LANSING — Patients authorized to use marijuana for medical purposes in Michigan would no longer be allowed to grow their own supply under legislation discussed Tuesday in a state Senate committee.
The proposal could develop into the first move to change a state law approved by voters in November 2008. Republicans who back the new legislation say it’s not an attempt to undo the law, but their measures would tighten control over how the drug is distributed.
Under the new proposal, the state would license up to 10 marijuana-growing facilities rather than letting thousands of authorized patients or caregivers grow their own. Marijuana would then be distributed through pharmacists after patients get a prescription from a doctor.
Critics say that’s an unworkable proposal that would make getting marijuana more difficult for patients who use it to relieve pain and other symptoms. They say that since federal law doesn’t authorize the use of marijuana for medical purposes, doctors wouldn’t write the prescriptions and pharmacies wouldn’t fill them.
The Senate Judiciary Committee did not vote on the legislation Tuesday. Sponsors said the bills are preliminary proposals aimed at sparking discussion about how to better manage the program, formally launched by state officials in April.
As it stands, people who want to use marijuana for medical reasons must get a doctor to certify that they would benefit from it. More than 7,000 patients and 3,000 caregivers already are registered under the state program. They are allowed to grow up to 12 marijuana plants per patient.
“That’s a lot of marijuana growing out there,” said Sen. Gerald Van Woerkom, a Republican from Norton Shores and one of the new legislation’s sponsors. “I do think that the system is getting out of control to a certain point.”
Some communities are passing their own ordinances regulating medical marijuana businesses and courts already are sorting out a few cases related to people arrested for possession since the new law kicked in.
“It’s an issue that we as legislators will have to grapple with sooner or later,” said Sen. Alan Cropsey, R-DeWitt.
By TIM MARTIN
Associated Press
PLEASE VOICE YOUR OPINIONS!! Submit written testimony either by email or regular mail
senwkulpers@senate.michigan.gov and/or
State Senator Wayne Kulpers, 30th District
PO Box 30036
Lansing, Michigan 48909
Make sure you reference Bills 616-618
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment