Venture capitalist J.B. Pritzker, a Democrat, beat incumbent Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner to become the next governor of Illinois, NBC News projected Tuesday evening, Nov. 6, 2018.

Marijuana legalization was a primary campaign promise from Pritzker, and he's emphasized both the economic benefits of legalization as well as the racial injustice of prohibition.

“Criminalizing marijuana hasn't made our communities safer, but has disproportionately impacted black and brown communities,” he said. “The criminalization of cannabis never has been and never will be enforced fairly, and it's time to bring that to an end. To right past wrongs, we also have to commute sentences of people in prison who are there for marijuana offenses.”

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