ILLINOIS (KMOX) — Illinois lawmakers are crafting recreational marijuana legislation with lessons learned from other states firmly in mind.
State Rep. Kelly Cassidy said they were often warned not to focus on simply creating a cash cow.
"States that have tried to go about this in a way that puts revenue first, they end up with less revenue and a non-functional system. I am so grateful to everyone that's worked on this for understanding if we get it right, we get it right, and we will get the revenue we need," Cassidy said.
Colorado officials said some consumers don't know enough about marijuana and are making bad choices. For example, edibles take longer to have an effect than smoking — so many were eating too many edibles in hopes of a quicker high.
"One of the things we learned in studying the experience of Colorado is we need to standardize the dosing of edibles and control the way they are marketed and packaged," Sen. Heather Steans said.
With that in mind, the Illinois proposal limits the potency of edibles and prohibits marketing that might appeal to kids.
Steans said the Illinois proposal also includes a public education campaign.
READ THE PROPOSAL HERE: