In Part 5 of this series, we focus on the “Affordability” of medicine in Illinois, one of the most frequently commented on aspects (from all over the United States) about the Compassionate Use of Medical Cannabis Program Act and Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act. The latest Americans for Safe Access’ (ASA) report rated Illinois 65/100 for Affordability, but our feedback from medical patients (and recreational users) would place that score significantly lower.

Affordability

According to the report, “Affordability not only covers the price of cannabis, but ancillary expenses as well, including administrative costs to register and maintain a valid registry as well as doctors visits for certification.” We agree with the ASA report that tax breaks for medical patients and multi-year card registrations are positives for the program. The ASA also mentioned a “reasonable registration fee” but most patients we’ve heard from believe there should be no registration fee whatsoever or the fee should be covered by insurance.

The proposed elimination of all fees may be because of the extremely prohibitive cost of medicine across the Illinois dispensary menus. Extra fees on top of exorbitant product costs can out-price patients from even entering the program, leaving the program, or force them to alternative options.

Many patients expected cannabis medication costs to decrease after legalization, but in Illinois that has not been the case. For three years, basic prices for all dispensary products have remained some of the highest throughout every state that has legalized cannabis. Because of fees and high costs, many patients, dealing with everything from chronic pain to epilepsy, have been forced to take other action, including growing their own medicine at home, purchasing from the black market, or returning to insurance-covered pharmaceuticals with less effective treatment and more side effects.

Medical patients have also shown support for including health insurance covered for cannabis treatment, as with other prescribed medicine, especially for people living with disabilities, chronic conditions, terminal illnesses, and comorbidities. In addition to other health expenses, patients pay out of pocket for all medicinal cannabis. Patients, for example, who need to medicate with more dispensary RSO than they can afford cannot maintain consistent improvement in health and wellness.

Hosts of podcasts from outside Illinois have been becoming more and more interested in Illinois’ cannabis industry and, inevitably, a host will ask how much is an 1/8th in Illinois. As I’ve written before, I am desensitized to their reactions when I tell them that 1/8th of flower is $60-65 out the door for a medical patient and $90-$95 for recreational cannabis. The reactions from the baffled podcast hosts vary from moments of silence to clumsily stuttering back words of disbelief.

Part 6 and final article of this series highlights the most commented on and advocated for issue we hear about: Plant Limit.

For the rest of the articles in the series find the links below:

Part 1: Series Intro

Part 2: Health, Rights, & Civil Protection

Part 3: Program Functionality

Part 4: Access to Medicine

Part 6: Plant Limit

For Medical Patient Homegrown Reviews, visit here.

For more Illinois cannabis industry news, visit here.

To learn about cannabis-friendly events in Illinois, visit here.

For Illinois News Joint reviews, visit here.