Medical marijuana patients in Illinois can now purchase marijuana grown by small businesses as part of their quota, said Erin Johnson, the state's cannabis regulator.
Illinois boasts “the most diverse cannabis business ownership” in the country, at least as the state claimed when it celebrated the opening of its 100th social equity dispensary.
But despite this progress, market access remains unequal, analysts noted in a recent Capitol News article. Johnson acknowledged that pharmacies are now able to sell craft-grown products to medical patients from social equity licensees, but new small producers face challenges gaining broader access to medical customers. continues to face. These small businesses are part of Illinois' efforts to diversify its cannabis industry since the state legalized recreational use in 2020.
Inequality of access in Illinois' medical cannabis market
Illinois' medical marijuana (MMJ) program has been in place since 2014, but the dispensary network has not expanded since 2018. This puts small and medium-sized enterprises in a disadvantageous position. Most of the state's MMJ sales are made through multipurpose pharmacies, which account for only 20% of all pharmacies. Meanwhile, the adult market continues to expand, reaching a record high of $1 billion in total market value in July of this year.
Steve Olson, who manages supply at the two clinics, said MMJ patients have the right to use all clinics. “You would think this is something they[the government]are trying to help these social justice companies with, but they're handcuffing them in so many different places. (…) One of them is this medical-related thing.''
Social equity businesses are now able to serve medical patients, but their scope remains limited. Large companies, primarily multi-state carriers, dominate the market.
Also read: Illinois lawmakers fail to reform cannabis laws, nonprofit says 'corporate greed' played a role
Potential legal solutions in Illinois
In the medical cannabis market, the patient-to-dispensary ratio is a key parameter and is often used to measure accessibility and equity. With too few pharmacies, MMJ patients face long wait times, reduced product availability, and higher prices. This disparity can be particularly challenging in states like Illinois, where limited licensing limits the number of medical specialty pharmacies, further narrowing access.
The situation in Illinois highlights the need to open more pharmacies to meet growing demand.
To address these challenges, advocates are pushing HB 2911, which would allow all pharmacies to serve MMJ patients. Prime Minister Boris Johnson expressed hope that the bill could be passed in parliament in the autumn. But the House appears to be dragging its feet on cannabis reform. Lawmakers ended their regular spring legislative session without deciding on any major cannabis legislation.
“That's something we really want,” Johnson said. “We want to make it easy for medical patients to access what they need.”
Learn more about cannabis regulation and markets
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