Marijuana In Illinois
Introducing Your Guide to Marijuana in Illinois
As of Jan. 1, it’s legal to buy and smoke recreational marijuana in Illinois – whether you like it or not. What you need to know about the new era of pot policy in 2020.
The Illinois Marijuana Industry Was Supposed to Bring Equity. Advocates Say Those Promises Are Falling Short
Sep 28, 2022 | Amanda Vinicky
Illinois was supposed to be the national model when government... Read More
Local Organizations Join Together in Push for Equity in Illinois Marijuana Industry
Sep 7, 2022 | Jennifer Cotto
Three local organizations are banding together in an effort to bring more equity to the Illinois marijuana industry.
Marijuana, Hallucinogen Use Among Young Adults Jumped to Record-High Rates in 2021: Study
Aug 25, 2022 | CNN
The survey found that 11% of young adults reported using marijuana on a daily basis in 2021 and 43% had used it in the past year. About 8% of young...... Read more
As New Illinois Cannabis Dispensary Licenses Are Issued, Focus Turns to Industry Equity
Aug 6, 2022 | Erica Gunderson
According to the state, of the business selected for the cannabis licenses, 41% are majority Black owned, 7% are majority White owned, 4% are...... Read more
Crain’s Headlines: Marijuana Business Venture Fizzles
Jul 25, 2022 | WTTW News
A new business venture from a co-founder of a Chicago weed giant fizzles. The company that gave up the Water Tower Place is now selling it’s big...... Read more
5 Things to Know
You’ll have to be 21 years old to legally buy and use marijuana.
All marijuana sold in dispensaries across the state will be grown in Illinois (in one of the state’s licensed “cultivation centers”).
Want to grow your own? Only state-registered medical marijuana patients can do that. (The limit’s five per household.)
Medical marijuana patients also get first dibs on cannabis if supplies run short (and in the beginning, they may).
You won’t be allowed to smoke, vape or consume marijuana or pot products in public. That includes bars and restaurants.
Illinois Dispensaries
Right now, there are 55 pot shops in Illinois catering to medical marijuana users. (The state calls them “cannabis dispensaries.”) Each of these shops is allowed to open a second location to sell recreational marijuana, so that number will only grow. Use our map to see which shops are open, and where they’re located.
Related Stories
All 48 Craft Cannabis Licenses Awarded to Social Equity Applicants
Jun 7, 2022
The state has awarded 48 cultivation licenses to craft cannabis growers, and 100% of the licenses are going to social equity winners — folks who were most impacted by the nation’s so-called war on drugs.
Crain’s Headlines: Chicago Retail Sales Boom Back
May 23, 2022
Chicago-area retail stores hit record-high sales, but that's not without impacting online buying as Amazon looks to sublet warehouse space. Meanwhile, legal limbo over nearly 200 pot shop licenses could soon come to an end.
More Than 2 Years After Illinois Legalized Recreational Marijuana, Some Say Law Falls Short of Promise
Apr 21, 2022
Nearly two-and-a-half years after recreational cannabis became legal to sell in Illinois, state Rep. La Shawn Ford (D-Chicago) says Illinois has failed to live up to the promise of the law.
