Pace Picks Up for Medical Marijuana

It's likely the writing is on the wall. Medical marijuana, in some form or another, is coming to Connecticut. But that's the difficult part, the "some form or another."A

We've got more than ten years of states with medical marijuana laws to look at, and that was probably a wise move. However, as push comes to shove, there's still the question of what will fit Connecticut. We aren't California or Hawaii. We aren't even Rhode Island, where the Governor is fighting tooth and nail to limit permissiveness of their law. And that is one difference the legislature has taken to heart -- pass a medical marijuana law or let the voters decide.

Early on, states got their laws as ballot measures. This makes it difficult, if not impossible, to control exactly what emerges when the dust settles. Ballot measures are usually very general and don't address all the nuances. So, when our own medical marijuana legislation breezed through the Judiciary Committee in early April, it seemed like things were moving along fine. But the legal side isn't as difficult as the logistical side. Sure, we can change enforcement, but how to regulate it?

With Rhode Island opening Compassionate Care centers on the border to attract Connecticut patients, and New Jersey allowing medical marijuana, we should look to those states and see what problems they are having. Right now, neither state allows non-residents to legally use marijuana, but residency can be changed easily in either.

One thing is for sure. If the legislature cannot create a workable system, the issue will eventually come up as a ballot measure, throwing out all the hard work.

Perhaps this time, we can get sensible law -- even if they do have to cut-and-paste from other New England States.