EXCLUSIVE: Gov. Pritzker Champions Chicago's Crucial Role In Illinois Cannabis Equity Push

The Restore, Reinvest, and Renew (R3) Program in Illinois is making strides in reversing the damages of the war on drugs, earmarking cannabis-derived funds to catalyze community renewal and equitable industry growth.

Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker engaged in dialogue with Benzinga at the Cannabis Capital Conference in Chicago in late September, on the revolutionary R3 initiative and the broader landscape of cannabis legislation and social equity in the state.

Progressive Strides In Legislation And Banking: Pritzker reiterated his support in the pivotal role of Safe Banking for legitimizing cannabis commerce in Illinois, optimistic for its enactment while expressing concerns over potential opposition from Republicans in the House.

The governor outlined legislative advancements within the state that aimed at cannabis decriminalization and the erasure of prior convictions, which unlocked new socio-economic prospects for over 800,000 Illinoisans — a feat he holds in high regard.

"Thousands [of] arrest records have been expunged as a result of the work that I did to get this passed," Pritzker told Benzinga. "And then I’ve pardoned over 20,000 people; again all these are low level cannabis convictions or arrests that took place."

Methodical Approach To Equity: He was explicit about the meticulous approach to cannabis licensing in Illinois, aiming to rectify historical disparities and facilitate the inclusion of those most affected by the war on drugs.

"We were very careful about it because we wanted to make sure that the people who are benefiting from this are people who’ve been left out and left behind," Pritzker said.

Read also: EXCLUSIVE: Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker On ‘Pushing Against The Grains Of The Past’ Through Cannabis Social Equity Program

R3 And Restorative Justice: The R3 Program stands as a beacon of transformative justice, with its first funding round back in 2021 allocating $31.5 million to 80 grantees, offering a diversified spectrum of services ranging from civil legal aid to youth development.

Pritzker was particularly ardent about the program's focus on redirecting cannabis revenues back into historically marginalized communities, like East St. Louis and other areas, fostering holistic community development and improving access to mental health services.

He highlighted the promising trajectory of the program, in its second year, which committed about $144.6 million to enriching community-centered programs across the state.

"This is a grant program that puts money right into those communities, like the south and west side of Chicago … where they’ve just been left out for too long," Pritzker said.

Capacity Building: The launch of Institute 2 Innovate (i2i) in January of this year marks another progressive stride, designed to augment the capacity of grassroots organizations through specialized coaching sessions, empowering them to expand their reach and impact.

Pritzker brought to light Illinois's relentless pursuit of equity, justice, community rejuvenation through pioneering cannabis legislation and the impactful R3 Program, which aims to usher in a more equitable Illinois, rooted in restorative justice and community empowerment.

Read next: Curaleaf Ready To Raise CA$16.2M With Securities Offering

Photo: wikimedia.org