Illinois to Become 11th State to Legalize Recreational Marijuana

Illinois lawmakers voted to legalize recreational marijuana, becoming the 11th state to decriminalize the drug and bolstering Governor J.B. Pritzker’s efforts to shore up the finances of the cash-strapped state.

The House of Representatives on May 31 passed the measure (H.B. 1438) that allows the purchase and possession of cannabis by those who are 21 and older starting in 2020. The Senate approved the bill on May 29. Pritzker, who took office in January, had made legalization a key platform in his campaign and said soon after the legislation passed that he will sign it. The billionaire Democrat’s ...