Recreational marijuana is just a signature away from being legal in Illinois, and dispensaries are staffing up, remodeling, and wasting no time preparing for new foot traffic. Illinois lawmakers approved a bill Friday that, with Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s promised signature, will allow the state’s 55 medical dispensaries to apply to sell recreational marijuana. Additionally, the dispensaries can […]
illinois marijuana
Marijuana advocates hit unexpected roadblocks
Advocates of legalizing marijuana for recreational purposes scored their most significant legislative victory of the year Friday when the Illinois state House gave final approval to a measure allowing residents over the age of 21 to purchase and use cannabis products. But their win in Springfield comes at the end of a string of defeats […]
As a Deadline for Legalizing Marijuana in Illinois Approaches, a New Poll Finds Strong Public Support
Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker and his allies in the state legislature have only one week left in the current session to pass a bill legalizing marijuana for recreational use. Whether they succeed will depend partly on whether legislators believe they have the support of most voters, and a recent poll indicates they do, reinforcing the results of […]
Illinois’ marijuana market could rival Colorado’s in the coming years, report finds
The cannabis industry in the U.S. has long been centered around states like Colorado and Oregon, but now, marijuana sales in Illinois and its neighboring states east of the Mississippi River are poised to rival those out west. The U.S. cannabis market is heading for massive growth, with sales that are expected to reach $22.7 […]
Growing recreational pot at home might not be allowed after all under Illinois legalization proposal, sponsors say
Just more than a week after introducing a bill to legalize recreational marijuana in Illinois, sponsors have begun retooling the measure to appease critics. In one of the most fundamental changes, sponsors say it is likely they will eliminate a provision to let all adult state residents grow up to five plants at home. A member […]
Target date to legally buy marijuana in Illinois is Jan. 1, but details of bill still hazy
Details of a bill to legalize adult recreational marijuana were not released in the General Assembly this past week despite earlier assurances, but one of the initiative’s primary sponsors said they will be forthcoming “very soon.” Chicago Democratic Rep. Kelly Cassidy said she hopes the bill would be approved by the General Assembly by the […]
Illinois marijuana legalization proposal advances without public details
There are no details filed yet for a bill to legalize recreational adult-use marijuana in Illinois, but that did not stop the state Senate Executive Committee from voting on the measure Wednesday. As it stands now, Senate Bill 7 is what is referred to as a “shell bill,” or a vehicle to be amended with […]
Demand for legal marijuana in Illinois would far exceed licensed growers’ ability to supply it, study shows
Legal recreational marijuana in Illinois could drive demand as high as 550,000 pounds a year, far more than the state’s licensed growers can supply, according to a new study commissioned by state legislators. The study, performed by the Colorado consulting firm Freedman & Koski, lends support to those who argue that Illinois’ fledgling marijuana industry should expand […]
First bill emerges this year to legalize marijuana in Illinois — would allow up to 24 plants at home
A Democratic state lawmaker has filed a bill to legalize recreational marijuana in Illinois that likely goes further than other legislators prefer, but it has officially started the debate over complex legislation that will need to serve many interests. The bill, introduced Jan. 25 by Rep. Carol Ammons of Urbana, would allow licensed businesses to grow […]
Illinois state legislators lay out plans for recreational marijuana proposal
Marijuana “bars” would be prohibited, and teenagers caught driving under the influence of marijuana would lose their licenses, a Springfield audience was told Monday night by lawmakers crafting a bill to allow recreational use of cannabis in Illinois. Hearing those details pleased state Sen. Andy Manar, D-Bunker Hill, whose town hall-style meeting on the issue […]
With Pritzker and Madigan on board, Illinois Dems push again for marijuana legalization
State Sen. Heather Steans and state Rep. Kelly Cassidy introduced legislation last March to legalize recreational cannabis in Illinois, but the bills failed in both houses of the Legislature. A lot has since changed in Illinois politics, and the Chicago Democrats now plan to give it another try. On Election Day, pro-pot Democrat J.B. Pritzker cruised to victory past […]
Illinois just elected a cannabis-friendly governor and Chicago pot companies are on the move
In the past six months, Illinois marijuana companies have gone public in Canada, raised hundreds of millions of dollars to fund expansions and consolidated through a number of deals — one topping $680 million. The state’s medical marijuana companies are moving at a fast and furious pace. They are largely past the days when growth was stagnant and there […]
Candidates for Illinois governor are split over marijuana legalization despite popular support
In supporting marijuana legalization, Illinois gubernatorial challenger J.B. Pritzker could usher in a change that affects everything from criminal justice to public health to the economy if he’s elected. In coming out against recreational use of cannabis, incumbent Gov. Bruce Rauner may appeal to his base, while finding himself on the less popular side of […]
5 things to know about the expanded medical marijuana law in Illinois
llinois Gov. Bruce Rauner has signed into law a measure that stands to create a new class of medical marijuana users. Here’s a look at what the change will mean: 1. More access … The new law allows medical marijuana to be used as a replacement for opioid pain medication. That means anyone whose doctor would write […]
Lawmakers In Illinois Embrace Medical Marijuana As An Opioid Alternative
A painkiller prescription could become a ticket for medical marijuana in Illinois. Lawmakers there passed a bill making anyone with a prescription for opioids eligible for its medical cannabis program. With this move, Illinois joins a growing number of states turning to legal cannabis in the fight against painkiller addiction. “As we see the horrible […]
Illinois Lawmakers Approve Measure To Allow Medical Marijuana As Prescription Painkiller Substitute
Illinois lawmakers have approved a measure not only to allow medical marijuana to be used in place of prescription painkillers, but to eliminate requirements for patients to get fingerprints and criminal background checks. The change would allow all new applicants to buy medical marijuana from licensed dispensaries based on their doctors’ orders, rather than having to wait […]
Illinois Votes To Allow Students To Bring Medical Marijuana To School
The Illinois Senate’s overwhelming vote to allow sick students to take medical marijuana in school sends the proposal to Gov. Bruce Rauner for a decision on its fate. The state Senate voted 50-2 last week to allow students who qualify for medical marijuana to consume it on school premises, as long as they don’t smoke it and school officials agree […]
People with opioid prescriptions could get medical marijuana instead under Illinois Senate plan
Patients with a prescription for opioids would temporarily qualify for the state’s medical marijuana program under a bill the Illinois Senate passed Thursday. Supporters say the idea is to give those in pain alternatives amid the ongoing opioid addiction epidemic. Opponents suggested the bill is an effort to help Illinois’ new medical marijuana dispensaries make money. Under the proposal, […]
