Obtaining medical marijuana in Illinois has been anything but easy in the two and a half years since the Medical Cannabis Pilot Program was put in place. But a bill that would expand the program and address many of its current shortcomings is making its way to Governor Bruce Rauner, who has indicated that he intends to sign it.
The most surprising change affects the way patients get prescriptions. Physicians are no longer required to recommend medical marijuana for patients with qualifying conditions—something, as the Reader reported back in April, that 82 percent of doctors in Illinois have been unwilling to do. Under the new provisions, doctors only have to verify their medical relationship with the patient, and confirm that the patient has a qualifying disease. The patient can then receive certification for a card from the Department of Health.
However, having said that, the fact is that this director was not going to approve any anyway, he’s made it clear. I have some good relationships with people on the current advisory board, and before I agreed to this provision I called them and they all said to me uniformly, if it’s better for patients and better for the long-term viability of the program, I should agree to this request. So I did.
When do you anticipate Rauner will officially sign off on the amendment? He has 60 days, but I have asked the governor’s office to do this as quickly as possible for two reasons: First, we have an agreement. so there’s no reason to have to review it—he’s already reviewed it. Secondly, the faster we do this, the faster we can get patients who need the product moving forward and seeing their doctors to get the certification. Also, there are people whose cards are about to expire, and I’d like to get this in place before they have to pay another $100 to renew and more money to fingerprint. In a very short period of time the need to do all those things will be taken away. I’d hate to see people spend all that money for no reason.
