Gov. Bruce Rauner signed SB 2228 on July 29, 2016, removing criminal penalties for those found in possession of 10 grams or less. Law enforcement may no longer arrest or jail a person in possession of that amount, and the infraction does not result in a criminal record. This change vastly improves the previous law by replacing criminal penalties with a fine of between $100 and $200. The DUI law also improved, eliminating the possibility of a conviction based on metabolized forms of THC, unrelated to impairment.
The state’s medical cannabis program also saw improvement this year. Gov. Bruce Rauner signed SB 10 into law, extending the medical cannabis pilot program to at least July 2020. The state program will also add post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) to the list of qualifying medical conditions, and streamlines the physician’s role in the qualification process for patients.

Overall, it has been a positive year in Illinois. Criminal penalties for possession of 10 grams or less just disappeared, and the medical cannabis program is improving!

Source: Marijuana Policy Project