Skip to main content

Medical Marijuana Update

Submitted by Phillip Smith on (Issue #851)

The Florida initiative is in a close fight, hearings are coming in Hawaii, draft regulations are coming in Maryland, Illinois begins taking medical marijuana business applications, and more. Let's get to it:

California

Last Thursday, a federal judge denied a request from Lake County patients for a temporary restraining order barring the county from carrying out searches and eradications under its Measure N grow rules. US District Judge Thelton Henderson ruled that the claims did not meet the legal standard required for a temporary restraining order, but held that plaintiffs could still seek a preliminary injunction.

Florida

Last Thursday, a new poll had the state medical marijuana initiative coming up just short. A new Florida Decides poll has a majority in favor of the Measure 2 medical marijuana initiative, but not the super-majority needed to pass a constitutional amendment. The poll had support at 57%, but 60% is needed. But the poll also had 17% undecided, and if only a fraction of the undecided break in favor of the initiative, it could win. Another poll earlier this week had support at 64%.

Hawaii

Last Friday, officials announced public hearings on dispensaries. A task force created by the state legislature to address dispensary issues will hold public hearings this week in Hilo and on September 24 in Honolulu. Click on the link for more details and information about how to submit public comments.

Illinois

On Monday, the state began accepting applications for medical marijuana businesses. The state Agriculture Department is now taking applications from people who want to open dispensaries or cultivation centers. There are 22 licenses available for growers and 60 for dispensaries.

Maryland

On Wednesday, the state was waiting for new draft medical marijuana regulations. The Maryland Medical Marijuana Commission was expected to release a second draft of regulations for the state's medical marijuana program today. The first draft came under public criticism last month for, among other things, language that would have barred grows or dispensaries within the Baltimore city limits. That language has been removed. Stay tuned for the actual draft.

New Jersey

Last Friday, a Princeton employee was put on paid leave over his medical marijuana use. Princeton University campus dining manager Don DeZarn, who had been told to choose between his job and his medicine after he began legally using medical marijuana this summer, is now on paid leave as the school attempts to resolve the issue. The problem arose after DeZarn said he might use the drug while at work and school public safety officials raised concerns he could be impaired and might accidentally give a student with food allergies the wrong item (or something).

For extensive information about the medical marijuana debate, presented in a neutral format, visit MedicalMarijuana.ProCon.org.]

Permission to Reprint: This content is licensed under a modified Creative Commons Attribution license. Content of a purely educational nature in Drug War Chronicle appear courtesy of DRCNet Foundation, unless otherwise noted.

Comments

Anonymous510000 (not verified)

     Addicts, people who use 'verboten' drugs, or any drugs, or people who simply have medical needs who want to determine their own course of treatment, UNITE! We are the ones that have found out about the true scope and audacity of the option-denying, exploitative, militarization-excusing, murderous corporate scam that is Prohibition.  It is our duty to assert our rights, and work to make sure those rights are recognized. Let us find our collective voice! Let us demand an end to Prohibitionist perpetration! Let us affirm:

     WE ARE HUMAN BEINGS WHO DEMAND AN END TO PHARMA-FASCIST BULLYING,  MANIPULATION & INTIMIDATION WHETHER FROM DOCTOR, PHARMACIST, CONGRESSMAN, COP, PRIEST OR PRELATE!
     WE ARE HUMAN BEINGS WHO DEMAND RECOGNITION OF OUR HUMAN RIGHT TO CULTIVATE AND POSSESS  ANY AND __ALL___ PLANT LIFE FOR OUR PERSONAL MEDICINAL PURPOSES!
     WE AFFIRM THE NEED FOR SOCIETAL VALIDATION OF REAL MEDICINE PEOPLE WHO CAN GUIDE US ALL IN THE USE OF THESE SUBSTANCES FROM THEIR EXPERIENCE WITHOUT FEAR OF INTIMIDATION AND CENSURE.
     WE ARE HUMANS WHO ARE WEARY OF SO-CALLED SECULAR, RELIGIOUS & MEDICAL AUTHORITIES WHO HAVE NOTHING TO OFFER US BUT THEIR HUBRIS, THEIR FEARFUL SULKING IGNORANCE, THEIR EMPTY ALARMIST RHETORIC, AND THEIR SNOTTY THREATS OF MULTI-LEVEL VIOLENCE.

Fri, 09/12/2014 - 12:51am Permalink

Add new comment

The content of this field is kept private and will not be shown publicly.
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.