cannabisnews.com: Medical Cannabis Bill Gains Momentum Medical Cannabis Bill Gains Momentum Posted by CN Staff on February 20, 2006 at 06:31:25 PT By Jane Huh, State Capitol Bureau Source: State Journal-Register Illinois -- Julie Falco came to Springfield last week for the third year in a row to persuade lawmakers to legalize marijuana for medical purposes. With her, she brought a Tupperware container with marijuana-laced brownies and “popped them right in the room.” That drew reactions – “most of them were grins or something’s up” looks, she said - from people in the hearing room. “I would not have been able to testify in front of the Senate (committee) if I did not have my cannabis because I get very sensitive to really loud atmosphere, a lot of people, a lot of movement,” said Falco, a Chicago resident who was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis 20 years ago. “It’s just too much on my nervous system.”With her doctor’s written endorsement, Falco eats three 1-inch marijuana brownie squares a day to treat her condition, which causes her legs to lock up and shake. On Wednesday, she said, the brownies “made it tolerable to be in an arena like that.”Under legislation that passed out of the Senate committee to which Falco spoke, Illinoisans could legally grow and use marijuana to treat terminal illnesses and other debilitating health conditions.Although the bill, Senate Bill 2568, was moved to the full Senate by a vote of only 6-5, the committee’s action signaled a growing push in Illinois to legalize use of marijuana for medical purposes.The medical cannabis bill is making its third appearance in the General Assembly and is as close as it has ever been to becoming a legislative reality. Previous bills have not made it through the committee stage.Earlier this year, Rhode Island became the 11th state to legalize marijuana for patients with terminal illnesses and other debilitating conditions, such as AIDS, glaucoma and multiple sclerosis. New Mexico and Connecticut reportedly are debating the issue this year.“There’s more support than people realize,” said Dr. Christopher Fichtner, a medical adviser to Illinois Drug Education and Legislative Reform and a former mental health director for the state Department of Human Services. Among those backing the bill is the Illinois Nurses Association, he said.If the proposal passes the full Senate and the House and is signed by the governor, it would allow patients with a doctor’s prescription to grow as many as 12 marijuana plants each. A patient could possess no more than 2 1/2 ounces of the drug in its usable form at any one time.Critics say the legislation is unnecessary because Illinois has a 1978 statute that allows patients to apply for federal research projects in which marijuana would be provided. But no one has applied to undertake such research, according to Tom Green, spokesman for the Department of Human Services.Opponents of the bill also say Marinol, a prescription drug that contains tetrahydrocannabinol or THC, an active cannabis ingredient, is available for patients. Aside from that, the Federal Drug Administration has not labeled marijuana as medicine.“We should hold it to the same standards as any other medicine, and we’re simply not ready in terms of research,” said Sen. Dale Righter, R-Mattoon, who voted against the bill.Falco and other medical cannabis advocates said drugs such as Marinol do not work for everybody. People respond differently to how marijuana is consumed, she said.“Smoking it, for me, didn’t really work as did eating it,” Falco said.Laimutis Nargelenas, deputy director of the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police, said the legislative action to legalize medical marijuana is moving too fast and sends mixed messages to the public about the dangers of controlled substances.“We’re a compassionate community, but at the same time we have a job to do right now on the war on drugs, and marijuana is an illegal drug,” Nargelenas said. “We have now gone so far to take meth and most cold medicines behind the counter, and yet to turn around and legalize marijuana, it doesn’t make sense.”Illinois Church Action on Alcohol and Addiction Problems also is against the bill because it would be “very difficult to regulate and control who has the marijuana,” said executive director Anita Bedell.Sen. John Cullerton, D-Chicago, the legislation’s sponsor, said the bill still needs work to “assure the other senators that the law won’t be abused” by caregivers who would be responsible for dispensing the drug to patients unable to take it independently.“When people realize that cannabis will be used as medicine, I think we can gain support,” he said.Falco said she uses only the word “cannabis” in the ongoing debate because “marijuana” is a loaded word that keeps the issue bogged down in controversy.“Medical patients do not get high,” she said. “It’s a pain reliever. But that’s where people go ... to the old stereotypes about what cannabis is.”And although she has never been arrested or confronted by law enforcement, Falco said she fears getting that knock on the door.“Multiple sclerosis is a stress-related disease, and I can’t even imagine myself sitting a jail cell without the cannabis,” she said. “I’m doing this because I know there are thousands of others using it for medicinal reasons. We have illnesses we deal with every day ... we don’t want to be worrying about getting arrested.”Note: Legislation makes third appearance in General Assembly.Source: State Journal-Register (IL)Author: Jane Huh, State Capitol BureauPublished: Monday, February 20, 2006Copyright: 2006 The State Journal-RegisterContact: letters sj-r.comWebsite: http://www.sj-r.com/CannabisNews Medical Marijuana Archiveshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/list/medical.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #10 posted by paulpeterson on March 11, 2006 at 09:47:42 PT laimutis Nargelenas Please recall that already 16 Illinois towns have "decriminalized". Last year I spoke with Laimutis about the failed bill-it would have made some pretty draconian provisions against police. I apologized to him for the harsh rhetoric against police. He is not a bad guy at all.Of course, the fact that Chiefs of Police are the LEADERS IN DECRIMINALIZATION (the way I started the trend was to give all the credit to Chief of Wilmette for press purposes) helps to dampen the negativity.It looks like consensus is building. I a m hopeful this works this year, even in an election cycle. paul peterson [ Post Comment ] Comment #9 posted by FoM on February 20, 2006 at 20:31:35 PT Ekim I checked and didn't have to snip this one. I read the article and if only the writer had not talked about legalizing drugs but kept on Cannabis it would have been a little better. They keep mixing drugs and cannabis and they just aren't the same thing.http://www.cannabisnews.com/news/thread21611.shtml [ Post Comment ] Comment #8 posted by Hope on February 20, 2006 at 20:19:39 PT BGreen in comment 4 said... "Laimutis Nargelenas, deputy director of the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police, you are a cop, NOT a doctor, scientist, expert or even a credible witness."Do you suppose there's a case for bringing charges against politicians and police, like Nargelenas, for "Practicing medicine without a license"?What happened to the time when police were not supposed to argue for or against laws politically? Did it ever exist? I thought it did. I'm pretty sure it did. They weren't supposed to air their individual political beliefs publicly because of their position. Maybe I'm wrong.When did they get so much influence over deciding what their jobs would be and what the laws would be? They shouldn't have any more influence than any other citizen. [ Post Comment ] Comment #7 posted by ekim on February 20, 2006 at 19:59:08 PT Hearing on Tues on Med Cannabis Bill Doctors and paitents will be called to the hearing -- just heard the radio tell it == will try to get more infoFoM can you post from this paper-- http://www.heraldpalladium.com/index.php?pSetup=heraldpalladium&curDate=20060220&pageToLoad=showFreeArticle.php&type=art&index=01 it is about the MI man that is being smashed so here is the starting of a crime against our people. He is a good person and is a great teacher. He has fought for many years to right the wrongs of the prohibition of Cannabis. He has sheep and uses wool for many things. seems that when a farmer and teacher try to get out info on the Hemp prohibition and how it is costing the US money and jobs and giving millions of people a criminal record and forces the loss of jobs and families the police are called to stop the teaching. Michigan Medical Marijuana Act Introduced in House Rep. LaMar Lemmons III (D-Wayne Co.) introduced HB 5470, the Michigan Medical Marijuana Act, in the Michigan House of Representatives on November 29th. It was referred to the Health Policy Committee on December 2nd. The full text of the proposed bill, which currently has nine co-sponsors, is available from the Michigan Legislature's website. HB 5470 comes on the heels of major victories for medical marijuana in Ferndale (by 61%) and Traverse City (by 64%) this year, as well as victories in Ann Arbor (by 74%) and Detroit (by 60%) last year. Additionally, a recent poll from EPIC/MRA found 61% approval of medical marijuana amongst registered Michigan voters. http://www.minorml.org/ [ Post Comment ] Comment #6 posted by runderwo on February 20, 2006 at 16:20:42 PT Will It Go Round In Circles “We’re a compassionate community, but at the same time we have a job to do right now on the war on drugs, and marijuana is an illegal drug,” Nargelenas said. “We have now gone so far to take meth and most cold medicines behind the counter, and yet to turn around and legalize marijuana, it doesn’t make sense.”So, it doesn't make sense to legalize marijuana, because it is an illegal drug, and we are fighting a war on illegal drugs.Huh?Seems to me legalization is the easiest way to win the war, but not necessarily the most profitable for those already involved..."Illinois Church Action on Alcohol and Addiction Problems also is against the bill because it would be “very difficult to regulate and control who has the marijuana,” said executive director Anita Bedell."Yeah, an abstinence and treatment group doesn't have an interest in continuing prohibition. [ Post Comment ] Comment #5 posted by siege on February 20, 2006 at 08:03:12 PT Nargelena There goes my OverTime PAY, have to get it off the books now...have to yell about the "Children" or "gateway" drug or some sh*t...to make Cannabis look Bad. [ Post Comment ] Comment #4 posted by BGreen on February 20, 2006 at 06:46:19 PT Apples and oranges, mr. compassion “We’re a compassionate community, but at the same time we have a job to do right now on the war on drugs, and marijuana is an illegal drug,” Nargelenas said. “We have now gone so far to take meth and most cold medicines behind the counter, and yet to turn around and legalize marijuana, it doesn’t make sense.”Laimutis Nargelenas, deputy director of the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police, you are a cop, NOT a doctor, scientist, expert or even a credible witness.I don't want the cops providing medical care or advice to me or my family, and I don't want my doctor playing "cops and robbers" with your bunch, either.The Reverend Bud Green [ Post Comment ] Comment #3 posted by Hope on February 20, 2006 at 06:43:22 PT Laimutis Nargelena I've never seen a name like that, that I recall. Is it ethnic? [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by Hope on February 20, 2006 at 06:41:39 PT What are the dangers of cannabis? "Laimutis Nargelenas, deputy director of the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police, said the legislative action to legalize medical marijuana is moving too fast and sends mixed messages to the public about the dangers of controlled substances."Always the worst danger with cannabis was getting arrested. With that out of the way...what "danger" does he speak of? [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by FoM on February 20, 2006 at 06:32:10 PT Illinois Let's get it done now! [ Post Comment ] Post Comment