A medical-marijuana bill approved by the Connecticut legislature was vetoed by Gov. Jodi Rell, who said the measure contained no provision for patients to legally obtain the drug, the Hartford Courant reported June 20.

Rell, a breast-cancer survivor, expressed sympathy for patients but said that the bill would require them to break the law in order to get marijuana. "There are no pharmacies, storefronts or mail order catalogs where patients or caregivers can legally purchase marijuana plants or seeds," she said. "I am troubled by the fact that in essence, this bill forces law-abiding citizens to seek out drug dealers to make their marijuana purchases."

The bill would have allowed patients to grow up to four marijuana plants for their own medical use to treat conditions such as cancer, glaucoma, and AIDS. Bill supporter Sen. Andrew J. McDonald said that Rell had ample opportunity to raise her objections to the bill but failed to do so. "We've been trying to pass this for three years in a complicated legal and medical environment with little or no involvement from the governor or her staff," he said.

The measure fell short of the numbers needed for a veto override in both the state House and Senate.