The rules and regulations regarding various uses of cannabis in Chicago and the State of Illinois are straightforward.

The program, termed by the legislature as Compassionate Use of Medical Cannabis Pilot Program (or simply MCCP) was approved on behalf of the people of the State of Illinois by the legislative assembly in 2013. This program, as enacted, allows the Department of Public Health (Illinois) to be committed to providing necessary licenses to individuals that are deemed to be in need of medical marijuana for various treatments.

How do I open a medical marijuana dispensary in Chicago?

To open a medical marijuana dispensary in Chicago, or anywhere in the State of Illinois, you have to apply to the Department of Public Health for the dispensary business license. Chicago has seen a large number of applicants for the same in recent months.

Application Fees:

The dispensary application fees are currently set at $5000. These fees are non-refundable. The application fees are to be submitted along with the application in the form of a money order or a certified check. Cash is not accepted.

Application Guidelines:

The rules and guidelines that need to be adhered to are quite simple, if you are well-acquainted with the business plan drafting.

More can be found out about these guidelines at the official website of the Department of Public Health here.

Along with the application, a number of other forms need to be filled out as per the given directions.

These forms are

1. Dispensary Principal Officer Attestation Form
2. Dispensary Principal Officer Certification Form
3. Dispensary Zoning Form
4. Dispensary Criminal History Form
5. Dispensary Documentation of Property Ownership form

All about the instructions regarding these forms (and much more) can be found here.

The number of permitted medical marijuana dispensaries in Chicago or in the State of Illinois is currently limited due to the beta nature of this program. However, we can expect more and more dispensaries in the future.

The use of medical marijuana will be permitted only after a due certification from an authorized medical practitioner to the patient.

How to get medical Marijuana in Chicago?

The primary rules for a patient to be able to use this program are:

1. The patient must be 18 years of age or older.
2. The medical practitioner providing the prescription must be qualified to do so.
3. The relationship between the patient and the said practitioner has to stretch beyond just prescribing marijuana.
4. The patient, under the pilot program, has to pay an annual fee of $150 for the registry license along with the background check and fingerprinting-fees as required. If the patient has a regular caregiver, he/she can acquire medical marijuana as per the prescription. The caregiver, too, must have a valid registry ID.

Apart from these major guidelines, there are about 25 other clauses and conditions that need to be met by the patient. This might put some people off but it must be considered that this, being just a test program, has its limitations. A successful completion of four years of this program will definitely see more relaxed regulations for medical marijuana in Chicago in the future.

We have our fingers crossed!