Southern Illinois News

Metropolis Police Department issued the following announcement on Dec. 31.

Illinois residents over the age of 21 can possess up to 30 grams of marijuana, up to 500 milligrams of THC infused products and up to 5 grams of cannabis concentrate. Non-Illinois residents, you can possess half of those values.

Marijuana must be purchased from a regulated marijuana dispensary. This means, if you purchase your marijuana from your buddy down the block, you and your buddy will still be arrested. Sorry, but if you are a street pharmacist, the war on drugs rages on.

Some of you green thumbers will be allowed to grow cannabis in your own homes, but you will need a Medical Cannabis card to do so. If you have such a card, you can't sell or give away any personally grown cannabis, cannabis plants or cannabis-infused products. If you grow it, they can't come (imagine the Field of Dreams version of marijuana growing voice here)

If you are under 21 and want to smoke, ingest, consume marijuana you can do so if: you are in your own home or you are part of the Compassionate Use of Medical Cannabis Pilot Program Act. Parents, you can't allow children that aren't your own to smoke marijuana in your residence, don't try to be the cool parent, it will be an expensive fine and everyone will talk about you.

Students, if you rent an apartment or condo you MUST follow your landlords lease rules. No Smoking means No Smoking and can be a lease violation. No Cannabis can be in your home if you are living in a federally subsidized housing unit. (Massac County Housing receives federal dollars therefore yuou cannot use of possess if you live in one of the public housing units or if you are a secion 8 recipient.

No one under 18 can possess marijuana.

Cannabis must be consumed in the privacy of a residence and can't be used in public places or vehicles. If you smoke marijuana in your vehicles you will face steep fines and your driving privileges can be suspended.

Legally purchased cannabis must remain in the package in which it was purchased and during transport, in a sealed; odor-proof; child resistant cannabis container. All illegal cannabis (aka the devil's lettuce) can still be packaged in the corner baggies hidden in purple or green Crown Royal bags, which will then be packaged in my evidence bags, because it's illegal and i will arrest you for it. Sorry the war on drugs rages on for you folks that can't follow the legal marijuana laws.

I ask that everyone who chooses to consume marijuana do so legally and responsibly. Never, under any circumstances consume marijuana and operate a motor vehicle.

If you have something negative to comment DONT. However, if you have a legitimate question please ask. there is supposed to be a trailer bill coming out this spring to address some issues which means there will probably be some changes. Happy New Year!

~ Director Masse.

(thanks to Officer Gunning for helping me format this!)

Original source can be found here.