CHICAGO – It's only a matter of a few months now before Illinois will be dealing with the challenges of easy-access and legal cannabis throughout the state.
Marijuana for those who have medical needs wasn't enough for Illinois – there is too much quick money to be made.
So here Illinois goes …with the help of three GOP Congress members: Mike Bost (12 CD), Adam Kinzinger (16 CD) and Rodney Davis (13 CD).
One of the biggest obstacles for cannabis manufacturers and sellers has been the federal banking system. Pot pushers could deal only in cash because the federal banking system still lists marijuana as a Schedule 1 illegal substance.
But that could be changing. This week, the first step was made when US House members voted to open access to federal banks for marijuana money.
Not only did Democrats from Illinois vote for the bill, so did Republicans.
Democrats: Bobby Rush (1 CD), Kelly (2 CD), Lipinski (3 CD), Garcia (4 CD), Quigley (5 CD), Casten (6 CD), Danny Davis (7 CD), Krishnamoorthi (8 CD), Schakowsky (9 CD), Schneider (10 CD), Foster (11 CD), Underwood (14 CD), and Bustos (17 CD) voted yes.
Republicans: Bost (12 CD), Rodney Davis (13 CD), and Kinzinger (16 CD) voted yes.
Republicans LaHood (18 CD) and Shimkus (15 CD) voted no – two of 103 – all Republicans – to vote no.
Heritage.org writes what that vote means:
This bill is all about protecting people and businesses who openly commit federal crimes by selling marijuana, and rewarding them by giving them access to the most important banking system in the world to further give them the patina of legitimacy.
And those votes are even more dangerous, Heritage writes in a piece entitled "Why Giving Pot Pushers Access to Our Banks Is Dangerous" :
And at the same time the House is considering this bill, the data on the impact of the legalization experiment across the country is proving just what a dangerous and bad idea legalization has become.
The Rocky Mountain High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area report on the impact of legalization in Colorado is devastating for those pushing pot. The report found:
- Traffic deaths where drivers tested positive for marijuana increased 109%
- Traffic deaths involving drivers who tested positive for marijuana more than doubled between 2013 and 2018
- The percentage of all Colorado traffic deaths that were marijuana related increased 15% in 2013 to 23% in 2018
- Marijuana use in the past month for children ages 12 and up increased 58%, and is 78% higher than the national average
- Adult marijuana use increased 94%, and is 96% higher than the national average
- The yearly number of emergency room visits related to marijuana increased 54% after legalization
- Marijuana-related hospitalizations increased 101% after legalization
- Suicides where toxicology results were positive for marijuana increased from 14% in 2013 to 23% in 2017
But all those facts weren't enough for 16 out of 18 Illinois Congress members to vote "no" on the "Safe Banking Act."
The measure now proceeds to the U.S. Senate and if it passes there, to President Trump.
