Anna considers recreational cannabis sales

The possible retail sale of recreational marijuana was on the agenda at last week’s regular meeting of the Anna City Council.

A representative of the Thrive Dispensary in Anna was in attendance at last week’s meeting. 

Thrive Dispensary, according to its website, offers medical cannabis products, wellness products and consultations at two locations in Southern Illinois. Dispensaries are located in Anna and Harrisburg.

Greg Lambert, security director at the Thrive Dispensary in Anna, talked with city officials about plans for the sale of recreational marijuana at the location.

Sales of recreational marijuana in Illinois are set to begin  next year.

In August, the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, IDFPR, announced the first “Same Site” adult use cannabis licenses.

The licenses will allow an existing medical cannabis dispensary to obtain an adult use dispensing license.

IDFPR explained that the license will permit the dispensary to begin adult use cannabis sales at that location starting on Jan 1, 2020, provided that the dispensary complies with local zoning rules or other local laws.

The state agency reported that as of Aug. 29, five medical dispensaries in Illinois had applied for, and received, early approval adult use licenses. The dispensaries are located in Mundelein, Joliet, Naperville, Canton and Effingham.

The department said in a news release at the time that it anticipated receiving additional applications for early approval adult use licenses as Illinois municipalities adopt relevant zoning ordinances regarding adult use cannabis.

Starting on Jan. 1, 2020, the law will permit Illinois residents who are at least 21 years old to legally possess up to 30 grams of cannabis concentrate.

Registered patients in the medical cannabis pilot program may possess more than 30 grams of cannabis if it is grown and secured in their residence under certain conditions.

The Thrive Dispensary in Anna is hoping to be able to sell recreational marijuana. The dispensary’s security director was seeking support of Anna city officials for the proposal. The dispensary opened in the spring of 2016.

Lambert said that the sale of recreational marijuana would provide an economic boost for the dispensary.

During discussion about the proposal, Anna City Council member Michael Bigler mentioned the potential tax revenue which would be generated by such sales. Initial numbers suggest significant revenue for the city.

The city could levy a municipal cannabis retailers occupation tax on sales of the product. The tax could be levied in 1/4 of 1 percent increments...up to 3 percent.

The city also would be able to levy a sales tax on recreational marijuana.

Mayor Steve Hartline admitted that talks about the potential sale of recreational marijuana in the Union County are something “all new.” He said the city would work with the dispensary and that action related to the proposal could be expected by the council in October. The matter may be on the agenda when the council meets on Tuesday, Oct. 1.

Also in attendance at last week’s city council meeting was Steve Bundy, general manager of Wellness Group Pharms, which has a marijuana growing facility along Lick Creek Road in Anna.

Bundy said he came to voice support for the Thrive Dispensary’s proposal to sell recreational marijuana.

Bundy also said that the facility has plans to expand, which could lead to major job growth.