As municipalities throughout the Southland consider how they will handle sales of recreational marijuana, officials in Will County are beginning talks on how to handle the issue outside of town boundaries.
Will County Board members plan to decide in November if they will allow for the retail sale of marijuana in unincorporated areas of the county.
Board members held a special committee of the whole meeting last week to discuss their options. The board is expected to vote on the issue at its November 21 meeting.
State lawmakers this year approved the retail sale of recreational marijuana beginning January 1. Under state law, counties and municipalities are allowed to tax the sale of recreational marijuana and adopt regulations for retail locations. Local entities also are allowed to opt out and ban the retail sale of recreational marijuana in their communities.
Some Will County communities, including Frankfort, Bolingbrook and Plainfield, have voted to ban the retail sale of marijuana. Joliet recently approved taxing the retail sale of marijuana but has not approved regulations for the sale of marijuana.
County Board members were divided, largely along party lines, on whether the county should allow for the retail sale of marijuana. Supporters, mostly Democrats, argued opting in would allow the county to collect a 3.75 percent sales tax on sales in unincorporated areas and provided needed revenue to cover the expense of dealing with some of the expenses associated with legalized recreational marijuana, such as enforcement efforts to deter driving under the influence or drug treatment.
Some board members, including Democrats Denise Winfrey and Herb Brooks, said they were undecided on where they stand on the issue.
Opponents, all Republicans, argued there are still too many unanswered questions about the new state legislation. Some also questioned how they could allow for the retail sale in unincorporated areas when several Will County towns have voted to ban it.
Will County Director of Substance Abuse Initiatives Kathleen Burke also pointed to the statistics from states with legalized marijuana indicating more marijuana-related emergency room visits, the drug’s harmful effects on the developing brain and illnesses associated with THC. She also noted that today’s marijuana contains more THC, the element that provides the “high” in marijuana, than in years past.
“It’s much more pure and much stronger,” Burke said. “It does impact people differently and you can’t just assume it’s not going to be dangerous.”
Will County board member Rachel Ventura, a Joliet Democrat, countered Burke’s presentation by citing a Harvard study indicating opioid use decreased when medical marijuana was a viable option. When Burke countered that medical marijuana and recreational marijuana use is different, Ventura interrupted that not all have access to medical marijuana and may turn to recreational use to control their symptoms.
Other Democrats noted the state law allows for responsible use of marijuana and that areas of concern, such as the use of marijuana by minors, remains illegal under the state legislation.
Board member Jim Moustis, a Frankfort Republican, said he was inclined to opt out of allowing retail sales in unincorporated areas.
“There is not one positive aspect to what’s gone on in Colorado,” he said, also pointing to studies showing for every dollar local entities in Colorado take in, they have about $4.50 in expenses. “There is no positive impact to local governments.”
Alicia Fabbre is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.
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