The recreational use of cannabis in Illinois became legal on Jan. 1. Under the law, jurisdictions in Illinois within their boundaries can ban recreational cannabis businesses or establish regulations to allow the production and sale of cannabis. This includes Lake County government, which enforces zoning regulations for unincorporated Lake County. Lake County is currently evaluating its options for regulating recreational cannabis in the unincorporated area.

After discussion at its Jan. 8 meeting, the Lake County Public Works, Planning and Transportation (PWPT) Committee directed staff to prepare a County Board resolution enacting a one-year moratorium on unincorporated recreational cannabis businesses. Committee action on the proposed moratorium will be taken at its Jan. 29 meeting and final action by the full County Board is anticipated at its Feb. 11 meeting. The resolution, if adopted by the Lake County Board, will formally prohibit recreational cannabis businesses within the unincorporated area for a period of one year (until 2021).

The purpose of the moratorium would be to allow time to research health and law enforcement impacts and revenue implications of recreational cannabis legalization and to gather input from the public on recreational cannabis legalization at a series of public forums. At the conclusion of the moratorium period, this information would be used by the County Board as it considers future regulatory options for recreational cannabis.

Watch the discussion.

Visit the Lake County Recreational Cannabis Information web page.