The Connecticut House and Senate have both passed a medical-marijuana bill, but Gov. Jodi Rell still has not decided whether to sign the measure into law, the Hartford Courant reported June 2.

The state Senate passed the bill 23-13 this week; last week, the House approved the measure 89-58. Rell said she is waiting to see the bill language before deciding whether to sign it; she previously has stated that she would prefer that medical marijuana be available only to terminally ill patients. Backers say the bill is "tightly constrained."

Only 17 percent of Connecticut residents opposed medical marijuana, but some were represented in the legislature.

"We'll be sending a mixed message to young people about whether marijuana is good or bad," said bill opponent Sam F.S. Caligiuri, a Waterbury Democrat.  "We're going to undercut our ability to keep children away from this gateway drug."

"This is definitely an emotional tug," added Sen.  John McKinney (R-Southport).  "To those who support this bill, I say your cause is noble, I just don't think this is the right way to get there."

The bill would allow those with serious or chronic medical conditions to grow up to four marijuana plants for their personal use if they obtain a doctor's permission to do so. A registry of medical marijuana users would be operated by the state Department of Consumer Protection.

Connecticut has a weak and limited medical marijuana law on the books, but fear of prosecution has prevented doctors from prescribing the drug to patients with glaucoma, the only condition eligible to be treated with marijuana.