(a) During the period beginning on October 1, 2012, and ending thirty calendar days after the effective date of regulations adopted pursuant to section 21a-408m, a qualifying patient who would be determined to be eligible for a registration certificate pursuant to subsection (a) of section 21a-408d, except for the lack of effective regulations concerning licensed dispensaries, licensed producers, distribution systems and amounts of marijuana, may obtain a written certification from a physician and upon presenting the written certification to the Department of Consumer Protection, the department shall issue a temporary registration certificate for the palliative use of marijuana. The department shall indicate on such temporary registration certificate the amount of usable marijuana that constitutes a one month supply which may be possessed pursuant to such temporary registration certificate. The department shall maintain a list of all temporary registration certificates issued pursuant to this section and the information on such list shall be confidential and shall not be subject to disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act, as defined in section 1-200, except that such information may be disclosed in the manner set forth in subsection (d) of section 21a-408d.

(b) A qualifying patient possessing a temporary registration certificate and the qualifying patient's primary caregiver shall not be subject to arrest or prosecution, penalized in any manner, including, but not limited to, being subject to any civil penalty, or denied any right or privilege, including, but not limited to, being subject to any disciplinary action by a professional licensing board, for possessing marijuana if the amount of usable marijuana possessed by the qualifying patient and the primary caregiver is not more than the amount specified in the temporary registration certificate.

(c) A physician shall not be subject to arrest or prosecution, penalized in any manner, including, but not limited to, being subject to any civil penalty, or denied any right or privilege, including, but not limited to, being subject to any disciplinary action by the Connecticut Medical Examining Board or other professional licensing board, for providing a written certification for the palliative use of marijuana pursuant to this section.

(P.A. 12-55, S. 15; P.A. 16-23, S. 15.)

History: P.A. 16-23 amended Subsec. (a) by replacing reference to Sec. 21a-408d(b) with reference to Sec. 21a-408d(d).