Durbin unsure about marijuana legalization in Illinois

Posted on February 4, 2019

By Dave Dahl

SPRINGFIELD – U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) wants to pump the brakes on the “Pineapple Express.”

“We have to start with the premise that because of the conflict between state and federal laws, we have not tested marijuana – THC – in a way that we test drugs that are used commonly,” Durbin told reporters in Springfield, “to make sure they are safe and effective. What’s missing here is the usual course of clinical trials that really give us an assurance that if it is used for that purpose, it will have that impact.”

Durbin also pointed to a Malcolm Gladwell article in a recent issue of The New Yorker, “Unwatched Pot,” which suggests an impact on traffic safety and mental health.

The sponsors of a recreational marijuana legalization bill say they hope for a vote by the legislature’s May 31 adjournment.

Dave Dahl can be reached at [email protected]

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