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.
Chicago Small Business Owners Oppose Ban on Intoxicating Hemp, But Support Regulation
| Blake Thor
A group of alderpeople led by 13th Ward Ald. Marty Quinn is pushing an ordinance to ban the sale of hemp-derived cannabinoid products in… Read More
Key City Council Panel Advances Ban on Intoxicating Hemp in Chicago
| Heather Cherone
The License and Consumer Protection Committee voted 10-6 to send the measure to the full City Council, where it faces an uncertain fate and the… Read More
Chicago Must Regulate Intoxicating Hemp to Protect Kids: City’s Top Doctor
| Heather Cherone
“From the public health perspective, it is about protecting the children and protecting adults who don’t really know what is in the products they’re…... Read more
Intoxicating Hemp Remains Unregulated in Illinois Following Legislative Inaction
| Medill Illinoi…
It marked the third consecutive year that a regulatory bill failed, the latest front in a legislative fight that largely pits the state’s legalized…... Read more
After Objections, CPD Agrees Officers Will Not Search Vehicles Based on Smell of Raw Cannabis: Reform Groups
| Heather Cherone
Chicago Police Department officials agreed to revise proposed new rules and prohibit officers from searching vehicles based on the smell of raw…... 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.
Watch
Why Marijuana is a Messy Business for Banks
In Massachusetts, Concern Over Upscale Nature of Legal Pot
The Growing Business of Cannabis in San Diego
How the Legalization Debate is Playing Out Across the US
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
Committee Advances Bill to Ban Vehicle Searches Based on Smell of Cannabis
The bill comes after the Illinois Supreme Court issued a pair of rulings last year. The court ruled in September that the smell of burnt cannabis did not give police probable cause to search a vehicle, but three months later ruled the smell of raw cannabis was probable cause for a search.
Illinois Black Hemp Association Says Industry ‘Under Attack’ by Pritzker Amid Push for Stricter Regulation
Many in the hemp industry said not everyone in the hemp space uses deceitful and dangerous practices, and that Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s approach will kill their responsible businesses along with the bad actors.
Endometriosis, Ovarian Cysts Among Conditions Added to Illinois Medical Marijuana Qualification List
The Illinois Department of Public Health announced Thursday that patients diagnosed with endometriosis, ovarian cysts, uterine fibroids and female orgasmic disorder can now register under the state’s compassionate use of medical cannabis program — bringing the total number of qualifying
