Illinois is on the verge of becoming the next state to eliminate the criminal penalties associated with the possession of marijuana.
On Wednesday, House lawmakers approved a bill in a vote of 64-to-50 that would prevent those caught holding small amounts of weed from spending time in jail. The proposal, which was introduced by Senator Heather Steans, would allow law enforcement across the state to simply issue citations for this offense instead of dragging people through the court system where they are destined to be marred with a criminal record and jail time.
Illinois marijuana advocates are pleased with the progress the state legislature has made this year in regard to this issue, though consumption is still illegal on the federal level.
More info on the bill here: Illinois Policy