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Illinois Making Much Needed Changes to Medical Cannabis Pilot Program

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[dropcap class=”kp-dropcap”]I[/dropcap]n 2013, House Bill 1 was passed in Illinois which would allow the state to run a pilot medical cannabis program until 2018. The legislation came into effect in November 2015 but early this year cannabis businesses and advocates were shocked to see a lack of activity within the market. According to Illinois Policy, industry experts predicted that a regulated medical cannabis market in Illinois would have at least 3,000 registered patients. During the first few months the HB-1 came into effect, it was apparent that this figure was off.

Thankfully in late May, Governor Bruce Rauner made a compromise with Senate Bill 10, alongside House Minority Leader Jim Durkin and State Representative Lou Lang, that will expand the pilot market for two more years and increase the list of conditions that qualify patients to use medical cannabis. The conditions that will be added to Illinois’ list of qualifying conditions are terminal illnesses and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), which had been denied by Rauner in September 2015 due to what he felt was a lack of evidence. The compromise also revokes legislation stating that a doctor must recommend cannabis to a patient, patients only need to be diagnosed with one of the qualifying conditions and certify a doctor, patient relationship, as reported by Illinois Policy.

According to Extract, Rauner’s appointed health director rejected two expansion proposals in the past as well as recommendations from a panel of medical cannabis experts. Which is why most are excited to see Governor Rauner’s changed perspective. Lang expressed that he, Rauner and Durkin wanted to create a program that would truly help seriously ill individuals. “Governor Rauner and House Minority Leader Jim Durkin deserve credit for their willingness and commitment to reform and extend Illinois’ medical marijuana program,” stated Lang. “I want to thank them for their cooperation to find a bi-partisan legislative compromise on improving a program designed to ease the pain and suffering of seriously ill individuals, including children.”

Hopefully these changes will allow the state to see a boost in its medical cannabis market. Illinois is going through some economic hardship and could use the revenue. It would also be right to hope that these relaxed laws will motivate more patients to seek treatment through medical cannabis and inspire state officials to make the program permanent. SB-10 passed in the House with a vote of 86-27 and is headed to the Senate for final approval.

 

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