The looming threat of a Republican-led U.S. has sparked a movement among U.S. Senators from both sides of the aisle. Pro-pot federal lawmakers are currently pushing to get two pieces of cannabis banking legislation passed before year-end: the SAFE act and the HOPE act.

Don’t be fooled—this legislation isn’t providing safety or hope to anyone.

A bipartisan coalition, which includes U.S. Senate Banking Chairman Sherrod Brown (D-OH), U.S. Senators Steve Daines (R-MT) and Jeff Merkley (D-OR) met with Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) last week to discuss passing the SAFE Banking Act (S. 910) during the lame-duck session. The SAFE Act, which would make it easier for cannabis businesses to take out business loans and open bank accounts, has already bounced around in the house a good bit, but has stagnated in the U.S. Senate, unable to satisfy either conservatives or progressives.

The bill, however, may pick up steam, and seems likely to pass. Progressives have opposed the bill, calling the bill hypocritical: they are unwilling to support a bill that would benefit weed businesses while many people are still imprisoned for marijuana-related offenses. Apparently this blatant moral posturing has been compelling, as some Republicans have voiced their support of a companion bill, the HOPE Act.

The HOPE Act (H.R. 6129), introduced by U.S. Representatives David Joyce (R-OH) and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), is an expungement bill. The bill offers federal grants to states to offset the administrative and financial burden of expunging cannabis offenses from criminals’ records. These bills come on the heels of a bill proposing the expansion of medical marijuana research, passed in the Senate by unanimous consent just last Wednesday.

It remains to be seen whether the HOPE Act is still a bridge too far for many Republicans (or their constituencies, at least). The SAFE Act does, however, appear to have significant Republican support, though many Democrats are opposed to it, believing that the bill doesn’t go far enough.

We’re all accustomed to this sort of thing from progressive legislators. Their only guiding principle seems to be the introduction of vice into society—weed bills like the SAFE Act and the HOPE Act are what we’ve come to expect from left-wing “Progressives.” However, we really ought to start questioning what the so-called conservatives representing us are really conserving. Since when is it a conservative value to promote business loans to cannabis shops? Since when is it a conservative value to undermine justice by expunging criminal records willy-nilly? And appeals to the virtues of free-market economics aren’t helpful here. Free markets in the promotion of public vice are hardly commendable.

H.L. Mencken said somewhere that electing upstanding citizens to government office is like staffing the brothels with virgins. This plays out before our very eyes time and again: our “conservatives” are elected on the basis of promises to promote family values, fight for law and order, and defend Constitutional rights. And time and again they inevitably are caught up in the promotion of legislation and causes fundamentally opposed to their pretended conservatism.

Of course, this is nothing new—politicians have been disappointing their constituents for as long as there have been governments. God even tells us that it is the nature of political officers to disappoint their people (1 Sam. 8:10-22). Fine, and c’est la vie. But let’s stop pretending that the “conservatives” in our government are actually conserving anything valuable. They’re just as caught up in the game as the progressives and are more than happy to promote vice as long as they think it will get them reelected.

Take ACTION: Click HERE to let your federal lawmakers that you do not want to help the drug cartels with their marijuana sales and businesses. As for the HOPE act, there is a process for expunging federal criminal records which should include the entire criminal record and history. As we know from a Cook County prosecutor, it takes criminal persistence to wind up in prison for violating marijuana laws, saying it “almost always takes at least five arrests for cannabis violations before jail or prison time is considered.

Marijuana and alcohol abuse are at record highs, reports the federal Center for Disease Control (CDC).

The substance abuse trend skyrocketed during the pandemic, and the hike only continues. By the end of 2022, the marijuana industry’s expected worth is $32 billion, and its popularity increases.

While the CDC can observe the ever-escalating substance abuse and consequent devastation, they cannot discern its root cause. Yes, surface level causes are identifiable: the boredom, loneliness, fear, anxiety, depression of quarantine. But the root cause is much deeper than that.

Substance abuse is a godless society’s natural consequence. Everyone strives for fulfillment and happiness, choosing between being filled with wine or the Spirit (Ephesians 5:18).  And a godless society chooses the former.

But fulfillment and happiness are not found at the bottom of a bottle, in a puff of smoke or in a syringe. Rather, substance abuse quickly deteriorates lives. Marijuana is linked to depression, suicide, anxiety, and permanent brain damage. In terms of alcohol,  The Harvard Gazette predicts massive increases in cancers and diseases from excessive drinking during the pandemic. What happiness or fulfillment is there in escaping reality, only to come back on a hangover, permanently damaged?

Sadly, substance abuse is the closest a secular, materialist society will ever get to fulfillment and joy. They hold everything to be the result of evolution, the impersonal force of chance, mere material without a god to create it. But if there is no God and everything is only matter, then thoughts and emotions are merely a chemical fizz. If there is no God and everything is only matter, then you are only a byproduct without purpose.

In the cold void of secular materialism, there is no value; Any value a person possesses is subjectively imparted and entirely imaginary. If God does not exist, if everything is indeed meaningless, then substance abuse is expected, and the closest thing to fulfillment and joy. After all, “If the dead are not raised, ‘Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die!’” (1 Corinthians 15:32)

In Christianity, however, real fulfillment and joy is found, and substance abuse is not necessary. Christians believe that God personally crafted the world and handed it to man, imparting the teleological purpose of domination and glorification. Furthermore, God providentially sustains everything in the cosmos, intimately caring for the most minute details. The immensity of God’s love is baffling:

“What is man that you are mindful of him? And the son of man that you visit him? For you have made him a little lower than the angels, and you have crowned him with glory and honor. You have made him to have dominion over the works of your hands, you have put all things under his feet.” (Psalm 8)

In God there is clear purpose, boundless love, and a personal God looking out for your wellbeing. When people are filled with the Spirit and find value, joy, and hope in God they are never disappointed.

Written by William J. Bennett and Seth Leibsohn
This article was originally published by the Wall Street Journal on 10/07/2022

If President Biden had really wanted to do something about the problems facing our cities and states—rising crime, addiction and overdose deaths—he might have done something to prevent illegal drug use. Instead, he chose to minimize the dangers of drug use by granting pardons for criminals convicted of marijuana possession under federal law. In so doing, Mr. Biden has sent the country the wrong signal at the wrong time.

There are currently 11 casinos operating in Illinois: Rockford, East Peoria, Alton, Rock Island, Elgin, Metropolis, Aurora, East St. Louis, Joliet Hollywood, Joliet Harrah’s and Des Plaines. There are 5 more being planned or built, in Danville, Carterville, Homewood, Chicago and Waukegan.

The Gaming Board heard sobering details of a report released in July from the state of Illinois on its 383,000 residents with gambling problems.

*Problem gamblers in Illinois spent on average $16,750 on gambling on average per year. With that, 30% of them report gambling debt of over $50,000.

*10% of this group have either considered or attempted suicide. More than 50% Say Gambling Led To Neglecting Family / Kids

*761,000 adults in Illinois are at risk for developing a gambling addiction.

What about slot machines everywhere? Well, there are currently 43,128 machines in operation in bars, restaurants and truck stops. Moreover, with the legalization of Internet and sports betting, many of us have casinos at our finger tips on our smart phones.

It is vitally important that we warn our children and grandchildren that the success of the gambling industry is built on losers. Gambling addictions are real and contribute to broken families, financial ruin, and crime.

Two lists? Twenty years ago, the Illinois Gaming Board launched a Statewide Casino Voluntary Self-Exclusion Program for Problem Gamblers that allows persons who have determined they are problem gamblers to self-exclude themselves from all Illinois casinos.

In 2018, they established a voluntary, confidential Problem Gambling Registry for Video Gaming. Persons enrolled in the registry will receive regular emails providing information on problem gambling and containing links to problem gambling prevention and treatment resources available in Illinois.

1 Timothy 6:10 warns us about the “love of money.” The Bible has a few more things to say about this topic: See Luke 12:15; 1 Cor. 6:12; Ecc 5:10; Prov 28:19; 2 Peter 2:19; Romans 12:2; James 1:14-15; Prov. 3:5; Ps. 62:10; and Prov 23:5.

“Gambling is the child of avarice,
the brother of iniquity,
and the father of mischief.”
~George Washington~

Marijuana-Linked Vehicle Deaths Spiking

Marijuana use is increasing in the United States, and according to a recent report by the Governors Highway Safety Association, Responsibility.org and the National Alliance to Stop Impaired Driving, more drivers in fatal crashes tested positive for using the drug behind the wheel during the pandemic than before it.

Science confirms that THC directly affects the parts of the brain responsible for attention, decision-making, fine motor skills, and reaction time, which are all critical for safe driving. Unlike alcohol, THC stays in your system for days and possibly weeks (for heavy users). Workplace accidents are sure to increase as well.

In 2019, 18 percent of people aged 12 and older in the nation reported using pot in the past year, up from 11 percent in 2002. IFI warned state lawmakers about this inevitable trend of increase use and traffic accidents, but Big Marijuana deceived them and distracted them a new source of tax revenue.

With nine days left before the end of session, state lawmakers are working long days to pass a bunch of unnecessary proposals. One proposal that we are very concerned about is HB 4116, which amends the Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act, the bill that legalized recreational marijuana in Illinois. This bill is deceptively worded, removing most of the safeguards that currently allow employers to refuse to hire and discipline employees who tested positive for THC – the psychoactive substance in marijuana.

This bill passed the Illinois House by a vote of 61 to 41, and is now being heard in the Illinois Senate Executive Committee.

Though the bill states “nothing in this Act prohibits an employer from … implementing and enforcing workplace policies regarding the possession, use, or impairment of lawful products in the employer’s workplace during working hours or hours the individual is on call”… it must “comply with the Right to Privacy in the Workplace Act.” [emphasis added]

The Right to Privacy in the Workplace Act (820) ILCS 55/1 (from Ch. 48, par. 2851) states:

Except as otherwise specifically provided by law, including Section 10-50 of the Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act, and except as provided in subsections (b) and (c) of this Section, it shall be unlawful for an employer to refuse to hire or to discharge any individual, or otherwise disadvantage any individual, with respect to compensation, terms, conditions or privileges of employment because the individual uses lawful products off the premises of the employer during nonworking and non-call hours. [emphasis added]

This is a double-edged sword: Recreational marijuana is lawful in Illinois and as long as employees use “lawful products” they will be exempt from workplace policies regarding possession, use, or impairment.

HB 4116 will weaken the case for an employer to be able to refuse to hire or fire someone who tests positive for THC, and making it more difficult for the employer to prove impairment. In other words, if passed, HB 4116 lowers safety thresholds and will create unsafe workplaces for Illinois families.

A law firm that takes on discrimination cases said this of Illinois law in regard to employees testing positive for THC PRIOR to the passage of HB 4116:

Can I be fired/not hired in Illinois for failing a work drug test? There is a difference of opinion about this issue. On the one hand, the Privacy in the Workplace Act says very clearly that it is “unlawful for an employer to hire or discharge” someone because they used marijuana on their own time in a way that does not impact work. But, on the other hand, the Cannabis Act says that an employer can have a policy mandating a “drug free workplace” … “This is an issue that will either be resolved in the courts or clarified by the legislature.”

Does that give you business owners a feeling of security?

Take Action: Click HERE to email your state senator. Urge him/her to oppose HB 4116 which makes it more difficult for employers to maintain a drug-free workplace.

To file a witness slip, click HERE. (Note: slips won’t be able to be filed once the committee hearing has ended. There is a very small window to file.)

-Fill out your name, address, email and phone number. Leave everything else blank or put self.
-Highlight “Opponent” and “Record of Appearance Only.”
-Check Terms of Agreement and click Create Slip.

IF YOU HAVE TIME, there are a large number of marijuana bills that are being heard in committee and many of them have no witness slips filed in opposition. Note: Most are OPPOSE, but not all.

It appears that state lawmakers have decided to go for broke. Much of what’s below was included in the original language of the “recreational” marijuana bill, but was removed to gather the votes needed to pass the bill, with the intention of adding it at a later time. They are intent on making a bad situation even worse.

We are very grateful that so many have taken time to file witness slips in the past few weeks. We have heard that they are having an impact.

Thank you for doing what you can!

Instructions:

-Fill out your name, address, email and phone number. Leave everything else blank or put self.
-Highlight “Opponent or Proponent” and “Record of Appearance Only.”
-Check Terms of Agreement and click Create Slip.

HB 144: a county or municipality may issue temporary event licenses that will allow for the sale and consumption of cannabis or cannabis-infused products and for the sale of cannabis paraphernalia at such temporary events, clubs, or tours. OPPOSE  Click HERE to file a witness slip.

HB 312: establishes rules pertaining to the issuance of cannabis delivery licenses only to qualified “social equity applicants.” OPPOSE  Click HERE to file a witness slip.

HB 314: A county may not permit the sale of adult-use cannabis in any unincorporated area that is within 1.5 miles of a municipality that has prohibited the sale of cannabis. SUPPORT  Click HERE to file a witness slip.

HB 715: “Bring Your Own Cannabis” to a public location. OPPOSE  Click HERE to file a witness slip.

HB 3306: Increases square footage for growing facilities, increases number of grower licenses, removes language that growers be 1,500 feet from each other; withholds  Cannabis Cultivation Privilege Tax for 2 years after license is awarded. OPPOSE  Click HERE to file a witness slip.

HB 4097: Allows more than one license per grower, adds 60 additional licenses, withholds  Cannabis Cultivation Privilege Tax for 2 years after license is awarded. OPPOSE  Click HERE to file a witness slip.

HB 4144: allows an applicant to resubmit information that was deficient in his original grower license due to COVID. OPPOSE  Click HERE to file a witness slip.

HB 4194: as a condition of a marijuana cultivation center’s license renewal, it must set aside a certain amount of THC oil to be made available to infuser organizations. (THC is the psychoactive ingredient that make a person high.) OPPOSE  Click HERE to file a witness slip.

HB 4195: allows up to 3 growers, an infuser organization, a cultivation center, and a dispensing organization to share a premises. OPPOSE  Click HERE to file a witness slip.

HB 4298: a Conditional Adult Use Dispensing Organization License to an applicant that is 51% owned and controlled by at least one qualified individual with a disability. OPPOSE  Click HERE to file a witness slip.

HB 4309: 40% of ancillary services of a cultivation center or dispensing organization must be certified under the Business Enterprise for Minorities, Women, and Persons with Disabilities Act. OPPOSE  Click HERE to file a witness slip.

HB 4318: removes requirement that an adult-use cannabis container in a vehicle be odor-proof and child resistant. OPPOSE  Click HERE to file a witness slip.

HB 5123: any person under 21 who uses cannabis or is in possession of cannabis is guilty of a Class A Misdemeanor rather than a civil law violation.  SUPPORT  Click HERE to file a witness slip.

HB 5523: a county or municipality may issue temporary event licenses that will allow for the sale and consumption of cannabis or cannabis-infused products and for the sale of cannabis paraphernalia at such temporary events, clubs, or tours. OPPOSE  Click HERE to file a witness slip.

HB 5570: establishes rules pertaining to the issuance of cannabis delivery licenses only to qualified “social equity applicants.” OPPOSE  Click HERE to file a witness slip.

HB 5580: fees will be waived for “social equity applicants.” OPPOSE  Click HERE to file a witness slip.

Two years after legalizing “recreational” marijuana, some foolish lawmakers are sprinting ahead with legislation to allow for Illinoisans 21 and older to grow up to 5 marijuana plants in their home. The bill number is HB 4799 and is sponsored by Carol Ammons (D-Urbana), Kelly Cassidy (D-Chicago), Kambium Buckner (D-Chicago) and Aaron Ortiz (D-Chicago).

There is ample evidence to demonstrate that home grows are a recipe for disaster. The state of Colorado, which legalized pot in 2012, is a prime example of bad marijuana policy. We often use Colorado as our reference point because they have the best data in the nation when it comes to drugs, thanks to the Rocky Mountain High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area.

Colorado allows marijuana to be grown in homes. As a result, foreign drug cartels have cashed in and the black-market is thriving. And with that, comes more crime.

In many cases, high-end homes in the suburbs are purchased for cash. They are gutted and millions of dollars worth of marijuana plants are grown. It’s untaxed and unregulated. Because the black-market is thriving in Colorado, it’s also easier and cheaper for students to obtain the drug. (Click here to access their latest report.)

Home grows have become the new “gray market” in Colorado because it’s virtually impossible to regulate what people do in their homes.

Marijuana-related calls to the Illinois Poison Control Center have increased since legalization. Do we want more accidental poisonings?

• • 2019 – 487 calls
  • 2020 – 743 calls
  • 2021 – 855 calls

HB 4799 is scheduled for a hearing in the Executive Committee on Wednesday, February 16th.

Take ACTION: Click HERE to file a witness slip in opposition to HB 4799.

-Fill out your name, address, email and phone number. Leave everything else blank or put self.
-Highlight “Opponent” and “Record of Appearance Only.”
-Check Terms of Agreement and click Create Slip.

MORE ACTION:  Click HERE to email your state representative to urge him/her to oppose HB 4799.

The true impact of “recreational” marijuana on our communities is just starting to be learned, so why are we rushing ahead to expand this experiment? The negative consequences of legalizing recreational marijuana will be felt for generations.

Thank you!
Your willingness to fill out witness slips are making a huge difference!

If they have their way, U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), along with U.S. Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Ron Wyden (D-OR), want the entire nation to be able to get high by legalizing marijuana on a federal level. They evidently do not understand God’s warning to us in 1 Peter 5:8, which gives our adversary a huge advantage.

“The Cannabis Administration and Opportunity Act“ will decriminalize cannabis at the federal level, expunge federal non-violent cannabis convictions, and fund nonprofits that would provide services to those most affected by the War on Drugs.” **

Let’s keep in mind that George Soros’ billions are behind the push to legalize drugs. He was also behind the push to legalize same sex marriage. George Soros wants to destroy America.

The Schumer bill has not yet been introduced in Congress, but a final version is expected by the end of the year. The first sentence in the Draft reads:

“The War on Drugs has been a war on people – particularly people of color.”

And there you have it. They’re pulling the race card, yet again. It’s what leftists use to silence their opposition when they have no facts to support their position.

The Rocky Mountain High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area has the best available data. It shows the devastating consequences of removing drug restriction policies.

• Since recreational marijuana was legalized in Colorado in 2013, traffic fatalities where drivers tested positive for marijuana increased 135% while all Colorado traffic deaths increased 24%.

• Past month marijuana use (ages 12 and older) increased 30% and is 76% higher than the national average.

• The percent of suicides in which toxicology results were positive for marijuana has increased from 14% in 2013 to 23% in 2018. (Due to an 18-month lapse in detailed suicide circumstances and toxicology information from coroner and law enforcement records, 2018 is the most recent year available.)

• In 2009, the year of commercialization, there were 50 suicides with marijuana marijuana present in the toxicology report. The year of legalization, 2013, there were 105. In 2018, there were 218.

• Plus Opioid deaths have steadily increased since legalization, contrary to the narrative leading us to believe marijuana legalization will curtail the opioid crisis.

• Calls to the Rocky Mountain Poison and Drug Center about marijuana ONLY exposures: 86 in 2013 (legalization); 223 in 2019.

• There are only 10 Colorado Investigative Drug Task Force teams. Despite over 500 recreational marijuana dispensaries in Colorado, the black market has continued to be driven by the criminal organizations trafficking marijuana to other states. The chart shows the amount of black-market marijuana that has been seized 4-6 years after legalization. The seized marijuana is part of doing business in the drug industry and a small portion compared to what’s actually being sold. The black-market is thriving.

• Sixty seven percent of local jurisdictions in Colorado have banned “medical” and recreational marijuana businesses.

**The War on Drugs is another deceptive way to silence opposition by claiming that Black men and women are disproportionately targeted and make up the greatest number of incarcerations. This so-called War on Drugs term was used over and over to legalize recreational marijuana in every state that legalized marijuana and is still being used.

Legalization is in reality a war on American families, youth, and communities who suffer the unmeasurable loss of loved ones who have fallen into the drug trap with the help of leftists who are intent on making dangerous drugs more readily available.

Ed Ronkowski, retired Cook County prosecutor of 3 decades, wrote the book Narcotics Law that was still being used after his retirement. He wrote that in 2014, the latest report at the time of his article, the Illinois Department of Corrections Annual Report revealed only 1.4% of the prison population was in prison for violations of the Cannabis Control Act. (The Act has been gutted since legalization.) But what he wrote about this 1.4% is critical to understand who we have released back on the streets.

This 1.4% are the dealers doing time, most on plea bargained reduced charges, where seizures are measured in pounds or tons.”

In the Draft, money and low interest loans will be easier to get if you have been affected by the War on Drugs. In other words, the drug dealers will be able to go back to selling drugs. This time with the government’s help and taxpayer’s money. Also, a first-time applicant with income 250% of the Federal Poverty Level can get his fees waived.

A tax is proposed that will be 10% for the first year, then increasing to 15% for year two, 20% in year three, and 25% in the following years. As in other states, it’s the taxes that drive up the costs and subsequently cause the black-market to sell at lower prices and flourish.

There’s also a section in the Draft that prohibits federal agencies from denying security clearance for past or present cannabis use.

Knowing what’s in this draft, it should make you concerned for yourself and your family’s safety.

Take ACTION: The bill’s authors are asking for the public’s feedback on their proposed draft to legalize marijuana at the federal level. The draft of this federal legislation can be found HERE. You can email your comments to Cannabis_Reform@finance.senate.gov .

IFI will keep you posted should this draft be introduced in the U.S. Senate in the next few years.

The U.S. House passed a bill last week that would remove marijuana from the federal schedule of controlled substances and eliminate federal criminal penalties for anyone who manufactures, distributes, or possesses marijuana. This is the first time in our nation’s history that a chamber of the U.S. Congress has voted on decriminalizing marijuana on the federal level.

Illinois Congressional members voting for this proposal include: Bobby Rush (D-Chicago), Robin Kelly (D-Chicago), Jesus Garcia (D-Chicago), Mike Quigley (D-Chicago), Sean Casten (D-Wheaton), Danny Davis (D-Chicago), Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-Lake Zurich), Jan Schakowsky (D-Evanston), Bill Foster (D-Aurora), and Lauren Underwood (D-Woodstock).

The bill, known as the Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement Act of 2019 or “MORE Act,” proposes “to decriminalize and de-schedule cannabis, to provide for reinvestment in certain persons adversely impacted by the War on Drugs, to provide for expungement of certain cannabis offenses, and for other purposes.” In addition, the Act would create a trust fund, funded by a tax on cannabis products, that is intended to help those affected by the “War on Drugs.” This move in Congress comes after recent votes by some states to decriminalize or legalize marijuana, but is not expected to pass the Republican-controlled U.S. Senate.

TAKE ACTION: Please click HERE to contact U.S. Senators Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth to urge them to oppose this dangerous bill that will trap more people, including adolescents, in the prison of drug addiction. ​​​​​​​Please ask your federal lawmaker to vote NO to H.R. 3884.

Today’s Marijuana Is Far More Potent

The pot smoked today is a very different drug than that smoked by preceding generations. In the 1960s and 1970s, THC content was around 2-3 percent. According to researchers at the University of Mississippi, the average THC content of illicit marijuana seized by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) increased from 4 percent in 1995 to 12 percent in 2014. A 2015 study found legal marijuana in Colorado with THC content up to 30 percent. And 2018 testimony reveals THC concentrations as high as 65 percent in Washington State. (See graphic.)

We’re dealing with a drug that has been modified to be far more potent than it was in the past. Because of that, it is presenting unprecedented problems. States that have legalized recreational use of marijuana are serving as unfortunate testing grounds and revealing frightening physical, psychological and social effects, especially with more frequent use and at higher-than-ever THC levels.

Marijuana and Health

A European study released in March 2019 in the psychiatry journal The Lancet Psychiatry found an even more alarming link: “People who smoked marijuana on a daily basis were three times more likely to be diagnosed with psychosis compared with people who never used the drug. For those who used high-potency marijuana daily, the risk jumped to nearly five times.” 

In addition, a National Academy of Sciences report found:

• “Cannabis use is likely to increase the risk of developing schizophrenia and other psychoses; the higher the use, the greater the risk. 
• Heavy cannabis users are more likely to report thoughts of suicide than non-users.
• Regular cannabis use is likely to increase the risk for developing social anxiety disorder.
• For individuals diagnosed with bipolar disorders, near daily cannabis use may be linked to greater symptoms of bipolar disorder than non-users.”

Dangers for Youth and Children

Teenagers who become weekly marijuana users by age 18 have a 37 percent higher chance of depression as adults. Researchers in Australia found that, among teens in Australia and New Zealand, those who became daily cannabis users before age 17 were seven times as likely to commit suicide, eight times as likely to use other drugs in their 20s, and 60 percent less likely to finish high school. More research is needed to consider pre-existing conditions and the effects of marijuana combined with alcohol. 

Federal decriminalization is just a stepping stone to full legalization. This will only lead to more users, more addicts, more employee candidates failing drug tests, more intoxicated drivers, more work place accidents, more disabilities, more homeless, more mental illness and more dependents on social welfare. Marijuana use among people 25 and under will increase dramatically — those whose brains are still developing and whose brains are most susceptible to the harms of marijuana use.

Illinois state lawmakers have already set a terrible example for our children and grandchildren by legalizing so-called “recreational marijuana” in Illinois. Federal lawmakers should not follow their poor example of failing to protect the citizenry. For the sake of our neighbors in the 39 states that have not legalized recreational marijuana use, we must speak out.

Learn more at Resources on the Truth and Consequences of Marijuana

We are committed to upholding truth while resisting and opposing the rising wave of delusional thinking and tyrannical laws/mandates that have afflicted our state and nation. IFI will continue to provide our supporters with timely alerts, video reports, podcasts, pastors’ breakfasts, special forums, worldview conferences, and thought-provoking commentaries—content that is increasingly hard to find.

We encourage you to join us in our efforts. Your support will help us to continue our vital work in 2021. A vigorous defense of biblical truth is needed more than ever in Illinois. 

Since January, when the recreational use of marijuana became legal in Illinois, state-licensed stores have sold more than $500 million worth of the drug. Illinois is one of 15 states plus the District of Columbia that has legalized recreational use of the drug. In 1996 California legalized medical marijuana. Nearly a quarter century later, 36 states including Illinois and the District of Columbia now permit it. Over this period marijuana use has become acceptable in most of the United States. But has this acceptance brought harm to young people?

Mary Thielbahr, founder and director of Clearview Girls Academy, a Christian residential treatment center, would most likely answer with a resounding “yes.”

“Today’s marijuana is not like the ‘60’s version. Scientific changes made to the plant now produce an extremely powerful substance,” Thielbahr wrote in a recent white paper, “Marijuana Harms Teenager Minds.” She warned while society claims marijuana provides relaxation or relief from sadness and pain, it “poisons the brain for babies, children, teens, and even young adults up to the age of 24 years old.”

Thielbahr shared that since the early 1990s, the federal government has reported “the average THC content in marijuana was less than 4 percent. It is now about 15 percent and much higher in some products such as oils and other extracts.” THC or Tetrahydrocannabinol is the psychoactive compound in marijuana that gives the user the feeling of being high.

She reported that according to WebMD, “the odds of addiction are 1 in 6 if you use pot in your teens. It might be as high as 1 in 2 among those who use it every day.” Users may also become physically dependent on the drug.

As a result, marijuana can bring about significant changes in behavior after one year’s use. “Marijuana actually affects teenage brains significantly and changes the teen’s personality,” she shared. “Parents of a teen that uses marijuana end up with a different child–one that shows defiance because of changes in the teen’s brain.”

Thielbahr said marijuana effectively damages the brain which must be rewired and that takes time. The damaged brain “cannot change without a focused, long-term transformation process,” she explained advising against short-term treatment centers. She suggested parents seek long-term treatment options, such as Clearview Horizon Therapeutic Boarding School and Residential Treatment Center for Girls, that address other risky behaviors teens engaged in marijuana use are likely to be involved.

Thielbahr also noted teens who use cannabis may be more likely to commit suicide. She shared that teen suicide rates have risen in “states that fully legalized the use of marijuana” listing Colorado, California, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nevada, Oregon, Vermont, and Washington.

Read the white paper HERE.

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H.R.3884, sponsored by U.S. Representative Jerry Nadler (D-NY) and S.2227, sponsored by U.S. Senator Kamala Harris (D-CA), will decriminalize high potency marijuana by removing it from the Controlled Substance Act plus expunge criminal histories related to marijuana. The Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement (MORE) Act is expected to be called for a vote during the week of Sept. 21st.

One hundred twelve (112) elected officials in Congress have co-sponsored H.R.3884 and the numbers are steadily increasing. Among those include Illinois Representatives Jan Schakowsky, Bobby Rush, Chuy Garcia, Danny Davis, Robin Kelly, and Bill Foster.

Marijuana is classified as a Schedule 1 drug. This means that it has a high potential for abuse and it lacks accepted safety for use even under medical supervision. The goal of the Controlled Substance Act is to limit addiction, abuse, physical and mental harm, and trafficking by illegal means.

Some things we know about marijuana:

The higher the potency, the higher the harm.

In the 60s-90s, a joint contained roughly 1-3 mg of THC, the component that makes a person high. Today’s hybrid contains upwards of 20 mg.

Concentrates and edibles vary in potency. Some products contain 500 mg of THC. That’s a lot of THC.  A “serving size” is considered 10 mg.

Emergency Rooms in legal states are seeing an increase in patients with acute psychotic symptoms because of the high potency of THC.

Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome, otherwise known as scromitting – a combination of screaming and vomiting from heavy use of marijuana – is becoming commonplace in ER’s in legal states.

Adolescents regularly using high potency marijuana can lose up to 8 IQ points.

Side effects can include: hallucinations, delusions, impaired motor skills, decreased memory and cognition, lethargy, tachycardia, anxiety, schizophrenic symptoms.

States with legal marijuana are seeing marijuana-related traffic fatalities increase.

States with legal marijuana are seeing an increased in black market criminality.

For every dollar gained in tax revenue, Coloradans spend approximately $4.50 to mitigate the effects of legalization.

Take ACTION – Click HERE to email your U.S. Representative today and urge him/her to oppose H.R.3884, the MORE Act. Increasing the flow of drugs into our communities will only bring negative consequences.

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The SAFE Banking Act is a federal bill that would give the “medical” and recreational marijuana industries (and cartels) access to banking privileges, such as checking and savings accounts, credit lines and loans, enabling and legitimizing what has been an all cash trade to make real estate deals, payroll, insurance and operating costs much easier.

Furthermore, this could foreseeably grant them a listing in the stock exchanges, which would give them an opportunity to raise a great deal of money, ultimately helping these havoc-producing, soul-destroying companies to open more retail businesses, purchase more land to grow the drug, and expand into more markets.

The bill has passed in the Democratic-controlled U.S. House of Representatives by a vote of 321-103, despite the fact that marijuana is classified as an illegal Schedule 1 Drug “with no currently accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse.”

Sixteen of the 18 members of the Illinois Congressional Delegation voted “yea,” including U.S. Representatives: Bobby Rush (D-1^st Dist.), Robin Kelly (D-2^nd Dist.), Daniel Lipinski (D-3^rd Dist.), Jesus Garcia (D-4^th Dist.), Mike Quigley (5^th Dist.), Sean Casten (D-6^th Dist.), Danny Davis (D-7^th Dist.), Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-8^th Dist.), Jan Schakowsky (D-9^th Dist.), Brad Schneider (D-10^th Dist.), Bill Foster (D-11^th Dist.), Mike Bost (R-12^th Dist.), Rodney David (R-13^th Dist.), Lauren Underwood (D-14^th Dist.), Adam Kinzinger (R-16^th Dist.) and Cheri Bustos (D-17^th Dist.).

The SAFE Banking Act would effectively neuter federal law to empower and facilitate the marijuana industry.  “We have patients and other consumers looking to order and pay online, whether it is for pickup or delivery,” says Dina Rollman, senior vice president for regulatory and government affairs at Green Thumb Industries. “With cannabis businesses being deemed essential in so many states during the COVID-19 crisis, the need for the SAFE Banking Act is greater than ever.” (Source: “With crisis, cannabis firms see a shot to get banking relief” Crain’s Chicago Business, 5/1/20) 

U.S. Representative Ed Perlmutter (D-Colorado) is anxious to help the marijuana industry. He plans to include the SAFE Banking Act in upcoming COVID-relief legislation, another stimulus bill. In addition to assisting the marijuana industry to have access to banks, he co-sponsored a bill that would provide federal coronavirus aid to marijuana businesses.

According to Crain’s Chicago Business, unlike many other industries during the pandemic, the marijuana industry is growing substantially.

John Sullivan, an executive vice president at Chicago-based Cresco Labs, a large marijuana company, said, “I think cannabis can make the case for being a huge driver of the recovery, increasing state and federal tax revenues. More people will get interested in this industry and what it can do.”

We have seen what it can do to families and communities in Colorado, Washington and California. The consequences are enormous.

Take ACTION: Click HERE to contact your federal officials: President Donald Trump, U.S. Senators Dick Dubin, Tammy Duckworth, and your U.S. Representative. Ask them to uphold and enforce federal law against the marijuana industry. Ask them to vote AGAINST the “SAFE Banking Act.”

Note: While the bill has passed in the U.S. House, it is uncertain if the U.S. Senate will vote on it at this time. If not, it could potentially be back in the House for another vote in the future. Above is the list of how your congressman voted. Please include reference to their vote in your email. Ask them to oppose it if it returns to the U.S. House.

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It’s truly hard to believe that “some” state lawmakers want what’s best for Illinois. Tragically, “some,” refers to the majority in both chambers of the Illinois General Assembly.

You know the saying that is often meant for children, “Give ‘em an inch and they’ll take a mile.” Well, it also applies to liberal ‘big government’ activists and power-hungry lawmakers.

We have seen it many times. But let me refresh your memory and give you one prime example.

In the 80’s, homosexual activists wanted to be left alone and not discriminated against. Sounded fair enough. So they got lawmakers to amend the Illinois Human Rights Act. And that opened Pandora’s Box.

In the 90’s, homosexual activists claimed that all they needed was a domestic partnership registry so that they could visit their partners in hospitals. They got what they asked for and before the ink was dry, they suddenly needed an upgrade to same-sex “civil unions” so their joint possessions would be treated like a married couple’s possessions. They got what they asked for and before the ink was dry, they were fighting to redefine the institution of marriage.

While that tragic day will go down in history, it still wasn’t enough.

In the years that followed, the homosexual agenda morphed into the LGBTQIA+ agenda in which they vigorously pursued legislation for hate crime laws, bans on counselors from treating minors who struggle with same-sex attraction and gender confusion, mandates for schools to teach impressionable students in K-12 about the “roles and contributions” of homosexuals and opposite-sex impersonators.

Furthermore, they joined forces with feminists in an effort to pass the federal Equal Rights Amendment, which, if ratified, will remove all gender distinctions in over 800 federal laws, irreparably hurting women. They now demand the Equality Act, which will force employers and workers to conform to new sexual norms or lose their businesses and jobs. Check out our Springfield Bill Tracker for even more.

You get the point and now I’ll get to mine.

Lawmakers have no qualms that they’ve legalized a very addictive drug, high potency marijuana, with no medical value. But that was only the beginning. Here’s what they hope to pass into law for 2020.

HB 4706 (Rep. Sonya Harper D-Chicago) Bring Your Own cannabis – allows county boards to license and regulate businesses for on-site marijuana use.

HB 4889 (Rep. Michael Zalewski D-Riverside) allows for advertising and marketing marijuana products in newspapers.

HB 4339 (Rep. David Welter R-Morris) allows electronic advertising and marketing of marijuana. David Welter was one of 3 Republicans who voted with the House Democrats to legalize recreational marijuana.

HB 5274 (Rep. Sonya Harper D-Chicago) allows for marijuana to be delivered to residences and other locations.

HB 5352 (Rep. Marcus Evans D-Chicago) allows expungement of criminal records for ANY AMOUNT of marijuana.

HB 5472 (Rep. Theresa Mah D-Chicago) allows licenses to sell marijuana at temporary events.

Though many churches and businesses have been forced to close, Governor JB Pritzker has classified liquor and marijuana retail stores as “essential,” and as a result, sales are at a record high. But so is domestic abuse and suicide. Domestic abuse in Chicago is up 18%  and suicide hotline calls have increased 800 percent. One Illinois suicide hotline does not have enough staff to field all the calls.

Does it strike you that they are not acting in the best interest of Illinois families? Can you imagine what this will do to our state if they continue to have their way?

Thankfully, the “stay in place” order prevents lawmakers from being in session, which is extremely good for Illinois families. But that won’t stop them from pushing a broad progressive agenda that will incrementally destroy our state, if we don’t speak out.

Take ACTION: Click HERE to send a message to your state leaders. Or better yet, Click HERE to get their district office phone number and give them a call. Urge them to stop pushing for Schedule 1 drugs to flow freely in Illinois. Lawmakers need to hear from everyone. Please email/call today!

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If you’re not familiar with 420, you need to be, especially now that Illinois has legalized marijuana for “recreational” use. 420 is an international cannabis counterculture holiday where marijuana users congregate in open-air celebrations that occur on April 20th.

Every year in major cities and countries, participants protest in civil disobedience by gathering in public on April 20th to light up their joints at 4:20 PM. They gather by the hundreds and thousands. Google ‘420 celebrations’ and you’ll understand the significance of this article in light of COVID-19. [i] [ii]

The picture above was taken at the University of Colorado in Boulder.

Various scientific studies have discovered  that marijuana may suppress the immune system.[iii] [iv] [v]  Plainly said, regular marijuana consumers may be much more susceptible to viruses, even among young users. This should concern every parent/grandparent, every first responder, every medical professional and every responsible Illinois lawmaker. April 20^th is right around the corner.

Policy makers should also be concerned that chronic drug users don’t abide by rules or sound medical advice. Do we really expect that inebriated residents will keep the 6-foot rule to avoid spreading or contracting COVID-19? They’re not doing it now at dispensaries. I’m sure you’ve seen the pictures. And on April 20^th, they will likely gather by the hundreds, if not thousands.

Additionally, the research linking regular use of high potency marijuana to psychotic episodes is alarming! According to Lancet Psychiatry, daily users of today’s high-potency marijuana are 5 times more likely to develop psychosis.  “Given the increasing availability of high-potency cannabis, this has important implications for public health.” [vi]

A cloud of smoke covers the crowd at 4:20 PM at the Annual Denver 420 Rally in Civic Center Park.

The British Journal of Psychiatry states, “It is now incontrovertible that heavy use of cannabis increases the risk of psychosis.” [vii]

Contemplate psychotic events at large gatherings of intoxicated people on April 20^th, liberally using high potency weed, amid a viral pandemic.

And lastly, it’s hard to fathom that marijuana dispensaries are now considered “essential” businesses. People don’t “need” a Schedule 1 drug to survive. [viii]  Does Governor Pritzker actually believe survival is dependent on being high?

Take ACTION: Click HERE to ask Governor Pritzker this important question: “What will you do to halt the drug-charged 420 celebrations that will surely occur in Illinois in order to keep COVID-19 from potentially spreading even further? Or will you take responsibility for fostering an environment where more Illinois citizens are who are vulnerable to disease and illness could come in contact with COVID-19?”

[i] https://www.bing.com/videos/searchq=420+celebrations+denver%2c+co&docid=607990261454016154&mid=E4A817E2E074D01B358BE4A817E2E074D01B358B&view=detail&FORM=VIRE

[ii] https://www.bing.com/videos/searchq=420+celebrations+denver%2c+co&docid=608030720016060326&mid=1C26D234ED1F6C05CB1B1C26D234ED1F6C05CB1B&view=detail&FORM=VIRE

[iii] https://www.livescience.com/9008-marijuana-suppresses-immune-system.html

[iv] https://www.webmd.com/lupus/news/20030415/cannabis-may-suppress-immune-system

[v] https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/11/101124214728.htm

[vi] M Di Forti et al, Lancet Psychiatry, 5-5-19

[vii] https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/the-british-journal-of-psychiatry/article/cannabis-and-psychosis-what-do-we-know-and-what-should-we-do/D09D5E6B7A77D475B3BD63D81462BF7A

[viii] https://www.dea.gov/drug-scheduling