​”As of this moment I have enough committed votes to pass the bill”

~ Rep. Lou Lang

The Illinois House may vote on a bill to legalize medical marijuana on Thursday, January 6, the sponsor, Rep. Lou Lang (D-Skokie), said this morning.

The bill would allow people receiving treatment for cancer, AIDS and other serious illnesses to use marijuana for pain and nausea, with a doctor’s authorization and state certification.

“As of this moment I have enough committed votes to pass the bill if, number one, everyone’s here, and number two, everyone told me the truth,” Lang said, reports Hannah Hess at

​The medical marijuana measure fell only seven votes short of the 60 needed to pass during the November session.

“There are people who need our help,” Lang said in November as he pointed to the House gallery, where patients with chronic illnesses watched, hoping the bill would pass.

Lang has tenaciously fought for the the rights of Illinois medical marijuana patients, introducing the bill again and again and lobbying tirelessly for its passage. The medical marijuana community of Illinois, and beyond that, nationwide, owes this courageous man a huge debt of gratitude.

The Illinois Senate already passed the bill, SB 1381, by a 30-28 vote last May, so House approval would send it straight to Gov. Pat Quinn’s desk.

If the House passes the measure — and if it is signed by Gov. Quinn — Illinois would become the 16th state to legalize medical marijuana.

The bill would expire after three years even if passed, at which time a study would have been conducted to see if the new law should be made permanent.