DANVILLE — The closest Illinois residents have come to the legalized use of medicinal marijuana so far is the state of Michigan sitting among the Great Lakes.

The issue, however, is getting much, much closer.

Illinois House and Senate bills filed in 2009 — titled the Compassionate Use of Medical Cannabis Pilot Program Act — both call for a three-year legalization of marijuana for patients who obtain a doctor’s approval and suffer from one of a list of conditions or illnesses.

The Illinois Senate bill passed 30-28 last year. And according to State Rep. Lou Lang, D-Skokie, could be up for discussion in the Illinois House by January.

Lang said this week that he has two choices: Bring the bill up for vote during the November and December veto sessions or bring up the issue in January before the new legislators take their seats in the General Assembly.

The late year veto sessions would require 71 votes to pass the measure, while a vote in January would take only 60.

Lang contends he has as many as 90 fellow state representatives who support the measure. But up to this point, only 58 are willing to signify that support with a vote. He said his office has received “zero phone calls” from constituents in his district who disagree with the act.

“I don’t know how a person who is an elected official can ignore the simple fact that there are people in the world who have tried all other means of getting relief from really debilitating diseases and can’t find the relief needed.”

Longtime area state Rep. Bill Black, R-Danville, remains on the fence about the issue, saying he’s done a lot of research about the issue, but has not made up his mind on how he’ll vote.

“My initial reaction was no way, it’s just opening the door and soon there’ll be medical heroin,” he said.

“I think it’s a tightly controlled bill,” he said. “If I can convince myself there is medicinal value to people; Cancer patients that I’ve talked to said it’s one of the few things that alleviate pain.”

Black acknowledged the issue of legalizing marijuana for medicinal use is an emotional topic and stressed he’s not interested in the legalization of marijuana as a whole. He also noted he has heard concerns from both law enforcement and the medical community.

But, Black points out, the proposed Compassionate Use of Medical Cannabis Pilot Program Act comes with “stringent, tight restrictions.”

“There’s still a lot of things to be worked out,” Black said.

Thus far, 14 states and the District of Columbia have legalized marijuana for medicinal purposes in some form. Other states, like Illinois, are looking at the idea.

Black, after serving in the Illinois House, is retiring in January, meaning the issue of legalizing marijuana for medical use — if not approved by January — would fall in the lap of a new group of legislators, including one of two candidates vying for Black’s seat in the 104th District.

Mike Puhr, the Democratic candidate vying for the seat, said he is familiar with the bill and would have no problems supporting the measure.

“This isn’t going to be something like you would buy on the street,” he said, noting that the bill includes measures making it “pretty strictly controlled.”

Puhr, who knows a man who grows medicinal marijuana in California, said the drug apparently helps not only with pain, but also improving appetite and weight gain in terminal patients.

“This at least relieves some of the misery and helps a person,” he said.

Chad Hayes, the Republican candidate for the 10th District House seat, did not return calls requesting comment.

FYI

The Illinois Senate bill for the Compassionate Use of Medical Cannabis Pilot Program Act is SB1381. The House bill for the act is HB2514.