Time for Illinois to consider new revenue pot?

Let's hope Illinois pols are reading the tea leaves from the November 6th election in Washington and Colorado which legalized marijuana use by adults 21 or older for recreational use. Both states passed personal pot possession up to one once by over 10 percentage points. Coloradans favored pot over their presidential winner Obama by 50,000 votes!  The new laws require Colorado and Washington to license heretofore illegal private businesses that cultivate and sell pot, and to levy taxes on the proceeds. Together the two enlightened, or more appropriately "lit up" states, will reap $600 million annually in marijuana revenues for vital state services and save additional millions in wasted enforcement of minor recreational marijuana use.  There will be losers in this new scheme, primarily the Mexican drug cartels who supply about two thirds of current US marijuana and reap all the profits. Purveyors of the much more dangerous drug, alcohol, might also be a bit flummoxed. Maybe they should add a Tea Room to their establishments.

We've taxed tobacco so much that folks are either cutting back or getting their nicotine high in more tax friendly neighboring states. Both trends add to our revenue drain. It's time for Illinois to be a cultural leader rather than a follower here in America's Heartland. Besides the tax revenue itself, consider the tourist angle:  "For high times, come to Illinois". And as far as our financial dilemma, legalization of private, recreational marijuana use may actually give Illinois a pot to.....