Medical Marijuana May Become Legal in D.C.

Washington, D.C. — A D.C. councilmember introduced a bill last Tuesday that would open five medical marijuana dispensaries in the District.

Councilmember David Catania, I-At Large, introduced the bill, which would implement a 1998 D.C. initiative that called for legalizing medical marijuana. The bill, Initiative 59, was approved by 69 percent of voters, but was prevented from being passed by restrictions from the predominantly Republican Congress, the Washington Post reported.

The proposed dispensaries would be able to distribute approximately one month’s supply of marijuana to chronically ill patients. None of the marijuana distributed would be cost-free, but low-income families would be given a discount.

Susan Mottet, committee counsel for Catania, said the bill requires that dispensaries would be allowed to grow or possess only enough marijuana to provide registered or projected new patients with an adequate medical supply.