Illinois officials announced on Thursday that they are awarding $35 million in grants to 88 local organizations, using funds generated from taxes on adult-use marijuana sales, to support community reinvestment efforts.
The funding is being offered through the state’s Restore, Reinvest, Renew (R3) Program that was established under Illinois’s 2019 legalization law. It requires 25 percent of cannabis tax revenue to support areas most harmed by the “disproportionate damaged caused by the war on drugs,” the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority (ICJIA) said.
“Illinois created the most equity-centric cannabis program in the nation and the R3 program is a fundamental component of our state’s legalization framework,” Gov. J.B. Pritzker (D), who signed marijuana legalization into law, said in a press release. “By funding smaller community organizations in areas harmed by years of disinvestment and excessive incarceration, we are taking enormous strides toward justice and expanding opportunities for all.”
Since launching the R3 program, Illinois has awarded over $244 million in marijuana revenue-funded grants to that end.
“For too long, communities have suffered from systemic injustice and a criminal legal system that unfairly targets marginalized groups,” Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton (D) said. “Illinois’ equity-focused cannabis reform is a key step in
Read full article on Marijuana Moment
