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Illinois Medical Marijuana Bill Signed Into Law By Governor Pat Quinn

Illinois Becomes The 20th State To Legalize Medical Marijuana
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Illinois on Thursday officially became the 20th U.S. state to legalize medical marijuana.

At a ceremony at the University of Chicago, Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn signed the bill while joined by Jim Champion, a military veteran who suffers from multiple sclerosis, the Chicago Tribune reports.

"I feel that this is something, whatever faith we practice, we all believe that helping those who are sick, helping them recover and also helping them deal with pain, that's a tenet in every faith and every religion," the governor said a the Thursday ceremony, as reported by NBC Chicago.

The law -- instituting a four-year pilot medical marijuana program -- will go into effect on Jan. 1. It allows individuals with serious diseases including cancer, HIV and multiple sclerosis to get a special ID card allowing them to buy limited amounts -- up to two-and-a-half ounces -- of medical marijuana from one of 60 state-licensed dispensaries. Medical marijuana users must have established relationships with a doctor who will OK their usage of the drug.

This is a developing story.

More from the Associated Press:

Illinois' rules are among some of the strictest in the nation, according to Karen O'Keefe, director of state policies at the Marijuana Policy Project. The Washington-D.C. based legalization advocacy group tracks state laws and helps some craft bills.

For one, Illinois won't allow home growing operations like more than a dozen other states do. The growing centers will have to be under 24-hour video surveillance, which is uncommon compared to other states. O'Keefe said most states also have more general guidelines on who can obtain medical marijuana.

Legalizing medical marijuana faced some opposition in Illinois, mainly from opponents who feared it would encourage drug use and authorities who feared it would complicate driving-under-the-influence tests. Some anti-crime groups also objected to the 2.5-ounce amount, which they said was too much.

Bill sponsor Rep. Lou Lang, dismissed the concerns, saying it would be difficult to obtain the drug for anyone who didn't need it.

"This was for the patients," Lang said Thursday. "This was for the state of health care ... in Illinois."

He has also said that the 2.5-ounce amount is to accommodate patients who ingest, not smoke, it, such as baked goods.

"Those folks all they focus is joints," the Skokie Democrat said of opponents. "Most (patients) don't smoke it, they cook with it or vaporize it."

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Before You Go

14 Reasons Why Marijuana Is Good For The Economy
$13.7 Billion Saved On Prohibition Enforcement Costs(01 of14)
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The government would save an estimated $13.7 billion on prohibition enforcement costs and tax revenue by legalizing marijuana, according to a paper endorsed by 300 economists. (credit:AP)
$500 Million In Tax Revenue For Washington State(02 of14)
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It's estimated that Washington's legalization of marijuana could bring the state an additional $500 million in tax revenue, WPTV reports. (credit:AP)
$60 Million Saved By Colorado Legalization(03 of14)
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Colorado's pot legalization legislation, Amendment 64, is estimated to create $60 million for the state in combined savings and additional tax revenue, Colorado Springs Business Journal reports. (credit:AP)
Legalization Could Reduce Marijuana Prices(04 of14)
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Marijuana users could see substantial savings due to marijuana legalization, as prices could fall by up to 100 times, perhaps freeing up some cash to spend on other things. (credit:AP)
Huge Prison Cost Savings(05 of14)
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Inmates incarcerated on marijuana-related charges cost U.S. prisons $1 billion annually, according to a 2007 study, AlterNet reports. (credit:AP)
Marijuana Prohibition Costs Taxpayers $41.8 Billion A Year(06 of14)
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Including lost tax revenues, a 2007 study found that enforcing the marijuana prohibition costs tax payers $41.8 billion annually, Forbes reports. (credit:AP)
California Marijuana Crop Worth $14 Billion A Year(07 of14)
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Marijuana growers account for $14 billion a year in sales in California, making it the state's most valuable cash crop, TIME reports. (credit:AP)
Illegal Marijuana A $36 Billion A Year Industry(08 of14)
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It's estimated that illegal marijuana is a $36 billion industry in the U.S., MadameNoire reports. (credit:AP)
Dispensary Ads Boost Newspapers' Revenue(09 of14)
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The Sacramento News and Review saw a big boost in ad revenue when it offered advertising space for more than 60 medical marijuana dispensaries, enabling the publication to hire three additional employees, according to News 10. (credit:AP)
Mendocino Zip Tie Program Raised $600,000(10 of14)
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Mendocino County, California's zip tie program aimed at regulating medical marijuana growing by charging permits for each plant raised $600,000 in revenue in for the Sheriff's department in 2011. (credit:AP)
Oakland Raised More Than $1 Million In Marijuana Tax Revenue(11 of14)
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The city of Oakland, California raised $1.3 million in tax revenue from medical marijuana dispensaries in 2011, 3 percent of the city's total business tax revenue, according to The New York Times. (credit:AP)
Colorado Pulls In $5 Million From Pot Sales Tax(12 of14)
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In 2011, Colorado pulled in $5 milllion in sales taxes from medical marijuana businesses, The New York Times reports. (credit:AP)
Legal Marijuana Could Be $100 Billion Industry(13 of14)
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Economist Stephen Easton estimated in 2010 that legal marijuana could be a $45 to $100 billion industry, Bloomberg Businessweek reports. (credit:AP)
Each weGrow Center Creates 75 Jobs(14 of14)
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When hydroponic marijuana growing supply chain weGrow opens a new store it creates an estimated 75 jobs indirectly, according to AZBusiness Magazine. (credit:AP)
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