Illinois Legislature Legalizes Marijuana

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Illinois Legislature Legalizes Marijuana

Posted by CN Staff on June 01, 2019 at 04:51:22 PT By Kurtis Lee  Source: Los Angeles Times  Illinois -- Lawmakers in Illinois on Friday approved a measure legalizing the sale of marijuana to anyone over the age of 21, making it the second state in the Midwest to legalize pot after Michigan. To date, 11 states, including Illinois, have legalized recreational marijuana, a majority through ballot measures placed before voters. The move by Illinois lawmakers is only the second time a legislature has legalized marijuana, following Vermont in 2018, which passed a measure allowing possession and limited cultivation of cannabis.  Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker, a Democrat, made marijuana legalization a key pillar of his election campaign last year and said in a statement on Friday that the legislation was long overdue. “This will have a transformational impact on our state, creating opportunity in the communities that need it most and giving so many a second chance,” said Pritzker, who plans to sign the bill in the days ahead. The measure, which passed the Democratic-controlled legislature, received staunch opposition from local police and sheriffs associations. Steve Hawkins, executive director for the Marijuana Policy Project, a group that has worked on legalization efforts in several states, said “heartland states are clearly deciding that the time to end the prohibition on cannabis has come.” “Marijuana was at the heart of our nation’s disastrous war on drugs,” Hawkins said. “This is a measure that will improve people’s lives on a level commensurate with the devastation wrought by prohibition.” At its core, the Illinois bill followed a nationwide trend tying marijuana legalization to criminal justice reform. The measure would allow adults 21 and older to purchase and possess up to 30 grams, or about an ounce. Those who had previously been convicted of possessing less than that amount would have their records automatically expunged. Similar reforms have been implemented in California and Michigan. Kurtis Lee is a national correspondent for the Los Angeles Times, who frequently reports on the nation's debate over guns, the evolution of marijuana legalization and how Trump administration policies are affecting states. He's filed reports from the unrest in Ferguson, Mo., chronicled Donald Trump's rise to the presidency and explored issues surrounding voter ID laws. Prior to joining The Times in August 2014, Lee worked for three years at the Denver Post where he covered state and national politics. He’s also reported from the scenes of destructive wildfires and mass shootings and was a member of the Post staff that won the 2013 Pulitzer Prize for breaking news coverage of the Aurora theater shooting. He’s a Colorado native and a graduate of Temple University. Newshawk: Hope Source: Los Angeles Times (CA)  Author: Kurtis Lee Published: May 31, 2019 Copyright: 2019 Los Angeles Times