The Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation emailed medical patients an “Important Update for Patients/Applicants” about the Medical Cannabis Patient Program and its new online system today.

The press-release style letter started its first line by “apologizing to all patients who were negatively affected by our difficult conversion to our new system.”

The letter also offered clarification for some questions they have been receiving since the conversion.

IDFP will no longer issue plastic cards. All cards will be printed from the system once the application has been processed. This decision was made in efforts to decrease the replacement fee if the card is lost.

As for renewals/extensions, all notifications regarding upcoming expiration dates of a medical cannabis card will be sent out via email.

When applying or renewing a medical cannabis card, a patient will be required to have a doctor certify the patient’s debilitating condition. This will be done online.

For questions about the new changes to the new system, email DPH.medicalcannabis@illinois.gov.

For more news about the Illinois cannabis industry, click here.