Tuesday, May 21, 2013
Police Chief William Kushner said legalizing the substance for medical purposes could cause problems stopping people from driving under the influence.
Several Maine Township police chiefs oppose legalizing marijuana, the Chicago Tribune reports. The Illinois House and Senate recently voted to legalize the substance, which is currently awaiting a decision by Governor Pat Quinn. But the police chiefs in Niles, Park Ridge and Des Plaines say they are against the proposal, as stated in a letter to residents of their communities last week, the newspaper reports. William Kushner (Des Plaines), Frank Kaminski (Park Ridge), nd Dean Strzelecki (Niles) say legalizing the drug would make it more difficult to stop people from driving under the influence.
Friday, May 17, 2013
Passed by a 35-21 vote, the bill now goes to the desk of Gov. Pat Quinn, who has not yet said whether he intends to sign it.
By a vote of 35-21, the Illinois Senate approved legislation on Friday that would allow doctors in the state to prescribe marijuana as pain relief for severe medical conditions. The bill now goes to Gov. Pat Quinn for his signature. According to the Chicago Tribune, the bill covers 33 specific conditions—including multiple sclerosis, cancer and HIV infection—and includes several controls, with a four-year trial program, dosage limits, fingerprinting, background checks and licensed dispensing centers. “This bill is filled with walls to keep this limited,” the paper quoted sponsoring Sen. Bill Haine (D-Alton), who urged lawmakers to pass the legislation as a compassionate measure for those suffering with extreme pain. In opposition, Sen. …
Saturday, March 9, 2013
The Illinois House of Human Services Committee approved a measure to legalize the use of medical marijuana on Wednesday. The bill's sponsor, Illinois Rep. Lou Lang, Democrat, said the measure would be the strictest in the nation
The Illinois House of Human Services Committee approved a measure to legalize the use of medical marijuana on Wednesday, the Huffington Post reports. The final vote came in at 11-4. The measure now moves to the Illinois House for deliberation. Illinois Rep. Lou Lang, a Democrat from Skokie, has been pushing the legalization of medical marijuana for years. Whenever asked about the possibility of Illinois becoming the nineteenth state to legalize the green leafy substance, Lang is always optimistic. "Nobody should fear the bill," Lang told Skokie Patch. "This is about quality of life for people. While the House of Human Services approved the measure, nothing is set in stone. “As the State Journal-Register notes, similar legislation failed in…
Tuesday, December 11, 2012
Painting it as a bill about health care, not drug use, state Rep. Lou Lang (D-Skokie), who has advocated for the bill for years, said, "Nobody should fear the bill."
Illinois House leader Lou Lang (D-Skokie) has been pushing two controversial bills over the last two decades: the expansion of Illinois gaming and the legalization of medical marijuana. Whenever asked about the possibility of Illinois becoming the nineteenth state to legalize the green leafy substance, Lang is always optimistic. Two years ago, he told Skokie Patch that he only needed to secure "two or three" votes to pass the bill. Obviously, that never came to fruition. However, other states have recently passed similar bills and Lang is hoping Illinois can become the next state to ride the green wave, saying he wants to help those who can seriously benefit, medically speaking, from the drug. Recently, Massachusetts and the District of …
Sunday, April 22, 2012
Medical marijuana is legal in 16 states. Should Illinois follow suit?
The federal government has stepped up a crackdown on medical marijuana users and distributors. The Huffington Post recently reported raids on those involved with medical marijuana and President Obama’s apparent decision to back away from a 2007 campaign pledge. Medical marijuana is legal in 16 states. A medical marijuana bill was defeated in the Illinois House earlier this year. The same bill, championed by state Rep. Lou Lang (D-Skokie), also fell short in November 2011. Some prominent local politicians, including Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, have decried the use of law enforcement resources to incarcerate non-violent drug offenders. “Instead of dealing with our addiction problem in this country with a public health …
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Some conservatives now on board with the bill.
Back in November, Senate Bill 1381, which would have legalized medical marijuana, failed to receive enough votes. The man behind the bill, Rep. Lou Lang (D-16thDistrict) told Skokie Patch in the past that many lawmakers were for the legislation – enough to pass it and then some – but that they wouldn't vote for it because of possible political fallout. Back then, Lang fell short by seven votes during a lame-duck season in Congress. Some lawmakers feared Illinois would become another California. Fast forward to today and a similar bill is gaining steam, as Lang and new allies – some Republican – are laying out a stricter set of rules for the bill. The bill has new life, mainly because Republican Representative and House Minority Leader Tom…
Xander Crews
2:08 pm on Tuesday, May 21, 2013
Of course, with pot legal (to only a handful of the population actually, so not really legal) this will mean the police will have to track down ACTUAL criminals. more ›