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Illinois bill to legalize recreational marijuana wins legislative approval

By Karen Pierog

 

FILE PHOTO: Cannabis plants grow inside the Tilray factory hothouse in Cantanhede, Portugal April 24, 2019. REUTERS/Rafael Marchante/File Photo

 

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Illinois will become the 11th U.S. state to legalize the recreational use of marijuana for adults under a bill that won final passage in the state legislature on Friday.

 

The Democratic-controlled House of Representatives passed the measure in a 66-47 vote, following Senate approval on Wednesday.

 

Democratic Governor J.B. Pritzker said he will sign the bill, which allows for previous convictions dealing with amounts of marijuana under 30 grams to be erased, and which could eventually generate as much as $500 million in new annual revenue for the financially troubled state.

 

"In the interest of equity and criminal justice reform, I look forward to signing this monumental legislation,” Pritzker said in a statement.

 

Illinois will be the second state to legalize small amounts of marijuana for adult use solely through the legislative process, following Vermont, which did so in 2018. Since 2012, voters in nine states and Washington, D.C. approved legalization measures, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.

 

"It is time to hit the reset button on the war on drugs," said Democratic State Representative Kelly Cassidy, the bill's House sponsor, adding that the measure, which would take effect Jan. 1, would set the "gold standard" for a regulated market.

 

Opponents raised health, safety and financial concerns over legalizing marijuana.

 

"My goodness, there sure seems to be a lot of red flags on this issue," said Republican State Representative Mark Batinick.

 

The legislation will raise about $57 million in new revenue in fiscal 2020, which begins on July 1, and as much as $500 million annually when fully implemented, according to its sponsors.

 

The bill earmarks some of the proceeds after administrative and other expenses for drug prevention, public safety and programs in disadvantaged communities, while 35% will flow into Illinois' general fund and 10% will be used to pay overdue bills incurred by the state.

 

Pritzker included new revenue from legalized marijuana in his nearly $39 billion proposed fiscal 2020 budget.

 

In addition to Vermont, states that have legalized recreational marijuana are Colorado, Washington, Oregon, California, Alaska, Maine, Massachusetts, Nevada and Michigan.

 

The use of marijuana for medical purposes, which Illinois authorized starting in 2014, is legal in 23 states.

 

(Reporting by Karen Pierog in Chicago; Editing by Matthew Lewis)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2019-06-01

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[wombat]

[malibukid]

this will snowball as more States come to their senses and realize that it makes more fiscal sense to tax rather than spend the money on enforcing the anti-marajuana laws.   Thailand is about 100 years behind the States.

[WayWokeWhiteGuy]

Finally!

[connda]

Thailand is missing out on this market opportunity.  They just need to make the export of 'medical grade' Thai ganja legal while throwing domestic users in jail as ganja addicts and societal misfits.  The Thai Health department will back that allegation up.  Reefer Madness - Not In My Country!!!

 

[AnnaBanana]

[Guest Jerry787]

great Illinois !

[dcutman]

Everybody says legalize is a great thing, now. It will be several years or longer, but with the ever increasing potency will come serious social and development issues. Pot has went from about 4% THC in the 90's to over 40% and up to 80% today. Pot is addictive and is a gateway drug now. If you are a pot smoker before your brain is mature, 18 to 20, good chance you are going to be stupid and lazy and likely fall into some sort of drug dependency. Mature adults are pretty worthless after smoking as well.

Good bet 10 years from now states will start repealing this and of course it will take another 20 years to get it all sorted out.

 

[jasoncollins111]

On 6/1/2019 at 10:09 PM, dcutman said:

Everybody says legalize is a great thing, now. It will be several years or longer, but with the ever increasing potency will come serious social and development issues. Pot has went from about 4% THC in the 90's to over 40% and up to 80% today. Pot is addictive and is a gateway drug now. If you are a pot smoker before your brain is mature, 18 to 20, good chance you are going to be stupid and lazy and likely fall into some sort of drug dependency. Mature adults are pretty worthless after smoking as well.

Good bet 10 years from now states will start repealing this and of course it will take another 20 years to get it all sorted out.

 

Thc levels can not go past 30% ?

[dcutman]

44 minutes ago, jasoncollins111 said:

Thc levels can not go past 30% ?

Concentrated forms are at 80% levels and kids are vaping that shiit.

[sukhumvitneon]

Legalize weed.  And prostitution while you're at it Springfield.  IL might be a state worth living in if you do.