Illinois is now the 11th state in the U.S. to legalize recreational marijuana.
Democratic Governor J.B. Pritzker signed the legalization bill into law on Tuesday, just a few weeks after the proposal was passed by the state legislature.
“With this legislation, our state once again is a leader, putting forward the most equity-centric cannabis legalization in the nation,” Pritzker said at the signing ceremony. Pritzker, who came into office in January, has long advocated for legalization and campaigned heavily on the issue.
The law — known as the Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act — declares that cannabis will be "regulated in a manner similar to alcohol." Adults 21 years old and older will be able to legally purchase and possess up to 30 grams of marijuana and cannabis-infused products with up to 500 milligrams of THC.
The legislation also creates a framework for the expungement of non-violent, cannabis charges. Those charged with under 30 grams of marijuana will automatically have their cases reviewed through the governor's clemency program; individuals charged with 30 - 500 grams can submit petitions for the court to clear their records.
The state said that roughly 700,000 cases are eligible for expungement and 405,000 cases will be sent through the clemency process for automatic expungement.
"The time for justice is now, especially for communities of color who have long been disproportionately impacted by low-level cannabis convictions and the failed war on drugs,” Kim Foxx, the Cook County State's Attorney, said in a statement. “We look forward to continuing our efforts to ensure the broadest relief possible under this revolutionary law."
Illinois also made history for being the first state in the U.S. to legalize commercial cannabis through the state legislature, as opposed to a voter referendum.
The law allows licensed growers and sellers to operate up to three cultivation centers and 10 dispensaries. It also creates a $30 million low-interest loan program to help businesses enter the sector.
"This team effort sets a new standard for what cannabis reform can look like when undertaken with an openness to tough discussions, a commitment to strong outcomes and a willingness to do the hard work together," state Rep. Kelly Cassidy said in a statement. "We set out to do this differently and we did.”
Several other statehouses, including New York and New Jersey, have attempted and failed to pass legalization bills.
Illinois' law will go into effect on January 1, 2020.
2021 has been a year filled with extreme weather conditions. Hundreds of thousands of people recently saw the effects of massive tornados that swept across six states. Now, experts say climate change could have played a major role. Jennifer Marlon, research scientist and lecturer at the Yale School of the Environment, joins Cheddar News to discuss.
Integrity Marketing Group, nation's largest independent distributor of life and health insurance products, is showing its employees it cares. The company surprised its 5,500 employees with $125 million in cash payouts to those participating in the company's Employee Ownership Plan. Bryan Adams, CEO of at Integrity Marketing Group, and Steve Young, NFL Hall of Famer and chairman of the board at Integrity Marketing Group, join Cheddar News to talk about the announcement.
Anthony Tall, sports agent and president of Miracle Sports Agency, joins Cheddar News to talk about the challenges professional sports leagues are facing amid a surge in coronavirus cases across the U.S.
Jilly Stephens, CEO of City Harvest, joins Cheddar News to discuss food insecurity. She also offers tips on how people can volunteer at their local food bank this holiday season.
Todd Kaplan, Pepsi's Vice President of Marketing, joins Cheddar News to discuss the company's first-ever non-fungible token with its Pepsi Mic Drop genesis NFT collection.
This year, consumers might not be as surprised by what's under their trees as by the trees themselves. Despite a tighter market for trees, Stew Leonard's was able to secure its entire stock of Christmas trees from a supplier in Quebec. But some prices jumped this year as a result of increased costs for shipping and labor amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Cheddar's Chloe Aiello reports.
Dr. Travis Langley, Professor of Psychology at Henderson State University, joins Cheddar Reveals to discuss why the Joker is widely considered the best villain of all time and a prevailing figure in pop culture and provides insight into the psychological and cultural reasons we find him so fascinating.
On this episode of Cheddar Reveals, Dr. Travis Langley, Professor of Psychology, Henderson State University, discusses why the Joker is widely considered the best villain of all time and a prevailing figure in pop culture and provides insight into psychological and cultural reasons we find him so fascinating; Jonathan Gayles Professor and Chair, Department of Africana Studies at Georgia State University, dissects the diversity efforts in representations of superheroes and villains in comics and Hollywood films; Cheddar gets a look at Curiosity Stream's 'My Comic Shop Country.'
Jonathan Gayles Professor and Chair, Department of Africana Studies at Georgia State University, joins Cheddar Reveals to dissect the diversity efforts in representations of superheroes and villains in comics and Hollywood films.
