Regulation of Marijuana for Medical use – 4/13/2011

E2SSB 5073 would:

1. Establish a regulatory system for producing, processing, and dispensing cannabis (marijuana) intended for medical use.

2. Establish protections from criminal liability and arrest for qualifying patients, designated providers, health care professionals, licensed producers, licensed processors, and licensed dispensers.

3. Establish a voluntary registry in which qualifying patients and designated providers may enroll and receive protection from arrest and prosecution.

Washington State law now permits the medical use of marijuana, but does not provide an adequate way for it to be obtained for that purpose.  This bill fills that gap, but it does much more.

FCWPP supports E2SSB 5073 because it would establish the principle of regulation of marijuana and the authorizing of the infrastructure necessary to support its production and distribution.  It is a significant step in the direction of replacing prohibition of marijuana with legalization and regulation together with a public health model for its misuse.

E2SSB 5073 has passed the Washington State Senate and is now before the House.  We urge you to contact your representatives in the House and ask them to vote for E2SSB 5073.

You may find your legislators at:  http://apps.leg.wa.gov/DistrictFinder/Default.aspx.  Email addresses for legislators are of the form: .

Thanks for all your help.

Sam Merrill, Legislative Clerk
Steven Aldrich, Legislative Advocate
Friends Committee on Washington Public Policy (FCWPP)?