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.
Uproar Over Winners, Losers in State’s Marijuana Expansion
Sep 9, 2020 | Amanda Vinicky
Due to the coronavirus pandemic, Illinois is already months behind in awarding licenses to new marijuana dispensaries. But now, legislators want... Read More
21 Finalists to be Entered into a Lottery for 75 New Illinois Cannabis Dispensaries
Sep 4, 2020 | Amanda Vinicky
Twenty-one finalists are now vying for the highly coveted licenses that will add 75 new cannabis dispensaries throughout the state, which will... Read More
The Holdup Delaying People of Color from Profiting from Legal Pot
Jul 16, 2020 | Amanda Vinicky
A new set of 75 dispensary licenses, judged in part on social equity factors, was to have been awarded by May 1, but has been indefinitely delayed...... Read more
4/20 Fizzle: Pot Industry Tested as Virus Slams Economy
Apr 20, 2020 | Associated Press
For businesses, 4/20 is usually their once-a-year Black Friday, when sales soar. Instead, they are reporting up-and-down buying and pondering an...... Read more
Can Chicago Fix the Problem of #MarijuanaSoMale?
Feb 25, 2020 | Patty Wetli
More and more states are legalizing marijuana, but the number of women involved in the cannabis industry keeps dropping. What can Chicago do to buck...... 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
State Offers Guidance on Medical Pot
Feb 6, 2020
A little more than a month after Illinois legalized marijuana, questions remain about whether the program is as equitable as promised. The popularity of pot is also affecting medical users.
Should You Give Your Pet CBD? Research is Hazy, Says Vet Group
Jan 24, 2020
CBD pet products claim to treat pain, anxiety and even seizures, but do they work? And are they even safe? The chief veterinary officer of the American Veterinary Medical Association weighs in.
Pot Makes Pets Sick, Says Veterinary Group
Jan 21, 2020
Marijuana may produce pleasurable affects in people, but for pets, the mind-altering substance can be dangerous and even lethal, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association. “We don’t want people to think it’s benign or harmless,” said Michael San Filippo of the AVMA.
