Carcieri vetoes medical marijuana bill

Rhode Island Governor Donald Carcieri has vetoed a bill that would allow medical marijuana to be sold at regulated, non-profit stores in Rhode Island.  But lawmakers have enough support to override the veto.

The General Assembly approved legislation this week that would allow the establishment of so-called medical marijuana compassion centers.  The dispensaries would give licensed patients their first legal method of obtaining marijuana in the state.

The governor's veto was not unexpected.  He has vetoed medical marijuana legislation in the past, and believes selling the drug would violate federal law.

"Allowing the manufacture and sale of federally illegal drugs would send the wrong message to our children and would place them at risk," the Governor wrote in his veto letter.

The House and Senate both approved the bill with veto-proof majorities.  They are expected to override the governor's veto.

Rhode Island would become just the third state in the U.S. to allow the sale of medical marijuana, and the first on the east coast.