When Will Illinois Dispensaries Open For Business?

[Crohnie]

It was announced recently that Illinois will be accepting applications starting this Fall for those wishing to open a MMJ dispensary in the state. Up to 60 dispensaries will be allowed, with the majority being in the Chicago area.

Since the law requires a patient to "have an established relationship" with the doctor making the recommendation, at least one "clinic" is already offering their services...for quite a hefty fee, I might add. This is a necessary evil, since not all of our primary doctors or specialists would be cool with writing a "detailed report" on how exactly medical marijuana helps your condition. Long story short, Illinois is not going to see its first dispensaries open until 2015.

One of the reasons this is taking so long is that the Illinois MMJ law is by far the strictest in the country: No growing, limited # of medical conditions, REGISTERING WITH THE POLICE...including fingerprints, etc.
Fortunately, Crohnie has a once in a lifetime opportunity in Colorado coming up next year. I will miss Chicago, but not the corruption of Illinois' government.

If anyone has news, musings, ranting, etc about Illinois dispensaries, this the place to share info.

 

[Grimson]

at least one "clinic" is already offering their services...for quite a hefty fee, I might add.

Just curious, which are you refering to?

Congrats on the opportunity in colorado

 

[cybrguy]

It's now looking like a couple dispensaries will get licensed in October of this year, so they should have product as soon after that as they can get a crop. The city of Chicago has already decriminalized to a ticket for low quantity possession and a law is in the hands of (state) legislators now that would decriminalize the whole state with only a "regulatory" ticket leading to no criminal record. Some are talking about a move to *legalize* in Illinois, but I would be really surprised if that happened any time soon.

 

[Crohnie]

It's now looking like a couple dispensaries will get licensed in October of this year, so they should have product as soon after that as they can get a crop. The city of Chicago has already decriminalized to a ticket for low quantity possession and a law is in the hands of (state) legislators now that would decriminalize the whole state with only a "regulatory" ticket leading to no criminal record. Some are talking about a move to *legalize* in Illinois, but I would be really surprised if that happened any time soon.

Thanks for that info! My guess is we should see the first dispensaries in Illinois opening in January of 2015.

 

[Crohnie]

I had an initial appointment at a Cannabis Clinic in Chicago today. When I asked when they thought the first dispensaries would open in Illinois, they told me anywhere from 5-12 months. Most in the know seem to think Spring 2015.

 

[Hot Potatoe]

I had an initial appointment at a Cannabis Clinic in Chicago today. When I asked when they thought the first dispensaries would open in Illinois, they told me anywhere from 5-12 months. Most in the know seem to think Spring 2015.

Or it might just keep getting pushed back...

 

[aesthyrian]

Fortunately, Crohnie has a once in a lifetime opportunity in Colorado coming up next year. I will miss Chicago, but not the corruption of Illinois' government.

That's great! I love Colorado, it's so beautiful and I find the people to be much more generous and kind than the people I deal with on a daily basis in Illinois. You can't wait around forever for Illinois to finally help provide you with the medical relief you need. Colorado does it right, in my opinion.

I'm pretty stoked for you!

 

[Crohnie]

That's great! I love Colorado, it's so beautiful and I find the people to be much more generous and kind than the people I deal with on a daily basis in Illinois. You can't wait around forever for Illinois to finally help provide you with the medical relief you need. Colorado does it right, in my opinion.

I'm pretty stoked for you!

Thanks! My oldest sister called me yesterday to let me know she's moving to Denver.

 

[cybrguy]

I have been wanting to live in Colorado for 30 years at least, tho my draw was mostly the Rocky Mountains. Something (often the client following I have here) has always held me back. That draw has increased exponentially since the MJ laws have been enacted, and may well overwhelm any difficulties that have been holding me back eventually. Just not yet...

 

[Crohnie]

I have been wanting to live in Colorado for 30 years at least, tho my draw was mostly the Rocky Mountains. Something (often the client following I have here) has always held me back. That draw has increased exponentially since the MJ laws have been enacted, and may well overwhelm any difficulties that have been holding me back eventually. Just not yet...

I know what you mean. I've been thinking about it for some time now. The fact that my best friend and my oldest sister now live there put me over the top. The economy in Colorado is the best in the country. And, of course...the MJ laws. I'm fortunate that I'll be eligible for a medical card once I'm there. The medical prices are pretty darn reasonable.

 

[Crohnie]

Illinois apparently got quite a few applications for cultivation centers and dispensaries. The deadline passed for them to apply on Sept 22nd and it was announced that decisions should be forthcoming by the end of the year. Since it will take a few months to grow, harvest, dry/cure the first crop, don't expect to see the first dispensaries open in Illinois until at least April 2015.

 

[Crohnie]

Illinois has really been dragging its feet. Decisions have still not been announced yet as to the successful applicants for dispensaries and "cultivation centers." Once they finally do, it's going to take a few months to set up and a few months more until product is ready for sale. In short, don't expect to see dispensaries open in Illinois till at least July of 2015.

 

[Crohnie]

More bad news for those waiting for dispensaries to open in Illinois. Unfortunately, the process of granting licenses had yet to begin before former Democratic Governor Quinn left office. The newly elected Republican Governor, Bruce Rauner, "plans on evaluating the process former Governor Quinn used to decide who should get licenses and forwarding that information to the State Attorney General's office to get more feedback. No licenses will be granted until this process is thoroughly reviewed."

In other words, it will be at LEAST several months before any licenses are granted to dispensaries and "cultivation centers." Once again, I need to push back my estimate of when dispensaries will open in Illinois. Don't expect to see any dispensaries open until at least September 2015. Illinois' new Governor has stated many times he would not have signed the MMJ bill had he been governor at the time. Expect this asshole to delay the program as long as he can.

 

[cybrguy]

Very sad, but no surprise on this governor. Even tho he says he is against it, I have changed my mind as to whether he will go ahead with it. I think now that he will, but only after he finds a way to make a lot of money from it. We need to keep in mind that Rauner is the guy who spent over $26M of his own money to become Governor. Anyone who believes he did this out of the goodness of his heart is a fool.

 

[Crohnie]

Very sad, but no surprise on this governor. Even tho he says he is against it, I have changed my mind as to whether he will go ahead with it. I think now that he will, but only after he finds a way to make a lot of money from it. We need to keep in mind that Rauner is the guy who spent over $26M of his own money to become Governor. Anyone who believes he did this out of the goodness of his heart is a fool.

I'm more skeptical. Remember, Illinois' MMJ law is only a 4 year pilot program. More than 1 year of that program is already gone. He could easily delay it another year leaving only 2 years left in the program.

 

[cybrguy]

Oh, I'm quite certain he would rather not allow anyone in Il to get high legally, unless he can make money off of it. This does not appear to be the guy whose morals trump his greed. Of course, I could be wrong. We'll see soon enough...

Yeah, I know, soon enough was a long time ago.

 

[aesthyrian]

I'm more skeptical. Remember, Illinois' MMJ law is only a 4 year pilot program. More than 1 year of that program is already gone. He could easily delay it another year leaving only 2 years left in the program.

Yep, this "pilot" program expires in 2017, correct? This is just absurd. It's only for very extreme medical conditions and those people cannot afford to wait. It's not like someone can just say they have anxiety and get a medical card, so all this delay and red tape is ridiculous.

Even after the grows get approved, they still have to actually grow their supply. Such progress... yay

Of course, none of this would matter if the bill allowed patients to grow their own!

Illinois sucks ass

 

[Crohnie]

Yeah, Illinois sucks. That's why Crohnie is moving to Colorado this Summer!

 

[cybrguy]

I would make a snide comment, but it would just be out of jealousy. I DO envy you, man.

 

[cybrguy]

Yippe I O Ky A!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

http://www.nbcchicago.com/blogs/war...Marijuana-Licenses-and-Permits-290584431.html

It is now happening! It is happening now.

Not that I quality, I don't. But This is GREAT for those that do...

Within 6 months, MMJ will be available in Illinois. !!

 

[Madcap79]

I hear rumor of a legalization bill being introduced. Prolly won't happen but it's nice to see an attempt.


http://norml.org/news/2015/02/06/illinois-marijuana-legalization-measure-introduced

 

[cybrguy]

I'd love to see that happen but I highly doubt it. While Il usually votes Democratic (mostly due to Chicago), it is still quite conservative. Midwest values and all that...

 

[Crohnie]

I hear rumor of a legalization bill being introduced. Prolly won't happen but it's nice to see an attempt.


http://norml.org/news/2015/02/06/illinois-marijuana-legalization-measure-introduced

It would be great, but as you know, not going to happen in Illinois...especially after the 2014 election cycle. New Republican Governor Bruce Rauner said he wouldn't have signed the MMJ bill approved by former Governor Quinn (D). There's also a decriminalization bill out there that Quinn signaled he was open to signing. Rauner has already said he's against the decriminalization bill. There's no way he'll sign legalization into law.

There are two underlying problems. Unlike many other states, Illinois doesn't have a voter initiative process. Medical, decriminalization, and legalization must be done through the legislature and then signed by the Governor. As cybrguy rightly points out, Illinois, due to Chicago, usually votes Democratic in Presidential elections. Out side of Chicago however, the Congressional districts are a lot more conservative.

The 4 states that have legalized all have a voter initiative process to put issues on the ballot. Many of the MMJ states do also. It is MUCH more difficult to pass MMJ, decriminalization, and legalization in states with no such process.

 

[aesthyrian]

There are two underlying problems. Unlike many other states, Illinois doesn't have a voter initiative process. Medical, decriminalization, and legalization must be done through the legislature and then signed by the Governor. As cybrguy rightly points out, Illinois, due to Chicago, usually votes Democratic in Presidential elections. Out side of Chicago however, the Congressional districts are a lot more conservative.

The 4 states that have legalized all have a voter initiative process to put issues on the ballot. Many of the MMJ states do also. It is MUCH more difficult to pass MMJ, decriminalization, and legalization in states with no such process.

Exactly. Illinois does not have any direct democracy. Without Rep. Lou Lang, we would have never had a chance at getting anything done, and he worked hard for several years just to finally get whatever you want to call this ridiculous "pilot program" that fucking expires in two years. Every time he would re-introduce his bill it just got weaker and weaker, because that was the only way he could get anyone to vote when the time came.

But hey, Illinois gets what it deserves. They voted Rauner, a filthy rich Republican that is against raising the minimum wage, and voted out Quinn who halted his own pay and every other member of the Illinois assembly, against the wish of the Democratic majority leader, because they failed to do what they said they would, which is pass a god damned budget before they go on summer vacation! Sounds like a leader of the people to me..

So yeah, once again, way to go Illinois!

Even with the numbers from Colorado's tax revenue, Illinois is not going to use legalization to fix their horrible deficit. The smart ones are looking to move to a place that actually, ya know, progresses.

 

[Crohnie]

That's why Crohnie is moving to Colorado this summer!