[JURIST] The Louisiana House of Representatives [official website] approved a medical marijuana bill [legislative materials] on Thursday and sent the bill as amended back to the Senate for concurrence. The Senate previously approved the bill that seeks to provide a legal way to supply therapeutic marijuana to patients who need it in May. The current system allows doctors to prescribe marijuana and patients to use it, but lacks legal guidelines for marijuana providers. The bill gives authority to three state boards to set rules to regulate the distribution system. If the Senate approves the bill as amended, it will be sent to Governor Bobby Jindal [official website] who expressed [NOLA report] his intent to sign the bill if it reaches his desk.
The legal use and sale [JURIST backgrounder] of marijuana for both medical and recreational purposes has created controversy among a number of states in the US in the past few years.
