Legalizing marijuana for adult recreational use spurred all kinds of economic activity in other states and Illinois lawmakers are considering the benefits in the Land of Lincoln.
Colorado state Rep. Dan Pabon testified in Illinois Tuesday that tax revenue from legalization won’t fix Illinois’ budget woes, but it will generate economic activity.
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SPRINGFIELD — Legalizing marijuana for adult recreational use spurred all kinds of economic activity in other states and Illinois lawmakers are considering the benefits in the Land of Lincoln.
Colorado state Rep. Dan Pabon testified in Illinois Tuesday that tax revenue from legalization won’t fix Illinois’ budget woes, but it will generate economic activity.
“It is a very vibrant entrepreneurial setting I think in Colorado and is reflective of the interest we have in developing not necessarily cannabis, but new business opportunities in our state,” Pabon said.
Pabon, a Democrat, said legal weed isn’t making Coloradans lazy. The state has a 2.3 percent unemployment rate as opposed to Illinois’ 4.9 percent.
Marijuana Policy Group’s Adam Orens said legalization also spurs on the “buy local” movement.
“What you saw was that this had spillover economic effects on more than about 90 percent of the other industries in [Colorado],” Orens said.