Weed in the Land of Lincoln: Legal Cannabis Comes to Illinois Jan. 1
Illinois’ cannabis legalization law is set to go into effect in January and will usher in what proponents hope is the most socially just legalization framework in the nation.
“We’ve spent decades decimating communities and destroying lives with the war on drugs,” said State Representative Kelly Cassidy. “For us it was really more about equity and ensuring that we are repairing harm.”
The state’s law allocates resources to minority communities and areas of the state that have been impacted the most by past crackdowns on marijuana. It also attempts to reduce the barrier to entry for entrepreneurs in hopes Illinois can lead the charge toward a more equitable cannabis industry, by giving them a leg up to compete for 75 licenses the state will begin to issue in May.
“This industry has the potential to be a generational wealth-building opportunity,” said Brian Scruggs, an entrepreneur in the sector.
Yet it remains to be seen if Illinois’ law will allow affected communities to capture a share of the cannabis wealth, and if it can, as Cassidy put it, address the “buffet of problems” associated with marijuana justice.
United Airlines is launching a venture fund designed to support startups that are working on making jet fuel more sustainable and decarbonizing air travel.
Consumers are willing to pay monthly subscription fees for streaming services, pet food and even toilet paper. And now some restaurants are betting they’ll do the same for their favorite meals.
Cannabis company Curaleaf has rolled out a series of ads on Twitter, following a high-profile decision by the social media company to permit the federally illegal industry to advertise.
Pinterest launched a new travel hub called "Find Your Routes" to inspire safe travel and highlight black travelers. Cheddar News dives deep into the social media giant's new platform for Black History Month.
