Pubdate: Tue, 20 May 2008
Source: Rockford Register Star (IL)
Copyright: 2008 GateHouse Media, Inc.
Contact: http://www.rrstar.com/contact
Website: http://www.rrstar.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/370
Author: Dan Linn

YES TO MEDICAL MARIJUANA

The Illinois medical cannabis bill, Senate 2865, has been amended to
address law enforcement's concerns regarding the structure of the program.

I hope those patients in Illinois who use cannabis can soon be
protected from arrest and acquiring their medicine illegally.

The amendments do bring with them some concerns, though - namely that
law enforcement is no longer liable for improperly seized medicine and
plants. This means that police could still take medicine from patients
who are protected under the program and not return it, plus they would
not be liable for it.

Unfortunately, this would allow law enforcement to ignore the medical
cannabis program if it gets passed into law.

Another aspect of the amendments is that the program would allow for
only 1,200 patients throughout the state and would only last for three
years before lawmakers would have to address this issue again.

However, it is important to protect these patients and to pass this
legislation.

Dan Linn

Sycamore
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MAP posted-by: Larry Seguin