Six Times Arizona Lawmakers Targeted Medical Marijuana

Robert Celt

New Member
Arizona voters approved the state's medical-marijuana program in 2010, and ever since lawmakers have sought to change it. From plans to legalize it for recreational use to banning it on university campuses, the Legislature has made debating medical-marijuana a nearly annual tradition. Here is a look at some of those proposals.

2016: Republican Rep. Kelly Townsend of Mesa introduced House Bill 2061. Originally, the measure attempted to ban pregnant women from accessing the state's medical-marijuana program. The amended legislation would require medical-marijuana dispensaries to post signs warning pregnant women about the potential "dangers to fetuses" from using marijuana while pregnant as well as the dangers of breastfeeding babies while using marijuana.

2016: Earlier this legislative session, Republican Rep. Jay Lawrence of Scottsdale wanted to ban naturopaths and homeopaths from writing recommendations for marijuana. The bill also would have forced patients to renew cards every six months. Lawrence pulled the bill after a crush of criticism from medical-marijuana advocates who said the legislation was not needed.

2015: Democratic Rep. Mark Cardenas of Phoenix introduced a bill to essentially legalize marijuana for recreational use. The bill was not passed.

2013: Republican Sen. Kimberly Yee of Phoenix wanted to require medical-marijuana dispensaries to label edible drugs, such as cookies, brownies and lollipops to make it clear they were only for medicinal purposes. The labels could have looked similar to the U.S. Surgeon general's warning labels on cigarettes. The bill was not passed.

2013: Republican Rep. John Kavanagh, of Fountain Hills, wanted to refer the Arizona Medical Marijuana Act back to the ballot in November 2014. His move came four years after Arizonans narrowly approved the creation of a medical-marijuana program, and after criticism from those in the medical-marijuana industry that he was attempting to undo the will of voters. The bill was not passed.

2012: Gov. Jan Brewer signed into law legislation to ban medical marijuana on public university and college campuses. Prosecutors and university officials supported the legislation, while medical-marijuana advocates and college students opposed it.

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News Moderator: Robert Celt 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Six Times Arizona Lawmakers Targeted Medical Marijuana
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