Government, Politics & Issues

Politically Speaking: The Impact Of Legal Marijuana In Illinois — And A Tumultuous Year In St. Louis

St. Louis Public Radio | By Jason Rosenbaum,

Published December 20, 2019 at 12:36 PM CST

A worker trims marijuana plants in Ascend Illinois' growing facility in Barry, IL. — A worker trims marijuana plants in Ascend Illinois' growing facility in Barry, Illinois.

On the final Politically Speaking roundup show of 2019, St. Louis Public Radio’s Julie O’Donoghue and Jason Rosenbaum look at some of the headlines that made an impact in the waning days of the year.

O’Donoghue talked with St. Louis Public Radio reporter Eric Schmid about impending legalization of marijuana in Illinois. It’s a move that will have a profound impact on towns in the Metro East — and on neighboring states like Missouri.

Schmid reported this week that the Fairview Heights City Council voted to allow cannabis-related businesses. That allows the city to collect tax revenue from the marijuana-based products.

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed legislation into law earlier this year making recreational marijuana legal in the state after Jan. 1, 2020. Illinois had already legalized medical marijuana earlier in the decade. Missouri voters approved a constitutional amendment legalizing medical marijuana in 2018.

Here’s the other topics discussed on the show:

O’Donoghue and Rosenbaum discussed the creation of an Affordable Housing Trust Fund in St. Louis County. They also talked about the year of change within St. Louis County, including the resignation of Steve Stenger as county executive.
St. Louis Post-Dispatch reporter Jack Suntrup joined the program to talk about his storyabout how Gov. Mike Parson sought to have lawsuits against lead company Doe Run heard in Peru.
Both O’Donoghue and Rosenbaum talked about the most impactful audio clips they heard during 2019.

We also have a special mini-episode of Politically Speaking featuring St. Louis Public Radio's Corinne Ruff talking about St. Louis Mayor Lyda Krewson's announcement about the end of the push to bring a private operator to run St. Louis Lambert International Airport: