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Cannabis Campaigners' Guide News Database result:
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US NV: Nevada Assembly Approves Bill That Would Allow Medical
ccguide Thursday 24 May 2001 Pubdate: Thu, 24 May 2001 Source: Associated Press (Wire) Copyright: 2001 Associated Press Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/27 Author: Siobhan McDonough NEVADA ASSEMBLY APPROVES BILL THAT WOULD ALLOW MEDICAL USE OF MARIJUANA The Nevada state Assembly approved a measure that would authorize medical use of marijuana and would lessen the criminal penalty faced by anyone who possesses the drug. The bill was approved 30-12 Wednesday and goes to the Senate, which is expected to vote later this month. Supporter Vivian Freeman, a Democrat, said she's ''puzzled why there are so many hoops to jump through for something that's so helpful.'' Opponents said lawmakers should heed the U.S. Supreme Court's unanimous May 14 ruling that federal law classifying the drug as illegal makes no exception for ill patients. ''This bill puts Nevadans in a Catch-22,'' said Greg Brower, a Republican who opposed the measure. ''It says we're not going to prosecute for use it's a federal crime but don't worry about that.'' Nevadans voted overwhelmingly in 1998 and 2000 to amend the state constitution to authorize marijuana for people with cancer, AIDS, glaucoma and other illnesses. In outlining how the amendment would be implemented, the legislation would allow seriously ill people to have up to seven marijuana plants for personal use. A new state registry would list patients whose doctors recommend they use marijuana for medical reasons. The measure also reduces possession of small amounts of marijuana to a misdemeanor crime, rather than a felony. Nevada is one of only a few states that make marijuana possession a felony. Voters in Arizona, Alaska, California, Colorado, Maine, Oregon and Washington have approved ballot initiatives allowing medical marijuana. Hawaii's governor signed similar legislation last year. - --- MAP posted-by: Derek
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