Decriminalization of Marijuana in Illinois

On Sept. 23, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel stood in front of the House-Senate Joint Criminal Reform Committee and encouraged the General Assembly to decriminalize marijuana possession statewide.  He also pushed to reduce the penalty for carrying a controlled substance of 1 gram or less to a misdemeanor.

This is not the first time Emanuel has supported decriminalization of marijuana in Illinois. In 2012, he supported a law to decriminalize in the city of Chicago that allows police to fine those with 15 grams of pot or less $250 to $500. Now he’s asking the state to consider the law as well.

If passed, Illinois would be the 17th state in the U.S. to decriminalize cannabis.