Recreational Pot Sales Moratorium Up For Vote In Glen Ellyn

GLEN ELLYN, IL — Glen Ellyn officials are set to vote Monday on whether to extend the village's moratorium ordinance on recreational cannabis sales. The moratorium ordinance, which maintains the village's current prohibition on recreational marijuana dispensaries, is in effect until July 1, but could be extended until Sept. 30, depending on how trustees vote.

The village board voted in Nov. 2019 to place a moratorium ordinance on whether to allow recreational cannabis sales. The moratorium ordinance was placed to allow the village to see the effect of recreational cannabis on nearby municipalities.

In Dec. 2020, village officials voted to extend the moratorium ordinance following a non-binding referendum question about recreational cannabis posed to Glen Ellyn voters in the Nov. 2020 election. The referendum question read: "Shall the Village permit the sale of recreational cannabis within Village limits?"

Of 16,501 total ballots, just over 51 percent of voters answered "yes" to the referendum question and nearly 49 percent of voters answered "no" to the referendum question, according to data from the Village of Glen Ellyn.

Recreational cannabis became legal in Illinois on Jan. 1, 2020.