Illinois’ state legislature has added a puzzling caveat to their medical marijuana legislation. According to House Bill #1, which was approve in April of 2013 and became effective in January of 2014, the law will actually expire on July First of 2020, and either have to be renewed or re-egineered –or possibly dropped altogether. Residents of Illinois should take notice that medical marijuana may become completely illegal again after July First of 2020.

But the Illinois legislature is going to make hay will the sun shines — the current legislation provides for a seven percent sales tax on every ounce of medical marijuana sold to patients or designated caregivers with the proper ID, which is issued only on the written recommendation of a state board-licensed physician.

The approved medical conditions under which medical marijuana may be purchased and administered include:

Agitation due to emotional stress from Alzheimer’s disease; cancer, glaucoma; causalgia; chronic polyneuropathy; HIV/AIDS; Crohn’s disease; PTSD; Type 2 CRPS; dystonia; ALS; Arnold-Chiari malformation; fibrous dysplasia; hepatitis C; hydrocephalus; multiple sclerosis; lupus; myasthenia gravis; Sjogren’s syndrome; traumatic brain injury; Tarlov cysts; Tourette syndrome; treatment for the symptoms of opioid withdrawal; and any terminal illness that is diagnosed to terminate within six months.

The yearly enrollment fee for patients is $100.00. It is $50.00 per year for veterans and those on Medicaid.

Patients are allowed up to 2.5 ounces of medical marijuana every fourteen days. Home cultivation is still completely illegal.