Illinois became the 11th state to approve of recreational cannabis this year and now public schools in the region are looking to reportedly ease up on their penalties for children caught with it at school.

Students will no longer be expelled if they are caught using cannabis or other drugs.

It's a bit hypocritical to think of all the children who have been encouraged to take various pharmaceutical medications over the years at the request of different public school officials or health care practitioners, meanwhile they face the risk of being expelled if caught consuming cannabis. It creates one more reason for families to home school, so that their children can have the freedom to medicate in peace.

For those that don't have that option though, at least they won't have to worry any longer about being kicked out over it.

These changes are being made to the student code of conduct and have been approved by the Board of Education. The use of cannabis or other drugs, will be dealt with like alcohol, in a discipline category which might land the student with a 3-day suspension but they are seeking to avoid punishment if other restorative interventions are possible.

This effort to reduce consequences is reportedly a sign of change that there is an ongoing shift toward more therapeutic approaches with substance abuse.

Illinois also has plans to expunge hundreds of thousands of records for people with cannabis convictions.

As of 2017, there were more than 300 people who were serving sentences on cannabis charges in the state, with hundreds more on parole. If you are caught in the state selling cannabis it could land you with a sentence behind bars up to 50 years which is an incredible waste of life and resources to be spent on a victimless crime.

The recreational use of cannabis will be permitted starting Jan 1st next year.

Pics:
pic1
pic2