The Steans-Cassidy plan would allow Illinois residents to purchase and possess 30 grams of marijuana for recreational use. Non-residents would be allowed 15 grams.

Law enforcement agencies remain opposed, fearing the law would allow for unregulated home cultivation, increase police officers' difficulty in recognizing marijuana impairment in motorists and not require dosages on labels in the case of edible products. They also disagree with Cassidy's assessment that young people wouldn't have the same access.

"People are saying this (legalization) is inevitable because of the changes in the Legislature and the governor's chair, and it's clever on the part of the sponsors to keep repeating that in the hopes that people will believe it," said Ed Wojcicki, executive director of the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police.

Barickman is among those who believe legalization is inevitable and hope to influence how it happens. He noted that some issues, like whether dosages will appear on edible products, are concerning to him, but will be resolved by state agencies in the months after legislation is passed.