Third round of Illinois 'same-site' adult cannabis licenses approved

The Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation on Nov. 6 announced three more “Same Site” adult use cannabis licenses.

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

Two of the dispensaries are in Chicago, one is in Grandview.

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

The Nov. 6 approvals raise the total number of approved “Same Site” licenses to 14. 

In addition to opening adult use dispensaries at the same site of their medical cannabis dispensaries, existing medical cannabis dispensaries are permitted under the law to open a second site for adult use sales at a different location. 

In the coming months, new applicants, including social equity applicants, will have the opportunity to apply for an additional seventy-five adult use cannabis licenses. 

Social equity applicants are eligible for additional points on their application and for technical assistance, low-interest loans and fee reductions. 

The department said that it anticipates receiving additional applications for early approval adult use licenses as municipalities adopt relevant zoning ordinances regarding adult use cannabis.

Starting on Jan. 1, 2020, the law permits Illinois residents who are at least 21 years old to legally possess up to 30 grams of cannabis flower and up to 5 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.