US: Illinois becomes 11th state to legalise recreational marijuana

Starting 2020, purchasing and possessing cannabis by those who are 21 or older in the state of Illinois will be legal. The state's lawmakers voted to legalize recreational marijuana, making it the 11th US state to do so. The bipartisan vote stood at 66-47. Once signed by the governor, this would now become a law. It would also make Illinois the second state after Vermont to start a recreational pot industry via the legislature.

Non-residents are allowed to carry 15 grams of cannabis under the bill. It also allows for those arrested for possession to be expunged.

There are concerns legalization could increase the number of minors using pot, and the number of people driving while under the influence. Medical cannabis treatment is also legal in 33 of the 50 US states as well as the capital Washington.

But Drug Enforcement Administration still considers marijuana a dangerous substance alongside LSD and heroin.