With all of the energy and attention paid this election to Marriage Equality (Question 1) and Tabor (Question 4), you may not have noticed the expansion of Maine’s medical marijuana law, which passed by a strong margin – 330,490 to 232,790, or 59 percent to 41 percent and in all but three counties.
With Question 5,
The creation of dispensaries is a huge step. Echoing the underlying spirit of the law passed in 1999, which condoned medical marijuana, dispensaries would actually allow patients to access the medical marijuana that was decriminalized a decade ago. Under the old/current system, the patient or a designated caregiver has to grow the marijuana – a pretty unrealistic venture for many patients. This year in the booth, the Yes voters no doubt had in their mind the 68-year old cancer, glaucoma or AIDS patient, unable to grow the drugs they need to ease their illness or their treatment.
Both the 1999 ballot measure and this week’s reflect compassion for patients with serious illness and an understanding that many of these could experience increased quality of life if permitted to use marijuana medically.
Now comes the interesting part - implementation.
The Governor’s office has established a task force overseen by the Department of Health and Human Services to oversee the licensing and regulation of the dispensaries.
In the coming months, as this process unfolds, drug law reform and medical marijuana advocates will be seeking to ensure that the intent of the voters – to facilitate compassionate access to medicinal marijuana - is preserved.
Stay tuned.
