Lawmakers in the state of Illinois have approved a proposal to allow medical marijuana to be used in place of prescription painkillers.
The proposal would also eliminate the requirement for patients to get fingerprints and background checks and patients would be able to buy medicinal marijuana from licensed dispensaries on doctor’s orders.
The measure also allows for patients not being denied due to criminal convictions.
The measure is now up to Governor Bruce Rauner to sign into a bill. He has been against the most expansion of medical marijuana.
The original sponsor of the bill, state Sen. Don Harmon has said, “The only two things I know for certain is, opioids kill people, and marijuana does not.”
The state of Ilinois has about 37,000 licensed medical marijuana users.
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