Teens, NAACP, ILACP, others in Capitol rally
opposing legalization of recreational marijuana

March 6, 2019

Press release from Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM)

For More Information Contact:

Kirsten Kukowski, [email protected]

Illinois Organizations and Concerned Citizens Ascend on Capitol to Urge

Lawmakers ‘Vote No on Recreational Marijuana’

SPRINGFIELD, Illinois — Today, Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM) Illinois held a rally and lobby day at the Illinois State Capitol, meeting with lawmakers and asking them to oppose legalized marijuana. The coalition is made up of Illinois citizens, law enforcement, health care professionals, businesses, parents, and others concerned about the effects Big Marijuana will have on the state.

“While Governor Pritzker and a handful of lawmakers may be spreading the message that legalized marijuana is inevitable in Illinois, we know that many legislators and citizens have serious concerns about the cost and impact of Big Marijuana in our state,” said Abu Edwards, Director of State Affairs for SAM. “Whether it’s additional societal costs, regulatory costs, safety concerns, or marketing dangerous and addictive products to children, there are growing voices in Springfield and across the state that are saying we need to slow down, and we should not be pushing legal marijuana in Illinois.”

A rally kicked off their lobby day and participants included Representative Marty Moylan, D-Des Plaines; Ed Wojcicki, Executive Director of the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police; Kate Reed, Pledge for Life Partnership-Drug Free Communities Project Coordinator; Robert Moore, Chairman of NAACP Illinois Criminal Justice Committee; Jamie Epstein, Stand Strong Coalition; High School Students from Adlai E. Stevenson High School; Abu Edwards, SAM Director of State Affairs; and Omari Prince, SAM Illinois State Director.

“Illinoisans brought a strong and clear message to lawmakers today. Marijuana is not the right answer for Illinois,” Edwards concluded.

You can learn more about SAM Illinois at http://healthyillinois.org/. 

Photos from today’s rally can be found here: https://bit.ly/2EGmQaf