Pubdate: Tue, 26 Mar 2013
Source: Cumberland Times-News (MD)
Copyright: 2013 Associated Press
Contact:  http://www.times-news.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1365
Author: Brian Witte, Associated Press
Page: 1B

HOUSE PASSES MEDICAL MARIJUANA BILL

ANNAPOLIS (AP) - After years of debate, the Maryland House of 
Delegates voted 108-28 on Monday for a measure that would put the 
state on a path toward developing a medical marijuana program in the 
next few years.

The measure, which now goes to the Senate, would create a state 
commission to oversee medical marijuana programs at academic medical 
research centers that decide to participate. It's estimated one would 
not be up and running in the state until at least fiscal year 2016.

"It may take several years for a program to get up and running, and 
federal policy presents a substantial obstacle to a law like this one 
ever being fully implemented," said Dan Riffle, deputy director of 
government relations for the Marijuana Policy Project. "Still, this 
bill gives us hope that patients could have safe, reliable access 
through programs that bear the imprimatur of some of the country's 
most respected medical institutions."

Supporters have been backing the measure for years, but it received 
an extra boost this year with the support of the state's health secretary.

Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene Secretary Joshua 
Sharfstein, a member of Gov. Martin O'Malley's cabinet, expressed 
support for the measure, so long as the bill was changed to enable 
the governor to suspend the program, if it is determined state 
employees could be prosecuted by the federal government for their 
work in a program. The legislation also was changed to spell out that 
a state employee would be eligible for reimbursement of legal fees in 
connection with a federal criminal investigation for good-faith work 
related to the program.

The programs would provide patients with marijuana grown by the 
federal government or state-licensed growers regulated by the state 
commission, which would operate under the state health department.

Participating academic medical research centers would have to specify 
qualifying medical conditions for treatment. They would have to 
identify sources of funding and a plan for monitoring outcomes. The 
health department would also have to make data on the programs 
available to law enforcement.

Last week, the state Senate voted 30-16 to decriminalize the 
possession of less than 10 grams of marijuana.

California became the first state to allow the medical use of 
marijuana in 1996. Since then, 17 other states and the District of 
Columbia have followed.

Under current Maryland law, if a court finds that a defendant used 
marijuana out of medical necessity, the maximum punishment is a $100 
fine. Critics say the law still forces people whose pain could be 
alleviated by marijuana to buy it illegally from drug dealers.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom