Maine lawmakers overturned Gov. Paul LePage’s veto to pass a sweeping medical marijuana reform bill Monday.
The Maine House voted 119-23 and the Maine Senate voted 25-8 to override the Republican governor’s veto and adopt legislation that will allow patients to use marijuana if a doctor deems it medically beneficial, grant six new medical dispensary licenses, permit caregivers to expand their business operations and give the state and municipalities more power to regulate them.
RELATED: Maine Gov. Paul LePage Vetoes Bill That Would Ease Access to Medical Marijuana
“Maine’s medical cannabis program is already one of the best in the country,” said Sen. Eric Brakey, R-Auburn, who as co-chairman of the health and human services committee helped write the new law. “The passage of L.D. 1539 will make it even stronger. More access and choice for patients. More flexibility for legal businesses. And more integrity to the overall program.”
LePage, a staunch marijuana opponent, has vetoed almost every piece of marijuana legislation that has come across his desk. He has vocally criticized Maine’s medical marijuana program, targeting the state’s network of 3,000 caregivers who can treat up to five patients at a time. He says the caregiver system has run amok and lacks sufficient state oversight.
Top Image: © Chee Onn Leong | Adobe Stock
