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IDFPR approves first set of adult use cannabis licenses

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Illinois

* Press release…

The Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation announced Thursday the first “Same Site” adult use cannabis licenses, which will allow an existing medical cannabis dispensary to obtain an adult use dispensing license. This license will permit the dispensary to begin adult use cannabis sales at that location starting January 1, 2020, provided the dispensary complies with local zoning rules or other local laws.

In addition to opening adult use dispensaries at the same site of their medical cannabis dispensaries, existing medical cannabis dispensaries are permitted under the law to open a second site for adult use sales at a different location.

The medical dispensaries who have applied for and received early approval adult use licenses to date are:

The Clinic Mundelein
1325 Armour Boulevard
Mundelein, IL 60060

3C Compassionate Care Center – Joliet
1627 Rock Creek Boulevard
Joliet, IL 60431

3C Compassionate Care Center – Naperville
1700 Quincy Ave. #103
Naperville, IL 60540

Salveo Health & Wellness Dispensary
3104 N. Main Street
Canton, IL 61520

The Clinic Effingham
1101 Ford Ave. Ste. C
Effingham, IL 62401

The Department anticipates receiving additional applications for early approval adult use licenses as municipalities adopt relevant zoning ordinances regarding adult use cannabis.

Starting January 1, 2020, the law permits Illinois residents to legally possess up to 30 grams of cannabis flower and up to 5 grams of cannabis concentrate. Registered patients in the medical cannabis pilot program may possess more than 30 grams of cannabis if it is grown and secured in their residence under certain conditions.

Naperville is still going back and forth about what to do about allowing adult use cannabis sales. Mundelein’s police chief has expressed some support.

But Effingham? In the heart of the Eastern Bloc? From May…

Effingham County Sheriff Dave Mahon and Effingham Police Chief Jason McFarland voiced concerns over a recently proposed Illinois bill calling for the legalization of recreational marijuana. […]

“I know the legislators are looking into this pretty hard, and it’s kind of on the fast track, which really scares me,” Mahon said. “I think that we kind of need to step back and look at what’s happened in other states before we just jump right in. Illinois has already decriminalized marijuana, and this proposal is meant to commercialize the industry and product with proven health and safety concerns.”

That’ll be interesting. Commerce or dogma?

* Related…

* Cannabis dispensary to locate in former Aldi in Galesburg: Ken Springer, KCAPED’s president, said that currently existing medical dispensary license holders are the only entities who can seek a recreational cannabis business license. The two closest medical dispensaries are in Milan and Canton.

posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Aug 29, 19 @ 10:43 am

Comments

Entrepreneurs in Effingham have been producing pharmaceutical-quality cannabis for decades. Now it’s time to bring it out into the open, regulate and tax the industry. Local law enforcement should be applauding this move, not using scare tactics to oppose it.

Unless some of the cops have a financial interest in the current, unregulated market…

Nah, not in Effingham. That sort of thing only happens in Chicago I guess.

Comment by 47th Ward Thursday, Aug 29, 19 @ 10:49 am
Every person voicing opposition to legal weed sounds like they’re quoting “Reefer Madness.” Or is that just me?

Comment by Alrighty then Thursday, Aug 29, 19 @ 10:52 am
I can see the marketing for the Mundelein area now (not far from Hawthorn and surrounding malls): “From Kuma’s to Kush, we have it all!”

Comment by lake county democrat Thursday, Aug 29, 19 @ 10:54 am
I look forward to effingham county board meeting attendees wearing t-shirts that say “I would rather smoke ditch weed than listen to Chicago politicians anymore”

Comment by Lester Holt’s Mustache Thursday, Aug 29, 19 @ 10:54 am
=“I think that we kind of need to step back and look at what’s happened in other states before we just jump right in.=

The inference being that this has created all sorts of problems in other states. But the reality doesn’t support that. All of these constant cries for “more studies” are diversionary delay tactics. If Mahon wants something to be truly scared of perhaps he should think about more about the opioid epidemic.

Comment by Pundent Thursday, Aug 29, 19 @ 10:59 am
No matter how much certain people want to keep their heads in the sand, marijuana is widespread now and will be widespread after legalization—with the benefit of legitimate sales, tax revenue and money going to mental health programs. The law and order types, how can they be okay with rampant illicit use but reject legal sales with quality safeguards and no sale to minors?

Comment by Grandson of Man Thursday, Aug 29, 19 @ 11:00 am
Naperville will be interesting to see. They obviously had an appetite for the medical marijuana aspect. Now will they be able to stomach allowing adult use in the same location as opposed to being put in their street downtown? It sounded like from the articles reported on from debate they didn’t want Naperville to have pot shops everywhere? If it’s at the same location as the medical it obviously is something they’re dealing with already and can allow without impacting the community. they can zone the rest of the city, downtown, strip malls etc as no weed zones.

Comment by Dupage Bard Thursday, Aug 29, 19 @ 11:01 am
So when the secessionists leave Illinois, will they have to legalize it again?

Comment by Cheryl44 Thursday, Aug 29, 19 @ 11:17 am
These entrepreneurs are just “riding the wave with the rich” .

Comment by Donnie Elgin Thursday, Aug 29, 19 @ 11:55 am
A cannabis dispensary in Effingham might be the only reason I may ever have for visiting that area.

Comment by A Jack Thursday, Aug 29, 19 @ 12:43 pm
I’d need to look up the good Sheriff’s campaign materials and see who his parents were, but I grew up on a farm down that way. I can remember my parents pointing out ditchweed in the 1970’s.

In the early 1980’s, the end of summer went like this: Coles County fair, then flyovers by a formation of at least 3 State Police helicopters, looking for marijuana growing in the woods. (Apparently, it’s so green it has a contrast with the trees and can be seen a few hundred feet in the air.)

Then the State Fair, then the Cumberland County fair, then school started.

Comment by Lynn S. Friday, Aug 30, 19 @ 1:34 am
Funny that DFPR’s Aug 15th guidance says they “will not be responding to individual questions at this time and, instead, will address questions by providing additional information about the application process to all eligible applicants at the same time” but dispensaries all owned by one major operator get the inside track? With multiple dispensaries located in embattled cities on this issue… So what if Effingham decides no - DFPR yanks their license? Lawsuit waiting to happen on the state’s dime. The implementation of this law has been disastrous and totally out of line with the sponsor’s intent.

Comment by Head Scratcher Friday, Aug 30, 19 @ 9:34 am