Recreational use of cannabis is now legal in Illinois.
Here is what you need to know:
- You must be 21 years old (with an identification card) to purchase cannabis
- You must purchase from a licensed dealer
- You can legally purchase and possess:
o 30 grams of cannabis
o 5 grams of concentrate
o Cannabis-infused products containing no more than 500 milligrams of THC
- Non-residents of Illinois can purchase or possess half of that amount
Even though recreational cannabis is legal, you can:
- Still be arrested if you transport cannabis into another state where it remains prohibited
- Still be fined or ticketed for public use – at a school, a park, near children or somewhere that you can reasonably be observed by others
- Still be punished if you grow marijuana in your home
- Still be fired if your employer has a zero tolerance program
- Still be arrested for driving after using cannabis
- Still be barred by your landlord from smoking cannabis
- Still be evicted from public or subsidized housing for using cannabis
If you are a non-citizen, be cautious before you purchase cannabis or work in the cannabis industry. Consult your immigration attorney first.