Cannabis products, also known as "marijuana" or "weed" are legal in Illinois as of January 1st, 2020. There are many rules and restrictions about the use of cannabis. 

People who need medical cannabis can get a card that allows them to avoid some restrictions. For example, they can grow their own plants at home.

You can get medical cannabis if you:

• Have a qualifying condition or are terminally ill,
• Get a written document from your doctor,
• Submit an application to the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH), and
• Pay the fee.

Information about this process is available on the IDPH website.

Qualifying medical conditions

You must be terminally ill, or have one of the following conditions:

• Autism
• Agitation of Alzheimer’s disease
• HIV/AIDS
• Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)
• Anorexia nervosa
• Arnold-Chiari malformation
• Cancer
• Cachexia/wasting syndrome
• Causalgia
• Chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy
• Chronic pain
• Crohn’s disease
• CRPS (complex regional pain syndrome Type II)
• Dystonia
• Ehlers-Danlos syndrome
• Fibrous Dysplasia
• Glaucoma
• Hepatitis C
• Hydrocephalus
• Hydromyelia
• Interstitial cystitis
• Irritable bowel syndrome
• Lupus
• Migraines
• Multiple Sclerosis
• Muscular Dystrophy
• Myasthenia Gravis
• Myoclonus
• Nail-patella syndrome
• Neuro-Bechet’s autoimmune disease
• Neurofibromatosis
• Neuropathy
• Osteoarthritis
• Parkinson’s disease
• Polycystic kidney disease (PKD)
• Post-Concussion Syndrome
• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
• Reflex sympathetic dystrophy
• Residual limb pain
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Seizures (including those characteristic of Epilepsy)
• Severe fibromyalgia
• Sjogren’s syndrome
• Spinal cord disease (including but not limited to arachnoiditis)
• Spinal cord injury is damage to the nervous tissue of the spinal cord with objective neurological indication of intractable spasticity
• Spinocerebellar ataxia
• Superior canal dehiscence syndrome
• Syringomyelia
• Tarlov cysts
• Tourette syndrome
• Traumatic brain injury
• Ulcerative colitis

Conditions that could have opioids prescribed

You also qualify if you have a condition for which opioids have been or could be prescribed. This only applies to patients 21 years old or older.

You can go to a dispensary with a document from your doctor. It must state that you are taking or could have been prescribed an opioid. You can then purchase cannabis from the dispensary while the IDPH processes your application.

If you have a doctor’s note and have submitted an online application, you can get temporary access. You can buy medical cannabis from a dispensary for 90 days, or until the application has been denied or approved, whichever is earlier.

Doctor’s certificate

To get medical cannabis, you must get a certificate from your doctor. They must be a medical doctor (“MD”) or Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (“DO”). They must be treating you for a condition from the list above. Explain you are interested in medical cannabis and you need a document from them about your condition.

Note: Doctors at the Veterans Administration cannot certify patients. Veterans receiving treatment at a VA facility must submit the most current year of medical records.

Application

You must apply for medical cannabis through the IDPH. You can apply online through the IDPH website. You can also print a copy of the application and mail it to IDPH at:

Illinois Department of Public Health
Division of Medical Cannabis
535 West Jefferson Street
Springfield, Illinois 62761-0001

You must also submit the following:

• Proof of Illinois residency,
• A photo of yourself, and
• The required fee.

You do not need to submit fingerprints or a Fingerprint Consent Form.

Proof of residency

You will need 2 documents to prove you live in Illinois. The address on each must match the address on your application. These may be:

• Bank statements,
• Utility bills,
• A state ID,
• A driver’s license, or
• A voter ID card.

Photo

The photo must be a 2x2 passport-like photo. It must be against a plain, white backdrop with nothing in the background. A “selfie” is not sufficient.

If you are getting medical cannabis, you may not hold an active school bus driver permit or Commercial Driver’s License. You also cannot be:

• An active duty law enforcement officer,
• A correctional officer,
• A correctional probation officer, or
• A firefighter.

Getting help with the application

The IDPH works with local health departments (LHD) to help qualifying patients complete applications for medical cannabis.  There is no charge. You must still pay for the registration fees and other requirements (i.e., passport photo). Learn more at the IDPH website page on application help.

Special rules for minors

Patients under 18 years of age do not need to submit a photo or a fingerprint background check. They do need to visit 2 doctors: one to provide a certificate and one to review it. They must designate at least one caregiver.

The patient will be given a special card with certain restrictions. Once the patient turns 18, they can apply for an adult card. They can apply right away or during the normal renewal period. Designated caregivers may only purchase medical cannabis-infused products from registered dispensaries. Other types of medical cannabis products are not allowed.

A parent or guardian can administer medical cannabis-infused products to the student on school premises or on a school bus. This must be authorized by a school district, public school, charter school, or nonpublic school. Both the student and the parent or guardian must have registry ID cards. 

Cannabis use while on probation

Starting January 1, 2024, a person on probation, conditional discharge, or supervision cannot be ordered to avoid using any substance prescribed by a medical provider or authorized by the Compassionate Use of Medical Cannabis Program Act unless:

• The person is participating in a problem-solving court, or
• The person has gone through a validated clinical assessment, and the treatment plan includes alcohol or cannabis testing.

Fees

Fees for getting a medical cannabis card are: 

• $100 for 1 year;
• $200 for 2 years; and
• $250 for 3 years.

Reduced fees are available for veterans. They may also be available for receipients of Social Security Disability Income (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI). Veterans must include a copy of the DD214. SSDI/SSI recipients should include a copy of a benefit verification letter, dated within the last year.

No fees for patients with terminal illness

If you have a terminal illness with a life expectancy of no more than 6 months, you can get a registry card. This will be valid for 6 months. There are no application fees, and the process will be quicker.  If you qualify, the State will issue a registry ID. This will be valid for 1, 2, or 3 years. This can be after several weeks or even months.

Caregivers

A patient’s caregiver can register to get and transport cannabis to the patient. They must complete the entire caregiver application. They must send it with the $25 fee and all supporting documents. These include:

• A photo,
• Proof of residency,
• Proof of age and identity, and
• Caregiver’s signature.

The caregiver application should be sent with the patient’s application. 

If you are under 18, you can still apply for a card. There are different rules.

Application renewal

After your card expires, you will have to renew your application and pay your fees again.

More information

For more information on the program and how to apply, visit the IDPH website. For questions regarding registration, call the IDPH Division of Medical Cannabis at 855-636-3688. You can email them at [email protected].