Tag: Illinois

Illinois County Requiring Dispensaries to Warn That ‘Cannabis Use May Contribute to Mental Health Problems’

September 26, 2023 · Ganjapreneur

Cannabis dispensaries in McHenry County, Illinois are now required to display signs with a warning that “cannabis use may contribute to mental health problems” under “first-in-the-country” rules imposed by McHenry County State Attorney Patrick Kenneally, Axios reports. Businesses that don’t comply could face consumer fraud lawsuits from Kenneally.   Kenneally defended the new order in a Chicago Tribune op-ed in which he suggests a “growing body of research” that “cannabis can … initiate and worsen depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety and suicidal ideation, especially in young people.”… Read more.

Chicago Officials Considering Only Letting Cannabis Licensees Sell Hemp-Derived THC Products

September 19, 2023 · Ganjapreneur

The Chicago, Illinois City Council is considering a proposal that would allow only businesses that hold a state issued cannabis license to sell hemp-derived cannabis products that contain THC, including delta-8, delta-10, and THC-O, the Chicago Sun-Times reports. Businesses without cannabis licenses would still be allowed to sell hemp products with negligible amounts of delta-9, but would not be allowed to advertise the sale of THC, use images associated with cannabis, or call themselves dispensaries.   Second Ward Ald. Brian Hopkins, chair of the… Read more.

Workers at Three Illinois Rise Dispensaries Ratify Contract

September 8, 2023 · Ganjapreneur

Workers at three Rise dispensaries in Illinois have ratified their first collective bargaining agreement. Rise is a subsidiary of multi-state operator Green Thumb Industries (GTI), and the contract covers workers at two locations in Joliet and one in Niles. The agreement marks the end of what the Teamsters Local 777 described as a “protracted fight” with GTI that included a 13-day work stoppage that ended in May. Jim Glimco, Local 777 president, said the “fight should be a lesson to cannabis companies… Read more.

Illinois Concert This Weekend Will Be State’s First To Allow On-Site Marijuana Consumption

September 8, 2023 · marijuanamoment.net

Music fans heading to Mundelein, Illinois, this weekend will make history as part of the state’s first-ever concert to allow open marijuana consumption. Headliners, fittingly, include the cannabis-friendly artists Cypress Hill, Stephen Marley and Action Bronson. Kicking off Saturday afternoon, the two-day Miracle in Mundelein festival will feature complimentary rolling papers, lighters and grinders, as well as dab bars and rolling stations for use by attendees. Marijuana products themselves will be available for sale through a retailer located next door.… Read more.

Verano marijuana retail workers ratify union contracts in Illinois

August 15, 2023 · MJ Biz Daily

Employees at two Illinois marijuana retail locations owned by multistate operator Verano Holdings ratified collective bargaining agreements, according to the International Brotherhood of Teamsters. The contract ratifications at Zen Leaf stores in the Pilsen neighborhood of Chicago and the Village of Lombard come after workers at both stores voted last year to join the Teamsters. Workers at the Lombard store voted in favor of unionization in February 2022; employees at the Pilsen location voted to join the union in August 2022. “The workers… Read more.

Teamsters Reach Agreement with Verano-Owned Chicago Dispensaries

July 22, 2023 · Ganjapreneur

Teamsters Local 777 has reached tentative agreements for cannabis consultants and agents-in-charge at Chicago’s Zen Leaf dispensaries. Zen Leaf is owned by multi-state cannabis company Verano, and it is the third MSO the union has successfully bargained agreements with after it launched its campaign to organize the cannabis industry less than three years ago.  In a statement, Jim Glimco, president of Local 777, said the “contract includes monumental improvements that the workers on this committee fought incredibly hard to achieve.”   The agreement… Read more.

Marijuana Dust, A New Silent Killer? – Did a Second Person Die from Industrial Kief Particle Inhalation?

July 21, 2023 · Cannabis.net

According to a report from Rock Island, Illinois police, Julie Devinney, an employee in the cannabis industry, tragically passed away on Friday morning at a Green Thumb Industries' (OTCQX: GTBIF) facility. The police report, authored by Officer Austin Frankenreider and obtained by WeedWeek, provided additional insights into the incident.  First reported by Weedweek, the death left many stunned. Devinney's supervisor, Amy Hermiston, informed the police that Julie had been experiencing breathing difficulties for some time. She had to leave work early… Read more.

States give marijuana data to Biden administration for rescheduling review

July 13, 2023 · MJ Biz Daily

At least five states with medical marijuana programs have shared key data – including the products patients are using and how they are affected – with U.S. health regulators as part of the Biden administration’s review of whether to remove marijuana from the federal government’s list of the most dangerous drugs, MJBizDaily has learned. The state data sent to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) offers federal researchers a wider and deeper look… Read more.

Tough Times Likely Ahead for New Illinois Marijuana Shops

July 12, 2023 · Green Market Report

If past is prologue, then the 55 upcoming Illinois social equity license lottery winners on Thursday are going to have a rough time actually getting their shops open for business. As of January, only three of 192 social equity retailers that received Illinois licenses last year had opened for business, the state Department of Financial and Professional Regulation said in a press release. Only 113 adult-use shops were serving customers. As of Tuesday, the number of operational stores had increased only slightly to… Read more.

Marijuana megamerger between Cresco, Columbia Care still up in the air

July 1, 2023 · MJ Biz Daily

The large-scale merger of marijuana multistate operators Cresco Labs and Columbia Care is in question after the companies failed to divest assets necessary for regulatory approvals by the June 30 deadline. It’s not clear if the companies are still working toward completing the transaction or if they will abandon it. “At this stage, Cresco and Columbia Care are working amicably with respect to the next steps in relation to the transaction and will provide further updates in the near future,” the companies… Read more.

The Unionization of Cannabis

June 15, 2023 · MG Magazine

Teamsters Local 777 members walked off their jobs at two of Green Thumb Industries’ Rise Cannabis shops in Illinois the day before 4/20. For thirteen days, they picketed the dispensaries, demanding better wages and other concessions. Even when the strike was over, the strife wasn’t. The Teamsters and GTI circulated dueling stories about what a new labor-management agreement said—or whether a new agreement even had been reached. Then the union began charging the company with unfair labor practices that violate… Read more.

Why This Cannabis Capital Conference In Chicago Is A Must-Attend In Fall

June 13, 2023 · Benzinga

In a highly anticipated move that's sending ripples through the cannabis industry, the Benzinga Cannabis Capital Conference is set to return to Chicago on September 27-28, following its spectacularly successful April event in Miami. This flagship event has steadily grown in reputation and influence, emerging as a crucial platform for fostering partnerships, sharing marketing insights, and facilitating capital shifts within the dynamic cannabis space. The Miami conference saw massive attendance and more than 3,000 one-on-one meetings, underscoring its reputation as a prominent hub for… Read more.

Illinois’ First Music Concert Allowing Onsite Cannabis Consumption, The Miracle In Mundelein, Unveils Details + Lineup

Illinois is about to witness a groundbreaking moment with the announcement of the inaugural The Miracle In Mundelein, the state’s first-ever music concert allowing onsite cannabis consumption. Presented by RYTHM Premium Cannabis, Sacred Rose, and Dayglo Presents, The Miracle In Mundelein is set to merge the realms of music and cannabis culture on Saturday, Sept. 9, and Sunday, Sept. 10, 2023, just outside of Chicago, across the street from RISE Mundelein in Mundelein, Ill. The innovative event, also simply referred… Read more.

Illinois Hemp Farm Nets $480K Grant to Build Electric Vehicle Chargers

June 7, 2023 · Ganjapreneur

A DuPage County hemp farm is among the recipients of $12.6 million in grants to build chargers for electric vehicles. Kerry Farms will receive nearly $480,000 from the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA) to build the chargers.   The funds for the program are part of the 2016 Volkswagen settlement, from which Illinois received about $109 million. In all, the grants will fund 348 new Direct Current Fast Charging (DCFC) ports at 87 locations throughout the state.    In a statement, Gov. JB Pritzker… Read more.

Squabble over delta-8 THC helps foil cannabis overhaul in Illinois

June 5, 2023 · MJ Biz Daily

Disagreement over how to handle delta-8 THC – and whether to ban the controversial hemp-derived intoxicating cannabinoid, or regulate it like marijuana – have thwarted broader cannabis industry reform efforts in Illinois. According to Capitol News Illinois, a marijuana industry reform bill that failed at a May legislative deadline would have: Increased the canopy space for craft growers. Allowed dispensaries to operate drive-thru windows and offer curbside pickup. Offered social equity retail license holders another year to secure real estate. However, a… Read more.

Chicagoland Union Gets Cannabis Workers a 20% Raise, So Are Unions Good or Bad for the Marijuana Industry?

May 24, 2023 · Cannabis.net

Organized labor in the marijuana industry continues to achieve significant wage increases, as evidenced by the recent development of five PharmaCann adult-use cannabis dispensaries in Chicago. The unionized workers at these dispensaries have successfully negotiated a substantial 20% wage hike over three years. The recent wage increase is another noteworthy victory for organized labor, as it adds to the mounting pressure unions place on major cannabis industry operators throughout the country. According to Crain's Chicago Business, PharmaCann's Verilife dispensaries witnessed a significant development last… Read more.

Illinois cannabis delivery providers file complaint over unlicensed operators

May 21, 2023 · MJ Biz Daily

Thirteen cannabis delivery service providers in central Illinois filed a complaint against state regulators, alleging that they are allowing unlicensed operators to transport product. The lawsuit, filed Tuesday in the Circuit Court of Sangamon County, claims the Illinois Department of Agriculture and its director, Jerry Costello, are not enforcing provisions laid out in the Illinois Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act, or CRTA, which paved the way for the state’s adult-use sales program that launched in January 2020. Among the plaintiffs’ complaints: The agriculture… Read more.

Cannabis union workers at PharmaCann get 20% raise

May 17, 2023 · MJ Biz Daily

[email protected]

Unionized workers at five Chicago-area PharmaCann adult-use cannabis dispensaries have received a 20% wage hike over three years, the latest pay raise secured by organized labor in the marijuana industry. The increase represents yet another win for organized labor, which continues to pile pressure on major cannabis industry operators across the country. Last week, workers at PharmaCann’s Verilife dispensaries, who are organized by the International Brotherhood of Teamsters Local 777, approved a three-year contract that will see hourly wages increase by… Read more.

Illinois Cannabis Sales Stall in April

May 9, 2023 · Green Market Report

Declining prices and out-of-state competition hurt the state's industry. This story was republished with permission by Crain’s Chicago and written by John Pletz.  Illinois marijuana sales growth flattened last month for the first time since the state legalized recreational cannabis in 2020, hurt by declining prices and out-of-state competition. April sales totaled $132 million, compared with $131.8 million in same period a year earlier, according to the Illinois Department of Financial & Professional Regulation. The rate of year-over-year revenue growth in Illinois has… Read more.

The $300,000,000 Club – Which 5 States Collected over $300 Million in Cannabis Tax Revenue Last Year Alone?

May 5, 2023 · Cannabis.net

A recent report from the Marijuana Policy Project revealed that tax revenue from adult-use cannabis experienced a decline across legal states in 2022, marking the first time this has occurred in the United States. While sales tax from cannabis still generated a respectable $3.77 billion, this figure was slightly lower than the $3.86 billion generated in 2021. Despite declining adult-use cannabis tax revenue in 2022, states reported over $15.1 billion in tax revenue from legal cannabis sales for adults. This figure reflects sales… Read more.

Work stoppage at Chicago-area Rise cannabis stores ends after 13 days

May 3, 2023 · MJ Biz Daily

A 13-day strike at three Chicago-area Rise adult-use cannabis stores that began April 19 came to an end Tuesday after parent company Green Thumb Industries offered unionized retail workers a significant wage increase, union officials said. The nearly two-week work stoppage by retail workers, organized with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters Local 777, is believed to be the longest strike at a marijuana retailer in U.S. history. As incentive to return to work, Green Thumb offered striking workers wage increases of up… Read more.

Illinois Proposals Would End Vehicle Searches Based on Cannabis Odor & Let Parolees Use Cannabis

April 18, 2023 · Ganjapreneur

Illinois lawmakers are considering bills that would ban police from searching vehicles based solely on the odor of cannabis and allow some people on probation to use cannabis and alcohol, Capitol News Illinois reports. The bill prohibiting police from searching vehicles based on cannabis odor would still allow the practice for drivers under 21-years-old.  During floor debate on the vehicle search reform bill, State Sen. Rachel Ventura (D) said “People – especially people of color – are unnecessarily pulled over far too… Read more.

Your Guide to Every Weed Dispensary in Chicago

April 14, 2023 · Thrillist

With 21 weed shops in the city plus another 53 in the surrounding suburbs (the state has over 100 facilities), there's a lot of bud to sort through in the Land of Lincoln. Naturally, we've put together a handy guide to every recreational dispensary in the city, where you can snag the natural cure to what ails you—from stress mitigation to simple boredom relief. Order ahead or simply walk in to browse the wares: Just make sure to keep an eye on buying limits and… Read more.

Chicago Cubs Are First MLB Team to Partner with CBD Brand

April 11, 2023 · Ganjapreneur

Baseball on the field

The Chicago Cubs are expected to be the first Major League Baseball (MLB) team with a CBD sponsor and sell CBD drinks at its stadium, Front Office Sports reports. The Cubs are working with Chicago, Illinois-based MYND Drinks on the partnership, which received the NSF Certified for Sport designation required to work with MLB teams. MLB, in June 2022, approved plans to allow teams to work with CBD brands. In October, the league named Charlotte’s Web the “Official CBD of… Read more.

Study: 1 in 10 Military Veterans Have Used Cannabis Over Past Year

April 7, 2023 · Ganjapreneur

Closeup hands of soldier in military uniform. Mental problem, ptsd, psychological disorder treatment

A study published last month by researchers at the University of North Texas Health Science Center and College of Applied Health Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign found one in 10 military veterans reported using cannabis over the past year.   The study was published in the Substance Use & Misuse journal using data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (2013-2019) comprised of 16,350 veterans 18-years-or-older. The researchers found that veterans aged 65-and-older were more likely to define their cannabis use as… Read more.

Lawmakers Across The Country File More Psychedelics Reform, Drug Decriminalization And Safe Consumption Site Bills

February 25, 2023 · marijuanamoment.net

The first two months of 2023 have shown expansive interest in bold drug policy reform in state legislatures across the country—most recently, with the introduction of numerous new bills touching on everything from psychedelics legalization to authorizing safe drug consumption sites. Lawmakers in several states will conduct hearings on such reform proposals over the next week. The marijuana legalization movement continues to spread and evolve, but it’s become quickly apparent this session that legislators are eager to more holistically move… Read more.

Bipartisan Governors Discuss Marijuana Legalization And Push Congress For Federal Banking Fix

Governors from states of diverse political backgrounds are calling on Congress to get the job done on marijuana banking and discussing reform developments in their respective states. As part of a Politico event series this month, the governors of Illinois, Minnesota and North Dakota recently sat down for one-on-one interviews and each took questions about cannabis policy at the state and federal levels. While the top state officials might share differing perspectives on the best strategy for marijuana reform, one… Read more.