Schwarzenegger Vetoes Bill That Would Have Removed Quantity Restrictions for Medical Marijuana
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) on Tuesday vetoed a bill (SB 1494) that would have eased rules on medical marijuana by removing limits on how much of the substance patients are allowed to possess, the AP/San Diego Union-Tribune reports (AP/San Diego Union-Tribune, 7/21). In a letter to the Senate, Schwarzenegger wrote that the bill would have "reverse[d] an agreement" leading to the 2003 passage of a bill (SB 420) that clarified some legal questions surrounding possession of marijuana for medical purposes under Proposition 215. Proposition 215 is a ballot measure approved in 1996 that allows patients with chronic illnesses to use medical marijuana with a recommendation from a physician. SB 420 "resolved this issue" by instituting "[r]easonable and established quantity guidelines" for patients using marijuana for medical purposes, Schwarzenegger wrote. He added that enacting SB 1494 "would create uncertainty in this area of the law" and make it "more difficult" for law enforcement officials to determine when a person is legally in possession of medical marijuana (Office of the Governor release, 7/20). Note: You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to access the release.
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