|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
IDEAL relies on grants and your generous donations to complete its important work.
All donations to IDEAL Reform are tax-deductible. |
|
|
|
|
Subscribe to our email list for current news updates. |
| |
Illinois already passed a medical cannabis law in 1978–so why isn't there a program?
- In Illinois each year there are approximately 59,500 incidents of cancer, 28,000 cases of AIDS, 100,000 cases of glaucoma and 18,000 sufferers of multiple sclerosis. Each of these people could be benefiting from medicinal cannabis now were the state to implement its program.
- There was a successful Federal medical cannabis program created in 1978 that helped many people, but it was shut down in 1992 when the program was flooded with new applicants suffering from AIDS. Patients were forced to sue the government to gain access to their medication.
- The Drug Enforcement Administration's very own chief administrative law judge ruled in 1988 that "Marijuana, in its natural form, is one of the safest therapeutically active substances known . . . It would be unreasonable, arbitrary and capricious for the DEA to continue to stand between those sufferers and the benefits of this substance."
- Twelve states have already passed legislation to legalize the use of cannabis for medical use and have effective programs currently operating (CA, ME, OR, WA, NV, CO, AK, HI, VT, MT, RI, NM), and 35 states plus the District of Colombia have passed legislation recognizing cannabis's medicinal value.
Illinois drug policy has dramatically affected communities since the mid-1980s. What have been the effects?
- Since 1983, the number of African Americans incarcerated for drug offenders increased by 5,347 percent, whites incarcerated increased 666 percent
- In 1993, sales convictions represented 68 percent of all drug offenders entering prison, while possession accounted for 31 percent. In 2002, 54% of all drug offenders admitted to prison were convicted of low-level possession – i.e. personal use
- Illinois incarcerates more African Americans per capita for drug possession than any other state
- Illinois incarcerates higher numbers of African Americans for possession than any other state, other than California
- Since Illinois eliminated funding for the ineffective D.A.R.E program, no comprehensive drug education strategy for Illinois youth has been implemented
- In 2002, over 280 million dollars was spent by Illinois taxpayers to incarcerate drug offenders
- In 2004, over 1.2 million Illinois residents suffered from a substance use disorder; only about 10 percent received treatment
- Numerous studies have demonstrated the cost savings of treatment, as it lowers criminal activity and recidivism
- If $2.3 million were spent on treatment, Illinois taxpayers would save about $40 million per year
- In 2002, 60 percent of incarcerated female drug offenders were convicted of low level possession; the number of convicted women drug offenders has increased 4,041 percent since 1983
- At least 60,000 Illinois children will have their mothers spend time in a state prison while they are growing up
Sources: Roosevelt University Illinois Consortium on Drug Policy report: Intersecting Voices, 2006 , Metropolis 2020 2006 Crime and Justice Index
Are you a medical cannabis patient? Take our questionnaire and learn about our patient network.
Join other patients just like you for a meeting of the Medical Cannabis Working Group on the first Tuesday of every month at the Unity Temple in Oak Park, 875 Lake St. Oak Park, 60301.
|
|
|
