Cannabis Product Packaging and Label Requirements in Illinois - M&R Label

Cannabis Product Packaging and Label Requirements in Illinois

Blog, Custom Labels

Illinois legalized recreational Cannabis on June 25, 2019 – becoming the 11th state to do so. Sales to adults aged 21 and older officially began on January 1, 2020. Since then, the adult-use cannabis industry in Illinois has taken off! Our state is home to over 50 licensed medical marijuana dispensaries.

“The Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation has announced preliminary numbers show statewide adult-use cannabis sales in April totaled $37,260,497.89. Dispensaries across the state sold 818,954 items over the 30-day period. Sales to Illinois residents totaled $29,735,650.41.” Illinois.gov

Needless to say, the competition and demand of this industry remain high (no pun intended)! Many businesses have struggled during the coronavirus pandemic, however CBD & Cannabis suppliers and distributors continue to stay busy! Fortunately, Governor Pritzker named medical and adult use cannabis dispensaries as essential businesses, allowing them to remain open during COVID-19.

CBD products have a wide reach! In addition to dispensaries and e-commerce stores, they can also be sold in boutiques, grocery stores, health clubs, popular retailers, etc. Are your CBD labels catching the attention of shoppers online and in-person?

We’d love to help you keep up with the high demand of Cannabis product labels! Do you still print your own CBD labels? It may be time to bring in a custom printing professional to help your business speed up your labeling process with quick turnover! Learn why you’ll love working with M&R Label…

The Requirements of Cannabis & CBD Product Packaging

The most common cannabidiol product is CBD oil, and there are a range of products produced from this oil. Whether your company specializes in tinctures, sprays, gummies, soft-gel capsules, or topical creams, there are quite a few important things to keep in mind:

1) Advertisements & promotional materials (yes, this includes labels) must comply with Illinois laws. It’s important to work with label designers that are well versed in these requirements. The last thing you want is for your business to be fined for labels that break any of these guidelines.

2) CBD product labels must be waterproof and oil-resistant!

3) All cannabis products, recreational or medicinal must be registered with the department and include a label and the required registration fee as listed in Section 1000.140 of the Illinois Administration Code. The registration fee is for the name of the product for sale and for all package sizes.

4) When labeling cannabis or cannabis-infused products, the labels need to be affixed to the package and have information presented in English.

Cannabis Product Packaging and Label Requirements in Illinois - M&R Label

Custom Label Printing Solutions for Cannabis, CBD, Hemp, Marijuana, THC, Medicinal and Consumer Goods

In this highly competitive market, it’s critical to make sure you’re using high quality labels that stand out from the rest! Whether you’re selling edibles or CBD oil, you need a label that will grab the consumer’s attention. We can print any unique font, vibrant color, or image you need!

For these types of labels, we recommend utilizing our Digital Label Printing and Variable Data Label Printing services. Digital printing is an economical way for printing prime, custom, short run label orders. Variable data printing is done digitally and allows us to change information, such as text or images, from one label to the next without stopping or slowing down the printing process. Do you need sequential numbering on your bar code or case labels? Want to add a QR code? No problem!

CBD packaging and labeling requirements vary by product type, depending on the specific formula and container chosen by the manufacturer. Due to the oil content,  it’s vital to use water- and oil-resistant label materials. Thanks to our extensive digital printing capabilities, we can produce premium, custom labels for bottles, bags, jars, boxes, vape cartridges, tamper seals, and more!

M&R’s superior label design, extensive digital printing technology, and quick turnaround times are just what your business needs!

More About Cannabis & CBD Label Compliance

Industry regulations vary across the United States. According to the Illinois government, packaging and labels must include information such as:

  • The following warnings shall apply to all cannabis products: “This product contains cannabis and is intended for use by adults 21 and over. Its use can impair cognition and may be habit forming. This product should not be used by pregnant or breastfeeding women. It is unlawful to sell or provide this item to any individual, and may not be transported outside the state of Illinois. It is illegal to operate a motor vehicle while under the influence of cannabis. Possession or use of this product may carry significant legal penalties in some jurisdictions and under federal law.”
  • All harvested cannabis intended for distribution to a cannabis enterprise must be packaged in a sealed, labeled container.
  • Packaging of any product containing cannabis shall be child-resistant and light-resistant consistent with current standards, including the Consumer Product Safety Commission standards referenced by the Poison Prevention Act.
  • The label of each cannabis product shall contain, among other things, a “use by” date on the label, the quantity of cannabis contained in the product, and a content list (percentages of THC, THCA, CBD, CBDA, and any other ingredients other than cannabis).
  • All cannabis products must contain warning statements established for consumers, of a size to be legible and readily visible to a consumer inspecting a package, which may not be covered or obscured in any way.
  • Contains any seal, flag, crest, coat of arms, or other insignia likely to mislead the consumer to believe that the product has been endorsed, made or used by the State of Illinois.
  • Batch number (serial number that matches producer batch in case of recalls)
  • Your company name and contact info. If you partner with a separate manufacturer, packer, or distributor, you’ll need to list their company name and address. This provides credibility and an option for customers to contact you if necessary. 
  • Packaging must not contain information that:
    • Is false or misleading;
    • Promotes excessive consumption;
    • Depicts a person under 21 years of age consuming cannabis;
    • Includes any image designed or likely to appeal to minors, including cartoons, toys, animals, or children, or any other likeness to images, characters, or phrases that are popularly used to advertise to children, or any packaging or labeling that bears resemblance to any product available for consumption as a commercially available candy, or that promotes consumption of cannabis

How M&R Label Printers Can Help Your Business

The M&R Label team is well-versed in this industry. Not only are we experts regarding the legal requirements of Cannabis & CBD labels, but we’re also specialists in creating custom label designs that will catch the eye of consumers! We can produce labels of any size and shape…and for any type of container! 

M&R Label is proud to design and produce label & packaging solutions for a variety of clients in the Cannabis industry. We serve clients throughout the United States that offer a diverse offering of cannabis products. Ask to see our portfolio for samples. As your chosen custom label printer in Chicago, we guarantee quick turnaround, high quality materials, and creative label design.

CBD product sales continue to thrive – even during the pandemic. Let us help keep your products flying off the shelves!

Ready for a custom Cannabis label solution? Let’s get started!
Contact us today to request a quote: (708) 534-6621

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