Full Text of HR0157 101st General Assembly
HR0157 101ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY |
| | HR0157 | | LRB101 11298 ALS 56689 r |
|
| 1 | | HOUSE RESOLUTION
| 2 | | WHEREAS, The legalization of recreational marijuana is a | 3 | | major public policy decision that will affect the lives of | 4 | | millions of Illinoisans and should therefore be taken very | 5 | | seriously; and
| 6 | | WHEREAS, Respected stakeholders have expressed concerns | 7 | | about a number of possible health and safety issues that may | 8 | | arise from legalization; and
| 9 | | WHEREAS, Legalization has the potential to increase both | 10 | | access and use among youth users; and
| 11 | | WHEREAS, This potential increase to access and use raises | 12 | | concerns about the effect of marijuana on young people's | 13 | | brains, as research has demonstrated that long-term use of | 14 | | marijuana may be associated with altered brain development, | 15 | | particularly when individuals begin regular use during | 16 | | adolescence because the brain is not fully developed until an | 17 | | individual is 25 years old; and
| 18 | | WHEREAS, There is legitimate concern about the potential | 19 | | increase in cases of "driving under the influence" (DUIs), with | 20 | | many police departments expressing concern that there is not | 21 | | yet a reliable and accurate way to measure the impairment of a |
| | | HR0157 | - 2 - | LRB101 11298 ALS 56689 r |
|
| 1 | | driver who may have consumed marijuana; and
| 2 | | WHEREAS, States that have legalized recreational marijuana | 3 | | have seen an increase in homelessness, as people travel to | 4 | | those states for access to marijuana; and
| 5 | | WHEREAS, Research from the U.S. National Institutes of | 6 | | Health has indicated that marijuana use can have an adverse | 7 | | effect on individuals with mental health disorders, especially | 8 | | those with a predisposition for schizophrenia; and
| 9 | | WHEREAS, Several other states, including Colorado, have | 10 | | recently legalized recreational marijuana and are beginning to | 11 | | record data related to this change in policy; such data will | 12 | | illustrate both the benefits and possible detrimental effects | 13 | | of legalization, whether related to health, public safety, the | 14 | | effects on children, or any number of other issues; and
| 15 | | WHEREAS, Such data from other states is a valuable tool | 16 | | that Illinois should take full advantage of before making the | 17 | | decision on the legalization of recreational marijuana; | 18 | | therefore, be it
| 19 | | RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE | 20 | | HUNDRED FIRST GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that | 21 | | we urge lawmakers to slow the process of legalizing |
| | | HR0157 | - 3 - | LRB101 11298 ALS 56689 r |
|
| 1 | | recreational marijuana in Illinois, so that lawmakers, | 2 | | stakeholders, and experts alike have the chance to consider the | 3 | | societal impact of legalization and examine all of the data | 4 | | from other states that have passed similar legislation; and be | 5 | | it further
| 6 | | RESOLVED, That lawmakers should not rush irresponsible | 7 | | legislation purely for tax revenues but should consider the | 8 | | health and safety of Illinoisans as their first priority when | 9 | | considering the question of legalization; and be it further
| 10 | | RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be | 11 | | presented to the Governor's Office and the Clerk of the House.
|
|