What happened, what's gonna happen, and some cannabis stats

Mar 02, 2020

Good Morning!

While cannabis is speedily moving to a series of bureaucratic questions in the Chicago area, it is still something much bigger in DuQuoin, Illinois, population 6,109. The small burg is representative of many towns south of Interstate 80, where Mayor Mayor Guy Alongi is trying to authorize a November referendum to legalize cannabis sales in the city “because of the hundreds of thousands of dollars in taxes it would produce for the city.” Two of the town’s five commissioners oppose it on “moral grounds”, reports the DuQuoin Call, and two others are unwilling to state their position.

Meanwhile, Crain’s points out that suburbs are starting to face the possibility of cannabis winners and losers, as pot-friendly Aurora starts raking in sales tax revenues, while cannabis-can’t Naperville watches next door. Meanwhile, the State of Illinois reported $7.3 million in sales tax revenue for just the first month.

It’s only two months in to legalized recreational cannabis, and already people are second guessing their choices.

Welcome to Grown In’s brand new Monday edition! It’s a weekly overview of the last week’s news, coming events, and a nifty piece of cannabis data, delivered to you early every Monday morning, and curated by me, Mike Fourcher, Grown In co-founder. Brad Spirrison will keep sending you his snappy reporting, but now on Thursday mornings, instead of Wednesday afternoons.

As always, you can read through past issues and subscribe to our newsletter at grownin.substack.com. Also, if you have any events you’d like us to publicize, questions about what we do, or just want to get in touch, drop me at note at mike@grownin.com. I’d love to hear from you.

- Mike Fourcher

Chart of The Week: Illinois Approved Medical Cannabis Patients

The number of approved medical cannabis patient applications steadily grew through Illinois’ launch of recreational cannabis. Another interesting data point is the the total number of “unique patients” served, which hovered around 54,000 people in November and December of 2019, dropping to 53,000 in January 2020. As recreational dispensaries shut down during weekdays and long lines have become the norm, it will be interesting to see if medical patient applications increase in February in response.

Last Week’s Illinois Cannabis News

Because it’s a compulsory-obsessive habit, we scour the news across Illinois for what’s going on with cannabis.

March 1

Symposium to look at legal impact of Illinois’ recreational marijuana law [SIU News]

February 29

Adult-Use Cannabis Sales Begin in Effingham [WXEF]

February 28

Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker promotes Jerry Costello II to new position [Belleville News-Democrat]

Clouted developer, ally of ex-Ald. Solis bids to become pot shop landlord — but says competitors might be sabotaging him [Chicago Sun-Times]

New ‘cannabis amnesty’ boxes — they’re now green, and more secure — installed at Chicago airports [Chicago Sun-Times]

Frustrated with shortages, medical marijuana patients begin growing their own at home [Chicago Tribune]

Alderman Hasn’t Decided If He’ll Support Weed Farm Planned For Logan Square Marble Plant [Block Club Chicago]

Recreational marijuana sales begin Saturday in Effingham [Effingham Daily News]

Galesburg dispensary nears completion [Galesburg Register-Mail]

Du Quoin city council debates: Should voters decide Du Quoin marijuana question? [DuQuoin Call]

February 27

South Jax Tables Cannabis Zoning, Reworking Regional Planning Contract, Works On Park Signage [WLDS]

Marijuana may be legal in some places, but it is still off-limits for Davenport city employees [Quad-City Times]

February 26

Why marijuana testing labs may be making their way to the suburbs [Daily Herald]

Craft-pot cultivators decide not to pursue Adams Street location [Peoria Journal-Star]

Craft Cannabis Company Pulls South Side Business Proposal [WCBU]

February 25

Pot profs, cannabis clinicians and lawyers among white-collar workers flocking to marijuana jobs [Chicago Sun-Times]

First month’s legal pot sales generate $7.3 million in tax revenue [Capital News Illinois]

How long can pot-resisting towns hold out? [Crain’s Chicago Business]

Recreational marijuana sales in Illinois generated more than $10 million in tax revenue in January [Chicago Tribune]

Can Chicago Fix the Problem of #MarijuanaSoMale? [WTTW]

North Riverside zeroes in on cannabis business rules [Riverside-Brookfield Landmark]

Illinois program provides resources for minorities to get recreational marijuana licenses [WTVO]

February 24

Recreational marijuana tax money could help train local police [WGEM-TV]

2 Indoor Weed Farms Proposed On South Side As Midway Dispensary Moves To Expand [Block Club Chicago]

Cannabis Events Coming This Month

Every week we round up some of the more interesting cannabis events around Illinois. Got something we should be paying attention to? Drop a line to mike@grownin.com

March 3

Oakbrook Terrace Planning And Zoning Commission: Special Use For Adult-Use Cannabis Dispensary

6:00 PM – 7:00 PM

City Council Chambers at 17W261 Butterfield Road, Oakbrook Terrace

Village Of Hampshire Zoning Board: Special Use For Craft Grower

7:00 PM 8:00 PM

Village Hall, 234 South State Street, Hampshire

March 4

Green in CHI's March Panel Discussion and Networking Event

6:00 PM – 9:00 PM

Hubbard Inn

110 W Hubbard St, Chicago, IL