[420 Girl]

Tuesday, Rhode Island expanded its mind and its medical marijuana law by becoming the third state, behind New Mexico and California, to allow state-registered, nonprofit compassion centers for registered, chronically ill patients. Legislators easily overrode the veto issued by Gov. Donald Carcieri (R-RI) with a unanimous 68-0 vote in the House and 35-3 in the Senate.

State medical marijuana laws are a wonderful boon toward a more sane practice, but one flaw in the process is that the laws are only as good as the method with which patients can get the drug.

The bill's sponsor, Rep. Thomas Slater, who has been diagnosed with two types of cancer and is undergoing treatment, wanted a better way for patients to obtain the marijuana, because there was no safe or legal way to do it. Patients who testified at committee hearings told of being robbed while attempting to find marijuana on the streets.

"We recognized when we created the medical marijuana program that marijuana has a legitimate medical application, and that patients should have access to it if they need it. But we forced them to deal with criminals in order to get it. We're talking about very sick people, and they shouldn't have to put themselves at risk to get their medicine," said Rep. Slater.

Other states considering the dispensary provision on their medical marijuana bills include Delaware, Illinois, Iowa, New Hampshire, New Jersey, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania, and a similar ballot initiative is now being circulated in Arizona. This November, Maine will vote on a dispensary initiative.

Unlike the Bush Administration who frequently raided medical marijuana patient's stashes, U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder has said the Obama Administration will not target dispensers that follow state law.

The method of delivery becomes more vital with the prospect of legalization for non-medical use. Marijuana could be the solution to one of the country's biggest issues -- budget deficits. With the amount of taxes the government would gain from the sale of legal marijuana, the possibilities of a recovering economy seem endless. Legalization may be sooner than we think.

The Control, Regulate and Tax Cannabis Act of 2010, the first major statewide initiative designed to legalize marijuana for personal use, will be considered for qualification on the California statewide ballot in November 2010.

The initiative, similar to that of Amsterdam, is for the legalization of marijuana in small amounts, for personal posession of adults 21 years of age or older. Cities and counties are urged to regulate sales and cultivation.

Marijuana, medical or otherwise, is becoming a business. And governments on multiple levels have a responsibility to make sure safety is taken into consideration in much the same way as alcohol and tobacco are distributed.

These state initiatives are an experiment to see if marijuana can be blended into society. Proper use of dispensaries can help make the case that marijuana has a place in the United States.

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