Issue Position: Legalizing Marijuana

Issue Position

The path forward for Illinois is clear: we need to legalize marijuana. As governor, I am ready to stand with leaders, communities, and families across our state to legalize marijuana and move our state forward.

There is an abundance of evidence that shows we can legalize marijuana in a safe way. It would have real benefits for Illinois, including reducing opioid overdoses and bringing in much needed revenue from taxation, all without increasing drug use in young people.

Most importantly, legalizing marijuana is a step forward in reforming our broken criminal justice system. Criminalizing marijuana hasn't made our communities safer. What it has done is disproportionately impact black and brown communities. There are way too many people who have gone to prison or are currently sitting in prison for marijuana related offenses. The criminalization of marijuana has never been and never will be enforced fairly and it's time to bring that to an end.

JB will work to legalize marijuana, reduce mass incarceration, and reinvest in Illinois communities:

Safely legalize and decriminalize marijuana and put in place a framework to license businesses to sell marijuana to consumers for recreational use.
Review and commute the sentences of people incarcerated for marijuana offenses in Illinois. It's time to bring the era of mass incarcerations for minor drug offenses to an end.
Intentionally include black and brown entrepreneurs in the planning and licensing of new marijuana dispensaries. New jobs and businesses must be created in the communities that have experienced the most disinvestment under Bruce Rauner.
Reinvest in communities hit hardest by the war on drugs and the legacy of mass incarceration.

Source