Delaware Senate Approves Use Of Medical Marijuana

[Jim Finnel]

The Delaware Senate approved legalizing marijuana for limited medical purposes Thursday, despite reservations from some supporters who indicated the legislation has flaws.

The bill would decriminalize parts of the state's drug laws and allow adults with debilitating diseases such as HIV or cancer to get permission from their doctors to purchase marijuana from a state-licensed dispensary.

On an 18-3 vote, the Senate sent Senate Bill 17 to the House, where supporters believe they have enough votes to get the legislation to Gov. Jack Markell's desk for a signature. Critics said the bill puts Delaware on a path toward legalizing marijuana altogether.

"If you don't think this is a step in that eventual process, you are sorely mistaken," said Sen. Colin Bonini, R-Dover South.

Markell, a Democrat, supports the concept of the bill and changes that have been made to address concerns by doctors and law-enforcement agencies, spokesman Brian Selander said.

"There's a long road between the concept of providing medical marijuana to people with medical needs like cancer patients and the implementation of that effort," Selander said.

Fifteen other states and the District of Columbia already have legalized marijuana possession and use for medicinal purposes. Pennsylvania and Maryland lawmakers are currently considering similar legislation.

"This is really out of compassion for people who have been suffering unnecessarily," said Sen. Margaret Rose Henry, the bill sponsor and a Wilmington Democrat.

After the bill passed, Henry handed out packages of brownies from BJ's Wholesale Club, making a joke about the recreational use of "pot brownies" as an edible form of ingesting marijuana.

"They were just regular brownies," Henry said afterward. "It was done in jest and not to take away from the seriousness of the bill."

Under the bill, individuals with qualifying illnesses would be issued identification cards and be limited to purchasing up to six ounces of marijuana each month. Marijuana could only be purchased from a dispensary, and home cultivation would be prohibited. Qualifying conditions would include cancer, multiple sclerosis, HIV/AIDS, hepatitis C, post-traumatic stress disorder, glaucoma, Crohn's disease, Lou Gehrig's disease or other chronic wasting diseases.


NewsHawk: Jim Behr: 420 MAGAZINE
Source: courierpostonline.com
Author: Chad Livengood
Copyright: 2011 courierpostonline.com
Contact: Courier-Post
Website: Delaware Senate approves use of medical marijuana

 

[demp5294]

Yes I am from Delaware when I hear the arguments against this I can only wonder if it wasn't for all governments scare tactics for the last 80 some years.That and the stuff they make has side effects.I just want the medicine! So why can't I choose.

 

[demp5294]

It has cleared the Senate in March and on Wednesday 4-13 @ 3:00 it will be introduced to the house committee to start the process in that chamber and then goes to the full house if they pass it. Next stop would be the Governor who says he'll sign it.

 

[demp5294]

As of 4-13 it was voted out of committee and will be bought up to the full house in the beginning of may for a vote and then on to the Governor.it's looking good.

 

[demp5294]

On thursday 5-5-11 the house in Delaware will vote on MMJ next step after that is the governer will sign it.

 

[demp5294]

So this is progress.
The Delaware House approved use of marijuana for medical purposes today, but tacked on additional restrictions to require the drug is distributed in tamper-proof containers and prohibit smoking cannabis in buses and vehicles.

The House voted 24-17 on Senate Bill 17, which must go back to the Senate for the upper chamber to consider the changes.

The legislation allows Delawareans with cancer, multiple sclerosis, HIV/AIDS, post-traumatic stress disorder and other debilitating diseases to get a doctor's recommendation to use marijuana to treat their pain, nausea or illness.


Qualified patients would be issued a state identification card.

Three state-regulated not-for-profit dispensaries would be established in each county to sell and distribute medical marijuana to qualified patients and caregivers.

Patients would have to get a doctor’s recommendation to smoke, ingest or use a marijuana vaporizer after other medical treatment or prescription drugs failed to work, said Rep. Helene Keeley, D-Wilmington West.

“Whether you are diagnosed with cancer, whether you are diagnosed with MS, you must have tried other drugs,” Keeley said. “Those drugs must fail first.”