Katelyn Baker
Well-Known Member
Just as it approaches the two-year mark since voters approved medicinal marijuana, a pair of revised bills related to its implementation is firing up concerns from the Department of Public Health.
It's been more than one month since the rules and regulations were officially rejected, and now another go-around for a set of revised rules is before the Guam Legislature. "I think there's some problems with the bills," said Public Health director James Gillan. "But as I said, even at the last informational hearing, I am in favor of anything we can do to help people with their pain."
Following an informational hearing over the summer, a public hearing was held Wednesday on Bill 344 and Bill 343, aimed at strengthening the proposals. While the bills were slightly amended to include clarifications on definitions, Gillan still has concerns. Bill 344 would allow for home cultivation.
"The only change I saw in this is the allowance of one additional plant - and that's fine. My concern is there has to be some provision for people to be assisted in learning how to cultivate, because there will be some folks who will have access to plants and grow them and not know how to take care of them," he told KUAM News.
While home cultivation was not part of the proposed rules that Public Health had created, Gillan wants Bill 344 to have stronger language specifically in relation to "landlords reserving the right to restrict cannabis cultivation on their property." He explained, "If I own a piece of property and I have an apartment building there, I want to have the right to say 'no, you can't grow marijuana at all. So 'restrict' is a little weak."
Bill 343 meanwhile would strengthen the rules by allowing for safeguards such as patient's right to privacy and clear guidelines for lab testing, which Gillan says much be incorporated with the rules. "There has to be - there's no way you can be able to say the product that is being dispensed is safe. Where I have a problem is it lays all of this on the department. My concern is we have no resources to do this."
He adds the bill has some contradictory language that needs to change. And while they "threw out the nine months of work" Public Health had done in creating the initial rules, Gillan says it's okay as long as the implementation of medicinal marijuana is done right. "We'd be happy to consult, but apparently, like i said what we did, didn't work for them," he shared.
Earlier this month, Senator Tina Muna Barnes said she wanted to get the bills on the October session schedule. Gillan hopes a bill is eventually passed, just not the way Bill 343 and Bill 344 are currently written. "It's going to take more work I think and I think we should get it as right as we can," he stated.
News Moderator: Katelyn Baker 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Public Health Concerned About Home Cultivation In Marijuana Bills
Author: Ken Quintanilla
Contact: Kuam News
Photo Credit: None Found
Website: Kuam News
It's been more than one month since the rules and regulations were officially rejected, and now another go-around for a set of revised rules is before the Guam Legislature. "I think there's some problems with the bills," said Public Health director James Gillan. "But as I said, even at the last informational hearing, I am in favor of anything we can do to help people with their pain."
Following an informational hearing over the summer, a public hearing was held Wednesday on Bill 344 and Bill 343, aimed at strengthening the proposals. While the bills were slightly amended to include clarifications on definitions, Gillan still has concerns. Bill 344 would allow for home cultivation.
"The only change I saw in this is the allowance of one additional plant - and that's fine. My concern is there has to be some provision for people to be assisted in learning how to cultivate, because there will be some folks who will have access to plants and grow them and not know how to take care of them," he told KUAM News.
While home cultivation was not part of the proposed rules that Public Health had created, Gillan wants Bill 344 to have stronger language specifically in relation to "landlords reserving the right to restrict cannabis cultivation on their property." He explained, "If I own a piece of property and I have an apartment building there, I want to have the right to say 'no, you can't grow marijuana at all. So 'restrict' is a little weak."
Bill 343 meanwhile would strengthen the rules by allowing for safeguards such as patient's right to privacy and clear guidelines for lab testing, which Gillan says much be incorporated with the rules. "There has to be - there's no way you can be able to say the product that is being dispensed is safe. Where I have a problem is it lays all of this on the department. My concern is we have no resources to do this."
He adds the bill has some contradictory language that needs to change. And while they "threw out the nine months of work" Public Health had done in creating the initial rules, Gillan says it's okay as long as the implementation of medicinal marijuana is done right. "We'd be happy to consult, but apparently, like i said what we did, didn't work for them," he shared.
Earlier this month, Senator Tina Muna Barnes said she wanted to get the bills on the October session schedule. Gillan hopes a bill is eventually passed, just not the way Bill 343 and Bill 344 are currently written. "It's going to take more work I think and I think we should get it as right as we can," he stated.
News Moderator: Katelyn Baker 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Public Health Concerned About Home Cultivation In Marijuana Bills
Author: Ken Quintanilla
Contact: Kuam News
Photo Credit: None Found
Website: Kuam News
