Does This Look Like The Face Of A Governor Who Loves Marijuana?

(source)–Is Illinois on the path to legalizing recreational marijuana? Gov. J.B. Pritzker, who was sworn in Monday, said as much during his inaugural address in Springfield.

“In the interests of keeping the public safe from harm, expanding true justice in our criminal justice system, and advancing economic inclusion, I will work with the legislature to legalize, tax and regulate the sale of recreational cannabis in Illinois,” Pritzker said on Monday.

Crowd reaction:

Come on, Illinois, everyone is doing it. Even Michigan. The entire country is moving towards legalized marijuana. Thomas Jefferson finally got his wish. A nation of states that don’t give a FUCK about the Federal Government.

Fed Gov:”Sir! Marijuana is a schedule one drug!”

States:

Pritzker said all the right things. Justice, safety, economic inclusion blah blah blah. Here is the real reason:

According to a November 2018 report by the Illinois Economic Policy Institute, if the state were to legalize recreational cannabis use, Illinois would generate more than $500 million in tax revenues, create more than 23,000 jobs and boost the state’s economy by $1 billion annually. Additionally, the report claims it would allow the state to make more pension payments and investments in infrastructure, K-12 public schools, college assistance programs and drug treatment and prevention programs.

A billion dollars per year in tax revenue. A BILLION. Historically it’s always been the older people who have been pushing back against legalization. Now that they need pensions and medicare funded let’s check in with them

90% of Chicago residents said in November that they were in favor of legalization and polling shows that as many as 66% of voters state-wide support the legalization of recreational use. It’s kind of surprising that it’s taken this long now that I think of it. Chicago has always been deep blue and the rural areas which typically lean more conservative are heavily farmers. Farmers who are probably salivating down state about the prospects of growing commercial marijuana instead corn or soy. It’s only a matter of time. Illinos is about to be a whole lot cooler.