In July, Naperville City Council voted 5-4 to prepare an ordinance to opt out of the recreational sale of adult-use cannabis.
DuPage County’s Perspective
At a meeting hosted by councilmembers Patty Gustin and Kevin Coyne, who both oppose legalized pot in Naperville, DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin shared his thoughts from the county’s perspective.
“I know it’s a controversial issue,” said Berlin. “But my concerns are in regards to law enforcement and the public health/safety aspect of it.”
Though recreational marijuana will be legal statewide starting on January 1, municipalities can opt out of the sale of it. Some city councilmembers argued that Naperville wouldn’t be able to control the distribution of the drug if they opt out, while others said marijuana sales would hurt Naperville’s “brand.”
DuPage County will have the choice to opt out in regards to unincorporated areas of the county.
Concerns About Cannabis Enforcement
“The other aspect is the difficulty for police in enforcing drug-related driving especially under the influence of marijuana. We still haven’t tested in court the saliva test, which some departments are starting to use. So there’s a big issue as far as enforcement,” said Berlin.
Council votes on whether to pass the ordinance opting out of recreational adult-use cannabis sales on August 20.
Naperville News 17’s Casey Krajewski reports.
