Cook County Legal Recreational Ganja Referendum Vote

In a prospective budget saving and revenue gaining move, the Cook County Board of Commissioners is poised to vote during it regular meeting at 11 a.m. Wed., Dec. 13 to place on the March 20, 2018 primary election ballot an advisory referendum asking for state legalization of recreational marijuana use. Sponsored by Cook County Commissioners John A. Fritchey (D-Chicago) and Luis Arroyo Jr. (D-Chicago), the proposed question asks whether the Illinois General Assembly should be asked to support a joint resolution that would allow persons ages 21+ to use marijuana for recreational purposes, possess up to 30 grams of cannibis and grow up to five marijuana plants at home. The vote on placing the proposed question on the March 20 ballot will occur in the County Board Rm., 5th Fl , Rm. 569, Cook County Bldg., 118 N. Clark St , Chicago. "It's about having a policy in place that recognizes that so-called 'war in drugs' has been a failure on every front," Fritchey said. House Bill 2353, introduced by State Rep. Kelley Cassidy (D-Chicago), and Senate Bill 316, introduced by State Sen. Heather Sterns, are pending in the state legislature. Gov. Bruce Rauner isn't heartily fired up about recreational marijuana legalization, most of his 2018 Illinois gubernatorial race challengers support it, and Democratic gubernatorial candidate Chris Kennedy favors full unqualified legalization. Fritchey, a former assistant Illinois attorney general, has at least over the last two years championed marijuana legalization as a way of freeing up law enforcement resources to concentrate on violent crimes, bringing an estimated $350-$750 million into the state's cash-strapped coffers and regulating toward a pure marijuana supply that isn't "stepped-up," or laced with such dangerous drug additives as cocaine, angel dust, meth and PCP. Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle--harried by the loss of this past summer's penny an ounce sweetened beverage tax and pushback from the Cook County Sheriff's Deparyment and Circuit Court on pending FY2018 budget cuts--also favors marijuana decriminalization. Additional support for the proposed advisory Cook County recreational marijuana legalization referendum from local drug law reform-minded clergy, mothers/children groups and one nonprofit organization of criminal justice professionals. Court processing drug arrests cost Cook County an estimated $70 million and consumes an estimated 84,000 police work hours annually. Illinois' marijuana decriminalization movement launched in 2012 with a Chicago City Council ordinance. The state established its first medical marijuana dispensary in 2015. A legislative attempt to expand decriminalization failed to achieve a hearing during the Illinois General Assrmbly's last session. Since then, 29 states and the District of Columbia have approved medical cannibis use, and eight states permit recreational use. Only in Arizona did a referendum on legalizing recreational marijuana fail. Of U.S. voters sampled in a Gallup poll, 60 percent supported full legalization. Fritchey estimates that at least 40 percent of Cook County voters would support the proposed advisory recreatiom marijuana legalization referendum. To register as a speaker at the Dec. 13 Cook County Board, contact the Cook County commissioner who represents your district, contact the offices of Governor Rauner, your state representative and senator and otherwise advise, consult and encourage your elected public servants on expanded marijuana legalization, contact Fb @cufa [email protected], 773.540.0776.