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Prevention First’s Cannabis Policy Resource Center (CPRC) provides education, training, expert-led webinars, resources, and tools on data-supported policies and strategies to prevent youth cannabis use, reduce youth access to cannabis, and promote healthy behaviors in communities.

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Cannabis Resources

Cannabis Information

Accidental Cannabis Ingestion 
This poster on accidental cannabis ingestion walks through quick steps to take in the case of potential cannabis poisoning. It was developed by Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago and Voices of Child Health in Chicago.

Cannabis Derivatives Fact Sheet
This downloadable infographic explains how certain cannabis-derived products can appear on store shelves outside regulated cannabis dispensaries.

Cannabis Environmental Scan Toolkit 
Environmental scanning is an important assessment tool that allows you to observe and document the cannabis landscape in your community, including advertising. This CPRC toolkit outlines considerations for conducting community environmental scans. | Spanish Version

Cannabis: THC, Delta-8, and other Cannabinoids 
Created by the CPRC, this resource helps communities identify different cannabinoids that they may find for sale. It explains the regulatory context of cannabis derivatives and suggests possible solutions for communities looking to address their sale. For printed copies, please contact the CPRC. | Spanish Version

DEA Preventing Marijuana Use Among Youth & Young Adults 
The DEA is especially concerned about marijuana use and its negative consequences among youth and young adults. This publication provides an overview of the prevalence of marijuana use among this population; the physical, academic, and social consequences; tips for how to get involved to prevent marijuana use among youth and young adults; and federal resources to assist in your efforts. | Spanish Version

Let's Talk Cannabis IL 
What should you know about weed? Consider this resource from the Illinois Department of Human Services as a guide for all your cannabis questions. We pulled together proven facts and tips to help you understand the rules and health effects so you can make safe and informed decisions. Look around to read about some of the most talked-about topics regarding the laws, responsible use, and family safety.

Marijuana Prevention Strategies Resource Guide 
Communities already implement many evidence-based prevention strategies to prevent youth marijuana use, such as Youth Prevention Education (school-based comprehensive curricula), goal-focused communication/media campaigns, coalitions, and strategic planning. This guide will provide information and tips related to the following additional prevention strategies communities can use to address marijuana legalization: Public education, Local policy, Environmental scans, Data monitoring, and Community collaboration. 

CADCA, Implementation Primer: Putting Your Plan into Action 
This primer assists your coalition in implementing comprehensive strategies designed to achieve population-level reductions in substance use rates. It describes the importance of community mobilization and the necessity of seeking meaningful environmental change—two strategies that research indicates can influence substance use rates in an entire community.

Cannabis Facts and Stats from the Centers for Disease Control 
This CDC webpage provides information on the health effects of cannabis as well as links to various sources to monitor the prevalence and trends of cannabis use. 

2018 IYS Youth and Marijuana Use in Illinois 
Studies show that marijuana interferes with attention, motivation, memory, and learning. Compared to those who don’t use, students who use marijuana regularly may be functioning at a reduced intellectual level most or all of the time. Regular marijuana use can lower an adolescent's IQ by 8 points. As a result, users tend to get lower grades and are more likely to drop out of high school.

2018 IYS Drug Use Compared to Academic Success 
Data from the 2018 Illinois Youth Survey (IYS) state sample shows that students with higher academic grades are less likely to engage in past 30-day substance use, such as alcohol, e-cigarettes, marijuana, or prescription drugs not prescribed to them. Be aware that these associations do not prove causation. School administrators, stakeholders, and decision-makers may use these findings to increase understanding of the associations between substance use and grades and to create policies and programs to foster healthy behaviors in youth.

The Impact of Legalization of Marijuana in Illinois 
Published in the fall of 2021, this report from the Chicago High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Area explores the impact of cannabis legalization. The purpose is to provide data and information so policymakers and citizens can make informed decisions on the issue of cannabis legalization.

Policy Development

The Differences Between Alcohol and Cannabis Policy
This resource explores the consumption patterns & contributing factors associated with alcohol and cannabis-related harms and why it is important to approach regulation differently.

Illinois Municipal League, IML Guidance and Model Drug & Alcohol Policy 
Employers have expressed concerns regarding the ability to maintain drug-free workplace policies and testing programs following the enactment of Public Act (P.A.) 101-0027, which created the Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act (CRTA) legalizing adult-use cannabis and amended the Right to Privacy in the Workplace Act (RPWA). In response to some of those concerns, the Illinois General Assembly passed, and Governor JB Pritzker signed, SB 1557, now P.A. 101-0593, effective December 4, 2019, which amends CRTA.

Northwest Prevention Technology Transfer Center Network: POLICY ANALYSIS WORKSHEET 
This worksheet aims to help entities identify where current and proposed regulations and policies are strong and where more specific prevention-informed approaches may be needed.

Prevention Technology Transfer Center Network: Cannabis Prevention Tool Kit 
The information in this tool is intended to support capacity development specifically within the prevention workforce by increasing understanding of cannabis regulatory frameworks and policies that can affect youth cannabis use and harm prevention. 

SAMHSA, Developing Policy 
A key part of a successful drug-free workplace program is creating a written drug-free policy that reflects the needs of your workplace and applicable laws.

Drafting Clear Ordinances: Do’s and Don’ts 
Tips on developing ordinance content from Carolyn Braun, AICP.

Public Health Institute, Getting It Right from the Start 
Model Ordinance. Getting it Right from the Start, a program of policy advocacy, research, and technical assistance, promotes marijuana law and regulation which better protects public health and equity. 

APRC Six Essential Elements to Social Host Ordinances

Communicating about Cannabis: A Guide for Government Officials
This guide reviews what residents most need to know about cannabis.

Policy Examples

Illinois Municipal League, Adult-Use Cannabis Resources 
A comprehensive guide for municipalities, including a fact sheet, model ordinances, model drug and alcohol policies, and a tax and fee revenue distribution flow chart.

Lake County Recreational Cannabis Task Force Packet The following executive summary provides information about the Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act (“the Act”), delineates the Act’s scope of local authority contained therein, and further describes the Task Force’s process and outcomes. It is intended that the documents included with this memo will serve as a useful resource as local governments consider their available regulatory options.

American Public Health Association, Examples of Cannabis Policies in Four States
This table describes how states with the most experience regulate legal, non-medical cannabis. It identifies some common approaches states are taking to protect public health and prevent cannabis use among children and adolescents while at the same time creating a market for cannabis that discourages illegal activity.

Illinois Law

HB 1438 The Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act and the HB 1438 Summary - The Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act

Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police, Legal Bulletin
This bulletin aims to provide an overview of the cannabis enforcement framework following the passage of recreational cannabis legalization. These changes will be effective and enforceable on January 1, 2020.

Let’s Talk Cannabis
Are you wondering what’s allowed in Illinois? Unlike the age at which you can legally use cannabis, some rules vary based on where you are, who’s around you, the form of cannabis, and owner permission. Learn the facts and nuances that can help you make responsible choices and stay out of legal trouble.

Submitting a Marijuana Marketing Violation
Created by the Illinois Prevention Network, this tip sheet describes the process for reporting marketing that violates the requirements of the Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act in Illinois. It includes identifying violations and the complaint form and process overseen by the Illinois Department of Professional Regulation.

Municipal Cannabis Ordinances

Examining local regulations  

Since the passage of the Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act (CRTA) in Illinois, municipalities throughout the state have responded with a variety of policy actions. This page will explore specific policies municipalities may reference when crafting local policy. Before reviewing the ordinances and discussion, we advise readers to review the below disclaimer. The primary areas in which municipalities are granted authority to regulate include opt-out, zoning (including conditional or special use permits), on-premise consumption, and taxation. Legal Disclaimer

Opt-Out Provisions

The CRTA allows municipalities to opt out of allowing licensed cannabis businesses within their boundaries. However, this only applies to the businesses themselves and does not allow municipalities to prohibit the use or possession of cannabis in ways that differ from the CRTA. 

While initially, many communities opted out, several have since amended their ordinances and allowed businesses to open. 

Opt-out provisions may be either total opt-out (all cannabis businesses), limited opt-out (only allowing certain license types such as dispensaries), or opt-out of on-premise consumption only. 

Examples: 

West Chicago (total) 

Park Ridge (limited)

Zoning

Municipalities may establish zoning requirements that specify the places within their boundaries a cannabis business can be located. Communities may consider zoning requirements on cannabis businesses to reduce accessibility by youth to cannabis possibly.  

Examples: 

Danville – setback requirements of 1,000 feet from schools, daycare centers, and residential care homes and 2,640 from residential areas. 

Hoffman Estates – Utilizes overlay districts to specify areas of the community businesses can locate 

Special/Conditional Use

Special or condition use permitting processes technically fall into zoning practices but impose additional requirements not directly related to the placement of a business. In communities throughout Illinois, they have been used in various ways.  

Example: 

Pekin – Limits the municipality's total number of dispensary licenses to three.

On-Premise Consumption

The CRTA allows communities to decide whether to allow on-premise consumption of cannabis at licensed businesses and also directs them to regulate them if choosing to allow it. On-premise consumption can be located at either a licensed cannabis business or tobacco shop and, if allowed, is not considered public places within the meaning of the Smoke-Free Illinois Act (410 ILCS 705/55-25 Sec. 55-25). 

Communities considering allowing on-premise consumption should consider the impact on the capacity of local and state law enforcement to detect and deter driving under the influence of cannabis. 

Examples: 

Pekin – prohibits on-site consumption. 

Oglesby - allows on-site consumption only at dispensaries and under certain conditions. 

Taxation

The CRTA allows municipalities to establish up to an additional 3% local tax on top of the state rates and any applicable county rates. Most municipalities establishing a tax have done so at the 3% rate. 

Cannabis-Derived Product Bans or Restrictions

Cannabis-derived products are any product containing a cannabinoid. These can include Delta-9 THC, Delta-8 THC, Delta-0, and Cannabidiol (CBD). Although federal and state law regulates them to some degree, confusion over the manufacturing methods of these products has led to some businesses other than licensed dispensaries selling intoxicating versions of these products.

Some municipalities have enacted ordinances to address this situation.

Examples:

Elk Grove Village - Elk Grove Village has passed an ordinance banning all sales of products containing THC at licensed tobacco retailers.

Antioch - Antioch has passed an ordinance amending its liquor and tobacco code to prohibit these licensees from selling Delta-8 and Kratom.

Evergreen Park - Bans sales of all derived psychoactive cannabis products (DPCP) or hemp-derived THC products (HDTP) outside of dispensaries licensed under the CRTA. Also bans kratom and tianeptine.

Project Administrator

Melanie Crews
cprc@prevention.org

 

Funding in whole or in part by the Illinois Department of Human Services, Division of Behavioral Health & Recovery.