The Rhode Island State Senate approved 30-2 Wednesday a "compassionate care" bill allowing "compassion centers" to sell medical marijuana to critically ill patients on a registration list.
The bill, which already passed the House 63-5, goes to Gov. Donald Carcieri for his signature. Carcieri vetoed similiar legislation last year, but the 63-5 and 30-2 margins suggest a veto will be overrridden this year by the required three-fifths majorities.
Should the bill become law, Rhode Island would be the third state in the country and the first on the East Coast to approve marijuana dispensaries for medical patients.
