While a number of aldermen and Mayor Rahm Emanuel were discussing the possibility of decriminalizing marijuana Wednesday, First Ward alderman Joe Moreno went a step further, becoming one of the few Chicago city officials to openly argue that the real solution is legalization.
“Legalize it, control it, and tax it,” Moreno says. “Regulate it as a controlled substance. How many people do you know who have overdosed on marijuana? It doesn’t happen. The effects of alcohol are much worse.”
Moreno’s comments came during a City Council meeting buzzing with so much talk about marijuana policy that it was possible to get a pot-debate contact high just from walking through council chambers.