The line outside the Metro East’s first recreational marijuana dispensary was already long hours before it opened for the first time last January. Hundreds of people packed themselves into a tight metal maze that could barely contain the growing crowd at Ascend in Collinsville. The line continued away from the building, snaking along a nearby sidewalk, its tail winding […]
illinois marijuana
Illinois sitting on $62 million in cannabis revenue meant to foster businesses and help neighborhoods hurt by poverty and violence
Despite promises that cannabis legalization in Illinois would fund more minority business participation and neighborhood improvements, the state has yet to spend $62 million collected for those purposes. Part of the delay in awarding the money is due to problems with the state’s system to award new cannabis business licenses. The other reason for the […]
North of the border, Wisconsin cops are monitoring the impact of legal recreational marijuana in Illinois
Despite dispensaries quickly popping up along Illinois’ northern border after that state legalized recreational marijuana almost a year ago, local law enforcement officials say they have not yet seen any major impacts in Wisconsin. Officials with the Rock County Sheriff’s Office and police departments in Janesville and Beloit said they have not seen any rise […]
Illinois’ weed windfall from taxes rivals booze haul — and could surpass it next year
Amid skyrocketing demand for legal weed in Illinois, statewide tax receipts from recreational pot sales are now rivaling those from booze. November’s tax revenues from adult-use cannabis, which reflect the record $75.28 million in sales tallied in October, reached nearly $22.88 million, according to figures released by the Illinois Department of Revenue. That’s less than […]
Cash-strapped Illinois turning down $100M in pot taxes, industry says
With Illinois facing a nearly $4 billion budget deficit next year, lawmakers and cannabis industry insiders have claimed the state is missing out on more than $100 million in tax revenue by blocking certain pot shops from relocating. While the state’s economy has been upended by the coronavirus pandemic, cannabis sales have remained a bright […]
Downstate judge orders Illinois not to rescore marijuana license applications while controversial issue plays out in court
A court has ordered Illinois officials to hold off on rescoring license applications for recreational marijuana dispensaries, delaying the controversial process for at least a week, records show. State officials agreed to the ruling, which freezes a plan by Gov. J.B. Pritzker meant to resolve complaints about the scoring process. The order by Sangamon County […]
Recreational marijuana tax revenue passes $100 million in Illinois
Illinois has collected more than $100 million in recreational marijuana tax revenue since legalizing sales on January 1, according to the state’s Department of Revenue. The tax revenue, which includes a cannabis tax, as well as state and local sales taxes, reflects growing recreational marijuana sales as dispensaries continue to open across the state. In September, adult-use […]
Illinois marijuana license finalists file lawsuit over second-chance applications
Investors who won a chance for a license to sell recreational marijuana in Illinois have filed a lawsuit asserting it’s illegal to give other applicants a second chance. The legal action sets up a potential court battle over when to hold a lottery to award 75 new retail licenses. Three finalists filed a petition asking […]
Illinois recreational marijuana sales hit record of nearly $68 million in September
The recreational weed business keeps growing in Illinois, with the state’s adult use cannabis dispensaries generating nearly $68 million in sales during September. The new sales record, reported Monday by the state, tops August sales by nearly $4 million. It includes more than 1.4 million items sold, also a record since Illinois legalized recreational marijuana […]
Governor’s team to meet to address complaints about marijuana licensing process in Illinois
Amid a flurry of complaints that the marijuana licensing process is broken, Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s office announced Wednesday that his team will meet with those affected to address the issue. “The Governor’s office is currently working to schedule meetings with interested stakeholders, however, meeting dates and times have not been finalized,” Pritzker’s press office wrote […]
