On Tuesday, a group of doctors held a news conference to announce the support of nearly 250 Illinois physicians for allowing patients with serious illnesses to obtain and use medical marijuana if their doctors recommend it.
Specifically, the doctors signed on to the following statement:
Licensed medical practitioners should not be punished for recommending the medical use of marijuana to seriously ill people, and seriously ill people should not be subject to criminal sanctions for using marijuana if their medical professionals have told them that such use is likely to be beneficial.
Their endorsement comes just as the Illinois House of Representatives prepares to vote on House Bill 1, which would allow patients with serious illnesses to use medical marijuana with recommendations from their physicians.
The bill would also establish a network of state-regulated cultivation centers and dispensaries to provide marijuana to qualified patients.
If passed, Illinois would become the 19th state to legalize medical marijuana.
Source: Marijuana Policy Project - make a donation
