Pubdate: Thu, 04 Sep 2014
Source: Baltimore Sun (MD)
Copyright: 2014 The Baltimore Sun Company
Contact:  http://www.baltimoresun.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/37
Authors: Eric E. Sterling, Deborah Miran, Col. H. "Buddy" Robshaw, 
Cristina Paul, William "Chris" Charles and Paul W. Davies
Page: 16

MEDICAL MARIJUANA RULES A WORK IN PROGRESS

As members of the Natalie M. LaPrade Medical Marijuana Commission's 
policy subcommittee, we are honored to be able to serve our fellow 
citizens to develop a program that makes medical marijuana available 
to those Marylanders who have not found relief from conventional 
treatments and may benefit from its many medicinal uses in a safe, 
affordable manner ("Proposed medical marijuana rules under fire," Aug. 27).

As we have been writing the regulations to implement this new law, we 
are very mindful to balance the concerns of the General Assembly to 
assure ease of access for the patient and provide necessary security 
safeguards. To aid our drafting process we chose the unusual step to 
release to the public informal drafts of our concepts for public 
comment. Indeed, the recent article and subsequent editorial ("A 
medicinal plant," Aug. 28) in The Baltimore Sun highlighted our process.

We have been considering all of the comments, and they have been 
extremely helpful and insightful. As a result of the public comments, 
the policy subcommittee has incorporated many of those 
recommendations into our draft regulations.

We are dedicated to developing a medical marijuana program that will 
avoid many of the problems that have been encountered in other states 
and that will become a model for other states as they develop their programs.

Eric E. Sterling, Deborah Miran, Col. H. "Buddy" Robshaw, Cristina 
Paul, William "Chris" Charles and Paul W. Davies The writers are 
members of the policy subcommittee of the Natalie M. LaPrade Medical 
Marijuana Commission.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom