The General
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Don't look for medical marijuana to be a quick hit in Illinois. But over time, the state's newest enterprise is expected to create quite a buzz. That's the opinion of Hilary Bricken, an attorney with the Seattle-based Canna Law Group that specializes in the legalities surrounding the growing marijuana industry. Bricken said her firm has an office in Chicago and expects plenty of activity as the state moves forward with its medical marijuana program.
In August, Illinois became the 20th state in the country to join "the cannabis union" and the second most populous state (behind California) to allow medical marijuana. The bill, signed into law in August, will license 60 registered dispensaries and 22 "cultivation centers" around the state. The law goes into effect in January 2014 but don't look for legal pot shops to spring up any time soon, said Bricken.
"You've got three state departments that won't take up drafting specific regulations until January," she said, referring to the Illinois departments of agriculture, public health and financial and professional regulation. "It's going to take a year before any of these businesses can start operating, maybe 15 to 18 months," said Bricken, referring to the growing and selling of medical marijuana. But interest is mounting. A Chicago Tribune story reported that 200 people attended a meeting in suburban Chicago in August to learn about the business of medical marijuana.
Former sports agent Adam Bierman now heads an L.A.-based company called MedMen. "I woke up one day and realized I was in the marijuana business," he said. "At the time we were the first marijuana consulting business in the country," said Bierman whose firm has helped clients in California, Arizona, Nevada, Washington and Massachusetts. One of the things that Bierman tells clients is to exercise caution. "Don't get blinded by excitement. People are better off thinking they're selling lawn mowers than marijuana," he said.
Marijuana sales will remain a small business operation for the foreseeable future, said Bierman. "As long as it's categorized as a schedule one narcotic, no national firm that does business in other states will get involved," he said. Another recent development for states that are considering marijuana laws was an announcement from the U.S. Justice Department that it wouldn't seek to block laws in Colorado and Washington that legalize the recreational use of marijuana.
The tides are changing," said Bricken. "(Legalization) will sweep the nation eventually. Even states like Texas will probably decriminalize it," she said. Bierman agrees. "The demand is there. Whether you legalize it or not, people are buying. It will grow exponentially. The marijuana marketplace is already there," he said.
News Moderator - The General @ 420 MAGAZINE ®
Source: Pjstar.com
Author: Steve Tarter
Contact: Contact Us - Journal Star - Peoria, IL
Website: Slow, steady growth expected for medical marijuana in Illinois - News - Journal Star - Peoria, IL
In August, Illinois became the 20th state in the country to join "the cannabis union" and the second most populous state (behind California) to allow medical marijuana. The bill, signed into law in August, will license 60 registered dispensaries and 22 "cultivation centers" around the state. The law goes into effect in January 2014 but don't look for legal pot shops to spring up any time soon, said Bricken.
"You've got three state departments that won't take up drafting specific regulations until January," she said, referring to the Illinois departments of agriculture, public health and financial and professional regulation. "It's going to take a year before any of these businesses can start operating, maybe 15 to 18 months," said Bricken, referring to the growing and selling of medical marijuana. But interest is mounting. A Chicago Tribune story reported that 200 people attended a meeting in suburban Chicago in August to learn about the business of medical marijuana.
Former sports agent Adam Bierman now heads an L.A.-based company called MedMen. "I woke up one day and realized I was in the marijuana business," he said. "At the time we were the first marijuana consulting business in the country," said Bierman whose firm has helped clients in California, Arizona, Nevada, Washington and Massachusetts. One of the things that Bierman tells clients is to exercise caution. "Don't get blinded by excitement. People are better off thinking they're selling lawn mowers than marijuana," he said.
Marijuana sales will remain a small business operation for the foreseeable future, said Bierman. "As long as it's categorized as a schedule one narcotic, no national firm that does business in other states will get involved," he said. Another recent development for states that are considering marijuana laws was an announcement from the U.S. Justice Department that it wouldn't seek to block laws in Colorado and Washington that legalize the recreational use of marijuana.
The tides are changing," said Bricken. "(Legalization) will sweep the nation eventually. Even states like Texas will probably decriminalize it," she said. Bierman agrees. "The demand is there. Whether you legalize it or not, people are buying. It will grow exponentially. The marijuana marketplace is already there," he said.
News Moderator - The General @ 420 MAGAZINE ®
Source: Pjstar.com
Author: Steve Tarter
Contact: Contact Us - Journal Star - Peoria, IL
Website: Slow, steady growth expected for medical marijuana in Illinois - News - Journal Star - Peoria, IL
