Cannabis in Chicago

Legal age

21+, government photo ID

Illinois residents

60 g flower, 10 g concentrate, 1,000 mg THC in infused products

Visitors

30 g flower, 5 g concentrate, 500 mg THC

Cannabis excise (state)

10% flower ≤35% THC, 20% infused products, 25% above 35% THC

Local cannabis taxes

3% Cook County + 3% City of Chicago

Pickup

Curbside and drive-through allowed since 2026-06-12 once IDFPR approves the store

Public use

Not allowed anywhere you can reasonably be seen by others

Why does a Chicago receipt run so high?

Because four separate layers land on one purchase. The Illinois Department of Revenue sets the purchaser excise by product: 10% on flower at or under 35% THC, 20% on edibles and other infused products, 25% on anything stronger. On top of that comes the general merchandise sales tax for the location, and then the local cannabis retailers' occupation taxes.

Cook County and the City of Chicago each levy 3%, both in force since July 1, 2020, according to the Civic Federation. Its analysis put the non-excise part of the bill inside city limits at 16.25% when those taxes started.

The practical upshot: an edible carries a heavier excise than a jar of mid-potency flower, and a high-THC vape cartridge carries the heaviest. Ask for an out-the-door total before you pay; most stores print the layers on the receipt.

Where can a dispensary open in Chicago?

Not in the core of downtown. The cannabis zoning ordinance the City Council passed 40–10 in October 2019 carved out a downtown exclusion zone that, per the Chicago Sun-Times, runs roughly from Division Street to Van Buren Street between State Street and the lake. Every new store also needs a special use approval, so shops sit on commercial strips in the neighborhoods rather than on the Magnificent Mile.

Which Chicago stores does Verdex cover?

All 11 licensed Chicago dispensaries on our list have full profiles with license details, hours and payment notes. A few starting points: Sunnyside in Chicago, Dispensary 33 in Andersonville and Mission on the South Side. For the state-wide picture, see our Illinois cannabis guide.

• License — Illinois dispensaries must be licensed by IDFPR; a store without a posted license is not part of the legal market.
• Limits — The register enforces the 60 g / 30 g split by your ID's state.
• Packaging — Products leave in sealed, child-resistant packaging; keep them that way in a car.
• Receipt — Check that excise and local cannabis tax appear as separate lines.

First visit? Our checklist for ID, payment and what to ask staff covers the counter routine.