Marijuana legalization has overwhelming support of the denizens of Chicago, nay of all Illinois. More than six out ten Illinoisans support the use of recreational marijuana and nearly three out of four Chicago folks want weed to be made legal. Legislators and policymakers can no longer ignore the growing public opinion in favor of making pot legal, and therefore in deference to Vox Populi, the powers that be have decided to adopt a new path towards making cannabis legal in Illinois.
There is a movement underway to generate bipartisan support to push for the clearance of legislations that would legalize the possession, purchase, and cultivation of small quantities of cannabis. The movement has the backing of Sen. Heather Steans and Rep. Kelly Cassidy of Chicago. The idea is to adopt a three-pronged approach including public hearings and a fundamentally strong policy. Going by the groundswell of support for legal pot, it appears that it is only a matter of time before you can purchase cannabis legally in Illinois.
The supporters for legalization of recreational marijuana are quickly acquiring the support of religious leaders and are getting the law enforcement agencies on their side.
Given that more than 700,000 people in Illinois consume marijuana and almost all of them purchase it from the grey market, there is a serious loss of revenue for the government. Legalizing marijuana would send the money to the state coffers, nearly $700 million a year. The state can put the money to good use – repair roads, run libraries, repair civic amenities, etc.
The world of illegal marijuana is incredibly shady and there is cutthroat competition. Adulteration is another risk that users face. The illegal cannabis business has drug cartels involved and these people do not shy away from violent crime. Regulating the sale of pot through legal and licensed vendors will make the streets safer for all. Legalization would also generate employment for many. Legal marijuana sales would require cannabis cultivation, processing, selling, and regulation of the entire process.
With millions of customers in the state, the government would require a large quantity of marijuana and a dedicated supply chain system. Legalization of marijuana would open up a completely new industry. And who knows what the future holds, there is no dearth of marijuana-related products that can come up. This could be a start, and it is more a matter of “when” than “if”.
The Coalition for Safer Illinois is an advocacy group that includes citizens and community leaders. It will focus its energies on generating support for legal consumption of pot recreationally.
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