Contributor: JOHN A. COLLINS
January certainly has been a busy, busy month for the state of Illinois. With the passing of recreational marijuana having gone into effect in the beginning of the year, residents from all around the great state of Illinois have flocked to their neighborhood dispensaries, eager to get their hands on some sought-after cannabis. Much like every other resident who is lucky enough to live in a state wherein this sort of recreational use is legal.
Previous to this historic piece of THC-infused legislation, if you wanted to partake in cannabis within the borders of Illinois, you would have to have a medical marijuana card. The process required to get one of those coveted cards wasn’t exactly easy (or affordable) back then, and it’s the exact same difficulty (and price) today. Residents have to prove to a physician that they suffer from one of the fifty government-approved ailments that would call for the assistance of cannabis as a medicinal aid.
But, they couldn’t go just once, and walk out with a recommendation. While that may be the case in other states, in Illinois, you must establish a solid doctor-patient relationship. By that I mean, you must visit them multiple times before you even get considered eligible for a medical card. Then, after a few visits, some consultations, and a full-on exam, you can apply (and hopefully receive) a medical card.
However, when approved, you are then faced with a fee, the likes of which ranges from $100-250 dollars, depending on how long you want your card to remain valid under Illinois law. So, taking that into account, plus all of those doctor visits, it’s a bit of a hassle, to say the least, as I’m sure you can see. But that “hassle” is nothing compared to what’s happening to the average recreational cannabis enthusiast in Illinois since New Year’s Day.
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Serious Issues Are Starting To Spring Up At Illinois Dispensaries
Since the passing of recreational marijuana, the handful of dispensaries currently allowed to operate within the state are quickly running out of product. This was to be expected, but the continued hoards of enthusiasts showing up to cannabis clubs are resulting in epic wait times, and a massive shortage in supply.
Also, in the state of Illinois, if folks have a medical card, they are allowed to bypass lines, pay less tax on their items, and dispensaries are required by law to always keep enough product on hand for patients. So, in the end, the hassle and payment needed to get a card seems a whole lot more worthwhile, then simply braving the weather, crowds, and prices, all with the possibility of going home empty-handed.
But, consumers aren’t the only ones feeling the effects of this sudden marijuana legalization. Dispensary owners are trying their best to cure this product shortage issue as soon as possible.
Sean Johnson, the manager over at NuMed in Urbana was interviewed by FOX recently, and he was more than happy to share his honest feelings on the current goings-on in the Illinois cannabis industry. Of which, he said, “We’ve stayed open for as long product will allow, but we’ve only had to close a couple days of the month. So, we’re really just waiting on more product with demand.”
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That sort of marijuana waiting game seems to be the only route these dispensary owners and managers can take. With a lack of supply, they have no other recourse, but to shut down for a little while, until they are able to rebuild their stock. Which, not for nothing, will likely sell out just as fast as (if not faster than) before. So, it comes down to proper planning and scheduling.
Speaking on this, Johnson commented, “Just based on speculation and speaking with some of the cultivators, the people that are growing, I think we’re going to start seeing some produce from the build-outs in March, probably full production around June.”
Hopefully, in the coming months we’ll start to see some legitimate progress, as far as this supply issue is concerned. Because as these long lines and constant sell-outs become commonplace, more residents are opting to pay for a medical card, so long as it guarantees them a chance at a purchase. But, if the number of patients continues to rise, dispensaries around the state will suffer a similar sold-out fate. So, it is imperative that folks in the industry solve this problem as soon as possible.
Just because this is an impending issue, it doesn’t mean these businesses aren’t happily raking in the revenue on a consistent basis. Speaking on his sudden cannabis success, Johnson said, “I mean, it’s really good. I can’t lie, I hope the prices do come down, even though some of the higher ups probably don’t want to hear me say that. But my outlook is positive, I don’t think the demand is going to slow down, they just need to catch up with supply.”
Well, ain’t that the truth.
Personally, the more I think about this whole ordeal, the more respect I have for how the Illinois government has handled things. I mean, look at how much money they stand to gain with an influx of medicinal marijuana patients forking over that required application fee.
These applicants could, just as easily, risk not getting any bud by maintaining their recreational status, but with the abundance of insurmountable crowds buying out every dispensary, that just seems like an impossible task to complete. Therefore, they pay for a medical card, as a sort of insurance policy. And I completely understand that.
Meanwhile, the mountains of marijuana revenue continue to pour into the government, which, in turn, helps better the lives of everyone in the state. Well done, Illinois. Well done.
But not everyone is applauding their local lawmakers. They’re far too bummed by the lack of suddenly legalized bud to even think about that. And rightfully so. Imagine how it must feel to wait years, sometimes decades, for a piece of legislation like this to even get brought up, let alone passed. And, finally, when it does, every place you travel to is going to make you wait in hour-long lines, and at the end of it all, they may only have a shrug and an apology to offer. What a demoralizing turn of events.
Hopefully, the “powers that be” will aide and assist these cannabis club operators into forging new, lasting relationships with growers and cultivators. After all, if there is no bud to sell, there’s no revenue to earn, so this is just as large of an issue for them, as it is for the common cannabis enthusiast.
I remain confident, however, that everything will slowly work itself out.
There’s a lot of money to be made here, and whenever that level of financial gain is on the table, things have a way of figuring themselves out in one way or another. It’s happened time and time again throughout the course of history, and that trend is most likely going to continue with the cannabis industry in Illinois.
The state has already made millions upon millions of dollars thanks to the passing of recreational marijuana, and they stand to gain so much more in the future. But, that’s only if they do everything in their power to keep things flowing in the industry. And the best way to do that is to keep the stock rooms of every dispensary as full as possible – as often as possible.
Will they ever be able to reach that goal? Only time will tell.
Fingers crossed.
