As 2020 comes to a start, so does a new law legalizing recreational marijuana in Illinois. Now, adults of or over the age of 21 can purchase and possess no more than 30 grams, and smoke in public legally. Legal recreational marijuana is a great way for the state to tax the drug and make profits, and great for many marijuana businesses looking for a new place to open shop. But there could be some negative externalities associated with the legalization of marijuana. Some people have voiced their concerns about the skunk like smell released when the herb is burnt, and some fear there might be abuse while driving vehicles. 

The Whitney Young community has some positive views about the legalization of marijuana. Mika Cavanagh ‘20 commented, “The legalization of weed in Illinois is great not only from a business perspective but also normalizes the activity, when it has been wrongly demonized many times by politicians and the media.” Max Moore ‘21 responded, “The legalization of marijuana is a double edged sword. While it is good for raising state revenue, many people will smoke weed and drive, and there have not been studies on how marijuana can impact your motor skills.” Freshman Nate Affolter said, “Less potholes, more potheads.” Most of the high school population seems to be in support of the legalization of weed. It will be interesting to see how the rest of the city reacts.