Title:
UPDATE: Ask Gov. Chafee to certify compassion centers
Message:
New Jersey Governor Chris Christie (R) has decided that he
will allow the medical marijuana distribution program to move forward; call Gov. Chafee and ask him to follow suit!
Over two years ago, the Rhode Island General Assembly
enacted legislation to license medical marijuana compassion centers in the
Ocean State. The General Assembly recognized that seriously ill individuals
need reliable, safe, and immediate access to their medicine. Although the
department of health selected the three providers back in March, Gov. Lincoln
Chafee (I) is refusing to issue certificates of operation. Please email Gov. Chafee and ask him to fully implement the compassion center
program.
The governor decided to put a hold on issuing licenses after
receiving a letter from Rhode Island U.S. Attorney Peter Neronha suggesting that the federal government could prosecute individuals operating
compassion centers. This is nothing more than a simple restatement of federal
law. Remind Gov. Chafee that he should be implementing and
enforcing state law, not federal law.
Gov. Chafee recently defied
the federal government
when he refused to hand over a confessed murderer because, under federal law,
the individual would have faced the death penalty. If Gov. Chafee can go to bat
against the federal government to spare the life of an admitted killer, he should have no problem also standing up for Rhode Island’s sick
and debilitated by implementing state law.
