Unless you have been living under a rock for the past couple of years, you know that legal weed has become a national sensation. Get out from under that rock! Marijuana’s legalization is an economic force for the nation, and not just for those who enjoy using the plant.
Take a look at Colorado, the tax revenue alone from all the legal weed sales created a surplus so big the state didn’t even know what to do with it. Now Illinois is getting on the weed train.
Illinois joined its fellow states on January 1st, becoming the 11th state to legalize the recreational use of cannabis.
Dispensaries were allowed to begin selling cannabis at 6 a.m., but there was a delay in some sales due to a problem with the state database that will track all marijuana sales.
Illinois residents may possess up to 30 grams of the dried flower, five grams of cannabis concentrate and 500 milligrams of THC in edibles, while nonresidents may possess only half as much.
The first day of legal sales follows Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker (D) granting more than 11,000 pardons to people convicted of low-level marijuana convictions.
“The war on cannabis has destroyed families. It has filled jails and prisons with nonviolent offenders. It has disproportionately affected black and brown communities,” Pritzker said at a press conference Tuesday.
Forty-three marijuana stores in Illinois have received permission to sell recreational cannabis.
Buyers must be 21 years of age and show a valid state ID or driver’s license.
The rest of the country should follow this example. Marijuana prohibition in American could cause big problems in the coming years, with both Canada and Mexico legalizing its use the U.S. leaves a huge market for ruthless drug cartels from south of the border.
