In The News: JB Pritzker Supports Legalizing Marijuana

Press Release

April 20th highlighted a key difference in the Illinois governor's race: JB Pritzker wants to legalize marijuana in the name of criminal justice reform, consumer safety, and increased state revenue, but Bruce Rauner is firmly against it.

Here's what Illinoisans are seeing and reading in the news about legalization:

From Fox 32 Chicago:

From Chicago Sun-Times: Pols high on marijuana legalization hope to clear the air on 4/20 pot "holiday':

Democrat J.B. Pritzker has vowed he'll sign legislation to legalize marijuana should he win the governor's seat -- that is, if it gets to his desk. […]

In January, Pritzker stood outside an Andersonville dispensary in blustery weather to signal legalization would be a big centerpiece to his campaign for governor.

Pritzker has emphasized the benefits to minorities of pot legalization on both economic and criminal justice reform grounds. He also said he would review and commute the sentences of people incarcerated for marijuana offenses.

Pritzker has said he believes legalization could bring in between $350 million and $700 million in revenue […]

Gov. Bruce Rauner told a Downstate TV station in December that it would be a "mistake" to legalize marijuana in Illinois. The Republican governor has, in the past, said he wants more studies on the "ramifications" in states that have legalized the drug.

From Daily Northwestern: Pritzker highlights push for legalization of marijuana on 4/20:

On 4/20, Democratic candidate for governor J.B. Pritzker emphasized his push for the legalization of marijuana in Illinois on various social media platforms.

In an advertisement posted in February, Pritzker said a legalization bill in Illinois would allow the state to "enter the 21st century." He tweeted the video on April 20, the unofficial holiday for cannabis use.

"For far too long, marijuana laws have led to discrimination and injustice," Pritzker said. "For far too long, our state has waited and watched and missed out on jobs and revenue. As governor, I intend to sign a marijuana legalization bill to advance the causes of criminal justice reform, of consumer safety and of job creation." […]

In a thread on Twitter, Pritzker criticized Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner for not only opposing legalization but also making medical marijuana "inaccessible." He said verification for medical use in Illinois takes longer than is required by law, making it difficult for sellers to stay in business and for patients to receive treatment.

"Rauner's failures are hurting patients with illnesses like those suffering from chronic pain," Pritzker tweeted. "It's time we move forward and protect medical marijuana patients instead of penalizing them."

From Thrillist: Everything You Need To Know About Legal Weed In Chicago:

[Dispensary owner Danny] Marks believes that if a Democratic governor is elected in November, recreational marijuana will be coming to Chicago as early as next year. Democratic nominee J.B. Pritzker is a strong supporter of marijuana legalization in Illinois, while nearly 70% of Cook County residents supported a non-binding advisory referendum on recreational legalization in March. According to Marks, support for legalization is strong across both sides of the political divide. "The only bipartisan issue we have in this country right now is support for the legalization of marijuana," he said. Whether or not it does pass, "we're having the conversation in Illinois earlier than any of us expected," says Bachtell. "It's an indication of where we are as a country."

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