Medical Cannabis is much safer than alcohol and most controlled prescription drugs in terms of potential for overdose, creation of a dependency or organ damage. Just recently such popular drugs as Tylenol, Motrin and Benadryl were “recalled” due to potential serious, even fatal, side effects. And yet, there is an active disinformation campaign going on with respect to “medical Cannabis”.
Also, I would comment that Cannabis use has been shown to suppress violent behavior (Substance Abuse: A Comprehensive Textbook, 4-th Edition, page 267), and this is extremely important from the point of view of the individual, as well as public, safety.
Since Cannabis use suppresses violence by inducing a calm, relaxed state and also improves the “negative affective state” that many people occasionally have, its use may also prove to be a “barrier”, rather than “gateway” to alcohol and hard drug use.
I would also comment that Anti-Cannabis laws on this country seem to encourage young people to experiment with alcohol and/or hard drugs for the simple reason that Cannabis, which is much less dangerous, can be detected in drug testing for much longer than, say, heroin, other opiates, cocaine, or methamphetamines.
This is why many people may tend to try those hard drugs with very high “addiction liability” and then get addicted.
Removing marijuana from the same group with heroin and cocaine will finally send the right message to young people as to the dangers of the latter, or otherwise some people may assume that cocaine, heroin, other opiates or methamphetamines are JUST AS dangerous (or non-dangerous) as Cannabis, while they are infinitely more dangerous. This is the true story of the so-called "gateway drug" theory.
I believe we need to show the public BENEFIT from legalizing Cannabis, not just the absence of harm. I further believe that stressing Cannabis potential to suppress violence and, hopefully, curb the hard drug abuse and addiction is a PUBLIC SAFETY issue, and we are on the right side of it!

Leonard Krivitsky, I am a studying MD and I could not agree more with your statement. Its really embarrassing to see this kind of attitude towards something that is a more healthy choice than alcohol or cigarettes by a LONG SHOT! I hope we can get more and more people to see things the same way we do (in respect to Cannibus) :P

If you were a studying MD, or read this article, you would know that it is "Cannabis". Canibus is a rapper. Stupid pothead.

Oh wow that makes a lot of sense dude.

Lou
www.online-privacy.de.tc

"In strict medical terms, marijuana is far safer than many foods we commonly consume ... Marijuana in its natural form is one of the safest therapeutically active substances known to man." -- DEA Administrative Law Judge, Francis L. Young 1988

I am a retired state police officer and I fully support this bill. It's long overdue for the myths and lies about marijuana to be replaced with facts, and the fact is that this natural plant has many uses and actually helps sick people without any worry about side effects.

Guess what State law still does not override federal law. It will still be illegal.

Why should med-MJ be the treatment of last resort? It's more effective and less deleterious than most (if not all) of the alternatives. Shouldn't it merit first use status? The sole negative is smoking as the delivery mechanism and you can mediate that by ingesting cookies or brownies made with marijuana butter. Marijuana is non-addictive and non-toxic; the main issue remains over-use (abuse) and driving under the influence. We have laws to deal with driving while intoxicated. Where they are not, the law should be blind to the intoxicant used. If your driving is impaired, you shouldn't be driving, regardless of how you got that way. By contrast, alcohol is toxic, legal, can just as readily be abused, and in fact results in greater DUI driving risk than marijuana intoxicated drivers, who tend to drive slowly to compensate for their condition. Marijuana prohibition is rooted in racism - the time has come to get this bit of racism off the books. Legalize it for medical and recreational use, so possession, transportation, and use can't be used by police as a tool of selective enforcement and state sanctioned extortion. If you're worried about smoking in restaurants or stadiums, then prohibit smoking in those venues, whether it be tobacco, marijuana, opium, lettuce, or oregano. Get the government out of the business of propagandizing against this substance or that; rely on substance neutral intoxication laws that allow responsible adults to imbibe the drug of their choice without government abrogating their ninth amendment rights. Remind the Supreme Court that marijuana's medicinal value is in fact irrelevant - there is not nor has there ever been a compelling state interest in marijuana prohibition regardless of its actual or potential benefits. The people have been stripped of their rights to grow, possess, imbibe, and transport a substance that is certainly less dangerous than either alcohol or tobacco, and in fact is arguably less dangerous than eating butter, ice cream, crème brûlée, or filet mignon. It's high time that the people's right to make their own health and recreational choices was restored and the government turned its attention to securing the borders.

Just pass the damn law and let the people get on with their lives. Marijuana should be legal for everyone to smoke if they so choose, not just people who have health issues. Pass the law, have the government grow it, tax it, and let's get on with life!

Just read this article, I am in Los Angeles.

Good luck Illinois, welcome to the 21st century .

Steve, just for the record, Medical Marijuana has been legal in Illinois since 1978. Read about it here: http://www.chicagoreader.com/gyrobase/medical-marijuana-pot-illinois-cannabis-control-act-legalization/Content?oid=1629059&showFullText=true

You can read Illinois Cannabis law here: http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/ilcs3.asp?ActID=1937&ChapAct=720%26nbsp;ILCS%26nbsp;550/&ChapterID=53&ChapterName=CRIMINAL+OFFENSES&ActName=Cannabis+Control+Act.

Go about half way down the page to this section: (720 ILCS 550/11) (from Ch. 56 1/2, par. 711)

Medical Marijuana has been legal in Illinois for 32 years. Welcome to the 70's LA!

I am turning 50 this year and have been on medication for RA. for 5 years. As every year passes Doctors want to increase/change try different medication. All of which effects my organs, then I have to monitor my liver, take another pill for my liver...etc. I am SO tired of pills and shots. EVERYTHING I have read supports marijuana for RA patients. Can actually REVERSE the condition if started at the early stage. Please help support this law in Illinois. Don't wait until our symptoms have escalated to the point of only relieving the pain - help us completely alleviate the disease!

It is about time, the criminalization of marijuana is pointless, it is about time to get "real" on this issue, and follow in the footsteps of our brothers and sisters in California.

i sure will be glad when this law is overturned. i would much rather go to the store and get a bag of weed than a bottle of liquor. tired of random drug tests at the job. this is the dumbest law. im sure politicians are somewhere toking up. hypocrits. ive been smokin for 15years. never have i wanted to try anything else. if i drink liquor, im throwin up somewhere makin an ass of myself. legalize the good stuff. i wanna enjoy my buzz just like the person who loves to have a stiff drink after work.

i have been taking pills for 6.5 years from vicodin to norco,all kinds of anti inflamation pills,i got hepatitis b/c of pills ,i had 2 back surgeries,stomach surgery,wrist surgery,neck surgery,eye surgery,i have a paralyzed left vocal cord,lost my voice,i still have a herniated disc in my thoracic spine,i have arthiritis in my entire spine,and i need another back surgery this time it will be a 3 level fusion with instruments, i am tired of taking pills i am only 32 years old with a wife and four kids, i am in pain everyday,neck,back both arms both legs, thighs feet, fingers,sciatica problems,all of my organs are messing up i have high cholesterol,diabetes,hepatitis,high blood pressure, i have a walker for assistance, i dont know what to do anymore, i have been waiting for this medical marijuana bill to pass so i dont have to take any pills ,i dont want to die at a young age b/c of pills, if anyone knows about pain i am living proof if my story is of any help to anyone write back i would like to readanycoments