Marijuana is legal for adults and is taxed and regulated similarly to alcohol; state also has a medical marijuana law
Updates
Last update: September 22, 2022
Adult-use legalization program launches
In 2019, Illinois became the 11th state to legalize cannabis for adult use, and the first in the country to adopt a regulatory system for cannabis cultivation, testing, and sales through a state legislature. It was a multi-year effort, and MPP was proud to work closely with the bill sponsors and government agencies over a period of years to reach this historic point.
Sales began on January 1, 2020, and despite a shortage of cannabis and only a few dozen stores open, state regulators estimated close to $11 million in sales the first week alone. Cannabis production is increasing to meet demand, new business licenses are being issued, and the regulated system will continue to ramp up during the year as consumers move from the underground to the regulated market.
Legalization in Illinois is also historic because of the extraordinary measures the state took to undo harms from the war on cannabis. It is estimated that around 740,000 marijuana cases will be eligible for automatic expungement, and the state’s innovative approach provides benefits for those who were impacted by the war on cannabis. Those who were arrested, jailed, charged, or convicted of a marijuana offense qualify for additional points on business applications and access to financial resources to start a business in the emerging cannabis industry. Tax revenues fund community benefits programs and key state priorities. It is truly a program Illinoisans can be proud of!
There’s a new law in the Land of Lincoln! Yesterday, while ringing in a new decade, Illinois also saw the official start of legal cannabis sales for adults 21 and older.
Illinois residents can now purchase and possess up to 30 grams of raw cannabis, cannabis-infused products containing no more than 500 mg of THC, and five grams of cannabis product in concentrated form. Visitors to the state can purchase half those amounts. More than 40 dispensaries throughout Illinois have been approved to sell…