Pubdate: Thu, 20 Mar 2014
Source: San Jose Mercury News (CA)
Copyright: 2014 San Jose Mercury News
Contact:  http://www.mercurynews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/390
Author: Tom Ammiano
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v14/n255/a08.html

A MORE COMPLETE BILL TO REGULATE MEDICAL POT

Your editorial ("Medical marijuana should be regulated by the state," 
Editorial, March 17) hit most issues just right. We need regulation 
to control abuses, and to protect medical users. You're also right to 
call SB 1262 "a work in progress." You missed, however, a more 
developed and complete bill, my AB 604, that has been the product of 
discussions with all parties. SB 1262' s sponsors have ( as you 
noted) consistently been against any regulation, but my office has 
kept the door open, and I have continued to try to find the common 
ground. Listening to the League of Cities, for example, I made local 
control a centerpiece of AB 604. My bill describes a way to control 
doctors who are "out of hand" without the heavy hand of SB 1262. It 
designates an agency with more experience at the kind of public 
safety control and education work that medical cannabis regulation needs.

Tom Ammiano Assemblymember 17th District, San Francisco
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom