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R.I. Senate Overides Governor's Veto of Medical Marijuana Bill

By Jeralyn, Section Legislation
Posted on Thu Jun 30, 2005 at 07:36:51 PM EST
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Bump and Update: The Rhode Island Senate on Thursday overrode the Governor's Wednesday veto of the medical marijuana bill passed Tuesday by the state legislature. Now, if the Rhode Island House follows suit, it will become law.

Thanks to Tom Angell, Communications Director of Students for Sensible Drug Policy, who wrote me and said:

Check out my mom in Thursday's New York Times, In Rhode Island, Uncertainty About Medical Marijuana Law

Now that's what I call family values.

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Original Post 6/30 12:30 am

Tuesday night, the Rhode Island legislature passed a medical marijuna bill. Wednesday night, Gov. Donald L. Carcieri vetoed it.

[He said] it would encourage marijuana use, sanction criminal activity and make the drug more available to children.Additionally, Mr. Carcieri said, it would lull residents into believing they could not be prosecuted for marijuana use, which remains a federal offense.

All is not lost. There may be enough votes to survive the veto.

It appears that proponents of the bill have the necessary three-fifths vote in each chamber of the legislature, both heavily Democratic, to override the veto. The bill passed the Senate 33 to 1 on Tuesday and was approved 52 to 10 last week in the House.

If the veto is overridden, Rhode Island will become the 11th state to allow medical marijuana, and the first to do so after the Supreme Court ruled this month that federal authorities could prosecute those who use the drug for medicinal use, even in states allowing it.

Onward, Rhode Island legislators.

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    R.I. Senate Overides Governor's Veto of Medical Marijuana Bill | 2 comments (2 topical)
    Re: R.I. Senate Overides Governor's Veto of Medic (none / 0) (#1)
    by kdog on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:00:43 PM EST
    Looks to me like the gov. is in the drug war interest's pocket. 33-1, 52-10...these are big margins. The gov. is out of touch with the wishes of the citizens of his state, I hope he suffers at election time.

    Re: R.I. Senate Overides Governor's Veto of Medic (none / 0) (#2)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:00:44 PM EST
    "At the unveiling of the statue of Roger Williams at the US Capitol in 1872, Rhode Island Senator William Sprague observed that Roger Williams "successfully vindicated the right of private judgement in matters of conscience, and effected a moral and political revolution in all governments of the civilized world."

    R.I. Senate Overides Governor's Veto of Medical Marijuana Bill | 2 comments (2 topical)