Bill Text: IL HR0157 | 2019-2020 | 101st General Assembly | Introduced
Bill Title: Urges lawmakers to slow the process of legalizing recreational marijuana in Illinois, so that lawmakers, stakeholders, and experts alike have the chance to consider the societal impact of legalization and examine all the data from other states that have passed similar legislation.
Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Republican 39-22)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2019-07-02 - Rule 19(b) / Re-referred to Rules Committee [HR0157 Detail]
Download: Illinois-2019-HR0157-Introduced.html
| |||||||
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | HOUSE RESOLUTION
| ||||||
2 | WHEREAS, The legalization of recreational marijuana is a | ||||||
3 | major public policy decision that will affect the lives of | ||||||
4 | millions of Illinoisans and should therefore be taken very | ||||||
5 | seriously; and
| ||||||
6 | WHEREAS, Respected stakeholders have expressed concerns | ||||||
7 | about a number of possible health and safety issues that may | ||||||
8 | arise from legalization; and
| ||||||
9 | WHEREAS, Legalization has the potential to increase both | ||||||
10 | access and use among youth users; and
| ||||||
11 | WHEREAS, This potential increase to access and use raises | ||||||
12 | concerns about the effect of marijuana on young people's | ||||||
13 | brains, as research has demonstrated that long-term use of | ||||||
14 | marijuana may be associated with altered brain development, | ||||||
15 | particularly when individuals begin regular use during | ||||||
16 | adolescence because the brain is not fully developed until an | ||||||
17 | individual is 25 years old; and
| ||||||
18 | WHEREAS, There is legitimate concern about the potential | ||||||
19 | increase in cases of "driving under the influence" (DUIs), with | ||||||
20 | many police departments expressing concern that there is not | ||||||
21 | yet a reliable and accurate way to measure the impairment of a |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | driver who may have consumed marijuana; and
| ||||||
2 | WHEREAS, States that have legalized recreational marijuana | ||||||
3 | have seen an increase in homelessness, as people travel to | ||||||
4 | those states for access to marijuana; and
| ||||||
5 | WHEREAS, Research from the U.S. National Institutes of | ||||||
6 | Health has indicated that marijuana use can have an adverse | ||||||
7 | effect on individuals with mental health disorders, especially | ||||||
8 | those with a predisposition for schizophrenia; and
| ||||||
9 | WHEREAS, Several other states, including Colorado, have | ||||||
10 | recently legalized recreational marijuana and are beginning to | ||||||
11 | record data related to this change in policy; such data will | ||||||
12 | illustrate both the benefits and possible detrimental effects | ||||||
13 | of legalization, whether related to health, public safety, the | ||||||
14 | effects on children, or any number of other issues; and
| ||||||
15 | WHEREAS, Such data from other states is a valuable tool | ||||||
16 | that Illinois should take full advantage of before making the | ||||||
17 | decision on the legalization of recreational marijuana; | ||||||
18 | therefore, be it
| ||||||
19 | RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE | ||||||
20 | HUNDRED FIRST GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that | ||||||
21 | we urge lawmakers to slow the process of legalizing |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | recreational marijuana in Illinois, so that lawmakers, | ||||||
2 | stakeholders, and experts alike have the chance to consider the | ||||||
3 | societal impact of legalization and examine all of the data | ||||||
4 | from other states that have passed similar legislation; and be | ||||||
5 | it further
| ||||||
6 | RESOLVED, That lawmakers should not rush irresponsible | ||||||
7 | legislation purely for tax revenues but should consider the | ||||||
8 | health and safety of Illinoisans as their first priority when | ||||||
9 | considering the question of legalization; and be it further
| ||||||
10 | RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be | ||||||
11 | presented to the Governor's Office and the Clerk of the House.
|