The Distribution Of Medical Marijuana in RI ?

[User]

More than 600 seriously ill Rhode Islanders are licensed by the Department of Health to use medical marijuana. But some patients are too ill or lack the financial resources or physical ability to grow their own medical marijuana, and do not have a trusted friend or family member who can grow it for them as a caregiver. This leaves some of our most vulnerable neighbors without safe access to their medicine, forcing them to go to the black market. Patients have already been robbed or beaten by illicit drug dealers.

Rhode Island legislators want patients to have safe access to medicine. In the 2008 session, the Senate passed Sen. Perry’s S2693 by an overwhelming majority of 30-5. This bill would have authorized the Department of Health to license non-profit Compassion Centers, and its text is available here (.pdf).

According to this 2008 poll, 69% of Rhode Islanders support Compassion Centers. Unfortunately, the House of Representatives did not pass the bill.

In the 2009 session, Rep. Tom Slater and Sen. Rhoda Perry have introduced identical bills to address this issue, H5359 and S0185. They would allow up to 3 non-profit Compassion Centers to grow and distribute medical marijuana for patients. The Department of Health would license Compassion Centers and regulate their record-keeping and security.

Under this year's bill, Compassion Centers:
Must be a non-profit organization;
Must be located at least 500 feet from a school;
Must have good oversight and record-keeping procedures;
Must have alarm and security measures to deter theft;
Must have only Rhode Islanders on their Board of Directors;
Must train employees on confidentiality, ethics, security, and professional conduct;
Can have two locations, one for cultivation and one for distribution;
Cannot dispense over 2.5 oz. or 12 plants to any patient within 15 days;
Cannot possess more than the total oz./plants possession limits of its patients.
Licenses would be issued to three Compassion Centers, based on a hearing and:
Applicant's convenience to patients throughout RI;
Applicant's ability to provide a steady supply of medical marijuana to patients;
Applicant's experience running a non-profit or other business;
Wishes of qualifying patients;
Wishes of the city or town where the Compassion Center would be located;
Sufficiency of applicant's plans for confidential record-keeping;
Sufficiency of applicant's plans for safety and security.
There will be an application fee of $250, and, if accepted, an annual license fee of $5,000.


News Hawk: User: http://www.420magazine.com/
Source: RIPAC
Copyright: 2009 RIPAC
Contact: RIPAC: Medical Marijuana in Rhode Island
Website: RIPAC: Medical Marijuana in Rhode Island