Pubdate: Fri, 08 Feb 2002
Source: Herald-Mail, The (MD)
Copyright: 2002 The Herald-Mail Company
Contact:  http://www.herald-mail.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1537
Author: Laura Ernde
Note: The Associated Press contributed to this story.
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mmj.htm (Cannabis - Medicinal)

PROPOSED BILL WOULD LEGALIZE MARIJUANA FOR MEDICAL USE

When he was a state trooper, Del. Thomas E. Hutchins arrested marijuana users.

Now, he wants judges to go easy on people who smoke pot for medical reasons.

If people like Hutchins can support medical marijuana use, surely the 
Maryland General Assembly can follow, advocates said at a press conference 
Thursday.

Del. Donald E. Murphy, R-Baltimore/Howard, has spent two years trying to 
legalize marijuana for medical use. Each time, his bills have died in the 
Judiciary Committee.

He hopes this year will be different and said he feels buoyed by the fact 
that at least 50 of his colleagues have pledged their support by 
cosponsoring his legislation. That's more than one-third of the 141 House 
members.

Two Washington County lawmakers are continuing their support - Del. Sue 
Hecht, D-Frederick/Washington, and Del. Louise V. Snodgrass, 
R-Frederick/Washington.

As a breast cancer survivor, Snodgrass said she saw how grueling the 
treatments can be.

Snodgrass said she did not use marijuana while undergoing treatment for 
breast cancer, but said the bill "is the right way to go."

"There are so many families out there that get marijuana illegally because 
they cannot watch their families suffer," she said.

Murphy named his bill after Darrell Putnam, a medical marijuana user who 
died of cancer shortly before the first medical marijuana bill was 
introduced in 2000. Putnam was a former Green Beret and operator of a horse 
carriage service in Frederick, Md.

Hutchins, R-Charles, said his support stems from knowing Putnam as a great 
soldier.

"I don't think he would have resorted to this lightly. That really hits 
home for me," Hutchins said.

"Cancer patients and AIDS patients, they don't have another year to wait," 
he said.

Murphy is trying a slightly different strategy this year. In addition to 
his bill, which would legalize marijuana for medical use, advocates are 
introducing two other bills that would take incremental steps toward 
legalization.

One would allow people charged with marijuana possession to use medical 
reasons as a defense in criminal court. That bill is sponsored by Del. Dana 
L. Dembrow, D-Montgomery.

The other, sponsored by Hutchins, would require a judge to take medical use 
into consideration at sentencing.

Murphy also made several changes to his comprehensive bill to ensure that 
the law wouldn't be abused.

Murphy's bill would exempt Marylanders from prosecution under state law if 
a doctor recommends they use it and they register with the state Department 
of Health and Mental Hygiene.

A patient or primary caregiver could grow up to seven marijuana plants 
indoors for medical use and possess up to three ounces of useable marijuana.

Doctors could recommend use for medical conditions that include cancer, 
glaucoma, AIDS, severe pain and nausea, epilepsy and multiple sclerosis.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Beth