Illinois

At a Glance

Medical Marijuana Program: Yes
Adult Use / Recreational MMJ: No
Pediatric: Yes – Non smokable forms only
Home grow: No
Possession limit: Two and a half ounces of cannabis per 14-day period
Reciprocity: No
Legislation: House Bill 1
Types of cannabis permitted for use: All unless under the age of 18, then its no smokable cannabis

Legalization & Important Dates

• April 18, 2014, the Department of Public Health released the revised preliminary rules
• July 20, 2014, Governor Quinn signed Senate Bill 2636, amending the Compassionate Use of Medical Cannabis Act to allow children under the age of 18
• August 2013 – Gov. Pat Quinn signed an enacted into legislation the Compassionate Use of Medical Cannabis Pilot Program Act as we; as a signing statement that outlines the key points of the law, and stipulates that this is a four-year pilot program.
• January 21, 2014 – the Department of Health released the draft proposed rules for public comment. Included in the proposal are rules that prohibit qualifying patients and caregivers “are NOT eligible for a Firearm Owners ID card, or a Firearm Concealed Carry License”, as well as instating an annual $150 application fee for all qualifying patients, and proposing a fingerprint-based criminal history background check.
• April 18, 2014 – the Department of Public Health released the revised preliminary rules, eliminating the restrictions on gun owners who may apply for a medical marijuana card. In addition, the application fees were reduced to $100 ($50 fee for eligible patients on Social Security Insurance and Social Security Disability Insurance, and veterans), and only $25 for caregivers.
• 2014 – Governor Quinn signed Senate Bill 2636, amending the Compassionate Use of Medical Cannabis Act to allow children under the age of 18, to be treated with non-smokable forms of medical marijuana, for the same qualifying conditions as outlined for adults. Underage patients require at least two doctor signatures, and parents or guardians of the underage patient, must serve as caregiver. Effective January 01, 2015, Senate Bill 2636, also added seizures, including those related to epilepsy, to the list of qualifying medical conditions.

• As per Senate Bill 10, the Illinois pilot program scheduled to end January 2018, has effectively been extended to July 01, 2020

Types of Licenses

Dispensary
• Overseen by the Department of Financial and Professional Regulations.
• One entity can receive permits in up to five districts.
• Currently 53

Cultivation –
• Overseen by the Department of Agriculture.
• The application period is now closed.
• Currently 22

Associated Fees

Cultivation
• Application fee for a cultivation center permit is $25,000 / application submitted
• Applicant fee of $200,000 for each permit prior to receiving the permit.
• Annual renew fee = $100,000
• Cultivation Center Agent = $100
• App change = $1,000
• Application fee for modifications = $3,000
• Application fee to make a physical, non-cosmetic alteration of a cultivation center, other than an expansion = $1,000.
• Fee for a cultivation center to register a cannabis product with the Department shall be $100 per product name;
• Fee to request a variance shall be $200.

• Cultivators will pay a 7 percent privilege tax on sales to dispensaries and patients/caregivers will pay a 1 percent sales tax.
• Surety bond of 1,500,000.

Dispensary
• Non-Profit dispensary – An application fee of $5,000.
• Registration fee – $30,000
• renewal fee in the amount of $25,000.00
• surety bond in the amount of $50,000
• application fee for a dispensing organization agent is $100 ($50 renewal)
• fee for a request to change the Division approved location of a dispensing organization within its assigned District is $5,000

Qualifying Conditions

• Cancer
• Glaucoma
• HIV/AIDS
• hepatitis C
• amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
• Crohn’s disease,
• agitation of Alzheimer’s disease
• cachexia/wasting syndrome
• muscular dystrophy
• severe fibromyalgia
• spinal cord disease (including but not limited to arachnoiditis),
• Tarlov cysts
• hydromyelia syringomyelia
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• fibrous dysplasia
• spinal cord injury
• traumatic brain injury and post concussion syndrome
• Multiple Sclerosis
• Arnold-Chiari malformation and Syringomyelia,
• Spinocerebellar Ataxia (SCA)
• Parkinson’s Disease
• Tourette Syndrome Myoclonus
• Dystonia
• Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy
• RSD (Complex Regional Pain Syndromes Type I)
• Causalgia, CRPS (Complex Regional Pain Syndrome Type II)
• Neurofibromatosis
• Chronic inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy
• Sjogren’s Syndrome
• Lupus
• Interstitial Cystitis
• Myasthenia Gravis
• Hydrocephalus
• nail-patella syndrome or residual limb pain; autism; peripheral neuropathy; post-concussion syndrome; terminal illness
• or the treatment of these conditions.
• Seizures, including those related to epilepsy,
• PTSD

How to Become A Medical Marijuana Patient

Application fee in the amount of $100, or $50 for persons enrolled in federal Social Security Disability Income
1. Must be at least 18 Years Of Age
2. Must be a Legal resident in the state of Illinois with proof of residency
3. The qualifying patient has been diagnosed by a physician as having a debilitating medical condition and has obtained medical records showing the diagnosis of that condition
4. Obtain written documentation from a physician licensed in the state of Illinois stating that, you are a qualifying patient. Be sure to bring your medical records with you to your appointment
5. Upon receiving a recommendation from a physician, patients are required to register with the Illinois Department of Public Health, upon which he or she will receive a state-issued medical marijuana I.D. card.

Caregivers

Yes, caregivers, who may serve only one patient, are permitted to pick up medicine for very ill, homebound patients and are also subject to possession limit.