C
CANNATOPIA
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]May 12, 2011 - Annapolis, MD, USA
[/FONT][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Annapolis, MD: [/FONT][FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley this week signed legislation, Senate Bill 308, that expands the state's eight-year-old 'affirmative defense' law.[/FONT][/FONT][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif] [FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Senate Bill 308 removes fines and criminal penalties for citizens who, at trial, successfully raise an 'affirmative defense' establishing that they possessed limited amounts of marijuana for medical purposes. [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif] Under present law, patients who successfully raise an 'affirmative defense' of medical necessity at trial still face a misdemeanor conviction (but no jail time) and a $100 fine.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif] Citizens who cultivate cannabis or who possess quantities of marijuana above one ounce may still raise an 'affirmative defense' at trial and, if successful, will have their sentence mitigated.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif] As initially introduced, SB 308 and its House companion bill sought to establish a government-regulated program to provide qualified patients with legal access to state-licensed producers and distributors of medical cannabis. However, the measure was rewritten in March after Maryland's Department of Health secretary publicly testified against it. [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif] State lawmakers are expected to revisit the possibility of regulating the production and distribution of medical marijuana next year, after the issue is further examined by a legislative 'work group' of medical, legal, and law enforcement professionals.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Additional information regarding Maryland's medical marijuana affirmative defense law is available at: http://www.norml.org/index.cfm?Group_ID=3391#Maryland.
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Link - http://www.norml.org/index.cfm?Group_ID=8566[/FONT]
[/FONT][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Annapolis, MD: [/FONT][FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley this week signed legislation, Senate Bill 308, that expands the state's eight-year-old 'affirmative defense' law.[/FONT][/FONT][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif] [FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Senate Bill 308 removes fines and criminal penalties for citizens who, at trial, successfully raise an 'affirmative defense' establishing that they possessed limited amounts of marijuana for medical purposes. [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif] Under present law, patients who successfully raise an 'affirmative defense' of medical necessity at trial still face a misdemeanor conviction (but no jail time) and a $100 fine.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif] Citizens who cultivate cannabis or who possess quantities of marijuana above one ounce may still raise an 'affirmative defense' at trial and, if successful, will have their sentence mitigated.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif] As initially introduced, SB 308 and its House companion bill sought to establish a government-regulated program to provide qualified patients with legal access to state-licensed producers and distributors of medical cannabis. However, the measure was rewritten in March after Maryland's Department of Health secretary publicly testified against it. [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif] State lawmakers are expected to revisit the possibility of regulating the production and distribution of medical marijuana next year, after the issue is further examined by a legislative 'work group' of medical, legal, and law enforcement professionals.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Additional information regarding Maryland's medical marijuana affirmative defense law is available at: http://www.norml.org/index.cfm?Group_ID=3391#Maryland.
[/FONT]
Link - http://www.norml.org/index.cfm?Group_ID=8566[/FONT]
