Democratic People's Republic of Illinois Legalizes Pot

[Bill]

https://www.cnbc.com/amp/2019/12/31/...ana-sales.html

Illinois rings in New Year's Day with its first legal recreational marijuana sales


Published Wed, Jan 1 2020 8:01 AM EST
Berkeley Lovelace Jr.
@BerkeleyJr


Illinois joins 10 other states and the District of Columbia in the commercial sale and purchase of marijuana for recreational use.
Marijuana consumers are expected to flock to the more than three dozen licensed dispensaries in the state, most located in Chicago or Chicago suburbs.

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An employee holds a jar of marijuana on sale after it became legal in the state to sell recreational marijuana to customers over 21 years old in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Illinois begins the legal sale of marijuana on Jan 1, 2020.
Matthew Hatcher | Reuters

Illinois rings in the new year on Wednesday by joining 10 states and the District of Columbia in allowing the legal sale and purchase of marijuana.

Illinois became the 11th state in the nation to legalize recreational pot use in June after Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed a bill into law, permitting Illinois residents and visitors to buy the drug from licensed dispensaries, beginning on Jan. 1.

Marijuana enthusiasts and those curious about the drug are expected to flock to the more than three dozen licensed dispensaries in the state, most located in Chicago or Chicago suburbs.

Cresco Labs, a Chicago-based cannabis company, says it has spent weeks training its roughly 530 employees in Illinois on educating new marijuana users in anticipation of a swell of curious shoppers on Wednesday.

The company, with dispensaries peppered across Chicago's suburbs, has also prepared a full selection of products, including flowers, prerolled joints, vapes, concentrates and edibles. Depending on the product, prices usually fall between $15 and $80, according to the company's website.

"The level of excitement has far outweighed the launch of an iPhone or new pair of Jordan [shoes]," Cresco Labs spokesman Jason Erkes told CNBC.
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Interior of Sunnyside, a cannabis shop located in Chicago.
Cresco Labs

Under the new state law, adults over the age of 21 may own 30 grams of cannabis flower, 500 milligrams of THC in pot products and 5 grams of cannabis concentrate. People visiting the state are allowed to purchase 15 grams of the drug but cannot transport it across state lines. The drug can only be smoked in private residences and smoke shops, according to the state law.

For the big day, Cresco Labs rented out a coffee shop near its dispensary in Lakeview, Erkes said, where the company is expecting the highest traffic. Some of the staff will be there Wednesday to take preorders as well as educate interested customers on products and how to consume the drug, he said.

"We anticipate people who haven't used cannabis in 20 or 30 years and those who never have," said Erkes, who added the company is estimating "thousands" to line up across four of its stores.

The law, which also imposes a tax on marijuana sales, is expected to generate a large amount of revenue for the state. Marijuana purchases will be taxed based on THC content — a 10% sales tax on pot products with THC levels of 35% or less, a 25% tax on products with THC levels of 35% or more and a 20% tax on all THC-infused products.

Freedman and Koski, a Colorado consulting firm, expects the marijuana industry could bring in $440 million to $676 million in tax revenue to the state each year. In Chicago alone, tax revenues from recreational marijuana are expected by city representatives to reach $3.5 million in 2020.

[BOTY]

and tax the chit out of it.

[dvarapala]

Originally Posted by BOTY

and tax the chit out of it.

Voytek alone smokes enough to bring IL out of bankruptcy.

[69camfrk]

Those "curious" about the drug? That has to be one of the dumbest statements I've ever heard. The same people who are/have used it, are going to be the ones at the store. Old people who might have quit years ago, might want to think about what they are doing though. The chronic out there now ain't the same old dirt weed they were smoking at Woodstock.

[BOTY]

Originally Posted by 69camfrk

Those "curious" about the drug? That has to be one of the dumbest statements I've ever heard. The same people who are/have used it, are going to be the ones at the store. Old people who might have quit years ago, might want to think about what they are doing though. The chronic out there now ain't the same old dirt weed they were smoking at Woodstock.

Correct.

[Raazor]

My BIL owns a Med Marijuana facility. he got in on the ground floor. He can't make enough right now and only has 55 regular customers. Once they legalize for recreational use, he's going to make bank.

[BOTY]

[Raazor]

Originally Posted by BOTY

after he did all the hard work and was up and running, I wanted to invest. He just laughed at me

[BOTY]

Originally Posted by Raazor

after he did all the hard work and was up and running, I wanted to invest. He just laughed at me

[Wathen1955]

In CA, we are allowed to grow up to 6 plants for personal use, but they can't be seen from the street. I have grown plants in my backyard using a whiskey barrel. My younger daughter has epilepsy, and she has a medical marijuana card to get some, so I decided to help her out by growing some plants in my backyard to save money.

Even with this barrel, the plant grows as high as 6+ feet up to the top of the fence, so I have to bend the main trunk with string to keep it below the fence line. Female plant yields a good return, enough to last her for several months.

[MrPeabody]

Nothing makes a Republican demand new taxes more than legalized weed.

California has taxed it so heavily on a state and local level they can't compete with the well established black market here.

[dvarapala]

Originally Posted by Raazor

My BIL owns a Med Marijuana facility. he got in on the ground floor. He can't make enough right now and only has 55 regular customers. Once they legalize for recreational use, he's going to make bank.

You're in the wrong business.

[MadInNc]

Truth.....

[BOTY]

Originally Posted by MadInNc

Truth.....

Cool pic.

[MrPeabody]

If you give four or five guys all the liquor they can drink, they will probably start a fight.

If you give four or five guys all the weed they can smoke, they will probably start a band.

[MEANZ06]

Originally Posted by Wathen1955

In CA, we are allowed to grow up to 6 plants for personal use, but they can't be seen from the street.

Highway 70 just outside of Marysville, Ca. I know the sign says "Industrial Hemp" but I'll tell you, you can smell that farm from a half mile away in each direction and it smells REALLY good

January 1, 2020 - YouTube

[Egnalf]

Originally Posted by MrPeabody

If you give four or five guys all the liquor they can drink, they will probably start a fight.

If you give four or five guys all the weed they can smoke, they will probably start a band.

people fought to get rid of cigarette smoke in public places. great. now they legalize weed and it smells a jillion times worser. fine make it legal but keep it out of public realm just like garettes. I don't wAnt to smell like that stuff. or, how about this let me walk the streets with vokda

[MrPeabody]

Originally Posted by Egnalf

people fought to get rid of cigarette smoke in public places. great. now they legalize weed and it smells a jillion times worser. fine make it legal but keep it out of public realm just like garettes. I don't wAnt to smell like that stuff. or, how about this let me walk the streets with vokda

It is pretty much illegal to use it in public places in California. Vaping also.

[BOTY]

Originally Posted by MrPeabody

If you give four or five guys all the liquor they can drink, they will probably start a fight.

If you give four or five guys all the weed they can smoke, they will probably start a band.

I would disagree, but it would be an opinion and we all know what those are like. Stoners be fighting over a bag of Cheetos like mofos.

[DJ_Critterus]

Originally Posted by dvarapala

Voytek alone smokes enough to bring IL out of bankruptcy.

So, why hasn't Adog fixed commiefornia, yet?