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House and Senate negotiators reached a deal on a medical marijuana bill Tuesday, positioning New Hampshire to join more than a dozen other states in legalizing the drug for seriously ill patients.
Both chambers had previously passed the bill, but the Senate version eliminated a House-proposed option for patients to grow the drug at home as well as obtain it at a dispensary, and Gov. Maggie Hassan said she wouldn't sign the bill if the home-grow provision remained.
In a negotiation session Tuesday, House lawmakers agreed to drop that provision and go along with other Senate changes in exchange for specifying that the commission implementing the new system be appointed as soon as the bill is passed.
Opponents of the home cultivation option were concerned about the state's ability to regulate it. Supporters argued it was critical to ensure immediate access for terminally ill patients, given that it would take the state close to a year to write the regulations for dispensaries, and could take another year or more for them to begin operations.
Rep. Elaine Andrews-Ahearn, D-Exeter, said it also would be a hardship for some patients to travel long distances to the four sanctioned dispensaries.
"That's a long distance for people who are ill to have to travel," she said.
Under the bill, patients diagnosed with cancer, Crohn's disease and other conditions could possess up to 2 ounces of marijuana. Dispensaries could have a maximum of 80 marijuana plants, 160 seedlings and 80 ounces of marijuana or 6 ounces per qualifying patient. They also would have a limit of three mature cannabis plants, 12 seedlings and 6 ounces for each patient who designates the dispensary as his or her treatment center.
To qualify for medical marijuana, a person would have to have been a patient of the prescribing doctor for at least 90 days, have tried other remedies, and have exhibited certain symptoms. Only New Hampshire residents would qualify.
During negotiations Tuesday, House lawmakers also agreed to not include post-traumatic stress disorder as a qualifying condition.
"This is a first step, things can always be added later on," said Sen. Nancy Stiles, R-Hampton.
The bill's main sponsor, Rep. Donna Schlachman, said she was disappointed that the compromise bill didn't include what she considers adequate protection for patients using marijuana before the dispensaries are set up.
"We have really opened this bill up so law enforcement in any town that is really against any form of the legalization of therapeutic cannabis is in a position to arrest people simply because they've applied for their card and it hasn't come yet," said Schlachman, D-Exeter.
Hassan said the compromise addresses her concerns and she will sign the bill if the full House and Senate approve the changes.
"I have always maintained that allowing doctors to provide relief to patients through the use of appropriately regulated and dispensed medical marijuana is the compassionate and right policy for the state of New Hampshire," she said.
Currently, 18 other states and the District of Columbia allow seriously ill people to use marijuana in their medical treatment.
News Hawk- Truth Seeker 420 MAGAZINE ®
Source: sfgate.com
Author: Holly Ramer
Contact: Contacts at San Francisco Chronicle - SFGate
Website: NH lawmakers reconcile medical marijuana bills - SFGate
Both chambers had previously passed the bill, but the Senate version eliminated a House-proposed option for patients to grow the drug at home as well as obtain it at a dispensary, and Gov. Maggie Hassan said she wouldn't sign the bill if the home-grow provision remained.
In a negotiation session Tuesday, House lawmakers agreed to drop that provision and go along with other Senate changes in exchange for specifying that the commission implementing the new system be appointed as soon as the bill is passed.
Opponents of the home cultivation option were concerned about the state's ability to regulate it. Supporters argued it was critical to ensure immediate access for terminally ill patients, given that it would take the state close to a year to write the regulations for dispensaries, and could take another year or more for them to begin operations.
Rep. Elaine Andrews-Ahearn, D-Exeter, said it also would be a hardship for some patients to travel long distances to the four sanctioned dispensaries.
"That's a long distance for people who are ill to have to travel," she said.
Under the bill, patients diagnosed with cancer, Crohn's disease and other conditions could possess up to 2 ounces of marijuana. Dispensaries could have a maximum of 80 marijuana plants, 160 seedlings and 80 ounces of marijuana or 6 ounces per qualifying patient. They also would have a limit of three mature cannabis plants, 12 seedlings and 6 ounces for each patient who designates the dispensary as his or her treatment center.
To qualify for medical marijuana, a person would have to have been a patient of the prescribing doctor for at least 90 days, have tried other remedies, and have exhibited certain symptoms. Only New Hampshire residents would qualify.
During negotiations Tuesday, House lawmakers also agreed to not include post-traumatic stress disorder as a qualifying condition.
"This is a first step, things can always be added later on," said Sen. Nancy Stiles, R-Hampton.
The bill's main sponsor, Rep. Donna Schlachman, said she was disappointed that the compromise bill didn't include what she considers adequate protection for patients using marijuana before the dispensaries are set up.
"We have really opened this bill up so law enforcement in any town that is really against any form of the legalization of therapeutic cannabis is in a position to arrest people simply because they've applied for their card and it hasn't come yet," said Schlachman, D-Exeter.
Hassan said the compromise addresses her concerns and she will sign the bill if the full House and Senate approve the changes.
"I have always maintained that allowing doctors to provide relief to patients through the use of appropriately regulated and dispensed medical marijuana is the compassionate and right policy for the state of New Hampshire," she said.
Currently, 18 other states and the District of Columbia allow seriously ill people to use marijuana in their medical treatment.
News Hawk- Truth Seeker 420 MAGAZINE ®
Source: sfgate.com
Author: Holly Ramer
Contact: Contacts at San Francisco Chronicle - SFGate
Website: NH lawmakers reconcile medical marijuana bills - SFGate
