
By Patrick Madden
With little fanfare or debate, the medical marijuana bill cleared an important hurdle in the council Tuesday. Members unanimously approved the measure, which creates five medical marijuana dispensaries, and limits the amount chronically ill patients can receive to about two ounces of marijuana per month. The council will take a final vote on the bill in two weeks.
D.C. could become the 14th state to legalize medical marijuana, and the bill's sponsor Council Member David Catania says the proposal looks at other states to see what's worked and what hasn't.
"This legislation seeks to avoid those problems, while ensuring that the District moves forward with a medical marijuana program based on evidence and best practices," says Catania.
D.C. voters overwhelmingly supported legalizing medical marijuana in 1998, but until late last year Congress blocked the law from being enacted.

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