State Representative Lou Lang (D-Skokie) is once again pushing a bill to legalize “medical” marijuana.  This 211 page proposal, HB 1, passed out of the Human Services Committee last week by a vote of 11 to 4.  State Representatives JoAnn Osmond (R-Gurnee) and John Cabello (R-Loves Park) joined the other nine Democratic members of the committee in approving the measure. It now moves to the full Illinois House for debate and vote.

Take ACTION: Click HERE to send your state representative an email or a fax to tell him/her that you do not want marijuana sold in your neighborhood for any purpose.

The issue of legitimizing the use of marijuana for medical purposes will encourage and increase destructive behavior in users. Marijuana is the most widely used illicit drug in the United States. Research has found that adolescent and teen drug use rises as the perception of harm diminishes. If marijuana is classified as medicine, marijuana use among youth would increase.

Points to consider:

• In August 2010, Colorado had 104,138 people who hold valid registry cards for medical marijuana. Based upon Colorado’s 2010 population of 5,029,169, this is roughly two percent. Forty-five minors, under the age of 18, held valid registry cards. (Source: Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment)  
  
  
• In August 2010, Illinois had a population of 12,830,632; Two percent of Illinois’ population is 256,612. Based upon Colorado’s statistics, Illinois could expect 256,612 medical marijuana patients.
  
  
• In Illinois 15,759 marijuana users were admitted for treatment in 2010 — 36.4 percent were 12-17 years-old, 18.2 percent were 18-20 years-old, and 18.8 percent were 21-25 years-old.
  
  
• HB1 allows eighteen-year-olds to have marijuana. As a qualified patient the high school student would get 2½ ounces of marijuana every 14 days (183 joints, 13 per day). Even the most experienced marijuana all-day-long drug user smokes on average only three to four joints a day.
  
  
• Smoking 3 or 4 joints a day of the 183 joints would leave you with roughly 135 joints, or slightly less than 2 ounces (1.8 ounces). The patient could sell the 1.8 ounces of marijuana for $250 to $550. Diversion of medical marijuana would be a problem for schools and teachers.

Please call your legislator now and urge him or her to oppose HB 1.  It will only take a minute, so please take action now. Then share this alert with your friends and family in Illinois so that they, too, can ask their representatives to stand against anti-family policies like HB 1.