Pubdate: Sat, 24 Aug 2013
Source: Middletown Press, The (CT)
Copyright: 2013 Associated Press
Contact:  http://www.middletownpress.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/586

LAWYERS BACK POT REGULATIONS

Attorneys Reverse Stance on Issue

Hartford (AP) - Legislative attorneys have reversed their stance and 
are now recommending that state lawmakers next week approve a revised 
set of proposed regulations for Connecticut's new medical marijuana program.

In a report provided to The Associated Press on Friday, the 
Legislative Commissioners Office recommended that the General 
Assembly's Regulation Review Committee approve the regulations in 
whole, along with 118 technical corrections, various deletions and 
substitute pages. The bipartisan panel is scheduled to meet on Tuesday.

The attorneys had previously recommended the committee reject the 
proposed regulations, citing more than dozen concerns, such as the 
broadness of the language. But the Department of Consumer Protection 
submitted revisions, expressing confidence that all the major 
concerns had been addressed.

Rep. Selim Noujaim, the committee's co-chairman, said Friday he's 
still worried about approving regulations for an industry that 
violates federal drug laws. Noujaim said he and other lawmakers are 
concerned that legislators, state employees who regulate the system, 
pharmacists, marijuana growers and distributors could be legally 
liable should the regulations be approved.

Noujaim said he plans to pose questions about the federal liability 
as well as other issues to representatives from the Attorney 
General's Office during Tuesday's scheduled meeting.

While Noujaim did not vote for the 2012 bill that created the medical 
marijuana system, he said he understands that he has a different role 
as a member of the Regulation Review Committee. Noujaim and his 
fellow members are charged with making sure the regulations match the 
intent of the law and are sound.

"I am very cognizant that I have two different roles right now," he said.

The 14-member committee is evenly divided between Democrats and 
Republicans. Half had voted against the original bill.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom