(WBBM NEWSRADIO) - The state said recreational use marijuana sales in Illinois in the last year have been a big win for local governments and economically hard-hit communities.
The state said there was one and a half billion dollars in sales of cannabis products in Illinois in the last fiscal year. That has translated into $445 million in tax money, 50% more than the previous year, which was $297 million. Local governments received nearly 83-million dollars from those tax revenues.
Governor Pritzker said Illinois has worked to ensure that communities hurt by the war on drugs have had the opportunity to participate in the cannabis industry. By law, 25% of tax money generated by legal marijuana sales must be used to support economically distressed communities and areas experiencing high rates of violence.
State Senate Majority Leader Kimberly Lightford said legalizing cannabis for adults has been a wise investment for the Illinois economy. The Illinois Department of Revenue said the cannabis industry in the state has created hundreds of jobs at cultivation centers and dispensaries and that the tax money generated has helped with drug programs and treatments.
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