Illinois decriminalized Marijuana!

[ChairmanAgnostic]

Source: MPP Marijuana Policy Project

This afternoon, Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner (R) signed MPP’s bill decriminalizing possession of up to 10 grams of marijuana, making Illinois the 21st state to stop jailing marijuana consumers.

This is just the latest victory in the most ambitious year yet for rolling back marijuana prohibition …

More than 20 legislatures have already improved their states’ marijuana policies this year, and voters in as many as 10 more states will vote on sensible marijuana initiatives this November.


Read more: http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/ct-illinois-marijuana-decriminalzation-0730-20160729-story.html

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Great news. No more jail terms for pot.

This will probably lead to letting a lot of people out of prison, too.

[trueblue2007]

1. where is the news link ???????????????

[ChairmanAgnostic]

3. I got an email from MPP, no cite yet.

But here is the tribune

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/ct-illinois-marijuana-decriminalzation-0730-20160729-story.html

[pkdu]

7. Here..

http://wqad.com/2016/07/29/possession-of-marijuana-now-merits-only-a-fine-no-jail-time-in-illinois/

[ChairmanAgnostic]

12. Thanks.

Finally. Now, we need weed legalized.

But baby steps first. Especially with a teabagging gov like Rauner.

[Equinox Moon]

2. Great news!

Now will they let people out of jail for those convictions?

[maxsolomon]

6. If its for trafficking, nope. That's federal stuff.

I have no idea if anyone's actually in prison or jail for possession in IL. do you know?

Slowly but surely...

[ChairmanAgnostic]

10. Yes, although other crimes are often involved.

Typically, at least in Cook County (Chicago), it seems as though a repeater will get jail. First timers have been dealt with more leniently, especially once we passed medical marijuana (even tho those rules are onerous and hard to navigate).

[trueblue2007]

4. Illinois governor signs bill decriminalizing personal marijuana possession

Illinois governor signs bill decriminalizing personal marijuana possession

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. - Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner signed a bill into law Friday that removes criminal penalties for possession of a personal amount of marijuana and replaces them with a civil fine. The new law is effective immediately.

A bill introduced by state Sen. Heather Steans (D-Chicago), makes possession of up to 10 grams of marijuana a civil violation punishable by a fine of $100-$200. The bill ensures adults no longer face time in jail, and the civil offense will be automatically expunged in order to prevent a permanent criminal record.

Previously in Illinois, possession of up to 2.5 grams of marijuana was a class C misdemeanor punishable by up to 30 days in jail and/or a fine of up to $1,500; possession of 2.5-10 grams was a class B misdemeanor punishable by up to six months in jail and/or a fine of up to $1,500. More than 100 Illinois communities had already removed local criminal penalties for simple marijuana possession.

Illinois is now the 21st state in the nation, in addition to the District of Columbia, to remove the threat of jail time for simple marijuana possession.

http://www.wkyt.com/content/news/Illinois-governor-signs-bill-decriminalizing-personal-marijuana-possession-388692462.html

[63splitwindow]

5. In further news, crime rate immediately drops 50%.

[ChairmanAgnostic]

8. Heh, yeah.

[progressoid]

9. Bwahahaha.

I know a couple RWers in Illinois. This is going to cause great gnashing of teeth!!!

[ChairmanAgnostic]

11. Actually, pot is great for that condition, too.

[YOHABLO]

13. let em gnash !!

[ChairmanAgnostic]

14. True. Dentists need our love, too.

[PrideofJefferson]

15. Cement Obama's legacy

One of my political dreams is for President Obama to reschedule marijuana, offer clemency to those convicted of non violent, non trafficking possession (probably nonexistent at federal level) and instruct federal agencies to let the money start flowing towards research into this gift from the earth. This would cement Obama's legacy for compassion towards his fellow citizens.

[Fritz Walter]

29. Agreed

but the vast majority of those imprisoned on Cannabis-related charges are in state pens, and Repuke governors -- with strong ties to all those who financially gain by maintaining the status quo -- will continue to destroy the lives of otherwise law-abiding citizens.

Nonetheless, the message to the for-profit correction$ industry, law-enforcement agencies (who pad their budgets with confiscated assets), and Big Pharma would be unmistakable: their business model just went up in smoke.

[Big_K]

16. So not *really* decriminalized

Jail replaced by civil fine.

Had to look twice at this. Rauner has been standing in the way of expanding the use of medical marijuana for some time, so it didn't make sense that he'd decriminalize it completely.

Decriminalize and tax it, and it would pull Illinois out of the financial hole it's in. But he's too stupid/republican to do that. It's easier to blame the teachers and unions.

[ChairmanAgnostic]

19. So true, BUT

This is a great first step.

And it looks like PTSD will now be covered by MedMaryJane.

[metalbot]

34. That is the definition of decriminalization

It's used to distinguish from "legalization" which would mean "it's just legal".

It's also a nice first step.

[frazzled]

17. When Illinois has so many crisis-level, unresolved problems

I can hardly consider this "great news." I am all for decriminalizing marijuana (Chicago decriminalized it some years ago). But really, this is about the ONLY bill this governor has signed since taking office. He's been holding the state's budget hostage for more than a year--a year!--refusing to negotiate with the Democratic legislature unless they accede to his draconian, anti-labor agenda. In the meantime, public schools and colleges/universities, social services, hospitals, etc. have been in desperation. Sure, they managed finally this month to get a 6-month, stop-gap measure to disburse funds so schools could pay their bills and start in the fall, and service agencies could recoup a portion of their expenses, but it's just a temporary measure. And in the meantime, the state has fallen further and further behind, dropping precipitously in its ratings and ...

Well, yay for marijuana, but we have soooooo many more and suchh yuuuuuger fish to fry. Rauner is toxic.

[ChairmanAgnostic]

20. Right on all counts. Especially his toxicity.

[Taitertots]

18. It's a good step. But it's an exceptionally small step.

It does too little to reduce the harms caused by prohibition. They've gone from a terribly immoral system to a slightly less immoral system.

[Person 2713]

21. Good because even if you don't smoke pot why should taxpayers have to support the jails with

Non violent non crime users . Plus if you do smoke why have a jail record for a joint ??? Crazy so some progress made!

[63splitwindow]

22. AND mj buzz usually leads to hunger and laughing, not anger and violence like alcohol often does.

[Igel]

25. It also impairs memory formation

and reflexes for more than 24 hours after use.

That first bit, memory formation, means it likely hurts students. We see high-achievers who still do well, even if it probably reduces their achievement a bit, but we miss the bottom quartile who aren't doing well to begin with. It doesn't impair intelligence. Just what's learned. Since tests measure not intelligence but what's learned, well, you see the problem.

Strictly speaking, that's a deduction. Pot research hasn't been done on minors because that doesn't get past the protocols board.

The second is also intriguing, because if the test results for THC come back under the minimum legally prescribed, those results aren't recorded. But since it slows reaction time, we should deduce until proven otherwise that this residual effect increases accident rates. Studies looking at accidents and pot use focus either on overall stats, not showing blood levels below the legal minimum or drivers currently clearly under the influence. In other words, there's a gap that people argue is neutral.

[63splitwindow]

27. Which do you consider more of a health hazard (physical AND mental), mj or alcohol?

Last edited Fri Jul 29, 2016, 07:57 PM - Edit history (1)

[Betty88]

31. Buzz kill. nt

[coffeenap]

32. It remains illegal for minors. nt

[Midnight Writer]

33. Yet there are many different strains of legal pot and more in the pipeline

Some strains minimize motor impairment, focusing instead on euphoria.

Absolutely there should be restrictions on use by minors (although throwing kids in jail for possession seems draconian, penalties should be on suppliers), but by legalizing, consumers will know what effects to expect and research (along with consumer demand) will make for safer, more reliable products.

[Warren Stupidity]

23. decrim is bullshit

it keeps the black market thriving, continues to make criminals out of otherwise productive citizens, perpetuates the police state, and keeps the prison industrial complex an integral part of society.

[greymattermom]

35. So when does Amazon.com

start shipping from Colorado?

[Hassin Bin Sober]

37. Yep. It STILL gives cops the phony "sniff test" justification for rights violations.

[mahina]

24. What happens to everybody in jail for less than 10 grams then I wonder?

Good news, baby steps.

[Igel]

26. Read the legislation.

It's usually easier to parse than you'd think.

If it doesn't say it applies retroactively, it doesn't apply retroactively. (Yes, that kind of law reducing sentences can apply retroactively. It's criminalizing previously legal things that's unconstitutional.)

[Cryptoad]

28. smoke em if u got em!

[IronLionZion]

30. ...

[AgadorSparticus]

36. So glad to hear that! Way to go Illinois!

[raven mad]

38. Hasn't caused any harm here - absolute legal.

First steps are terrific. GO, Indiana!