Rhode Island House Passes Medical Marijuana

PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND -- The Rhode Island House today passed medical marijuana bill H.B. 6052, the Edward O. Hawkins/Thomas Slater Medical Marijuana Act, by a 52-10 vote. The bill now awaits a procedural vote in the Senate-which previously passed companion bill S.B. 710 with a 34-2 vote-before it goes to Gov. Donald Carcieri (R).

Edward O. Hawkins is the late nephew of Senate lead sponsor Rhoda Perry (D-Providence). Hawkins died of AIDS complications last year and was too fearful of being arrested or kicked out of his nursing home to use medical marijuana to relieve his pain and wasting.

"I am very proud of my colleagues in the legislature today for passing this act by such an overwhelming margin," said the House bill's sponsor, Rep. Thomas Slater (D-Providence), who suffers from cancer. "I call on Governor Carcieri to sign the Medical Marijuana Bill into law."

If H.B. 6052 becomes law, Rhode Island would become the 11th state to protect medical marijuana patients from arrest and imprisonment and the 3rd to do so via the legislative process. Gov. Carcieri has threatened to veto the bill despite overwhelming support from the public and the state's leading medical organizations.

H.B. 6052 allows patients with cancer, multiple sclerosis, HIV/AIDS, and other serious illnesses to use marijuana under the care of a physician without the fear of arrest or imprisonment. H.B. 6052 and S.B. 710 have been endorsed by the Rhode Island Medical Society, Rhode Island Nurses Association, and AIDS Project Rhode Island. A Zogby International poll released in March 2004 showed that 69% of Rhode Islanders support legislation protecting medical marijuana patients and caregivers; full poll results are available online at http://www.mpp.org/pdf/RI_03_2004_poll.pdf.

"Governor Carcieri should listen to Rhode Island's medical community and the state's voters and reconsider his threat to veto this sensible, humane bill," said Neal Levine, director of state policies for the Marijuana Policy Project in Washington, D.C. "The bill, as amended, addresses almost all of his concerns. He should show some compassion and sign this bill."