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U.S. NEWS Saturday 1 June 2019
Illinois poised to be 11th state to legalize marijuana use

By JOHN O’CONNOR $500 million in five years. of 30 grams or less. It eases “No matter how you pack- ing pan, recreating a fa-
AP Political Writer The vote came on the last record-clearing for posses- age this, whether it’s rev- mous 1980s public service
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — Illi- day of the General Assem- sion up to one pound (500 enue, or it’s criminal justice announcement which
nois is likely to become the suggested the frying egg
11th state to allow small represents “your brain on
amounts of marijuana for drugs.”
recreational use after the Originally intending to let
Democratic-controlled anyone grow five mari-
House on Friday sent a le- juana plants at home for
galization plan to Demo- personal consumption, law
cratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker, enforcement opposition
who campaigned on the prompted Cassidy to re-
issue. strict the five-plant home-
Those 21 and older would grow limit only to quali-
be able to buy marijuana fied medical-marijuana
at licensed dispensaries patients. Private property
beginning next year under owners could restrict use.
the legislation approved Landlords could ban mari-
on a vote of 66-47. Resi- juana on their property.
dents could possess up to And employers would still
1 ounce (30 grams) and be allowed to maintain
non-residents could have “zero tolerance” policies
15 grams. toward marijuana use and
Illinois would become the the workplace.
second state to endorse In other work, lawmakers
the idea through its legisla- were crafting a spending
ture, following Vermont last plan of about $39 billion
year. Ten states and the Illinois deputy governor Christian Mitchell and Illinois state Rep. Kelly Cassidy, D-Chicago, and a $41.5 billion state
District of Columbia have embrace as they celebrate the 66-47 vote in the Illinois House for a bill to legalize recreational construction program. It
dropped pot prohibitions, marijuana use Friday, May 31, 2019. looked as if revenue for a
mostly through ballot initia- Associated Press building program would
tives. depend on a massive ex-
But the Illinois plan also bly’s spring session, which grams) and some intent-to- reform, or it’s just saying pansion of casino gam-
became a social justice got extended in part be- deliver convictions. Minori- that people are smoking it bling , which itself ap-
initiative as black lawmak- cause of the 3 ½-hour mari- ty-owned businesses would anyway, so just give up, I peared to be the means
ers and activists stepped juana debate. House lead- be given advantages in can pretty much guaran- for resuscitating a dormant
in to see that legalization ers, noting the “volume of bidding for lucrative state tee you where we’re go- proposal to legalize sports
reversed decades of in- workload,” announced licenses and offered low- ing to be in 10 years ... and betting.
ordinate treatment of mi- that session would con- interest loans to compete. it’s not going to be good,” Statutory protections for
norities in narcotics crack- tinue at least through “The state of Illinois just said Democratic Rep. An- abortion in the face of strict
downs. The legislation pro- Sunday. The Senate had made history, legalizing thony DeLuca of Chicago restrictions on the practice
vides for scrubbing of past not announced schedule adult-use cannabis with Heights. in Republican-led states
low-level criminal convic- changes. the most equity-centric He then produced an egg have House OK and await
tions and boosts minority Legislation after May 31 re- approach in the nation,” and cracked it into a fry- Senate action.q
involvement in a nascent quires three-fifths majority Pritzker said in a statement.
industry. approval. But Democrats “This will have a transforma-
“It is time to hit the ‘re- hold supermajorities in both tional impact on our state,
set’ button on the War chambers of the General creating opportunity in the
on Drugs,” the proposal’s Assembly, allowing Pritzker communities that need it
sponsor, Chicago Demo- to take office in January most and giving so many a
cratic Rep. Kelly Cassidy, with an expansive agen- second chance.”
said. “We have an oppor- da following four years of Both sides in the debate
tunity today to set the gold stalemate between legisla- traded summaries of stud-
standard for a regulated tive leaders and Pritzker’s ies that differ on the impact
market that centers on eq- vanquished predecessor, of using the psychoac-
uity and repair.” Republican Bruce Rauner. tive drug, with opponents
Pritzker called for legaliza- The marijuana measure al- claiming it’s a gateway to
tion in his campaign for lows the governor to par- stronger drugs and that it
governor, arguing for its don anyone with records of can have ill effects, includ-
tax-revenue potential and convictions for possession ing producing psychosis.
for freeing police to en-
force more serious crimes. CAR RENTAL 5616944
He claimed there would
be $170 million in licensing Address: Paramira #30 (Oranjestad) - Email: yessrentalcar@gmail.com - Website: www.yessrentalcar.com
fees in the first year and a We Rent:
fully established industry Cars- Vans - SUV
could produce up to $1
billion annually in state tax
revenue. But Cassidy said
Friday the first year’s take
would be $58 million and
the state could expect