WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Illinois on Tuesday officially became the eleventh U.S. state to legalize marijuana for adult use.
Democratic Governor J.B. Pritzker, who advocated for legalization in his 2018 campaign, signed the marijuana legalization bill into law on Tuesday. The bill was sent to the governor by the legislature in May.
Illinois thus becomes the first state in the U.S. to legalize retail sales through its legislature, as opposed to a ballot measure. Vermont lawmakers approved adult marijuana use in 2018, but have not yet allowed sales.
Illinois previously allowed marijuana for medical purposes. However, marijuana remains illegal at the federal level.
'As the first state in the nation to fully legalize adult-use cannabis through the legislative process, Illinois exemplifies the best of democracy: a bipartisan and deep commitment to better the lives of all of our people. Legalizing adult-use cannabis brings an important and overdue change to our state, and it's the right thing to do,' said Governor J.B. Pritzker.
Illinois's marijuana legalization law will allow recreational possession and sales of marijuana starting on January 1, 2020. The law will also create a new system of taxes and regulations.
Adults aged 21 and older will now be allowed to legally buy and possess cannabis for recreational use from licensed dispensaries across the state. Tourists in Illinois will be allowed to buy and possess less than state residents.
Previous low-level convictions and arrests for marijuana will be pardoned and expunged. The governor noted that about 700,000 records are eligible for expungement under the new law.
Individuals with prior convictions for possession of cannabis or 30 grams or less will have their records automatically expunged. Those with convictions for possession up to 500 grams could file motions with courts to have their records cleared.
Personal cultivation of cannabis will only be fully legal for medical use.
The state will also create a $30 million low-interest loan program designed to empower members from socio-economically disadvantaged communities hoping to enter the licensed cannabis industry.
The Illinois Department of Revenue projects that the marijuana industry will generate over $57 million in tax revenue and licensing fees in fiscal year 2020, and $140.5 million in tax revenue alone, in fiscal 2021.
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