Illinois - Medical Marijuana Pilot Project

The Illinois General Assembly has passed and the governor signed legislation creating a medical marijuana pilot project in the state.  Among the "conditions" covered by this new law is glaucoma.  The state is still working through the applications for patient certification and grower/distributor applications.  Governor Rauner has put a hold on the program while the new administration completes a review of the project.  Therefore, currently cannabis for medical uses is not yet available in Illinois, and physicians should not be issuing any "prescriptions" for medical marijuana.

ISEPS is monitoring the rulemaking process, and we will share as much information as we can with our members as the details become known.  In the meantime, this page provides a few resources that may be of help to Illinois ophthalmologists.

Resources

• Public Act 98-0122 - the "Compassionate Use of Medical Cannabis Pilot Program Act."  This is the actual law passed by the legislature and signed by Governor Quinn.
• State of Illinois "Medical Cannabis Pilot Program" website.
• Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) information page
• IDPH physician information
• IDPH Draft Rules -- Before medical cannabis can be prescribed and distributed to patients, the relevant state agencies must adopt the specifics of how the pilot program will be implemented.  The draft rules published on January 21, 2014 by the Illinois Department of Public Health is a first step in this potentially lengthy process.
• ISEPS Summary of the law (2/2014)
• Legal review provided by the ISEPS legal counsel
• Ophthalmic Mutual Insurance Company (OMIC) - Resources webpage
• US Department of Justice - Memorandum to US Attorneys (August 29, 2013) re: "Guidance Regarding Marijuana Enforcement)

News and Items of Interest

• Illinois takes aim at state's first medical marijuana clinic - Crain's Chicago Business; December 16, 2013
• "Applications Delayed" - Chicago Tribune - January 26, 2015