Cards Against Humanity contributes to Illinois marijuana legalization effort

The popular Chicago-based game company is helping efforts to legalize and regulate marijuana, which could extend to Illinois.

A Chicago-based game company is contributing to marijuana reform in Illinois.

Cards Against Humanity, LLC, creators of the popular adult game of the same name, has donated $70,000 to the Marijuana Policy Project, or MPP, a D.C.-based nonprofit dedicated to working toward non-punitive marijuana policies across the country.

The two organizations have collaborated before. Proceeds from Cards Against Humanity’s “Weed Pack,” one of many expansions to the original game, go directly to MPP. According to the Cards Against Humanity online store, players have helped Cards Against Humanity donate over $80,000 to MPP projects.

According to polling data from the Paul Simon Public Policy Institute, 66 percent of Illinois voters support regulating and taxing marijuana in ways similar to alcohol.

State Rep. Kelly Cassidy, D-Chicago, has previously introduced legislation to legalize and regulate marijuana like the state does alcohol. Cassidy’s proposal would have the state tax marijuana at a rate of $50 per ounce wholesale. She hopes to bring the measure to a vote early next year.

Illinois decriminalized small amounts of marijuana in July 2016, when Gov. Bruce Rauner signed legislation making possession of up to 10 grams of marijuana punishable by a fine of between $100 and $200. Prior to this legislation, offenders faced a misdemeanor charge, resulting in a fine of up to $1,500 and possible jail time of up to six months.

MPP has launched efforts in numerous states and has been working toward marijuana reform in Illinois for years. The organization advocated Illinois’ legalization of marijuana for medicinal purposes in 2013 and its decriminalization in 2016.