May 06, 2011
amendment, Delaware, Gov. Jack Markell, governor, Karen O'Keefe, legislature, Margaret Rose Henry, Noah Mamber
Thrilling news! Yesterday, the Delaware House passed SB 17, in a 27-14 vote. The bill now goes back to the Senate for concurrence on House amendments before heading to the desk of Governor Jack Markell.
MPP’s Karen O’Keefe, director of state policies, and Noah Mamber, legislative analyst for Delaware, were in Dover to assist with the floor debate. Several patients joined them.
SB 17, sponsored by Sen. Margaret Rose Henry (D-Wilmington), would allow the compassionate use of medical marijuana for chronically ill Delaware patients with their doctors’ recommendations. It would include tightly regulated, extremely limited distribution of medical marijuana by licensing three not-for-profit compassion centers, one in each of the Delaware counties.
This is a significant triumph for seriously ill patients in Delaware, and we couldn’t have done it without your support. Thanks so much to all of the committed Delaware patients, health care professionals, and activists who took the time to call and write their legislators in support of the bill. With any luck, we’ll be posting again soon to announce that Delaware has officially become the 16th medical marijuana state!