Lawmakers may approve marijuana bill

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) - A bill allowing nonprofit stores in Rhode Island to sell marijuana to medical patients may soon head to Gov. Don Carcieri .

House lawmakers plan to vote Wednesday afternoon on legislation permitting three nonprofit stores to sell the drug to the 680 patients registered with state Department of Health.

If the bill is approved, it heads to Carcieri, who has vetoed earlier expansions of the state’s medical marijuana program. The bill has previously passed by margins large enough to withstand a veto.

Rhode Island permitted medical patients to possess marijuana for pain relief in 2006. But the state never legalized the sale of the drug.

Two other states—California and New Mexico—allow firms to sell marijuana to medical patients.