Medical marijuana sales begin in Illinois today

Illinois’ medical marijuana program is in need of a lot of improvement, but tomorrow should still be celebrated because for the first time in Illinois’ medical marijuana program’s troubled history, patients will finally have safe, legal access to medical marijuana.

“Qualifying patients and caregivers may visit any registered dispensary in the State, but must designate a single dispensary with the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) in order to make a medical cannabis purchase”, the state website said.

Medical marijuana is to be sold legally in Illinois from Monday under a tightly regulated pilot program.

So far, the state licensed dispensaries are located in Addison, Canton, Marion, Mundelein, North Aurora, Quincy, Schaumburg and Ottawa.

To be a qualified patient, one needs to get proof from a doctor of having one of about 40 qualifying conditions. According to Joseph Wright, Director of Illinois Medical Cannabis Program, about a dozen dispensaries are expected to open by the end of November, and up to 25 by the end of the year. More than 3,000 people have state-issued ID cards to buy the drug.

Illinois was the 20th state to legalize medical marijuana when, in August 2013, former Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn signed the Compassionate Use of Medical Cannabis Pilot Program Act.

As more licenses are issued, the list of registered dispensaries will grow. A state panel later recommended that four pain-related conditions, autism, osteoarthritis, irritable bowel syndrome and PTSD be added to the list, but those have not yet won final approval.