A medical marijuana bill sponsored by State Sen. John Cullerton, D-Chicago, has passed the Senate’s Public Health Committee after considering written and oral expert testimony from medical professionals and patients, according to a release from the Marijuana Policy Project.
Medical marijuana policy experts said they expect the bill, SB 650, to go to the Senate floor for a full vote soon.
The bill would prevent seriously ill patients who use medical marijuana with a doctor’s recommendation from being arrested. Currently, 12 states—including California, Rhode Island and New Mexico (which just passed a bill through the House and Senate, according to mpp.org)—have similar laws on the books, protecting those who have cancer, HIV/AIDS, multiple sclerosis and hepatitis C.