IL state treasurer asks Trump for clarity on MMJ banking

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Illinois’ state treasurer has joined California’s in requesting guidance from the new administration of President Donald Trump on banking regulations regarding its medical marijuana industry.

The California treasurer in December sent a letter to Trump noting that the refusal by many banks to work with state-legal cannabis companies could pose a serious threat to public safety in coming years, as well as create issues related to tax collection.


Trump ReportIllinois Treasurer Michael Frerichs has voiced similar concerns, the Associated Press…

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Illinois Governor Signs Medical Marijuana Expansion Law

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Illinois Governor Signs Medical Marijuana Expansion Law

SPRINGFIELD, IL — Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner has signed legislation to expand and extend the state’s medical marijuana program.

The legislation, Senate Bill 10, extends the state’s medical cannabis program to 2020. Legislation initiating the program was set to expire in 2018.

Other changes to the program include: adding post-traumatic stress and any terminal illness as qualifying medical conditions; extending the lifespan of state-issued registry cards from one year to three years in duration; and amending the requirement that…

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Poll Finds 82% of Illinois Voters Support Medical Marijuana

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Poll Finds 82% of Illinois Voters Support Medical Marijuana

CARBONDALE, IL — More than four out of five Illinois voters support medical marijuana use, according to a new poll released Monday.  The same poll found a slim majority oppose legalizing recreational use of cannabis, however.

According to the poll conducted by the Paul Simon Public Policy Institute at Southern Illinois University Carbondale, 82% of Illinois voters support legalized medicinal marijuana in Illinois. Only 16% were opposed.

This represents an increase of 19 points since the same poll asked a similar question in 2013, when…

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Illinois MMJ Sales Still on the Rise

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Illinois’ fledgling medical marijuana industry, which is just months old, saw more sales growth in February, seemingly indicating that there’s nowhere to go but up for companies in the state.

According to state-reported numbers, patients in Illinois bought $1.47 million worth of MMJ in February, up from $1.24 million in January. That’s an increase of nearly 19%, after a previous month-to-month increase of 20% from December to January.

The vast majority of February sales were attributable…

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Illinois MMJ Sales Surpass $1.2 Million in January

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Medical marijuana sales in Illinois hit nearly $1.24 million in January, up around 20% from December sales, which were slightly more than $1 million, according to figures released by the state.

A little more than $1.1 million of the sales total was attributable to flower, while concentrates and edibles accounted for just $132,000. Illinois also added seven new dispensaries last month, bringing the total in the state to 28.

The state said that 2,774 unique patients were served during January….

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Illinois Again Shoots Down MMJ Condition List Expansion

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For the second time in a row – and for the exact same reason – Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner’s administration has rejected a recommendation to expand the state’s qualifying condition list for medical marijuana businesses.

The announcement was made Friday afternoon in a press release from the Department of Public Health, in which the agency’s director, Dr. Nirav Shah, revealed the decision. The reason, according to the Chicago Tribune, is the same as last fall, when Shah shot down an…

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Illinois Dispensaries Rack Up $801K in Sales

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Dispensaries in Illinois recorded $801,000 in medical cannabis sales since the program launched in early November, according to the first official figures released by the state.

Illinois now has 16 licensed dispensaries, although only about half are open. Those dispensaries served 1,713 unique patients between Nov. 9, when the program officially launched, and Dec. 8. So far, about 3,600 patients have been approved for the program.

Those figures should continue to ramp up as more patients are…

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Illinois’ First Medical Marijuana Dispensaries Open

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Illinois’ First Medical Marijuana Dispensaries Open

Department of Health approves over a dozen long-awaited dispensaries to open this month; licensed and regulated businesses begin providing medical marijuana to patients with serious illnesses

SPRINGFIELD, IL — Illinois’ first medical marijuana dispensaries have been approved to open across the state, with five expected to open Monday, including locations in Addison, Canton, Marion, Mundelein, and Quincy.

So far, a total of eight are approved by the Illinois Department of Public Health with seven more dispensaries expected to open later…

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Illinois Medical Marijuana Sales (Finally) Begin Today

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Illinois Medical Marijuana Sales (Finally) Begin Today

The sale of medical cannabis to qualifying patients and caregivers will begin at eight dispensaries located throughout the state.

SPRINGFIELD, IL — After years of delays, the first eight dispensaries in Illinois will begin selling medical marijuana as early as next Monday after state officials gave growers the green light Friday to begin shipping cannabis to dispensaries.

The eight dispensaries are located in Marion, Mundelein, Canton, Quincy, Addison, North Aurora, Schaumburg and Ottawa.  According to Joseph Wright, Director of Illinois…

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Eight IL Dispensaries to Begin Selling MMJ Monday

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After a lengthy wait, eight Illinois medical cannabis dispensaries will begin serving customers on Monday morning, effectively launching the state’s MMJ market.

The list includes Harbory, a dispensary in southern Illinois that opened its doors last month but has only to date been offering ancillary services such as counseling and acupuncture. The state announced the openings on Friday.

The full list of dispensaries slated to open Monday includes: The Clinic in Mundelein, Salveo Health &…

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Illinois Medical Marijuana Sales (Finally) Start Monday

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Illinois Medical Marijuana Sales (Finally) Start Monday

The sale of medical cannabis to qualifying patients and caregivers will begin on Monday, November 9, 2015 at eight dispensaries located throughout the state.

SPRINGFIELD, IL — After years of delays, the first eight dispensaries in Illinois will begin selling medical marijuana as early as next Monday after state officials gave growers the green light Friday to begin shipping cannabis to dispensaries.

The eight dispensaries are located in Marion, Mundelein, Canton, Quincy, Addison, North Aurora, Schaumburg and Ottawa.  According to Joseph…

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Illinois Registers First Medical Marijuana Dispensary

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Illinois Registers First Medical Marijuana Dispensary

SPRINGFIELD, IL — After years of delays, the first medical marijuana dispensary in Illinois has been registered by the state.  The Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (DFPR), who is responsible for overseeing the state’s medical marijuana pilot program, announced the registration on Tuesday.

Harbory, which will be located in the southern part of the state in the city of Marion, was the first dispensary applicant in the state to successfully complete the registration and inspection processes, and is now licensed…

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Illinois Lawmakers Add PTSD to Medical Marijuana Conditions

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Illinois Lawmakers Add PTSD to Medical Marijuana Conditions

SPRINGFIELD, IL — Lawmakers in Illinois gave final approval Saturday to a bill to add post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) to the quallifing conditions for the state’s medical marijuana pilot program.

Senate Bill 33 was approved Saturday by a vote of 68 to 36 in the House.  The bill was approved by the Senate by a 34 to 19 vote on May 21.

Illinois’ full legislature has given approval to Senate Bill 33, a measure to add post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as a qualifying medical cannabis condition.

The bill will now be sent to…

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Illinois Lawmakers Approve Extending Medical Marijuana Program

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Illinois Lawmakers Approve Extending Medical Marijuana Program

SPRINGFIELD, IL — Lawmakers in the Illinois Senate gave final approval Thursday to a bill that will extend the state’s medical marijuana pilot program beyond 2017.

The Senate voted 33-16 Thursday to approve House Bill 3299, a bill that has already passed in the House.  The bill, along with another bill passed Thursday to decriminalize marijuana possession in the state, now will head to Republican Governor Bruce Rauner for his signature.

It is unclear if Gov. Rauner will sign the bill, having previously indicated that the program…

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Bill to Extend Illinois Medical Marijuana Pilot Program Advances to Senate Floor

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Bill to Extend Illinois Medical Marijuana Pilot Program Advances to Senate Floor

SPRINGFIELD, IL — A bill to expand Illinois’ medical marijuana pilot program beyond 2017 has advanced to the Senate floor after receiving a favorable committee vote this week.

House Bill 3299 was approved by the Senate Executive Committee Wednesday with an 8-3 vote. The bill, which has already passed in the House, now heads to the Senate floor for a vote.

The bill would extend the expiration date of the state’s medical marijuana pilot program, which has yet to provide medical marijuana access to a single patient, by four years from…

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