Medical-marijuana legislation is receiving more support than usual in the Illinois legislature and may have a chance of passing, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported March 29.

An Illinois House of Representatives committee approved the bill last month  and the state House and Senate are debating measures that would allow patients to use marijuana to alleviate chronic pain and nausea when no other treatment is helpful.

Debate over the topic has taken place in Illinois annually for the last several years, but this is the first time the bill has passed a House committee.

Sen. John Cullerton (D-Chicago), who supported the bill in the past, became Senate president this year, which may be contributing to the heightened activity surrounding the bills.