Medical Marijuana Dispensary Opens In Former Insurance Building
Earlier this week the first of two Illinois medical marijuana dispensaries opened in the metro East. Finally.
Relief has arrived in the Metro East for patients with cancer and other chronic illnesses. The area’s first medical marijuana dispensary, HCI Alternatives, opened in Collinsville Monday. (KSDK)
Illinois’ experiment in medical marijuana is off to a painfully slow start. Can it survive?
The clock is ticking for the Illinois medical marijuana program. A low number of approved patients could force some marijuana businesses to close just as the program is getting underway.
The issue is that the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) has only approved a small amount of illnesses that would meet the requirements for taking medical marijuana. The Medical Cannabis Advisory Board for the program had recommended that 11 conditions and diseases be added to the list. However, in September the IDPH said it wouldn’t expand the list.
The group came back in October with a list of 8 conditions and if approved, would lead to a much larger patient population and would ensure the success of the programs and the viability of the businesses. Several chronic pain conditions, osteoarthritis, autism, irritable bowel syndrome and post-traumatic stress syndrome are on the list the board recommended. The IDPH said it would accept petitions from patients during the month of January 2016. Mind you these petitions aren’t just signing a sheet of paper. (Forbes)
Given the exorbitant fees these businesses paid to Illinois I don’t think they’ll let them go under — the powerful don’t treat the wealthy that way.
When we stopped by in November 2015 we noticed the numerous security cameras all around the building. Hopefully Illinois will approve more conditions and patients will get their cards. HCI Alternatives also has a location in Springfield IL. Missouri approved CBD oil in 2014 but I don’t think it is available to patients yet.
This week a woman in Georgia testified before legislators in her state about buying marijuana on the black market to create her own CBD oil to help treat her child. This November Missouri voters should have the opportunity to approve medical marijuana.
— Steve Patterson
Nothing is going to save these dispensaries until Hellinois lifts some of the draconian restrictions required to get a medical marijuana card. It was set up to fail from the start. Hellinois may be a blue state, but it’s far from liberal. Its legislators are far too corrupt to open up medical marijuana unless it can secure more power, money, and/or voters by doing so.
The legislature voted to expand the program and the governor vetoed it. Just want to put that out there. You said the legislators are far too corrupt, and while I agree about corruption, they did vote to expand the program.
P.S. You can get the card with fibromyalgia. Find a good doctor to diagnose you with that and you’re set.
The local dispensary in SPI opens this month, and they spent over $100,000 to renovate a building downtown. The city council voted to only allow zoning for a dispensary in the downtown area–which makes me really happy. It means that a lot of folks will be coming downtown for their cannabis.