Illinois Becomes 21st Medical Marijuana State
Source: Drug War Chronicle
MODS: Full story posted by permission.
Illinois became the latest state to allow for the medical use of marijuana Thursday, when Gov. Pat Quinn (D) signed into law House Bill 1, the Compassionate Use of Medical Cannabis Act. It now joins 20 other states and the District of Columbia.
“As Nelson Mandela once said, ‘Our human compassion binds us the one to the other – not in pity or patronizingly, but as human beings who have learnt how to turn our common suffering into hope for the future’,” Gov. Quinn said in a Thursday press release. “Over the years, I’ve been moved by the brave patients and veterans who are fighting terrible illnesses. They need and deserve pain relief. This new law will provide that relief and help eligible patients ease their suffering, while making sure Illinois has the nation’s strictest safeguards to prevent abuse.”
Sponsored by Rep. Lou Lang (D-Skokie) and Sen. William Haine (D-Alton), the bill is tightly written and highly restrictive. Patients and caregivers will not be allowed to grow their own; instead they must rely on a system of 22 cultivation centers, which will be subject to 24-hour surveillance and inventory control, and no more than 60 licensed dispensaries statewide. Patients will be able to purchase up to 2 ½ ounces of medical marijuana every two weeks.
The law specifies 35 medical conditions for eligibility, such as muscular dystrophy, cancer, multiple sclerosis and HIV/AIDS. The prescribing physician and patient must have an established relationship. Minors and people with felony drug convictions or psychiatric conditions do not qualify. Patients may not be police officers, firefighters, probation officers or school bus drivers. Patients who drive while impaired by medical cannabis face the same penalties as those who drive while impaired by prescription drugs.
Under the law, medical marijuana use is barred in schools, prisons, homes used for childcare, or any public place. Landlords may refuse to allow marijuana smoking on leased properties, and employers will still be able to fire patients who test positive for marijuana.
Medical marijuana will be taxed at the same 1% rate as pharmaceutical drugs, but grow centers and dispensaries will also pay a 7% "privilege tax," which will go to paying administrative costs for the program. Unlike just about any other economic sector, dispensaries and cultivation centers are barred from contributing to political campaigns.
“Pain and suffering for many chronically ill and terminally ill individuals will be significantly lessened, if not eliminated in some cases, because of Governor Pat Quinn’s courage to sign a controversial bill that often has been subjected to distortions and fear mongering,” said Rep. Lang, a Deputy Majority Leader in the Illinois House. “On behalf of the many patients who came to Springfield to advocate for the bill, I want to thank the governor.”
“Patients afflicted by the most unbearable conditions finally have a compassionate answer to their cries for help,” said Sen. Bill Haine (D-Alton), a former prosecutor. “This program alleviates suffering and provides strong safeguards against abuse. We are ensuring only those suffering from the most serious diseases receive this treatment.”
Supporters of HB 1 included the Illinois Nurses Association, Protestants for the Common Good, Illinois State Bar Association, AIDS Foundation of Chicago, United Food and Commercial Workers, ACLU of Illinois, AFL-CIO, Community Renewal Society, Illinois Eye Center, 270 physicians from across the state and many others. Deserving of special mention is the Marijuana Policy Project, which has spent a decade making Illinois the first Midwest state to approve medical marijuana through the legislative process.
Springfield, IL
United States
Read more: http://stopthedrugwar.org/chronicle/2013/aug/01/illinois_becomes_21st_medical_ma
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Comrade Grumpy
(13,184 posts)We should just skip this intermediate step and legalize it.
Uncle Joe
(58,361 posts)and illegal drug on the other.
I wonder if employers can fire their employees for testing positive of prescription drugs?
I agree with you, they should just legalize cannabis and treat it as alcohol or tobacco.
questionseverything
(9,654 posts)looks like a vet with phyc problems and cancer would not quilify
madrchsod
(58,162 posts)actually they can with a lot of drugs but they do`t.
felix_numinous
(5,198 posts)We need a corridor of Mmj legal states so we can drive from East to West 
madrchsod
(58,162 posts)god only know what it will cost a gram for factory pot.
Comrade Grumpy
(13,184 posts)Colorado would be Exhibit A. There has been some harassment there, but not much, in terms of DEA raids.
Contrast with California and Montana, where they have come down hard on unregulated dispensary operations.
Hell, there are even dispensaries operating within shouting distance of Main Justice now. Capital City Care sold their first bag Monday on North Capitol Street in Washington, DC.
madrchsod
(58,162 posts)
frazzled
(18,402 posts)It's a strict "medical" marijuana law. No headaches or back pain, no dentists prescribing. (If you want to cover that, just legalize it, like Colorado). Doctors will have to prove that you physically visited them and that you have one of the specified conditions. There are a kazillion hoops to jump through. Under these strict medical rules, it is anticipated that between 10,000 to 16,500 people will register (in a state of 12.88 million--so a minuscule fraction of one per cent).
While the state's medical cannabis program could help thousands of ill patients across the state, it will be limited to those with serious ailments who are willing and able to jump through multiple hoops. And even then they might not have easy access to marijuana, because only a few carefully regulated businesses will be licensed to grow and sell it. And the law expires in just four years.
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Significantly, chronic or severe pain is not included among the qualifying ailments, though it is in most other states with medical marijuana programs. And it often accounts for the biggest share of participating patients—93 percent of them in Colorado, according to a recent story in the Wall Street Journal.
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you'll need to document that your condition is real: Your doctor needs to provide "written certification" to the health department detailing your symptoms and arguing that cannabis is likely to help. The doctor will also need to confirm that he or she is actually your doctor and that you've undergone a physical examination. This exam cannot be conducted via telephone, telepathy, e-mail, Gchat, Skype, or any other "remote means." It can't happen at a location where cannabis is sold, or at the home of anyone who works in the cannabis business.
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Patients then need to submit an application to the health department that includes a signed statement asserting that they won't sell or give away medical cannabis.
If the department approves the application, it will forward the information to the secretary of state to include with your driving record, just in case you're pulled over and police want to check your story about that bag of marijuana.
The health department will maintain a registry of cannabis patients that's available to other state agencies and police "on a 24-hour basis" so they can keep track of "the date of sale, amount, and price of medical cannabis purchased by a registered qualifying patient."
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To acquire medical cannabis, registered patients have to pick one—and only one—dispensary, register their selection with the state, and then go to the site of the dispensary to make a purchase. The dispensary is then required to record the transaction with the state so that all cannabis is tracked.
http://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/how-medical-marijuana-will-work-in-illinois/Content?oid=10420732
In other words, don't get out your bongs unless you really have cancer or glaucoma. On the other hand, marijuana in small quantities has been decriminalized in the city of Chicago (you'll get a fine; however, if you're on the medical stuff, it looks like they'll take away your MM card if you drive).
Garion_55
(1,915 posts)its great because more people get exposed to the fact that pot helps to save other peoples lives. older dying family members for instance. its tough to tell an adult that pot is evil and will destroy their life when they saw grandpa using it to stay on this planet for a few extra years. thus the march to full legalization marches on.
on the other hand i fear that the next president, with no other wars to fight, will ramp up the drug war and shut down the operations in every state that is doing this. take us backward instead of forward. with the right wing on this country cheering them on. the prison industry money suddenly coming in fast and furious as the pot arrests increase.
obama has 3 years left to do something about it. so far he hasnt done a damn thing. he could easily move it to a schedule 3 drug tomorrow. back the dea off any future raids. let people be at fucking peace with the world finally. i fear if he doesnt do it in the time he has its not gonna get done for another generation.
livingwagenow
(373 posts)I know a lot of HIVers that use med pot for that purpose. To help with appetite.
It's also a great anti-anxiety med for HIVers as well. I hope it becomes fully legal for ALL soon.
BTW I'm healthy and take good care of myself.
Huge K&R
Jesus Malverde
(10,274 posts)
eShirl
(18,491 posts)k&r