Illinois House Votes Down Pilot Program for Medical Marijuana

A bill that would have set up a pilot program to legalize medical marijuana failed in the Illinois House this week. Republican critics of the bill said it would have made marijuana more accessible to young people and was not backed by medical groups such as the American Cancer Society that advocate for terminally ill patients.

The Chicago Sun-Times reported that the bill would have allowed people with 19 illnesses including cancer, Crohn’s disease, lupus and multiple sclerosis to buy and possess up to 2.5 grams of marijuana at a time. It also would have created 59 non-profit marijuana dispensaries. The bill would have allowed employers and landlords to bar the use of the marijuana on their premises and prohibited anyone from driving within six hours after using marijuana.