Illinois marijuana

As Illinois’ legal marijuana industry and the demand for educated workers grow, schools and companies are collaborating on cannabis classes.

Missouri’s recent legalization of recreational, adult-use marijuana has opened new opportunities for more people to buy from dispensaries. Experts say the state’s relatively low prices and taxes have created a “canna-tourism” industry.

Ward 3 Alderman Kent Randle has proposed an amendment that would wipe out those requirements and reduce the distance from 1,500 to 100 feet.

The provision would create two new lotteries for awarding licenses. Illinois was supposed to award 75 new dispensary licenses last year but the process faced backlash after many minority applicants weren’t included in the initial lottery.

Illinois generated around $175 million in tax revenue from cannabis in 2020, and 25% of that money goes back to communities in the form of grants.

The state still has to live up to its promises around racial equity.

The Fairview Heights City Council voted 8-1 Wednesday to approve the dispensary near the intersection of Interstate 64 and Illinois Route 159. Ascend Illinois can now move forward with opening its second dispensary in the region at 114 Commerce Lane, a defunct Babies R Us store, in the main shopping district.

Illinois has big goals to build non-white ownership in its new cannabis industry through new business licenses. But those goals are in peril now, because of delays to the licensing process. The longer applicants have to wait, the more money they have to spend to stay viable should they win one.

Illinois will distribute $31.5 million in grants over the next year to local nonprofits, faith- or community-based organizations and governmental bodies to address issues in historically underserved parts of the state.The money for these grants comes from 25% of the tax revenue the state collects from recreational marijuana sales.

Municipalities in Illinois that have cannabis dispensaries will start seeing more money from recreational marijuana purchases. Cities, counties and…