After months of anticipation and preparation, recreational marijuana is now legal in Illinois. It is an exciting time for those who enjoy the use of cannabis, businesses that will profit from its sale, and residents whose previous marijuana possession convictions are being expunged. However, there are still limits to marijuana possession and use, just as with any controlled substance. Some marijuana laws are more restrictive than laws for alcohol and tobacco. If you are unaware of the rules for recreational marijuana, you may be at risk of facing drug-related criminal charges.

Possession

Firstly, you must be at least age 21 to possess marijuana in Illinois. There are also limits to the amount of cannabis you can possess:

• 30 grams of cannabis flower
• 5 grams of cannabis concentrate
• 500 milligrams of THC in a cannabis-infused product

If you are a visitor to Illinois, those possession limits are cut in half. Possessing more than the legal limit is a criminal offense.

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