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Last week's ruling rejecting a challenge to California's medical marijuana law removes all doubt that Michigan can pass similar legislation, Rep. LaMar Lemmons Jr. (D-Wayne County) said today.
The Michigan House Committee on Government Operations held a hearing last month in which seriously ill patients urged lawmakers to pass a bill protecting patients from arrest and imprisonment for using medical marijuana with their doctor’s recommendation. The bill — whose sponsor has been term-limited out of office — was not brought to a vote, but Lemmons said he plans to introduce a similar bill next year.
"This ruling removes any doubt that our state can act to protect medical marijuana patients from arrest under state law, regardless of federal policy, and there is no reason not to pass this bill promptly," he said.
In the California case, San Diego County sought to overturn most provisions of the state's medical marijuana law, including a program under which counties were required to issue ID cards identifying legally qualified medical marijuana patients, claiming that federal law bars the state from enacting such a program. Superior Court Judge William R. Nevitt Jr. flatly rejected the argument in the Dec. 6 decision, writing, "Requiring the counties to issue identification cards for the purpose of identifying those whom California chooses not to arrest and prosecute for certain activities involving marijuana use does not create a 'positive conflict'" with federal law. Nevitt had already issued a tentative ruling Nov. 16 rejecting the county’s argument.
"This ruling comes as no surprise, given that state medical marijuana laws have been protecting thousands of patients for the past 10 years without previously being challenged," said Karen O’Keefe, assistant director of state policies for the Marijuana Policy Project in Washington, D.C. "With the California ruling ending all doubt that Michigan can protect medical marijuana patients, we look forward to supporting Representative Lemmons' efforts to pass medical marijuana legislation in 2007."
Since 1996, when California became the first state to establish laws protecting seriously ill patients who use medical marijuana with their doctor’s recommendation from arrest and imprisonment, 10 more states have established similar laws. Here in Michigan, Detroit, Ferndale, Traverse City and Ann Arbor have already voted in favor of medical marijuana, and Flint voters will decide whether to pass a medical marijuana bill in February.
Newshawk: User - 420 Magazine
Source: Marijuana Policy Project
Pubdate: 13 December 2006
Copyright: 2006 Marijuana Policy Project
Contact: Marijuana Policy Project - Home
Website: Marijuana Policy Project - Home
The Michigan House Committee on Government Operations held a hearing last month in which seriously ill patients urged lawmakers to pass a bill protecting patients from arrest and imprisonment for using medical marijuana with their doctor’s recommendation. The bill — whose sponsor has been term-limited out of office — was not brought to a vote, but Lemmons said he plans to introduce a similar bill next year.
"This ruling removes any doubt that our state can act to protect medical marijuana patients from arrest under state law, regardless of federal policy, and there is no reason not to pass this bill promptly," he said.
In the California case, San Diego County sought to overturn most provisions of the state's medical marijuana law, including a program under which counties were required to issue ID cards identifying legally qualified medical marijuana patients, claiming that federal law bars the state from enacting such a program. Superior Court Judge William R. Nevitt Jr. flatly rejected the argument in the Dec. 6 decision, writing, "Requiring the counties to issue identification cards for the purpose of identifying those whom California chooses not to arrest and prosecute for certain activities involving marijuana use does not create a 'positive conflict'" with federal law. Nevitt had already issued a tentative ruling Nov. 16 rejecting the county’s argument.
"This ruling comes as no surprise, given that state medical marijuana laws have been protecting thousands of patients for the past 10 years without previously being challenged," said Karen O’Keefe, assistant director of state policies for the Marijuana Policy Project in Washington, D.C. "With the California ruling ending all doubt that Michigan can protect medical marijuana patients, we look forward to supporting Representative Lemmons' efforts to pass medical marijuana legislation in 2007."
Since 1996, when California became the first state to establish laws protecting seriously ill patients who use medical marijuana with their doctor’s recommendation from arrest and imprisonment, 10 more states have established similar laws. Here in Michigan, Detroit, Ferndale, Traverse City and Ann Arbor have already voted in favor of medical marijuana, and Flint voters will decide whether to pass a medical marijuana bill in February.
Newshawk: User - 420 Magazine
Source: Marijuana Policy Project
Pubdate: 13 December 2006
Copyright: 2006 Marijuana Policy Project
Contact: Marijuana Policy Project - Home
Website: Marijuana Policy Project - Home
