allenlovesgreen

Medical marijuana pilot gets OK from state Senate
5/28/09|Chicago Tribune| by Monique Garcia and Rick Pearson



SPRINGFIELD -- The Illinois Senate narrowly approved a bill Wednesday that would allow doctors to prescribe marijuana to treat seriously ill patients, though the proposal faces an uncertain future in the House as lawmakers scramble to meet their end-of-month deadline.

The 30-28 Senate vote split largely along partisan lines. Supporters said it marked the furthest the idea has gotten after several defeats.

Republican Sen. Dale Righter of Charleston argued the proposal was lax and wouldn't require criminal background checks for people who handle or grow marijuana. Sponsoring Sen. William Haine (D-Alton) said there was enough oversight to prevent abuse.

"It is not intended to be a stealth legalization," said Haine, a former prosecutor from Madison County, near St. Louis.

The program would last three years unless lawmakers renew it. Patients would be issued registry identification cards by the Illinois Department of Public Health. They would be limited to possessing six cannabis plants during a 60-day period, of which no more than three could be mature. Qualifying ailments include glaucoma, cancer, AIDS and Alzheimer's disease.

Sen. Kwame Raoul (D-Chicago) said his parents suffered from pain for which pharmaceuticals offered no relief. "We can make this a political issue, but this is about compassion," Raoul said. "This is truly about compassion and about people who are suffering from chronic disease and have no alternatives."

Sen. Mike Jacobs (D-East Moline) asserted that for some, marijuana would be a cheaper and healthier way to treat serious disease.

"Do you find it at all interesting that people view drugs made by man as better than drugs made by God?" Jacobs said during debate. "This is something that someone can drop in their backyard and find relief from, and there's some of us in this chamber that would prefer Oxycontin, morphine; would prefer mommy's little helper, uppers, downers, all-arounders."

Meanwhile, House lawmakers Wednesday were poised to vote on Gov. Pat Quinn's plan to raise the income tax rate to pay down the budget deficit, but a spokesman for House Speaker Michael Madigan (D-Chicago) said Quinn requested that the vote be put off.

An administration source said Quinn spent the last several days meeting with individual lawmakers to find enough votes. Republicans in the House and Senate said there's no support to raise taxes among their members.

Fillibuster

This is excellent news! Glad my state has made another positive step towards a better marijuana policy.

legalizeItnow

I live right across the border and would consider moving back if MMJ legalized. Our lease is coming up--and I will take it month to month til its legalized, then move.

If lawmakers would make sensible regulations about this, just think of the revenues the state would make plus the jobs it would create for caregivers.

Buzzby

Do you suffer from glaucoma, cancer, AIDS, or Alzheimer's disease? If not, you may have a long, long wait. This is a medical marijuana bill, not a legalization bill.

__________________

weee[d]

lol off topic but i love the picture u have of a human with a brain and baby inside smoking..where did you find it?

cj117

Is this state number 14 then? =D

__________________

legalizeItnow

I suffer from many things and one is early glaucoma--because of a prescription medication I was on for a long time. I have to get yearly check-ups for my eyes or could get worse if not treated. So, yes, I guess I would qualify. I went to eye doc about 5 months ago, and I think there has been a decline since then. I will be anxious to see what next visits shows.

Bud Is good

Is illinois really going to be doing this or not?
It will take a couple months to get activated right?


Is it just going to be for glacoma, and aids patients? Or is it going ot be open to Phycological reasons as well?