The devil is always in the detail. I have to wonder who regulates the pot to see that it is of a certain "medical" quality or, do we allow someone to come into our town and sell any weed they can get their hands on. While a good argument can be made for legalizing some drugs...we are not at that point yet. I'm sure, for now, nobody wants this "experiment" in their back yard. I do know that some folks are helped by the drug and they should have a place to buy it on prescription. I think a proper way for the State to intruduce this is to allow/require hospitals to acquire, monitor quality and sell the drug via an extension of their emergency room operation. It wlll be profitable and they can use the money to offset the free emergency care they are obligated to provide. Doctors are affiliated with hospitals so abuses of prescription writing can be easily monitored as well. Hospitals also can grow the weed under strict supervision and standards. If I had a choice, I would not let "stores" in my community and would opt for each hospital in the state as the authorized and *only* community providers. As an aside, I have to ask...if it medical pot, why aren't the drug stores the only providers any town needs. They already sell drugs!

Washington and Colorado have had great success with legalizing medical marijuana in their states. It also has provided jobs and millions in taxes for their state. Not to mention most dispensaries are local business owners that hire locally. Be opened minded to the process and research how its helped thousands and their community before you make biased decisions about something you are unfamiliar about.

As an after thought...if it is indeed "medical" and certainly a drug. Why are we concerned about who gets to sell it? It would seem that a licesnessed pharmasist or pharmacy would be required or, as stated above, a hospital. Will the FDA oversee the quality of the pot? They should. I would counter the States rules with the licesnese requirements and use of existing drug stores. We would then meet the requirement of making places available but do not require them to necesarily sell the stuff if they do not want to. There is too much money in this to feel secure in free lance stores and sellers. Our Police Chief is right when he waves the caution flag. The gang bangers will be in business in our town as soon as they possibly can get set up.

Not to mention Lemont has a terrible prescription pill problem with their youth. Between depression medication and pain pills, many many locals are being prescribed unnecessary quantities of these pills and they are abusing and selling them around town. Your focus should be on that topic instead of medical marijuana seeing that cook county has made a point to have lemont decriminalize marijuana. As a person who grew up in lemont you see the town in a different light and in the past ten years the town has changed for the worse due to prescription pills not marijuana.

It's time to end this fiasco. Quit playing this stupid game. We are free Americans. Not some children to be coddled and told about 'the boogey man.'

Anyone in the United States with half a brain sees what a horrible hoax has been carried on since 1937.

Stop locking people up for a plant that could possibly save the US economy. Not to mention its medicinal values. We may be on the cusp of huge breakthroughs in the field of medicine ...completely unlike 'big pharma' who have been killing thousands of our citizens per year.

I smoked my first joint in December, 1967, at the tender age of 21.

Now, a mere 45 years later, I still smoke pot. I have never 'graduated' to 'harder' drugs.

I am living proof that prohibitionist propaganda is a fallacy...a blatant lie.

The worst experience I had with marijuana was spending 5 years in Federal Prison for a pot offense.

And, I am as harmless as a Beagle puppy.

I wrote about the escapades that led to my 'vacation.' I admit, I had a great time...no one was injured, no one was killed...there were no victims. We were Americans pursuing happiness in our own way...harming no one nor their property.

The book: Shoulda Robbed a Bank

I would be honored by your review. It's available at Amazon.

Wait a minute...this topic was medical MJ which they are considering legalizing, and, forcing our town to allow a "store" to sell the stuff. If we have a pill problem that is a seperate issue. I stand by my comment. If it is a legal drug then treat it like all other legal drugs and go to the hospital or local drug store to make your purchase from people licesnessed to sell drugs from prescriptions written by real doctors. We don't need any more "drug stores" in town.

Another great book in regards to the present topic – The Absurdity of Consensual Crimes in a Free Society by Peter McWilliams. Ed, I would not be concerned about “gang bangers” waiting to “set up”- for what would they be setting up? Gangs primarily deal in illegal activities. How did prohibition work out in terms of keeping crime and alcohol to a minimum? Where are the "gang bangers" selling alcohol on our street corners? That's right, they're not there. Alcohol is regulated (within reason) and taxed, thus eliminating most illegal profit. It’s pretty elementary, where there is prohibition, there is going to be crime to accompany it. If one chooses to use marijuana, they are going to do just that; the subsequent legality of their actions will not alter their decision to do so. On the same token, if one does not currently use marijuana, they’re not going to suddenly succumb to “reefer madness” if it were to become legal. The only difference between legal and illegal is who cashes in on the proceeds and if the profits are taxed or untaxed. We have plenty to fear regarding our current state of affairs, but as to whether or not my neighbor is smoking a joint and eating too much pizza…well…my concerns lie elsewhere.

Thank you Chief Shaugnessy and law enforcement and medical staff who know very well that there in no medical use for cannabis. 99 % of heroin addicts use it, it is in the very poor interest of citizens for Lou Lang and other voted congress members to pursue this matter. Cannabis mimics brain chemicals and binds directly onto brain neurons (cells) causing mental illness and psychosis especially to the one in four with mental illness in our country. Shame of Lou Langs pursuit to destroy our youths by instituting a condoning environment to drugs and setting up Cannabis Dependence on our society. I will not vote for a candidate in favor of this demise.

Acute Effects - Euphoria; relaxation; slowed reaction time; distorted sensory perception; impaired balance and coordination; increased heart rate and appetite; impaired learning, memory; anxiety; panic attacks; psychosis

Health Risks - Cough, frequent respiratory infections; possible mental health decline; addiction

Robert- where did you get your statistics that 99% of heroin addicts use cannabis? Your joking right? I'm sorry but you have been terribly misinformed. Many sick people benefit from cannabis. You may not vote for a candidate that is pro cannabis, but nearly 70% of the rest of Illinois voters will. If this was a ballot initiative cannabis would have been legal years ago. Thank you Lou Lange for your tireless efforts, and your compassion for the sick and dying.

Robert - Do you work for Hearst or DuPont? Cannabis dependence?? Addiction?? Why would our "youths" suddenly be "hooked" on marijuana if it were to become legal?? Is there something in the bill that eliminates parenting? If legalizing a substance turns everyone into an addict of the aforementioned substance, why isn't everyone an alcoholic? I have countless friends and clients that have occasionally indulged for 20 plus years. Business owners, project managers, mothers, fathers, etc. They live active, productive lives and contribute to their communities. McDonalds is far more of a health threat than marijuana is or ever will be to our children!! Quit copying and pasting 1980's propaganda...it makes you look like a moron.

Legalize it, don't criticize it...

The entire "medical" MJ is but a ruse. I'll stand by my original thoughts which are that medical mj should be sold through a registered pharmacy and we don't need the state requiring us to allow stand alone MJ stores. However, since the topic "expands" on these boards...I will say that the state ought to quit screwing around and get to where they want to go which is legalize mj. Is that a good thing? Saves a lot of policing time and money and jail time and gives people a choice to use or not. It eliminates the gangbangers controling the market and making all the money. There are a lot of reasons for legalizing the stuff. And, remember, no one is twisting your arm to become a user. I would imagine these comments will take the blog to another level.

Yes Kerry - the obesity epidemic in this country far outweighs (no pun intended) any social or health implications caused by the use of marijuana. I'm not clear on your intellect or lack thereof, but it doesn't take a whole lot of research to unearth that conclusion.

Well, you almost got me. I briefly intended to provide a list of web sites that list obesity as a primary health concern among physicians when I decided to let your comment stand. So there you have it. MARIJUANA is the greater threat to civilization. You win. I've said my piece. There is no arguing with those that don't have the mental capacity to engage in a realistic dialogue. Do your own homework on the issue...or go get another Big Mac.

McDonalds is bad for you food no doubt... Marajuanna the plant is a plant that god put here... Without any human meddling it has effects to us humans that can be favorable for the individual... McDonalds pours a bunch of food enhancers, preservatives, additives, and dyes... Marajuanna grows in dirt... I'm thinking the pot is at the very least... Ment for us to use or consume.... McDonalds ... Not so much

I have a cronic life threatening kidney disease and this would be a blessing! I went from having a normal healthy weight to not being able to keep weight on or keeping food down. I smoke weed and it is a god send! It helps keep the blood pressure low so that I can get good blood flow through my kidney because Hypertension is a big problem with my illness. Also, it helps me keep an appitite in which otherwise I would not eat! I've lost so much weight from being sick and can't keep any on because you lose your appitite when your organ is failing. I would move to a place where it leagal but I can't work and I'm on the transplant list so moving is not in the cards. If you have never been this ill or never had a reason to smoke other than for fun you have no idea what this could me for us who live like this day to day!

To say marijuana is a 'gateway drug' is very foolish. Almost every person who has smoked marijuana has drank alcohol prior, yet no one considers alcohol, nicotine, or caffeine 'gateway drugs.' In a country where alcohol and cigarettes are legal while they kill tens of thousands of people a year it is absurd to keep this natural plant, that you cannot die from taking, illegal. Also, I know and am related to many police officers and they share a very different opinion from Chief Shaughnessey. So I feel he may be a bit out of line when he claims any police officer shares his archaic opinion. He most likely feels this way because he is in a small town. In my experience officers in 'real' cities, such as the city of Chicago, feel very different from the chief.

Minimize, justify, deflect the focus to obesity, projection, denial, lol. The comments on this site in favor of getting high are typical user behaviors. They all read from the same script. These type of excuse makers will multiply in a country that condones an environment that accepts psychoactive (brain altering) drugs.

Cannabis has a high potential for abuse and no medical application or proven therapeutic value. To date, no studies have shown that marijuana— or any of its approximately 400 chemical components—can safely and effectively lower intraocular pressure better than the variety of drugs currently on the market.
Currently, there are no National Eye Institute studies in the United States concerning the use of marijuana to treat glaucoma. You are damaging your eyes by depriving them of real effective pharmaceuticals. Pot causes changes in the veins of your eyes, dilates them(red eyes). Perhaps the years of abuse caused your glaucoma. Men in their 50's are at risk for heart attack every time they inhale because of the dilation effects. Watch out Lou Lang, aren't you in your 50"s.

Gotta love the ages old arguement that marijuana ia a gateway drug.how does law enforcement answer that the current precription epidemic sweeping the entire nation is the gateway to heroin use?are the big pharm companies held responsible everytime someone overdoses or dies? The amount of people dying from pharm drugs are killing more than from illegal hard drugs combined.I guess if you are in bed with big brother lobbyists and their supporters u get a pass or things get overlooked or not mentioned.are the big ceo's of these companies tried in federal court or even held responsible or even care that their drugs are directly responsible without a doubt to the exploding use of heroin?u never hear any of that but marijuana just continues to get knocked down with this sinister cloud lurking over by people who know nothing about this plant but I bet drink like fish and have a little stash of xanax, percocet,or oxycotin.but its ok because these are "legal drugs."Makes u wonder about the hypocrisy in this country.

@Denise Bode and anyone else who is not educated about marijuana. No one, not one person, has ever been known to have died from the long term use of it...How many people die from percription pills a year? No one has ever O.D from weed ither. many od from taking pills. Ive personaly switched from anti depressents perscribed by my doctor to weed and i havent felt this alive, even when i dont smoke. The pills made my mood worse and i could NEVER sleep.

Hey robbert. Dont knock it till you try it bro lol

Read this(If you can understand the legal/Biochem jargon) This is the Federal gov't recognizing its medical properties. http://www.google.com/patents/US6630507
Also, Please support Officers against the War on Drugs. Law Enforcements Against Prohibition. http://www.leap.cc/