Presidential candidate from NM signs nation’s 12th MMJ law

NM law sets stage for new federal drive in Congress

Presidential candidate and New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson signed the nation’s 12th state medical marijuana law April 2 in a move advocates said will likely jump-start efforts to reform federal policy.

NM law sets stage for new federal drive in Congress

Presidential candidate and New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson signed the nation’s 12th state medical marijuana law April 2 in a move advocates said will likely jump-start efforts to reform federal policy.

The signing came in the wake of new research documenting marijuana’s medical value and public outrage at the Appeals Court’s rejection of Angel Raich’s medical marijuana due process claim.

New Mexico joins Alaska, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Montana,
Nevada, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington in protecting
medical marijuana patients from arrest.

Democrat Richardson, the first presidential candidate to have
supported medical marijuana by signing it into law, has consistently
voiced his strong support for the bill and was a major proponent in
ensuring its passage.

“Gov. Richardson is showing his compassion for seriously ill people,
and he is also reflecting the will of the majority of New Mexicans and
the American people,” said Drug Policy Alliance NM director Reena
Szczepanski.

“I hope other elected officials take note: Americans will stand behind
those that believe in compassion and mercy for our most vulnerable, our
sick and dying patients struggling for relief.”

Added Rob Kampia, director of the Marijuana Policy Project, “The
American public, too, is solidly behind medical marijuana. An October
2005 Gallup poll found that 78 percent of voters supported allowing
physicians to prescribe marijuana to reduce pain and suffering.
Politicians are learning that supporting medical marijuana doesn’t cost
support — it gains votes.”

Written by Chris Conrad
Rhode Island lawmakers took a Senate vote 28 to 6 to override the governor’s veto of medical marijuana legislation. The House agreed to an override vote, but had not voted by press time.