ITG

House Panel Backs Medical Marijuana Bill
03/19/09 | The Nashua Telegraph | Kevin Landrigan

CONCORD – A bill to legalize the medical use of marijuana took a small but important step forward Wednesday.

A 13-7 supportive vote of the House Health, Human Services and Elderly Affairs Committee sent an amended bill (HB 648) to the House of Representatives for debate next week.

“We’re very happy. We think the committee took its time,” said Matthew Simon, executive director of the New Hampshire Coalition for Common Sense Marijuana Policy.

The bill makes legal possession of up to six plants and 2 ounces of useable marijuana for someone with a debilitating medical condition who has the approval of a physician.

Those getting it have to cultivate the marijuana plants at home or get another eligible patient who has a surplus of it to give them some.

“Access could be a problem, but they will be happy not to be criminals,” Simon said.

State Rep. Cindy Rosenwald, D-Nashua, said this was a more narrowly drawn bill than one she opposed two years ago.

“This is still against federal law. The people using marijuana also know that and that is a risk they are willing to take,” Rosenwald said.

“I came to a conclusion for myself that I needed to get out of the way.’’’

Since 2000, the House has killed four such bills.

Two years ago, however, the House killed it by only a nine-vote margin and that leads supporters to be hopeful they could get this bill through the House.

Opponents stressed marijuana use was still illegal under federal law and most medical organizations oppose or have taken no position on this change.

“I just think there is no right way to do the wrong thing,” said Rep. Peter Batula, R-Merrimack.

Rep. Evalyn Merrick, D-Lancaster, authored the bill and smoked marijuana herself to treat nausea during cancer treatment several years ago.

“This bill isn’t about granting them permission or acceptance of what we are doing here,” Merrick said. “This bill is about this state and some of the people we serve.”

Gov. John Lynch is still reviewing the issue, said Colin Manning, his press secretary.

“The governor has concerns about the bill,” Manning said. “It is in conflict with federal law, and he will continue to talk to lawmakers and members of law enforcement and medical community about it.”

U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder told reporters Wednesday the federal government would not raid marijuana distributors unless they are violating federal and state laws.

During the 2008 campaign, Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama made the same statement.

Maine, Vermont and Rhode Island are among the 13 states with medical marijuana laws.

Legislation like New Hampshire’s bill is pending before lawmakers in eight other states. The Legislature in two other states killed similar bills earlier this year.

Rep. John Cebowski, R-Bedford, said the bill would only encourage patients to buy marijuana illegally.

“This is a pure, gray market, back-alley approach to health care,” Cerbowski said.

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It matters not how strait the gate, How charged with punishments the scroll,
I am the master of my fate; I am the captain of my soul.

Buzzby

If people need medical marijuana in order to maintain their health or treat their symptoms, they're already buying it on the black market. Selling marijuana to them might be illegal, but buying it would not be illegal under the new law. This is a stop-gap measure to relieve them from prosecution until such time as their medicine becomes available through more conventional sources. We're all just waiting for the feds to catch up with reality and drop the federal laws that force states into such makeshift policies in order to get their citizens the medicine they need.

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fiddlah

Hello folks,
I am new here and I live in NH, unfortunately I hope I am still a patient at my pain care center and with that being said, they have to follow Federal laws and will not prescribe me marijuana if this medicinal law is passed, also if I am tested positive I will be dismissed from their practice..... by the way I have a very important ethical question to ask.... is it ok to ask?

Buzzby

You can ask anything you want as long as your post doesn't violate the Posting Guidelines.

fiddlah

Thank you!,
I have been in a pain-care treatment center for 3 yrs now because of a bad car accident. I was about to go under a brand new procedure this April. Well late Feb I received a letter from the pain center stating they have dismissed me as a patient because I violated their prescription drug policies!
I had a UA test done in their inhouse lab and THC came back positive. They sent out the specimen to a lab that does GC/MS testing and that as well came back positive. I know cut-off levels for EMIT (in house) tests are 50ngs and with GC/MS it is 15ngs. Well the Dr really wants me to have this procedure done and he does like me so he did allow me to re-take the test, which was today. I have been smoke free for 21 days exactly. I have no fat to speak of and a very high metabolism. I also smoked maybe 4-5 times a week (just a few hits). I purchased several home tests and I have tested negative 3 times in the past week, including 1st pee of this morning. Today I also took my vitamins as usual and drank some gatorade 2 hours before hand, but not so much that it would show I have diluted myself. I believe I will definately pass the inhouse lab test, but I would love your opinions on if you think the DR may send it back out to the GC/MS lab for a better result? By the way I also personally KNOW of several people that smoke marijuana and that are being treated there at the same clinic and the clinic has been known to fudge reports or destroy them. I'm praying that if I pass the inhouse test that they say "all is fine" or Do you think they have an obligation to send it out to the GC/MS lab because of the procedure I am about to have.. or I should say say "Praying to have"! Any thoughts? oh yes ps: they know my test will be legit for oxycodone and diazapam since they prescribe them to me... ***Any replies would be greatly appreciated!!! Thank you so much ~ WorriedUnhappy