The midwest is historically behind the times when it comes to most things dealing with soceity and especially social movements. But it seems as though we may finally be catching back up. Illinois has a new medical marijuana bill in the works that is gaining support and seems like it may have a chance.
This is awesome news for us, since Michigan has a functioning medican system in place, Ohio is decrim, and Indiana has a study being done this summer to determine whether Hoosiers deserve a little more civil liberty as well. This is an exciting time to be me, I've had to watch news about west coast happenings for years, while writhing in anguish in the desert oasis of Indiana, and it's good to finally see something positive associated with mairjuana in the legislature.
But this isn't about us, its about Illinois, and they are making some necessary compromises, but compromises i would still like to point out. First, in the Chicago Tribune article, they talk about the indiscretions of the California system, and i would really hope by NOW the media would quit using the "demon" of the venice beach medical marijuana scene and california in general as a backdrop for these bills. All over America, when the issue arises, opponents and proponents alike use California to say, "We won't end up like THAT." I understand that Cali is a little farther out there than most people are comfortable with, but look at it this way. There are 15 Medical marijuana states, yet the only one they use as reference is California, because it gets the most attention! We all know Cali is nuts compared to our down home values, and the culture over there is always sugarcoated by the time it reaches us, so quit worrying! Look at New Jersey, a state that has an enacted medical marijuana bill, but hardly ANY patients! I may be wrong on this, and if i am i will edit, but there are only 6 Dispensaries allowed under their law. 6! In the whole state! So they tell the sick and dying they can have this medicine, but make it next to impossible for most to actually obtain it!
States like New Jersey are at the totally other end of the spectrum than California, and so of course, they receive very little coverage in the mass media. And the medical marijuana systems in place in the other states fall all over that spectrum between those two. Every medical system is different, as we would expect them to be by the nature of it; we are enacting laws on a state-by-state basis, the same way we ended alcohol prohibition. Different states have different needs and problems when it comes to things like substance use, and they need to be allowed the flexibility to deal with them as they see fit. This does actually come down to a point though, trust me :). What im trying to say is that we cant fall into these traps where people pull up and isolated system, or even californias along with Colorado's, it holds no ground at all. Our entire effort is to enact state by state guidelines. These guidelines may in some ways mimic those in place in medican states, but have their own unique flavor as pertains to the region. Failures or oversights in other states cannot be brought forth against those going into place in new medican states, as it just isn't a coherent argument whatsoever.
I am not downing the proposed legislation in Illinois, so don't get me wrong. Im very happy about the bills being passed, even if i do have an issue with certain ways they look at things. I guess we have to concede certain points, with politics being what they are these days. I am a bit of an idealist when it comes to these things, so it's easy for me to see where they are being a little too "overly cautious." I would like to say though, that in the end, all these changes are opening up that old proverbial can of worms, and the old people that have been telling us what we do is wrong for so many years aren't going to be able to shove em all back in. We are winning the fight, so keep your head up, be proud for who you are, and have a wonderful day. :)
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