as Medicine Source: Newport Daily News, The (RI) Author: Joe Baker, Daily News Staff Published: Tuesday, May 24, 2005 Copyright: 2005 Newport Daily News Contact: Editor@NewportRI.com Website: http://www.newportdailynews.com/ Link to article: http://www.cannabisnews.com/news/thread20718.shtml
By Joe Baker, Daily News Staff Source: Newport Daily News Providence, R.I. -- 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." Source: Newport Daily News, The (RI) Author: Joe Baker, Daily News Staff Published: Thursday, June 16, 2005 Copyright: 2005 Newport Daily News Contact: Editor@NewportRI.com Website: http://www.newportdailynews.com/ Link to article: http://www.cannabisnews.com/news/thread20873.shtml
By Scott Mayerowitz, Journal State House Bureau Source: Providence Journal Providence, R.I. -- The push to legalize the use of marijuana for \t\tmedical reasons is heating up. \t\t \t\tAs a House committee yesterday voted 10-2 in favor of the legalization, \t\ta national advocacy group started airing ads on network and cable TV \t\turging Governor Carcieri to back away from his threat to veto the \t\tlegislation. \t\t \t\tThe Senate passed a version of the measure 34 to 2 last Tuesday, and \t\tafter last night's vote in the House Health, Education and Welfare \t\tCommittee, the full House could be voting by tomorrow. \t\t \t\tThe bill seeks to protect patients, their doctors, pharmacists and \t\tcaregivers from arrest under state drug laws if a doctor certifies to \t\tthe state Department of Health that the patient has pain from a "chronic \t\tor debilitating" medical condition, such as cancer or AIDS, that might \t\tbe eased by marijuana. \t\t \t\tThe state would issue registration cards allowing the patients and their \t\tcaregivers to possess up to 12 plants or 2.5 ounces of "usable \t\tmarijuana" at any time. \t\t \t\tSeveral changes were made yesterday to the legislation, sponsored by \t\tRep. Thomas C. Slater, D-Providence. \t\t \t\tSlater added a sunset provision, repealing the law on June 30, 2007. The \t\tDepartment of Health would need to provide a report to lawmakers by Jan. \t\t1 of that year on how the program is working. Lawmakers would then \t\tdecide if they want to renew the law. \t\t \t\tThe registration cards given to patients and their caregivers must now \t\tinclude a photograph in addition to their name, address, date of birth \t\tand other identifying information. Previously, the photo was optional. \t\t \t\tThe list of people registered will be confidential. However, the latest \t\tversion of the bill includes a provision requiring the state to notify \t\tstate and local law enforcement of the number of qualified patients in \t\teach community. \t\t \t\tCaregivers cannot have a felony drug conviction. \t\t \t\tPlants must "be stored in an indoor facility." There was some concern \t\tabout plants being grown in outdoor locations where others -- such as \t\tresidents of a multifamily house -- might gain access. \t\t \t\tSlater also named his bill in memory of Sen. Rhoda Perry's nephew, \t\tEdward O. Hawkins, who died of AIDS last year at age 41. Perry, \t\tD-Providence, is the Senate sponsor of the medical marijuana \t\tlegislation, also named in the memory of Hawkins. \t\t \t\tThe legislation still does not provide a way for people to get the drug, \t\tleaving that presumably up to illegal channels. \t\t \t\tTen states have such laws: Alaska, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, \t\tMontana, Nevada, Oregon, Vermont and Washington. Arizona has enacted \t\tlegislation, but has no formal program to provide marijuana by \t\tprescription. \t\t \t\tLast Monday, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that users of medical \t\tmarijuana in the states that permit it can be prosecuted by federal \t\tauthorities, but that hasn't stopped the legislation's movement here. \t\t \t\tSlater last night said the bill appears "veto proof." The Senate passed \t\tthe legislation with enough votes to override. Fifty of the House's 75 \t\tmembers signed onto -- but have yet to vote for -- the bill; enough to \t\toverride. \t\t \t\tThe Marijuana Policy Project launched its TV ad campaign yesterday, \t\taccording to Neal Levine, director of state policies for the Washington \t\tD.C. advocacy group. \t\t \t\t"It looks incredibly likely that this is going to the governor's desk," \t\the said. "We're trying to let the governor know how many people in the \t\tstate support this." \t\t \t\tHe would not say how much the campaign costs or how long it will run. \t\t \t\tThe commercials feature Rhonda O'Donnell, a Warwick registered nurse who \t\thas testified several times about how she has suffered from the effects \t\tof multiple sclerosis for more than a decade. \t\t \t\t"It shouldn't be a crime to follow my doctor's advice," she says in one \t\tad. \t\t \t\tThe governor's office got 174 phone calls on the issue yesterday -- the \t\t"vast majority" were in favor of legalization -- according to Carcieri \t\tspokesman Jeff Neal. Almost every call, he said, appeared to be \t\tforwarded from an advocacy group doing mass phone calls. \t\t \t\tSlater last night mentioned a March 2004 poll for the Marijuana Policy \t\tProject where 69 percent of Rhode Islanders said they support a bill \t\tlike his. \t\t \t\t"It's big out there in the public," Slater said. "I think that the \t\tgovernor usually listens to the public and I hope he listens to the \t\tpublic this time." \t\t \t\tNote: One change to the House bill yesterday was the addition of a \t\tsunset provision, repealing the law on June 30, 2007. Source: Providence Journal, The (RI) Author: Scott Mayerowitz, Journal State House Bureau Published: Thursday, June 16, 2005 Copyright: 2005 The Providence Journal Company Contact: letters@projo.com Website: http://www.projo.com/ Link to article: http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread20869.shtml
By Eric Tucker, Associated Press Writer Source: Associated Press Providence, R.I. -- A bill that would allow patients with serious diseases to smoke and grow marijuana continued its advance through the General Assembly, winning overwhelming support from House lawmakers Wednesday. Qualifying patients suffering from diseases like cancer, AIDS and Hepatitis C would be shielded from arrest and prosecution under the bill, which passed 52-10. Their doctors and physicians also would be protected. Rhode Island would become the 11th state to authorize the medical use of marijuana, according to the legislation. If approved, the bill could put the state at odds with the U.S. Supreme Court, which ruled earlier this month that medical marijuana users can be prosecuted under federal law even if their home states allow use of the drug. Under the bill, patients would be able to possess up to 12 marijuana plants or 2 1/2 ounces of usable marijuana under the legislation. Supporters say the bill provides a compassionate way to ease the pain of the seriously ill. But some raised concerns over how patients would access marijuana and questioned a provision allowing people to grow the drug in their homes. "For me, it has always been a matter of compassion -- simple compassion," said Rep. Steven Costantino, D-Providence. "And I've always been amused by the fear that this is going to cause all of a sudden" an out-of-control use of marijuana. Added House Minority Leader Robert A. Watson, who voted for the bill: "We live in a pharmaceutically-enhanced society -- whether that's good, bad or indifferent. It's a fact of life." Gov. Don Carcieri has threatened to veto the legislation. But Rep. Thomas Slater, the bill's main sponsor, said he was confident that the bill had enough votes to override a veto. "We hope that the governor realizes that the people of Rhode Island support this bill," said Slater, D-Providence. The medical marijuana act was named for state Sen. Rhoda Perry's nephew, the late Edward O. Hawkins, who died of complications from AIDS and lymphoma. Perry is the sponsor of an equivalent Senate bill, which passed that chamber, 34 to 2, two weeks ago. House Majority Leader Gordon Fox introduced an amendment to add Slater's name to the title of the legislation, citing his "tireless efforts advocating for people in need." Slater cast the sole vote against the amendment, drawing laughs from his colleagues. The House Health, Education and Welfare Committee was expected later Wednesday to take the Senate bill and conform it with the version passed by the House, said House spokesman Larry Berman. That bill would then return to both chambers. The House bill includes a "sunset provision" that would cause the bill to expire on June 30, 2007. At that point, the state Health Department, which doesn't support the measure, would issue a report on the success of the law and detail any problems or abuses that need to be fixed before the law can continue. Slater said he did not expect any problems with implementing the measure. "Let's try it out," said Rep. Al Gemma, D-Warwick. "What have we got to lose?" Source: Associated Press (Wire) Author: Eric Tucker, Associated Press Writer Published: Wednesday, June 22, 2005 Copyright: 2005 The Associated Press Link to article: http://www.cannabisnews.com/news/thread20890.shtml
By Sarah Schweitzer & Boston Globe Source: The Day Rhode Island is poised to become the 11th state in the nation to permit the use of marijuana for medicinal purposes, with the divisive proposal expected to win final passage today and reach the governor's desk Wednesday. Governor Donald L. Carcieri has said he will probably veto the bill, but supporters say they have the votes needed to override his veto. The legislation comes at a critical juncture in the battle over the issue. Three weeks ago, the Supreme Court ruled that medicinal marijuana users can be prosecuted under federal law even if their home states allow use of the drug. Last week, federal drug agents raided more than 20 medicinal marijuana dispensaries in California and charged two people. In Rhode Island, the legislative fight has been propelled by deeply personal stories. The bill is named for state Senator Rhoda Perry's nephew, who died last year from complications of AIDS and lymphoma and whose doctors had recommended marijuana to ease his nausea. On the House side, the bill's sponsor is Representative Thomas Slater, who has undergone treatment for both lung and prostate cancer. “Would I really take marijuana? I don't know,†said Slater, who is 64 and said three of his six siblings had also battled cancer. “I just want the option out there for people. If they feel it would help them and a doctor feels it would help them, then I want them to have the option to use it without fear of state prosecution.†Slater and other supporters say their legislation is limited enough to prevent abuse of marijuana. The bill would exempt from arrest only patients - along with their doctors, pharmacists, and caregivers - whose doctors certified to the state Department of Health that the patient had pain from a “chronic or debilitating†medical condition, such as cancer or AIDS, that might be eased by marijuana. Such patients would be given state registration cards that would allow them and their caregivers to possess up to 12 plants or 2.5 ounces of “usable marijuana†at any time. The law would apply only to Rhode Island residents. Moreover, users would be required to store the drug indoors; there will be no dispensaries. That, backers say, is a key difference from California that should make it easier to keep track of marijuana users. “There won't even be the opportunity to grow large amounts, because it will have to be grown indoors, not outside,†Perry said. “We're also not San Francisco. We don't have huge numbers of people and dispensaries.†Passage of the law in Rhode Island would leave New England evenly divided over the issue of medicinal marijuana. Vermont and Maine permit its use. Note: Carcieri Plans Veto, But Votes May Be There To Override It. Source: Day, The (CT) Author: Sarah Schweitzer & Boston Globe Published: June 28, 2005 Copyright: 2005 The Day Publishing Co. Contact: editor@theday.com Website: http://www.theday.com/ Link to article: http://www.cannabisnews.com/news/thread20908.shtml
National News Source: New York Times The Rhode Island legislature passed a bill yesterday allowing the use of medical marijuana, three weeks after the Supreme Court ruled that federal authorities could prosecute those who use the drug for medicinal purposes, even in states with laws allowing it. The bill passed the State Senate by a vote of 33 to 1 last evening and will head to the desk of Gov. Donald L. Carcieri, who is likely to reject it. Supporters of the bill, which passed the House 52 to 10 last week, are confident they have the necessary three-fifths majority to override a veto and make Rhode Island the 11th state to authorize patients to use the drug. The law would allow those with a "debilitating medical condition," including cancer, glaucoma and AIDS, to receive a signed statement from their doctor stating they would benefit from marijuana. Patients and their caregivers would be entered into a registry kept by the State Department of Health. Patients, who must be Rhode Islanders, would receive a state registration card allowing them or their caregivers to grow up to 12 marijuana plants indoors or possess up to 2.5 ounces without being arrested. Doctors would be able to prescribe the drug for only five patients at a time. Source: New York Times (NY) Published: June 29, 2005 Copyright: 2005 The New York Times Company Contact: letters@nytimes.com Website: http://www.nytimes.com/ Link to article: http://www.cannabisnews.com/news/thread20914.shtml
By Bob Kerr Source: Providence Journal \t\tProvidence, R.I. -- Someday, marijuana will probably be legal, and \t\tpeople will look back and laugh at those times when a benign backyard \t\tweed caused heavily armed men in black jumpsuits to leap from police \t\tvans and arrest local pot farmers and burn their crops. \t\t \t\tBut not yet. Marijuana is still illegal, still shrouded in well-tended \t\tmyth and still reason enough to get a person sent to the slammer. \t\t \t\tSo there is a wonderful opportunity this week for state government in \t\tRhode Island to come down on the side of compassion and common sense. \t\t \t\tThe medical marijuana bill would mean that very sick people could \t\trelieve their pain and suffering without fear of getting busted. It \t\twould mean the naturally grown substance that some doctors recommend for \t\ttheir patients could be used without the need to lock the doors and pull \t\tthe shades. \t\t \t\tRhode Island would become the 11th state in the country to pass \t\tlegislation that gives people approved for its use the right to keep a \t\tlimited amount of marijuana on hand for those times when the pain \t\tthreatens to shut them down. \t\t \t\tLawmakers have heard from people who have found relief from the pain of \t\tlife-controlling illnesses in the puff of the weed. It works where \t\tother, officially approved things do not. It gets people through the \t\tday. \t\t \t\tAnd it is illegal because it has always been illegal. The Reefer Madness \t\tcartoons have been laughed out of the room, but marijuana continues to \t\tclaim a ridiculously large amount of money and time and resources. There \t\tare probably people high in the ranks in the war on drugs who sit around \t\twith a double Scotch or a couple of Budweisers and discuss how to cut \t\tdown on the grass. \t\t \t\tCynical friends -- and I have a few -- suggest that marijuana can't be \t\tlegalized because it is too easy to grow in the backyard and therefore \t\ttoo difficult for big business to turn into big business. \t\t \t\tBut as long as marijuana remains on the same list as substances that \t\treally can mess people up, it will continue to force people to make a \t\tpainful and dangerous choice: go without and live with the pain or buy \t\tor grow marijuana and risk arrest. \t\t \t\tThere was a fine commentary in The Sunday Journal on June 5 by Polly \t\tReynolds, a writer and mother of two from East Providence. She has \t\tmultiple sclerosis. She smokes marijuana to relieve the pain. And all \t\tanyone really has to know about marijuana is what she tells us: \t\t \t\t"The federal government's stubborn, hypocritical refusal to permit good \t\tcitizens to use an herb with medicinal properties that makes them feel \t\tbetter is stupid, dictatorial and empirically mean. It is uncivil, \t\tinhumane and disempowering. \t\t \t\t"The decision for me as my disease worsens has been either to smoke \t\tmarijuana and keep functioning or to crawl under my bedcovers as a \t\tnon-functioning, if socially acceptable, parent." \t\t \t\tIt's that simple. It really is. For those who need it -- those who would \t\tbe officially certified by the state under the proposed law -- marijuana \t\tis the ticket to a fuller, richer, less painful life. It allows people \t\twith multiple sclerosis, AIDS, PTSD and a whole bunch of other \t\tspirit-sapping ailments to get up and get out and do things. \t\t \t\tIt is hard to imagine how anyone can say no. Federal law does not allow \t\tlegal exemptions for those who use medical marijuana. But Rhode Island \t\thas the chance to be better than that. It can look past the smoke and \t\tsee that marijuana can relieve the suffering of a considerable number of \t\tits citizens. It can make it possible to relieve the pain and the \t\tanxiety. \t\t \t\tIt would be kind, compassionate, even enlightened. Source: Providence Journal, The (RI) Author: Bob Kerr Published: Wednesday, June 29, 2005 Copyright: 2005 The Providence Journal Company Contact: letters@projo.com Website: http://www.projo.com/ Link to article: http://www.freedomtoexhale.com/kerr.htm
By Elizabeth Zuckerman, Associated Press Writer Source: Associated Press Providence, R.I. -- Gov. Don Carcieri vetoed a bill Wednesday that would have made Rhode Island the 11th state to allow the medical use of marijuana. Legislators said they believed they have enough votes to override the governor. In his veto message, Carcieri said the bill is flawed and could encourage marijuana abuse. "This bill will increase the availability of marijuana on the streets of our state," he said. The Republican also noted medical marijuana use would remain illegal under federal statues. The bill passed 52-10 in the House and 34-2 in the Senate. An override would require votes from three-fifths of the lawmakers in each body. "The governor has shown no compassion for the people who really need it," said Rep. Thomas Slater, the bill's House sponsor. The bill would protect from prosecution seriously ill people who had a doctor's recommendation that marijuana could help them. Slater denied the measure - which would allow licensed patients to have 12 marijuana plants or 2 1/2 ounces - would increase the amount of marijuana available. "Marijuana is prevalent in the state and it will always be there," he said. Carcieri's veto came the day after representatives from the Office of National Drug Control Policy visited the governor's policy director. According to both sides, they reiterated that federal law prohibits medical marijuana use, and said marijuana has not been proved to be a safe and effective medication. Jeff Neal, Carcieri's spokesman, said the federal representatives did not explicitly ask for a veto. Bill supporters say while medical marijuana would still be illegal under federal law, most marijuana possession prosecutions happen under state law. Source: Associated Press (Wire) Author: Elizabeth Zuckerman, Associated Press Writer Published: Wednesday, June 29, 2005 Copyright: 2005 The Associated Press Link to article: http://www.cannabisnews.com/news/thread20919.shtml
What a fucking prick this Gov. Don Carcieri is being....I can't wait till Karma bites him in the ass.
By Katie Zezima Source: New York Times Rhode Island -- Hearing that the Rhode Island legislature approved the use of medical marijuana Tuesday night, Rhonda O'Donnell sat in her Warwick, R.I., living room and giddily thought about legally sautéing the drug in some butter and putting it into a cake mix. Ms. O'Donnell, 42, who has multiple sclerosis, hopes ingesting marijuana will ease the stiffness and numbness in her legs that leave her unable to work or move without pain. "It's not going to cure me, and it's not going to let me walk normally, but hopefully it can make me a little less uncomfortable and allow me to relax a little more and enjoy life a little more," Ms. O'Donnell, whose disease was diagnosed in 1994, said in a telephone interview. But whether she can legally consume marijuana is uncertain. Gov. Donald L. Carcieri vetoed the bill Wednesday evening, saying it would encourage marijuana use, sanction criminal activity and make the drug more available to children. Additionally, Mr. Carcieri said, it would lull residents into believing they could not be prosecuted for marijuana use, which remains a federal offense. The bill also does not have strong safety precautions, he said, and would allow patients to grow large amounts of marijuana with no guidelines for its disposal. "This bill's noble goals cannot mask its serious safety flaws," Mr. Carcieri, a Republican, wrote. "This bill will increase the availability of marijuana on the streets of our state." It appears that proponents of the bill have the necessary three-fifths vote in each chamber of the legislature, both heavily Democratic, to override the veto. The bill passed the Senate 33 to 1 on Tuesday and was approved 52 to 10 last week in the House. If the veto is overridden, Rhode Island will become the 11th state to allow medical marijuana, and the first to do so after the Supreme Court ruled this month that federal authorities could prosecute those who use the drug for medicinal use, even in states allowing it. Mr. Carcieri's chief of policy and a group of legislators met on Tuesday with two officials in the White House Office of Drug Control Policy, an agency spokeswoman, Jennifer DeVallance, said. The agency presented state officials data showing that the drug was highly abused and had not been shown to be medicinally effective, Ms. DeVallance said. "Obviously, this is not something that the federal government supports because the F.D.A. has not deemed that smoked marijuana is an appropriate medication for the variety of illnesses people claim it should be used for," she said. The bill would allow those with medical conditions including AIDS, cancer and glaucoma to receive what amounts to a signed prescription for marijuana from their primary care physician. The doctor, patient and person providing care would be entered into a registry kept by the state's Department of Public Health, which has 90 days to promulgate regulations. The patient and attendant, who must be Rhode Island residents, would receive identification cards allowing them to cultivate up to 12 marijuana plants indoors or possess up to 2.5 ounces of the drug. The patient, attendant, doctor and anyone present while the patient was ingesting marijuana would be exempt from prosecution. Landlords, schools and employers would be barred from refusing someone because they were enrolled in the medical marijuana program. The Department of Health will issue a report on the program to the legislature by Jan. 1, 2007; if the legislature does not take action the bill will expire on June 30, 2007, and all marijuana will again be illegal. The Rhode Island bill does not address how patients would obtain the drug. Its chief sponsor, State Senator Rhoda E. Perry, said patients would "get it illegally, just like they do in the 10 other states." This worries law enforcement officials, who say the law will be difficult to enforce and that marijuana could easily find its way into the hands of those the bill is not intended to serve. "We may very well see counterfeit registration cards, and then it becomes a quandary to figure out who legally possesses it with a card and which cards are false," said Maj. Joseph R. Miech of the Rhode Island State Police. But Ms. Perry and Representative Thomas C. Slater, who sponsored a similar bill in the House, say the legislation is a way to help ease the suffering of the sick and dying and is well-supported by residents. A poll taken last March by the Marijuana Policy Project, a national nonprofit organization that promotes the legalization of marijuana, found that 69 percent of state residents supported a bill allowing the chronically ill to grow marijuana for medicinal use. The issue has been a personal crusade for both Ms. Perry, whose nephew died of AIDS and refused to smoke marijuana for fear of arrest, and Mr. Slater, who has inoperable lung cancer and has seen three of his five siblings and his father suffer from cancer. "It's an issue of compassion," Mr. Slater said. "It's an issue for those who are sick and dying and suffering and need that last-minute peace of mind." Complete Title: In Rhode Island, Uncertainty About Medical Marijuana Law Source: New York Times (NY) Author: Katie Zezima Published: June 30, 2005 Copyright: 2005 The New York Times Company Contact: letters@nytimes.com Website: http://www.nytimes.com/ Link to article: http://www.cannabisnews.com/news/thread20920.shtml
By The Associated Press Source: Associated Press Providence, R.I. -- The Senate voted Thursday to override the governor's veto of a bill allowing the seriously ill to use marijuana. If the House overrides the veto as well, Rhode Island would become the 11th state to permit medical marijuana use. The proposed legislation protects from prosecution those advised by a doctor that marijuana could help them with chronic pain or other medical problems. Patients licensed by the state would be permitted to have up to 12 marijuana plants or 2 1/2 ounces of usable marijuana. Gov. Don Carcieri vetoed the bill Wednesday, saying it could promote marijuana abuse. Before the vote, Senate Minority Leader Dennis Algiere argued the bill did not include enough safeguards. "Nearly anyone would be allowed to grown marijuana in nearly any private location across the state under this piece of legislation," said Algiere, R-Westerly. But bill supporters argued passing the override was an act of compassion for the chronically ill. Sen. Joseph Polisena, D-Johnston, said in his work as a nurse he had seen many patients die in pain. The only difference between giving them marijuana and prescription pharmaceuticals is that the latter mean profits for drug companies, he said. The Senate approved the override 28-to-6, as compared with the 34-to-2 vote on the original bill. Source: Associated Press (Wire) Published: June 30, 2005 Copyright: 2005 The Associated Press Link to article: http://www.cannabisnews.com/news/thread20923.shtml
By Joe Baker, Daily News Staff Source: Newport Daily News Providence, R.I. -- The Senate easily overrode Gov. Donald L. Carcieri's veto of medical marijuana legislation Thursday, and House leaders promised to do so soon. If House leaders are able to muster the votes needed to override Carcieri's veto, Rhode Island would become the 11th state in the country and third in New England to legalize marijuana use for patients with debilitating diseases. Vermont and Maine already have enacted medical marijuana laws. The Senate voted 28-6 to override Carcieri's veto. They only needed a 60 percent margin, or 21 votes, for the override. All five of the chamber's Republicans changed their votes from the first Senate consideration of the bill to support Carcieri. The only Democrat to vote against overriding the veto was Sen. Marc Cote, D-Woonsocket. "This is going to mean there will be another alternative for people," said Sen. Rhoda E. Perry, D-Providence, who sponsored the Senate version of the legislation. "They will no longer have to be as frightened of using marijuana for their pain." Rep. Thomas C. Slater, D-Providence, who sponsored the House version, said that House leaders told him they would not override the governor's veto before this year's session ends, probably today or Tuesday, but promised to return in a few weeks to hold an override vote. The House approved the legislation by a 51-10 vote. "I'm confident the votes are there to override," Slater said. After Senate Minority Leader Dennis L. Algiere, R-Westerly, read part of the governor's veto message and urged senators not to override the veto, several Democrats argued that the legislation was aimed at showing compassion to those with serious medical problems. "Put a human face on it," said Sen. Joseph M. Polisena, D-Johnston. "Think if someone you love was dying or was suffering. Would you go out and get them some marijuana? If you said you wouldn't, you're lying." "If we can do anything to alleviate the pain or increase the appetite of someone ... let's do it. I have never seen anyone die of a marijuana overdose," said Sen. Michael J. Damiani, D-East Providence, who is a retired police officer. The legislation would allow doctors to prescribe marijuana for patients with serious diseases including cancer, multiple sclerosis or AIDS. Once the state Department of Health receives written notice from the doctor, it would issue photo identification cards to the patient and at least two caregivers, who would be able to assist the patient in procuring marijuana. Authorized patients would be able to possess up to 2.5 ounces of "usable marijuana," which does not include stems and seeds, or grow up to 12 marijuana plants inside their homes. If the law is approved, the Department of Health would have to issue a progress report on the law by January 2007. The law would expire June 30, 2007, unless the legislature acts to extend it. Source: Newport Daily News, The (RI) Author: Joe Baker, Daily News Staff Published: Friday, July 01, 2005 Copyright: 2005 Newport Daily News Contact: Editor@NewportRI.com Website: http://www.newportdailynews.com/ Link to article: http://www.cannabisnews.com/news/thread20926.shtml