Illinois Plan to Offer New Dispensary Licenses

Illinois legislators are considering adding more cannabis shop licenses to the state. 

This new plan, if approved, could as much as double the number of shops that exist so far. There is currently some stagnation in the process, as the lottery system to determine who the next 75 licenses will be given to has been delayed by lawsuits claiming the system wasn’t fair. 

Currently, Illinois is awaiting a ruling on whether or not cannabis officials will allow the state to move forward with allowing losing cannabis shop applicants the chance to once again be considered, due to aspects of the original lottery the shops are speaking out against. 

This new legislation, backed by State Rep. La Shawn Ford, D-Chicago, would up the number of 75 potential new licenses to 150 total. Those cut from the lottery the first time around would be included back into the running. The idea behind this change is to get rid of some of the issues that resulted in lawsuits.