Dispensary hours extended

The Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation on Feb. 7 granted medical cannabis dispensing organizations the ability to remain open until 10 p.m. to make medical cannabis sales. 

The department provided additional guidance to dispensaries that have both a medical and adult use license to ensure they prioritize serving medical cannabis patients as required by state law.

Since the beginning of the medical cannabis program, medical cannabis sales have been limited to between the hours of 6 a.m. and 8 p.m., while adult use sales are permitted by law until 10 p.m.  

To address this, the Division of Professional Regulation issued a variance to the medical cannabis administrative rules, effective immediately, to expand the hours during which medical patients and their caregivers can purchase cannabis.

The division also issued guidance to dispensaries on measures they can take to prioritize serving medical cannabis users as required by Section 15-15(i) of the Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act.  

Medical cannabis users who think their needs are not being met can file a complaint on the IDFPR website. The website can be found at idfpr.com.