In response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Governor Pritzker will sign this week an executive order that suspends the requirement for the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) to issue up to 75 conditional adult use cannabis dispensing organization licenses by May 1, 2020.

The requirement will be suspended for the duration of the ongoing Gubernatorial Disaster Proclamations, or until IDFPR otherwise announces a new date. IDFPR will provide a public notice announcing the new date when licenses will be issued and will seek to do so as soon as feasible.

“The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has caused delays in the application review process,” said Toi Hutchinson, Senior Advisor for Cannabis Control to Gov. Pritzker. “This executive order will help ensure that we continue to build out this industry in a deliberate and equity-centric manner.”

More than 700 applicants applied for the 75 licenses.

Nature’s Treatment of Illinois in Galesburg was the last dispensary to be approval for adult use license on April 17. Nature’s Treatment was the awarded the fifth “secondary site” adult use cannabis license.

Five secondary site licenses have now been awarded, in addition to 49 “same site” licenses that permit medical cannabis dispensaries to sell adult use cannabis in their premises.

The list of dispensaries approved for adult use cannabis sales can be found here.

“The Pritzker administration remains committed to creating a legal cannabis industry that reflects the diversity of Illinois residents,” said Hutchinson. “We recognize that countless entrepreneurs were looking forward to May 1 and the next step it represented for Illinois’ adult use cannabis industry.”

The executive order will be available online at www.coronavirus.illinois.gov

The Department had anticipated receiving additional applications for early approval adult use licenses as municipalities adopt relevant zoning ordinances regarding adult use cannabis. Once the state awards a license, the recipient has 180 days to find a location for the dispensary, and then location has to be inspected.

The Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act permits Illinois residents who are at least 21 years old to legally possess up to 30 grams of cannabis flower, 500 milligrams of THC contained in a cannabis-infused product, and up to 5 grams of cannabis concentrate.

For a list of Illinois dispensaries click here.