[420 Girl]

AUGUSTA, Maine -- State officials still need to develop strict guidelines to prevent abuse before Maine's new medical marijuana law can take effect early next summer.

The governor's task force responsible for implementing the new Maine Medical Marijuana Law, formed soon after voters approved the referendum last month, met Tuesday in the second of three meetings scheduled at the State House.

The task force must determine how the drug will be dispensed, quality control and issues of confidentiality. The law allows dispensaries to provide medical marijuana to patients with a doctor's approval.

Eric Friberg is a medical marijuana user who's also one of dozens of people who have already applied for a dispensary license.

"I just became angry at the archaic laws, basically, that are out there. So, I decided to become active, become involved with it," he said.

Marijuana remains an illegal narcotic, and before the state registers anyone to dispense it, the task force first needs to develop strict guidelines to prevent abuse.

"There is a potential for fraud or abuse for a black market for these registration cards that could easily be misused, and we want to protect against that," Maine Attorney General Janet Mills said.

The task force is debating dozens of issues from potential problems -- including a patient's right to privacy -- versus police enforcement. When finally completed, the state does have the power to reword the law from its original form.

"I suspect that it won't be significantly different," said Portland Rep. Anne Haskell, D-District 117, a member of the task force. "It's not the intention I've heard from anyone on the task force to overturn, or, in any way, change what the people voted on ... I don't want this to become a breeding ground for litigation. I want it to be constant with the intent and constant with other laws on the books as well."

The governor has asked the task force to finalize its recommendations by the end of this month.


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