Pubdate: Thu, 17 Apr 2014 Source: Chicago Tribune (IL) Copyright: 2014 Chicago Tribune Company Contact: http://drugsense.org/url/IuiAC7IZ Website: http://www.chicagotribune.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/82 Author: Robert McCoppin, Tribune reporter STATE DROPS PLAN TO PROHIBIT MEDICAL POT USERS FROM OWNING GUNS Medical marijuana patients would be able to keep their guns, under rule changes proposed by the state. The Illinois Department of Public Health had proposed requiring gun owners to give up their firearms if they became medical marijuana patients. But after howls of protest from gun owners and marijuana users alike, regulators are dropping that prohibition, according to someone with knowledge of the rules who spoke on condition of anonymity. The change still wouldn't resolve an apparent discrepancy between state and federal law. The U.S. Department of Justice issued a notice in 2011 that, despite state laws allowing medical marijuana, federal law still makes it illegal for an "unlawful user" of any controlled substance to buy or possess a gun. Under federal law, marijuana remains a Schedule I controlled substance, on the same level as heroin. The revised state rules are due to come out publicly Friday. They will then go to a legislative committee which will consider further changes before finalizing the regulations, clearing the way for business and patient applications in the fall, and possibly for marijuana distribution next year. - --- MAP posted-by: Jo-D