Peoria, Illinois - 68 percent of registered Illinois voters favor legalizing marijuana for medical use by seriously and terminally ill patients, according to a recent survey funded by a group that promotes the drug's legalization.

The survey, conducted last month by Mason-Dixon Polling and Research Inc. but paid for by the Washington, D.C.,- based Marijuana Policy Project, polled 625 registered voters across the state. Findings, however, were released Monday by the advocacy group on the heels of an Illinois Senate committee approving a bill legalizing medical marijuana.

When asked how strongly they support "allowing seriously and terminally ill patients to use and grow medical marijuana for personal use if their doctors recommend it," 42 percent of respondents statewide said they strongly supported it, 26 percent somewhat supported it, 12 percent somewhat opposed it and 15 percent strongly opposed. 5 percent of respondents had no opinion.

In a similar survey of the Peoria area - which interviewed 400 voters in Peoria, Knox, Stark, Marshall, Woodford, Tazewell, Mason and Fulton counties - 31 percent of interviewed voters said they strongly supported it, 28 percent somewhat supported it, 13 percent somewhat opposed it, 21 percent strongly opposed it and 7 percent had no opinion.

"I think the poll results aren't surprising at all," said Dan Bernath, a spokesman for the Marijuana Policy Project. "This is becoming less and less a political issue but more and more a public health issue."

The group cites a 1999 report by the National Academy of Sciences' Institute of Medicine as evidence the drug is rarely addictive and doesn't necessarily lead to harder narcotics. Advocates claim the plant can be used to treat pain, sleep, nausea, appetite and tremors without serious physical or psychological harm.

Some officials, however, aren't buying the results, saying the framing of the poll's questions skewed answers.

"When you couch it in terms of should sick people use marijuana when they are sick and dying, of course people would say yes," said Laimutis Nargelenas, deputy director of the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police. "I think it's pretty poor that they have to hide behind sick people."

The Illinois State Police also opposes the proposal and believes its wording would create a loophole to allow motorists to drive under the influence of marijuana.

Nargelenas said law enforcement has no philosophical objection to medicinal marijuana but sees the current bill as nothing more than the precursor to fully legalizing the drug for all - ill or not. The measure also sends a mixed message to children on how to deal with drug use, he added.

Currently, 12 states and six cities have laws legalizing marijuana use for medical reasons, but buying, selling or possessing the plant is still a federal crime.

According to Illinois' proposed legislation, sponsored by state Sen. John Cullerton, D-Chicago, patients with chronic or debilitating disease could receive prescriptions for medical marijuana as well as "no more than 8 plants and 2 and 1/2 ounces of usable marijuana."

Source: PPJStar.com - Journal Star, Peoria, IL 61643

Copyright: 2008 Peoria Journal Star