Montana: Legislative hearings were held this week on a pair of bills related to the medicinal use of marijuana. On Tuesday, members of the Senate Judiciary Committee heard testimony regarding Senate Bill 212, which seeks to impose a lifetime ban on qualified medical cannabis patients who commit certain driving indiscretions. NORML opposes this effort and is working closely with Montana Patients & Families United to derail this measure. Committee members are expected to vote on SB 212 as early as tomorrow morning (Friday, January 23), but you still have time to urge lawmakers to vote ‘no’ by visiting here.

On a more positive note, Montana’s House Human Services Committee is expected to vote by next Wednesday (January 28) on House Bill 73, which will allow patients greater access to medical cannabis. You can contact the Committee and urge their support for this common sense proposal here.

Minnesota: Senate File 97, an act to exempt qualified medical cannabis patients from state arrest and prosecution, has been referred to the Health, Housing, and Family Security Committee. Last year, a similar measure gained strong legislative support, but was tabled after last-minute opposition from the Governor. You can voice your support for this year’s proposal by visiting here and here.

New Mexico: The New Mexico Department of Health finalized rules last week governing the production, distribution, and use of medicinal cannabis under state law. The new guidelines specify that state qualified patients may possess up to six ounces of medical cannabis (or more if authorized by their physician) and/or 16 plants (four mature, 12 immature) in accordance with state law. State regulations also authorize non-profit facilities to apply with the state to produce and dispense medical cannabis. State licensed producers may grow up to 95 mature plants at one time. New Mexico is the first state to codify rules for the state-licensed production of medical cannabis by not-for-profit organizations.

Washington: A dozen lawmakers introduced legislation (HB 1177) this week to reclassifying (read: decriminalize) the possession of up to forty grams of marijuana to a class 2 civil infraction. Passage of this bill would reduce the penalties on minor marijuana possession offenses from a criminal misdemeanor punishable by up to 90 days in jail and a $500 fine to a monetary penalty of no more than $100. According to data provided by the Washington State Institute for Public Policy, enacting this policy would save state taxpayers over $7.5 million annually. Residents in Washington are strongly encouraged to contact their House members in support of HB 1177 via NORML’s online advocacy system.

Montana: There has been a flurry of legislative activity this week pertaining to the medical use of marijuana. First the good news. House Bill 73, an act to revise the state’s medical marijuana law, has been referred to the House Human Services Committee. If passed, this proposal would benefit Montana patients by expanding the pool of health care providers who may legally recommend marijuana therapy under state law to include physician assistants and nurse practitioners.

Now the bad news. Senate Bill 212, an act to impose a lifetime ban on qualified medical cannabis patients who commit certain driving indiscretions, has been referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee. If passed, this proposal would sanction patients found to be operating a motor vehicle with even trace levels of THC (above 1 ng/ml) in their blood by disqualifying them for life from the state’s medical marijuana program.

Both measures will be heard by legislators next week. It is important that lawmakers hear from you. If you live in Montana, you can show your support HB 73 by going here. You can voice your opposition to SB 212 by going here. For more information on attending next week’s hearings, please contact: info@mtmjpatients.org.

New Jersey: In the coming weeks, the Senate is expected to vote on Senate Bill 119, the New Jersey Compassionate Use Medical Marijuana Act, which seeks to make New Jersey the fourteenth state to allow for the physician-supervised use of medicinal cannabis. Governor Jon Corzine backs the measure, as do many of the state’s largest newspapers. Residents in New Jersey are strongly encouraged to contact their senators in support of SB 119 via NORML’s online advocacy system.

Missouri: Ten lawmakers have introduced legislation (HB 277) to legalize the medical use of marijuana in Missouri. If passed, this measure would “give medical marijuana patients the same rights as other pharmaceutically medicated individuals.” You can learn more about the measure via NORML’s online advocacy system.