UPDATE (2/11/2020): The Department of Agriculture recently released a Notice to Local Zoning Authorities, which provides zoning authorities with some guidance on how to complete Exhibit O of the craft grower license application. Per this notice, the zoning authority should check the second box, indicating that the craft grow applicant has come to them for their approval, “if the [...]
A week after recreational adult cannabis use became legal in Illinois, the state’s Department of Agriculture (“DOA”) released the much-anticipated craft grower, transporter, and infuser license applications for cannabis businesses. The DOA’s website contains information for those wanting to apply for these licenses, including forms and an FAQ page for each license. The DOA will begin accepting applications on [...]
(date: October 7th, 2019) With legal recreational marijuana on the horizon and dispensary applications recently released, business owners are scrambling to find an appropriate location. In September’s City Council meeting, Mayor Lori Lightfoot laid down a proposal that restricts where recreational cannabis dispensaries could operate in the city of Chicago: 500 feet from a school 1,500 feet from other [...]
(date: July 24, 2019) The State of Illinois officially legalizes recreational marijuana after the Illinois Senate and House passed a comprehensive cannabis bill. Governor J. B. Pritzker signed the bill into law on June 25, 2019, fulfilling a substantial campaign promise. Illinois is the first and only state to legalize cannabis through the legislative process, instead of a [...]
(date: July 24, 2019) Anyone wishing to break into Illinois’s new recreational marijuana industry should start preparing to apply for an operational license as soon as possible. Knowing when to apply and how the State will score applicants improves your chances of getting a license. Here is what we know about the process so far: Applications must [...]
