Voters in Cook County will give their input on whether recreational marijuana should be legal in Illinois during the March 2018 election.
CHICAGO, IL - A referendum on the March 2018 ballot will ask Cook County voters whether or not recreational marijuana should be legal in Illinois. But even if the voters say "yes," recreational marijuana will not be legal in Illinois. At least not yet, anyway.
The referendum is advisory only, the Chicago Tribune was among the first to report. The Cook County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously this week to seek county residents' input on the marijuana subject.
Some on the board say that a strong turnout in favor of the referendum could result in action at the state level since the vote will come during a legislative session in Springfield.
Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle is among those who support the legalization of marijuana as a way to increase tax revenue, lessen the burden on law enforcement and jails and prevent negative life effects on minorities who have disproportionately been affected by prohibition. John Fritchey is among the other board members who support legalization.
Some others on the County Board, including Sean Morrison, do not support legalization but supported the advisory referendum, which will be stated on the ballot as: "Shall the state of Illinois legalize the cultivation, manufacture, distribution, testing, and sale of marijuana and marijuana products for recreational use by adults 21 and older subject to state regulation, taxation and local ordinance?"
Morrison is one of 12 sponsors listed on the referendum.
The proposed County Board resolution to place the referendum on the ballot included verbiage that is critical of the nation's longstanding "War on Drugs."
It states that "despite spending more than $1 Trillion over the last 40 years, the efforts of the 'War on Drugs', the health and social costs of drugs increase every year, drugs are no less available than before, and treatment is not available to the vast majority of people who need it."
It continues to state that "existing evidence from other states and countries show there is no indication that decriminalization or legalization of marijuana leads to a measurable increase in its use."
So far, recreational marijuana has been legalized in some states: Colorado, Washington, Oregon, Alaska, Massachusetts, Nevada and Washington, D.C. Medicinal marijuana has been legalized in several more, including Illinois.