SANTA FE, NM -- Rep. Joseph Cervantes, R-Las Cruces, alleged that a medical marijuana bill that passed earlier this session in the Senate was sent to the House Agriculture and Water Resources Committee to die.

And that's exactly what happened Saturday.

The committee tabled the bill on a 4-3 decision, with Committee Chairman Joe Stell, D-Carlsbad, casting the deciding vote. By tabling the bill, the committee will prevent it from advancing to the House floor for a vote

"Why are you trying to kill us," Essie DeBonet wailed after the committee's decision.

DeBonet identified herself as a 61-year-old AIDS patient dealing with constant nausea. She said use of medical marijuana allows her to keep down the food she needs to stay alive.

But a number of law enforcement officers, including federal drug control officers from Washington, D.C., opposed the bill, saying it would lead to abuse of the drug.

In casting the deciding vote, Stell said New Mexico is a part of the federal union. Others voting against the bill also said they did not want to violate federal law.

Cervantes, who is a member of the committee, questioned why the bill was sent there in the first place. He noted that it had nothing to do with water, and very little to do with agriculture.

"This bill is here for a reason. It's been sent here to kill it," Cervantes said. "The assumption is that because everybody on this committee is from rural New Mexico, we're a conservative lot; and a conservative lot will kill this bill. And I think that's unfortunate."

Cervantes, who chairs the Senate Judiciary Committee, said any legal problems in the bill could have been considered there. He noted that on Friday, all 70 members of the House heard a bill to declare the official "state cowboy song." He said the medical marijuana bill should get at least the same consideration.

"This issue is important enough that all 70 of us should hear it," Cervantes said.

Rep. Andy Nunez, D-Hatch, apparently agreed. Even though he argued against the bill, Nunez moved that it be allowed to advance with a "no recommendation" from the committee. But before a vote could be taken, Rep. Richard Cheney, R-Farmington, moved that the bill be tabled.

The tabling motion was approved with Reps. Cheney, Stell, Sandra Townsend, R-Aztec, and Don Tripp, R-Socorro, voting in favor. Cervantes, Nunez and Rep. Ray Begaye, D-Shiprock, voted against the tabling motion.

Cheney said that cancer has touched everybody in the room, and that his best friend had died of cancer. But he said lawmakers should not be swayed by emotion when making such decisions

Newshawk: Richard Lake http://www.drugnews.org
Pubdate: Sun, 12 Feb 2006
Source: Farmington Daily Times (NM)
Copyright: 2006 Farmington Daily Times
Contact: jgarcia@daily-times.com
Website: http://www.daily-times.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/951
Author: Walter Rubel, Santa Fe Bureau Chief