Town Hall Will Discuss Bill To Legalize Recreational Marijuana

OAK LAWN, IL -- South suburban state lawmakers will host a “Cannabis Town Hall” at the Oak Lawn Public Library on Monday, June 11. The town hall will run from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Individuals of all viewpoints are encouraged to attend to hear the pros and cons of marijuana legalization.

Sen. Bill Cunningham (18th District), along with Reps. Fran Hurley (35th District) and Kelly Burke (36th District) want to hear residents’ thoughts on a new bill that is currently being crafted in the Illinois State Senate, that may eventually lead to the legalization of recreational marijuana in Illinois. SB 316 will legalize the possession of up to 28 grams of marijuana and will allow facilities to sell marijuana products. During the March primary, voters in Cook County voted overwhelmingly in favor of legalizing marijuana for recreational purposes in a referendum.

“We’re anxious to hear what our constituents think,” Cunningham said. “My district voted yes in favor of the referendum. That gives me some indication that a majority of people favor it, but a lot of people don’t vote in primaries because you have to declare a party. This allows us gauge our constituents.”

>>> Recreational Marijuana Gets A Big Yes In Cook County

The bill’s sponsor, Sen. Heather Steans (7th District) from Chicago’s Far North Side, and her counterpart Rep. Kelly Cassidy (14th District), who has introduced an identical bill, HB 2353, in the Illinois House, have been holding town halls around the state. The two have been gathering input from community groups, advocacy organizations, public safety officers, medical professionals and the public that will be pivotal in shaping efforts to legalize recreational marijuana in Illinois.

Steans will explain SB 316 and how legalizing marijuana would affect the state.

“We have received overwhelming support for this legislation but do not plan to move forward hastily,” Steans said in a news release. “We want to ensure that there is ample time for organizations and individuals to present testimony and for us to adjust the legislation based on information presented in hearings.”

Cunningham said state lawmakers will present for discussion the argument against legalization, such as marijuana being a “gateway drug” to opioid use, as well as the “pro” side of legalization, including becoming a new tax revenue source for Illinois.

“There are concerns that legalization will escalate cannabis use,” Cunningham said. “The difficulty law enforcement has is judging someone who is impaired by marijuana, it’s not like a blood-alcohol-content test. As for marijuana being a gateway drug, more and more research has shown the gateway to more severe drugs like heroin and opioids tend to be prescription drugs. Alcohol can act as a gateway too. That’s an argument we’ll be bringing up.”

Legalizing recreational cannabis has swept the nation. According to ProCon.org, nine states and the District of Columbia have legalized recreational pot use, and 29 states, including D.C., have legalized medical cannabis. Steans called prohibition of recreational marijuana use a “financial hole,” putting money into the pockets of criminals and cartels. Creating a regulated system would put money into the cash registers of licensed, taxpaying businesses and could generate hundreds of millions of dollars per year in new revenue for the state.

“It is clear that individuals across the nation are receptive to purchasing marijuana through a legal market,” Steans said. “Legalizing and taxing marijuana will not and should not solve all of our budget woes, but it should be a part of the conversation about resolving Illinois’ worsening budget problems. Every bit of new revenue will help to close the governor’s $5 billion budget gap.”

Cunningham said the “devil is in the details” of a statewide bill that would legalize recreational pot. The illinois General Assembly could be voting on a bill to legalize recreational marijuana after the fall midterm election or in early 2019.

“The legalization is a work in progress,” Cunningham said. “What happens to medical marijuana once it becomes legal? How do you control distribution? We have to be careful about taxing and regulating use so as not to raise those taxing levels so high that you create a black market where illegal sales continue because the legal price is so high. Those are the real difficult questions. It’s not a matter of flicking a switch.”

Residents will also have the chance to ask questions about the bill and present their viewpoints on the legalization of recreational cannabis, both pro and con, at the town hall. The Oak Lawn Public Library is located at 9427 S. Raymond Ave. in Oak Lawn.

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