Pubdate: Thu, 25 Sep 2014
Source: Chicago Tribune (IL)
Copyright: 2014 Chicago Tribune Company
Contact: http://drugsense.org/url/IuiAC7IZ
Website: http://www.chicagotribune.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/82
Author: Ellen Jean Hirst
Page: Business 1

369 FILINGS MADE FOR MARIJUANA BUSINESSES

1 in 5 Applications for Grow Houses, Retail Centers to Get Approval

Illinois received 369 applications for medical marijuana business 
licenses, which means about 1 in 5 applications will win approval to 
open grow houses and retail centers in the state.

The state received 211 applications for dispensaries - retail shops 
for medical marijuana - and 158 applications for grow centers. 
Illinois will allow 60 dispensaries statewide and 21 grow centers.

Bob Morgan, statewide project coordinator for the Illinois Medical 
Cannabis Pilot Program, said the number of applications, which were 
due Monday, was higher than anticipated.

"We were pleased to see that our expectation of a competitive process 
played out so well," Morgan said, "so we can choose the best applicants."

The next step will be to go through thousands of pages of documents, 
Morgan said, identifying any missing information and informing 
applicants, who will have seven days from notification to update 
applications. Teams of reviewers will look at the applications blind 
- - applicants submitted redacted and unredacted versions - to award points.

Morgan said the state aims to have licenses awarded by the end of the 
year. Illinois' medical marijuana law was signed in July.

Neil Khot, a technology professional from Hoffman Estates, said one 
of the most tedious tasks leading up to the application deadline was 
redacting the necessary information and making photocopies.

"Some people were redacting while standing in the line," said Khot, 
who arrived at the James R. Thompson Center downtown 20 minutes 
before deadline.

Khot applied for five dispensary licenses for locations in 
Schaumburg, Naperville, St. Charles, Bartlett and Arlington Heights. 
He said he worked on the applications for a year.

"The last two weeks have been crazy," Khot said. "I worked straight 
for three continuous days hardly sleeping, maybe an hour or so at 
night. ... I have a good team of six to eight people supporting me 
too. It was not easy."

Khot said he thought the applications were appropriately thorough, 
though. He thinks it's fair that the state will review applications 
blindly at first, he said. Still, it took him two days to block out 
all the necessary information and photocopy his five applications, 
which averaged about 400 pages each.

Khot hopes the state will award licenses soon, he said.

"Business owners are paying money, and there's no income," Khot said. 
"My hope is this will be done in two months, maybe three at the 
latest. On top of it, the patients are waiting."
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom