Posted by Mick Dumke
04.27.14 at 07:28 PM
Cook County commissioner John Fritchey wants Illinois officials to start creating a regulatory framework for legalizing marijuana.
Legalize it. At the very least, start taking steps toward legalizing it.
That’s the message that a group of county and state elected officials plan to deliver at a press conference downtown Monday afternoon. They’ll point to both the costs of enforcing current marijuana laws and the potential financial benefits of legalizing pot for recreational use.
It’s the latest sign that the politics of pot are shifting at a pace that was unimaginable even a couple of years ago.
“It is well past time to recognize that the so-called ‘war on drugs’ has been a misguided failure with respect to marijuana laws and policies,” Cook County commissioner John Fritchey, who’s leading the effort, said in a written statement. “The Illinois Legislature should follow the successful lead of other states and start taking meaningful steps toward a workable framework to allow the responsible sale and use of cannabis.”
The elected officials plan to call for the creation of a state task force to research potential regulations, project revenues, and propose legislation for the sale and taxation of legal pot. Experts in law enforcement, health care, and business would be involved.
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