Illinois revised timelines and guidelines

[ILL-IN-GROWER]

Made it through, and it is no wonder I'm no taxman. The DOR document, short compared to the others, but an absolute nightmare to read... Give me the Dept of Agr 80 pager any day, as long as I don't have to read about taxes again...

Took me a trip to google to figure out what the hell biosecurity was, I had fingerprint and retina scanners in my mind for a bit

 

[Julian]

Congratulations, then you're already more well versed than , truly, the majority. I've been a little firm about some things with people, and, that is one area. How anyone thinks they are going to operate in any significant capacity and not?....beyond me....

Agreed, IDFPR (Dispo) and AG read was, for me, an absolute pleasure.....(and utter fascination at some of the silliness), but, some very interesting issues contained within for the operator...(I'm a little disappointed that I am the only one who has caught them so far to be honest........but, I suppose that's a good thing.....)

I think, for anyone seeking any position in the future, that would be number 1. (Yes, I know, not the finals, but a re read, when the majority will remain the same, and attention to differences/further revisions will only make one that much more well versed.....A complete and total command over the regulations and operation(s) will do nothing but help one seeking something....

Note on the above: One of the reasons would be I think, the way it is being laid out as one can observe if well versed, is there is going to be very little tolerance for "mistakes" made in operations...(there very well may, in the end be, but, gauging by the reception it has had in IL so far?.....

 

[ILL-IN-GROWER]

It would definitely be easy to figure out how serious someone is based on how knowledgeable they are regarding the finer points. Like you said, so many little things are laid out with no wiggle room, and any little mistake will either cost you your app, or up to a $50,000 fine per violation... Ouch! Which is a drop in the bucket compared to a forfeited escrow...


I ran into a few fun facts I thought were notable... Mostly from the DAGR as that is where my interest lies...

For the everyday user... Seeds count towards your limit, so those of us with nice genetic collections... I wouldn't be surprised if some are pushing the limit (2.5z) just with beans alone...

The label and lab testing was interesting... A lab employee picking at random, and then requiring the label to be within 85-115% for THC, THCA, CBD, and CBDA content... Which seems very stringent...

I would like to see who will take advantage of the summer sun and rock the locked greenhouse...

The security, and the 8 (exaggerated) different types of alarms that are required... All they left out was the 'incoming meteorite' alarm...

The permit liability section doesn't instill any confidence, especially the part about the feds...

Removal of plants and destruction of unused cannabis was an enjoyable section... Grind it, mix it, compost it, burn it, bury it.... Simple enough, but I always loved to throw clippings and extra veg matter, along with soil into my compost bin... Soil is not compost able (without approval), cause it sounds like they will be using the compost for feedstock. And don't forget to give the good old ISP a week notice before you do... I don't remember anything about reusing your own compost as a soil input, any words on this Julian??

Permit selection section was a good read. I especially like the tiebreakers since we are all fueled up on the college bball craze

Fun fact fees... Already covered the basics earlier in the thread.... 25,000 non refundable app fee. 200,000 if accepted. 100,000 to renew. ID cards for agents/AIC (my abbreviation, had me rocking the whole time for you alice in chains fans ) is 100, and 100 for renewals and 50 for a lost card. 1,000 to change the name of the CC or an officer. 5,000 to apply for a change to the CC, and another 3,000 if the change is accepted. 1,000 for a cosmetic change to the CC... 100 per cannabis product (as in strain/variety, an edible or infused product)

Records and inventory will be your daily life. Including crop inputs, weekly inventory, labels, sales, all for 5 years...

I do like the fact that CC's are in charge of all infused products. Edibles max out at 100mg's of active THC

No cell phones inside!


Just the tip of the iceberg

 

[Julian]

CHICAGO (AP) - Illinois regulators finalizing the state’s conditions for medical marijuana have removed a proposed rule that would have barred legal gun owners from becoming cannabis-using patients, a person close to the process told The Associated Press.

The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because the draft regulations aren’t expected to be published until Friday. The Chicago Sun-Times first reported the change in its Thursday editions.

Some patients had said they would rather continue to use marijuana illegally rather than give up their firearms owners ID cards. The wording drew numerous complaints in public comments from gun owners who hoped to apply for medical cannabis cards. Many said their rights were being trampled.

The wording also would have affected caregivers applying for medical marijuana cards. Both patients and caregivers would have been required to certify their understanding of the conflict between gun ownership and medical marijuana use. The wording stemmed from an interpretation of federal law.

State Rep. Lou Lang, a Skokie Democrat, sponsored the medical cannabis legislation and sits on the committee that will vote on the rules. He said Thursday he has been told the provision “is out of the rules.”

“I’m happy to see that they have changed the provision,” Lang said. “I did ask them to remove it. I’m not the only person who did.”

The news was greeted warmly by advocates for patients.

“Anything that makes it less burdensome for the patients is always a good thing,” said Julie Falco of Chicago, who speaks openly about how she has used cannabis to control her pain from multiple sclerosis. “It never did make any sense.”

The Illinois medical marijuana program is a four-year pilot project with some of the strictest standards in the nation

Several state agencies are developing the regulations for how marijuana will be grown and distributed to adult patients with certain qualifying health conditions. The rules will set fees for patients, dispensaries and cultivation centers and will lay out how entrepreneurs can apply for a limited number of licenses to grow or sell cannabis products.

The gun dispute centered on 93 words out of 48 pages of rules proposed by the Illinois Department of Public Health. The dropped wording had advised gun owners they’d be in violation of state and federal law if they were approved for a medical marijuana card and didn’t give up their firearms. It said gun owners who obtained medical marijuana cards “may be subject to administrative proceedings by the Illinois State Police if they do not voluntarily surrender” their firearms owners ID cards or concealed carry permits.

 

[Julian]

Update on April 18 2014

The Illinois Department of Public Health, Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, Department of Revenue and Department of Agriculture have formally filed medical cannabis pilot program administrative rules. These rules incorporate many of the comments and suggestions we have received from the public.

Today begins the 45-day "First Notice" public comment period on the rules, which shall be followed by the "Second Notice" period where the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules will consider adoption of the rules.

http://www2.illinois.gov/gov/mcpp/Pages/update-04182014.aspx

 

[Julian]

Update on April 25 2014

The Illinois Department of Public Health will host two public hearings regarding the administrative rules proposed for the Compassionate Use of Medical Cannabis Patient Registry. The hearings will be held:

May 5, 2014 at 9:30 AM
James R. Thompson Center
Concourse Level, Assembly Hall Auditorium
100 W. Randolph Street
Chicago, IL 60601

May 21, 2014 at 9:00 AM
University of Illinois Springfield
1 University Plaza
Springfield, IL 62703
(Parking is available in Lots B and C North)

The proposed rules for implementation of the Compassionate Use of Medical Cannabis Pilot Program Act were published in the Illinois Register on April 18, 2014, which marked the beginning of the formal rulemaking process, and will be available for 45 days of public comment until the General Assembly’s Joint Committee on Administrative Rules (JCAR) begins its review.

JCAR follows a 2-step process that generally lasts for a minimum of 90 days. Both the general public and the General Assembly, through JCAR, have the chance to offer input prior to the rules being adoption. For more information on the JCAR rule making process, visit http://www.ilga.gov/commission/Jcar/.

http://www2.illinois.gov/gov/mcpp/Pages/update-04252014.aspx

 

[Julian]

http://www2.illinois.gov/gov/mcpp/Pages/update-08082014.aspx





DPH Patient Applications Now Available, Application Submission Period Begins September 2nd

DO NOT SEND APPLICATIONS IN AT THIS TIME OR THEY WILL BE DISREGARDED

In order to provide time for patients and caregivers to prepare all necessary materials, application information for Patients and Caregivers is now available online at mcpp.illinois.gov. Online materials include:
1.Patient Application Form (PDF)
2.Caregiver Application Form (PDF)
3.Physician Certification Form (PDF)
4.Fingerprint Consent Form (PDF)

Draft Applications for Dispensaries and Cultivation Centers Now Available

DO NOT SEND ANY APPLICATIONS IN AT THIS TIME OR THEY WILL BE DISREGARDED

Draft applications for dispensaries and cultivation centers are now available online at mcpp.illinois.gov. Online materials include:

Draft Dispensary Applications
1.Draft Dispensary Application (PDF)
2.Dispensary Zoning Form (PDF)

Draft Cultivation Center Applications
1.Draft Cultivation Center Application (PDF)
2.Cultivation Center Zoning Form (PDF)

Dispensary and Cultivation Center Application Time Frames

We anticipate the application window for Dispensary and Cultivation Center Applicants to be Monday, September 8, 2014 through Monday, September 22, 2014. More details will follow in the coming weeks.

Town Hall Meetings

The State has scheduled three town hall meetings throughout the state in order to answer any questions about the applications that may arise from those interested in applying as a patient/caregiver (through the Department of Public Health), for a cultivation center license (through the Department of Agriculture) or for a dispensary license (through the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation). Below are the details for those three meetings:
1.Southern Illinois: Metro East, Thursday August 14th, 9:30 a.m. – 1102 Eastport Plaza Drive, Collinsville, IL 62234
2.Central Illinois: Monday, August 18th, 11a.m., Peoria Public Library, 107 NE Monroe Street, Peoria, IL 61602
3.Northern Illinois: Wednesday, August 20th, 10a.m. Northeastern Illinois University, Alumni Hall (North), Student Union Building, 5500 N. St. Louis Avenue, Chicago, IL 60625

Frequently Asked Questions

The State will continue to accept comments and questions about the application process and program implementation. If you send your comments and questions to the appropriate e-mail address below, the State will attempt to address as many issues as possible through the FAQ page on mcpp.illinois.gov.
1.Patient/Caregiver FAQ (PDF) - Department of Public Health
2.Dispensary FAQ (PDF) - Department of Financial and Professional Regulations
3.Cultivation Center FAQ (PDF) - Department of Agriculture



Department of Agriculture – Cultivation Centers
Send comments to [email protected]

Department of Financial and Professional Regulation - Dispensaries
Send comments to [email protected]

Department of Public Health – Patients and Caregivers
Send comments to [email protected]

Department of Revenue
Send comments to [email protected]

 

[Bababooey]

Quick, what do I do?!?!?

 

[amannamedtruth]

Baba, I know you were there, anybody else go to the townhalls? If so, we were wondering how we are supposed to acquire genetics in IL for a cultivation center...

Meeting was half informative, the other half was just people asking silly questions.

 

[Bababooey]

Haha, no one actually asked that question. I think it's Dont Ask, Dont Tell.
I think, if you get a cultivation center permit and start operations, the state will not go in and ask 'where did you get all these seeds?!?' and start tearing it down. theyre going to a lot of work to implement this program and want to make sure cc's are ready to start producing medicine asap in 2015. so their natural inclination would be to let you start producing medicine so long as everything else is in compliance.
it would be nice to know if you brought in a bunch of huge mother plants, and the inspectors show up, will they ask hey, you've been open for a week and these plants are taller than i am.
maybe better to start off with seeds then.

 

[amannamedtruth]

yea seeds to moms, but still, where'd those come from ??? lol

 

[Bababooey]

That is a good question though.
but i doubt theyre going to approve you for a license, take your 200k fee, and then actively prevent you from obtaining genetics. that would be messed up, even for the govt.
Now, if youre approved for a cc license, and later get popped by US customs because you ordered $10k in seeds through the mail, and eventually wind up with a felony drug conviction because of it, you'll lose your cultivation center license and your fee, etc etc. And the State will move on and give your license to some other applicant.

i think theres some provision in the law for sharing of genetics between CC's in cases of clone shortages and maybe for research purposes (high cbd strains). but theres forms to fill out in order to get permission to share genetics.

it's like, what did CA and CO and WA do when their medicinal programs first started? MI and other states too. I think they were all pretty silent on where the genetics come FROM, you know, and yet that didn't stop the dispensaries and grow ops from setting up shop.
so maybe worrying about the origin question is overthinking it.

 

[Julian]

I think (personally) the genetics acquisition issue has become more significant (to some) than it actually is. I think this is more the question for those intending to implement sog operations and wishing to walk 10k clones through the door. (Which operationally I would question anyway).

The town hall transcripts (all) will be posted shortly as well on the MCPP site.

 

[Bababooey]

Section 1000.435 of the CC rules:

Each cultivation center, prior to commencing business, shall:
1) Conduct an initial comprehensive inventory of all cannabis at the facility.
If a cultivation center commences business with no cannabis on hand, the cultivation center shall record this fact as the initial inventory; and
2) Establish ongoing inventory controls and procedures for the conduct of inventory reviews and comprehensive inventories of cannabis, which shall enable the cultivation center to detect any diversion, theft or loss in a timely manner.
b) Upon commencing business, each cultivation center shall conduct a weekly inventory of cannabis stock, which shall include, at a minimum:
1) the date of the inventory;
2) a summary of the inventory findings;
3) the name, signature and title of the individuals who conducted the
inventory and the agent-in-charge who oversaw the inventory; and
4) the product name and quantity of cannabis plants or cannabis-infused products at the facility.


So when you start up operations, you're supposed to list the cannabis you start out with; the answer could be 'none', although i suppose the answer would have to be 'some', eventually, otherwise why get a cultivation center?

 

[Bababooey]

Schedule 4 - cultivation plan in the CC draft application doesn't mention specifically where the genetics will come from but does ask for a process flow diagram showing how raw materials will proceed from planting to shipment to dispensary.
so if you wanted to be thorough you would say clone or seed is the starting material. maybe generically you could say seedlings. immature plants? vegetative state?

if u could do it, why wouldnt u start off with 10K clones? because operationally you want to grow large trees instead of sea of green?

 

[amannamedtruth]

From the FAQ just sent out...

http://www2.illinois.gov/gov/mcpp/Documents/AGR FAQ 082514.pdf

Do the rules address where initial seeds/clones can come from?

No.

I assume that means 'don't ask don't tell'

 

[Julian]

 

[amannamedtruth]

Ramping up here.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/ct-medical-marijuana-chicago-suburbs-met-20140828-story.html

As state officials enacted the rules that will govern the rollout of medical marijuana in Illinois, dozens of individual communities updated their zoning codes to determine where grow centers and pot stores can and cannot be located.

Now, with the state poised to begin accepting applications next month for businesses and patients, many suburbs have moved from the theoretical to the concrete as they consider specific proposals from people who want to grow or sell legal marijuana within town borders.
Elgin approves medical marijuana dispensary
Elgin approves medical marijuana dispensary
George Houde

Communities including Naperville, Elgin, Glenview, Woodstock and LaGrange have all been eyed by would-be pot purveyors as potential sites for medical marijuana dispensaries, with varying degrees of success.

Late Wednesday, the Elgin City Council voted 8-1 to approve a special-use permit to allow a medical marijuana dispensary to operate along Crispin Drive in a commercial area — though the plan remains contingent on state approval. Councilman Terry Gavin, who voted in favor of the plan by Salveo Health and Wellness, predicted it could be as beneficial to the community as the local riverboat has been.
lRelated Medical marijuana dispensary proposed for Glenview

Glenview
Medical marijuana dispensary proposed for Glenview

See all related
8

In Elgin and other suburbs, though, much of the concern has revolved around whether pot dispensaries should be allowed in traditional business districts or — as many local leaders and residents have said they prefer — tucked away in more discrete industrial, warehouse or office zones where they would be less visible, particularly to children.

The state law also restricts where dispensaries can operate: They must be at least 1,000 feet from a school or day care center and cannot be within a residential district. And only 60 dispensaries will be allowed statewide.
Graphic: Deconstructing medical marijuana
Graphic: Deconstructing medical marijuana Read the story

In Glenview, Plan Commission members Tuesday night discussed a proposal to open a dispensary in an industrial zone along Lake Avenue.

Glenview resident Julie Stone told local officials there that, if she gets state and local approval, she expects her GreenLeaf Organics business to serve up to 500 patients. It would be open six days a week but closed on Sunday, according to village documents.

Stone said there are people close to her who suffer from painful illnesses and could benefit from medical marijuana. Once the state law was passed, Stone said she decided to develop a business plan.
cComments

@chi_bill13 sure, industrial areas, where there's less people traffic.. ie less witnesses when the SHTF at one of these places... brilliant.
wan-man
at 4:44 PM August 28, 2014

Add a comment See all comments
5

"I'm a firm believer in the benefits of the medical marijuana," she said. "My mission with GreenLeaf Organics is to provide the highest quality of medical marijuana in a safe and professional environment."

A local woman who said she has cancer told officials during the meeting that she has already begun using marijuana for pain relief. But she said she'd prefer to get it though legal, regulated channels where she can be more confident about what she's taking.
U.S. government to grow 30 times more marijuana this year
U.S. government to grow 30 times more marijuana this year
Lauren Raab

Other residents expressed concerns about exposure to children. They noted that even though the proposed site is not less than 1,000 feet from a school or day care, it is near businesses that cater to children.

The Plan Commission did not take a vote and is expected to continue its consideration of the plan next month.

In Elgin, much of the opposition came from neighboring businesses that tried unsuccessfully Wednesday night to get more time to provide feedback on the plan. Their concerns revolved mainly around security, traffic and local zoning standards.

Chachkevitch is a Tribune reporter; Houde is a freelance reporter. Tribune reporter Robert McCoppin contributed.

[email protected]

 

[Bababooey]

Sounds like neighbors, residents as well as businesses, are often resistant to the idea of being near a dispensary.
Ah well.

 

[Bababooey]

ive been trying to work out how big the IL mmj market will be. norml thinks 10-30K patients the first year. im thinking it will be on the low side of that number.
NJ only has 2400 patients signed up.

By Susan K. Livio | The Star-Ledger
Email the author | Follow on Twitter
on June 15, 2014 at 7:02 AM, updated June 15, 2014 at 1:32 PM







TRENTON — After predictions that New Jersey’s medical marijuana program could serve tens of thousands of patients with severe and painful illnesses, only 2,342 have signed up — a participation rate so small some worry the very future of the program could be at stake.
Lawmakers, some dispensary operators and patients blame the sluggish enrollment on the program’s rigid rules, exorbitant costs for patients and growers, and Gov. Chris Christie’s contention that he does not need to do anything more to enhance participation.
And they say one major roadblock is that so few New Jersey doctors are willing to recommend patients for medical marijuana.
"We have a dysfunctional program, and I think it’s going to take some sort of ‘pot summit’ bringing together patients, doctors and legislators to really make this a success," said Assemblyman Reed Gusciora (D-Mercer), one of the lead sponsors of the law.
"We are hearing more and more anecdotal evidence that dispensaries are not sustaining themselves, the quality (of the marijuana) is not always there, and it’s difficult for doctors and patients to get into the program," Gusciora said.
The lawmaker said while he has "every faith" in state Health Commissioner Mary O’Dowd, "there is so much reticence on the administration’s part, I don’t know how you break that logjam. All they have to do is open their eyes."
Enrollment in the program has more than doubled in the last year as two of the state’s three medical marijuana dispensaries opened their doors. But it’s nowhere near the 5,000 to 30,000 medical marijuana patients advocates anticipated when the law was passed. Dispensary owners looked at disease statistics in New Jersey and expected at least 50,000 patients. The state’s first dispensary opened in December 2012.
"We thought we would have 10,000 patients by now," said Yale Galanter, attorney and spokesman for Garden State Dispensary in Woodbridge, which has served 1,700 since opening six months ago.
The Compassionate Care Foundation center in Egg Harbor Township, which opened with great fanfare in October after securing a state-backed loan, says it needs 2,000 patients to break even and has served 600. The owners report bagfuls of cannabis are going to waste, and expansion plans are on hold.
Chief operating officer Bill Thomas quit last week, saying he could no longer work without getting paid.
"It’s failing," Thomas said in an interview days before he resigned Monday. "From a business standpoint and from a patient standpoint, it’s not successful. The governor says why change anything if (patients) haven’t shown up. Is there really no demand, or is it so hard to get access that it is easier to buy it from the high school kid down the street? It’s not like the people don’t get it another way."
Woodbridge’s Galanter said the problem can be fixed, based on owner Michael Weisser’s experience operating dispensaries in Colorado.
DOCTORS ARE 'KEY'

"We know the key to this program being viable is getting doctors involved," he said.
Patients must be referred by a doctor in order to participate. Just 296 of New Jersey’s 21,000 licensed physicians have signed up.
Many doctors don’t want their name on the state’s website, according to Gusciora, and dispensary officials from Woodbridge and Egg Harbor Township. They said doctors who are in the program report that they get calls from people diagnosed with illnesses they don’t treat, as well as others who don’t qualify for the program. As that word spreads, other doctors are wary about joining the program, the officials say.
And given the stigma surrounding marijuana, which is still illegal under federal law, some doctors fear they will lose patients or alienate their practice partners.
"They are not saying (their names) should be a secret," said David Knowlton, a founder and board member of Compassionate Care Foundation. "But having it on the website implies to patients they can walk in and be seen."
In New Mexico, a state Christie officials studied when modeling the program’s rules, doctors’ names are not publicly disclosed "due to confidentiality and legal issues," according to the state program’s website. Physician names are accessible by consulting the many commercial websites that have sprung up promoting the program.
O’Dowd’s spokeswoman Donna Leusner defended the state’s cautious approach to the program, noting New Jersey was the first state to enact the law that adopted "a medical model" rather than the business blueprint forged in states like Colorado and California.
"Physicians’ names were posted on the department’s website to assist patients in finding doctors, just as health insurers list physicians participating in their networks," Leusner said.
"The model of a medically based program was well-known and established by the Legislature and former Governor (Jon) Corzine when the law was passed," she said. "Advocates may have overstated the demand based on the experience of other states that do not have a medical model. But that’s a question best directed to (the dispensaries), their boards and investors."
'CONVENIENT EXCUSE'

Larry Downs, executive director for the Medical Society of New Jersey, said he found the lack of doctor involvement a "convenient excuse" for the program’s struggles.
"If dispensary owners have overestimated the market, then that is not the concern of the medical field," Downs said.
"If doctors believe it is a legitimate therapy, being published on a website is not going to stop them," he added. "A lot of doctors do not believe it is a good therapy and that it does not meet standards of efficacy and safety."
The slow enrollment rate and struggling dispensaries have had a ripple effect on some patients.
Betty Rand, an 89-year-old homebound stroke patient from Millburn, says medical marijuana eases her pain and muscle spasms, but it would be far easier if she could get it in the form of a lozenge. Smoking makes her cough and adds to her suffering from the host of other illnesses she’s battling.
Dispensaries, however, don’t offer lozenges or any edible product yet. The health department is reviewing manufacturing plans from the Woodbridge dispensary. With lagging enrollment, Egg Harbor officials have said they can’t afford the expense of developing a new product.
Rand describes the program as "a job they’ve half-done and are not finishing right, They are not making an effort, and as long as Christie is there, he is not going to do it."
Knowlton, a former deputy health commissioner, says he’s far from giving up on the program. He is talking with O’Dowd and program director John O’Brien about changes that could make it more accessible, such as allowing hospice centers and nursing homes to act as couriers for registered patients in their care. People who cannot obtain their own marijuana may identify a caregiver to retrieve it for them, but a caregiver can only serve one patient.
"I recognize that with a program that has this much scrutiny, the state has to move slowly," Knowlton said. "I think the department is trying to be helpful but cautious. They have to think ‘How could this go bad?’ I am confident this is going to work out. This is just a trying time."