Page 6 - ARUBA TODAY

A6 U.S. NEWS
Wednesday 26 June 2019

Illinois becomes 11th state to allow recreational marijuana

By JOHN O’CONNOR possession arrests. Peoria
AP Political Writer Democratic Rep. Jehan
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — Il- Gordon-Booth summarized
linois’ new governor deliv- marijuana’s recent history
ered on a top campaign as one where “white men
promise Tuesday by signing would get rich and black
legislation making the state men would get arrested.”
the 11th to approve mari- The plan addresses those
juana for recreational use concerns with the criminal-
in a program offering legal record scrubbing by giving
remedies and economic preference to would-be
benefits to minorities whose marijuana vendors in ar-
lives critics say were dam- eas of high poverty and re-
aged by a wayward war cords of large numbers of
on drugs. convictions. And 25% of tax
Legalization in Illinois also proceeds must be reinvest-
means that nearly 800,000 ed in impoverished com-
people with criminal re- munities, while 20% is dedi-
cords for purchasing or cated to substance-abuse
possessing 30 grams of treatment programs.
marijuana or less may have “What we are doing here
those records expunged, a is about reparations,”
provision minority lawmak- Gordon-Booth said. “After
ers and interest groups de- Gov. J. B. Pritzker holds a bill that legalizes adult-use cannabis in the state of Illinois Tuesday, June 40 years of treating entire
manded. It also gives can- 25, 2019 at Sankofa Cultural Arts and Business Center in Chicago. Illinois becomes the 11th to communities like criminals,
nabis-vendor preference legalize the adult-use of recreational marijuana. here comes this multibillion-
to minority owners and Associated Press dollar industry, and guess
promises 25% of tax rev- bill in Chicago amid a bevy (30 grams) of marijuana at man for Senate Democrats what? Black and brown
enue from marijuana sales of pot proponents, includ- a time. Non-residents may said. “The war on canna- people have been put at
to redevelop impoverished ing the plan’s lead spon- have 15 grams. The law bis has destroyed families, the very center of this pol-
communities. sors, Rep. Kelly Cassidy and provides for cannabis pur- filled prisons with nonvio- icy in a way that no other
Gov. J.B. Pritzker, whose Sen. Heather Steans, both chases by adults 21 and lent offenders, and dis- state has ever done.”
election last year gave Chicago Democrats. older at approved dispen- proportionately disrupted Police organizations are
Democrats complete con- “Today, we’re hitting the saries, which, after they’re black and brown commu- wary, concerned about
trol over state government ‘reset’ button on the war licensed and established, nities,” Pritzker said. “Law enforcing driving under the
again after four years un- on drugs,” Cassidy said. may start selling Jan. 1, enforcement across the influence laws and arguing
der GOP predecessor Residents may purchase 2020. Possession remains a nation has spent billions of technology for testing mar-
Bruce Rauner, signed the and possess up to 1 ounce crime until Jan. 1, a spokes- dollars to enforce the crimi- ijuana impairment needs
nalization of cannabis, yet more development. Law
its consumption remains enforcement organiza-
widespread.” tions fearing black-market
On the campaign trail, impacts were successful in
Pritzker claimed that, once killing an earlier provision
established, taxation of that would have allowed
marijuana could generate anyone to grow up to five
$800 million to $1 billion a marijuana plants at home
year. He said dispensary li- for personal use. Police
censing would bring in $170 said they’d have difficulty
million in the coming year enforcing that, so the bill
alone. But Cassidy and Ste- was amended to allow five
ans have dampened that plants to be maintained
prediction, lowering esti- only by authorized patients
mates to $58 million in the under the state’s medical
first year and $500 million marijuana law. They previ-
annually within five years. ously could not grow their
Carrying the psychoactive own.
ingredient THC, marijuana Ten other states and the
was effectively outlawed District of Columbia have
in the U.S. in 1937 and in legalized smoking or eating
the 1970s was declared a marijuana for recreational
drug with no medicinal pur- use since 2012, when voters
pose and high potential for in Colorado and Washing-
abuse. Blacks have been ton state approved ballot
most susceptible since initiatives. This year began
then to “Just say ‘No’’’- with promising proposals in
era crackdowns. Pritz- New York and New Jersey
ker quoted a 2010 statistic , but both fizzled late this
from the American Civil spring. Despite a statewide
Liberties Union that while listening tour on the issue by
blacks comprise 15% of Il- Pennsylvania’s lieutenant
linois’ population, they ac- governor last winter, the
count for 60% of cannabis- idea never took flight.q