SPRINGFIELD, IL - Medical pot is on its way to a cultivation center or dispensary somewhere in Illinois near you.
After the last governor fumbled the authorization of medical pot cultivation and distribution centers in the closing hours of his term, the new Governor Rauner picked up the task, and told his General Counsel Jason Barclay to move ahead on the authorization process. Barclay says several of Quinn's choices didn't pass legal muster, and could have faced legal challenges.
"We concluded that these problem areas create a risk of substantial and costly litigation to the State," Barclay said in a published statement. "As a result of our consultation with the Attorney General, we have further concluded that there is a significant likelihood that the Quinn Administration’s decisions will not be upheld in court. We have also relied upon the Attorney General’s legal guidance and must now take all necessary corrective action to make sure that these licenses and permits are properly issued in compliance with the law."
Using the set of standards provided in the medical pot law, Rauner's office released a list of 18 approved centers where cannabis will be grown, and 52 approved sites where medical pot will be distributed in Illinois. Several applicants remain pending.
Among the permits issued, Green Thumb Industries, GTI, won approval for multiple cultivation center and dispenary licenses in Illinois. The company is led by entrepreneur Ben Kovler and includes former US Senate Sergeant at Arms Terry Gainer and lobbyist Mike McClain, a friend of Illinois Speaker of the House Michael Madigan, Medical Marijuana Illinois News reports.
Still unresolved, however, is how the cannabis seeds will legally enter the state of Illinois. According to federal law, it is illegal to transport marijuana seeds across state lines.
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