Illinois May Pass Mmj Law Today!

[peanutbutter]

http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=news%2Flocal%2Fillinois&id=8900372

 

[mibrains]

 

November 27, 2012 (CHICAGO) -- Chicago resident Julie Falco eats three marijuana brownies a day, her chosen method of using cannabis to control her pain from multiple sclerosis.

 

For her, marijuana works better and has fewer side effects than the prescription drugs that left her depressed and in a fog, she said. She's tired of breaking the law, but doesn't want to give up cannabis.

Falco hopes Illinois lawmakers will remember her story as they consider a three-year pilot program to temporarily legalize medical marijuana.

"Let's get this done," Falco said. "People are dying in pain and they need an option."

Bill sponsor Rep. Lou Lang, a Skokie Democrat, wants the House to vote on the bill Wednesday and thinks political momentum is on his side. Freeport Republican Rep. Jim Sacia opposes the bill, but acknowledges Lang may have the votes to pass it.

With 18 states and the District of Columbia now allowing the use of medical marijuana - and two states, Washington and Colorado, recently approving the use of recreational marijuana - the time may be right for passage in Illinois, Lang said. Lawmakers in the past told him they favor the bill but couldn't vote for it for political reasons, he said.

Now, some lame ducks can vote for the bill without consequences, and others saw the lack of fallout for those who voted for the bill in the spring. A few fence-sitters could give him the 60 votes he needs, Lang said.

"I ran down the roll call about 10 times just today," Lang said Tuesday. "It's hovering around 60. I could be a couple short. I could be a few over."

Sacia, a former FBI agent, predicts the law will lead recreational drug users to seek out friendly doctors who are willing to say they have a qualifying illness.

"I just see it as a tremendous mistake," said Sacia, who plans to speak against the bill Wednesday. "Illinois has proven itself to be increasingly liberal. I don't have any illusions we can change people's minds. I recognize the momentum is in Rep. Lang's favor."

The bill, if passed, would be the most restrictive medical marijuana law in the nation, said Morgan Fox of the Marijuana Policy Project in Washington, D.C., a group that tracks legislation and supports legalizing marijuana and regulating the drug like alcohol.

The measure "would create a system in which patients could only acquire their medicine from licensed and regulated nonprofit dispensaries, and home cultivation is not permitted," Fox said in an email. "The qualifying conditions are extremely narrow compared to other states and are explicit, as opposed to some states that include provisions for more generalized symptoms."

As the Illinois bill is written, a patient would have to get written certification from their regular doctor and be diagnosed with one of about 30 medical conditions, which include cancer, glaucoma, HIV, hepatitis C, multiple sclerosis, "agitation of Alzheimer's disease" and several pain syndromes. Also on the list: fibromyalgia, a condition with an unknown cause and a lack of definitive tests, and nail-patella syndrome, a rare inherited disorder that can cause pain while walking.

Lang said the list of conditions wasn't built strictly on medical evidence, but also from conversations with patients and doctors - anecdotal information about marijuana helping with symptoms.

"If it were fully up to me, I would leave it up to a doctor, but California has made a mess of their medical marijuana law" allowing people with vague symptoms to obtain the drug, Lang said.

The Institute of Medicine reviewed the scientific evidence for medical marijuana in a 1999 report, which recommended more research.

But the report also said the effects of THC and other components of marijuana on anxiety reduction, appetite stimulation, nausea reduction and pain relief might be helpful for "particular conditions, such as chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting and AIDS wasting." It also warned that smoking marijuana could be dangerous and could possibly increase the risk of "cancer, lung damage, and poor pregnancy outcomes."

Other safeguards of the bill include a ban on doctors having financial ties to nonprofit marijuana dispensaries, guarantees that employers could still enforce drug-free policies and no requirement for insurance coverage.

Patients would be limited to 2.5 ounces every two weeks, which Falco considers a minimal amount for someone like her.

"It's the most restrictive bill anywhere," Falco said. To win support from doubters, the bill was amended to meet their concerns, she said.

If the bill passes in the House, it would go to the Senate where another, less restrictive bill passed in 2010. Illinois Senate President John Cullerton has been a longtime supporter of efforts to decriminalize medical marijuana, said Cullerton spokeswoman Rikeesha Phelon.

Falco hopes lawmakers will "do the right thing."

"People ask me if I get high. I don't know what that means," Falco said. "High? What that means to me is pain relief. That's my high. I get pain relief."

___

The bill is HB30.

Online: http://www.ilga.gov

(Copyright ©2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

[Herb Cannabis]

I hope we add yet another mmj state to our list, it can only help our cause. Please let us know the outcome of today's activities if you can, thanks.

[+Malamute]

The bill, if passed, would be the most restrictive medical marijuana law in the nation, said Morgan Fox of the Marijuana Policy Project in Washington, D.C., a group that tracks legislation and supports legalizing marijuana and regulating the drug like alcohol.

The measure "would create a system in which patients could only acquire their medicine from licensed and regulated nonprofit dispensaries, and home cultivation is not permitted," Fox said in an email. "The qualifying conditions are extremely narrow compared to other states and are explicit, as opposed to some states that include provisions for more generalized symptoms."

[mibrains]

i noticed that too mal..

 

seemed to me tho..

 

that's kinda what one would maybe expect when the bill is introduced from the legislators to the people ...perhaps the fine citizens of IL should take note and get busy writing and gathering support for a ballot initiative...

seems like we the people can write less restrictive legislation.

if it has to go to a vote for them.. .i would think a ballot initiative would be better. however that being said... it's still good news that the state legislation has taken notice and is at a minimum attempting to enter a better mindset as it pertains to cannabis.

[+Malamute]

Some states do not have a proper initiative and referendum process in their Constitution.

 

Illinois kinda sorta does not.

 

They arent really considered an initiative state.

 

They have a "question" process which has no real use.

[Kingdiamond]

No home cultivation you would not be able to grow your own .

[+Malamute]

That is the future that is being pushed for.

 

I will always fight to keep home growing legal.

[TheHarvester]

Anymore it feels like everyday another city, district, or state is becoming friendly to the ideas of either decriminalization, all out legalization, or at the least medical access. I always guard against being the rube, but I can't deny feeling a level of optimism never before present.

[+washtenaut]

Delayed...

 

Illinois delays vote on legalizing medical marijuana

Renita Young

Reuters

5:51 p.m. CST, November 28, 2012

 

 

SPRINGFIELD, Illinois (Reuters) - The Illinois General Assembly on Wednesday put off a vote to legalize marijuana use for medical purposes because the measure lacked the support for approval, its chief sponsor said.

 

Democratic Representative Lou Lang did not request a vote on his proposal because he did not want it to fail.

 

"He didn't call it because he was short of the votes," said Lang's spokeswoman, Beth Hamilton. Lang had earlier predicted the measure would pass if a few undecided members shifted to support.

 

The proposal for a three-year pilot program would make Illinois the second most populous state in the nation after California to allow medical marijuana. Nineteen states and the District of Columbia have legalized medical marijuana. Colorado and Washington state voters decided on November 6 to allow recreational use of cannabis.

 

Lang said he could try again to pass the proposal when the Illinois legislature meets in early December.

 

The Illinois bill would be the most restrictive in the country, according to Lang.

 

Some Republicans in the Illinois House said they opposed legalizing medical marijuana because it could be a "gateway drug" to abuse of other illegal substances. Others said they were not convinced that the benefits of smoking marijuana for certain medical conditions outweighed the potential negative consequences.

 

Under the Illinois bill, patients would have to be diagnosed with one of 30 debilitating medical conditions, register with the Department of Public Health and have written certification from their physician. Patients would be limited to no more than 2.5 ounces (70 grams) of marijuana every two weeks.

 

Under U.S. federal law, marijuana is considered an addictive substance and distribution is a federal offense. Federal law prohibits physicians from writing prescriptions, so many have issued "referrals" or "recommendations." The administration of President Barack Obama has discouraged federal prosecutors from pursuing people who distribute marijuana for medical purposes under state laws.

 

(Editing by Greg McCune, Mohammad Zargham and Leslie Adler)

 

Copyright © 2012, Reuters

[+washtenaut]

I found a couple of provisions pretty interesting. Political contributions from dispensaries would not be allowed and people will be prohibited from driving for 6 hours after consuming...though how to determine that one....

 

 

Could Illinois Pass A Medical Marijuana Bill?

 

Lou Lang (D-Skokie) is hopeful that medical marijuana, or House Bill 0030, will pass this January, saying, "Nobody should fear the bill."

• By George Slefo
  
• Email the author
  
• 5:00 am
  

 

 

 

Illinois House member Lou Lang (D-Skokie) has been pushing two controversial bills in recent years: the expansion of Illinois gaming and the legalization of medical marijuana.

Whenever asked about the possibility of Illinois becoming the nineteenth state to legalize the green leafy substance, Lang is always optimistic. Two years ago, he told Patch he only needed to secure "two or three" votes to pass the bill. That never came to fruition.

However, other states have recently passed similar bills and Lang hopes Illinois could be the 19th state to legalize the drug for medicinal use. Recently, Massachusetts and the District of Columbia passed medicinal marijuana laws. Meanwhile, Colorado and Washington have actually legalized recreational marijuana use during the November general election.

But for Lang the legalization of medical marijuana isn't about recreation use - it's about helping people who can benefit tremendously from the drug.

"Nobody should fear the bill," Lang told Patch. "This is about quality of life for people."

Lang said he "strongly believes" that lawmakers will be voting on the bill this January, a month known by many as the "lame duck session," where elected officials can vote on a particular bill just before the end of his or her tenure.

"Illinois would be the nineteenth state to pass the bill (the District of Columbia also recently passed the bill)," Lang said. "And of all of those, Illinois will be the most tightly regulated."

"Like" Northbrook Patch on Facebook to see updates to this story and future local government articles in your news feed.

What are some of those regulations? According to House Bill 0030:

• Repeal the program after three years. This means the use of medical marijuana would enter a three year pilot program to see how effective the bill is working and, if any tweaks or adjustments need to be made for the future.
  
• People will not be allowed to drive for six hours after consuming marijuana.
  
• It would be illegal for marijuana dispensaries to make campaign contributions.
  
• Those looking to dispense medical marijuana would have to pay a $5,000 non-refundable application fee and a $20,000 certificate fee.
  
• If passed, a person who can legally smoke medical marijuana can have no more than two ounces of dried usable cannabis at any given time.
  
• If a caregiver or patient dispenses - or sells - cannabis illegally they will face a penalty of not more than two years in prison and a fine not more than $2,000.
  
• Also, see PDF image attached above.
  

Lang said he is "very close" to securing the 60 votes needed to pass the measure to the Senate. If the bill arrives on the Senate's floor, many experts believe they will approve the measure.

In May 2011, Lang's medical marijuana bill received 53 of the 60 votes needed to pass. In November 2010, the bill once again fell short by seven votes and failed to pass to the Senate.

"How do you turn down the people who are sick? Who are in pain." Lang said. "People who haven't been able to have a quality life. This is not a bill about drugs. This is a bill about health care."