I have a confession to make: I'm currently considered a criminal under Rhode Island law. My crime? Functioning as a productive member of society. Marijuana is the only drug that controls my chronic pain and motor tics. But using it -- and writing about it in these pages -- puts me in danger of arrest and imprisonment. My medical history is long. At age 12, I was diagnosed with Tourette's syndrome and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Tourette's causes severe, involuntary movements and vocal outbursts. By age 19, the twitching was so bad I had dislocated joints all over my body. And several motorcycle accidents -- and subsequent knee replacements -- gave me chronic, debilitating pain. [continues 581 words]
PROVIDENCE -- The number of drug courts in the country increased by 37 percent last year, and has nearly doubled since 2001, according to a report that the National Drug Court Institute released here last week. C. West Huddleston III, director of the National Drug Court Institute, was in Rhode Island on Thursday and Friday to do a Family Court training session, meet with state officials and speak at a banquet marking national Drug Court Month. During the visit, he also released a report titled "Painting the Current Picture: A National Report Card on Drug Courts and Other Problem-Solving Court Programs in the United States." [continues 500 words]
PROVIDENCE -- Bills to allow seriously ill patients to use marijuana medically and to take guns away from domestic abusers who are the subject of restraining orders both easily passed the Senate Judiciary Committee yesterday. The so-called "Homicide Prevention Act" was voted out of committee unanimously and the medical marijuana bill was sent to the Senate floor on a 9-2 vote. Under the medical marijuana bill, sponsored by Sen. Rhoda Perry, patients with chronic or debilitating diseases like cancer, glaucoma, AIDS and multiple sclerosis and two primary caregivers would be allowed to have 2.5 ounces of useable marijuana or 12 marijuana plants without the risk of arrest or prosecution. The patient must be diagnosed by a licensed physician as having a debilitating medical condition. [continues 575 words]
PROVIDENCE -- Coventry's senatorial delegation has a few misgiving about the proposal to legalize the use of marijuna for medical purposes. Sens. Leo Blais (R-Dist 24) and Leonidas "Lou" Raptakis (D-Dist. 33) cast the sole dissenting votes against a medical marijuana bill in the Senate Judiciary Committee last week. The bill, which would protect patients suffering from diseases such as AIDS and cancer from prosecution, was passed by the committee 7-2. The bill now moves to the full Senate for a vote. [continues 366 words]
Marijuana Is Justified As Medicine OK. Right up front, full disclosure: I have inhaled. Considering I came of age in the 1960s, this shouldn't come as any surprise. Those of my generation can understand. Those younger need to know that the vast majority (and that is no exaggeration) of my peers also inhaled. Pot was so prevalent in the late 1960s and early 1970s that if a cop busted you and you had less than an ounce, he would just confiscate it and send you on your way. And you can be sure that pot would never see its way to the evidence room. [continues 563 words]
PROVIDENCE -- Bills to allow seriously ill patients to use marijuana for medicine and to take guns away from domestic abusers who are subject to restraining orders both easily passed the Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday. The so-called "Homicide Prevention Act" was voted out of committee unanimously and the medical marijuana bill was sent to the Senate floor on a 9-2 vote. Under the medical marijuana bill, sponsored by Sen. Rhoda Perry, patients with chronic or debilitating diseases like cancer, glaucoma, AIDS and multiple sclerosis would be allowed to have 2.5 ounces of useable marijuana or 12 marijuana plants without the risk of arrest or prosecution. Two primary caregivers for each patient would also be exempt. [continues 587 words]
PROVIDENCE -- Bills to allow seriously ill patients to use marijuana medically and to take guns away from domestic abusers who are the subject of restraining orders both easily passed the Senate Judiciary Committee Thursday. The so-called "Homicide Prevention Act" was voted out of committee unanimously and the medical marijuana bill was sent to the Senate floor on a 9-2 vote. Under the medical marijuana bill, sponsored by Sen. Rhoda Perry, patients with chronic or debilitating diseases like cancer, glaucoma, AIDS and multiple sclerosis and two primary caregivers would be allowed to have 2.5 ounces of useable marijuana or 12 marijuana plants without the risk of arrest or prosecution. [continues 598 words]
The Legislation Goes to the Full Senate; the House Has Yet to Schedule a Vote. PROVIDENCE -- Rhode Islanders with cancer, AIDS and other serious illnesses would be allowed to use marijuana to alleviate their pain under a bill that cleared a key Senate committee last night. Besides approving the medical marijuana legislation, the Senate Judiciary Committee also sent to the Senate floor bills that would expand neighborhood notification of sex offenders to include "moderate" offenders and requiring the police to record interrogations in capital crimes. [continues 897 words]
PROVIDENCE - When he was 10 years old, Irving Rosenfeld was diagnosed with multiple congenital cartilaginous exostosis, a long description for a condition that means painful tumors grow on his bones. The tumors cause severe muscle spasm and tears. Doctors told him he'd be lucky to make it through his teenage years. But on Wednesday, Rosenfeld, now 52 and a successful stockbroker, was in Rhode Island to share his success story. Testifying before the House Health, Education and Welfare Committee, Rosenfeld held up a round aluminum tin containing the drug he claims has allowed him to lead a normal life. [continues 780 words]
Providence -- Patients suffering from debilitating medical conditions would be able to grow and use marijuana without risking arrest under a bill up for debate before a legislative committee on Wednesday. The House Committee on Health, Education & Welfare heard testimony Wednesday evening on the Rhode Island Medical Marijuana Act, which would shield patients with diseases such as cancer and AIDS from being prosecuted for using marijuana. Their doctors and caregivers also would be protected. "We can all agree that there are people out there who are very sick and are using marijuana because it's the only thing that gives them relief," Rep. Thomas C. Slater, D-Providence, sponsor of the House bill, told the committee. [continues 414 words]
PROVIDENCE -- After listening to nearly two hours of often-impassioned testimony about the medical use of marijuana, the chairman of the House Health, Education and Welfare Committee said that "philosophically, it is something the committee would look at," if the proper controls could be put in place. "That's our challenge," Chairman Joseph McNamara said after the hearing. "Distribution, control and regulation are major issues that have to be addressed." McNamara said he expects to work with the state Department of Health on some of those details in the coming weeks. [continues 664 words]
PROVIDENCE -- After listening to nearly two hours of often-impassioned testimony about the medical use of marijuana, the chairman of the House Health, Education and Welfare Committee said that "philosophically, it is something the committee would look at," if the proper controls could be put in place. "That's our challenge," Chairman Joseph McNamara said after the hearing. "Distribution, control and regulation are major issues that have to be addressed." McNamara said he expects to work with the state Department of Health on some of those details in the coming weeks. [continues 579 words]
THE USE of marijuana for medicinal purposes continues to be a subject of great debate. This topic has become a salient one for Rhode Island because a state Medical Marijuana Act is under consideration. As chief judge of the Family Court, founder and past president of the New England Association for Drug Court Professionals, and a board member of the National Association for Drug Court Professionals, I am concerned about the lack of clarity in this proposed act. Although there is still much dissension over the scientific findings on the medical use of marijuana, there is little dispute that stringent regulations are required in this matter. [continues 865 words]
No Vote Is Taken on a Bill That Would Make Rhode Island the 11th State to Protect Patients, Their Caregivers and Doctors From Arrest Under State Drug Laws. PROVIDENCE -- Lawmakers with their own family stories of cancer treatments and patients who have suffered the agony of debilitating diseases stepped forward last night to urge a House committee to legalize the use of marijuana for medical reasons. But the bill, which appears to be gaining steam in both chambers of the Assembly, also drew opposition from both the Carcieri administration and state police, and concerns from a chief state court judge. [continues 1019 words]
The Girl Was Removed From School In November, After Marijuana Was Found In Her Pocketbook. JOHNSTON -- A high school senior who was barred from graduation has been given a second chance. The state education commissioner last week overturned the School Committee's decision to bar the student, who was expelled in November for having marijuana at school, from participating in commencement next month. In the May 6 ruling, Paul Pontarelli, a hearing officer appointed by the commissioner, said that although it wasn't unreasonable to give the girl a substantial punishment, the substance-abuse policy in the student handbook didn't give school officials enough latitude to make an appropriate decision. [continues 708 words]
A University of Rhode Island student was arraigned last Wednesday on felony charges of possession with intention to distribute marijuana and cultivating marijuana. URI student Kenneth J. Lucas, 19, of East Longmedow, Mass., was charged with growing $7,500 worth of marijuana in his parents' Great Island home. According to The Providence Journal, Narragansett police confiscated 24 mature marijuana plants and growing supplies, including fluorescent lights, fertilizer and plants ready for harvesting. Additionally, officers found one pound of marijuana and $2,700 in cash. [continues 384 words]
Rob Kampia is to be commended for exposing the absurdity of the U.S. government's irrational prohibition of marijuana ("Medical marijuana works in Canada," Commentary April 24). Diet is the No. 1 determinant of health. Do we really want big government monitoring everything that goes into our bodies? And if it is the proper role of government to punish citizens for unhealthy choices, why target medical-marijuana patients? Unlike alcohol, marijuana has never been shown to cause an overdose death, nor does it share the addictive properties of nicotine. [continues 91 words]
WESTERLY - A pack of police dogs took to the hallways of the high school this morning in a surprise attempt to find drugs on school grounds. The search netted one arrest of a student, who had a "small amount" of marijuana in his or her car, said police Chief Edward A. Mello. Mello said only top school administrators, himself and K-9 officers knew about the drug search before it began at 7:50 a.m. It had been planned for several weeks, he said. [continues 221 words]
A bill that would legalize the medical use of marijuana is before the General Assembly, and it's drawing the support of leadership as well as the Rhode Island Medical Society and the Rhode Island State Nurses Association. Under its provisions, patients, caregivers and doctors would be protected from arrest if a doctor certifies that a patient would benefit from marijuana use, and the benefit would outweigh health risks. The department of health would be the oversight body, and would issue registration cards providing that the patient or caregiver could possess up to 12 marijuana plants or up to 2.5 ounces of marijuana at any given time. [continues 343 words]
Panelists Decry 'War' On Drugs At Tuesday night's panel, "The International War on Drugs: Plan Colombia and Beyond," Peter Andreas, assistant professor of political science and international studies, admitted that he once inadvertently contributed to Bolivia's cocaine economy by agreeing to sit on top of a large stack of toilet paper on a public bus. Unbeknownst to Andreas at the time, toilet paper is used to dry coca paste, and Bolivia's cocaine production depends on the surreptitious import of this seemingly innocuous product. [continues 577 words]
Inside Rhode Island
