Illinois becomes 11th state to allow recreational marijuana

[mahatmakanejeeves]

Source: Associated Press

Illinois becomes 11th state to allow recreational marijuana
By JOHN O'CONNOR
25 minutes ago

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) -- Illinois' new governor delivered on a top campaign promise Tuesday by signing legislation that makes the state the 11th to legalize small amounts of marijuana for recreational use and the second to approve it through the Legislature rather than the ballot box.

Legalization in Illinois also means that nearly 800,000 people with criminal records for purchasing or possessing 30 grams of marijuana or less may have those records expunged, a provision minority lawmakers and interest groups demanded. It also gives cannabis-vendor preference to minority owners and promises 25% of tax revenue from marijuana sales to redevelop impoverished communities.

Gov. J.B. Pritzker, whose election last year gave Democrats complete control over state government again after four years under GOP predecessor Bruce Rauner, signed the bill in Chicago amid a bevy of lawmakers and pot proponents.

Under the measure, residents can purchase and possess up to 1 ounce (30 grams) of marijuana at a time. Non-residents could have up to 15 grams. The law provides for cannabis purchases by adults 21 and older at approved dispensaries, which, after they're licensed and established, may start selling Jan. 1, 2020. That means possession remains a crime until Jan. 1, a spokesman for Senate Democrats said.
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Read more: https://apnews.com/7b793d88f3c84417b83db0f770854960

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The Associated Press Retweeted

https://twitter.com/AP

BREAKING: Illinois becomes the 11th state in the country to legalize recreational marijuana under legislation new Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker has signed. It takes effect in January.

Link to tweet

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Previously at DU:

Illinois becomes 11th state to legalize marijuana

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100212192031

Not yet. You'll still need the governor's signature. That's what happened today.

[SaintLouisBlues]

1. Going Eastside takes on a whole new meaning!

The second largest metro in Illinois is Metropolitan St. Louis. 2.5 million on the MO side and another half million on the Eastside. There will be a shitload of customers crossing the Mississippi. Just watch out for the police.

"And it looks like you're gonna
Have to see me again.
Illinois, oh, Illinois.
Illinois, I'm your boy."

(Dan Fogelberg)

[brewens]

3. I'm in Idaho and a Washington state town is just a couple miles away. Weed is legal right

across the border. I halfway expected to hear by now that we were getting Idaho residents busted coming back with their goodies, but so far not.

[AKing]

9. Indiana too...Now bordered on 2 sides,Illinois & Michigan...

Smokeem if you gotem!

[RobinA]

19. Here In Eastern PA

our border states are NOT getting the job done.

[forgotmylogin]

11. IL residents drive to MO to buy cigarettes...

MO residents will now drive to IL to buy weed!

[waddirum]

22. The Illinois Enema Bandit

"The Illinois Enema Bandit
I heard it on the news
I heard it on the news
Bloomington Illinois...he has caused some alarm
Just sneakin' around there
From farm to farm
Got a rubberized bag
And a hose on his arm
Lookin' for some rustic co-ed rump
That he just might wanna pump"

(Frank Zappa)

[ZeroSomeBrains]

2. Good job governor Pritzker

I'm very proud of my home state today.

[TeamPooka]

4. prohibition is a failed public policy, again.

[Voltaire2]

5. Revenue envy is going to push other states

to follow.

[Joe Nation]

6. I used to come back home to Illinois from Iowa after dropping my son off at school.

As soon as I would cross the Illinois border, I would always take a big nose full of air and say, "Umm Umm, you can just smell the corruption." Now, I'll have to say that I smell something else.

Life in Illinois is just better without former Gov. Bruce Rauner.

[murielm99]

8. If the repiggies can find a way to get to Pritzker,

they will do it. They will trump up some corruption charges and keep him from proceeding with his programs. They may be in the minority, but they have the voice and the power in many rural communities.

[Progressive Jones]

17. I'm not so sure about that happening in any big way. The GOP has another target

that they've failed repeatedly to hit --- Mike Madigan.

The GOP has been trying to take down Madigan for years.
Gov. Pritzker won't be easy, either. If there was a scandal,
the GOP would have used it in the election.

[Gidney N Cloyd]

7. Yay!

[extvbroadcaster]

10. Thank you JB!

Wow. Illinois had very restrictive criteria for medical marijuana. It was difficult to get, even though the state legalized it. I gave up us ever joining other recreational states. But with JB it is a whole new ballgame. We are also doubling the gas tax to 38 cents a gallon to pay for road and bridge improvement. The state desperately needs it. Nothing was going to get done here with GOP Rauner as Governor. He thought he could bring his union busting trickle down here to Illinois. No dice. JB even said the following:
“I want to make one thing very clear to Donald Trump: your hate, division and fear are not welcome in Illinois,” said JB Pritzker.
JB is what this state really needed.

[hibbing]

12. I'll be dead before it's legal in my backwards state n/t

[RobinA]

20. Me Too

here in PA. I was hoping on the border states, NY, NJ And Del., but they have failed miserably. I REALLY thought NJ was going to do it, but NOOOOOO.

Of course, I said that about gay marriage here in PA, but all of a sudden it came out of nowhere and it was legal before a lot of other states.

[beachbum bob]

13. Illinois will have a booming convention business starting Jan 1, 2020

Priztker made this his top 5 issues for his first 6 months in office and I believe has followed thru an all 5

[logosoco]

14. Thank you, Illinois!

I take back all the things I said about how boring driving through your corn fields is! Now I can drive less than 30 minutes to get some of the best pain relief on the planet.

I wonder how long Missouri will watch those going over the bridge and giving their money to Illinois before they get with the program.

[dalton99a]

15. Kick

[SkatmanRoth]

16. It is 4:20 and there is a spliff burning somewhere.

[walkingman]

18. Congrats Illinois!! Wish these morons in Texas Legislature and our Gov. would wake up!

[maxsolomon]

21. Dominos

Each state that legalizes for Recreational is another test case. The sky doesn't fall.

In WA, no one really gives a fuck any more. It has proved NBD.

[ck4829]

23. K&R