The Illinois House voted Wednesday in a 61-57 vote for a four-year pilot program to legalize marijuana for medical use. The Illinois Senate previously has passed similar legislation, and Governor Pat Quinn said Wednesday that he’s “open-minded” about the proposal.
While national polls point out that Americans are to an increasing extent agreeable to marijuana for medical use, many are not, including people in law enforcement, and the medical community. Many of the arguments in favor of the bill came from lawmakers who told of personal stories where medical marijuana has helped ease chronic pain from conditions including cancer.
Under the proposed bill, a person could be prescribed no more than 2.5 ounces of marijuana over a two week period. The bill now goes to the Senate. President John Cullerton D-Chicago supported the previous medical marijuana bill. That bill passed in the Senate in 2009, but later was unsuccessful in the House.
Dr. Robbins weighed in on the issue. He would be for the use of medical marijuana, though he believes the level of pain relief offered from it is not that significant. If Illinois were to pass a bill, he thinks regulation would be a key component to it’s success, unlike the California program where regulation is loosely controlled, and just about anyone can say they are using “medical” marijuana…… Chicago Tribune 4/18/13