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The policy also allows adults 21 years and older to grow up to five plants in their home, as long as they are in a locked room and not in plain sight. This has been a contentious issue in negotiations and Deputy Gov. Christian Mitchell said he anticipates substantial changes.

State Sen. Dale Righter (R-Mattoon) is one of many legislators that have questions about the home grow component. Righter said he is concerned that people choosing to grow plants at home will not be regulated on the potency of their plants, and could go beyond what the law allows.

Steans said this is not a real concern: “There’s only so much potency you can get in your plant,” she said. “The higher potency can come when you infuse and make other products. It can only go to about 35 percent in a plant. The plant just can’t get more potent than that.”

* Capitol News Illinois…

Mitchell Davis, police chief of Hazel Crest and second vice president of the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police, said marijuana-related driving arrests present challenges for officers, as does the allowance of five home grown plants.

“It’s impossible for us to regulate that,” he said. “Home grows take away any controls that you are putting in place for the legal purchase of cannabis.”

Davis said this “opens the door for cartels” and makes it more accessible to minors, even with the specified safety measures in the bill.

* Sun-Times…

Nevertheless, Steans said she plans to file an amendment to the measure next week to address other concerns, specifically over expungements and home grow.

Currently, the proposed legislation would allow for five plants within a household. Steans’ legislation may change those provisions to apply to just medical marijuana, amid opponents’ concerns over whether those homegrown plants would wind up for sale on the illegal black market.

Before we begin, just a warning that if I see evidence of a coordinated social media campaign to freep this poll I will delete it.

Also, to clarify, this question only applies to your personal preference, not what you would be willing to accept in order to pass a bill.

* The Question: Should home grow be allowed for everyone, limited to medical users or banned altogether? Take the poll and then explain your answer in comments, please…

survey services

posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, May 16, 19 @ 3:28 pm

Comments

I automatically discount whatever law enforcement comments concerning pot. We have several years of data to draw on with states that have had legal pot, why are the distractors still not looking at it?

Comment by truthteller Thursday, May 16, 19 @ 3:30 pm
The police just gave us the answer. Simply allow it for everyone and they wont have to worry about minute details.

Comment by Generic Drone Thursday, May 16, 19 @ 3:33 pm
I voted no all together as it could be a show-stopper and can be added later and, more importantly to me, I want this whole thing to be a huge tax windfall and I do not see how with home growing.

Comment by I Miss Bentohs Thursday, May 16, 19 @ 3:34 pm
For purely selfish reasons I voted not at all.

I can’t grow mold on cheese, so I wouldn’t be a home gardener in my wildest dreams. But that’s not why I voted against. I want the state to get the maximum possible revenue from this because there are going to be unforeseen costs of legal, recreational use.

And as a likely consumer, I want a tightly regulated market so that I have some confidence in what I am buying and some recourse if there are issues with a retailer’s product.

Let the legal pot experiment begin and see what happens. Assuming there are only minor problems, I can see a future effort to legalize home grow that should be easy to win legislative support.

Comment by 47th Ward Thursday, May 16, 19 @ 3:35 pm
If you can brew beer at home, should be able to grow weed at home. The two are pretty much the same to me:
- most people who consume the product don’t do it
- it takes a lot of work
- the end result usually isn’t as good as what you can buy from professionals
- it gives a path for enterprising enthusiasts to gain knowledge and experience before sinking a lot of money into a professional operation

This seems like a tactic by big pot to keep their profit margins large rather than a legitimate public policy issue.

Comment by Lizard Person Thursday, May 16, 19 @ 3:36 pm
Allowed for everyone. The coppers and Righter are just throwing the spaghetti bowl at the wall, hoping something sticks to kill the entire legalization bill.

Comment by wordslinger Thursday, May 16, 19 @ 3:39 pm
I’m in favor of full legalization but opposed to home grow. In my opinion it’s an unnecessary complexity requiring an odd set of rules, let’s simplify this and let the pros handle it for now. I’m open to revisiting the issue at a later date if it’s clearly needed but for now I prefer to leave out home grow and just get legalization right.

Comment by The Captain Thursday, May 16, 19 @ 3:40 pm
Everyone.

People can have housefuls of powerful booze and guns. Enough is enough, with ridiculous prohibition of plants that are less dangerous than certain legally-available products.

Comment by Grandson of Man Thursday, May 16, 19 @ 3:41 pm
Voted homegrow for everyone. What, we’re gonna legalize, decriminalize and then recriminalize home cultivation? Nonsense. And, for future refernce, anyone who says anything opens the doors to the cartels cannot be quoted in any newspaper about anything, ever.

Comment by Springfieldish Thursday, May 16, 19 @ 3:42 pm
Five plants seems a reasonable number, and there’s ample precedent with homebrewing of alcoholic beverages to suggest the retail market won’t be flooded.

Comment by olddog Thursday, May 16, 19 @ 3:43 pm
Let everyone grow it.

Comment by downstateR Thursday, May 16, 19 @ 3:43 pm
I can brew beer, make wine, distill booze why shouldn’t I be able to grow something that will be legal. BTW, there are limits on those items as well. I have yet to hear of a police raid on a house for brewing over the 200 gallon a year limit. and if they do get to that point, I am sure there will be a lot more then 205 gallons. just like the first bust will not be for 6 plants, it will be for 50. I think some of this is getting to be overkill on trying to stop a bill with fear.

Comment by frustrated GOP Thursday, May 16, 19 @ 3:43 pm
===Davis said this “opens the door for cartels” and makes it more accessible to minors, even with the specified safety measures in the bill.

Yes, the creation of 5000 grow sites of 5 plants each will be the basis of the next El Chapo.

Perhaps Righter could discuss with farmers why they don’t just grow kernels of corn instead of the whole plant. That should explain why his claims are ridiculous.

Comment by ArchPundit Thursday, May 16, 19 @ 3:48 pm
===“It’s impossible for us to regulate that,” he said. “Home grows take away any controls that you are putting in place for the legal purchase of cannabis.”

Can police chiefs not count? I just keep staring at this statement and I don’t get what he thinks he’s trying to communicate.

Comment by ArchPundit Thursday, May 16, 19 @ 3:50 pm
“I’m in favor of full legalization but opposed to home grow. In my opinion it’s an unnecessary complexity requiring an odd set of rules, let’s simplify this and let the pros handle it for now.”

“the pros” are always looking at profit. Not a bad thing, but there should be options. Just like I can home brew my beer, why should only some specific loved people/corps be licensed to grow a plant. Come on…

If you legalize, then legalize.

Comment by Ron - In Texas Thursday, May 16, 19 @ 3:50 pm
Went with “none”. I don’t mind if they include it for everyone. But to me the bill was always largely to earn revenue and I feel like Homegrown just takes away from tax revenue by reducing sales.

Would rather it be allowed for all than just medical.

Comment by Seats Thursday, May 16, 19 @ 3:53 pm
Not at all. Give Illinois its dues for legalization and appropriate regulation and oversight of the legal market.

Comment by vole Thursday, May 16, 19 @ 3:55 pm
Voted for everyone. I also think the number of plants should be a nice even square. The number 5 just bugs me. We should allow 9. Make it a nice 3×3 plot.

Comment by ChrisB Thursday, May 16, 19 @ 4:02 pm
Everyone.

I’ve now lost almost all respect for law enforcement due to their disconnected from reality statements on this matter. I have no trust to believe anything they say on any matter anymore.

I’ll never be growing it even if it is allowed.

How is this ‘opening the door for cartels’? That statement makes me question the competence and grasp on reality of the entire association of police chiefs, especially considering they placed this person high up in their organization as a 2nd VP.

Comment by TheInvisibleMan Thursday, May 16, 19 @ 4:04 pm
Yes for home grow. Most people are not that industrious, nor have the patience. I think it would be an interesting project to try, just like that one time I took up Chinese cooking, made a couple of meals, and decided it was easier to just order take out.

Comment by Johnnie F. Thursday, May 16, 19 @ 4:04 pm
I just find it hilarious how legislators now sound like lifelong readers of High Times.
Oh, snap bruh, it’s almost 4:20.

Comment by Laker Thursday, May 16, 19 @ 4:09 pm
I can live with the five plant limit, but everyone should be able to grow indoors or outdoors.

Comment by Collinsville Kevin Thursday, May 16, 19 @ 4:10 pm
If they’re going to legalize marijuana (and they are), that growing your own shouldn’t be an issue…minus the lack of revenue, it should be legal to grow it.

Comment by Shanks Thursday, May 16, 19 @ 4:10 pm
The only reason I’d oppose home grow is if it would kill legalization. I hope Sen. Steans carefully considers removing home grow and doesn’t remove it for nothing, in other words, if the votes are not there without home grow.

Comment by Grandson of Man Thursday, May 16, 19 @ 4:11 pm
I voted for Everyone and here is why:

-legalization isn’t about revenue generation. It’s about fixing social injustices that have happened for decades during the war on drugs. If it’s legal then it’s legal. Stop criminalizing the behavior.

-home brew is legal, why not home grow? What’s the difference?

-people want to be discreet, some people for good reason don’t want to caught inside a dispensary, legal or not. Why not allow adults to be adults in their own homes.

-legal for medical marijuana patients only makes zero sense. They already have access to the product, why would they be the only ones allowed to grow?

-mark me down with others that don’t care two craps what the police think about marijuana legalization. Cops opinions on the matter shouldn’t be considered. In fact I find it revolting that they get a chunk of the money generated from legalization.

Comment by Dr. GreenThumb Thursday, May 16, 19 @ 4:11 pm
Everyone, no limit on the number of plants, some kind of fine or punitive measure for people who fail to keep the plants inaccessible to minors. For people who want to sell, something along the lines of how communities and the state handle the regulatory gradations between people who sell the occasional cupcake out of their home kitchen up to large-scale operations. That’s my personal preference. I’ll celebrate any bill that takes usage out of the criminal justice arena ends the monopoly we’ve given to violent, illegal organizations.

Comment by Earnest Thursday, May 16, 19 @ 4:12 pm
Voted no one. At the very least I think the production of mind altering substances should be more controlled/regulated than that.

Comment by Perrid Thursday, May 16, 19 @ 4:15 pm
==How is this ‘opening the door for cartels’?==

Lol, I know Rich has been trying to get an answer to this question.

I answered Not at all. I think home brew beer is a false equivalent. There is no easy layman measure of purity or potency. There is no regulation for the average Joe that decides to buy it from his neighbor growing who knows what vs a well-regulated dispensary

Comment by Bothanspy Thursday, May 16, 19 @ 4:16 pm
===Voted no one. At the very least I think the production of mind altering substances should be more controlled/regulated than that.

So home brewing and wine making should be illegal?

Comment by ArchPundit Thursday, May 16, 19 @ 4:20 pm
Home grown could be made so it can only be for personal use and not for sale, but again, without infusing additional THC, there is a biological limit to potency.

Comment by ArchPundit Thursday, May 16, 19 @ 4:24 pm
Just propose allowing as many plants as you can have guns in the house and see if Senator Righter is ok with that.

Comment by Moby Thursday, May 16, 19 @ 4:24 pm
Homegrow is no different than homebrew beer which is legal.

Comment by ChicagoVinny Thursday, May 16, 19 @ 4:25 pm
How does “home grow” open the doors to cartels? This cartel argument that keeps popping up is just goofy.

Comment by Demoralized Thursday, May 16, 19 @ 4:27 pm
Not At All. Two reasons. First, if you are are going to legalize and regulate, then do it. Don’t create a cultivation process beyond the reach of regulations. Second, the bill in its current form already has way more growing capacity than Illinois needs by several factors, not even counting the home grow. Anything that starts paring that back it a good step to ensuring we are more like Colorado, and less like Oregon

Comment by ILPundit Thursday, May 16, 19 @ 4:29 pm
It’s a measly 5 plants. All the people against this component are a bunch of knuckle draggers yearning for yesteryear.

Comment by Glengarry Thursday, May 16, 19 @ 4:29 pm
I voted everyone, firstly because it’s the right thing to do, secondly, because the state doesn’t need any more money to waste.

Comment by DD Thursday, May 16, 19 @ 4:30 pm
==It’s a measly 5 plants==

It’s just one crack rock.
Yes, I created a strawman for snark’s sake.

Comment by Bothanspy Thursday, May 16, 19 @ 4:32 pm
47th, hydroponics is your friend.

Comment by Cheryl44 Thursday, May 16, 19 @ 4:34 pm
I am a rope manufacturer, Can’t make rope with five measly plants.

Comment by Groucho Thursday, May 16, 19 @ 4:39 pm
I voted “Everyone.”

You can grow unlimited tobacco in your yard, zero regulation, in all 50 states.

You can craft as much beer or wine as you want in your garage or basement, with zero regulation.

Steans and company are caving to the big businesses.

And in so doing, they are reinforcing all of the misinformation about cannabis.

I hope Cassidy kills the bill.

Comment by Charlie Brown Thursday, May 16, 19 @ 4:40 pm
Charlie Brown

Kill the bill, and then tell everyone is was done at the request of law enforcement.

Comment by TheInvisibleMan Thursday, May 16, 19 @ 4:43 pm
Everyone. Legalize it.

Comment by Roads Scholar Thursday, May 16, 19 @ 4:47 pm
red herring issues attempting to block legalization.

Comment by d. p. gumby Thursday, May 16, 19 @ 4:48 pm
I talked with several legislators about this over the past few days. The 3 reasons that resonated with me are:

1. it creates a potential for a black market that the legislation is attempting to eliminate.
2. it will reduce the demand from the legal marketplace
3. it will reduce the amount of tax revenue that can be collected.

Comment by Anon Thursday, May 16, 19 @ 4:52 pm
As some others have said–full legalization but no home grow at least at the beginning. C’mon everybody. We all know behind closed doors it will never be “just 5 plants”.

Comment by Responsa Thursday, May 16, 19 @ 4:52 pm
Three reasons home grow should be available for all adults to participate in: 400,000 deaths per year from Tobacco; 100,000 Deaths from Alcohol per year; and the final most compelling reason - 0 deaths per yera from Cannabis. A no brainer wouldn’t you say.

Comment by George Thursday, May 16, 19 @ 4:57 pm
http://www.newstrib.com/news/police-raid-house-in-la-salle/article_ef538a3e-7741-11e9-923c-07fc23fa40d0.html

Once you allow home grow and legal weed, it could become difficult to know when to send SWAT in to break down the door.

At least the occupant was busted…for city ordinance violation. Just legalize it already. Cartels have moved on to things like heroin and fentanyl. Leave the basement dwellers alone.

Comment by Abbey Thursday, May 16, 19 @ 5:08 pm
Everyone. And I likely would not bother if it is cheap enough. It is not like growing a regular house plant. Weed requires a lot of light, water, and CO2. Of course if every home had five plants, it would help with global warming.

Comment by A Jack Thursday, May 16, 19 @ 5:13 pm
“We all know behind closed doors it will never be ‘just 5 plants’.”

I urge you to speak for yourself.

– MrJM

Comment by @misterjayem Thursday, May 16, 19 @ 5:20 pm
I voted for everyone. It’s only going to be legal to sell/buy at dispensaries. We will catch the people who are growing large amounts during the still illegal sale transaction. Or illegal transportation event since people will only be allowed to have a certain amount.

Comment by thoughts matter Thursday, May 16, 19 @ 5:25 pm
First, criticize lawmakers all you want, but we all know that the House is gonna House (Franks, Drury, and now Moylan) and the Senate is gonna Senate (negotiate with themselves until there is nothing to give away).

This is a major failure at the feet of the governor’s team, plain and simple. Cannabis legalization was a key promise for JB during the primary. His cannabis ads ran nonstop in the primary. And it created a clear distinction between him and Kennedy among voters.

Homegrown creates a free-market pressure to prevent price gouging by the folks you are otherwise giving a monopoly to grow and distribute cannabis.

Without some sort of price control mechanism, we will see price gouging.

And as long as there is price-gouging, there will be an illegal black market.

Once you give the inside players a monopoly, they are never going to allow homegrowing.

So, if you are not going to allow homegrowing, I suggest we create licenses specifically for the state of Illinois and the city of Chicago. Publicly held licenses seem like a logical option.

Either that, or let’s put them under the jurisdiction of the Illinois Commerce Commission, just like other guaranteed monopolies, so that they have to get approval for price hikes.

What is being proposed is worse than what we have now.

Comment by Best Paid in America Thursday, May 16, 19 @ 5:32 pm
@47th Ward:

Eliminating home grown will not optimize tax revenues.

Black market drug dealers do not collect tax revenue.

See my post above, banning homegrown just creates a market for drug dealers that can beat retail prices.

Comment by Best Paid in America Thursday, May 16, 19 @ 5:37 pm
BPIA, I think your conclusion that, absent home grow, legal retailers will so grossly gouge consumers that a black market for marijuana is inevitable. While that is certainly possible, i don’t think it’s likely. Your argument is long on opinion, short on facts and logic.

Comment by 47th Ward Thursday, May 16, 19 @ 5:45 pm
mj regs have a corupting effect on police departments

Comment by Anonymous Thursday, May 16, 19 @ 5:46 pm
Everyone. Growing pot is not as easy as growing tomatoes. Anyone who wants to home grow strongly enough is probably trying to do it already. If it’s legal, a few more might try. But they will probably end up paying more in time, effort, and materials, than it’s worth. How many licensed grow sites do you see with five, 10, or 50 plants? Or will growing 10 plants at a time be the new business model for the cartels?

Regulation with homegrown would not be any different than it is now. If you have probable cause, you can raid a house.

Comment by Langhorne Thursday, May 16, 19 @ 5:55 pm
Homegrown weed could still be misused. We already have homes with owners having bars full of bottles of alcohol and some gun owners with a large number of guns. Most of the booze and guns aren’t misused but there are always a few. Why add another issue to be mix.

Comment by Downstate Dem Thursday, May 16, 19 @ 5:56 pm
I voted for everyone. If I want to grow 1 or 15 plants on my property, it should not be a contested right to do so. If the State is afraid of competition from home growers then the State wishes to be a monopoly of the supply. That is anti democratic by any measure. This is where the ILGOP should make a stand for legalization efforts, and take those efforts Federally. Hear me GOP? This is our conservative root, freedom of choices that do no harm to others.

I don’t consume it, but I like the plants. As I age, and find that Doctors are pushing pills more for pharma than for my actual benefit, I openly explore better ways to relieve the abuse I put my body through in my immortal youth.

Comment by FormerParatrooper Thursday, May 16, 19 @ 6:06 pm
Voted everyone. If you can walk down the street and buy it how many resources are going to be devoted to keep people from growing a few at home. How many jurors would convict. De minimis non curat lex.

Comment by Bigtwich Thursday, May 16, 19 @ 6:32 pm
The best way to ensure equity and guard against the cannabis industry becoming Big Tobacco II is to let people grow their own. Also, it’s silly that the current home grow language in the bill wouldn’t allow people to grow outdoors, only indoors.

Comment by charles in charge Thursday, May 16, 19 @ 6:38 pm
Voted everyone. Duh.

Comment by NoDuh Thursday, May 16, 19 @ 6:47 pm
Everyone. Police can’t and don’t want to regulate. Frees them up to respond to and prevent real crimes. Militates against development of large, regulated, profit-taking industry, and against a larger government bureaucracy. Keeps costs down for consumers.

Comment by James Thursday, May 16, 19 @ 6:51 pm
This should of went to the ballot box just like all the other states. So we wouldn’t have to listen to wacko,s ,and debates by people that know nothing . Michigan did it right 12 plants. 6 flowering and six seedlings. The poor will not be able to pay retail prices . So they will try and grow their own and the Leo will be filling the jails with the poor . Just like today . Leo is salivating at the prospect of raiding homes . They don’t want the 5plant rule to get in the way . Especially if there is a gun in the house. Same ol same ol . I’m beginning to hate Illinois.

Comment by Illinois /Michigan residence Thursday, May 16, 19 @ 7:16 pm
I’ll bet if I had the desire to do the research, I would find the same arguments about regulation/control, minor access, and cartels from those against the change in homebrewing laws back in the 70s.

Comment by Harvest76 Thursday, May 16, 19 @ 7:22 pm
Growing cannabis is very difficult . Bugs , mold , constant tendering . 100 different problems. Not to many small growers would be successful. Enough to keep it up . It’s very light intensive. That is costly. . For little return. How many people are brewing their own beer and selling it to their neighbors.

Comment by Illinois resident Thursday, May 16, 19 @ 7:38 pm
–C’mon everybody. We all know behind closed doors it will never be “just 5 plants”.–

How did we all come to know that? My tinfoil hat must not have been on your wavelength that day.

Perhaps you could elaborate, on where we all obtained this knowledge.

Comment by wordslinger Thursday, May 16, 19 @ 7:40 pm
–Homegrown weed could still be misused. We already have homes with owners having bars full of bottles of alcohol and some gun owners with a large number of guns.–

Are you advocating limits on the number bottles of booze and guns you can legally possess, or that it should be illegal to possess either?

Comment by wordslinger Thursday, May 16, 19 @ 7:42 pm
–I think it would be an interesting project to try, just like that one time I took up Chinese cooking, made a couple of meals, and decided it was easier to just order take out.–

Ever been polite and sampled someone’s homemade beer or wine? Tastes like a foot.

It’s a heckuva lot easier to get good booze down at the Kwiki Mart. I have no doubt weed will be the same.

Comment by wordslinger Thursday, May 16, 19 @ 7:46 pm
Anon - I have one word for you and the resonating legislators - beer. Each of these same arguments can be made about brewing beer at home and none of them are based in reality. There’s no beer black market, demand hasn’t been lowered, and tax revenues have held up just fine.

This is a red herring pure and simple. I tried brewing beer at home once. It ended up costing $50 for 12 bottles and when it was all said and done it tasted like Bud. And trust me, I couldn’t give it away on the black market. Given the complexity and investment in growing pot at home there would be minimal incentive particularly if the quality was poor which it likely would be compared to commercial growers. But like home brewers why deny the hobbyist.

If the argument is that this is going to “open the doors for cartels” then we aren’t having a reasoned argument. The individuals making the claim are opposed to legalization in all forms pure and simple. It has nothing to do with home grown. And should it be deemed illegal to grow at home do we really think there would be any meaningful enforcement if the product is otherwise readily available?

Comment by Pundent Thursday, May 16, 19 @ 7:49 pm
Voted to allow it for everyone. So much to talk about here. Might need multiple posts.

(1)The Federal Gov’t allows home brewers/winemakers to make up to 200 gallons of wine and 200 gallons of beer per household for personal consumption. That’s a little less than a six-pack a day and a little more than 2-1/2 bottles of wine a day. You get much more bang for your buck with wine since average ABV is more than 11% while beer is 4.5%. If 5 plants approximates the same relative buzz, it seems like an OK limit. Cont’d …

Comment by 37B Thursday, May 16, 19 @ 7:52 pm
Voted for homegrown. Hobby grow actually. It’s not a factor in any scenario so far presented. I’m not a smoker cause I lose my timing. Every bar or club I play in has weed man.it mostly comes from calf. Driven in by car by very careful people . That won’t end. 250 an ounce.

Comment by Old musician Thursday, May 16, 19 @ 8:04 pm
(2) The “out of sight” requirement is a not so subtle way to throw societal shade on Cannabis. “Go ahead and do it if you must, but don’t show the kids.” B. S.

Comment by 37B Thursday, May 16, 19 @ 8:07 pm
Voted everyohne, if it is only legal to purchase and consume without being able to grow it yourself it ain’t legalization.

“Every time I plant a seed,
He said kill it before it grow -
He said kill them before they grow.”

Comment by Kentucky Bluegrass x Featherbed Bent x Northern California Sinsemilla Thursday, May 16, 19 @ 8:18 pm
(4) Not a big fan of “sin taxes.” Would rather the electorate step up to the plate and fund government without sticking it to people with inelastic demands (can you say smokers?). There fore I reject the argument that says “no homegrown because it hurts revenue”, while brewers and winemakers get a pass. Cont’d…

Comment by 37B Thursday, May 16, 19 @ 8:25 pm
- 37B -

To me public view is your neighbors kids not necessarily your own. The way we teach our children about cannibis is also a huge part of legalization and changing stero types. Being able to discuss things just like alcohol. Not an invitation but an open door.

Comment by Hey oh. Thursday, May 16, 19 @ 8:27 pm
Number (3) either was lost on the Intertubes or bounced by Rich. Basic point: Lock and key requirement not so bad: Keep it away from the little ones. It codifies common sense. It’s also only applied to THC and not alcohol. I could go on and on but, mercifully, I shall not.
I need to refresh my scotch and soda.
Finis.

Comment by 37B Thursday, May 16, 19 @ 8:31 pm
Everyone.

And this =as long as they are in a locked room and not in plain sight= is just silly. We don’t require that alcohol be locked up. Worse, we don’t require that guns be locked up. Marijuana causes a lot less damage than either of those things.

Comment by JoanP Thursday, May 16, 19 @ 9:19 pm
Parity with alcohol is the only sensible thing. Sell, grow, and possess with equal limitations.

Comment by George Thursday, May 16, 19 @ 9:25 pm
Everyone. But to be clear, is it “Five plants maximum per domicile”, or “Each adult in the domicile can grow five plants”?

Personally, I’m waiting for the magic mushroom debate, because Colorado.

Comment by Stuntman Bob's Brother Thursday, May 16, 19 @ 9:34 pm
Everyone.

But I’m willing to temporarily sacrifice this aspect of legalization in order to get a bill passed & signed this session. We’ve got to do the doable. Not let perfect be the enemy of good. Etc.

Comment by sulla Thursday, May 16, 19 @ 9:44 pm
Marijuana legalization isn’t and shouldn’t occur because of a tax windfall. It should occur because people shouldn’t rot in jail for possessing it or using it responsibly.

I voted for everyone, and frankly I find it absurd that it’s even limited at all, but I guess we must start somewhere.

Comment by MG85 Thursday, May 16, 19 @ 9:47 pm
I’ve said this before. Who the hell has time to grow it. Just let everyone try. After 6 months you’ll have five latter day hippy’s still growing it.

Comment by Honeybear Thursday, May 16, 19 @ 9:52 pm
I believe that home grow should be part and parcel of legalization. How else can I best control the purity of the product? I understand that there are fears from LEOs that it will contribute to underground markets, but the way to get rid of the black market is to make the legal market more appealing. Not to take away rights. Michigan legalized home grow for 12 plants and the sky has clearly not fallen.

And to be frank, I’ve found a lot of the concerns that LEOs have raised have been little more than fearmongering. When you’ve only got a hammer, the entire world looks like a nail.

Comment by LetsLegalizeIt Thursday, May 16, 19 @ 11:05 pm
Also someone needs to let the police know that if cannabis is legal they don’t need to keep treating the folks growing and consuming it like criminals. This will probably take a long time for police to be able accept but it is at the core of the why they are so opposed to homegrow.

Comment by Kentucky Bluegrass x Featherbed Bent x Northern California Sinsemilla Thursday, May 16, 19 @ 11:08 pm
Voted everyone because if it’s legal, it’s legal. Makes sense to have a limit so you’re not starting a pot business but growing a few legal plants should be allowed.

Comment by Ugh Thursday, May 16, 19 @ 11:15 pm
Home grow for everyone is a critical component for this law to actually do what it’s intended to achieve.

The efforts to stop home grow will allow monopolistic practices from licensed, especially existing licensed grow facilities and will cause the price to be artificially high and will more easily support a black market.

Law enforcement can’t stop folks from selling pot illegally now. Why should we be worried about their concerns over counting plants hidden in people’s homes?

Comment by Anon Friday, May 17, 19 @ 12:48 am
Voted nobody …don’t pass laws that are not enforceable and then blame law enforcement. This whole idea of legalizing a gateway drug is in incomprehensible to me. Use for medicinal purpose is one thing, this is quite another

Comment by Elliott Ness Friday, May 17, 19 @ 6:34 am
No plant on the planet should have this much regulation. Parents are responsible for keeping their kids away from it, same as booze. If you’re an adult, what you do in your house is your business as long as you aren’t hurting anyone.

Comment by Plant Guy Friday, May 17, 19 @ 7:00 am
Everyone -
Just like alcohol can be home brewed, marijuana home grow should be permitted.

Comment by Anyone Remember Friday, May 17, 19 @ 8:11 am
The amount of false information and fear mongering being done by police is more concerning than the pot. Facts over feelings chiefs.

Comment by The Dude Friday, May 17, 19 @ 8:24 am
Absolute yes on homegrown for everyone over 21.

I could crank out tens of thousands of rounds of hot ammo in my basement and stockpile them on my kitchen table if I chose to, legally. Given that, I still accept the the tiny 5 plant household grow limit and ridiculous locked room rules.

It appears to me the police were tasked with making the case against homegrow and using the word “impossible” at every opportunity. As citizens of Illinois, we know the police face impossible tasks every day. We want to remove a few that we feel are considerably less important than gun violence, child trafficking, domestic abuse, burglary, theft and terrorism, to name just a few. These are the areas where we want you to spend your efforts, and your time in court for convictions.

Cannabis prohibition has its roots in Harry Anslinger, a racist who ran the dept of Prohibition at the end of alcohol prohibition. Facing the end of his budget he demonized cannabis, Mexicans and blacks – and he built a new prohibition, and budget, around cannabis. Some of us have learned from that and are keen to law enforcement wanting to maintain or increase criminal eligibility. Sadly, that’s what I see with the organized police effort against a token personal homegrow in Illinois. If the police haven’t learned how to identify a cartel grow house in 80 years, then my faith in them enforcing these other, monumentally more important and impossible problems will suffer. I really want to think they’re better than that.

We all have options. I may decide Illinois is not where I wish to live, and move on, knowing full well that someone else will take my place. Police officers may decide Illinois is not where they want to police, and move on or pick a different line of work, also knowing full well that someone will take their place.

And the notion of only allowing homegrow for people who are ill and have paid to be in a medical cannabis program is twisted, defies logic, and is offensive to me as a currently healthy Illinoisan.

The token personal homegrow for everyone of age in this bill needs to remain for it to be anything resembling some new “Gold Standard.”

Comment by XonXoff Friday, May 17, 19 @ 8:44 am
=legalizing a gateway drug=

Sorry, but you use credibility when you use that term. Pot is no more of a gateway drug to narcotics than beer is to whiskey.

You can be opposed to pot. It’s ok. But if your entire argument is based on your personal belief system and false information to confirm your bias, maybe it’s best to sit out the discussion.

Comment by Pundent Friday, May 17, 19 @ 8:51 am
-Elliot Ness
MJ isn’t the gateway, the dealer on the corner is the gateway. That dude will offer you the next ‘big thing’ - meth, herion, coke, crack. The ‘dealer’ at a dispensary will offer you a free lighter or rolling papers with your purchase.

Comment by LoyalVirus Friday, May 17, 19 @ 12:37 pm