A matter of hours ago, Jack Markell, Governor of Delaware, signed a medical marijuana bill into law and made Delaware the 16th medical marijuana state.
The new law comes into effect on July 1st. The bill ensures that chronically ill citizens of Delaware will be able to include cannabis in their armoury of medications without fear of prosecution. The bill also allows for the development of three not-for-profit compassion centers, one for each Delaware County.
Don’t get too excited though – it’s not all good news.
The new Delaware bill, SB17, is one of the strictest in the US; in the words of Margaret Rose Henry, sponsor of the bill: “There is no other bill like the bill we just passed here in Delaware.”
Here are some examples of the restrictions that will be in place:
- the list of qualifying medical conditions is rather shorter than in other states, and Delaware residents suffering from Crohn’s Disease, glaucoma, and early stages of hepatitis C will not be permitted to use medical marijuana under the new law
- Patients will not be permitted to cultivate their own medical marijuana; instead they will be required to obtain it from state-licensed dispensaries
- Those with felony records will be exempt from the program
- Permitted quantity of medical marijuana for qualified patients will be no more than 6oz per month
Opposing the new bill, Sen. Colin Bonini, a Republican, warned that it will lead Delaware towards full legalization, saying: “We’re going to have a lot of marijuana in Delaware, ‘It’s bad enough we’re doing something that’s very bad public policy. But we’re making taxpayers pay for it.’
Qualifying Medical Conditions for Medical Marijuana in Delaware
- Cancer
- HIV/Aids
- Multiple Sclerosis
- Decompensated cirrhosis of the liver
- Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)
- Agitation of Alzheimer ‘s disease
- Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
- Intractable Nausea
- Severe seizures
- Severe and persistent muscle spasms
- Wasting syndrome
- Severe debilitating pain that has not responded to other treatments or for which other treatments produced serious side effects
Medical marijuana ID cards will be issued by Delaware Department of Health and Social Services to patients who receive a recommendation from their doctor. Public use of marijuana and driving under the influence are prohibited.
Unfortunately it will take many months before there are medical marijuana doctors and dispensaries in Delaware.
Please contact us if you find any marijuana doctors or dispensaries in Delaware.
Go to Medical Marijuana State Laws
Interesting development. I wonder if other states will begin to use this type of model when crafting their medical marijuana policies? it is definitely one the strict end of the spectrum.
Getting a Medical Cannabis Card?
Wonderful article! Was wondering if there are services for getting medical cannabis card online? Was searching and found this one http://www.cannabisdoctorsnetwork.com/get-a-medical-cannabis-card.php … am wondering if you can use services like this to find doctors and get a card?
From the Huffington Post:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/05/20/obama-pardons-8-people_n_865033.html
Like the earlier pardons, the latest did not involve anyone well-known. The cases date back as far as 1975, when:
1.)Randy Eugene Dyer of Burien, Wash., was sentenced to serve five years in prison in the conspiracy to import marijuana and two related crimes.
2.) Christine Marie Rossiter of Lincoln, Neb., sentenced in 1992 to three years of probation for conspiring to distribute less than 110 pounds of marijuana.
Two out of eight pardons to marijuana offenses! I am having a hard time understanding the direction the White House is taking.
We had another DEA raid on Friday, so this all makes no sense.
They, the DEA, “collected” ANOTHER $1.2 MILLION!!! No charges, just smash and grab!
UPDATE: Friday, May 20, DEA Raid at a Helena Dispensary:
http://www.montanabiotech.wordpress.com/2011/05/20/dea-raid-inprogress-sleeping-giant-caregivers-in-helena-montana/