Jacob Bell
New Member
"I'm basically in pain 24 hours a day," Larry Phillips said.
Nearly three decades ago Larry Phillips took a nasty fall, breaking a vertebra in his neck, smashing disks in his back and causing permanent nerve impingement. After trying prescription drugs he turned to medical marijuana.
"I've found that cannabis is very helpful in alleviating my symptoms. It's not perfect by any means but it's certainly helpful and I don't feel that I should have to break the law to feel better," Phillips said.
Under the current legislation, medical cannabis patients in Vermont may possess up to two useable ounce and nine plants, two of which can be mature. But they have to grow it in their homes which some patients say can be problematic.
"I would be allowed to grow it except my wife, my children, my grandchildren and my landlord are all in favor of me not doing that," Phillips said.
On Thursday Phillips testified before Vermont lawmakers pushing the need for state medical marijuana dispensaries.
"It would allow me to purchase my medicine from a reputable, reliable, safe source," Phillips said.
But Vermont law enforcement officials disagree. Police chiefs say dispensaries will complicate Vermont's illegal drug scene.
"One of the big concerns is diversion," Newport Police Chief Paul Duquette said.
Duquette says the dispensaries-- or the immediate areas surrounding them-- will become havens for illegal activity.
"We're worried about infiltration by criminal groups into a well-intentioned program," Duquette said.
Law enforcement officials aren't saying dispensaries are out of the question, they just want to change some of the language before it goes to a vote, like giving police the ability to inspect dispensary inventory, prohibiting pot donations to dispensaries and mandating that all growing be done indoors on the property. All reasonable suggestions according to Phillips.
"I agreed with a lot of what law enforcement said today," Phillips said. "I'm very concerned with full transparency and with working with law enforcement in such a way that patients can get their medicine and law enforcement can feel confident that there is not diversion."
The bill is still far from a vote. Next week there will be another full day of testimony followed by bill revisions. A vote date has not yet been set.
Video
News Hawk- GuitarMan313 420 MAGAZINE
Source: wcax.com
Author: Jennifer Reading
Contact: Contact Us
Copyright: WorldNow and WCAX
Website: Debate over medical marijuana dispensaries in Vt.
Nearly three decades ago Larry Phillips took a nasty fall, breaking a vertebra in his neck, smashing disks in his back and causing permanent nerve impingement. After trying prescription drugs he turned to medical marijuana.
"I've found that cannabis is very helpful in alleviating my symptoms. It's not perfect by any means but it's certainly helpful and I don't feel that I should have to break the law to feel better," Phillips said.
Under the current legislation, medical cannabis patients in Vermont may possess up to two useable ounce and nine plants, two of which can be mature. But they have to grow it in their homes which some patients say can be problematic.
"I would be allowed to grow it except my wife, my children, my grandchildren and my landlord are all in favor of me not doing that," Phillips said.
On Thursday Phillips testified before Vermont lawmakers pushing the need for state medical marijuana dispensaries.
"It would allow me to purchase my medicine from a reputable, reliable, safe source," Phillips said.
But Vermont law enforcement officials disagree. Police chiefs say dispensaries will complicate Vermont's illegal drug scene.
"One of the big concerns is diversion," Newport Police Chief Paul Duquette said.
Duquette says the dispensaries-- or the immediate areas surrounding them-- will become havens for illegal activity.
"We're worried about infiltration by criminal groups into a well-intentioned program," Duquette said.
Law enforcement officials aren't saying dispensaries are out of the question, they just want to change some of the language before it goes to a vote, like giving police the ability to inspect dispensary inventory, prohibiting pot donations to dispensaries and mandating that all growing be done indoors on the property. All reasonable suggestions according to Phillips.
"I agreed with a lot of what law enforcement said today," Phillips said. "I'm very concerned with full transparency and with working with law enforcement in such a way that patients can get their medicine and law enforcement can feel confident that there is not diversion."
The bill is still far from a vote. Next week there will be another full day of testimony followed by bill revisions. A vote date has not yet been set.
Video
News Hawk- GuitarMan313 420 MAGAZINE
Source: wcax.com
Author: Jennifer Reading
Contact: Contact Us
Copyright: WorldNow and WCAX
Website: Debate over medical marijuana dispensaries in Vt.
