Chair talks about marijuana reform on Paul Beaudry's Comment Show (1420am)
Chairman, Hardy Machia was a guest on Paul Beaudry’s Comment Show on 1420 AM in St. Albans. They had a lively discussion about marijuana reform in Vermont.
January 2007
Chairman talks about free speech on TrueNorth radio program (96.1 FM WDEV)
Chairman, Hardy Machia was a guest on Paul Beaudry’s radio show True North on WDEV (96.1FM). They talked about free speech and particularly how the campaign finance laws and other laws affect the freedom of speech of political parties, candidates, and activists.
Vermont Judiciary Committee passes medical marijuana bill
Vermont Judiciary Committee passes medical marijuana improvement bill!
In a 4-1 vote this morning, the Vermont Judiciary Committee passed S.7, a bill that will improve the current medical marijuana law. After this inspiring victory, the bill is now headed to the Senate Health and Welfare Committee. Thank you to everyone who took a moment to write and call the Judiciary Committee members. If you have not already done so,?please contact your state senator now and urge him or her to vote in favor of S.7. You can use our automated system to send your senator a letter; it takes only a couple moments.
The version of the bill approved by the Judiciary Committee will add chronic conditions that cause severe pain, nausea, wasting, or seizures to the list of conditions for which patients may use medical marijuana. This will allow many seriously ill Vermonters who do not currently qualify under the law to get the protection they need. Additionally, this legislation will increase the number of plants that registered patients are allowed to grow to four mature plants and 10 immature plants. It will also increase the amount of usable marijuana patients are allowed to possess to 2 ounces.
A great way to build on the momentum of this victory is to?write a letter to the editor of your local papers, expressing your support for the committee’s action and your hope that lawmakers will support this compassionate legislation. Our automated system will easily allow you to send a letter to newspapers in Vermont. Feel free to draw from the talking points that we have provided, but remember that a personalized letter is more likely to be published than a form letter.?Please send a letter today.
Clearing the Senate Judiciary Committee was a major hurdle. In order to ensure that the Senate Health and Welfare Committee also approves S.7, they need to hear from Vermont patients and medical experts. If you are a patient or medical expert and are willing to testify before the committee, please contact me by e-mailing?[email protected]?or calling (202) 462-5747 ext. 119.
This victory demonstrates significant progress for medical marijuana in Vermont. We will continue to keep you updated as this legislation moves through the legislature.
Thank you for supporting the Marijuana Policy Project. Please pass this message along to your friends and family in Vermont so that others can stand up for the state?s most vulnerable residents.
Medical Marijuana expansion bill
Vermont Considers Expanding Marijuana Law
High Times
Boston Globe
Considers other medicinal uses
By Associated Press | January 14, 2007
MONTPELIER — The Vermont Senate Judiciary Committee is considering a bill that would expand the state’s medical marijuana law to include additional diseases and allow people permitted to use marijuana to grow more for their own use.
Senators heard testimony Thursday from people who suffer from ailments not covered by the existing two-year-old law, people who say they can’t get enough marijuana legally, and law enforcement representatives who are urging caution in expanding the law.
Max Schlueter, director of the Vermont Crime Information Center, told lawmakers the Medical Marijuana Registry program was working smoothly. There are 29 people registered, down from a high of 34, he said.
The bill, introduced by Senator Richard Sears, chairman of the Judiciary Committee and a Democrat from Bennington, would expand the list of qualifying diseases, allow registered participants to grow more plants, and cut the registration fee in half to $50.
Steve Perry of Randolph Center uses illegal marijuana to ease the symptoms of degenerative bone disease, which causes squeezing pain, electric shock-like sensations when he turns his neck the wrong way, and crippling muscle spasms.
“Because the law doesn’t allow me to legally use or obtain marijuana, I have to put myself at risk of being arrested and going to jail every time I need to ease the pain,” Perry said.
Mark Tucci of Manchester uses marijuana to ease the symptoms of multiple sclerosis.
But the current law doesn’t allow him to grow enough marijuana, forcing him to buy it illegally at great expense. “I’m getting sick of going out to try to find the stuff,” said Tucci.
Public Safety commissioner Kerry Sleeper said there had been an increase in illegal drug use, and he didn’t want to encourage that.
Jane Woodruff, executive director of the Department of State’s Attorneys and Sheriffs, said she feared that increasing the number of plants a patient could have could make participants’ homes targets for criminals.
