State Medical Marijuana Centers Get Green Light

[Jim Finnel]

The Rhode Island General Assembly passed a bill last month to allow the creation of up to three state-licensed medical marijuana dispensaries, becoming the third state in the country to legalize so-called “compassion centers” after both the House and Senate voted to override the veto of Gov. Donald Carcieri ’65.

The use of medical marijuana for gravely ill patients was legalized by the General Assembly in 2006. But without a legal means to obtain marijuana, patients have to grow it themselves or buy it illegally.

“It’s an opportunity for people to live out their lives in a more peaceful way,” said State Rep. Thomas Slater, D-Dist. 10, who sponsored the bill in the House. “The only people who seem to be prevented from getting marijuana are the people who need it for their diseases.”

Stephen Hogan, executive director of the Rhode Island Patient Advocacy Coalition, also praised the bill. “Rhode Island now has the best law throughout the country for medical marijuana,” Hogan said. Unlike in California, he said, “these are state-regulated, non-profit organizations. All you need in California is a license.”

According to Hogan, there should be three dispensaries statewide by 2011.

Amy Kempe, a spokeswoman for Carcieri, said the governor continues to oppose the bill.

“First and foremost, it tends to weaken the laws governing and the perceptions of illicit drugs,” Kempe said, adding that Rhode Island has one of the highest rates of drug use among teenagers.

She added that California has seen an increase in crime in the areas surrounding compassion centers, as patients leaving the centers are vulnerable to muggers.

Dan Bernath, spokesperson for the Marijuana Policy Project in Washington, D.C., said that evidence of increased crime in areas around dispensaries in California is merely “anecdotal.” The bill, he said, is “a reflection of the understanding that these compassion centers have worked very well” in other states.

“I think it is an acknowledgement that the mood is changing,” Bernath said. “Obama and his attorney general have shown that they’re not interested in using federal law enforcement resources against people operating within the laws of the state.”


News Hawk: User: 420 MAGAZINE ® - Medical Marijuana Publication & Social Networking
Source: The Brown Daily Herald
Author: Anish Gonchigar
Copyright: 2009 The Brown Daily Herald
Contact: The Brown Daily Herald - Contact
Website: The Brown Daily Herald - State medical marijuana centers get green light

 

[Caber1]

She added that California has seen an increase in crime in the areas surrounding compassion centers, as patients leaving the centers are vulnerable to muggers

So what should we do? Ban everything because thieves and those that prey on the weak and helpless are around.
I thought that was what police were for.
Oh, I forgot they are to busy busting the weak and helpless and then celebrating by gorging themselves on doughnuts.
Did they ban money terminals when thieves started targeting them?
Do they ban investing which seems to have more criminals involved than anything?
Did you ever see a pot smoker cost investors billions of dollars? Ever see a pot smoker wipe out peoples life savings?

 

[Propa Gator]

Open compassion center next door to doughnut shop, pick up cops' check. Works in the swamp, most economical police presence.

 

[Pythaglio]

Did you ever see a pot smoker cost investors billions of dollars? Ever see a pot smoker wipe out peoples life savings?

As a matter of fact, yes.

Ted Turner probably wiped out a couple of billion in wealth back in the '80s when he declared BK, though I don't know if he wiped out anyone's life savings.

Do you realize there are at least 300 million potheads in the world? Their personalities are as diverse as any group of people that large ranging from Mother Theresa like to making the Devil blush with envy and everything in between. Right wingers, racist skinheads, worthless blobs to highly motivated, we got 'em all.