Closer, So Close

In case you did not hear the Maryland Senate passed SB 308, a revamped medical marijuana bill. This is good news since under this law medicinal necessity will become an affirmative defense. The law also states that “The Secretary of Health & Mental Hygiene shall convene a Work Group to develop a model program to facilitate patient access to marijuana for medical purposes.” Since the stated goal of the work group is to develop a model program this is a strong step forward, for politicians. This is the fun time of the year legislatively because it is now when you see who’s really working a bill. When the law that passes is full of strike outs of old language you know someone was working hard to get it passed. Here are the amendments that SB 308 had as passed: http://mlis.state.md.us/2011rs/amds/bil_0008/SB0308_16807101.pdf and the original bill is here: http://mlis.state.md.us/2011rs/bills/sb/sb0308t.pdf Senators Brinkley and Raskin worked their butts off on this. Now it is time for the House of Delegates to step up.


Every year is the year for the House of Delegates. Why is that? We know in Washington, it is the House of Representatives that passes symbolic legislation that has not a prayer in the U.S. Senate. Our own House of Delegates even held impeachment hearings for Attorney General Doug Gansler. HB 291 has 61 co-sponsors. There are only 141 delegates total. This means before the first speech, before the first hearing we were just 10 votes shy of passage in the House of Delegates. And the Senate has held their hearings, given their speeches, negotiated amendments and once again passed medical marijuana legislation by a landslide, 41-6.

To Chairman Vallario, members of both the Health & Government Operations and the Judiciary Committee, the people have spoken on this issue. We want medical marijuana legislation this year. Delegates speak-up 61 co-sponsors, 41-6 passage in the Senate (for the second year), how much more public support do you need to see to get this done?

SB 308 calls for a Work Group. As called for in that provision, it calls for the group to have “one member of the public who supports the use of marijuana for medical purposes.” I will be lobbying to be that person. I certainly I have been involved in this process. In putting forth my opinions I have always pointed out where they differed from some advocacy groups. I will not waiver on personal cultivation. The lawmakers have to be made to understand, we have turned to marijuana because what the pharmaceutical companies gave us failed. In one way or another for each patient that is turning to cannabis there is one drug that didn’t work long term. Or your doctor just never found that right combination to make you comfortable. What is working for us isn’t one cannabinoid that can be isolated; it is the combination of cannabinoids in the various strains. It is therefore imperative that any new law allows for the personal cultivation of that strain or strains that work best for the patient. We must keep in the forefront of this discussion that we do, we do so for the patients.

The only thing left for the citizen/activist to do is call, call everyone. If you call your Delegate and they say they are not on that committee, tell them they should find someone who is and tell them to vote in favor. Tell them to tell their chairman they want to vote on it. Tell them to make it happen.

The media support is staying strong. WBALTV continues to report on the bill’s status. The Baltimore Sun recently ran the following article: “Lawmakers look to decriminalize marijuana for the sick,” by Julie Bykowicz http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/politics/bs-md-medical-marijuana-defense-20110325,0,5282974,full.story For the patients I say thank you. We’re so close, support; undying, unwavering support is what we need. Call your delegates, demand passage of HB 291.