Illinois Awards 55 Conditional Social Equity Cannabis Licenses

Illinois has awarded 55 conditional adult-use cannabis dispensary licenses for social equity applicants, WIFR reports. The successful candidates were chosen from 589 unique applicants who scored 85% or higher on their applications.

The social equity licenses were expected last year but were delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic. A lawsuit was filed last month over the licenses but was voluntarily dropped by the plaintiff days later.

Toi Hutchinson, senior advisor to the governor for cannabis policy, called “social equity and justice are the heart and soul of the adult-use cannabis program in Illinois.”

“Today’s results open the door to increasing the diversity of the industry and continue building on our successes in expunging convictions and investing in communities disproportionately harmed by the failed war on drugs.”— Hutchinson via WIFR

Successful applicants have 180 days to identify a physical location for their storefront and groups unable to find a location with the 180 days may receive an extension of another 180 days or transfer their license to another region specified by the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR), the report says.

Later this month, the state will hold another lottery for 75 conditional licenses for applicants who had tied scores in the initial lottery. Under the rules, no individual principal officer or applicant can be awarded more than two conditional licenses in the lottery. IDFPR can also deny issuance of conditional licenses to any applicant with a principal officer, board member, or person having a financial or voting interest of 5% or greater who is delinquent in filing any required tax return or paying any amount owed to the state.