Illinois NORML, the state-level chapter representing one of the oldest and largest marijuana legalization organizations in the nation, is excited to announce that Representative Marcus C. Evans, Jr. (Democrat) Assistant Majority Leader of the 33rd District has introduced HB2430 to establish the regulations needed to create the Illinois Cannabis Nursery Program providing seeds, cuttings, and seedlings to registered Illinois medical marijuana patients.
Since its founding, NORML has provided a voice in the public policy debate for those Americans who oppose marijuana prohibition and favor an end to the practice of arresting marijuana consumers.
Currently, despite medical patients’ ability to legally grow up to 5 flowering cannabis plants for personal use without a craft grower license, they are unable to legally or safely access the seeds, cuttings, or seedlings needed for plant propagation.
Before meeting with Representative Evans with policy memo information, Illinois NORML confirmed with the IDFPR via email that “[a]t this time the Department is not aware that any dispensaries are selling or have sold seeds.”
Current dispensary product variation also does not meet the current needs of medical patients with an overly-weighted focus on cannabinoids THC and CBD as the main focus of cultivators supplying cannabis to medical dispensaries with other cannabinoids seemingly ignored in the breeding efforts despite known or suspected specific medical values. Additionally, vegetative propagation from elite mother plants is the ideal means of producing a consistent cannabinoid profile from batch to batch.
A nonprofit public-interest advocacy group, Illinois NORML represents the interests of the millions of Illinois citizens who use marijuana responsibly.
HB2430 outlines a roadmap for the Illinois Department of Agriculture to develop the Illinois Cannabis Nursery program allowing licensed nurseries to propagate and sell seeds, seedlings, and cuttings to medical patients. This access to verified strains for medical use would fulfill the original intent of the current policy.
Users can read the full bill at https://bit.ly/HB2430
Illinois Cannabis Nursery facilities would be governed by the same plant count limitations as craft growers allowing adequate capacity for breeding, germination, and cloning. These nursery facilities would not sell any usable cannabis. The newly licensed cannabis nurseries also provide significant economic opportunities to the communities in which they are located.
About Assistant Majority Leader Representative Marcus C. Evans, Jr. (D)
With his impressive leadership skills, Marcus C. Evans, Jr., the current State Representative of Illinois’ 33rd District – including both Chicago’s South Side and South Suburban Cook County – has earned a reputation for success in negotiations and collaboration with an unwavering commitment to achieving consensus.
Under the astute guidance of Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch, he currently holds dual positions as Assistant Majority Leader and Chairman of the Labor & Commerce Committee. Throughout his tenure in office, Marcus has been committed to making a difference by passing significant legislative initiatives that address Energy Reliability, Labor Rights and Policy, Transportation/Infrastructure Projects, Healthcare Funding & Availability as well as Housing Stabilization & Development.
As the Chairman of the Labor & Commerce Committee, Marcus is dedicated to working closely with his colleagues, as well as a variety of interest groups, on any legislative matters that affect our economy’s hard working citizens. Moreover, he has been appointed to serve on both the Revenue & Finance Committee and the Appropriations Human Services Committee. Not only does Mr. Evans has an unwavering commitment towards ensuring judicious use of taxpayer dollars – but also participates in bi-cameral Legislative Audit Commission (LAC).
About Illinois NORML
Illinois NORML, a 501 c(4) nonprofit, is the state-level chapter and regional division of the oldest and largest grassroots marijuana legalization organization NORML (National Organization for Reform Law) founded in 1970. Committed to advocating and lobbying, Illinois NORML works tirelessly towards providing consumers with safe, accessible, and affordable cannabis in an environment free of stigma.
Our team is devoted to developing reform legislation across multiple areas including the current limited market opportunities, non-violent offenses related to cannabis use & the expungement process for them, unnecessary drug testing laws in place by employers, and setting standards for measuring impairment at the workplace.
We are committed to ensuring the safety of consumers from undefined, untested, or accredited cannabis items; informing the public on cannabis matters, and increasing social justice in the statewide marijuana industry. In addition, Illinois NORML actively serves as an authoritative source to the major state-level media providing unbiased expert perspectives that offset common anti-marijuana messages from government sources.