The Newport Daily News
Senate will have its say on marijuana centers
PROVIDENCE — A day after legislation allowing medical marijuana distribution centers was sent back to a Senate committee, the bill was resurrected and scheduled for a full Senate vote today.
The bill (S2693) was pulled from the Senate calendar Tuesday after opponents amended it to prohibit patients from smoking marijuana in motor vehicles, even if they are the passenger.
After the session, Perry said she was going to submit an amendment to the bill in an effort to undo the changes made Tuesday. Several senators who voted in favor of the amendment, sponsored by Sen. Leo R. Blais, R-Coventry, admitted privately that they did so because they thought it would make the bill more likely to pass the full Senate. And at least two other senators who support Perry’s bill were not present for Tuesday’s vote.
The legislation would allow the state to license and regulate not-for-profit “compassion centers” that would be allowed to grow and distribute marijuana to people who can legally use it to combat their debilitating diseases.
Blais’s amendment was approved by an 18-16 vote.
The bill is not likely to pass this year even if the Senate approves it. Rep. Thomas C. Slater, D-Providence, who has sponsored an identical bill in the House of Representatives, said the House is not going to act on his bill this year.
But Perry said Monday she thought it was important for the Senate to approve it to move the issue forward in anticipation of more progress next year.
Send reporter Joe Baker e-mail at [email protected].