Medical Cannabis Applications Now Available for Illinois Residents
Applications for Illinois’ Medical Cannabis Pilot Program are now available for patients, physicians and business owners in the state that wish to participate in the program.
The three departments that oversee the medical cannabis program in Illinois recently released several documents, including applications for doctors and caregivers seeking to write prescriptions for the medicine, patients looking to obtain a prescription and prospective business owners applying to open a medical cannabis dispensary or cultivation center.
Business owners wishing to participate by growing or selling the drug for medical use, defined in the Illinois law as dispensaries and cultivators, have a two-week window to submit their applications. Applications will be accepted from September 8 through September 22. Dispensary licenses will be awarded depending on a rating system that places the greatest emphasis on business and operations plan, security and record-keeping and inventory. Cultivation center applications will be weighed toward the cultivation and security plans. Applicants must demonstrate that their location meets all local zoning requirements, if they have applied for local zoning approval or if there is no applicable zoning in place at their proposed center.
Patients will be able to submit applications later this year. Those whose last names begin with the letters A through L may apply between September 2 and October 31, those with last names that start with M through Z may apply between November 1 and December 31. On January 1, 2015, applications for registry identification cards will be accepted year-round.
Officials will hold three public meetings around the state to answer questions about the process. Meetings are scheduled to take place in Collinsville on August 14, Peoria on August 18, and Chicago on August 20.
The Cannabis Pilot Program was signed into law last August by Gov. Pat Quinn, authorizing 22 cannabis cultivators and 60 dispensaries across the state. The program allows patients who suffer from 33 ailments to legally obtain cannabis with a doctor’s prescription. Under the law, patients with conditions such as HIV/AIDS, multiple sclerosis, Lou Gehrig’s Disease and cancer, are eligible for treatment with cannabis.
Last updated: 8/12/14; 1:40pm EST
