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U.S. Marijuana Party of Illinois
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IL.Marijuana News -
IL. Medical Marijuana
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Posted by Richard James Rawlings
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Tuesday, 19 May 2009 18:49 |
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By James Gierach and Jim Ware SPECIAL TO RRSTAR.COM Posted May 19, 2009 @ 06:47 PM If you’ve followed the debate regarding a bill to stop criminalizing seriously ill patients who rely on medical marijuana, you might believe Illinois’ law enforcement community has lined up unanimously to oppose this sensible, compassionate legislation.
It’s true that a few of our chiefs and police union leaders have appointed themselves spokespeople for the rapidly dwindling few who would still arrest suffering Illinoisans whose doctors recommend medical marijuana for relief.
But they do not speak for all who serve in law enforcement. We see laws requiring officers to harass and even arrest seriously ill people fighting for their very lives as cruel and wasteful not only to those suffering patients, but also to those of us who swore to protect and defend them.
We base our strong support for this medical marijuana legislation on our years of experience enforcing the law. We have listened carefully to our colleagues’ arguments against allowing doctors and patients to make treatment decisions involving medical marijuana, and we believe their opposition is sincere and heartfelt.
But it is not rooted in science or real-world experience and should be rejected.
If we understand the substantive foundation of the objection to carving a narrow exception to existing marijuana laws to allow its use by patients when conventional treatments have failed, it lies in the fear that doing so would invite widespread abuse and crime.
But there is no evidence to support this fear. In fact, the experience of the 13 states that have laws similar to the one being considered in Illinois suggests the opposite is true.
Eleven of those states have had laws on the books long enough to collect reliable data on youth marijuana use trends since establishing a medical marijuana law. In every single one of those states, teen marijuana use has dropped.
In many states, including California — whose medical marijuana law is nowhere near as tightly constructed as Illinois’ — those drops have been dramatic.
Then there’s the experience of the law enforcement officials who have actually dealt with medical marijuana laws firsthand. In a study conducted by the General Accounting Office (Congress’ investigational arm now called the Government Accountability Office) in 2002, officials from 37 law enforcement agencies in four medical marijuana states concluded that “medical marijuana laws have had little impact on their law enforcement activities.” Specifically, “very few or no encounters involving medical marijuana registry cards or claims of a medical marijuana defense” were cited.
More fundamentally, we believe this legislation is primarily a matter for patients and medical professionals.
It is the choice of those in Illinois law enforcement whether they wish to accept the conclusions of countless esteemed medical organizations that recognize medical marijuana’s value, including the American College of Physicians, the American Public Health Association, the American Nurses Association, the Lymphoma & Leukemia Society, the National Academy of Science’s Institute of Medicine and the American Academy of HIV Medicine.
While we share our colleagues’ concern that any medical marijuana law must be tightly controlled to prevent abuses, it should be pointed out that the pending legislation does exactly that. Not only is Illinois’ medical marijuana bill one of the most tightly written in history, but its sponsors have worked with opponents in the law enforcement community to address their specific concerns about the bill.
Illinois’ sick and dying cannot wait any longer for a sensible, compassionate law that allows them access to doctor-recommended medical marijuana when all other options have failed. The discomfort some in law enforcement may feel about such a law does not approach that of seriously ill patients who struggle every day for relief and who often risk arrest to achieve it.
As compassionate, concerned Illinoisans, we urge our elected leaders to act quickly on behalf of their most suffering constituents and pass this medical marijuana law now.
James Gierach is a former Cook County assistant state’s attorney currently in private practice in Chicago. Jim Ware is a former captain with the Anchorage Police Department and Illinois resident. He also used medical marijuana to counter the side effects of chemotherapy during his treatment of stage-4 cancer in 2005. |
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IL.Marijuana News -
IL. Medical Marijuana
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Posted by Richard James Rawlings
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Tuesday, 19 May 2009 13:50 |
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WBBM
Posted: Tuesday, 19 May 2009 11:34AM 
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (CBS) ― A vote is expected in the state Senate Tuesday on a bill that would legalize medical marijuana in Illinois.
SB 1381, sponsored by downstate Sen. William Haine (D-Alton), would legalize marijuana as treatment for chronic pain and nausea if other treatments have failed, for patients with cancer, HIV-AIDS, hepatitis C, glaucoma, Crohn's disease and Alzheimers.
In an effort to win more votes, legislative backers altered the bill so that it would be limited to a three-year pilot program. A commission would review the program and judge whether it should be extended.
In addition, people smoking pot for medical purposes would be barred from driving.
If the bill passes the state Senate, it will move on to the House. State Rep. Lou Lang (D-Skokie) has been a strong backer of medical marijuana in the state House, but it is not known whether House Speaker Michael Madigan (D-Chicago) would bring the bill to a vote.
Critics of the bill say the new rules will be difficult to enforce, and could turn patients into dealers or victims of thieves.
Medical marijuana is now legal in 13 states. http://www.wbbm780.com/Vote-Expected-On-Illinois-Medical-Marijuana-Bill/4426618 |
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IL.Marijuana News -
IL. Medical Marijuana
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Posted by Richard James Rawlings
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Wednesday, 06 May 2009 13:13 |
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Richey Gupta sent a message to the members of Chicago Cannabis March. You know what to do... Last week, We let you know that the full Senate was expected to vote on medical marijuana legislation by April 30. Since then, sponsor Bill Haine (D-Alton) made several amendments to SB 1381 to further address the concerns of opponents and secured an extension that allows SB 1381 to be voted on until May 31. The bill passed the Senate Public Health Committee for the second time with a 6-2 vote and is now poised for a full vote on the Senate floor. While the Senate has until May 31 to act, the vote is expected this week. Please call your senator in support of SB 1381 --> Click this link: http://www.facebook.com/l/a7ecb;(https://ssl.capwiz.com/mpp/callalert/index.tt?alertid=13221611) . If you have already called, please use our automated system to send a free fax --> click this link http://www.facebook.com/l/a7ecb;(https://ssl.capwiz.com/mpp/issues/alert/?alertid=12953826). If you have anything personal to say about this issue — e.g. you or a loved one could benefit from medical marijuana to alleviate a serious illness — please customize your message as this will have more of an impact with your elected official. Please be sure to share with us any feedback you get from your senator's office by sending an e-mail to
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
. If you have already contacted your senator in support of SB 1381 and received a satisfactory response, then the best way you can help is to forward this alert to others in Illinois and ask them to write and call their lawmakers in support of this legislation. Thank you for supporting. |
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Last Updated on Wednesday, 06 May 2009 13:53 |
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IL.Marijuana News -
IL. Medical Marijuana
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Posted by Richard James Rawlings
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Tuesday, 28 April 2009 21:26 |
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Central Illinois Proud
Tuesday, Apr 28, 2009 @06:57pm CST
A bipartisan bill to allow seriously ill patients with certain conditions and their doctor's recommendation to use medical marijuana without fear of arrest moved along in the Illinois General Assembly. A fifth amendment was added Tuesday and sent to the Illinois Senate Public Health Committee for consideration. A companion bill is in the Illinois House.
http://centralillinoisproud.com/content/fulltext/?cid=56511 |
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IL.Marijuana News -
IL. Medical Marijuana
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Posted by Richard James Rawlings
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Tuesday, 28 April 2009 14:49 |
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CannaZine Cannabis News More than 60 religious leaders throughout the state are calling for the passage of SB 1381, which would allow seriously ill patients to use medical marijuana with a physician's recommendation. The Senate must vote on the bill before an April 30 deadline. Denominations with official positions supporting medical marijuana include the United Methodist Church, Presbyterian Church (USA), Union for Reform Judaism, Unitarian Universalist Association, Episcopal Church, and United Church of Christ. In addition to clergy from these denominations, medical marijuana supporters in Illinois include clergy from Catholic, Evangelical Lutheran, Disciples of Christ, Church of God, and Baptist congregations Clergy from these eleven denominations have endorsed the Interfaith Drug Policy Initiative's statement of principle reading, "Licensed medical practitioners should not be punished for recommending the medical use of marijuana to seriously ill patients, and seriously ill patients should not be subject to criminal sanctions for using marijuana if the patients' medical practitioners have told them that such use is likely to be beneficial." A letter featuring the statement signed by over sixty Illinois religious leaders was sent to all members of the state senate. Many of the clergypersons followed up by making phone calls to their senators. The Jewish Political Alliance of Illinois is also supportive of the measure. "If we are going to continue the War on Drugs, we should at least remove the patients from the battlefield," said Joshua Shapiro, Vice Chairman of the Jewish Political Alliance of Illinois. "Illinois citizens who are seriously ill have enough to worry about without having to look over their shoulder in fear of being arrested for using a medicine that their doctor has recommended." Similar laws have been enacted in 13 other states. Patients in Illinois suffering from cancer, AIDS, multiple sclerosis, and other serious illnesses who find marijuana to be helpful currently face a terrible choice: Either continue to suffer needlessly or risk arrest and jail. "Medical marijuana is an issue of mercy and compassion," said the Rev. Bill Pyatt of the First United Methodist Church of Carthage. "It is the job of religious leaders to give voice to those who cannot speak up for themselves. We pray that the Illinois legislature will have the compassion to stop this war on patients." "With Illinois legislators on both sides of the aisle voting in favor of and sponsoring this legislation, it is clear that this is not a partisan issue – it is a compassion issue," said Charles Thomas, executive director of the Interfaith Drug Policy Initiative, which is coordinating the religious lobbying efforts in Illinois. "We urge Illinois lawmakers to heed this call for compassion and pass this legislation immediately." News distributed by CannaZine Cannabis News on behalf of; http://www.idpi.us/ Interfaith Drug Policy Initiative (IDPI) PO Box 6299 Washington D.C. 20015 United States CannaZine Cannabis News http://cannazine.co.uk http://pr.cannazine.co.uk/../news/..pass-medical-marijuana-bill.html |
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Last Updated on Tuesday, 28 April 2009 14:52 |
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Mar.16
