Pubdate: Thu, 17 Apr 2014
Source: Chicago Tribune (IL)
Copyright: 2014 Chicago Tribune Company
Contact: http://drugsense.org/url/IuiAC7IZ
Website: http://www.chicagotribune.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/82
Author: Robert McCoppin, Tribune reporter

STATE DROPS PLAN TO PROHIBIT MEDICAL POT USERS FROM OWNING GUNS

Medical marijuana patients would be able to keep their guns, under
rule changes proposed by the state.

The Illinois Department of Public Health had proposed requiring gun
owners to give up their firearms if they became medical marijuana patients.

But after howls of protest from gun owners and marijuana users alike,
regulators are dropping that prohibition, according to someone with
knowledge of the rules who spoke on condition of anonymity.

The change still wouldn't resolve an apparent discrepancy between
state and federal law.

The U.S. Department of Justice issued a notice in 2011 that, despite
state laws allowing medical marijuana, federal law still makes it
illegal for an "unlawful user" of any controlled substance to buy or
possess a gun.

Under federal law, marijuana remains a Schedule I controlled
substance, on the same level as heroin.

The revised state rules are due to come out publicly Friday. They will
then go to a legislative committee which will consider further changes
before finalizing the regulations, clearing the way for business and
patient applications in the fall, and possibly for marijuana
distribution next year. 
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MAP posted-by: Jo-D