WeedTRACKER

Jackie Papers

Medical Marijuana Clears Major Hurdle in Connecticut

from: Drug Policy Alliance/ Drugpolicy.org
Tuesday, June 5, 2007

In this year's second major success for DPA's medical marijuana efforts, the Connecticut State Legislature passed a medical marijuana bill last week. Late Friday night, the state Senate voted 23-13 to pass HB 6715, the Compassionate Use Act. Now the bill has now been sent to Governor M. Jodi Rell.

The Connecticut vote, which represents the culmination of a five year effort, comes just two months after the governor of New Mexico signed a medical marijuana bill into law for that state.

Gov. Rell has not yet said whether she will sign the Compassionate Use Act, but earlier in the session she indicated possible support when speaking to reporters. HB 6715 will become law either if Gov. Rell signs it or if she does not veto it.

Connecticut has had a medical marijuana law on the books since 1981, but the existing law is broken because it requires a doctor to prescribe marijuana. Due to federal law, physicians can be sent to prison and have their medical licenses revoked for prescribing marijuana.

HB 6715 would correct this flaw by allowing medical doctors to recommend marijuana after all other options for relief have been tried and proven to be insufficient. The bill would also allow patients to possess and use marijuana as recommended by their doctor.

According to a 2004 report by the UConn Center for Survey Research and Analysis, 83% of Connecticut residents support access to medical marijuana.

This legislative session, that support has been apparent in the news media. An editorial by a Connecticut medical marijuana patient was published last week in The Day, and the Hartford Courant and Danbury Times have both written supportive editorials.

If Governor Rell receives the bill from the Secretary of State before the legislative session ends on Wednesday June 6, she’ll have five days to sign or veto the bill. If received after Wednesday, she’ll have 15 days to sign or veto the bill. If Gov. Rell neither vetoes nor signs the bill, it will automatically pass into law.

“I am just 32 years old and yet due to my medical condition I feel as if, at times, I am 92,” said Joshua Warren, a patient in Wilton, CT, who suffers from chronic neurological Lyme disease. “I did not ask for this condition nor would I wish any of my pain and other symptoms on anyone else. I hope Gov. Rell will have compassion for me and for others and sign this bill.”

If you live in Connecticut, now is the time to make sure Gov. Rell knows you support access to medical marijuana. Send the governor a message.

In addition to efforts in Connecticut and New Mexico, DPA is focusing on medical marijuana at the federal level with work on the Hinchey-Rohrabacher amendment, which would prohibit the federal government from undermining state medical marijuana laws. The amendment would protect cancer, AIDS and other patients who use marijuana for medical reasons from federal prosecution. It will likely come to a vote in the House later this month.