Arizona Representative Jay Lawrence Withdraws Bill That Could Have Ended Medical Marijuana Program

[shishka]

UPDATE: State Representative Jay Lawrence (R-Fountain Hills) has withdrawn his bill that could have destroyed Arizona's medical-marijuana program.

Lawrence's bill, HCR 2019, would have stripped naturopaths and homeopaths of the right to recommend medical marijuana, even though those doctors write nearly 90 percent of the recommendations. His plan also called for patients to renew their cards every six months instead of every year, paying double the annual fees.

"We received so many calls," he tells New Times. "I had heard anecdotally that [the cards] are handed out wildly. I learned from the callers that there is a lot more care taken by naturopaths than I had originally been told."

Hundreds of people called his office, he says, and he spoke to 30 or 40 of them. He also spoke to dispensary operators.

"I became more sympathetic when I learned it's not just a gimme," he says. Most patients "are not getting a pass. "[Naturopaths and homeopaths] are legitimately getting medical records."

Lawrence says he's still concerned about minors given marijuana by patients. Told that the Arizona Medical Marijuana Act already prohibits that, he says he'd like to see that part "enforced."

"I'm glad that this is over now, as you might imagine," he adds.

New Times left a message with J.P. Holyoak, chair of the Arizona Dispensaries Association, to find out if Wednesday's planned protest at the State Capitol had been cancelled, since it's apparently no longer needed.

UPDATE #2 — Holyoak says the rally at the State Capitol mentioned below is still going to take place. While he expects fewer participants now that the threat from Lawrence's bill has passed, many cannabis activists are still likely to show up at 10 a.m. on Wednesday.

"We need to be out there making a statement saying it's not OK to attack patients in this state," he says.

[AmishRnot4ganja]

Another Republican is smacked in the face by reality!

 

Could this indicate that we have reason to hope?

[Norby]

If we stick together and tell them what we think.

[Restorium2]