Robert Celt
New Member
He's made no secret that he will stand up for his constituents. Now District 28 Representative Bobby Nardolillo (R-Coventry) has seen to it that even those who use a drug outlawed recreationally but allowed under the law to be used as medicine have a voice in the General Assembly.
Nardolillo issued a release yesterday condemning a proposed tax on medical marijuana proposed by Democratic Governor Gina Raimondo.
Currently medical marijuana patients are allowed under the law to cultivate six plants, and caregivers licensed to provide marijuana for up to five patients up to 24 plants. Raimondo's proposal would put a $150 price tag on each plant cultivated by patients and a tag of $350 on each plant grown by caregivers. In the release, Nardolillo labeled the proposal an unconscionable tax on the sick.
"The patients and caregivers who grow these plants do so because of legitimately illnesses that just happen to not respond to traditional forms of communication," said Nardolillo in the release. "Many of these people wake up every day having to figure out how they're going to manage they're pain. Putting taxes on these plants is tantamount to charging people a fee to be sick."
According to the release, the state's Department of Health counts more than 10,000 people in Rhode Island who carry medical marijuana cards to treat an approved list of conditions, including cancer, glaucoma, AIDS, hepatitis C, Crohn's disease and Alzheimer's, among others.
Patients and advocates have decried the governor's proposal, saying it would make affording the medicine an impossibility, since it isn't covered by insurance and they can't afford the cost of medical marijuana at the state's three compassion centers.
"This proposal would certainly never fly with any other form of medication," said Nardolillo. "Can you imagine if a proposal was made to tax a specific medication? These are Rhode Islanders who are suffering."
News Moderator: Robert Celt 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Nardolillo Attacks Bill To Tax Rhode Island Medical Marijuana
Author: Jeremiah Ryan
Contact: The Kent County Daily Times
Photo Credit: None found
Website: The Kent County Daily Times
Nardolillo issued a release yesterday condemning a proposed tax on medical marijuana proposed by Democratic Governor Gina Raimondo.
Currently medical marijuana patients are allowed under the law to cultivate six plants, and caregivers licensed to provide marijuana for up to five patients up to 24 plants. Raimondo's proposal would put a $150 price tag on each plant cultivated by patients and a tag of $350 on each plant grown by caregivers. In the release, Nardolillo labeled the proposal an unconscionable tax on the sick.
"The patients and caregivers who grow these plants do so because of legitimately illnesses that just happen to not respond to traditional forms of communication," said Nardolillo in the release. "Many of these people wake up every day having to figure out how they're going to manage they're pain. Putting taxes on these plants is tantamount to charging people a fee to be sick."
According to the release, the state's Department of Health counts more than 10,000 people in Rhode Island who carry medical marijuana cards to treat an approved list of conditions, including cancer, glaucoma, AIDS, hepatitis C, Crohn's disease and Alzheimer's, among others.
Patients and advocates have decried the governor's proposal, saying it would make affording the medicine an impossibility, since it isn't covered by insurance and they can't afford the cost of medical marijuana at the state's three compassion centers.
"This proposal would certainly never fly with any other form of medication," said Nardolillo. "Can you imagine if a proposal was made to tax a specific medication? These are Rhode Islanders who are suffering."
News Moderator: Robert Celt 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Nardolillo Attacks Bill To Tax Rhode Island Medical Marijuana
Author: Jeremiah Ryan
Contact: The Kent County Daily Times
Photo Credit: None found
Website: The Kent County Daily Times
