Medical Marijuana Bill Passes In Colorado Senate

[Jim Finnel]

Dreams of recreational pot users who want to get their hands on medical marijuana may have just gone up in smoke.

The Colorado Senate passed a bill that put strong restrictions on usage of medical marijuana and set guidelines for doctors who make recommendations for medical marijuana users.

Senate Bill 109 passed overwhelmingly 34-1. It is sponsored by Sens. Chris Romer, D-Denver, and Nancy Spence, R-Centennial.

The bill would keep doctors from writing recommendations inside the state's growing number of medical marijuana dispensaries, require physicians to review the medical history and give full exams to those who seek approval to buy the drug.

Also under the bill, people who are between the ages of 18 and 21 would have to get the approval of two doctors before becoming medical marijuana users.



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Website: Medical marijuana bill passes in Colorado Senate

 

[Warbux]

One step forward, two Steps back...

 

[gromper]

Full exams - does that include proctological? After all, if I smoke medical marijuana to help with chronic knee pain because I have no cartilage in the joint and big arthritic protrusions in surrounding bones, they probably wanna make sure my butt can take it too. And lets be sure the exam costs the patient even more than it already does so they can weed out the indigent and those on a fixed income with no spare dollars.

So sad ...

 

[Irish]

I don't know a whole lot about lawmaking, but this is just a bill that has to be voted on by the citizens of Colorado before it becomes an enforceable "law," right? Surely 34 people do not have the power or authority to install this bill as law without anyone voting for or against it first....someone educate me, please.

 

[Pythaglio]

^^^We'll have to wait for the CO Supreme Court to rule on this before we know for sure. It has to pass the Assembly as well as be signed by the Governor before it can take effect.

I don't think they have any intention of submitting it to the people for a vote.

 

[smokintrees]

^^^We'll have to wait for the CO Supreme Court to rule on this before we know for sure. It has to pass the Assembly as well as be signed by the Governor before it can take effect.

I don't think they have any intention of submitting it to the people for a vote.

Good call. Sounds like you know the process. I was just thinking about this the other day. Generally speaking I think only Amendments can be voted on by people. Senate Bills can go through as you suggest without being voted on by the people I guess? Either way, I want to follow this to see what happens. From what I heard on the news this is supposed to take affect on March 1st or something? I'm not sure if this means that people waiting to receive their license will be able to wait 1 year before having to go through the expensive and cumbersome process of doing all that SB109 requires or not?

 

[Caddie]

The Governor will sign the bill. He's on record as saying so. It's got to pass through the assembly before the gov. will sign it into law.

Unfortunately, all signs point towards the assembly passing the bill too according to the Denver Post.

 

[Pythaglio]

...and just because the bill passes and is signed by the Gov doesn't mean that it's Constitutional. This wouldn't be the first law passed by a legislature to be overturned by the Courts if that happens.

 

[Caddie]

Pathaglio, you're probably right. The one reason I could see it being overturned are for people that don't have the money/insurance to see the same doctor year in/out to build up the necessary medical records.

My wife had the records from years ago, but lost her job.

Fortunately, we already have a card for her. Renewing it could be a bitch though.

 

[Pythaglio]

Sensible Colorado today said they're going to put a dispensary Initiative on the ballot assuming they can get the required signatures on the petition.