Pubdate: Wed, 01 May 2002
Source: Baltimore Chronicle (MD)
Copyright: 2002 The Baltimore Chronicle and the Sentinel
Contact:  http://baltimorechronicle.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/975
Section: News Briefs
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mmj.htm (Cannabis - Medicinal)

SENATE COMMITTEE NARROWLY DEFEATS MEDICAL MARIJUANA BILL

A Maryland legislative bill which would have lessened punishment for the 
medical use of marijuana failed in a Senate committee by one vote last 
month. The Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee voted unfavorably on H.B. 
1222, the Darrell Putman Compassionate Use Act, although the statute passed 
80-56 in the House. This is the farthest a medical marijuana bill has come 
in the Maryland legislature. Under its terms, a conviction for medical 
marijuana use would be similar to a parking ticket, and no criminal record 
would result. Eight states--Alaska, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, 
Nevada, Oregon, and Washington--currently have laws that protect medical 
marijuana patients.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom