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Illinois Joins 10 Other States in Legalizing Recreational Marijuana

IT WAS IN HIGH DEMAND

Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed legislation into law on Tuesday making it legal to posses up to 30 grams of the drug.

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Chris Wattie/REUTERS / Reuters

Gov. J.B. Pritzker made Illinois the 11th state to legalize recreational marijuana on Tuesday, signing a bill into law allowing small amounts of cannabis. Residents can purchase and possess up to 30 grams of the drug, and non-residents can have 15 grams, the Associated Press reports. Sales will be limited to people ages 21 and up at approved dispensaries, which could potentially be up and running by Jan. 1, 2020. The law could also help expunge nearly 800,000 people with criminal records for the purchase or processing of 30 grams or less of marijuana. The bill, which was approved through Illinois’ legislature rather than by a ballot vote, also requires 25 percent of tax revenue from marijuana sales to go toward redeveloping impoverished communities. Pritzker campaigned on the promise to legalize recreational marijuana and said it could generate between $800 million and $1 billion annually in tax revenue.

Read it at Associated Press

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