Many states in the U.S. have begun to introduce legislation allowing for the purchase and consumption of the cannabis plant. One of the newest states to get in on the action is Illinois. During the 3rd week of March, voters approved a ballot that would call for the legalization of cannabis with overwhelming numbers.
A measure put out by Cook County, the second largest populated county in the U.S., is not in place yet, but it does show how much the people of Illinois and the populous of the U.S. want to see marijuana legalized. The ballot reads “Shall the State of Illinois legalize the cultivation, manufacture, distribution, testing, and sale of marijuana and marijuana products for recreational use by adults 21 and older subject to state regulation, taxation and local ordinance?” This ballot measure was reportedly approved by more than two thirds of those who voted, showing the undeniable support of ending prohibition. The issue of whether or not cannabis should be legalized was talked about greatly during the most recent election in Illinois, where many of the candidates are running on this very platform. Businessman JB Pritzker, who won the Democratic gubernatorial nomination stated recently that “We can begin by immediately removing one area of racial injustice in our criminal justice system,” he said during a victory speech Tuesday night. “Let’s legalize, tax and regulate marijuana.”
Pritzker also promised the public that he would work hard to make cannabis legalized stating that “I also support legalizing and taxing recreational use of marijuana, which is estimated to generate as much as $700 million a year for the state,” he said. “No more studies are needed to show it’s time for Illinois to safely move forward and legalize marijuana. As governor, I will modernize drug laws and move Illinois towards a criminal justice system that gives all Illinoisans a chance to reach their full potential.” Having candidates run on this platform is quite a large step for an industry that is often given a bad name by those who don’t know enough about it. Pritzker further stated that “Criminalizing marijuana hasn’t made our communities safer, but has disproportionately impacted black and brown communities,” Pritzker also said. “The criminalization of cannabis never has been and never will be enforced fairly, and it’s time to bring that to an end. To right past wrongs, we also have to commute sentences of people in prison who are there for marijuana offenses.”
The current Governor of the state, Bruce Rauner did sign a law into place that effectively decriminalized cannabis possession, but he has stated that he opposes any form of broader legalization. He also stated that he would veto any bill that would make marijuana legal in the state. Because of this, Rauner just barely scraped by to win the nomination for reelection. Cannabis remains one of the driving factors for this election, and many are excited to see how it plays out.
Aside from this new bill that is being put in place, voters will also have a better chance at making cannabis legal in November of this year, where the Senate approved legislation for a nonbinding statewide ballot question on the issue. Lawmakers have also in recent months, held a series of hearings to hear the people out on whether or not they would like to end prohibition, with an overwhelming majority stating that they would. States like Illinois are key in the fight for marijuana legislation and as more and more states fight this issue, it seems like the driving factor continues to be a strong desire to have legal cannabis. The hopes are high that this election will turn out in favor of the cannabis industry, pushing the market further forward in the near future.
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