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Rauner calls marijuana a “very dangerous drug” as he plans court appeal

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Illinois

* BND…

Rauner said marijuana has changed dramatically over the years.

“It’s not what it used to be 20, 30, 40 years ago. It’s a very potent, very dangerous drug. I think we should watch, take our time, and not rush into changes that could impact the quality of life for many Illinoisans,” the governor said.

That attitude may explain why the governor and his Department of Public Health have been dragging their feet on medical marijuana.

* From a MoveOn.org petition…

Tell Gov. Rauner, drop the appeal & allow medication access.

Petition by Rep. Kelly Cassidy & Sen. Heather Steans

To be delivered to Governor Bruce Rauner

The Court has ordered the Rauner administration to add chronic pain to the list of conditions in the Illinois medical cannabis program. The administration has promised to appeal rather than allow people in pain access to medication safer than addictive opioids.

Petition Background

If the administration won’t show compassion and allow people access to safer pain relief, the General Assembly needs to. Is it a good use of state resources to appeal the court’s decision on including chronic pain in the medical cannabis program? Tell Governor Rauner to drop the appeal and allow pain patients access to the medical cannabis program.

* Press release…

Given a choice between showing compassion for those suffering from chronic pain or pursuing a costly legal battle, the Rauner administration should choose compassion, Senator Heather Steans said today.

Steans (D-Chicago) called on Gov. Bruce Rauner to expand access to Illinois’ medical marijuana program by adding intractable pain to the qualifying condition list rather than appeal a judge’s order that the condition be added.

Intractable pain is a severe form of chronic pain that is constant and incurable. It can be resistant to treatment, but some patients can benefit from using medical cannabis.

“Gov. Rauner needs to drop the appeal and allow patients with intractable pain to have access to medical cannabis,” Steans said. “Patients should have an alternative to opioids that doesn’t force them to turn to the black market for medicine.”

A patient with intractable pain recently sued the Illinois Department of Public Health over rejecting her petition to add intractable pain to the list of qualifying medical conditions for medical cannabis. A Cook County judge ordered the IDPH director to add it to the list last week.

“It’s time for the governor to show some compassion for Illinoisans who are suffering from severe, life-altering pain and allow them to access medical cannabis for relief,” Steans said.

* In other news…

Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle on Monday pointed to Northwestern University students in Evanston smoking weed with impunity as an example of the racial disparities in enforcement associated with the drug.

While addressing an Illinois House-Senate committee tasked with reviewing the implications of legalizing marijuana in Illinois — Preckwinkle is for it, by the way — she told a quick anecdote about her daughter, Jen, visiting a friend who attends Northwestern.

“My youngest, who is college aged, went to visit one of her friends up at Northwestern and she came back and she said, ‘Mom, you won’t believe it. The kids walk up and down the streets smoking dope, and nobody says anything.’

“I said: ‘Yes, Jen,’” Preckwinkle recalled in an exhausted voice.

“And then she said, ‘You know, if my friends and I did this in our neighborhood we’d be arrested.’”

“I said: ‘Yes, Jen.’”

The Preckwinkles live in the Kenwood neighborhood.

posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Jan 23, 18 @ 12:56 pm

Comments

==that could impact the quality of life for many Illinoisans==

Yes. For the better. Stop obstructing sick individuals from getting relief.

Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Jan 23, 18 @ 12:59 pm
Rauner and Jeff Sessions use the same playbook.

Comment by Sir Reel Tuesday, Jan 23, 18 @ 1:01 pm
If marijuana can be used to alleviate pain instead of opioids it is a no brainer. If rauner doesn’t want to make it available then the general assembly should. I have friends that were terminal with cancer and have used it before they passed away and they said it was the only relief they had.

Comment by Boat captain Tuesday, Jan 23, 18 @ 1:04 pm
Take out one sentence and the Gov would sound like he’s ready to really be a leader.

“It’s not what it used to be 20, 30, 40 years ago. I think we should watch, take our time, and not rush into changes that could impact the quality of life for many Illinoisans,”

Comment by We'll See Tuesday, Jan 23, 18 @ 1:05 pm
His reasoning makes no sense whatsoever.

Is he trying to protect other business interests? Is he overly anti-any drug because of what his family experienced? What gives?

Comment by Henry Francis Tuesday, Jan 23, 18 @ 1:06 pm
“It’s not what it used to be 20, 30, 40 years ago.”

How would he know?
Are his “friends” telling him that?

Comment by Michelle Flaherty Tuesday, Jan 23, 18 @ 1:07 pm
Look at it this way Governor, your goofy idea of “steppin’ down” the income tax hike isn’t possible without a huge new revenue source.

Why would you turn your back on a potentially huge source of new revenue?

Comment by 47th Ward Tuesday, Jan 23, 18 @ 1:08 pm
“Marijuana has undergone totally unregulated changes within the black market, so even though it used to be not so bad when I was young, we can’t legalize and regulate it now.”

Comment by LXB Tuesday, Jan 23, 18 @ 1:08 pm
“It’s a very potent, very dangerous drug.” How many people have ODed and died from pot? Not talking about dying of the munchies, but actual pot OD statistics.

Comment by Huh? Tuesday, Jan 23, 18 @ 1:10 pm
This one issue is enough to sink Rauner in his match-up with pritzker. He can spend money airing all the blago tapes and “because Madigan” and toilet-removal commercials he wants, he’s simply not going to beat Pritzker acting like Jefferson Beauregard Sessions on this issue. It’s the only issue that is certain to drive young people to the polls on a non-presidential Election Day, as has been proven in multiple other states. After all the incompetence and corruption that has come out of Rauner’s office over the last three years, who would have guessed marijuana policy would be the issue that sinks him?

Comment by Lester Holt’s Mustache Tuesday, Jan 23, 18 @ 1:10 pm
I call BS on both. How would Bruce know marijuana’s potency has changed over the years?

Toni’s “Haight-Ashbury in Evanston” comment reminds me of Bruce’s little old lady telling him to keep fighting.

Comment by Jocko Tuesday, Jan 23, 18 @ 1:12 pm
Maybe Rauner should appoint a task force on weed. It only took him three years to discover that crutch for clueless chief executives.

Let me contribute the first finding: the historical death count from overdose of this “dangerous drug” is zero. Mull that around at your next wine club gathering.

One of the many great benefits of Rauner canning the old superstars is that it’s revealed how thick this guy really is. They covered up a lot for him.

Comment by wordslinger Tuesday, Jan 23, 18 @ 1:13 pm
From the same guy who rides his Harley from bar to bar.

Comment by yo Tuesday, Jan 23, 18 @ 1:16 pm
someone should run an ad opposing Rauner on this.

His position on medical marijuana is not just unpopular. It’s cruel, bad science, and wasting taxpayer dollars on frivilous litigation too.

Comment by hisgirlfriday Tuesday, Jan 23, 18 @ 1:16 pm
Rauner is a very good Governor…

Wait. I’ve done too much of this very dangerous drug.

Comment by Signal and Noise Tuesday, Jan 23, 18 @ 1:22 pm
that thai stick fifty years ago was no good

Comment by Rabid Tuesday, Jan 23, 18 @ 1:23 pm
Why would you turn your back on a potentially huge source of new revenue?

-Rauner needs the state as broke as possible to bust Unions.

Comment by Real Tuesday, Jan 23, 18 @ 1:24 pm
If Trump comes out against marijuana, watch for the gov to take a toke post haste.

Comment by PublicServant Tuesday, Jan 23, 18 @ 1:26 pm
–Toni’s “Haight-Ashbury in Evanston” comment reminds me of Bruce’s little old lady telling him to keep fighting.–

Vape pens are as common as a Starbucks cup on campus. At DePaul, too.

And it’s no secret who gets arrested for marijuana.

https://chicago.suntimes.com/chicago-politics/watchdogs-the-grass-gap-racial-disparities-in-pot-enforcement/

Comment by wordslinger Tuesday, Jan 23, 18 @ 1:27 pm
Based on my personal experience, marijuana is not as harmful as Rauner claims. He is basing his claims on his personal morals, not science. Legalize it, tax it, and he still can make the personal choice to not use it.

Comment by illinoised Tuesday, Jan 23, 18 @ 1:27 pm
==I think we should watch, take our time, and not rush==

As the entire NATION of Canada legalizes weed in less than six months.

Comment by Jocko Tuesday, Jan 23, 18 @ 1:27 pm
I mean, I guess I shouldn’t be surprised that Governor Rauner would state something so easily proven false. (What do you mean the streets of Colorado, Washington, and California aren’t littered with the bodies of people overdosing on marijuana?)

I also want to point out how this specific phrasing works to absolve the use and popularization of marijuana by his generational cohort.

Comment by Ser Tuesday, Jan 23, 18 @ 1:31 pm
–As the entire NATION of Canada legalizes weed in less than six months.–

Israel is fixing to export weed.

–The market for medical weed will reach $33 billion in 2024, Ameri said in an April report. That’s a threefold increase from projected sales of $10 billion this year amid growing acceptance of marijuana for pain management, multiple sclerosis, cancer, arthritis and other chronic conditions.–

Illinois farmers wouldn’t want anything to do with that exploding market, of course.

Meanwhile, Gov. Bidnessman is playing reefer-madness scientist.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-11-08/medical-weed-flowers-in-israel-opening-door-to-global-exports

Comment by wordslinger Tuesday, Jan 23, 18 @ 1:34 pm
not just Canada, Mexico is also legalizing this year. by Christmas we’ll be the only prohibition country on the North American continent.

Comment by Homer J. Quinn Tuesday, Jan 23, 18 @ 1:35 pm
If there’s one guy in this state who this might help immensely…it could be the Governor.

Comment by A guy Tuesday, Jan 23, 18 @ 1:35 pm
First of all I fully support the legalization of marijuana at the state and federal level. With that being said I don’t have a problem with the US AG enforcing federal laws regarding pot. He was appointed to uphold the constitution and enforce the laws on the books and last I checked, pot is illegal federally. The solution isn’t to bash the AG but to change the law at the federal level. As for the governor, I don’t believe it is a secret that Rauner has a disdain for pot. He is being consistent. And the governor is right, pot isn’t the same as it was “back in the day” it’s much more potent. I don’t think that is any great secret either. What I do think is that some people cling to long held personal beliefs on pot and don’t want to change. I know many people that agree with him. I’m not sure that pot’s biggest critics realize that many, if not most, people that use cannibis are able to function at a very high level of achievement. Sadly, all those critics see are some of the negative characterizations that have been associated with cannibis users. Cheech and Chong anyone?

Comment by Former Hillrod Tuesday, Jan 23, 18 @ 1:36 pm
“It’s not what it used to be 20, 30, 40 years ago”

Is this the voice of experience? Given the countless examples of irrational behavior from the Governor, I’m beginning the question my support for legalization. If long term use causes Madigan Derangement Syndrome, imaginary conversations with imaginary people and a failure to understand budget mathematics, then maybe we should listen to him on this issue.

Comment by AC Tuesday, Jan 23, 18 @ 1:38 pm
In 1988, DEA administrative law judge Francis Young issued an opinion cannabis was a safe and therapeutic drug and should be reschedule. In his opinion he pointed out a person can die from eating 10 raw potatoes, but there was no amount of cannabis which would kill as it is not toxic. Unlike alcohol it is not addictive and does not cause birth defects, cancer, heart disease and other illnesses.
Also the DEA’s own reports near out the falsehood that cannabis has changed in 60 years to be scary. It is pretty much the same, just more of the better stuff going around.

Comment by Al Tuesday, Jan 23, 18 @ 1:42 pm
Introducing more ways into society to legally get high isn’t going to ultimately solve any problems. If you want to put THC into a brownie, or some other product to be prescribed medically that’s fine. However the idea that the Government should legalize a new form of cigarettes that has the added featuring of being a mind altering substance defies logic.

Comment by Saluki Tuesday, Jan 23, 18 @ 1:46 pm
–However the idea that the Government should legalize a new form of cigarettes that has the added featuring of being a mind altering substance defies logic.–

The idea that we’re talking about a “new form of cigarettes” defies reality.

What are you on?

Comment by wordslinger Tuesday, Jan 23, 18 @ 1:48 pm
I really feel this is about some rich guy just trying to get his way he’s already proven he don’t care about the people

Comment by Fdrf Tuesday, Jan 23, 18 @ 1:51 pm
100% THC pill, legal and in every pharmacy in IL. Dried cannabis flowers between 15-29% THC “very dangerous”…even the concentrates the kids are dabbing these days are not as strong as the FDA approved THC pills.

At least BVR issued the licenses for the medical program, Quinn leaving office without issuing those licenses was a cowardly move. This was an issue that BVR could have gotten out front on early in his term and really boosted his credentials with younger voters and illustrated his business chops to bring jobs and investments to IL. Instead we get easily refuted puritanical views from the north shore wine club circuit.

Comment by frisbee Tuesday, Jan 23, 18 @ 1:54 pm
=== With that being said I don’t have a problem with the US AG enforcing federal laws regarding pot. He was appointed to uphold the constitution and enforce the laws on the books and last I checked, pot is illegal federally. The solution isn’t to bash the AG but to change the law at the federal level. ===

Agreed that the best solution should be to change federal law, but let’s also not pretend that prosecutors don’t employ discretion and selective enforcement all the time.

Comment by Just Observing Tuesday, Jan 23, 18 @ 1:57 pm
Chris Kennedy applauds Bruce Rauner’s appeal.

Comment by Moe Berg Tuesday, Jan 23, 18 @ 1:59 pm
So if you think Marijuana should be legalized and taxed, you should not vote for the Rauner-Kennedy team.

Comment by A Jack Tuesday, Jan 23, 18 @ 2:00 pm
==Introducing more ways into society to legally get high isn’t going to ultimately solve any problems==

Personally I think the legalization of marijuana could only help Rauner. Half the stuff he spouts you’d have to be high to believe anymore.

Comment by HangingOn Tuesday, Jan 23, 18 @ 2:00 pm
>However the idea that the Government should legalize a new form of cigarettes that has the added featuring of being a mind altering substance defies logic.

Funny, because most think the idea that the government made growing and smoking marijuana a crime in the first place defies logic.

Comment by supplied_demand Tuesday, Jan 23, 18 @ 2:04 pm
Bruce Rauner on marijuana: “It’s a very potent, very dangerous drug.”
Marijuana deaths in 2015: 0

Bruce Rauner on Legionella: “These things happen.”
Legionella deaths in 2015: About 600

– MrJM

Comment by @misterjayem Tuesday, Jan 23, 18 @ 2:06 pm
As a medical marijuana patient, I oppose Rauner’s position. He should visit a dispensary and talk to the people who work there who guide us patients on which products are best. Then talk to some of the patients and ask how using medical marijuana impacted their life. He would learn that their pain and other symptoms are much less since they began using medical marijuana. Furthermore, I only vote for candidates who are pro-freedom. His statement and position suggest he is more pro-government control than he is freedom on this issue. He just lost my vote.

Comment by Medical MJ Patient Tuesday, Jan 23, 18 @ 2:06 pm
===isn’t going to ultimately solve any problems===

Oh, for crying out loud. Are you that stupid?

Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Jan 23, 18 @ 2:07 pm
His blind trust must be heavily in invested in pharmaceutical
companies

Comment by Bruce's roach clip Tuesday, Jan 23, 18 @ 2:26 pm
Yes, the legal use of cannabis has decimated the economies and moral standings in Colorado, Hawi’i, Washington State, EUROPE….they are all doing so much worse than Illinois.
Could he get any stoopider??? How much money does he make off of big Pharma and the Liquor industry?

Comment by Union Thug Gramma Tuesday, Jan 23, 18 @ 2:39 pm
The truly dangerous drugs are already legal and available at any pharmacy, Bruce. Just ask your son.

Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Jan 23, 18 @ 2:46 pm
Sad that Rauner had to give in to early 20th thinking.

Comment by Ron Tuesday, Jan 23, 18 @ 2:52 pm
If marijuana was 100% legal today, if someone was giving free samples on the corner, I still wouldn’t take it. Does the governor think there is this latent group of future pot smokers waiting with baited breath for pot to be legal?

Comment by Da Big Bad Wolf Tuesday, Jan 23, 18 @ 2:57 pm
“The truly dangerous drugs are already legal and available at any pharmacy, Bruce.”

And in the liquor aisle.

Reefer Madness continues. But it’s going away, as another state legalized yesterday, Vermont, first time via the state government and not the ballot.

Comment by Grandson of Man Tuesday, Jan 23, 18 @ 3:15 pm
- A Jack - Tuesday, Jan 23, 18 @ 2:00 pm:

So if you think Marijuana should be legalized and taxed, you should not vote for the Rauner-Kennedy team.

Possibly, what happens if you also want to get rid of pensions and public employee unions? Reform workers comp too?

Comment by Ron Tuesday, Jan 23, 18 @ 3:46 pm
===Possibly, what happens if you also want to get rid of pensions and public employee unions? Reform workers comp too?===

Ron- What is your position on recreational cannabis? Wouldn’t 700 million dollars in annual tax revenue help the state pay some bills? How about all the jobs and industry created? Or are you against all those things to ban a “drug” that you cannot OD on.

Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Jan 23, 18 @ 3:50 pm
If the governor wants to fight drug abuse, why not work with other governors to influence the federal government’s patient limits of buprenorphine? Opioids are the dangerous drug here, not marijuana.

Comment by Da Big Bad Wolf Tuesday, Jan 23, 18 @ 3:52 pm
I guess these backwards 1800’s politicians just think that we are stupid. Google and factual evidence exists for the vast population now. Just look at the comments on this board, 90%+ of us agree with cannabis legalization.

Comment by Illinois Resident Tuesday, Jan 23, 18 @ 3:53 pm
I thought I read in Crains a while back that beer tax revenue dropped in states that legalized maryjeewanna. But Mrs Blue pitched that edition. Was it dollar for dollar or some percentage?

Comment by blue dog dem Tuesday, Jan 23, 18 @ 3:58 pm
Blue dog, I think alcohol sales have generally held up in states with recreational legal cannabis. The one soft spot is people in their 20s are not putting down their beer to pick up liquor. It is slowing liquor sales to people in their 20s.

Comment by Al Tuesday, Jan 23, 18 @ 4:07 pm
When asked for a response, Marijuana called Bruce Rauner a “very dangerous governor,” whose relationship with the truth “harshes my mellow.” Marijuana also said she planned on voting for Jeanne Ives in the upcoming primary.

Comment by 47th Ward Tuesday, Jan 23, 18 @ 4:29 pm
= Rauner is a very good Governor… =

Chris, is that you?

Comment by Dirty Red Tuesday, Jan 23, 18 @ 4:35 pm
==“It’s not what it used to be 20, 30, 40 years ago. It’s a very potent…”==

True.
But the pro-pot side still thinks that it’s 1975, back when they toked ditch weed and they believe it is harmless. LOL.

Comment by VanillaMan Tuesday, Jan 23, 18 @ 4:43 pm
===and they believe it is harmless.===

I don’t believe it is harmless, but I will point out that the next person who dies from an overdose of marijuana will be the first such death ever recorded in all of human history.

Comment by 47th Ward Tuesday, Jan 23, 18 @ 4:51 pm
Friends tell me, yes, it’s more potent. But: We (I mean they) smoke a lot less of it!

Comment by Molly Maguire Tuesday, Jan 23, 18 @ 4:53 pm
Until Rauner remains in constant pain for over 14 years he has no dog in this fight and should just sit down and shut up.
I would much rather use medical cannabis than the legal opioids that I’m forced to use because there is nothing else available to me.

Comment by justpeachy Tuesday, Jan 23, 18 @ 4:57 pm
Anonymous, I have always been in favor of legalization. That’s why I’m mad at Rauner. I support him in most other instances

Comment by Ron Tuesday, Jan 23, 18 @ 5:09 pm
People are buying wine and booze, beer sales are shrinking due to preference changes.

Comment by Ron Tuesday, Jan 23, 18 @ 5:11 pm
—Anonymous, I have always been in favor of legalization. That’s why I’m mad at Rauner. I support him in most other instances—

Ron, that was my comment, forgot to put my name in. Glad you are for cannabis legalization. I never understood why more republicans do not get on this train when it should be a personal freedom issue. I wish Rauner was more enlightened.

Comment by Illinois Resident Tuesday, Jan 23, 18 @ 6:47 pm
—True. But the pro-pot side still thinks that it’s 1975, back when they toked ditch weed and they believe it is harmless. LOL.—

VanillaMan - You cannot OD on cannabis. So you vape, smoke, or eat less now for desired effect. So what.

Comment by Illinois Resident Tuesday, Jan 23, 18 @ 6:50 pm
–But the pro-pot side still thinks that it’s 1975, back when they toked ditch weed and they believe it is harmless.–

Why would you think proponents haven’t smoked weed since 1975? Or very recently?

You hopped up on goofballs or something?

Comment by wordslinger Tuesday, Jan 23, 18 @ 7:12 pm
You know what, that carton of Vietnamese black wasn’t ditch weed

Comment by Rabid Wednesday, Jan 24, 18 @ 2:58 am
Illinois Resident. I’m generally a democrat, a liberal in the classical sense really. I don’t like public employee unions and pensions don’t work.

Comment by Ron Wednesday, Jan 24, 18 @ 8:12 am
Don’t care about weed one way or another. Curious though if there are any real statistics on accidents/deaths from driving while stoned. While pot may not have any OD deaths, are than any innocents that were harmed because someone was high?

Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Jan 24, 18 @ 8:49 am
If only the Gov would talk to a shrink about his hangups and failures instead of trying to discipline the entire State of Illinois over them.

Comment by crazybleedingheart Wednesday, Jan 24, 18 @ 8:51 am
“But the pro-pot side still thinks that it’s 1975, back when they toked ditch weed and they believe it is harmless.”

Deaths from marijuana overdose in 1975: 0
Deaths from marijuana overdose in 2017: 0

– MrJM

Comment by @misterjayem Wednesday, Jan 24, 18 @ 8:58 am
Ron, if you have a classical liberal leaning, I can understand you wanting cannabis legalization and applaud you for that. I have become more progressive and believe that we could have a better society without the 1% controlling a majority of economics and politicians (Citizens United).

Comment by Illinois Resident Wednesday, Jan 24, 18 @ 11:42 am