cannabisnews.com: Montel Williams Lobbying for Passage of MMJ Law
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Montel Williams Lobbying for Passage of MMJ Law
Posted by CN Staff on November 29, 2010 at 19:45:05 PT
By Kurt Erickson 
Source: Pantagraph
Springfield -- Former talk show host Montel Williams is lobbying state lawmakers to approve legislation legalizing marijuana for medical use.The television personality is scheduled to meet with members of the Illinois House in the hours leading up to a planned vote Tuesday on the issue, said state Rep. Lou Lang, a Skokie Democrat who is sponsoring the legislation. Williams has multiple sclerosis and uses medical marijuana to help ease the effects of his condition.
Under the proposed law, certain patients could obtain medical-grade marijuana from state-regulated dealers for use in their homes.Lang said he's not sure the measure will be approved. He said he has between 58 and 65 votes. Sixty are needed for passage."We're very close. I've got a lot of fence-sitters," Lang said.If approved, Illinois would be among 16 states in the nation allowing marijuana use for medical purposes.Williams is among a lengthy line of celebrities who have visited the Statehouse in recent years to press various causes. Others include movie starlet Bo Derek, former Chicago Bull Bill Cartwright, musician Rick Nielsen and actress Morgan Fairchild.The legislation is Senate Bill 1381.Source: Pantagraph, The (Bloomington, IL)Author: Kurt Erickson Published: Monday, November 29, 2010Copyright: 2010 Pantagraph Publishing Co.Contact: letters pantagraph.comWebsite: http://www.pantagraph.com/URL: http://drugsense.org/url/5g0teObYCannabisNews Medical Marijuana Archiveshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/list/medical.shtml
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Comment #7 posted by Hope on November 30, 2010 at 17:45:52 PT
Why don't they ever say what the "reason" is?
"``We're sending the wrong message to our children,'' said state Rep. David Reis, R-Olney. ``This has been illegal for a reason.''"
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Comment #6 posted by Hope on November 30, 2010 at 17:43:56 PT
Huzza! Huzza! For Representative Lang!
"Lang closed with an impassioned, shouting floor speech that was cheered by medical patients who had crowded into the House gallery overhead."
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Comment #5 posted by FoM on November 30, 2010 at 16:49:48 PT
Medical Marijuana Bill Stalls in Illinois House
November 30, 2010Montel Williams, the former talk-show host, just did a standup with reporters in the Capitol to chide opponents of the bill for spreading ``false information.''Williams was diagnosed 10 years ago with multiple sclerosis, and he has since become a traveling advocate for legalizing medical marijuana, which he says alleviates his pain and tremors from the condition. He lives in New York, where medical marijuana isn't legal, either. (Where he gets and uses it there ``is my business,'' he said, when reporters asked.)Williams was in Springfield to lobby lawmakers for passage of the bill, and was clearly disappointed at its failure. He attributed it to ``a misinformation campaign steeped in flagrant lies'' on the issue, including (he said) the assertion that it's a ``gateway drug'' to harder drugs. He noted it's not dead yet, and said he held out hope that Lang would be able to round up the 60 votes he needs in the few days the current Legislature has left.UPDATE 12:40 p.m. -- The bill just failed on a 53-59-1 vote (60 was needed for passage). The sponsor, state Rep. Lou Lang, D-Skokie, has put the bill on postponed consideration, which effectively pulled it back before the vote was official and allows him to try again later if he can come up with extra votes.Lang closed with an impassioned, shouting floor speech that was cheered by medical patients who had crowded into the House gallery overhead.The House will meet tomorrow for the last time this year, then for a few days in January before the new General Assembly is seated. If the bill doesn't pass by then, Lang would have to start from scratch.SPRINGFIELD, Ill. -- Illinois House members right now are debating a long-awaited medical marijuana bill that supporters believe has a realistic chance of passage.The bill (SB1381) would allow people under treatment for cancer, AIDS and other illnesses to utilize marijuana for pain and nausea alleviation, with a doctor's permission and state certification.Supporters say the measure is merely about alleviating suffering among patients, who would be allowed to smoke or ingest marijuana only in their homes.``People . . . are looking for relief, not a cheap high,'' said state Rep. John Fritchey, D-Chicago. `` . . . We have the ability (to let people) find relief from pain.''Critics say it opens the door to legalizing recreational pot.``We're sending the wrong message to our children,'' said state Rep. David Reis, R-Olney. ``This has been illegal for a reason.'' The bill wouldn't let doctors dispense marijuana but rather would allow patients to grow it themselves. It would allow patients to possess up to six cannabis plants within a 60-day period, three of which can be mature plants. The patients would have to obtain the plants from a state-sanctioned supplier. The bill would go into effect July 1.The Senate passed the bill earlier this year, so House passage would send it to the governor.  Copyright: 2010 www.STLtoday.comURL: 
http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/political-fix/article_5d4284c4-fcac-11df-9328-0017a4a78c22.html
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Comment #4 posted by FoM on November 30, 2010 at 11:50:03 PT
Medical Marijuana Measure Fails in Illinois House
November 30, 2010Springfield -- The Illinois House today defeated a measure that would have allowed people to use marijuana for relief of chronic pain.The medical marijuana bill got 53 votes, but needed 60 to pass. Another 59 lawmakers voted against it, and one voted present.Sponsoring Rep. Lou Lang, D-Skokie, argued the measure was aimed at giving people in pain have a better quality of life, particularly after doctors have tried multiple medications that have not helped a person suffering from a debilitating illnesses.“There are people who need our help,” Lang said, pointing to the House gallery, where people with chronic illnesses watched in hopes of passage.Rep. Ron Stephens, R-Troy, a pharmacist, argued the legislation does not provide enough regulation.“This should be called the marijuana possession law,” Stephens said. “It doesn’t restrict the use in any one way.”
The bill would have set up a series of controls aimed at restricting access to marijuana, including requirements that a doctor would have to give the patient permission and that a patient would have get a license from the state public health officials. The proposal, if enacted, would have expired after three years to study whether it should have been made permanent.Gov. Pat Quinn previously expressed support for the idea, saying those who are seriously ill should have access to any medical treatments that may help relieve their pain.Copyright: 2010 Chicago TribuneURL: http://newsblogs.chicagotribune.com/clout_st/2010/11/medical-marijuana-measure-fails-in-illinois-house.html
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Comment #3 posted by FoM on November 30, 2010 at 10:31:10 PT
knightshade 
I don't know what to think of the article. 
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Comment #2 posted by FoM on November 30, 2010 at 10:30:20 PT
Illinois House Debates Legalizing Med Marijuana
November 30, 2010Illinois lawmakers are debating whether to legalize the use of marijuana for medical purposes.Democratic Rep. Lou Lang says he thinks there's a good chance the Illinois House will approve his legislation.The proposal would allow people to possess marijuana for treating the symptoms of AIDS, cancer, glaucoma and other illnesses. To qualify for medical marijuana, people would have to submit a doctor's certification to the state Public Health Department.Critics say the bill has little to do with medical treatment. They fear that it will just be used as an excuse for people to smoke pot.Copyright 2010 The Associated PressURL: http://www.sj-r.com/breaking/x812950949/Illinois-House-debates-legalizing-medical-marijuana
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Comment #1 posted by knightshade on November 29, 2010 at 21:52:57 PT:
what do you guys think about this?
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/40420910/ns/health-addictions/Isn't this umm... backwards as backwards gets?
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