WASHINGTON, DC — Medical marijuana advocacy group Americans for Safe Access (ASA) issued a report today, detailing the costs associated with the federal government’s years-long enforcement effort in states that have adopted medical marijuana laws.
Notably, the report, which is entitled “What’s the Cost?” states that since 1996 nearly half a billion dollars ($500 million) has been spent by the Justice Department — over three presidential administrations — to investigate, raid, arrest, prosecute, and imprison hundreds of medical marijuana patients and their providers. The report is intended for Congressional legislators in an effort to lobby for federal policy reforms, and is part of the Peace for Patients campaign recently launched by ASA.
SPRINGFIELD, IL — The Illinois Senate voted 35-21 Friday to pass the “Compassionate Use of Medical Cannabis Pilot Program Act,” which creates a framework to protect physicians and certain qualified medical marijuana patients from arrest and prosecution — but only for the next four years.
Friday’s vote comes a month after the Illinois House voted 61-57 in favor of House Bill 1, which now goes to Governor Quinn. If the bill is signed into law, Illinois would become the country’s 19th — and most restrictive — medical marijuana state.
Advocates have raised a number of concerns over the bill, and plan to pursue follow-up legislation to improve its effectiveness in meeting patients’ needs.
“This is a great day for patients in Illinois,” Mike Liszewski, Policy Director with Americans for Safe Access, said Friday. “We hope that Governor Quinn will see the importance of signing this bill into law, which we look forward to implementing and also improving with follow-up legislation.”
House Bill 1, which is scheduled to expire in four years, was called one of the most restrictive laws in the country by one of the bill’s sponsors, Senator Bill Haine (D-Alton).
House Bill 1 would allow patients with one of 33 “de. . . . . READ MORE