Pritzker touts social equity efforts for third day in a row

For the third day in a row, Governor JB Pritzker touted in a press release the administration’s committed efforts “to creating the most diverse cannabis industry in the country.” The Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) announced today that The Dispensary Champaign became the 100th social equity cannabis dispensary to open in Illinois.

“From day one of legal cannabis sales in Illinois, my administration has been committed to making sure we don’t sacrifice a fair, equitable opportunity to join the industry—while also undoing decades of wrongs in the failed War on Drugs—just for the economic gains,” said Pritzker. “More than three years later, we’ve consistently learned and made our industry more accessible, while also seeing strong, consistent year-over-year revenue growth.”

Yesterday, the Disparity and Availability Study for adult use cannabis licenses in Illinois was released. Pritzker said about the report, “the results show that our administration’s policies focused on social equity have paid off.” Two days ago, Pritzker boasted in a press release that Illinois reached $1 billion in cannabis retail sales and “continues to lead social equity efforts nationwide.”

“Illinois has the most equitable cannabis industry in the country and it’s growing and thriving,” said Pritzker. “The increase in total adult-use cannabis sales, combined with the policies my administration is implementing to support communities ravaged by the War on Drugs, highlights how this emerging industry is helping us set a national standard in equity and economic justice. Growing sales in 2024 means cannabis tax revenue will continue to play a major role in righting decades of wrongs in the state’s criminal justice system.”

The Dispensary Champaign celebrated with a ribbon cutting ceremony at their new storefront located at 1826 Glen Park Drive in Champaign. The Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation Secretary Mario Treto, Jr., Cannabis Regulation Oversight Officer Erin Johnson, and other industry leaders attended the ceremony. IDFPR issued a full adult use cannabis dispensary license to The Dispensary Champaign on June 6, 2024, which applied for and was selected in the Social Equity Criteria Lottery (SECL) and met the lottery’s criteria.

Since The Dispensary Champaign received its full adult use cannabis dispensary license, eight additional social equity applicants have received licenses for a total of 218, both to social equity applicants and medical cannabis dispensaries, throughout the state. The full list of dispensaries is available on IDFPR’s website here.

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