Recreational marijuana will be legal in Illinois in 2020; ISP warns against bringing it across statelines

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- Recreational marijuana will be legal in Illinois by 2020.

The Illinois State House of Representatives passed House Bill 1438 Friday which allows those over 21 to possess marijuana and also clears the way for thousands of criminal cases to be thrown out.

The move now sandwiches Michiana between two states where recreational weed will be legal with Michigan taking steps to legalize the drug in December of last year.

Illinois is the first state to pass legislation legalizing recreational marijuana which allows for criminal records to be expunged alongside legalization. Michigan and the 9 other states where recreational marijuana is legal did so through ballot initiatives.

Even with all the changes happening in neighboring states, Indiana State Police say one thing will remain the same at least in Indiana…

“It’s against state statute to have any amount of marijuana in Indiana,” Sgt. Ted Bohner with ISP said.

It’s only a short drive from Michiana to either Michigan or Illinois, so Bohner said its likely people will try to bring marijuana into Indiana.

“Mentally speaking they’re going to think they’re taking one of the risks out of it by buying it in a state where it’s legal,” Bohner said.

So what should those traveling between the states that may have legally purchased marijuana know?

“When you get to Indiana; it’s just as illegal as if you would have purchased it here,” Bohner said. “You’re rolling the dice. What happens when you roll the dice? Eventually you’re going to lose and you’ll be arrested for possessing marijuana. “

How Illinois and Michigan’s recreational marijuana laws will compare:

Illinois (via www.illinoispolicy.org)

· Those over 21 can possess 30 grams of flower and 5 grams of concentrate.

· Medical marijuana patients can grow up to 5 plants at home.

· Non-patients are not allowed to grow at all.

· No smoking allowed in public.

Michigan (via www.michigan.gov/lara)

· Those over 21 can possess 70.9 grams of flower and 5 grams of concentrate.

· Medical marijuana patients can grow up to 12 plants at home.

· Non- patients can also grow up to 12 plants at home.

· No smoking allowed in public.