Written by Julia Reinthaler and David E. Smith

Elected officials in the Village of Palatine are considering a ban on limiting drug traffic and marijuana sales within village limits. We hope and pray that they will seriously consider an ordinance that would prohibit marijuana retail businesses from setting up shop in the community.

It is imperative that local officials hear from pro-family residents, especially the clergy! They need to hear your concerns about the consequences of marijuana sales in the area.

The Village of Palatine has scheduled meeting on Monday, December 9th at 7 PM. Meetings are held in the Council Chambers at Village Hall: 200 E. Wood Street in Palatine, Illinois  60067

Don’t let proponents deceive you with their “tax revenues” talking points. According to a report published by the Centennial Institute, “for every dollar gained in tax revenue, Coloradans spend approximately $4.50 to mitigate the effects of legalization.” The costs of legal pot are not worth the costs to families, communities and lives.

Although the licensed growth, sale, possession and use of marijuana will be legal in Illinois effective January 1, 2020, the legislation signed into law by Governor JB Pritzker allows villages, cities and counties to opt out of marijuana retail sales. This gives communities the opportunity to say “no” to drug traffic and the retail presence of a federally classified Schedule 1 Drug, a dangerous intoxicant that the DEA deems has “a high potential for abuse.”

Far from being an innocuous drug that the marijuana lobby portrays as safe and even medicinal, marijuana has serious health risks that should alarm any parent and community.

According to a 2017 review from the National Academy of Medicine, cannabis use is likely to increase the risk of developing schizophrenia and other psychoses, and among regular users it is likely to increase the risk for developing social anxiety disorder.

According to a 2018 paper published in the American Journal of Psychiatry, people who used cannabis were almost three times as likely to use opiates three years later.

Another study, released in Australia, cited that patients with chronic pain who used cannabis experienced even greater pain over time, dispelling the myth that pot relieves pain better than other available pain medicines.

To understand the effects that marijuana legalization will ultimately have in Illinois, we need look no further than California and Colorado to see a cautionary tale of the unintended consequences of legalization.

California is considered the largest cannabis market in the world. But they’re in huge trouble. While 2019 is not yet over, it’s estimated that their total marijuana sales will come in at near $12 billion. But the black market accounts for 73% of that $12 billion or $8.7 billion!

We were promised that regulating this Schedule 1 drug would eliminate the black market. They don’t pay taxes, or license fees, follow regulations, pay insurance premiums or minimum wage. The result is cheaper weed, which is exactly what users want.

If it wasn’t so serious, it would be laughable.

In the six years since marijuana was legalized in Colorado, the number of drivers involved in fatal crashes who tested positive for marijuana has doubled. There have been increased rates in marijuana-related emergency room visits, hospitalizations, and higher rates of violent crime. Though legal for 21 and older, more than a fourth of Colorado’s middle and high school students use pot more than once daily. Chronic use by those under 25 can lead to a permanent loss of up to 8 IQ points.

Knowing what we know about the tragic and often irreversible effects of marijuana, we cannot in good conscience permit a retailer to peddle a drug that robs so many youth of their future and compromises the safety of our citizenry. Instead of making Big Marijuana richer and the Palatine a haven for those selling the drug and those seeking to purchase it, let’s make it a refuge for families seeking to shield their loved ones from this drug’s destructive path.

Next week’s meeting might lead to a vote that will shape the future of Palatine.

Take ACTION: Click HERE to send an email to Mayor Jim Schwantz and all six council members asking them to reduce drug traffic and protect the families they represent by passing a ban on the retail sales of marijuana. And if you’re able, please attend the December 9th hearing and make your opposition known.

–> Please LIKE/FOLLOW the OPT OUT PALATINE Facebook page

–> Learn more about marijuana’s consequences at NoWeedIllinois.com.

–> See the U.S. Surgeon General’s Press Advisory about the health risks of marijuana use.

A bold voice for pro-family values in Illinois!

Click HERE to learn about supporting IFI on a monthly basis.

Today, millions of Americans will make post-Thanksgiving charitable donations on what has become known nationally as #GivingTuesday. We hope you will, too!

#GivingTuesday is a special day for Illinois Family Institute (IFI) because we do not operate by taxpayer funding, grants, or loans. In other words, the work and ministry of IFI is supported solely by the generosity of private donors, like you. This separation from government influence allows us to advance our mission unimpeded.

Therefore, we invite you to take part in this effort of sustaining your Christian values through support of the Illinois Family Institute. The IFI team works diligently to advance Biblical Truth. It is a wonderful opportunity to uphold faith, family, life, marriage and religious freedom.

With Thanksgiving weekend now behind us, please prayerfully consider giving #4Values on #GivingTuesday.

With your support, we will strengthen our efforts to uphold marriage, family, life and liberty in the Land of Lincoln.  With your help and generosity, IFI will remain strong.  And the good news is, donations to IFI are tax deductible!

If you’d rather send your donation by mail, our address is:

Illinois Family Institute
P.O. Box 876
Tinley Park, Illinois 60477

IFI is the only full-time organization in Illinois advocating for your family, for your faith and for our collective and individual freedoms at the Capitol in Springfield and in the public square. And without your partnership in this mission, we can’t get the job done.

Thank you for standing with us!

Sincerely,

David E. Smith
Executive Director

P.S. If you are a supporter of Illinois Family Institute and/or Illinois Family Action – thank you for your faithful support!  Would you please forward this email to your family and friends or share on social media today? Thank you again!

Written by Julia Reinthaler and David E. Smith

Sangamon County Board members will vote this Tuesday evening on a proposal to opt unincorporated portions of the county out of marijuana business, trafficking and sales. It is imperative that local officials hear from pro-family residents, especially the clergy in support of this common sense action! They need to hear your concerns about the consequences of marijuana business and sales in the area.

The board is scheduled to take this vote at their next meeting on Tuesday, November 12th at 7:00 PM. Meetings are held in room 101 at the Sangamon County Complex: 200 South Ninth Street, Springfield, 62701.

Don’t let proponents deceive you with their “tax revenues” talking points. According to a report published by the Centennial Institute, “for every dollar gained in tax revenue, Coloradans spend approximately $4.50 to mitigate the effects of legalization.” The costs of legal pot are not worth the costs to families, communities and lives.

Although the licensed growth, sale, possession and use of marijuana will be legal in Illinois effective January 1, 2020, the legislation signed into law by Governor JB Pritzker allows villages, cities and counties to opt out of marijuana retail sales. This gives communities the opportunity to say “no” to drug traffic and the retail presence of a federally classified Schedule 1 Drug, a dangerous intoxicant that the DEA deems has “a high potential for abuse.”

Far from being an innocuous drug that the marijuana lobby portrays as safe and even medicinal, marijuana has serious health risks that should alarm any parent and community.

According to a 2017 review from the National Academy of Medicine, cannabis use is likely to increase the risk of developing schizophrenia and other psychoses, and among regular users it is likely to increase the risk for developing social anxiety disorder.

According to a 2018 paper published in the American Journal of Psychiatry, people who used cannabis were almost three times as likely to use opiates three years later.

Another study, released in Australia, cited that patients with chronic pain who used cannabis experienced even greater pain over time, dispelling the myth that pot relieves pain better than other available pain medicines.

To understand the effects that marijuana legalization will ultimately have in Illinois, we need look no further than Colorado to see a cautionary tale of the unintended consequences of legalization.

In the six years since marijuana was legalized in Colorado, the number of drivers involved in fatal crashes who tested positive for marijuana has doubled. There have been increased rates in marijuana-related emergency room visits, hospitalizations, and higher rates of violent crime. Though legal for 21 and older, more than a fourth of Colorado’s middle and high school students use pot more than once daily. Chronic use by those under 25 can lead to a permanent loss of up to 8 IQ points.

Knowing what we know about the tragic and often irreversible effects of marijuana, we cannot in good conscience permit a retailer to peddle a drug that robs so many youth of their future and compromises the safety of our citizenry. Instead of making Big Marijuana richer and the County of Sangamon a haven for those selling the drug and those seeking to purchase it, let’s make it a refuge for families seeking to shield their loved ones from this drug’s destructive path.

Next month’s meeting might lead to a vote that will shape the future of the County of Sangamon.

Take ACTION: Click HERE to send an email to all 29 Sangamon County Board Members asking them to reduce drug traffic and protect the families they represent by passing a ban on the retail sales of marijuana. And if you’re able, please attend the November 12th hearing and make your opposition known.

Learn more about marijuana’s consequences at NoWeedIllinois.com.

See the U.S. Surgeon General’s Press Advisory about the health risks of marijuana use.

A bold voice for pro-family values in Illinois!

Click HERE to learn about supporting IFI on a monthly basis.

A recent headline of a Chicago Sun-Times article alarmingly reports that a Chicago Public School watchdog is fielding 3 complaints of sexual misconduct per school day. This comes on the heels of a 2018 Chicago Tribune report that exposed Chicago public schools of having more than 520 sexual assault cases all across the city over the past decade.

According to the Illinois Assessment of Readiness (IAR), only 38 percent of Illinois public school students meet proficiency expectations in English Language Arts, only 32 percent of students meet proficiency expectations in math. This despite the fact that the NEA reports that taxpayers pay $16,925 per student per year in Illinois. For that kind of investment, the vast majority of students should not only be meeting proficiency expectations but exceeding them.

In addition, we now have the serious problem of gender-confused boys demanding unrestricted access to girls’ bathrooms and locker rooms, and school boards and administrators affirming this nonsense. We also have a new state mandate that requires all students in K-12 public schools be taught, in a positive manner, about the “roles and contributions” of homosexuals and opposite-sex impersonators; as well as, textbooks purchased must include discussions of the those purported “roles and contributions.”

And let’s not forget that we have a state mandate in favor of highly objectionable sex ed material for the impressionable minds of government school children in 6th through 12th grade.

As if that isn’t enough, government schools are using instructional time to promote left-wing political views on climate change; open borders and global citizenship; Islamic studies and prayers to the god of Islam; Howard Zinn’s warped view of America’s Founding Fathers; and the pernicious ideology of “intersectionality” that is designed to divide and pit Americans against each other.

Christian parents and grandparents must seriously consider the great options they have for their students, and make the move away from government schools. The prevalence of perversion, subversion, and indoctrination are becoming more pronounced, and in order to protect the hearts and minds of our children, it is wise to consider other options.

We invite you to join us on Saturday, April 25th, to hear from a great line up of experts as we explore what we need to do to begin to rebuild the culture through education. The event is free and open to the public. Click HERE for a flyer for this event.

2020 IFI Education Forum

WHEN: Saturday, April 25th
WHERE: Church of Christian Liberty
  502 Euclid Avenue
Arlington Heights, IL  60004
TIME: 9:30 AM – 1:00 PM

Our tentative schedule includes:

9:30-10:15        Rescuing Our Children from Government Schools (Alex Newman, The Liberty Sentinel)

10:15-11:00       Homeschooling: What in the World is Going On? (Dr. Brian Ray, NHERI)

11:00-11:30       Home Education is Possible (Kirk Smith, Illinois Christian Home Educators)

11:30-Noon       The Benefits of Christian Schooling (Rev. Calvin Lindstrom, Christian Liberty Academy)

Noon-12:15        The State of Education Choice in Illinois (Lennie Jarret, Heartland Institute) 

12:15-1:00         Q&A Session

Subscribe to the IFI YouTube channel
and never miss a video report or special program!

Dear Neighbors,

I wanted to let you know the the Morris Planning Commission is having a public hearing on the sale of recreational marijuana (cannabis) next Wednesday, October 30 at 5:30 p.m. at the City Council Chambers of the Morris Municipal Services Building (Morris City Hall) at Chapin Street and Highway 47.

This is where they are actually inviting the public to come to make comments on the issue of selling recreational marijuana in Morris!  I encourage you to come to it if at all possible and and speak and announce it to your church and encourage the people in your church to come also. Each person will be given 5 minutes to speak on the issue.  I believe you need to sign in your name and probably your address at the beginning of the meeting.

It would also be good to get as many of you and your church friends there as possible to also speak in favor of the marijuana retail ban! The Planning Commission will make recommendations to the City Council on this issue.

We need to also pray that the members of the Commission will make the right choice for the health and safety of our community and county and vote to ban the sale of recreational marijuana in our city!

ACTION: If you cannot attend the meeting on Oct. 30, you will also find your local city officials’ contact info on this site. I encourage you to express your opinion on this issue directly to them. Here is a link to some important talking points.

Please pray that God will move in the hearts of Mayor Richard Kopczick and the aldermen to ban the sale of this very addictive and harmful substance in our community.

I leave you with a quote from Jeremiah 29:7:

“Seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile,
and pray to the LORD on its behalf; for in its welfare you will have welfare.”

We are not in exile in Babylon, but I believe the principle in the verse applies wherever we live.

I deeply appreciate any support you can provide on this important issue for our community and county.

Shalom in Christ!

Pastor Rick Barnard
Morris, Illinois

Learn more about marijuana’s consequences at NoWeedIllinois.com.

See the U.S. Surgeon General’s Press Advisory about the health risks of marijuana use.

A bold voice for pro-family values in Illinois!

Click HERE to learn about supporting IFI on a monthly basis.

Written by Julia Reinthaler and David E. Smith

Elected officials in the Village of Arlington Heights are considering a ban on limiting drug traffic and marijuana sales within village limits. We hope and pray that they will seriously consider an ordinance that would prohibit marijuana retail businesses from setting up shop in the community.

It is imperative that local officials hear from pro-family residents, especially the clergy! They need to hear your concerns about the consequences of marijuana sales in the area.

The Village of Arlington Heights has scheduled a Committee of the Whole meeting on Monday, October 28h at 7:30 PM. Meetings are held in the board room at Village Hall: 33 S. Arlington Heights Road, Arlington Heights, IL 60005.

Don’t let proponents deceive you with their “tax revenues” talking points. According to a report published by the Centennial Institute, “for every dollar gained in tax revenue, Coloradans spend approximately $4.50 to mitigate the effects of legalization.” The costs of legal pot are not worth the costs to families, communities and lives.

Although the licensed growth, sale, possession and use of marijuana will be legal in Illinois effective January 1, 2020, the legislation signed into law by Governor JB Pritzker allows villages, cities and counties to opt out of marijuana retail sales. This gives communities the opportunity to say “no” to drug traffic and the retail presence of a federally classified Schedule 1 Drug, a dangerous intoxicant that the DEA deems has “a high potential for abuse.”

Far from being an innocuous drug that the marijuana lobby portrays as safe and even medicinal, marijuana has serious health risks that should alarm any parent and community.

According to a 2017 review from the National Academy of Medicine, cannabis use is likely to increase the risk of developing schizophrenia and other psychoses, and among regular users it is likely to increase the risk for developing social anxiety disorder.

According to a 2018 paper published in the American Journal of Psychiatry, people who used cannabis were almost three times as likely to use opiates three years later.

Another study, released in Australia, cited that patients with chronic pain who used cannabis experienced even greater pain over time, dispelling the myth that pot relieves pain better than other available pain medicines.

To understand the effects that marijuana legalization will ultimately have in Illinois, we need look no further than Colorado to see a cautionary tale of the unintended consequences of legalization.

In the six years since marijuana was legalized in Colorado, the number of drivers involved in fatal crashes who tested positive for marijuana has doubled. There have been increased rates in marijuana-related emergency room visits, hospitalizations, and higher rates of violent crime. Though legal for 21 and older, more than a fourth of Colorado’s middle and high school students use pot more than once daily. Chronic use by those under 25 can lead to a permanent loss of up to 8 IQ points.

Knowing what we know about the tragic and often irreversible effects of marijuana, we cannot in good conscience permit a retailer to peddle a drug that robs so many youth of their future and compromises the safety of our citizenry. Instead of making Big Marijuana richer and the Village of Arlington Heights a haven for those selling the drug and those seeking to purchase it, let’s make it a refuge for families seeking to shield their loved ones from this drug’s destructive path.

Next month’s meeting might lead to a vote that will shape the future of Arlington Heights.

Take ACTION: Click HERE to send an email to Mayor Thomas Hayes and all eight trustees asking them to reduce drug traffic and protect the families they represent by passing a ban on the retail sales of marijuana. And if you’re able, please attend the October 28th hearing and make your opposition known.

Learn more about marijuana’s consequences at NoWeedIllinois.com.

See the U.S. Surgeon General’s Press Advisory about the health risks of marijuana use.

A bold voice for pro-family values in Illinois!

Click HERE to learn about supporting IFI on a monthly basis.

Written by Julia Reinthaler and David E. Smith

Elected officials in the Village of Crete have not yet addressed passing an ordinance to limit drug traffic and prohibit marijuana retail businesses from setting up shop in Crete. It is imperative that local officials hear from pro-family residents, especially the clergy! They need to hear your concerns about the consequences of marijuana sales in the area.

The next regular Village Board Meeting will be held at the Municipal Building on October 14, 2019 at 7 PM.

Don’t let proponents deceive you with their “tax revenues” talking points. According to a report published by the Centennial Institute, “for every dollar gained in tax revenue, Coloradans spend approximately $4.50 to mitigate the effects of legalization.” The costs of legal pot are not worth the costs to families, communities and lives.

Although the licensed growth, sale, possession and use of marijuana will be legal in Illinois effective January 1, 2020, the legislation signed into law by Governor JB Pritzker allows villages, cities and counties to opt out of marijuana retail sales. This gives communities the opportunity to say “no” to drug traffic and the retail presence of a federally classified Schedule 1 Drug, a dangerous intoxicant that the DEA deems has “a high potential for abuse.”

Far from being an innocuous drug that the marijuana lobby portrays as safe and even medicinal, marijuana has serious health risks that should alarm any parent and community.

According to a 2017 review from the National Academy of Medicine, cannabis use is likely to increase the risk of developing schizophrenia and other psychoses, and among regular users it is likely to increase the risk for developing social anxiety disorder.

According to a 2018 paper published in the American Journal of Psychiatry, people who used cannabis were almost three times as likely to use opiates three years later.

Another study, released in Australia, cited that patients with chronic pain who used cannabis experienced even greater pain over time, dispelling the myth that pot relieves pain better than other available pain medicines.

To understand the effects that marijuana legalization will ultimately have in Illinois, we need look no further than Colorado to see a cautionary tale of the unintended consequences of legalization.

In the six years since marijuana was legalized in Colorado, the number of drivers involved in fatal crashes who tested positive for marijuana has doubled. There have been increased rates in marijuana-related emergency room visits, hospitalizations, and higher rates of violent crime. Though legal for 21 and older, more than a fourth of Colorado’s middle and high school students use pot more than once daily. Chronic use by those under 25 can lead to a permanent loss of up to 8 IQ points.

Knowing what we know about the tragic and often irreversible effects of marijuana, we cannot in good conscience permit a retailer to peddle a drug that robs so many youth of their future and compromises the safety of our citizenry. Instead of making Big Marijuana richer and the Village of Crete a haven for those selling the drug and those seeking to purchase it, let’s make it a refuge for families seeking to shield their loved ones from this drug’s destructive path.

Next month’s meeting might lead to a vote that will shape the future of the Village of Crete.

Take ACTION: Click HERE to send an email to Village President Michael Einhorn and all six Village Trustees asking them to reduce drug traffic and protect the families they represent by passing a ban on the retail sales of marijuana. And if you’re able, please attend the October 14th meeting to make your opposition known.

Learn more about marijuana’s consequences at NoWeedIllinois.com.

See the U.S. Surgeon General’s Press Advisory about the health risks of marijuana use.

A bold voice for pro-family values in Illinois!

Click HERE to learn about supporting IFI on a monthly basis.

Written by Julia Reinthaler and David E. Smith

Elected officials in the city of St. Charles recently voted (6-3) to move ahead to approve marijuana retail sales, with plans to allow one recreational pot shop east of the river and one west of the river. However, they have NOT voted to approve this yet, and are having a PUBLIC HEARING next Tuesday, September 17th at 7 PM at the St. Charles City Hall (2 E. Main St.) to hear from the public about whether St. Charles should allow businesses to sell recreational marijuana.

It is imperative that local officials hear from pro-family residents, especially the clergy! They need to hear your concerns about the consequences of marijuana sales in the area.

Don’t let proponents deceive you with their “tax revenues” talking points. According to a report published by the Centennial Institute, “for every dollar gained in tax revenue, Coloradans spend approximately $4.50 to mitigate the effects of legalization.” The costs of legal pot are not worth the costs to families, communities and individual lives.

Although the licensed growth, sale, possession and use of marijuana will be legal in Illinois effective January 1, 2020, the legislation signed into law by Governor JB Pritzker allows villages, cities and counties to opt out of marijuana retail sales. This gives communities the opportunity to say “no” to drug traffic and the retail presence of a federally classified Schedule 1 Drug, a dangerous intoxicant that the DEA deems has “a high potential for abuse.”

Far from being an innocuous drug that the marijuana lobby portrays as safe and even medicinal, marijuana has serious health risks that should alarm any parent and community.

According to a 2017 review from the National Academy of Medicine, cannabis use is likely to increase the risk of developing schizophrenia and other psychoses, and among regular users it is likely to increase the risk for developing social anxiety disorder.

According to a 2018 paper published in the American Journal of Psychiatry, people who used cannabis were almost three times as likely to use opiates three years later.

Another study, released in Australia, cited that patients with chronic pain who used cannabis experienced even greater pain over time, dispelling the myth that pot relieves pain better than other available pain medicines.

To understand the effects that marijuana legalization will ultimately have in Illinois, we need look no further than Colorado to see a cautionary tale of the unintended consequences of legalization.

In the six years since marijuana was legalized in Colorado, the number of drivers involved in fatal crashes who tested positive for marijuana has doubled. There have been increased rates in marijuana-related emergency room visits, hospitalizations and higher rates of violent crime. Though legal for 21 and older, more than a fourth of Colorado’s middle and high school students use pot more than once daily. Chronic use by those under 25 can lead to a permanent loss of up to 8 IQ points.

Knowing what we know about the tragic and often irreversible effects of marijuana, we cannot in good conscience permit a retailer to peddle a drug that robs so many youths of their futures and compromises the safety of our citizenry. Instead of making Big Marijuana richer and St. Charles a haven for those selling the drug and those seeking to purchase it, let’s make it a refuge for families seeking to shield their loved ones from this drug’s destructive path.

Next month’s meeting might lead to a vote that will shape the future of St. Charles.

Take ACTION: Click HERE to send an email to Mayor Raymond P. Rogina and all 10 aldermen, asking them to reduce drug traffic and protect the families they represent by passing a ban on the retail sales of marijuana. And if you’re able, please attend the September 17th hearing and make your opposition known.

Learn more about marijuana’s consequences at NoWeedIllinois.com.

See the U.S. Surgeon General’s Press Advisory about the health risks of marijuana use.

A bold voice for pro-family values in Illinois!

Click HERE to learn about supporting IFI on a monthly basis.

Written by Julia Reinthaler and David E. Smith

Elected officials in the Village of Oswego have been considering a ban on limiting drug traffic and marijuana sales within village limits. We hope and pray that they will seriously consider an ordinance that would prohibit marijuana retail businesses from setting up shop in Oswego.

It is imperative that local officials hear from pro-family residents, especially the clergy! They need to hear your concerns about the consequences of marijuana sales in the area.

The Village of Oswego has scheduled a Committee of the Whole meeting on Tuesday, September 17th at 6 PM, which is followed by a regular Village Board meeting which begins at 7 PM. Meetings are held at Oswego Village Hall, 100 Parkers Mill, Oswego, Illinois.

Don’t let proponents deceive you with their “tax revenues” talking points. According to a report published by the Centennial Institute, “for every dollar gained in tax revenue, Coloradans spend approximately $4.50 to mitigate the effects of legalization.” The costs of legal pot are not worth the costs to families, communities and lives.

Although the licensed growth, sale, possession and use of marijuana will be legal in Illinois effective January 1, 2020, the legislation signed into law by Governor JB Pritzker allows villages, cities and counties to opt out of marijuana retail sales. This gives communities the opportunity to say “no” to drug traffic and the retail presence of a federally classified Schedule 1 Drug, a dangerous intoxicant that the DEA deems has “a high potential for abuse.”

Far from being an innocuous drug that the marijuana lobby portrays as safe and even medicinal, marijuana has serious health risks that should alarm any parent and community.

According to a 2017 review from the National Academy of Medicine, cannabis use is likely to increase the risk of developing schizophrenia and other psychoses, and among regular users it is likely to increase the risk for developing social anxiety disorder.

According to a 2018 paper published in the American Journal of Psychiatry, people who used cannabis were almost three times as likely to use opiates three years later.

Another study, released in Australia, cited that patients with chronic pain who used cannabis experienced even greater pain over time, dispelling the myth that pot relieves pain better than other available pain medicines.

To understand the effects that marijuana legalization will ultimately have in Illinois, we need look no further than Colorado to see a cautionary tale of the unintended consequences of legalization.

In the six years since marijuana was legalized in Colorado, the number of drivers involved in fatal crashes who tested positive for marijuana has doubled. There have been increased rates in marijuana-related emergency room visits, hospitalizations, and higher rates of violent crime. Though legal for 21 and older, more than a fourth of Colorado’s middle and high school students use pot more than once daily. Chronic use by those under 25 can lead to a permanent loss of up to 8 IQ points.

Knowing what we know about the tragic and often irreversible effects of marijuana, we cannot in good conscience permit a retailer to peddle a drug that robs so many youth of their future and compromises the safety of our citizenry. Instead of making Big Marijuana richer and the Village of Oswego a haven for those selling the drug and those seeking to purchase it, let’s make it a refuge for families seeking to shield their loved ones from this drug’s destructive path.

Next month’s meeting might lead to a vote that will shape the future of the Village of Oswego.

Take ACTION: Click HERE to send an email to Mayor Troy Parlier and all six trustees asking them to reduce drug traffic and protect the families they represent by passing a ban on the retail sales of marijuana. And if you’re able, please attend the September 17th hearing and make your opposition known.

Learn more about marijuana’s consequences at NoWeedIllinois.com.

See the U.S. Surgeon General’s Press Advisory about the health risks of marijuana use.

A bold voice for pro-family values in Illinois!

Click HERE to learn about supporting IFI on a monthly basis.