GO MARYLAND!!!!! From Rob Kampia: "Today I get to share with you not one, but two major victories in our fight to end marijuana prohibition! With Gov. Martin O’Malley’s signature on two bills passed by the legislature, Maryland will be the 18th state to stop jailing its residents for marijuana possession AND the 21st state with an effective medical marijuana program! The importance of these victories cannot be overstated. Just last week, the marijuana decriminalization bill was all but dead, but thanks to the hard work of MPP, a group of determined legislators, and our allies in the Marijuana Policy Coalition of Maryland, we were able to revive the bill and pass it through both the House and Senate! Meanwhile, the medical marijuana bill would allow dispensaries to provide medicine directly to patients whose physicians recommend it. Currently, the state has an unworkable law on the books that relies on teaching hospitals to distribute marijuana in violation of federal law. Unsurprisingly, none have signed up to do so. Gov. O’Malley has announced that he will sign the bill, which removes criminal penalties for possession of less than 10 grams of marijuana and replaces them with a civil fine of up to $100 for a first offense. He had previously stated his support for reforming the state’s medical marijuana program.
Personally I'll be a little surprised if he actually follows through and signs the bill into law so no singing from the rooftops just yet..
