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March 3, 2008 For Immediate Release Springfield, IL- Medical cannabis patients will unite on Wednesday, March 5 in our state’s capital to persuade elected officials to protect them from arrest and safe access to their medicine. The Senate Committee on Public Health will hold a hearing that day at 1:00PM in room 400 of the Capitol Building for Senate Bill 2865, the Alternative Treatment for Serious Diseases Causing Chronic Pain and Debilitating Conditions Act. Doctors, patient rights’ activists and others are expected to testify in favor of passing the legislation out of committee and will meet with officials to appeal for protection for medical cannabis patients. Last year the medical cannabis bill made it out of the Public Health Committee 6-4 but was defeated on the Senate floor 22-29 despite endorsements by the AIDS Foundation of Chicago and the Illinois Nurses Association. The Public Health Committee consists of Garrett (D-29), Delgado (D-2), Hunter (D-3), Lightford (D-4), Martinez (D-20), Raoul (D-13), Schoenberg (D-9), Pankau (R-23), Brady (R-44), Radogno (R-41), Righter (R-55). An identical bill has been introduced in the Illinois State House, House Bill 5938. HB 5938 was introduced by State Representative Saviano (R-77) and has been assigned to the Rules Committee. Both bills, SB 2865 and HB 5938 allow for the compassionate use of cannabis by those whose doctors recommend it and the Department of Public Health would oversee the program and issue registry cards. This follows a medical cannabis endorsement from the second largest physician group in the United States, the America College of Physicians. If you are able to attend, please show up well in advance, dress professionally, and remember to be polite to everyone. It is important that we leave legislators with the best impression possible. If you cannot make it please call 217-782-2000 and have the state operator connect you to your State Senator's office. Tell your State Senator to cosponsor and vote in favor of SB 2865, the Alternative Treatment Act. Also please do the same with your State Representative for HB 5938. Contact Dan Linn Executive Director, Illinois NORML 847-341-0591 The Illinois chapter of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws Free Membership Offer to anyone arrested for a cannabis offense or lost opportunity from a drug test
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