Pubdate: Mon, 08 Apr 2002
Source: The Star Democrat (MD)
Copyright: 2002 The Star Democrat
Contact:  http://www.stardem.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1233
Cited: http://www.mpp.org/ (Marijuana Policy Project)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mmj.htm (Cannabis - Medicinal)

MEDICAL MARIJUANA BILL KILLED BY SENATE COMMITTEE

ANNAPOLIS (AP) - A bill to establish a $100 fine as the maximum penalty for 
possessing marijuana for medical use was killed by a one-vote margin Friday 
by the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee.

The bill, which had already passed the House of Delegates, would have 
essentially decriminalized possession of small amounts of marijuana for 
people who could prove to a judge they needed to smoke it to relieve 
symptoms of illnesses such as cancer and AIDS.

"This is a sad day for future cancer patients in the state of Maryland," 
Delegate Donald Murphy, R-Baltimore County, sponsor of the bill, said.

Murphy said he lost the bill on a 6-5 vote because Sen. Timothy Ferguson, 
R-Carroll-Frederick, voted against the bill after promising he would vote 
for it and "shepherd it through the committee."

Ferguson said he told Murphy he would shepherd the bill through the 
committee but did not promise to vote for it.

Billy Rogers of the Marijuana Policy Project in Washington said if the bill 
had gotten out of committee and onto the Senate floor, it would have passed.

"We made tremendous progress this year in getting the bill out of the House 
Judiciary Committee and winning a vote on the House floor," he said.

He predicted a bill will pass the General Assembly next year.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom