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Recent Blog Posts
Small-Scale Study Finds Medical Marijuana Program Reducing Opioid Prescriptions
When the Compassionate Use of Medical Cannabis Pilot Program finally got underway in late 2015, Illinois lawmakers hoped that legalizing marijuana for those with approved medical conditions would have positive results. The main goal of the program was to help such patients alleviate pain and to deal with chronic health problems while reducing the need for highly-addictive opioid prescriptions. A new peer-reviewed study suggests that the pilot program seems to be working.
Limited Study Participants
The limited-scale survey was conducted by researchers at DePaul University and Rush University and included responses from 30 patients currently registered for the Illinois medical marijuana program. The project, while small, is the first peer-reviewed, published study regarding medical marijuana use in Illinois specifically. The study’s authors acknowledge that the survey was not large enough to extrapolate percentages or quantified conclusions, the response received did provide anecdotal support for other studies that suggest medical cannabis may help reduce the use of opioids.
Proposed Illinois Bill Would Allow Students to Use Medical Marijuana at School
Last week, an Illinois House panel called The House Elementary Education Committee unanimously approved legislation which would allow school children to consume medical marijuana in school. The proposed legislation would allow a parent or legal guardian to administer infused medical marijuana on school grounds and in school-owned transportation.
Medical Marijuana Prevents Student’s Seizures
House Bill 4870 was largely influenced by a lawsuit brought by parents of a child who has seizures. The girl suffers from seizures after undergoing chemotherapy treatment, and medical marijuana is the only medication which effectively controls them. The parents sued the school because they were not allowed to change their daughter’s medical marijuana patch or administer medical marijuana oil under her tongue on school grounds. As the law currently stands, a school nurse could lose his or her license if they administered medical marijuana to a student – even if the student has a valid medical marijuana card. Although it is unlikely, the student and her parents could face criminal prosecution for sending the girl to school with a medical marijuana patch. Advocates of the bill say that this is unacceptable.
Experts Suggest Medical Marijuana May Curtail Opioid Abuse Epidemic
Opioid abuse has become a major public health crisis in recent decades. Many individuals become addicted to opioids after being prescribed drugs such as codeine, hydrocodone, OxyContin, or Percocet to manage extreme pain. Opioids are extremely addictive, and when a person continually takes these drugs, they eventually need more and more to feel the same pain-relieving effects. Many people become addicted to pain pills and then end up turning to heroin or fentanyl. Each day, an estimated 155 people lose their lives to opioid overdose. Some experts believe that medical cannabis could be the key to reducing the staggering number of opioid overdose deaths.
Studies Compared States with Legalized Medical Marijuana in States Without Legalized Marijuana
Recently, two studies regarding the medicinal benefits of cannabis were published in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine. Researchers compared opioid prescription frequency for states which have allowed the legal use of marijuana to those states which have not adopted legalized cannabis. One study analyzed opioid prescriptions covered by Medicare Part D and the other considered opioid prescriptions covered by Medicaid.
Decriminalized Marijuana Leaves Open Questions About Drug Paraphernalia
By now, you probably know that low-level possession of marijuana is no longer a criminal offense in Illinois. The possession of less than 10 grams is a civil offense punishable by a fine of up to $200—similar in most regards to a traffic violation. Illinois, however, has maintained its statute regarding the possession of drug paraphernalia. While the law was amended to account for the new guidelines on marijuana possession, loopholes still exist that could land a person in serious trouble.
What the Law Says
The Illinois Drug Paraphernalia Control Act makes it illegal to possess products, equipment, or materials that are intended to be used in producing, preparing, testing, hiding, or using controlled substances, including marijuana. (Technically, equipment for making methamphetamine is covered under a separate statute but is still illegal.) The drug paraphernalia law covers a wide variety of products, including but not limited to:
New BAIID Requirement for Second or Third DUI Convictions
A charge of driving under the influence (DUI) is always serious. The impact to your life can be tremendous, even if you are able to avoid a conviction, as you may still need to contend with financial penalties, diversionary programs, and the suspension of driving privileges. A conviction, of course, will result in additional consequences, including possible jail time. For a second or third DUI conviction, the penalties are even more severe. Getting back on the road following a second or third DUI can be particularly challenging, but a recent law change clarifies some of the requirements for getting your driving privileges restored.
Five Years of Restriction
According to the law in Illinois, a person who has been convicted of a second DUI charge within 20 years will have his or her driving privileges revoked for a minimum of five years. A third conviction results in a revocation of driving privileges for at least ten years. To have driving privileges restored, an offender must apply for reinstatement with the Secretary of State’s office. In the past, the criteria for license restoration was relatively subjective, and each case was handled on individual basis.
License Suspension and BAIID Use
Most people who decide to get behind the wheel after drinking usually realize that what they are doing is illegal and dangerous. Awareness regarding the danger and irresponsibility of drunk driving has steadily increased since the early 1990s when many states began to launch serious campaigns to deter drunk drivers. Around the same time, police departments across the country focused their efforts on cracking down on drunk driving offenses.
Unfortunately, however, the problem of driving under the influence has not, in any real way, been eradicated. The numbers, in fact, tend to fluctuate with no discernable pattern from one year to the next. In 2012, for example, there was a significant increase in the number of fatalities resulting from drunk driving, that after 2011 when the death toll fell below 10,000 for the first time.
Reaction to Rising Death Numbers
What Is a Hate Crime?
The phrase "hate crime" is often used by the media and in casual conversation about certain types of criminal acts. Under state and federal law, however, "hate crime" has a specific meaning. Hate crimes are unique in that punishment for the crimes may be enhanced as a direct result of perpetrator’s motives for committing the crime.
How Illinois Defines a "Hate Crime"
A person commits a hate crime in Illinois when he or she commit one of the specifically listed acts because of "an actual or perceived race, color, creed, religion, ancestry, gender, sexual orientation, physical or mental disability, or national origin of a person or group." This means that you can commit a hate crime even if you are mistaken about someone’s characteristics. It also means that not just any crime can be a hate crime. The crime must be one of the crimes listed in the law. For example, rape and murder are not listed as possible hate crimes in the Illinois statute.
Facing Charges of Child Abuse or Child Neglect
Sometimes all it takes for a child abuse investigation to get underway is a phone call from a neighbor. Once an investigation has begun, it is easy for parents to agree to anything that will allow them to try and keep their child in the home. Unfortunately, it is often that instinct that allows parents to have their rights violated.
Two Different Investigations
In the state of Illinois, it is often the Department of Child and Family Services (DCFS) that first gets a report of child abuse or child neglect. Depending on the nature of the allegations or suspicions, DCFS may notify local law enforcement of the reported concerns. In such a situation, the police and DCFS may each be conducting their own separate investigation and sharing relevant information about your case.
While a DCFS investigation is technically a family court issue related to a civil matter, their investigation can still have serious criminal consequences. Anything you say to a welfare worker or agency representative may ultimately be used on your behalf or against you in a criminal trial.
Domestic Battery Charges in Illinois
Domestic battery is considered a serious offense in the state of Illinois, and those who are convicted can face heavy penalties. Even first-time offenders with no previous criminal record can experience permanent effects that impact their daily lives. If you are facing domestic battery charges, understand these potential consequences, and how you can most effectively protect your future.
What Is Domestic Battery?
Illinois state law defines domestic battery as intentionally or knowingly causing bodily harm to another family member, or intentionally provoking or threatening a family member in a way that makes them believe you may cause them bodily harm. This can extend beyond those that live with you and may include:
- Spouses or former spouses;
- Parents;
- Children or stepchildren;
- Current or former roommates;
Allegations of Domestic Violence Can Be Dangerous
Domestic battery is a serious offense in the state of Illinois. It is also an act that can be reported by someone other than your spouse, child, or significant other. Mandatory reporters—those that are required to report acts of domestic violence to the authorities—can be found in schools, doctor’s offices, and hospitals. Thanks to a new law, you will now find potential reporters in the salon as well.
Beauticians and stylists will undergo training to help them learn how to talk to victims of domestic violence. They will not face legal ramifications if they do not report suspected abuse, but they will be encouraged to do so when the situation is appropriate. The goal is to ensure that victims who really need help receive it, but not all people who are reported have actually abused someone. In fact, false allegations of domestic violence and abuse are rather common - more common than most people realize. What might a false reporting mean for you and your family?
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