Medical Marijuana Laws Are Approved In Illinois

The Illinois House Accepts New Medical Marijuana Laws

It was barely yesterday, when the House of Illinois, went through a very moving debate and came to the decision of approving some new medical marijuana laws, which will not only benefit lots of patients, but it will also help to keep the herb under a stricter control. I say that the debate was very moving, because lawmakers revealed some emotional stories about how marijuana has helped some of their family members or friends and why it is finally time to legalize cannabis all around the world.

The House of Illinois had a 61 to 57 vote in favor of the new laws on medical marijuana, which means that a new pilot program will be starting soon and it is said it will last for at least four years, so things can be tested out and see how all works. Even Gov. pat Quinn, gave some positive comments about the new laws on cannabis, as he stated yesterday that he had an "open-mind" about the new bill.

With this approval, Illinois will now become the 19th state in the US to accept medical marijuana, yet some believe it might be one of the strictest programs in the country, as it will include conditions on approving doctors, patient qualification and how the herb is grown. Rep. Lou Lang had some wise words about this new bill, as he said "Ladies and gentlemen, this is not about getting high, it's not about dope, it's not about what our mothers told us when we went to college, this is about providing a product at no expense to the taxpayers to provide better healthcare to people who desperately need this product."

What Are People Saying About The New Medical Marijuana Laws In Illinois

There are now many National opinion polls that have proven that more than half of Americans are in favor of legalizing marijuana for medicinal purposes and the number of people who want this herb legalized for recreational purposes is increasing as well.

People like Rep. JoAnn Osmond, who once opposed the legalization of marijuana, talked about how she has come to believe that this herb is actually very useful, as one of her friends died from cancer complications and she never allowed him to use cannabis in her house. Today, she is not sure if she made the right choice and remembers how her friend had to consume prescribed painkillers, which not only made him feel worse, but they made him very sick.

Another person who has changed their mind about medical marijuana laws as well is, North Side Democratic Rep. Kelly Cassidy, who also spoke during yesterday's debate and told the story of one of her brother-in-laws, who is currently suffering from terminal cancer . Cassidy's exact words were, "he would not be with us, if not for making use of cannabis. Pain pills were sucking the life out of him, but now he can enjoy what will be his last days. My sister and my brother-in-law, who I love dearly, are able to make the best of an absolutely horrific situation as a result of this product."

More About The New Medical Marijuana Laws In Illinois

The new bill, would prohibit a person from being prescribed more than 2.5 ounces of cannabis in a period of two weeks. Doctors who are able to prescribe marijuana, must have a background history with the patient they are prescribing the herb to and should make some valid recommendations.

The new medical marijuana laws in Illinois also state that there would be 60 marijuana dispensaries around the state and that these are the only places where patients can buy their herb, as growing their own will not be allowed. The people working in medical marijuana dispensaries will be checked for criminal records, surveillance in the dispensaries would be required 24/7 and patients will need to have valid medical marijuana cards, as these will allow dispensaries to know how much cannabis a person has bought during a certain period of time and prevent them from exceeding the legal limits.

Even if Illinois had already accepted a similar bill in 2009, where patients could grow their own, these new medical marijuana laws are going to be a little stricter, but they will also benefit the people who need it the most.

Marijuana is a medicine and if used for recreational purposes it does not cause a gateway to other drugs, as some people have stated and it is certainly not any more dangerous than alcohol or tobacco. It is time to legalize cannabis around the world and Illinois just took a huge step towards it.

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