MACOMB — Though cannabis is legal to purchase from licensed dispensaries in the state of Illinois, one Iowan learned the hard way that strict rules still apply to the once-illicit substance.

20-year-old Cameron Clark was cited Friday evening for possession of cannabis totaling less than 10 grams. He and 21-year-old Kavon Johnson (Urbana, IL) were pulled over and approached by officers for an unrelated traffic violation. After noting what they described as a cannabis-like odor, officers identified Kavon, who was wanted on two McDonough County warrants.

In case your reading list can’t accommodate all 610 pages of House Bill 1438, passed at the beginning of this year, here’s what those within McDonough County should know about buying, using, and transporting marijuana:

Buyers must be 21 years or older, and only purchasing from licensed dispensaries. Much like its alcoholic counterpart, there are restrictions on transporting marijuana and driving under the influence of it.

According to Macomb Police, those traveling with marijuana or THC-infused products within the state must keep them within a tamper-proof sealed container. Having the product loose or accessible in the vehicle can incur fines similar to having an open container of alcohol in one’s vehicle. IllinoisPolicy.org in a January 1 article specified the following amounts:

“Illinoisans can legally possess 30 grams, or about an ounce of cannabis flower,” wrote Austin Berg, VP of Marketing at Illinois Policy. “The legal limit for cannabis concentrate is 5 grams. And the limit for cannabis-infused products, such as edibles or tinctures, is 500 milligrams of THC, the chemical that gets users high. Illinois visitors are allowed to possess half of those amounts.”

Those with medical marijuana cards are allowed to grow five of their own marijuana plants at a time in Illinois, but recreational users may not grow any, and are subject to civil fines of up to $200.

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