Petition to The Macomb, Illinois City Council & Mayor Michael Inman to Vote To Allow Recreational Cannabis Sales in the City of Macomb, Illinois

What This Petition Is About

Currently, Macomb’s City Council is debating on whether to allow cannabis shops & sales within city limits, or if they will vote to "opt out," forcing customers to travel for sales. This measure may and can be voted on as soon as MONDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2019 with a FINAL VOTE set for MONDAY, OCTOBER 28.

Background Info

The Illinois Cannabis Regulation & Tax Act becomes effective on January 1, 2020. This law allows adult Illinois residents age 21+ to possess 30 grams of cannabis or five grams of cannabis concentrate.

The Illinois General Assembly passed legislation this session that would make it legal for adults 21 and older to purchase and use cannabis. Built into legalization is a program called the Restore, Reinvest and Renew Program, or R3. 

“Views of marijuana legalization differ by generation and political party, though support has increased across demographic groups over time. Majorities of Millennials (74%), Gen Xers (63%) and Baby Boomers (54%) say the use of marijuana should be legal, up sharply from earlier years. And while a smaller share of the Silent Generation (39%) currently favors legalization, support among these Americans has also increased.” Source: https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2019/06/26/facts-about-marijuana/

Medical cannabis consumers currently must drive at least an hour away to obtain their medication. That dispensary wanted to be located in Macomb, but did not  find support here when they approached our Mayor and City Hall several years ago.

That dispensary set up in another community, taking all that revenue out of our community and giving it to another. This is an opportunity the Macomb community should not pass up.

Recreational cannabis users deserve equal treatment under our laws that are currently afforded to other recreational activities such as the consumption of alcohol.

This program is designed to specifically help communities such as Macomb with its “Restore, Reinvest, and Renew Program” meant to revitalize disadvantaged communities, improve economic development, and provide aid to people who suffered from the War on Drugs.

We, the people of Macomb and surrounding communities, by virtue of our signatures:

• attest that we believe that allowing responsible, well-regulated cannabis sales in our community will be greatly beneficial, with the jobs, sales taxes, social justice, economic opportunity, health, recreation, tourism, and research and development far outweighing any feared or actual negative consequences
• implore all members of the Macomb City Council and Mayor Mike Inman to vote to allow the sales of recreational cannabis in Macomb, or, if they are against it, to:
• allow a special referendum of voters to solicit their input

For the benefit of our community, those needing good jobs, businesses needing more customers, our university and college students, and our many medical cannabis patients, we ask their support.

Please share this petition and help us obtain signatures. This is time-sensitive.

Petition Author: Heather McMeekan, Macomb, Illinois, 61455, on behalf of the Democratic Women of McDonough County.

For questions about this petition, please email info@democratic-women.com.

Background:

• IDPH Patient Registry Program: http://www.dph.illinois.gov/topics-services/prevention-wellness/medical-cannabis
• Compassionate Use Program: https://www2.illinois.gov/sites/mcpp/Pages/default.aspx
• Fact Sheet on Restore, Reinvest and Renew (R3) Program: https://www.iljp.org/r3factsheet
• Facts About Cannabis Legalization
  https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2019/06/26/facts-about-marijuana/