Top photo: © Katherine | Adobe Stock
The state wants to set aside $8 million for the Department of Agriculture to regulate Illinois’ potential recreational marijuana industry, as state lawmakers work toward legalizing the still federally banned drug.
The Agriculture Department is already responsible for the permitting and oversight of cannabis growers within the state’s medical marijuana program. Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s 2020 budget proposal includes a provision for the $8 million in funding, which is more than double the amount the department would receive to continue its work on the medical side. The Department of Public Health also helps regulate the medical program.
