House Passes Medical Marijuana Bill on Final Reading

By janimonow on July 30, 2024

The House of Representatives approved House Bill 10439 on its third and final reading, allowing access to medical marijuana for qualified patients. The bill saw overwhelming support, with 177 lawmakers voting in favor, nine against, and nine abstaining.

Key Provisions of House Bill 10439

House Bill 10439 permits the use of medical marijuana or medical cannabis for patients diagnosed by an accredited physician as having a medical condition that could benefit from such treatment.

Qualified Patients: The bill defines a qualified patient as someone diagnosed with a medical condition or symptoms associated with a medical condition, who, in the evaluation of an accredited physician, will benefit from medical cannabis.

Establishment of the Medical Cannabis Office

The bill also establishes the Medical Cannabis Office (MCO), which will regulate the use of medical cannabis and ensure its accessibility to patients in need.

Prohibited Acts

The legislation outlines several prohibited acts to regulate the use of medical cannabis:

Importation, Cultivation, Manufacture, Storage, and Distribution: Without a permit from the MCO.
Unauthorized Sales: Selling or trading medical cannabis to patients, doctors, drugstores, hospitals, clinics, dispensaries, and other medical facilities without proper authority, license, or accreditation from the MCO.
Research and Development: Planting and growing for research and development without MCO authorization.
Non-Accredited Physicians: Prescription and administration of medical cannabis by non-accredited physicians.
Prescription Limits: Prescription and administration of medical cannabis for more than one year by accredited physicians.
Unauthorized Use: Use of medical cannabis without prescription or beyond the prescribed dosage.
Other Unauthorized Acts: Any other analogous acts performed without authority by the MCO.

Senate Counterpart Bill

A counterpart bill in the Senate was sponsored in the plenary in March, indicating growing legislative support for medical cannabis in both houses of Congress.