Will County Gazette

Illinois state Rep. Grant Wehrli (R-Naperville) believes what’s good enough for the federal government should be good enough for the state of Illinois.

“I voted against HB 1438 in the Illinois House,” Wehrli said in a press release of the bill legalizing the recreational use of marijuana. “While I listened intently to all arguments both in favor of and against marijuana legalization, I kept coming back to one inescapable truth: No action taken by the General Assembly to legalize recreational marijuana changes the fact that marijuana remains a Schedule I Controlled Substance and is illegal under Federal Law.”

The new Illinois law is slated to go into effect on Jan. 1.

Illinois state Rep. Grant Wehrli (R-Naperville)

“I believe firmly that states do not have the authority to usurp federal law,” Wehrli said. “The Supremacy Clause found in Article VI of the U.S. Constitution is clear when it declares the Constitution, laws and treaties of the federal government to be the supreme law of the land, to which judges in every state are bound regardless of state law to the contrary. My oath of office includes a promise to uphold the Constitution of the United States.”

Wehrli said he also has a host of other concerns that are contributing to his unwavering position.

“I also voted no because the long-term effects of Schedule I drugs are not thoroughly studied in the United States,” Wehrli said. “We have no empirical data that proves the real impact long-term marijuana use has on the human brain. I could not put a vote on a measure that could cause real, long-term and irreversible damage to people.”

Part of Wehrli's motivation, certainly, is the safety and well-being of his constituents. No community, he says, is truly immune to the dangers of drug abuse, including Naperville, which is often lauded as “one of the safest cities in America.”

“We truly care about safety, and take collective steps to keep harmful drugs out of our community and away from our youth,” Wehrli said. “Naperville has not escaped the opioid epidemic and some of our community’s families have endured immeasurable pain and loss from a loved one’s opioid use. Until marijuana is removed from the Schedule I list and comprehensive research is conducted, I feel it has no place in our state.”