MEDICAL POT CHANGES, STATE BY STATE

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled May 14 that dispensing or possessing marijuana
for medical use is illegal. Here's what's happened since in the states that
have medical marijuana laws in effect or pending:

Alaska: Dean Guaneli, chief assistant attorney general, said: "Our law
hasn't changed. We always suspected if the feds wanted to crack down on the
medical use of marijuana, they would do that."

Arizona: Attorney general's spokeswoman Pati Urias said doctors, even
before the high court's ruling, were not recommending marijuana as the
state law required for the infirm to obtain medical marijuana. Activists
estimate that several hundred people are using marijuana for medical purposes.

California: Senate approved a sweeping bill that would implement a
statewide registry of medical marijuana patients, bar state prosecution of
doctors who recommend marijuana to their patients and allow so-called
caregivers to the infirm to cultivate marijuana cooperatively for medical
purposes.

Colorado: Expanded its medical marijuana law, complying with a state voter
initiative that requires the state to issue license medical marijuana
users. Governor and state attorney general oppose the expansion, urging
federal authorities to prosecute anybody who sells, distributes or grows
marijuana, even if they qualify under the state program. The local acting
U.S. Attorney said it's up to local law enforcement to prosecute medical
pot cases.

Hawaii: Governor said he'll lobby for federal legislation to legalize
marijuana use for medical purposes nationwide.

Maine: Lawmakers scrapped a pilot project in which the state would dispense
medical marijuana.

Nevada: State lawmakers, abiding by a voter referendum, approved a medical
marijuana law, which governor said he would sign. Lawmakers also relaxed
penalties for possessing small amounts of non-medical marijuana.

Oregon: Attorney general cautioned that "Oregonians engaged in the
manufacture and distribution or who are in possession of medical marijuana
may be subject to federal criminal prosecution." But he added that federal
prosecution was unlikely.

Washington: Attorney general spokesman Gary Larson suggested that the high
court's decision will "have a broad impact on people who seek to use
medical marijuana in this state," but state officials have taken no action
as a result of the high court's ruling.


Newshawk: M & M Family
Pubdate: Wed, 13 Jun 2001
Source: Washington Post (DC)
Copyright: 2001 The Washington Post Company
Contact: letters@washpost.com
Website: http://www.washingtonpost.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/491
Author: Associated Press
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mmj.htm (Cannabis - Medicinal)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/ocbc.htm (Oakland Cannabis Court Case)