Despite strong lobbying efforts by a local patients’ advocacy group, the General Assembly took no action this year on medical marijuana legislation. The bill, a version of which was first introduced by the ACLU three years ago, would allow patients with specific serious and terminal illnesses to possess small amounts of marijuana for medical purposes, if authorized by a physician, without running afoul of the criminal drug laws. Two years ago, the bill was defeated by a close vote in House committee. Physicians, patients, the R.I. Medical Society and the ACLU joined in testifying in support of the bill but election year jitters prompted the legislative leadership to keep the bills locked up in committee.
