Vermont's Governor Also Asks For Mj Reclassification.

[greenbuddha]

Vt. Gov. Shumlin Supports Doctors Prescribing PotPosted by CN Staff on December 01, 2011 at 17:02:28 PT

By Dave Gram, The Associated Press

Source: Associated Press

 

Montpelier, Vt. -- Vermont Gov. Peter Shumlin said Thursday he supports and will sign onto a request that federal law be changed to allow doctors to prescribe medical marijuana and pharmacists to fill the prescriptions.

 

"I think it's ludicrous that marijuana is put in the same category by the federal government as heroin and other drugs that are extraordinarily addictive," the Democratic governor told reporters at a news conference Thursday.

 

His comments came one day after Rhode Island Gov. Lincoln Chafee and Washington Gov. Christine Gregoire filed a report and petition with the federal Drug Enforcement Administration to change marijuana from a "Schedule 1" drug, banned under federal law, to a "Schedule 2" drug available by prescription.

 

The DEA has taken a dim view of such suggestions in the past; an agency spokeswoman said the DEA had no immediate comment about the governors' petition.

 

Several states, including Vermont, have passed laws that allow patients with chronic illness or intractable pain to have access to marijuana. In Vermont, patients must get a recommendation from their doctor saying marijuana use is part of their treatment and register with the Department of Public Safety. They can grow the drug themselves or have a specially designated caregiver grow it for them.

 

Those state medical marijuana laws conflict with federal law, though. And federal authorities have been cracking down in some states, launching raids of marijuana dispensaries last month in California, Washington and Montana.

 

Shumlin would go further, though, than making marijuana a prescription drug, he said Thursday. He reiterated past statements that he supports decriminalizing possession of small amounts of marijuana as a few other states, including Massachusetts, have done. Someone caught with less than an ounce of marijuana in Massachusetts faces no state criminal penalty but a possible civil fine of $100.

 

Shumlin said Vermont "should use our precious law enforcement dollars to go after the criminals that are really disrupting our communities."

 

Source: Associated Press (Wire)

Author: Dave Gram, The Associated Press

Published: December 1, 2011

Copyright: 2011 The Associated Press

 

CannabisNews Medical Marijuana Archives

http://cannabisnews.com/news/list/medical.shtml

<BR clear=all>

Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help

 

[AmishRnot4ganja]

Slowly the boulder is getting pushed up the hill. It is near the top and when it peaks and starts down the other side things will really get rolling. I hope.