There was a great article in Delaware State News by Matt Bittle (@MatthewCBittle) this weekend about the slow progress Delaware is making in medical marijuana sales as well as the next steps in legalizing recreational marijuana.
Currently, Delawareans who are prescribed medical marijuana have to come to Wilmington to fill their prescription. The Sussex site will open near Lewes sometime in March. The Kent site will open sometime later in 2017. Markell really slow-pitched this one.
According to the Delaware Division of Public Health’s website, patients can get medical marijuana for the following reasons:
Physicians may authorize a patient to use marijuana to treat symptoms of terminal illness, cancer, multiple sclerosis, HIV and AIDS, decompensated cirrhosis, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, agitation of Alzheimer’s disease, autism with aggressive or self-injurious behavior, intractable epilepsy, or the physical manifestations of post-traumatic stress disorder. Conditions that cause severe, debilitating pain, wasting syndrome, intractable nausea and seizures also fall under the state’s medical marijuana law.
According to the Delaware State News article, Sen. Margaret Rose Henry “wants to expand the law to cover more conditions, thus allowing more veterans to use cannabis.” I think we should take a moment and realize none of this would be happening with Sen. Henry — medical or legalizing.
Now for the reason most of you are reading this post, the article said that Henry will be introducing legislation to legalize marijuana in March of this year. But remember one of the hurdles we have is our governor who is stuck in the 1970s regarding marijuana. From the Delaware State News article:
Gov. John Carney offered few details on whether he supports legalization, although he said at a debate in October he was concerned about its reputation as a gateway drug.
“Delaware decriminalized possession of marijuana, and I supported that move,” the governor, a Democrat, said in a statement. “I also believe that medical marijuana should be available for Delawareans in need. We should continue to wait and see how Delaware’s decriminalization law continues to be implemented, and monitor progress in other states, before taking any additional steps.”
So what can you do to help this along? The Delaware Cannabis Advocacy Network (CAN) has several things in the works. Delaware CAN is organizing a Cannabis Bureau of Delaware Lobby Day on March 16th where citizens lobby their state representatives and senators on behalf of legalizing marijuana. Register here and make an appointment with your legislators.
You can also join Delaware CAN for a small yearly fee of $25 or if you are a student, $15. Delaware CAN also takes donations. They suggest a recurring donation of $4.20.
Delaware CAN has two upcoming meetings February 13th and February 25th. More information on their website.