Idaho lawmaker to propose medical marijuana law

     BOISE (AP) — A Republican lawmaker wants to make Idaho the 15th state to legalize medical marijuana, saving chronically ill patients a trip across the border to Washington, Oregon, Nevada or Montana.

     Moscow Rep. Tom Trail first proposed a measure to legalize medical marijuana in Idaho more than a year ago, but a draft of the legislation drew early opposi-tion from law enforcement and other groups, he said.

     He decided to try again after New Jersey’s then-Gov. Jon Corzine signed legislation in January that grants chronically ill patients legal access to marijuana at state dis-pensaries. Trail plans to introduce similar legisla-tion, focusing on patients with severe illnesses such as cancer, AIDS, Lou Gehrig’s disease, muscular dystrophy, glaucoma and multiple sclerosis.

     “I’m not getting caught up in the great marijuana debate, because that can kill you pretty quickly,” said Trail, who previously failed to persuade Idaho lawmakers to support a resolution to legalize industrial hemp as a farm crop.

     In state legislatures nationwide, there are about 100 bills related to medical marijuana, includ-ing measures to create or update existing programs, said Karmen Hanson, a policy analyst with the National Conference of State Legislatures.

     Six states — California, Colorado, Maine, New Jersey, New Mexico and Rhode Island — have authorized dispensaries for licensed medical mari-juana patients. The eight other states that remove criminal penalties for medical marijuana use are Alaska, Hawaii, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Vermont and Washington.

     The Idaho legislation would allow patients to access up to 2 ounces of marijuana a month — enough for about a joint a day — at state dispen-saries. Doctor referrals would be limited to a set list of chronic illnesses, and growing pot at home would remain illegal.