Rally Aims To Keep Recreational Marijuana Sales Out Of Naperville

NAPERVILLE, IL - As debates over recreational adult marijuana rage throughout Illinois, a group of Naperville residents are determined to keep recreational pot sales out of their city. Opt Out Naperville has planned a rally for Saturday and another rally ahead of Tuesday's City Council meeting, when members are poised to vote on the issue.

The first Opt Out rally will be held in Naperville's Central park at 10 a.m. Saturday. The pre-meeting rally is set for 6 p.m. Tuesday at the city's Dandelion Fountain.

"It doesn't matter what communities around us do," the Opt Out rally's event page says, urging against pot sales. The group's Facebook page features article after article about surrounding communities that have opted against marijuana sales.

Naperville's apparent dilemma weighs what many see as the perceived risks of recreational marijuana sales against the potential for tax revenue if the city opts into sales.

At the last Naperville City Council meeting, officials were directed to draft an ordinance that would prohibit recreational pot businesses of all kinds throughout the city. Council members are poised to vote on the issue Tuesday. If Naperville decides to opt into recreational marijuana sales, council members will go on to discuss how the approval would roll out.

Green Thumb Industries, which operates a medical marijuana dispensary in Naperville, recently received a license from the state of Illinois to sell recreational marijuana. At the Aug. 20 city council meeting, a representative from Green Thumb Industries encouraged officials to approve recreational marijuana sales to keep tax revenue within the city.

Illinois Awards First 5 'Same-Site' Cannabis Dispensary Licenses

When recreational marijuana sales become legal in Illinois as of Jan. 1, 2020, adults 21 and older will be able to purchase a limited amount of marijuana for personal use.

In the meantime, Naperville officials have checked in with law enforcement and local schools to get feedback on the issue. According to city council documents, District 203, Indian Prairie District 204, and Naperville Central College have expressed opposition to recreational marijuana use on campus or sales nearby.