By Cole Lauterbach/Illinois Radio Network
SPRINGFIELD – State lawmakers are gathering supporters for their push to legalize recreational cannabis in Illinois.
The bill would allow people to legally carry up to 28 grams of cannabis, or one ounce, inside the state for recreational use.
State Sen. Heather Steans, D-Chicago, says the “just say no” approach of the 1980s was ineffective.
“Prohibition just plain doesn’t work with marijuana,” she said. “Our goal here is to put in place a regulatory structure.”
Her bill would legalize carrying up to an ounce for recreational use and set regulations and a tax rate for the drug that is now legal for recreational use in eight states.
State Rep. Kelly Cassidy, D-Chicago, acknowledged that the drug is still illegal by federal standards but said national enforcement would be hard to do with so many states lifting their bans on recreational use.
“The more state’s that go, the harder it would be to return to a ‘war on drugs’ mentality with regard to cannabis,” she said.
David Smith from the Illinois Family Institute claims there are too many problems associated with recreational use.
“The consequences of marijuana in the culture, the distracted driving, the workplace accidents, the schizophrenic episodes are not worth the consequences,” he said. “Then you’ve got addictions, you’ve got overdoses, you’ve got kids being hurt. There’s all kinds of reasons to oppose marijuana.”
Steans said 750,000 people admit to smoking marijuana in Illinois.
