<body><div><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=2hr7ZQ_0vkg3FcJ00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=2hr7ZQ_0vkg3FcJ00" width="750" height="499" ><figcaption>Photo courtesy of Capitol News Illinois.</figcaption></figure>The Illinois Supreme Court says the smell of burnt cannabis is not enough for police to search a vehicle without a warrant.Capitol News Illinois reports the court’s unanimous decision last week stems from a case in Henry County, where a man was pulled over for speeding and a license plate violation.The state trooper reported the smell of burnt cannabis, and searched the vehicle. He found about a gram of cannabis, and the driver was charged with transporting it illegally – it was supposed to be in a sealed container and out of reach of the driver.But the driver claimed in his case that Illinois’ 2019 law decriminalizing marijuana meant the smell of it shouldn’t be used as probable cause to search his vehicle. The high court agreed.Capitol News Illinois is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news service covering state government. It is distributed to hundreds of print and broadcast outlets statewide. It is funded primarily by the Illinois Press Foundation and the Robert R. McCormick Foundation, along with major contributions from the Illinois Broadcasters Foundation and Southern Illinois Editorial Association. </div></body>

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Smell of burning cannabis not enough to cause police search, rules Illinois Supreme Court

The Illinois Supreme Court says the smell of burnt cannabis is not enough for police to search a vehicle without a warrant. Capitol News Illinois reports the court’s unanimous decision last week stems from a case in Henry County, where a man was pulled over for speeding and a license plate violation.