FAQs About Medical Marijuana in Illinois

 Posted on December 07, 2017 in Drug Charges

According to the ACLU, approximately 52 percent of all drug arrests conducted in the United States in 2010 were for marijuana-related crimes. This is largely thanks to the various drug laws that were passed during the government’s “war on drugs” campaign in the 70s—many of which imposed relatively harsh penalties for possessing or distributing marijuana.

However, in more recent years,several states, including Illinois, have relaxed their drug laws a bit and now permit the use of marijuana for medical purposes. Unfortunately many of these modern medical marijuana laws are not well understood by the public. Consider the following frequently asked questions to help clear some confusion.

Q: What is “medical marijuana”?

A: The National Institute on Drug Abuse’s website notes that the term “medical marijuana” (sometimes called “medical cannabis”) refers to using the whole marijuana plant, or its extracts, to treat symptoms of illness. In other words, medical marijuana is, from a scientific standpoint, essentially the same as recreational marijuana.

Q: Who can legally obtain medical marijuana in Illinois?

A: In 2013, Illinois lawmakers passed the Compassionate Use of Medical Cannabis Pilot Program Act which was a temporary test program designed, at its core, to allow Illinois residents with qualifying debilitating medical conditions to use medical marijuana as part of their treatment plans.

Under this act qualifying “debilitating medical conditions” include Parkinson’s disease, glaucoma, muscular dystrophy, rheumatoid arthritis, as well as a number of other conditions. This pilot program was originally intended to run until the end of 2017 but last year lawmakers passed Senate Bill 10 which effectively extended the program until July 2020.

However, it should be noted that if you were convicted of a felony drug crime in the past then you are not eligible to participate in Illinois’ pilot medical marijuana program.

Q: How much medical marijuana can a qualifying patient possess under Illinois law?

A: Under Illinois’ Compassionate Use of Medical Cannabis Pilot Program Act, a qualifying patient who has properly registered and who possesses a registry identification card may not possess more than two and one-half ounces of usable marijuana.

Q: If I have a valid medical marijuana card can I legally grow marijuana at home for my own consumption?

A: No, under Illinois’ current medical marijuana laws individual cultivation is not allowed.

Need Legal Advice? Contact a Local Drug Charges Attorney

At TheLaw Offices of Christopher M. Cosley we defend clients against various felony and misdemeanor drug charges across Illinois. Thanks to Attorney Christopher Cosley, a former prosecutor in the Felony and Drug Division, our firm is well acquainted with the legal tactics commonly used by prosecuting attorneys in drug cases and we use this valuable insight to benefit our clients. To find out what an experienced Rolling Meadows drug charges attorney can do for you, contact our office today.

Source:

https://www.aclu.org/gallery/marijuana-arrests-numbers

https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/marijuana-medicine