How to Stay Compliant With Child-Resistant Packaging Requirements in Illinois
In 2019, the state of Illinois became the 11th state to legalize recreational marijuana use - and the very first to do it through the state legislature, rather than a ballot initiative. As with all states that have legalized marijuana use, Illinois has a specific set of rules and regulations for the packaging of cannabis for sale.
The whimsically-numbered Section 1000.420 of Illinois’ Administrative Code deals specifically with the packaging of marijuana and/or marijuana-infused products, as does Section 55-21 of the Illinois Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act, but there’s no need to grab your fine-print reading glasses just yet - we’ve boiled it down to the basics.
Firstly, all marijuana products must be packaged in airtight, clearly-labeled containers. The Act specifies that these containers must be odor-proof, individually wrapped, and most importantly child-resistant.
By law, all product labels must contain:
- the name and post office box where the item was manufactured;
- the common or usual name of the item and the registered name of the cannabis product that was registered with the Department of Agriculture;
- a unique serial number that will match the product with a cultivation center or craft grower batch and lot number to facilitate any warnings or recalls the Department of Agriculture, cultivation center, or craft grower deems appropriate;
- the date of final testing and packaging, if sampled, and the identification of the independent testing laboratory;
- the date of harvest and "use by" date;
- the quantity (in ounces or grams) of cannabis contained in the product;
- a pass/fail rating based on the laboratory's microbiological, mycotoxins, and pesticide and solvent residue analyses, if sampled;
- a complete content list of the following, including the minimum and maximum percentage content by weight and acceptable minimum tolerances of:
- delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC);
- tetrahydrocannabinolic acid (THCA);
- cannabidiol (CBD);
- cannabidiolic acid (CBDA); and
- all other ingredients of the item, including any colors, artificial flavors, and preservatives, listed in descending order by predominance of weight shown with common or usual names.
Unique warning labels must also be affixed to different marijuana-based products:
- Cannabis that may be smoked must contain a statement that "Smoking is hazardous to your health.".
- Cannabis-infused products (other than those intended for topical application) must contain a statement "CAUTION: This product contains cannabis, and intoxication following use may be delayed 2 or more hours. This product was produced in a facility that cultivates cannabis, and that may also process common food allergens."
- Cannabis-infused products intended for topical application must contain a statement "DO NOT EAT" in bold, capital letters.
Additionally, marijuana packaging in Illinois is forbidden from including any image that could appeal to children (i.e. cartoons, toys, animals, etc.), any depiction of a marijuana leaf, or any official seal or flag of the state of Illinois.
If your dispensary or other manufacturing facility is in need of custom-printed packaging for your products, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with our team here at CannaSundries.
DISCLAIMER: The contents of the CannaSundries website regulatory pages are intended to convey general information. The information here should not be relied upon for legal advice on state marijuana laws. We provide links to state cannabis regulatory sites; we do not vouch for or assume any responsibility for the content, accuracy or completeness of material presented in linked sites. The information presented on these pages may not reflect the most current legal developments in the marijuana industry. We disclaim all liability in respect to actions taken or not taken based on any or all of the contents of this site to the fullest extent permitted by law.