One More Reason to Love Rhode Island (Medical Marijuana Edition)

From the Marijuana Policy Project:

The Rhode Island House of Representatives voted to override Gov. Donald Carcieri's veto of the Marijuana Policy Project's medical marijuana bill today, making Rhode Island the 11th state to make medical marijuana legal and the first to enact a medical marijuana law since the Supreme Court's June decision in Gonzales v. Raich. Rhode Island's medical marijuana law is the third to be enacted by a state legislature, and the first passed by overriding a governor's veto. (The other eight states' medical marijuana laws were enacted via ballot initiatives.)

More here.

Some previous reasons to love the Ocean State? They've gotta begin with Roger Williams.

Comments

[Hambone]

I Love Boo!

[Native NYer]

Wow, those guys might be worth a donation!

[Dave Straub]

Freakin' sweet!

[Warren]

A legislature that voted against the WOD?!

YIPPEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Bong hits for everyone! I'm packing!

[Twba]

Where do I find a doctor to diagnose my undetectable glaucoma?

[Mike H.]

...Dr. Nick?

[Daze]

#1 reason: the Talking Heads.

But Roger Williams was good too.

[Dr. Nick]

Hi Everybody!

Did somebody say prescription?

[Eddy]

Now if they could just get rid of some other oppressive laws. Baby steps, baby steps.

[Lionel Hutz]

Hi, I heard Dr. Nick was around so I thought I would pop in and see if anyone needs a malpractice lawyer .

[cliff]

Now if they could just get rid of some other oppressive laws. Baby steps, baby steps.

Comment by: Eddy at January 3, 2006 07:50 PM

I'm with you Eddy, the total number of states that has legal MMJ on the books is 11 from what I understand. Unfortunately, I know that the root of federal drug laws is the CSA (Controlled Subtances Act) and it seems to me to have some sort of power over state sovereignty through some kind of semanitic gymnastics with the Interstate Commerce Act, but this development is very encouraging.

10 years ago, I would have never imagined 11 states actually legalizing MJ for any reason what so ever. If this trend continues, and I have no reason to think it won't, the fed prohibs are going to be treading into very interesting territory as the voice of the states become increasingly louder.

OBTW, I heard it said somewhere that Newt Gingrich declared that the US would be drug free by 2004. I don't think that has come close to being right, just from my observations of the news.

[Mike H.]

Hi, Dr. Nick!

[Royyoung]

Does this mean you'll take back that undeserved rap at Providence in the Roger Williams article?

[MkA]

As a science major at URI and a born-and-bred Rhode Islander, this whole legalization thing is fantastic. I hope it doesn't get a backlash.

RI has always been known for rebellion. Hell we were called 'Rogue Island' for a while during the formation of the colonies and the declaration of independence. Gotta love my state.

[creature]

Road Trip!

[law_jockey]

Yes, this is very positive news indeed.

However, it is still against "federal" law to possess or use any amount of marijuana. This is the Supremacy clause of the U.S. Constitution at work.

Basically, if there is a federal law and a state law that are in conflict, generally speaking, the federal law TRUMPS the state law. This is not necessarily or always so, but when it comes to controlled substances,which marijuana is one - the Sup Ct has held that Fed. law does indeed trump State law.

However, do not fret. It would not take an act of Congress to let all the people in the various state's that have legalized medical pot off the hook - that is, congress does not have to pass a medical marijuana law on its own.

All they need to do is get rid of the conflict. This could be accomplished by getting marijuana scheduled out of schedule 1 (most dangerous, highly addictive, no known medical uses) and putting into a lower schedule. If congress would pull their heads out of their asses and read any study not paid for by the DEA - they would see that marijuana could be useful for something, somewhere. This would get pot out of schedule 1, recognize that it does have some theraputic value, and the conflict between Federal law(no medical value whatsoever) and State laws (medical value seen)would disappear. No conflict, no supremacy clause issue, no feds kicking in old ladies door for trying to live a few more years.

Please speak up about the issue amongst friends. Write your federal legislators and remind them that lumping marijuana in a more restrictive/dangerous category than morphine, cocaine, etc... is simply retarded. Re-schedule & re-move the conflict. Save money, let the states do what they want and give the voters what they want. This is a democracy after all.

I realize the pharmacutical industry has vested interests in you buying their overpriced dangerous drugs to do what marijuana can do for free (it grows anywhere in the U.S.)and they are the largest donors to political parties...but hey - a little "grass"roots activism couldnt hurt.

http://www.norml.org for more info.

[Eric in Ottawa]

Some very welcome progressive thinking!

May the universe smile upon Rhode Island.

[Robert]

Actually the federal & state laws don't conflict; they just have overlapping jurisdiction. That is, either one can make a person's action illegal -- which makes sense when you realize laws can't make things legal, only illegal.