(Washington Post) The District would have up to five medical marijuana dispensaries where seriously ill patients could go to obtain the drug from a licensed vendor under a bill proposed Tuesday by D.C. Council member David A. Catania.

Under Catania’s proposal, the District would have what he calls “a closed system to regulate the cultivation, distribution and possession of marijuana.”

The legislation, which has been referred to both the Health and Public Safety and Judiciary committees, would allow the dispensaries to distribute up to a month’s supply of marijuana to either to patients or their registered caregivers. Although patients would have to pay for the drug, the legislation requires providers to supply low-income patients with marijuana at a reduced price.

Once implemented, the District would be the 15th location in the nation to permit medical marijuana. On Monday, his last day in office, New Jersey Gov. Jon S. Corzine signed the law legalizing medical marijuana in that state.

Catania said it would most likely have to be grown somewhere in the District to avoid local drug laws in neighboring Maryland and Virginia.

How I relish the idea that Sen. Chuck “I Hate” Grass-ley and Rep. Mark “Me Too” Souder will have to go to work every day in a city where marijuana is being legally grown, sold, and used.