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.
Bill That Would Restrict Sale of Delta-8 and Hemp-Derived Products in Illinois Stalls in State House
May 29, 2024 | Amanda Vinicky
Sales of delta-8 and other hemp-derived snacks, drinks and products will continue unabated in Illinois despite potential safety concerns, after... Read More
Cannabis Bill Moving Forward in Springfield Restricts Sale of ‘Delta-8’ and THC, Puts Limits on CBD Products
May 24, 2024 | Amanda Vinicky
Starting in July, Illinois would ban the sale of any hemp-derived THC, or delta-8, from being sold, except at state-licensed cannabis dispensaries... Read More
Daily Marijuana Use Outpaces Daily Drinking in the US, a New Study Says
May 22, 2024 | Associated Press
Alcohol is still more widely used, but 2022 was the first time this intensive level of marijuana use overtook daily and near-daily drinking, said the...... Read more
Justice Department Moves to Reclassify Marijuana as a Less Dangerous Drug in Historic Shift
May 16, 2024 | Associated Press
A proposed rule recognizes the medical uses of cannabis and acknowledges it has less potential for abuse than some of the nation’s most dangerous...... Read more
Illinois Lawmakers Seek More Oversight for State’s Hemp Industry
May 8, 2024 | Amanda Vinicky
Popular shops, bakeries and wellness brands that sell delta-8 THC and other hemp derivatives that have proliferated without the weight of government...... 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.
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US Poised to Ease Restrictions on Marijuana in Historic Shift, But It’ll Remain Controlled Substance
Apr 30, 2024
The move comes after President Joe Biden called for a review of federal marijuana law in October 2022 and moved to pardon thousands of Americans convicted federally of simple possession of the drug.
Illinois Lawmakers, Cannabis Industry Call for Ban on ‘Delta-8’ and Other Psychoactive Hemp Products
Apr 13, 2024
New legislation filed in Springfield revives an ongoing debate over delta-8 and other hemp-derived products, which are totally unregulated in Illinois even as the state approaches the five-year anniversary of legalizing cannabis.
Illinois Supreme Court to Determine If Cannabis Odor is Cause for Vehicle Search
Jan 10, 2024
The court heard two consolidated cases of individuals who were in vehicles that were searched after an officer used the smell of cannabis as probable cause. Lawyers argued the smell of cannabis alone should not be probable cause to search a vehicle given that the substance is no longer
