Illinois Officially Increases The Number Of Recreational Dispensaries

Illinois Officially Increases The Number Of Recreational Dispensaries

Contributor: KC SCANNELL

With the passing of legalized of marijuana, comes a litany of logistical “red tape” and legislation. In order for states to go about cannabis in the right, most “above board” fashion, they must be sure to dot their “i’s” and cross their “t’s” when it comes to the implementation of regulations and restrictions on marijuana, its use, and its sale. If there are any unforeseen loopholes or oversights, you better believe the criminal realm of society will be the first to jump on it. That’s one thing local governments want to avoid at all costs – especially when dealing with a majoritively cash-only business like cannabis.

Regardless of the pages and pages of rules that government officials have to come up with, the swarm of excitement that flows through a state when cannabis first becomes legalized is unlike any other. Smiles become contagious, as that inevitable, fateful day draws closer and closer.

Number Of Recreational Cannabis Clubs In Illinois Are Poised To Increase

In addition to a plethora of people eagerly awaiting the day to purchase legal weed, there are a handful of folks who think jumping into the cannabis industry is a solid business move. To be completely honest, they wouldn’t be wrong. Marijuana is one of the most successful industries in the last few decades, and it truly shows no signs of slowing down. If anything, they stand to grow by exponential proportions, should these states continue to legalize ganja.

If you happen to be one of these entrepreneurs looking to get some skin in the cannabis game, you can’t merely grab some real estate and start slanging flowers to local residents. There’s a myriad of proverbial hoops one has to jump through in order to properly (and legally) obtain a license to run a dispensary.

After that, you must make sure to do everything “by the book.”

Government officials will be watching these places like hawks, and understandably so. They don’t want any of these cash-only businesses to be tempted to skim a little off the top for themselves, avoid necessary state and local taxes on products, and/or other things of that nature.

It’s all about rules. If you follow them, you’re all good and stand to enjoy a plethora of successful years in the cannabis industry. If not, chances are you’ll be in a whole lot of trouble.


In order for states to make sure they are giving worthy candidates licenses to run dispensaries, they’ve come up with an intricate vetting process, that varies from state to state. One such region of the nation that’s currently going through that very same process at the moment, in anticipation of their January recreational cannabis start date, is the midwestern haven known only as, Illinois.

Currently, due to some of that aforementioned “red tape” the state of Illinois is in a bit of a bind, as far as dispensaries go.

Recreational cannabis use and sale goes into law on January 1, 2020. But only cannabis clubs that were selling medicinal marijuana before are allowed to sell it. And only a few of them, at that.

Illinois Officially Increases The Number Of Recreational Dispensaries

Because of some legal mumbo-jumbo, they have yet to agree on a specific way to vet for other, non-medicinal licenses as of right now. Though, they are hopeful to reach a conclusion on that topic in the very near future. Soon after that, they’ll start to hand out licenses to worthy applicants who pass their detailed hiring requirements.

For the moment, Illinois officials are slowly approving current medicinal-only shops, and issuing them licenses to continue with business as usual come January.


If you’re curious as to which places scored themselves one of these new licenses, they are as follows:

– New Age Care: 2015 Euclid Ave., Mount Prospect
– Harbory: 8195 Express Drive, Marion
– MOCA Modern Cannabis, 2847 West Fullerton Ave., Chicago
– Verilife: 1816 South Arlington Heights Road, Arlington Heights
– Verilife: 1804 Maple Ave., Evanston
– Verilife: 161 South Lincolnway Suite 301, North Aurora
– Verilife: 4104 Columbus Street, Ottawa
– Verilife: 1335 Lakeside Drive Unit 4, Romeoville

Hopefully, one of those is your hometown shop, or perhaps, it can become your new “go-to” location when your bud starts to run low. Either way, more licenses mean more dispensaries. More dispensaries mean more cannabis. And more cannabis is never a bad thing.

While one would think that dispensaries would be welcome across the great state of Illinois, there’s actually a handful of suburban neighborhoods putting their foot down when it comes to marijuana, and they’re doing everything in their power to prevent dispensaries from popping up in their neck of the woods.

There are few protest groups out there making noise, but the most notable would have to be the group that goes by the name, Opt Out. These folks share a strong love for deep family values. Which is all well and good. But unfortunately, there seems to be a heaping helping of baseless fear and paranoia attached to that admiration for all things family.

As one could probably assume, these folks are worried about what might happen to their neighborhood should cannabis clubs be allowed to do business in their city. They feel as though it would only empower whatever criminal element is currently lurking within their streets. They also fear for how their children will react if living in a town “surrounded” by cannabis clubs and marijuana enthusiasts. If these people had their druthers, marijuana would be banned from coast to coast, but seeing as how that’s too tall of an order, they’re opting for the next best thing: a local ban on all cannabis clubs and dispensaries.

If you ask me, that sort of outdated, baseless thinking reminds me a lot of Trump’s horrendous “MAGA” chants. It sends shivers down my spine, to be quite honest. I understand these folks come from a good, wholesome place. But the fact they think their towns will turn into slums just because legal cannabis will be sold within their borders is downright absurd.

What’s even more diabolical, is these folks are traveling from city council meeting to city council meeting causing a ruckus. Since they all rock the same Opt Out shirt and whatnot, it’s hard to discern who’s a visitor and who’s a voting citizen. This is doing a great disservice to these town meetings. It’s taking attention away from folks who may have a legitimate concern about cannabis. Perhaps their fears would be calmed with a quiet, adult discourse. Instead, protest groups like this feel their voices won’t be heard if they don’t shout.

In all honesty, it only muddies the waters.

A cacophony of arguing never got anyone anywhere. Even though some counties have chosen to listen to their cries and “opt out” of letting dispensaries open up in their neighborhoods, just as many places (if not more) are allowing cannabis clubs to open up shop. So it’s really a “neck and neck” battle out there. For the moment, the “good guys” seem to be winning, and it’s looking like the fine people of Illinois will be able to grab their cannabis from any number of local establishments when it’s finally legal to do so.

So Illinois residents, remember: When January 1, 2020 rolls around, you can legally have (up to) 30 grams of flower, (up to) 5 grams of concentrate, and (up to) 500mg of THC-infused products.

(But you have to be at least 21 years old.)

If so – have fun, be safe, and smoke one for me!



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