Preliminary Marijuana Updates

There has been local coverage of the initial response to recreational marijuana legalization, from long lines to dispensary license application deadlines. WILL had coverage of the initial long lines, high prices, and local officials in the mix:

Champaign Deputy Mayor at Large Tom Bruno was among the first paying customers at Sunnyside, whose parent company is Cresco...

NuMed in Urbana also opened its doors at 6 a.m., with an overflowing parking lot and about a hundred people waiting in line, including Chad Crouse, who drove about an hour from Clifton to purchase THC concentrates for vaping...

At a ribbon cutting at NuMed at 9 a.m., Urbana Mayor Diane Marlin said the historic day represents a change in attitude toward cannabis policy.

She said over the next year, the city will be working to address common misunderstandings about cannabis legalization. 

Full article available here. The News-Gazette also had an overview of initial turnout and what that may mean for local tax revenues:

At least 1,000 people were served at two dispensaries in Champaign-Urbana on the first day of legal marijuana sales, and customers continued to arrive by the hundreds on Day 2...

Statewide, dispensaries that opened for recreational sales on Wednesday together handled 77,128 transactions and racked up just shy of $3.2 million in sales, according to the Illinois Department of Financial & Professional Regulation...

Legalized weed sales aren’t just earning money for dispensary owners. Both Champaign and Urbana approved a 3 percent sales tax on recreational marijuana.

That full article here. WCCU had some additional updates on adult-use dispensing licenses approved in time for sales beginning this year, including the NuMed license in Urbana here. In another article they pointed out that the January 2nd deadline has passed for 2020 licenses.

Not every city is participating. But, before they even opened, cities had to make a decision. And, it's a decison that some towns are still struggling with...

But, if any of those towns do decide to sell recreational marijuana, they'll have to wait.

The deadline to apply for one of the state's first 75 licenses passed on Jan. 2.

The Ilinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation will issues an addictional 75 licenses in the coming months, but they haven't opened up the application period yet.

While some may be worried on missing out on months of tax revenue, others want to take their time to make the right decision for their city.

Full article here, including additional information about the license costs and the point system to get one. Previous Cheat Sheet article on local marijuana legalization issues and legal technicalities here.