Pot Tourism in Illinois?
Could Illinois become a tourist destination for Wisconsinites that like marijuana?
The article, ‘Can Illinois draw marijuana tourists from out of state? Retailers are taking a gamble on Illinois border towns’ reports that South Beloit, Ill. approved Chicago-based Cresco Labs to open a store just off Interstate 90, less than a mile from the Wisconsin border.
“It’s the perfect site,” South Beloit Mayor Ted Rehl told the Tribune. “Location, location, location.”
South Beloit also plans to put a 3% municipal tax — the highest allowed — on the sale of marijuana and the mayor said the city could not pass up that opportunity.
Wisconsin Democratic legislators–and even a Republican–have versions of legislation for full legalization and another for medicinal cannabis.
In his budget, Gov. Tony Evers had included legalizing medical marijuana and decriminalizing small amounts of pot. He has called these measures a top priority. “This is not just about access to health care, this is about connecting the dots between racial disparities and economic inequity,” Evers said at a news conference earlier this year.
But the effort was removed from Evers’ budget and hit a dead end due to the staunch objection of Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald. (Speaker Robin Vos has expressed a willingness to look at medicinal marijuana.)
Meanwhile, states all around Wisconsin are moving forward. In Michigan, marijuana is already legal for medicinal use and a ballot measure in 2018 resulted in approval of full legalization, although it won’t likely be available commercially until early next year, as businesses must be licensed and approved. That timing is similar to Illinois, where full legalization takes effect Jan. 1, 2020. Minnesota has a restrictive medical marijuana program, and Democrats have made full legalization a major election issue in that state.
Reprinted with permission of Wisconsin Examiner.
More about the Legalizing of Marijuana
- Republicans’ Medical Marijuana Bill Is Likely Dead - Baylor Spears - Feb 18th, 2024
- The State of Politics: Why GOP Divided on Medical Marijuana - Steven Walters - Jan 15th, 2024
- Bill Decriminalizes Marijuana Possession Under 14 Grams - Rich Kremer - Jan 15th, 2024
- GOP Proposal Supports Small, State-Run Medical Marijuana Program - Anya van Wagtendonk - Jan 8th, 2024
- Senate Democratic Leader Reacts to Republican Medical Marijuana Proposal - Dianne Hesselbein - Jan 8th, 2024
- Democrats Push Again to Legalize Marijuana - Erik Gunn - Sep 25th, 2023
- Senator Agard: Response to Speaker Vos’ Medical Marijuana Comments - State Sen. Melissa Agard, Senate Democratic Leader - Apr 20th, 2023
- State Residents Paid $36 Million in Illinois Marijuana Taxes in 2022 - Isiah Holmes - Mar 20th, 2023
- Wisconsinites Paid over $36 Million in Taxes to Illinois on Cannabis Purchases - State Sen. Melissa Agard, Senate Democratic Leader - Mar 16th, 2023
- Illinois, Michigan Gained $770 Million From Cannabis Taxes in 2022 - Katjusa Cisar - Mar 9th, 2023
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