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* Sun-Times…
A proposal to extend the temporary medical marijuana program doesn’t have Gov. Bruce Rauner’s support.
“The governor believes there is a lot of time left to evaluate a pilot program, and we should not extend the program until it has been fully evaluated,” Rauner spokeswoman Catherine Kelly said in an email.
Rep. Lou Lang, the Skokie Democrat who championed the medical marijuana law and is now working to keep the temporary and delayed program in place for more time, said he was asked by officials in Rauner’s administration to hold off on filing a bill seeking more time for the program.
But the bill was filed and it’s making progress, clearing committee and now scheduled to be heard by the House. All of the Republicans on the committee voted against the bill last month, with one not voting. […]
The pilot program has been in effect for nearly a year and a half, but no marijuana has been sold to patients. Permits to grow marijuana were handed out last month.
The current four-year pilot program expires in 2017. Lang’s bill would extend the pilot program four years from when the first dispensary opens.
* The Question: Should the state’s medical marijuana pilot program be extended during this spring’s session, or should the GA wait a while longer to see how things work out? Take the poll and then explain your answer in comments, please.
posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Apr 13, 15 @ 11:31 am
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Has anyone been able to buy or sell medmar yet? I haven’t seen anything at all on it except some articles about our very small pool of potential users and how that’s impacting the business plans of the sellers.
Comment by Cheryl44 Monday, Apr 13, 15 @ 11:36 am
Wait a while longer I think. While it is ridiculous that we’re already 18 months into the new legal medical marijuana structure and no a single legal gram has been dispensed, it would be nice to be sure that everything goes off without a hitch before extending this.
Frankly, I’d drop the whole charade and go all Colorado tomorrow, but clearly I’m in the minority. When a Governor and his veto pen ask you to wait a while, the smart move is to wait. Collect and analyze some data, get some testimonials in the can, and be ready with a bill next year to extend or hopefully expand this program.
Comment by 47th Ward Monday, Apr 13, 15 @ 11:36 am
I voted no because there was no “extend a year to make up for foot-dragging on implementation. Don’t think a four year extension is necessary until we have more evidence of how this is working out.
All we know so far is some politically connected people are planning to make a killing on this. That’s nice, but it says nothing of the programs impacts - positive and negative.
Comment by Chicago Cynic Monday, Apr 13, 15 @ 11:36 am
===Has anyone been able to buy or sell medmar yet?===
Um, did you read the excerpt?
Comment by Rich Miller Monday, Apr 13, 15 @ 11:38 am
quickly becoming a disaster.. patients need to know they will have product, and the business side needs to know that they will have time to recoup their enormous investment.. the patients sure need some grown up behavior by the legislature and the executive branches..
Comment by Not Rich Monday, Apr 13, 15 @ 11:39 am
@47th: I agree with you and legalize.
Or draconian cuts in Wealthy Welfare to build more prisons and expand Government Surveillance and continued losses in Freedom and Liberty.
Comment by Jack Stephens Monday, Apr 13, 15 @ 11:46 am
Wait a little while and then go full court press on full on legalization.
Legalizing weed doesn’t result in the collapse of society.
Comment by jerry 101 Monday, Apr 13, 15 @ 11:53 am
Wait a while, because ==no marijuana has been sold to patients==.
Run a bill like this next year, including any fixes the program may need once it is fully running.
Comment by Formerly Known As... Monday, Apr 13, 15 @ 11:53 am
The thought of an epileptic kid or adult undergoing chemotherapy going without MedMar makes me say “Enough already!” Does Rauner think Illinois citizens will walk into the nearest head shop if the pilot program is extended?
Comment by Jocko Monday, Apr 13, 15 @ 11:53 am
This doesn’t scream for immediate action or a 4 year extension. Let’s see how it rolls out before adding any extra time. I’m a supporter, but would like to see the state handle this right. Ultimately, I’d like to see folks getting their med mar at Walgreens and CVS rather than these dispensaries. It’s a serious drug to help people with serious pain. There will be an appropriate time and length of time to extend this.
Comment by A guy Monday, Apr 13, 15 @ 11:54 am
I think 47 said it best. I’m for waiting a bit to see if we can get directly to “Go” without having to stop on “Park Place.”
Comment by Arthur Andersen Monday, Apr 13, 15 @ 12:01 pm
Scrap it I don’t want the state police between me and my doctor
Comment by Anonymous Monday, Apr 13, 15 @ 12:01 pm
How can one have a pilot program if the program hasn’t started yet? Extend now so all can participate fully. Maybe Brucie’s “blind trust” just hasn’t had time to buy into the biz yet.
Comment by D.P.Gumby Monday, Apr 13, 15 @ 12:03 pm
18 months and not a single sale yet. Extend it. Better yet, just cut to the chase and make it permanent.
Comment by Sir Reel Monday, Apr 13, 15 @ 12:04 pm
voted to extend it, because there wasn’t a way to vote to “Make it Permanent”
Comment by downstate commissioner Monday, Apr 13, 15 @ 12:12 pm
Sorry Rich, the cold meds are messing with my ability to remember what I read minutes ago.
I agree with everyone who thinks we ought to just legalize it now, for all adults.
Comment by Cheryl44 Monday, Apr 13, 15 @ 12:13 pm
extend it now and I’m also casting a shadow vote for the missing “full legalization now” option. because there’s nothing American about locking people in a cage for having dried flowers.
Comment by Homer J. Quinn Monday, Apr 13, 15 @ 12:18 pm
The State has imposed huge upfront costs on both growers and dispensaries, which have been increased by the unnecessary delays.
I think it’s fair to extend the program to account for the delayed startup.
Comment by Soccermom Monday, Apr 13, 15 @ 12:24 pm
As mentioned above, to accomodate an adequate return on the large investment required, I think they should extend it another 4 years. We already have some very stringent requirements and safeguards in place. So extend it for four more years.
Comment by Capitol Fax Follower Monday, Apr 13, 15 @ 12:31 pm
= How can one have a pilot program if the program hasn’t started yet? Extend now so all can participate fully. =
I fully agree.
Personally, I would not oppose full legalization, but I doubt that the GA could find a supermajority for such a bill, since it appears Gov. Rauner would likely veto that bold step.
Comment by cover Monday, Apr 13, 15 @ 12:35 pm
It should be extended longer than that
Comment by WAK Monday, Apr 13, 15 @ 12:39 pm
I voted extend. Waiting for Rauner to evaluate the program is akin to Rauner “evaluating” a raise in the minimum wage. He could then hold it hostage by tying it in with something else he wants.
Comment by DuPage Monday, Apr 13, 15 @ 12:51 pm
Extend it. It’s the humane and fair thing to do
Comment by Langhorne Monday, Apr 13, 15 @ 12:53 pm
Do not extend - legalize and be done with it.
Comment by Anon Monday, Apr 13, 15 @ 1:06 pm
Just to set the record straight, this bill only says that the 4 year pilot ought to begin when the first dispensary opens. I am not trying to add on. With only 2 years left before the law expires, the prices will balloon and patients will go back to the streets for their product. Additionally, the need for info is a good reason to extend. Only with a full program can we assess what is good or bad about it moving forward.
Comment by Lou Lang Monday, Apr 13, 15 @ 1:14 pm
Rep. Lang, that’s a wise approach.
Comment by Soccermom Monday, Apr 13, 15 @ 1:18 pm
Extend, businesses need certainty and a 2017 expiration date does not provide that. It’s bad enough with the issues at the federal level.
Comment by Ahoy! Monday, Apr 13, 15 @ 1:35 pm
Also to clarify one minor point in the S-T article: the “cost” to the state associated with HB3299 is from the waiving of the first year patient registration fees for any patients that sign before dispensaries are open, which in the case of some patients may end up being a full year. This is a very reasonable provision that ensures patients aren’t paying for something they can’t use, with the cost to the state being fairly minimal in the context of a program that’s generating millions of dollars of fees from licensed businesses and that’s not spending a dime of taxpayer money, as was intended when it was originally written. Thanks to Representative Lang for sponsoring this bill!
Comment by Ali Nagib Monday, Apr 13, 15 @ 1:36 pm
First, let’s face it, Governor Bruce Rauner never wanted this program to begin with. So anything he opposes regarding med cann is a reason for red flags. Secondly, should our governor be talking to other legislators telling them not to vote in favor of the extention? Didn’t he flaunt the idea that certain people run this state and that he wanted to rid the state of cronyism? Dear Governor, that’s exactly what you are doing when you tell legislators not to vote how they would like. (Disclaimer, it is hearsay that he actually told legislators to vote no to hb3299, but came from a reliable source).
So many fought hard and diligently for years and finally passed this program. Governor Bruce Rauner is wrong when he says there is plenty of time to evaluate this program. No Governor, WE FOUGHT for those votes for a four year program, not a two year program and the sick and dying deserve more than to be used as political pawns in this mess. What about the parents of the children that are forced to move or hit the streets and pray they get quality product for their sick child?
The program is set to expire December 2017. If we do not extend, the cost will be trickled down to the patients who will then be forced back onto the streets to obtain this product that helps them survive and have a quality of life. In turn, businesses will suffer and the program could essentially fail. Some have already turned down licenses and are opting to bail out because of the uncertainty. Bottom line is, this is about lives and we will not sit around and watch our patients suffer the consequences.
Finally, this does not extend the program an additional four years, it simply adds time lost and extends the expiration of cards already issued to patients and caregivers to a year after the first dispensary opens.
Comment by Sandy Champion Monday, Apr 13, 15 @ 2:00 pm
Good Democratic strategy to call for social program-related votes that the Republicans will oppose. That “big tent” philosophy is still, in reality, just a pup tent.
Comment by Buzzie Monday, Apr 13, 15 @ 2:31 pm
I would extend the date to four years from the first dispensary now. But if we do the same thing next year, it’s not a big deal.
I do think we need to have several years of actual sales and growing experience before making medical marijuana permanently legal. Moreover, there are rapid changes in federal policy that make it worthwhile to wait before making the program permanent.
And while I lean in favor of full legalization, I’m also not in a hurry to go there as long as we take some steps to cut long prison terms for possession. I’d rather wait and do it right — and, other than the length of time to implement, all reports are that the program is pretty good in Illinois.
Comment by the Other Anonymous Monday, Apr 13, 15 @ 2:43 pm
Extend it.
On another matter—-Why wait? Legalize it.
I’ve always wondered what would happen with it once we take the gangs out of the middle. Legalizing it will cause a seriously drop in the money making operations of the Cobras, Latin Kings, etc.
Comment by Belle Monday, Apr 13, 15 @ 2:45 pm
You’re all worried at this point about extending the program when we haven’t even begun the current 4 year program. The 4 year time trial clock starts when a dispensary makes the first sale, not when the bill went into law. Just cool your jets and see what happens.
Comment by Shadee Mason Monday, Apr 13, 15 @ 4:06 pm
Anyone seriously think there’s a way to rewind this one? My only hope is that it gets refined. It is a step in the general direction of legalization. If you don’t think so, you’re blind. If that’s the case, you qualify now.
Comment by A guy Monday, Apr 13, 15 @ 4:13 pm
Anyone who voted “Yes” on the original bill, which called for a four-year pilot program, should reasonably vote “Yes” to reset those four years to start when the first dispensary dispenses.
Just because we have a new governor shouldn’t change anyone’s the fundamental position.
Comment by walker Monday, Apr 13, 15 @ 5:02 pm
~~~~~~The 4 year time trial clock starts when a dispensary makes the first sale, not when the bill went into law. Just cool your jets and see what happens.~~~~~
@Shadee, actually the program began January 2014. That’s why the extension bill is necessary.
Comment by Sandy Champion Monday, Apr 13, 15 @ 6:24 pm
Just make it legal…it a plant..we shouldn’t have to ask our government what we can and can nt smoke. It’s nt killing no no one but we get in trouble for it..there r a lot more unnatural things people r smoking that kill them everyday worry about that stuff
Comment by jessica Monday, Apr 13, 15 @ 7:54 pm
Just make it legal…it a plant..we shouldn’t have to ask our government what we can and can nt smoke. It’s nt killing no no one but we get in trouble for it..there r a lot more unnatural things people r smoking that kill them everyday worry about that stuff
Comment by jessica Monday, Apr 13, 15 @ 7:54 pm
Illinois cannabis patients want to grow their own medicine, period. Concessions were made that patients didn’t agree with or want. Now you wonder why no one is signing up. I am NOT accepting cannabis grown in one of their grow factories. I don’t want it shipped in the mail. I don’t need the state to regulate my doctors wishes. I deserve better. I’m sick and I want a better quality of life without the restrictions. I voted to scrap it!
Comment by Carol Kerr Monday, Apr 13, 15 @ 9:59 pm
Now or later but have no fears it will be extended. It’s no different then the tollway system, once that MONEY starts to flow in they won’t want to stop it, they will only be looking for ways to increase it and that’s when recreational will happen.
Comment by Duke Tuesday, Apr 14, 15 @ 8:24 am