Post by Del Snavely on Dec 19, 2009 13:26:54 GMT -6
Gray Won't Wait to Send Medical Marijuana Initiative to Congress
(From the DCist, December 18, 2009)
Photo by julianabrintHoly medical pot smoke, Batman. Responding to news that President Barack Obama has signed the District of Columbia appropriations act that was part of that big package Congress passed earlier this month, D.C. Council Chairman Vincent Gray is moving to send the Legalization of Marijuana for Medical Treatment Initiative, also known as Initiative 59, to Congress for its 30-day review period. And he's going to go ahead and do it in the next few days.
D.C. voters overwhelmingly approved Initiative 59 way back in 1998, but Congress quickly moved to attach spending riders to our appropriations bill that prevented the city from implementing the legalization of medical marijuana. That only changed last week, when Democrats finally removed the restriction, along with other riders that banned spending on needle exchange programs and abortion.
Up until today, most members of the D.C. Council had been talking a lot about waiting and seeing and studying and such as far as implementing the medical marijuana measure. This sort of situation is more or less unprecedented, and it wasn't too surprising to see that kind of hedging. But a late Friday press release from Gray's office suddenly promises swift action -- albeit changeable action.
Therefore, Chairman Gray said he will send the act to Congress for the 30-day review in the next few days, “during which I am confident lawmakers will follow the same hands-off policy that thankfully led them to loosen the ropes on this appropriation.” By the same token, the Chairman said, since the Initiative 59 becomes an act of the Council, the Council is free to amend the measure at any time - even prior to it becoming effective.
"I will be talking with my colleagues on the Council and with the pertinent Executive agencies to determine our careful steps in implementing a process and regulations for allowing medical marijuana. In the meantime, I will transmit it to Congress as required by our Charter," Gray said.
(From the DCist, December 18, 2009)
Photo by julianabrintHoly medical pot smoke, Batman. Responding to news that President Barack Obama has signed the District of Columbia appropriations act that was part of that big package Congress passed earlier this month, D.C. Council Chairman Vincent Gray is moving to send the Legalization of Marijuana for Medical Treatment Initiative, also known as Initiative 59, to Congress for its 30-day review period. And he's going to go ahead and do it in the next few days.
D.C. voters overwhelmingly approved Initiative 59 way back in 1998, but Congress quickly moved to attach spending riders to our appropriations bill that prevented the city from implementing the legalization of medical marijuana. That only changed last week, when Democrats finally removed the restriction, along with other riders that banned spending on needle exchange programs and abortion.
Up until today, most members of the D.C. Council had been talking a lot about waiting and seeing and studying and such as far as implementing the medical marijuana measure. This sort of situation is more or less unprecedented, and it wasn't too surprising to see that kind of hedging. But a late Friday press release from Gray's office suddenly promises swift action -- albeit changeable action.
Therefore, Chairman Gray said he will send the act to Congress for the 30-day review in the next few days, “during which I am confident lawmakers will follow the same hands-off policy that thankfully led them to loosen the ropes on this appropriation.” By the same token, the Chairman said, since the Initiative 59 becomes an act of the Council, the Council is free to amend the measure at any time - even prior to it becoming effective.
"I will be talking with my colleagues on the Council and with the pertinent Executive agencies to determine our careful steps in implementing a process and regulations for allowing medical marijuana. In the meantime, I will transmit it to Congress as required by our Charter," Gray said.
