Public support for medical marijuana:

68% of Illinois Residents support allowing seriously and terminally ill patients to use and grow medical marijuana for personal use if their doctors recommend it, according to a February, 2008, poll. Download the poll here.

The American College of Physicians (ACP), a national organization of internists - physicians who specialize in the prevention, detection and treatment of illnesses in adults, supports the use of medical marijuana. ACP is the largest medical-specialty organization and second-largest physician group in the United States. Its membership of 125,000 includes internists, internal medicine subspecialists, and medical students, residents, and fellows. Download their position paper here.

In 1998, a poll of 850 Illinois residents by the Center for Governmental Studies at Northern Illinois University found 67% support for medical marijuana. The issue has gained widespread public support since then, and in 2002 a Harris Interactive poll --published in Time -- found 80% public support for medical marijuana nationwide.

Illinois has a medical marijuana law, but it is ineffective:
Since 1978, Illinois has had a medical marijuana law that allows any patient who could benefit from marijuana to use it when authorized by a physician (720 ILCS 550/11 and 77 IACCh. X, Sec. 2085). The law, however, is ineffective in the current federal regulatory regime and has never been in operation.

Support for medical marijuana from Illinois media:
"We are not talking about selling pot in supermarkets. We are not talking about making it legal to light up joints in public parks. We are talking about people dying of cancer alleviating their suffering. We are talking about glaucoma patients reducing the pressure in their eyes. The argument that allowing this would somehow pave the way for acceptance of drug abuse in everyday life holds no merit. There are many reasons for heroin addiction, but the use of morphine in hospitals is not one of them ... Medical marijuana will become an accepted part of our society, and the sooner, the better." Chicago Sun-Times editorial, 10/15/03

"Doctors treat the ill with numerous prescription drugs that are more dangerous and addictive than marijuana. But physicians are not allowed to treat the ill with marijuana. Instead, thousands of Americans unnecessarily have become criminals by purchasing marijuana for their ill loved ones rather than see them suffer..." Clarence Page, Chicago Tribune, 5/22/02

"Patients should be able to get marijuana with their doctors' approval without being treated like criminals and without fearing that they'll be busted by Drug Enforcement Administration officers... Surely there is some way to regulate marijuana so that a safe supply is available for people who need it for medicinal purposes..." Rockford Register Star editorial, December 7, 2004