Conn. Senate approves medical marijuana

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HARTFORD, Conn., May 5 (UPI) -- Connecticut Gov. Dannel Malloy Saturday commended the state Senate for passing legislation legalizing and regulating medicinal use of marijuana.

"There are thousands of people in Connecticut who will likely benefit from this legislation as they struggle with debilitating and life-threatening illnesses," Malloy said in a statement. "With them in mind, I want to commend the General Assembly for passing this bill."

Lawmakers have discussed similar legislation several times in the past decade, though Senate President Donald Williams said the current bill is superior because it contains restrictions lacking in other states, The Hartford Courant reported.

"When I looked at some of the other states that took what I thought was almost a wild, wild west approach of allowing people to grow plants at home and the lack of oversight and regulation, I did not believe it was the right thing for Connecticut to do, to emulate those states and those versions," Williams said.

To qualify for medicinal marijuana in Connecticut under the new bill, patients would need a physician's certification they are suffering from a debilitating medical condition such as cancer, glaucoma, HIV, AIDS, Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis or epilepsy, the newspaper said.