KEY POINTS Illinois joins 10 other states and the District of Columbia in the commercial sale and purchase of marijuana for recreational use.
Marijuana consumers are expected to flock to the more than three dozen licensed dispensaries in the state, most located in Chicago or Chicago suburbs.
An employee holds a jar of marijuana on sale after it became legal in the state to sell recreational marijuana to customers over 21 years old in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
Illinois begins the legal sale of marijuana on Jan 1, 2020.
Illinois rings in the new year on Wednesday by joining 10 states and the District of Columbia in allowing the legal sale and purchase of marijuana.
The law, which also imposes a tax on marijuana sales, is expected to generate a large amount of revenue for the state.
In Chicago alone, tax revenues from recreational marijuana are expected by city representatives to reach $3.5 million in 2020. »
