January 4, 2013

Illinois Medical Marijuana Measure Going Up in Smoke, Lawmaker Says Vote Unlikely

Tags: illinois medical marijuana, mmj bill

A bid to legalize medical cannabis in Illinois is sputtering out, with a key lawmaker saying it’s unlikely he will put an MMJ measure up for a vote in the state House by the Jan. 8 deadline.

“Looks like it is not going to happen right now,” Illinois State Rep. Lou Lang (D-Skokie) wrote in an email response to questions by Medical Marijuana Business Daily.

Lang said he doesn’t have time today to explain the situation. But he indicated that his decision to let the bill die without a vote doesn’t necessarily indicate a lack of support among lawmakers.

“It has little to do with vote count,” he wrote.

Just a few weeks ago, it appeared that Illinois had a real shot at becoming the 19th US state to legalize medical cannabis. An MMJ bill had already cleared the state Senate, and Lang expressed optimism that he could get the 60 votes needed to pass a similar proposal in the House.

Several supportive lawmakers began wavering in late November ahead of the initial scheduled vote on the bill. But Lang was able to extend the final deadline for a vote to Jan. 8 and has remained optimistic about its chances of passage, saying he needs a little extra time to gain support from his peers.

The bill – which has seven co-sponsors aside from Lang – calls for a three-year pilot program allowing registered patients to obtain medical marijuana from licensed, regulated nonprofit dispensaries under one of the strictest regulatory frameworks in the country.

Illinois would be a huge win for the medical cannabis industry. The state is home to roughly 13 million people (which ranks fifth in the country by population), giving it a potential market of around 260,000 MMJ patients.

7 Comments:

Richard Jagger's

January 5th, 2013 at 12:52 am

I think this is pretty sad this is being delayed again and again and again. We will never get it approved if we keep putting it off every time. Why can’t we at least give it a shot see if we got the votes or not either way we’re going downhill. I am really getting tired of investing my time and my money into helping get this bill passed. Somebody do something please. I have a question when will be the next time This will Go up for a vote or a review.
gloman

January 5th, 2013 at 2:08 am

am i missing something?
is there an explanation of why the ball is being dropped?
“Looks like it is not going to happen right now,” Illinois State Rep. Lou Lang (D-Skokie) wrote in an email response to questions by Medical Marijuana Business Daily.

Lang said he doesn’t have time today to explain the situation. But he indicated that his decision to let the bill die without a vote doesn’t necessarily indicate a lack of support among lawmakers.

“It has little to do with vote count,” he wrote.

doesn’t have time to explain?
is that good enough for just plain dropping the ball?
WHY?
I need and use medicinal marijuana every day. why must i be considered a criminal for using a natural medicine that works much better than the narcotics i’m prescribed, and isn’t addicting like the pills.
i know i’m not the only one in illinois that really needs this medicine. i think we are entitled to an explanation.
Roger

January 5th, 2013 at 6:05 pm

I’m highly upset to know he’s giving up, now the time’s extended for people to become arrested just to simply get medicated by a harmful plant. I really had my hopes up of living this lifestyle without having to move, or the worry of someone judging, but he really let me down, let US down…
Alex Romero

January 7th, 2013 at 9:38 pm

Thank God for the scam being disclosed.
gloman

January 8th, 2013 at 2:25 am

“It has little to do with vote count,” he wrote.
EXCUSE ME, but if it has little to do with vote count, then WHAT DOES it have to do with?
i’m certain it couldn’t have anything to do with,,,,oh let me see,,,maybe some type of PAYOFF! not by our illinois law makers. after all, just look at the lawmakers in general track records in this state.
jonathan grace

January 26th, 2013 at 11:05 pm

The real reason is obamas attack on the medical marijuana industry.what would it look like if his state legalized marijuana while hes trying to destroy it?
Dennis

February 25th, 2013 at 5:15 pm

I have studied marijuana for years.Of all the agencies hired to study the effects of the weed,none of them have proven there is any danger from smoking pot.The people that can truly be helped by the intake of marijuana are the people that are called drug addicts because of their use of prescription drugs bought on the street after their script ran out and they are still hurting.Find and read what the Hearst newspaper dynasty did to the hemp industry.