Delaware Legislature Unanimously Approves Bill to Expand Medical Cannabis Law
Legislation that would add two new conditions that qualify someone to become a medical cannabis patient has been passed by Delaware’s full legislature.
According to its official summary, House Bill 374 “adds glaucoma and chronic debilitating migraines to the list of debilitating medical conditions which may qualify a person, upon certification by a physician, to be eligible for the use of medical marijuana in accordance with the terms of the Delaware Medical Marijuana Act.”
The measure was passed by the House of Representatives last month in a unanimous 41 to 0 vote. It was passed by the Senate yesterday, also unanimously (19 to 0). The bill will now go to Governor John Carney for consideration. Although Carney has the option of signing it into law, allowing it to become law without a signature, or vetoing it, the legislature can override a veto with 2/3rds vote.
Below is a list of the current conditions that authorize an individual to become a medical cannabis patient in Delware:
- Alzheimer’s disease
- Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
- Cachexia
- Cancer
- Chronic pain
- HIV/AIDS
- Intractable epilepsy*
- Nausea
- Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
- Seizures
- Severe and persistent muscle spasms
House Bill 374 was introduced by Representative Peter Schwartzkopf with 23 cosponsors. Initially the measure would have also added “pediatric autism spectrum disorder” and “pediatric sensory processing disorder” to the state’s medical cannabis program, but the House amended the measure to remove these conditions.