Pritzker wants to legalize recreational marijuana 'nearly right away' in Illinois

[JimGinPA]

https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/pritzker-legalize-marijuana-illinois?fbclid=IwAR0mjDdtQiWWoQF5R5qCIF9Mwm3a76IMZ6lGBp6nhMIaAGsBnFwgc7zxjVs

CHICAGO (Fox 32 News) - Governor-elect JB Pritzker said Wednesday he wants to legalize recreational marijuana in Illinois almost immediately after being sworn in next year.

“That’s something we can work on nearly right away,” Pritzker told FOX 32’s Mike Flannery.

He also said he will look at vacating arrest records for those who have been convicted of crimes involving marijuana.

“I definitely want to look at all those arrest records. If we’re going to legalize recreational marijuana, then we shouldn’t have all the, what I think are, challenges in our criminal justice system, you know, still existing, people sitting in prison for things that are currently legal,” Pritzker said.

The governor-elect can legalize recreational marijuana simply by signing legislation passed by lawmakers in the general assembly. Illinois residents do not have to vote to approve the measure.

~Snip

[dewsgirl]

1. Florida here, super jealous.😉

[htuttle]

6. How do ya think I feel here in Wisconsin?

First, Canada, then Michigan, Illinois next. Damn.

We got Evers elected, but we are still stuck with a very crooked Republican legislature.

Well, at least it's becoming a shorter and shorter drive...

[dembotoz]

37. My family drove to the flatlands to buy oleo back in the day

Better reason would be weed

[GWC58]

16. Maryland here. My envy grows as I see states

in the Midwest legalizing adult use cannabis sales. Meanwhile here in the mid Atlantic still no states with adult use. Still waiting on New Jersey. Washington D.C. would’ve had cannabis sales in dispensaries already but because Andy Harris, POS got re-elected, placing a rider preventing DC from using its own money re this. Well Andy, you lost the chance to place a continuing rider, so 🖕🏻 Andy!

[JimGinPA]

38. We're Getting Snow Flurries In Southern IL

So I have your weather to be jealous about.

[roamer65]

2. I want our new MI governor to expunge all non-violent state MJ offenses.

I will be writing to Governor-elect Whitmer about it.

[LovingA2andMI]

4. She already has that on her agenda....

"Gov.-elect Gretchen Whitmer will pursue executive action or legislation to free inmates and expunge criminal records for those convicted of marijuana crimes that will become legal under the state's pending recreational marijuana law, she indicated Wednesday.

“I think that the people of Michigan have said that for conduct that would now be legal, no one should bear a lifelong record for that conduct,” Whitmer said in her first press conference since winning election over Republican Bill Schuette on Tuesday night.

Voters approved Proposal 1 to legalize adult marijuana possession and set up a system to license businesses.

Whitmer will replace GOP Gov. Rick Snyder on Jan. 1 and “will start taking a look at (marijuana crime expungement) and making some decisions and taking some action early next year,” she said."

https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/michigan/2018/11/07/gretchen-whitmer-considers-forgiving-marijuana-crimes-michigan/1919044002/

[roamer65]

10. Sweet!

[roamer65]

3. Pritzker doesn't want to lose tax revenue to MI.

The state borders are only about 50 miles apart in the Chicago area.

[LovingA2andMI]

5. Smart Move...

Don't blame him. And Canada has Legal Marijuana now too.

[roamer65]

9. Indiana has threatened to persecute anyone coming out of MI over MJ.

Pritzker is smart. He doesn’t want the Indiana bullshit nor the loss of tax revenue.

If IN persecutes MI and IN residents entering and exiting our state, I want retaliation for it.

[LovingA2andMI]

12. In a Majority of Cases, they won't...

Indiana is a drive through and get cheap gas before entering IL state away. As for hanging out there, most Michiganders will pass.

[roamer65]

13. Yeah. I try to drive through IN and not spend money.

[waddirum]

34. Crossroads of America

Gas and pee break, then GTFO

[LovingA2andMI]

41. Pretty Much....

Sums it up...

[Thekaspervote]

19. Yeah well we here in Illinois should sue Indiana for their loose gun laws. Yes, crimes involving

Guns are high in Chicago land, a large percentage of the guns come from Gary, in.

[MountCleaners]

35. They think they are so libertarian

With their gun laws and their fireworks. Indiana is known as a deep-red Bible Belt state, but they, like New Hampshire, have a large number of very annoying libertarians. I would love to flip the bird at them by legalizing it here.

[KY_EnviroGuy]

20. Will Pence now advocate building a wall around his home state?

Mother, we gotta keep them reefer smokin' kids outta Hoosier Landia. Let's GoFundMe a wall like my daddy wants in the south....

Must be something in the water........ ........

[GoCubsGo]

7. It could also save a lot of money by lowering the prison population.

I'm sure there are plenty of guys in the state prisons on pot charges. If their records are expunged, no need for them to be there.

[Blue_true]

14. No. He is doing what is sane and ethical.

If alcohol is legal, why can't pot be legal? Also, if a person has a pot bust, was not a dealer and has no other felonies on his or her record, why should that person carry a criminal strike for something that is now legal?

I wish the Florida legislature and senate were as rational and moral. It is becoming more blue, abeit slowly.

[roamer65]

15. Yes, but Illinois has serious budget issues.

He doesn’t want possible IL tax revenue going to MI coffers. Eventually OH will legalize for the same reason.
I think OH will have a legalization referendum in 2020.

[Blue_true]

18. Legal pot won't help with the budget.

If you make that claim, then dropping the drinking age to 18 would help the budget, but it won't.

The governor-elect need to call Jerry Brown and have a long talk. California had a monstrous budget deficit and debt when Brown took office eight years ago, know it is financially solid.

Illinois is much like California, except for hightech industries. A big state with with a dominant sector (California hightech companies, Illinois commodities and derivatives trading). In California, Brown went after certain over the top spending and he increased some taxes, financial turnover then eliminated the deficit and debt. I think that ALL New Democratic governors elects should have long sit downs with Jerry Brown, the guy turned Oakland Calif around, then turned the whole state around.

[JimGinPA]

25. It Has Certainly Generated Some Revenue For Colorado

But that isn't really why I was so happy to see that news anyway.

I saw JB speak earlier this year when he opened his campaign office in St. Clair County and it was one of the things he mentioned during his speech. I'm happy he's going to follow through so quickly.

[Blue_true]

30. Colorado is a fairly small state with a non diverse economy.

One booming new industry has more impact there. Illinois is a different beast entirely. The change in Illinois, IMO, centers around more commonsense and moral drivers than tax revenue.

[AwakeAtLast]

29. That's what i said

And it could seriously help with the budget!

[dalton99a]

8. Excellent.

[mucifer]

11. We are desperate for money here in Illinois. The pension costs are insane

We need to legalize it and tax it!

[Chicago1980]

23. Underfunding

and the pension holiday Blago had.

[jcgoldie]

17. Wow

Might be able to put some plants right out in the garden with the tomatoes next summer and save on the electric bill!

[KY_EnviroGuy]

21. The Green Wave is coming!

Can sometimes follow a big Blue Wave!.......

[TeamPooka]

22. Prohibition is a failed public polcy, again. Legalize, regulate, and tax it because cannabis can

save the nation and the planet.

[yuiyoshida]

24. Congratulations from a Weed state!

[GWC58]

27. Congrats from a

“Permission slip needed” state. Still waiting for my mmj card to get said permission slip. 😵

[yuiyoshida]

31. Hopefully you will soon!

I had medical Marijuana before it became openly legal for everyone in the state... You will have many years to enjoy it!


By the way, if you really want to taste how yummy it can be, get a vape where you can load the weed right into the chamber and taste it as well as inhale it! Investing in a good vape is a must!

[GWC58]

32. That's how I wanna do; vaping.

I really don’t want to do the combustible way anymore. 🤧 Vaping is the way!

[yuiyoshida]

33. You will find after a while you will

taste a strain you really like, and than want to try others.. at least having several favorites is kind of cool..to have a variety.

[GWC58]

39. The really great thing about going to a cannabis

dispensary, I would assume as I’ve never been to one, one doesn’t have to worry about purchasing “garbage weed.” That’s something I’ve done in the past. Onetime I got this shit it wouldn’t matter how much you did. A raspy throat, headache & no buzz. That’s a strikeout. Other times I’d “hit it outta da park.” With a cannabis dispensary no strikeouts. 🤪😃🤔

[yuiyoshida]

42. I have been told the strain of weed these days is like

three highs to one...3x as stronger, but then you are vaping bud, and not sticks, seeds and leaves. I remember smoking some weed and the bowl exploded, cause there was a seed in it that went off like popcorn! No, these days its the Buds to vape!

[beachbum bob]

26. Priztker will not only see that pot is legal, he is going to expunge all pot-related charges and

convictions as well as probably issuing full pardons to all in prison and jails for pot possession

[muntrv]

28. We in Michigan did it with Proposal 1.

[bushisanidiot]

36. I think he just won re-election in 2022!

bring it!!

[MountCleaners]

40. I think marijuana legalization...

...is a winning strategy for Dem candidates in states that have more of a small "l" libertarian bent. Obviously it wouldn't work in the Bible Belt, but it would work everywhere else. We'd pick up independents and non-voters as well as moderate Republicans and those "Bernie or Bust" types, a lot of whom I just think want legal weed. There are even some idiot Trump-humpers that support it, might open their eyes to how repressive their idol is....those people are always banging on about "freedom", well this issue shows just who is truly pro-liberty and who isn't. There's just no reason for it and it's a huge waste of resources.

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