Connecticut Medical Marijuana Bill Moves to Assembly Floor Thurs, April 24, 2003 A medical marijuana bill that would allow the cultivation and use of marijuana for medical purposes when a treating physician certifies that the patient's condition would benefit from the medical use of marijuana passed the Connecticut Public Health Committee today by a vote of 12-7. Working with a Better Way Foundation and ally organizations Drug Policy Alliance lobbyist Betty Gallo helped to generate support for the bill which now heads to a full floor vote. Thanks to all the Drug Policy Alliance supporters who faxed their Connecticut representatives. Introduced by Rep. Jim Abrams (D-District 83) on January 13, H.B. 5100 would allow patients with cancer, AIDS, multiple sclerosis, and other serious medical conditions to possess limited quantities of marijuana for medical use under the advice of their physicians. The bill passed through the Joint Judiciary Committee on March 26 by a vote of 21-18. Connecticut passed one of the first medical marijuana laws in 1981 but the current legislation is restricted to the prescriptive use of marijuana for nausea associated with chemotherapy or to ease eye pressure from glaucoma. H.B. 5100 is similar to laws now on the books in Alaska, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington that allow seriously ill patients to use marijuana for medical purposes with the recommendations of their doctors. The bill requires doctors and patients to register with the Department of Public Safety (DPS) regarding the medical use of marijuana. In addition, DPS must develop regulations to manage this registration process and verify registrants to requesting law enforcement agencies. The bill also makes it a crime (punishable by up to 3 months' imprisonment and/or a $500 fine) to lie to a law enforcement officer about using marijuana for medical purposes or about being issued a doctor's certification to use marijuana for such purposes. http://www.drugpolicy.org/news/04_24_03connecticut.cfm