Medical marijuana defeated in the Senate

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Medical marijuana defeated in the Senate
Supporters applaud progress, vow not to give up

By Haley Murray
Monday, May 21, 2007 3:03 PM CDT

The medical marijuana bill was defeated May 10 after it failed get approval from the Illinois Senate.

Senate Bill 650, which amended the Cannabis Control Act, lost by a vote of 22-29, with four voting "present."

The bill would have permitted people with debilitating diseases and their physicians to legally possess marijuana and grow the plant in locked, indoor facilities.

Marijuana use has been proven to help patients who suffer from peripheral neuropathy, an intense pain that affects the peripheral nervous system and doesn't respond to conventional pain pills.

The bill was widely supported by physician and nurse associations -- including the Illinois Nurses Associations and AIDS/HIV organizations -- and clergymen.

"There is no logical reason to not have an implementable medical marijuana law in this state," said Dr. David Ostrow, a Chicago physician and founder of the Medical Marijuana Advocacy Project, in a statement. "The medical community strongly supported this bill, but our lawmakers unfortunately did not listen to scientific evidence for medical marijuana's safety and efficacy this time around."

Jamie Clayton, a Grafton resident who suffers from peripheral neuropathy and is a supporter of the medical marijuana bill, said that although it failed, supporters had reached a milestone.

"It got to the floor and it got to a vote," Clayton said.

A similar bill was introduced last year, but it was delayed within the Senate and never came up for discussion. In 2005, a bill that would have created a commission to study medical marijuana use also stalled.

"I think we made really good progress, and this is a really good foundation to work from later this year or next year," Clayton said.

The Medical Marijuana Advocacy Project, which strives for the national legalization of medical marijuana, vowed it would not give up the fight in Illinois.

"We are not going to abandon the patients, doctors and nurses who have worked so hard to protect the sick and suffering," said Ray Warren, director of state policies for the organization. "Science, compassion and simple common sense say this is the right thing to do. We'll be back."

Sen. James Clayborne (D-Belleville) was not present for the vote, though Sen. William Haine (D-Alton) voted for the measure, much to the surprise of supporters.

"It surprised me that we had Sen. Haine on board, because some of the senators from the surrounding districts didn't vote that way," Clayton said. "My idea is that he must have looked at it full-circle, and maybe the others (who voted against it) didn't really see the whole picture."

The offices of Haine did not return phone calls seeking comment.

Clayton and other supporters maintain that through education, legalization of medical marijuana will one day become a reality.

"I think we sent a very strong message," Clayton said of creating awareness of the benefits of medical marijuana use. "I think we had an impact and we're not giving up."

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