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.
More Than 2 Years After Illinois Legalized Recreational Marijuana, Some Say Law Falls Short of Promise
Apr 21, 2022 | Amanda Vinicky
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... Read More
Kim Foxx’s Office Set to Top 15,000 Cannabis Expungements
Apr 20, 2022 | Matt Masterson
Kim Foxx’s office on Friday will present 214 marijuana cases to be automatically expunged, bringing the total number of low-level convictions... Read More
Chicago Cannabis Company Joins Production of Marijuana Decriminalization Documentary
Mar 27, 2022 | Aida Mogos
A Chicago-based cannabis company is now working to expose harsh sentences for recreational marijuana use as it becomes legal in several states....... Read more
State Partners With Legal Aid Network To Expunge Cannabis-Related Records
Sep 27, 2021 | Acacia Hernandez
More than two years after a state law legalizing recreational marijuana was passed, an estimated 34,000 Illinoisans are still waiting to have their...... Read more
City Council Votes to Allow Marijuana to Be Sold — Legally — Downtown
Sep 20, 2021 | Heather Cherone
Black Caucus Chair Ald. Jason Ervin (28th Ward) said the City Council should act quickly and loosen the rules because the legal sale of cannabis is “...... 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
Aldermen Advance Plan To Allow Marijuana To Be Sold — Legally — Downtown
Sep 8, 2021
A push by Mayor Lori Lightfoot to allow cannabis to be sold legally downtown cleared a key city panel on Wednesday, even though it won’t allow Michigan Avenue to become a “pot paradise.”
Will Pot ‘Piranhas’ Take Over Illinois’ Market?
Aug 5, 2021
Illinois today selected another 55 winners from a pool of 589 qualifying applicants seeking to open cannabis dispensaries. It’s another step on a long-delayed process of growing Illinois’ marijuana market, with a mind toward social equity. But is it working?
Illinois Sees Record Pot Sales, With Boost from Lollapalooza
Aug 5, 2021
Illinois dispensaries sold a record $127.8 million in recreational marijuana in July, with a big boost coming from out-of-state fans who converged on Chicago for the Lollapalooza music festival.
