A spokeswoman for Gov. Peter Shumlin says the governor supports and will sign on to an effort allowing doctors to prescribe medical marijuana and for pharmacists to fill the prescriptions.
Shumlin is joining an effort by Rhode Island Gov. Lincoln Chafee to petition the federal DEA to change marijuana’s current illegal status under federal law to prescribe or dispense for medical use.
Vermont’s current medical marijuana law requires the small number of very sick people the state makes eligible to receive it to register with the Department of Public Safety and sets up other special procedures for them to get the drug.
The governors’ proposal would make medical marijuana much like other prescription drugs.