Illinois Senate committee approves medical marijuana bill; floor vote next!

Earlier today, the Senate Public Health Committee passed SB 1381 with a 6-3 vote. This bill, sponsored by former three-term state's attorney Sen. Bill Haine (D-Alton), would allow seriously ill patients with certain debilitating conditions to use medical marijuana upon the recommendation of their physicians. The House Human Services Committee approved a companion bill — HB 2514 — on March 4.

Both bills are now poised for a full vote on the floor of their respective chambers, but they do not yet have enough committed "yes" votes to be sent to the governor for approval. Patients urgently need your help to make sure these bills pass. Please send your lawmakers an e-mail urging them to vote "yes" on these bills when the time comes.

If you've already written your legislators, please follow up with a call.

You can help influence legislators by forwarding this alert to others in Illinois who might like to help patients by taking action themselves.

The House has never voted on a modern medical marijuana bill before, and a similar bill was narrowly defeated in the Senate two years ago. Illinois could very well become the 14th state to enact an effective medical marijuana law, but we need as many people as possible taking action in order to make this a reality. Find out what else you can do to help end the senseless and cruel policy of criminalizing sick and dying patients.

Thank you for supporting the Marijuana Policy Project and all of our allies. With your help, we can make this the last year Illinois threatens the sick and dying with arrest.