MedicalNeed
New Member
PRO Medical Cannabis, sponsored or co, or voted for.
State Rep. Lou Lang (D-16th)
Gov. Pat Quinn
State Rep. Angelo "Skip" Saviano (R-77th)
Jeff Schoenberg (D-9th)
Ira Sliverstein (D-8th
Senate President John Cullerton
Against-
State Sen. Susan Garrett (D-29th) voted against the bill.
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Medical Marijuana: 'It's About Healthcare'
By TOM ROBB Journal & Topics Reporter
A bill that would legalize medical marijuana passed the Illinois Senate and has substantial support in the State House, said State Rep. Lou Lang (D-16th), one of the bill's chief sponsors.
Lang held a press conference last week with several legalization advocates, religious leaders and doctors, including Gov. Pat Quinn's own physician pressing for the bill's passage.
Several area legislators, including State Rep. Angelo "Skip" Saviano (R-77th), Jeff Schoenberg (D-9th) and Ira Sliverstein (D-8th) signed on as co-sponsors of the bill.
Senate President John Cullerton voted for the bill, as did Sen. Dan Kotowski (D-33rd).
State Sen. Susan Garrett (D-29th) voted against the bill.
Lang said he now has the votes of 52 legislators in the House and will bring the bill to a vote as soon as he can muster the 60 votes needed to pass legalization.
"This is not about drugs, it's about healthcare," said Lang. "I'm not here to make life difficult for law enforcement."
Lang said children are dying by taking prescription medications such as Oxycontin and Vicodin from their parents' medicine cabinets.
"There has never been a death from an overdose of marijuana," said Lang.
He went on to say that many cancer and AIDS patients suffering from weight loss would benefit from the hunger causing properties of marijuana.
To be allowed usage of medical marijuana, users would need to be issued a letter from their doctor and be issued a card through the Illinois Dept. of Public Health that would oversee the program.
Lang said the Illinois program would be a three-year pilot program if passed and would be administered better with more controls than similar programs in California and other states.
Garrett said she opposes the bill, not because she opposes medical marijuana, but because she feels distribution provisions are not restrictive enough. Garrett said she wants more involvement in distribution from doctors and pharmacists.
Lang said that as for conflicts with federal law, President Barack Obama and U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder have both instructed that medical marijuana cases will not be prosecuted.
Source: Journal & Topics Newspapers Online
State Rep. Lou Lang (D-16th)
Gov. Pat Quinn
State Rep. Angelo "Skip" Saviano (R-77th)
Jeff Schoenberg (D-9th)
Ira Sliverstein (D-8th
Senate President John Cullerton
Against-
State Sen. Susan Garrett (D-29th) voted against the bill.
------------------------
Medical Marijuana: 'It's About Healthcare'
By TOM ROBB Journal & Topics Reporter
A bill that would legalize medical marijuana passed the Illinois Senate and has substantial support in the State House, said State Rep. Lou Lang (D-16th), one of the bill's chief sponsors.
Lang held a press conference last week with several legalization advocates, religious leaders and doctors, including Gov. Pat Quinn's own physician pressing for the bill's passage.
Several area legislators, including State Rep. Angelo "Skip" Saviano (R-77th), Jeff Schoenberg (D-9th) and Ira Sliverstein (D-8th) signed on as co-sponsors of the bill.
Senate President John Cullerton voted for the bill, as did Sen. Dan Kotowski (D-33rd).
State Sen. Susan Garrett (D-29th) voted against the bill.
Lang said he now has the votes of 52 legislators in the House and will bring the bill to a vote as soon as he can muster the 60 votes needed to pass legalization.
"This is not about drugs, it's about healthcare," said Lang. "I'm not here to make life difficult for law enforcement."
Lang said children are dying by taking prescription medications such as Oxycontin and Vicodin from their parents' medicine cabinets.
"There has never been a death from an overdose of marijuana," said Lang.
He went on to say that many cancer and AIDS patients suffering from weight loss would benefit from the hunger causing properties of marijuana.
To be allowed usage of medical marijuana, users would need to be issued a letter from their doctor and be issued a card through the Illinois Dept. of Public Health that would oversee the program.
Lang said the Illinois program would be a three-year pilot program if passed and would be administered better with more controls than similar programs in California and other states.
Garrett said she opposes the bill, not because she opposes medical marijuana, but because she feels distribution provisions are not restrictive enough. Garrett said she wants more involvement in distribution from doctors and pharmacists.
Lang said that as for conflicts with federal law, President Barack Obama and U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder have both instructed that medical marijuana cases will not be prosecuted.
Source: Journal & Topics Newspapers Online