2008 legislative session ends; help protect medical marijuana patients
Last update: November 7, 2008
Current medical marijuana law
In 2003, Gov. Robert Ehrlich (R) signed the Darrell Putnam Compassionate Use Act into law. It protects seriously ill patients from being sentenced to prison for possessing marijuana if they can prove a "medical necessity" for using it. However, it does not protect them from arrest, and it does not provide them with safe access to their medicine (such as by cultivation). Although the law does not protect medical marijuana patients from harassment, arrest, and trial, the bill was a step in the right direction: The maximum penalty for patients who prove "medical necessity" for possessing medical marijuana or paraphernalia is now a $100 fine.
Recent legislative history
In 2007, the General Assembly considered legislation that would have significantly improved Maryland's current medical marijuana law. Sadly, the bill ultimately got held up in the legislative process, and the session adjourned without it becoming law. The medical marijuana bill in the House gathered momentum, as it received a hearing in the House Judiciary Committee. Supporters of the bill, however, reached a legislative hurdle when committee Chairman Joseph Vallario (D-Calvert and Prince George's) refused to schedule the bill for a vote. It is believed that the committee had well over the necessary number of votes to pass the bill on to the next step in the process. This is not the first time Delegate Vallario has demonstrated an aversion to medical marijuana legislation, and he has made it clear that as long as this legislation is sent to his committee, he will prevent its passage.
Rest assured that the champions of this legislation are strategizing for other options to ensure its passage in the near future. Please send a letter of support to your legislators. You may also visit this page to find out who your elected state officials are and their contact information, and then call or write them. Please remember to always be polite but firm in your support for an improvement to the medical marijuana law.
Write a letter to the editor
Besides contacting your legislators and urging them to sponsor a medical marijuana bill, you can also write a letter to the editor of your local newspaper. A well-written letter about the need for a medical marijuana law is a great way to encourage legislators to bring this issue to the table for discussion. Please use our talking points as a launching pad for your own ideas. If you are comfortable sharing your own personal experiences, we encourage you to do so as stories about real people are always the most compelling. If you'd like to send a letter to the editor, but you aren't confident in your writing skills, please feel free to e-mail Zane@mpp.org for assistance.
Get involved
MPP is working with the Drug Policy Alliance to organize several community outreach events throughout the state. For more information about these meetings, please contact MPP legislative analyst Zane Hurst at (202) 462-5747, ext. 119, or at Zane@mpp.org.
If you are a medical professional, a patient who might benefit from medical marijuana, or if you know somebody who might benefit from medical marijuana, we would like to hear from you. Additionally, if you are a law enforcement official or a clergy member, please e-mail Zane@mpp.org to see how you can be of special help.
Thank you for supporting MPP. To stay updated on the status of marijuana policy reform in Maryland, be sure to subscribe to MPP's free legislative alert service.
