Would-be medical marijuana patients in Maryland are a step closer to (finally) being able to access the herb after the state Senate gave their stamp of approval to a bill revamping the stalled state program 45 to 1.
| Wikimedia Commons |
Sen. Mike Stack, a Democrat from Philly, isn’t a big marijuana supporter, but he’s sick of seeing an “expensive, ineffective and misguided” marijuana policy ruin the lives of people in his state. As such, he’s introduced legislation that would make marijuana possession of 30 grams or less a ticketable offense on-par with “crimes” like jaywalking as well as another bill that would allow people to have past pot crimes taken off their record.
Currently, 30 grams or less is a misdemeanor charge with a $500 fine and up to 30 days in jail. More than 30 grams is a misdemeanor with up to a year in jail and $5,000.
“These bills are not intended to be a commentary on the wisdom or health of marijuana use,” Stack said release this week. “These bills are a challenge to those who walk these halls and profess their support for smaller government at a lower cost to taxpayers.”
Senate Bill 1307 would make the first and second offense or the possession of 30 grams of ganja or less would be a fine no more than $500. Third and subsequent offenses could revert back to the existing misdemeanor charges, though the bill leaves room for judges to levy lighter sentences. Judges could also order people into “Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition” (rehab). The bill does not address paraphernalia possession or hash possession – possession of both would remain a misdemeanor.
Senate Bill 1308 would allow people busted on misdemeanor pot charges in the past to expunge their record so long as five years has passed.
Stack, who is also running for lieutenant governor, may face an uphill battle with his would-be boss, Gov. Tom Corbett. The guv, who is also running for office, has repeatedly said he wouldn’t be dropping his guard when it comes to the state’s pot laws – even when it comes to medical cannabis. He’s one of those old-school drug war sheep who still calls marijuana a “gateway drug”.
Both bills have been referred to the state judiciary committee for discussion.
No one seriously believes anymore in the Reefer Madness depiction of marijuana use, in which this new-fangled devil weed transforms otherwise upstanding teenagers into murderous sociopaths. Even some otherwise staunch social conservatives (e.g. Texas Gov. Rick Perry) are beginning to embrace some degree of decriminalization as a fair and necessary step toward a fair and rational criminal justice system.
Yet there is a lingering strain of thought that full or partial legalization will inevitably bring a corresponding increase in crime. Not so, says UT Dallas criminology professor Robert Morris, the lead author of a just-published study of crime rates in states that have legalized medical marijuana.
| U.S. Congress. |
When brother and sister David and Natalie DePriest got busted last October for growing 17 marijuana plants in their Farmington home, they told police that there was no reason they should be arrested. After all, weed will soon be legal everywhere. Also, they supported Ron Paul.
But that argument didn’t fly with the police, so they were arrested. And after a trial in which the DePriests were found guilty on charges of marijuana cultivation and trafficking, their statements to police were brought up again and Judge Kenneth Pratte took them into consideration. These were people who clearly believed they did nothing wrong and had no respect for Missouri law.
The Colorado Department of Public Health is looking to limit the number of patients that private medical marijuana caregivers can serve, as well as put a cap on the number of plants an individual may grow. Currently, caregivers can serve more than five patients by applying for a “medical necessity” waiver from the CDPHE and plant counts can be increased from just six with a doctor’s recommendation, which is often the case with patients who make their own concentrates or edibles.
The New Hampshire House pulled an about-face last night, axing a bill they crafted that would have legalized limited amounts of cannabis possession, sales and cultivation for adults 21 and up.
| Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton. |
During a WCCO radio appearance yesterday, Gov. Mark Dayton characterized the likelihood of any medical marijuana legislation being signed into law this year as between “slim and none.” He lamented that “the advocates who want to be able to smoke leaf marijuana… are not interested in carrying [a medical pot bill]forward on a more limited basis … We’ll work on it next session.”
Well, what a difference 24 hours makes.
This past fall and winter there was a push to get medical marijuana recognized as a legitimate treatment for players in the NFL suffering from concussions. And now, with Spring Training wrapping up and opening day just three days away, it is time to shift our attention to Major League Baseball.
ESPN got the conversation started this week, asking an anonymous poll of MLB players whether they would use medical marijuana for pain if it were legal in all 50 states. Just under half (49 percent) said they would. Check out the graphic over at ESPN the magazine.
Access to medical marijuana is one step closer in Maryland as the state Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee approSved a measure allowing doctors to recommend medical cannabis in that state as well as allowing licensed growers to produce the plant at licensed treatment centers.
Medical marijuana dispensaries in Oregon are nothing new, but for the first time they are opening under new state regulations that require state licenses of the shops before they can sell even a gram of herb.
That’s good news for patients, but it’s also bad news for some dispensary owners as the new laws also allows communities to ban marijuana centers outright by May 1. The Oregonian reports that at least one dispensary has a state license to operate, but might not be able to open their doors for at least a year.