Illinois

http://www.myfoxchicago.com/dpp/wildcard_8/foxchicagosunday/fox-chicago-sunday-eric-berlin-legalizing-medical-marijuana-advocate-illinois-vote-20110429


you guys only lost by a couple last time....contact your reps.

illinois has by far the worst mmj bill ever created. Its automatically repealed in 3 years, and only allows for 29 dispensaries state wide. theyre trying tp police the bill too harshly to avoid being the next cali where everyone has a card but theyre going to make it too difficult to obtain. imo this bill is setting up illinois for failure and its going to have repurcussions on the mmj community as a whole.

it failed yesterday anyways. 53/61. the original bill wasn't nearly as strict and only lost by 4 votes in January.

It allows 59 dispensaries, not 29. That's one for every district. They would also be non profit?!?!?

Don't most the MM states review after every 3 years?

It's baby steps man...baby steps. It's about sick people getting the medicine they need. Not about everyone and their brother getting a card.

Its obvious in this write up that Illinois police are more concerned about job security rather then peoples well being, and that some have reefer madness mentality.


SPRINGFIELD —

For the second time in 2011, the Illinois House voted down a bill to allow chronically ill citizens use of medical marijuana to treat their maladies.

The proposal received only 53 yes votes Thursday to 61 in opposition, with four lawmakers voting "present." A similar measure failed by four votes on Jan. 6. Sixty votes were needed for passage.

"It turns out, even though there were 53 ('yes' votes) on the board, I had 58 votes," said sponsor Rep. Lou Lang, D-Chicago. "Two people voted 'no' because they saw it was going to fail, three people voted 'present' because they saw it was going to fail."

Lang said he will seek another roll call if he can find two more votes to pass the plan, and he vowed to make any reasonable changes to get those votes.

Supporters had been optimistic about the measure's chances Thursday, because House Minority Leader Rep. Tom Cross, R-Oswego, publicly backed the bill last month, after voting against the previous proposal.

House Bill 30 "is not about drugs, it is not about marijuana, it's about healthcare," Lang said during floor debate. It would "help people who can't get out of bed because they're too doped up on morphine or Oxycontin."

Chronically ill patients, certified by their doctor and the state Department of Public Health, would have been allowed to buy 2.5 ounces of marijuana every 14 days. They would have been allowed to possess no more than 2.5 ounces at any one time to prevent stockpiling for sale, Lang said.

The measure voted on Thursday also called for a limited number of non-profit dispensaries, restricted the diseases for which pot could be prescribed and eliminated earlier provisions that would have allowed patients to grow their own marijuana.

Despite the changes, one opponent still worried that abuse could occur.

"I don't discount the pain and suffering that's going on out there - it was a tough vote," said Rep. Jim Watson, R-Jacksonville, who voted against the measure. "One of my (local) chiefs of police is a retired DEA agent in Jacksonville, and he was gravely concerned. Every local law enforcement official called me in opposition."

Opponents also said the measure would still conflict with federal law, which labels cannabis as a Schedule One controlled substance - the highest classification - prohibiting all use.

"This is not a medicine, this is an illegal substance," said Rep. Patricia Bellock, R-Westmont.

Bellock said Washington state Gov. Chris Gregoire vetoed a medical marijuana bill after two U.S. attorneys said action could be taken against state employees who enforced the proposal.



The bill broke down in laymens terms.

http://www.mpp.org/assets/pdfs/states/IL-1page-Bill-Summary-2.pdf

i wanted to support the bill but it's just too restrictive.

"This is not a medicine, this is an illegal substance," said Rep. Patricia Bellock, R-Westmont.

What a joke! Marijuana has more uses both medicinal and non than any other naturally occurring substance on this planet.

Ok I gotta say....I can't believe our government is so ignorant about marijuana. I feel sad for Illinois, I spent 25 of my growing years there and love the state but damn how can a government be so stupid. Especially in a time of financial crisis for most states and as a nation as a whole. Ok so what exactly would be bad about marijuana being legalized, even if the system were abused and more than just the sick were getting it>>>> welll....dumbasses...MORE TAX MONEY!! People who smoke pot are going to smoke pot, whether it comes across the border illegally (money going out of country), or from the local gangbanger (Chicago could definitely benefit from reduction in street profits) or from a legal dispensary (Tax money to government, real american dollar to real americans). Wow I don't think it takes a genious to figure that one out... How about the medical aspect in which there now has been tons of studies done on marijuana benefits that just a quick wikipedia scan could show you the proof...OK so lets put it this way...If you were a child...would you rather have a drunk dad, or a stoned dad.....???? How about the fact that Hemp seed is one of natures superfoods, can help you live longer, lose weight, gain muscle, and help your body as a whole....I guess a cure to feed 3rd world countries and help shape our nation up seems illegal....hahaaha..bogus!!! How about the seriously ill that have chosen to feel good again by getting of pharmasuticals and trying an earth born substance.....ur punishing choice, that causes no harm, and I thought this was the Land of the FREE. If it has no medical purposes, then why did we find a 2,800 year old mummy buried in the Gobi desert with marijuana in a leather pouch among other medical and spiritual herbs??? That must be why the University of Madrid proved that THC can actually kill cancer cells in tumors....I guess a overpaid dimwit, I mean Rep. Patricia Bellock, has more credibility??? I guess that Alcohol is better since "DHS estimates 9,000 to 10,000 Illinois residents die each year from accidental injuries and 40% of these deaths are related to the use of alcohol" How about making sense US Gov!! Focus on what matters for our future, not just yours!!

They know it can cure cancer and benefit us thats why they dont legalize it.. Think of how many people die each year from cancer. If all that stopped there would be a huge growth of population... They like to play god and try to control population...they dont give a fuck about us thats why alcohol is legal so we can drink n drive and go kill ourselves.