Above / The “Circle of Peace” at Linden Oaks stands for all children. The plaque reads, “This statue portrays children from all walks of life playing with and enjoying each other. The circle that the children form represents the continuum of humanity. The clasped hands represent the interaction and cooperation, together with compassion and respect, which engenders humanity. Respect for each other’s uniqueness bridges the gap between any indifference.” Each and every person is a vital element in the circle of life who could help keep one another safe and healthy.
Update / Open Letter to Community, May 29, 2019
Friends and neighbors,
As of midnight last night, a revision of the marijuana bill was released, but not under SB7, the previous marijuana bill but amending a completely different bill that had previously already passed the House, HB1438, a bill about pawnbrokers selling stolen property. The entire previous text of the bill has been scrapped, and replaced with the text of a marijuana legalization bill.
This was done to skip over normal procedural steps to pass legislation, as there is no longer time to complete this with SB7 before the legislative session ends on Friday. The intent here is to jam this through Congress – it also has the added “benefit” of hiding inside a bill with a completely different name on the website, potentially causing confusion for those in the public who want to read it. This is a 610-page bill, we have no idea what’s actually been changed without reading it, and there are 48 hours left in the legislative session.
We deserve time to read and discuss the new bill. And beyond that, we deserve a bill that puts public health first, not one that establishes a for-profit marijuana market.
Now, more than ever, it is critical to reach out to your elected officials and let them know your opinion. They are under tremendous pressure to buckle on this issue, and it’s important for you to let them know where you stand.
Please, pick up the phone today and call your Senator and Representative. You can find their names and numbers here:
Thank you, everyone, for all your efforts. This is the home stretch, and every call counts. If you have any questions, please reach out to me.
Take care,
Aaron Weiner, PhD, ABPP | Director of Addiction Services
Linden Oaks Behavioral Health| 1335 N. Mill St, Naperville, IL
(630) 646-8055 | HealthyDriven.com
Open Letter to the Naperville Community
May 6, 2019
Friends and colleagues,
On May 4, legislation was unveiled in Illinois that would create a sanctioned marijuana industry in Illinois. I was deeply concerned when I read the text – I could hardly believe that the bill sponsors would, in the name of public health and “community restoration,” propose a system so clearly designed to sell as much marijuana and THC products to our community as possible.
Consider:
- This bill sets no THC caps whatsoever.
- It allows for advertising of marijuana products.
- It allows sale of high-potency THC extracts, which have been shown, time and time again, to be linked to the development of psychosis and schizophrenia.
- It allows for sale of THC-laced candies, chocolates, and other edibles.
- It allows for sale to individuals as young as 21, when their brain has not finished developing, and marijuana has been shown to, literally, alter the physical shape of the brain
- It allows for a pot shop to open as little as 1,000 feet from a school. That’s less than 1/5 of a mile, or about a 3-minute walk.
This is not what a public health-driven drug policy change looks like. If we alter our drug policy, it should be to reduce the number of drug users in Illinois. This bill will do the exact opposite.
We deserve better than this. And we can do better.
I call on our elected officials to make the choice to stand up and protect those they represent: reject this façade of a bill, and insist on developing a better one – one developed in conjunction with healthcare experts.
And to anyone who shares my concerns: please reach out to your lawmakers immediately. They listen to who leaves them messages, and they do pay attention to how many of their constituents write them e-mails. And now is the time to speak up: the bill is set to be voted on before the current legislative session ends on May 31.
Let’s work together to push back against big business interests and keep our community healthy, safe, and productive.
Sincerely,
Aaron Weiner, PhD, ABPP | Director of Addiction Services
Linden Oaks Behavioral Health | 1335 N. Mill St., Naperville, IL 60563
Related PN Post by Dr. Weiner / Time to Come Clean about Vaping
Related Video on WTTW / Legalizing Marijuana in Illinois: A Good or Bad Idea?
Share opinion by contacting public officials serving Naperville in Springfield…
State Representative District 41, Grant Wehrli (41districtdirector@
State Representative District 84, Stephanie Kifowit (stephanie.kifowit@
State Representative District 81, Anne Stava-Murray (office@repstavamurray.com, 630-605-0595)
State Senator District 21, Laura Ellman (laura.ellman@gmail.com, 630-453-5488)
State Senator District 42, Linda Holmes (lindaholmes42@gmail.com, 630-801-8985)
State Senator District 25, Jim Oberweis (senatoroberweis@gmail.com, 630-800-1992)
Share opinion by contacting Naperville City Council Members
Mayor Steve Chirico (chiricos@naperville.il.us)
Councilwoman Judy Brodhead (brodheadj@naperville.il.us)
Councilman Paul Hinterlong (hinterlongp@@naperville.il.us)
Councilwoman Patty Gustin (gustinp@naperville.il.us)
Councilman Kevin Coyne (coynek@naperville.il.us)
Councilman John Krummen (krummenj@naperville.il.us)
Councilman Benny White (whiteb@naperville.il.us)
Councilman Patrick Kelly (kellyp@naperville.il.us)
Councilwoman Theresa Sullivan (sullivant@naperville.il.us)
Last Updated, May 29, 2019
