Illinois Marijuana Policy
Illinois has been in the news lately for marijuana quite a bit. It seems that a lot of West Coast marijuana has been making it’s way to Chicago, and some people have gotten pinched along the way. Since Illinois has the fifth largest population in the US, I’d imagine the demand for marijuana will continue. Illinois is no joke when it comes to marijuana penalties, though, so people with visions of grandeur should be advised. Below are the marijuana penalties in Illinois courtesy of Illinois NORML:
Decriminalized? — No.
Possession of 2.5 grams or less is a misdemeanor, punishable by 30 days in jail and a $1,500 fine. You can be eligible for 24 months of probation for the first conviction, and dismissal of charges after completion.
Possession of 2.5 to 10 grams is a misdemeanor, punishable by 6 months in jail and a $1,500 fine. You can be eligible for 24 months of probation for the first conviction, and dismissal of charges after completion.
Possession of 10 to 30 grams is a misdemeanor, punishable by 1 year in jail and a $2,500 fine. You can be eligible for 24 months of probation for the first conviction, and dismissal of charges after completion.
Possession of 30 to 500 grams (first offense) is a felony, punishable by 1-3 years in prison and a $25,000 fine. Subsequent offenses result in 2-5 years, along with the $25,000 fine.
Possession of 500 to 2,000 grams is a felony, punishable by 2-5 in prison and a $25,000 fine.
Possession of 2,000 to 5,000 grams is a felony, punishable by 3-7 years in prison and a $25,000 fine.
Possession of more than 5,000 grams is a felony, punishable by 4-15 years and a $25,000 fine.
Cultivation of 5 plants or less is a misdemeanor, punishable by 1 year in jail and a $2,500 fine. You can be eligible for 24 months of probation for the first conviction, and dismissal of charges after completion.
Cultivation of 5 to 20 plants is a felony, punishable by 1-3 years in prison and a $25,000 fine. You can be eligible for 24 months of probation for the first conviction, and dismissal of charges after completion.
Cultivation of 20 to 50 plants is a felony, punishable by 2-5 years in prison and a $25,000 fine. You can be eligible for 24 months of probation for the first conviction, and dismissal of charges after completion.
Cultivation of more than 50 plants is a felony, punishable by 3-7 years in prison and a $100,000 fine.
Casual delivery (no money changing hands) is treated like a possession charge.
Distributing 2.5 grams or less is a misdemeanor, punishable by 6 months in jail and a $1,500 fine. If it is in a school zone, the jail time doubles and the fine is $2,500. You can be eligible for 24 months of probation for the first conviction, and dismissal of charges after completion.
Distributing 2.5 to 10 grams is a misdemeanor, punishable by 1 year in jail and a $2,500 fine. If it is in a school zone, it is a felony, punishable by 1-3 years in prison and a $25,000 fine. You can be eligible for 24 months of probation for the first conviction, and dismissal of charges after completion.
Distributing 10 to 30 grams is a felony, punishable by 1-3 years in prison, and a $25,000 fine. If it is in a school zone, it’s 2-5 years in prison, and a $50,000 fine. You can be eligible for 24 months of probation for the first conviction, and dismissal of charges after completion.
Distributing 30 to 500 grams is a felony, punishable by 2-5 years in prison and a $50,000 fine. If it is in a school zone, it’s 3-7 years and a $100,000 fine.
Distributing 500 to 2,000 grams is a felony, punishable by 3-7 years in prison and a $100,000 fine. If it is within a school zone, it’s 4-15 years in prison, and a $200,000 fine.
Distributing 2,000 grams to 5,000 grams is a felony, punishable by 4-15 years in prison and a $150,000 fine.
Distributing more than 5,000 grams is a felony, punishable by 6-30 years in prison and a $200,000 fine.
Trafficking more than 2,500 grams across state lines is a felony, punishable by 8-30 years in prison and a $300,000 fine.
Distributing to a minor 3 years younger than the seller is a felony, punishable by double penalties in both categories (depends on amount sold).
Any conviction can also result in additional fines of full street value.
Medical Program? — No.
Want to bring marijuana reform to Illinois? Below are some great places to get started, via our Illinois activism page:
Illinois Students for Sensible Drug Policy
