By Matt Simonette

Staff writer

Legislation that would legalize the use of medical marijuana in Illinois passed out of the Illinois Senate Public Health Committee March 5 and is expected to be debated on the Senate floor.

SB 2865, sponsored by state Sen. John Cullerton (D-Chicago), allows the use of medical marijuana to alleviate symptoms for conditions, including HIV/AIDS, cancer, glaucoma, hepatitis C, Lou Gehrig’s disease and Crohn’s disease, among others.

An identical bill, HB 5938, sponsored by Rep. Angelo Saviano (R-River Grove), has been introduced in the House.

If the bills were to become law, patients prescribed marijuana would be issued a card by the state that would entitle them to have in their possession either 2.5 ounces of marijuana or 12 marijuana plants. Insurers would not be required to cover marijuana, nor would employers be required to accommodate its usage in the workplace, according to Bruce Mirken, of the Marijuana Policy Project.

A poll released by Mirken’s group March 10 showed that 68 percent of Illinois voters favor legalizing marijuana for medical use. The poll, by Mason-Dixon, showed strong support for the measure in all areas of the state and among both Democrats and Republicans, as well as independents.

Medical use of marijuana is currently permitted by state laws in Alaska, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington. Federal authorities in those states, however, at times enforce federal laws against marijuana possession.

Cullerton introduced similar legislation last year, but it was defeated on the Senate floor 29-22.