Thursday, May 3, 2012

The Ups and Downs of Medical Marijuana Law

Posted By on Thu, May 3, 2012 at 11:00 AM

A buddy of mine moved to Connecticut this past year, to a farm on some acreage with a pond and wild turkeys and amazing sunsets, with a couple weird, off-the-grid neighbors to keep things interesting.

He leads a pretty charmed life with a beautiful, successful woman just down the road from a golf course and a short train ride from NYC. His dog likes the wood burning stove. But when he moved to Connecticut, he felt a pang of regret over the loss of medical marijuana. Now the world is catching up with him—Connecticut is among more than a double fist full of states considering medical marijuana laws, despite a trend toward federal fucktards bringin' us down. A sampling:

Connecticut's law has been referred to the Committee on Judiciary. Call your legislator, ****. Tell him to vote yes ;)

Illinois lawmakers are considering a bill that would be among the most restrictive in the nation - no growing your own and only 59 dispensaries statewide (one per Senate district). The law would include PTSD as a qualifying ailment, but not chronic pain (a catch-all diagnosis that covers more than 22,000 of Arizona's 26,000 patients). The good news is that Republican leaders in the Illinois General Assembly are onboard. Promising. Hmmmm.

Next door in Indiana, lawmakers will address a bill that would cover a pretty broad list of ailments, but not PTSD. The bill was introduced in January and has been referred to the House Committee on Public Policy. Go Hoosiers.

Both chambers of New York's legislature are moving medical marijuana bills through committees. The two year session reconvened for a second year in January, so there is plenty of time for more committees to look at the Senate and Assembly bills followed by a final vote later this year. Stay tuned, Gov. Cuomo.

Bills were also introduced and referred to various committees in Idaho, Kansas, Alabama, Maryland and Massachusetts. Cross your fingers.

On the down side, bills died in various committees in Wisconsin, West Virginia, Iowa and Indiana. They suck.

It's interesting that so many legislators and patients and caregivers and various and sundry compassionate types all across the nation are trying repeatedly to let people help their fellow man a little via medical marijuana, and the tide continues toward that happening, yet the federal government refuses to even consider it.

WTF?

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