T
The420Guy
Guest
Santa Fe, NM: A pair of proposals liberalizing New Mexico's marijuana
policies edged closer to becoming law this week.
The Senate Tuesday approved legislation by a 29-12 vote that exempts
qualified patients who use marijuana with their doctor's permission from
criminal penalties under state law. Patients would not be able to
cultivate their own marijuana under the proposal, as they can in states
with similar medical marijuana programs. Instead, lawmakers are hopeful
that the Health Department will eventually oversee the cultivation and
distribution of medical marijuana. However, they intend to wait until
the U.S. Supreme Court rules on the matter this year before introducing
regulations for any specific distribution plan. In the interim,
qualified patients will be issued photo identification cards authorizing
them to possess and use marijuana in accordance with state law.
A companion bill, H.B. 431, was approved by the House Judiciary
Committee yesterday and now awaits action by the full House.
Also this week, the House Committee on Consumer and Public Affairs
approved 6-1 a bill that would remove criminal penalties for the
possession of one ounce or less of marijuana. Similar laws exist in ten
states, all of which were enacted in the 1970s.
The proposal, introduced by Rep. Gail Beam (D-Albuquerque), would punish
those found in possession of marijuana with a civil citation and $300
fine in lieu of arrest and possible jail time. Under current law,
possession of less than one ounce of marijuana is punishable by up to 15
days in jail for first time offenders, and as much as one year in jail
for subsequent offenses.
The bill now awaits action by the House Judiciary Committee. A
companion bill in the Senate, S.B. 315, has yet to be heard.
For more information, please contact R. Keith Stroup, NORML Executive
Director, at (202) 483-5500. For more information on these bills, visit:
Inactive Site.
NORML Foundation
1001 Connecticut Ave., NW
Ste. 710
Washington, DC 20036
202-483-8751 (p)
202-483-0057 (f)
www.norml.org
foundation@norml.org
policies edged closer to becoming law this week.
The Senate Tuesday approved legislation by a 29-12 vote that exempts
qualified patients who use marijuana with their doctor's permission from
criminal penalties under state law. Patients would not be able to
cultivate their own marijuana under the proposal, as they can in states
with similar medical marijuana programs. Instead, lawmakers are hopeful
that the Health Department will eventually oversee the cultivation and
distribution of medical marijuana. However, they intend to wait until
the U.S. Supreme Court rules on the matter this year before introducing
regulations for any specific distribution plan. In the interim,
qualified patients will be issued photo identification cards authorizing
them to possess and use marijuana in accordance with state law.
A companion bill, H.B. 431, was approved by the House Judiciary
Committee yesterday and now awaits action by the full House.
Also this week, the House Committee on Consumer and Public Affairs
approved 6-1 a bill that would remove criminal penalties for the
possession of one ounce or less of marijuana. Similar laws exist in ten
states, all of which were enacted in the 1970s.
The proposal, introduced by Rep. Gail Beam (D-Albuquerque), would punish
those found in possession of marijuana with a civil citation and $300
fine in lieu of arrest and possible jail time. Under current law,
possession of less than one ounce of marijuana is punishable by up to 15
days in jail for first time offenders, and as much as one year in jail
for subsequent offenses.
The bill now awaits action by the House Judiciary Committee. A
companion bill in the Senate, S.B. 315, has yet to be heard.
For more information, please contact R. Keith Stroup, NORML Executive
Director, at (202) 483-5500. For more information on these bills, visit:
Inactive Site.
NORML Foundation
1001 Connecticut Ave., NW
Ste. 710
Washington, DC 20036
202-483-8751 (p)
202-483-0057 (f)
www.norml.org
foundation@norml.org
