Medical Marijuana Bills Slated To Move From Senate Committee Legislation that brings back standing businesses authorized to provide the chronically ill with medical marijuana is set to move out of the Senate Government Operations Committee this week. Another bill that essentially legalizes pot brownies and other marijuana products for those with state-issued medical marijuana cards is also on the agenda. The committee is chaired by Senate Majority Leader Randy RICHARDVILLE (R-Monroe) and had a hearing on HB 4271 and HB 5104 in March (See Richardville: Not An Obstructionist On Medical Marijuana, 3/11/14). HB 4271 would give municipalities the authority to allow provisioning centers in their jurisdictions that meet certain standards. HB 5104 would allow patients to use marijuana-infused products rather than having to smoke it. Richardville spokesperson Amber McCANN told MIRS that he planned to move the bills out of committee, but said last week at this point I dont anticipate us voting on them in July. Rather, the bills could see a vote in September. Both bills are sponsored by Republicans, and have been advocated for by those in the medical marijuana community. Cannabis Counsel Attorney Matthew ABEL said today hed been following the bills. Asked what the idea timeline would be, he said, Yesterday would be the ideal timeline. I mean there were raids last week on dispensaries in Michigan. However, hes hopeful that Richardville is coming around to these bills. Apparently Senator Richardville, who was quite opposed to this a year or so ago, has been educated. Thats what Id like to believe, Abel said. He said that frankly, hed feared this would be a lame duck item and was optimistic it could come up before then. Its something desperately needed by the patients who are most needing medical marijuana, he said of HB 5104. On the of the Senates lead critics of medical marijuana, Senate Judiciary Committee Rick JONES (R-Grand Ledge), said he continues to have reservations about seeing a return to the Green Mile down Michigan Avenue in Lansing, where several medical marijuana shops were allowed to set up before a court decision years ago shut them down. He said he would rather see marijuana sold through pharmacies, but realizes that federal changes will need to be made before that can happen. As for the pot brownie bill, Jones, said hes much more sympathetic, realizing that some patients may have trouble smoking a marijuana cigarette and need an alternative.
Posted on: Tue, 15 Jul 2014 14:45:15 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015