Illinois Cannabis Law

Within the past several years, cannabis has been a hot-topic in the legal world.  J. B Pritzker made it a cornerstone of his 2019 gubernatorial run to bring hemp and CBD production to the state of Illinois. He understood that allowing Illinoisans to grow, harvest, and sell their own CBD and hemp products would mean a potential for hundreds-of-millions of agricultural dollars for the state. Listed below are some laws to be aware of if you are thinking of purchasing or growing CBD or hemp in the state of Illinois gathered from the ILCBD website.

Hemp-derived CBD is fully legal in the state of Illinois, specifically, anyone can purchase this type of CBD, not just medical patients. Cannabis-derived CBD, however, is only legally sold at Illinois marijuana dispensaries whether or not it contains THC.

Cannabis has not, to this point, been approved by the US Federal Drug Administration for medicinal use, so doctors are not allowed to prescribe cannabis for medical treatment. Doctors can, however, recommend CBD oil to patients if they believe it might be beneficial.

There are several medical conditions that are being treated by marijuana-derived CBD in Illinois – a full list can be found on the ILCBD website – but a diagnosis is required in order to access this type of CBD for treatment.

Hemp-derived CBD can be legally purchased online and in stores throughout the state of Illinois. It is frequently sold in forms ranging from liquid drops to candy to vape cartridges and everything in between. It is always recommended to consult with your physician before starting CBD and to determine which form is best for you.

It is illegal to grow cannabis in Illinois without a license. The exception is for medical marijuana patients, who are allowed to grow up to five plants if they are a card-holder.

Anyone, however, can legally sell hemp-derived CBD as long as it contains less than 0.3% THC. There are not currently any lab-testing requirements for selling hemp-derived CBD.

If you have any questions or are interested in learning more about the current law surrounding cannabis and CBD in Illinois, local attorney Andrew Szocka provides thorough and speedy legal help in the Chicagoland area. To schedule a free initial consultation, visit the Law Office of Andrew Szocka, P.C. online or call the office at (815) 455-8430.