Illinois medical marijuana bill introduced

Every year since 2004, modern medical marijuana legislation has been introduced in the Illinois General Assembly. The compassionate proposal got its first floor vote in 2007. Unfortunately, it was narrowly defeated in the Senate 22-29, with eight legislators not voting or voting "present." With a strong effort to educate legislators on this issue, we can close this gap in 2009.

Please send your state senator an e-mail today letting him or her know that you support SB 1381.

This year's bill is essentially the same as last year's bill — state registered patients and caregivers would be protected from the threat of arrest for engaging in the medical use of marijuana if they possess no more marijuana than is necessary to maintain an "adequate supply." Until the Department of Public Health determines how much medical marijuana constitutes an adequate supply, cardholders would be presumed to be within the bounds of the law if they possess no more than seven marijuana plants and two ounces of marijuana.

After you have sent your senator an e-mail in support of SB 1381, give him or her a few days to respond and then follow up with a call. If your senator is supportive, ask if he or she will consider signing on as a co-sponsor to this compassionate legislation. You may wish to remind your senator that with 68% of Illinois voters in favor of allowing seriously ill patients to use medical marijuana it is time for Illinois to catch up with public opinion and do what is not only right, but popular — 13 states now have laws similar to SB 1381.

Here are a few more things you can do to ensure SB 1381 is a success this year.

Thank you for supporting the Marijuana Policy Project and all of our allies. Please pass this alert along to others in Illinois who may wish to take part in this year's effort to make Illinois the 14th medical marijuana state.