Black Caucus chairman threatens to resurrect six-month delay for recreational marijuana sales in Chicago December 20, 2019 AggregatedNews Illinois 0 Comments Ald. Jason Ervin (28th) says governor’s office is backtracking on promise to earmark two medical marijuana dispensary licenses for black or Hispanic operators. The chairman of the City Council’s Black Caucus threatened Thursday to try again to delay recreational marijuana… Read More→
You can apply to run a recreational pot shop in Illinois starting Tuesday — but hurry December 10, 2019 AggregatedNews Illinois 0 Comments State regulators will start accepting applications Tuesday for the next round of licenses to operate recreational pot shops in Illinois. Applications will be accepted until Jan. 2 — the day after recreational sales kick off — and up to 75 conditional… Read More→
Weed-themed gifts are hot for the holidays, but the etiquette can be tricky. How to avoid an awkward Christmas morning. December 3, 2019 AggregatedNews Illinois, News & Insights 0 Comments Saint Lucia’s Smoke Shop in Bucktown has a colorful new display of greeting cards for shoppers this holiday season, and the wintry cheer they bring comes with a marijuana-themed twist. The $10 cards, as ornate and bright as any greeting… Read More→
No additional pot shops expected to open in Chicago by Jan. 1 October 29, 2019 AggregatedNews Illinois 0 Comments Chicagoans looking to grab a bag of legal weed when sales kick off on New Year’s Day will likely face long lines at the few stores — less than a dozen — that are expected to be open. The buzzkill… Read More→
Marijuana goes on sale in Illinois in January, but tight supply may make it hard to buy. ‘There just isn’t going to be that much product available.’ October 11, 2019 AggregatedNews Illinois 0 Comments When marijuana shops open their doors to the public in January, shoppers at the back of the line might notice something missing once they get inside: the weed. Nearly every state that allows recreational marijuana had some shops run out… Read More→
One of the biggest deals in the cannabis industry just fell apart. What the MedMen-PharmaCann breakup means for marijuana in Illinois. October 9, 2019 AggregatedNews Banking, Finance & Real Estate 0 Comments When MedMen Enterprises agreed to buy Chicago-based PharmaCann last year, the $682 million deal was one of the biggest in the history of the legal marijuana industry. Now, it’s one of the biggest to fall apart. On Tuesday, the companies announced they… Read More→
Into the haze: how will legal marijuana affect Illinois employers and workers? October 4, 2019 AggregatedNews Illinois 0 Comments For cash-strapped Illinois, recreational marijuana is expected to be a headrush of revenue. But for Illinois businesses, surveying the new legal landscape it has already caused a headache. At a panel event on Thursday, local leaders in policy, business and… Read More→
Can Illinois draw marijuana tourists from out of state? Retailers take a gamble on border towns September 30, 2019 AggregatedNews Illinois 0 Comments Recreational marijuana sales are set to begin next year, and some of the potential store locations getting scouted suggest Illinoisans aren’t the only customers cannabis companies hope to attract. Amid the debate over proposed zoning rules that would ban weed… Read More→
Legal marijuana dispensaries would be banned in most of downtown Chicago under Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s proposed zoning rules September 18, 2019 AggregatedNews Illinois 0 Comments Recreational marijuana dispensaries would be blocked from opening in most of downtown Chicago, including the Magnificent Mile, under Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s proposed zoning rules for when the sale of the plant becomes legal next year. But the mayor’s plan could… Read More→
Many Illinois marijuana businesses aren’t sure they’ll be ready for recreational sales Jan. 1. Here’s why. September 9, 2019 AggregatedNews Illinois 0 Comments The medical marijuana dispensary in Naperville snagged one of the first state licenses issued to sell recreational pot, creating expectations of a steady flow of new customers when sales start on Jan. 1. But the dispensary’s plans were shelved just… Read More→
Illinois awards its first five recreational marijuana licenses August 30, 2019 AggregatedNews Illinois 0 Comments Illinois awarded its first licenses to sell recreational marijuana to five medical dispensaries on Thursday, even as many municipalities around the state debate whether they’ll allow pot sales. The five shops that received licenses are peppered throughout Illinois — in… Read More→
Illinois’ Medical Marijuana Program Is Now Permanent, Expanded August 13, 2019 AggregatedNews Illinois 0 Comments Illinois’ medical marijuana program is getting a second wind. Governor J.B. Pritzker signed a pair of bills on Monday expanding who can get a medical card, and when they can use it. The program was initially limited to just six… Read More→
Illinois marijuana growers who get first shot at the recreational market contributed heavily to politicians who cemented their advantage August 2, 2019 AggregatedNews Illinois 0 Comments Marijuana cultivating companies that persuaded Illinois lawmakers to give them first access to recreational customers pushed for the lucrative advantage with the backing of a steady flow of campaign cash, the Tribune has found. The firms grow medical cannabis now,… Read More→
Illinois universities exploring programs on growing, marketing marijuana July 12, 2019 AggregatedNews Illinois 0 Comments Some community colleges and four-year universities in Illinois are exploring the possibility of launching educational programs to train people in the business of growing and marketing marijuana, in light of a new state law legalizing adult-use recreational marijuana. There is,… Read More→
Weed cafes in Illinois? People could be allowed to smoke marijuana (not tobacco) at bars, restaurants under new law. July 1, 2019 AggregatedNews Illinois 0 Comments Since 2008, it’s been illegal to smoke indoors at most public places in Illinois. But smoking could once again be allowed at bars, restaurants, coffee shops and other businesses, even new cannabis smoke lounges and weed-friendly movie theaters and concert… Read More→