By Illinois Radio Network
SPRINGFIELD – Thousands of people across the state lined up on New Year’s Day to buy pot on the first day of the end of cannabis prohibition in Illinois.
The adult-use cannabis law was enacted last summer. A followup bill in the fall put the final touches in place. A few dozen medical cannabis dispensaries across the state that have been operating for years to sell medicinal pot were given first dibs on recreational sales starting Jan. 1.
There were thousands of people lined up at dispensaries around the state.
David Watson of Springfield was the first to buy from Illinois Supply and Provisions. He spent $72, tax included. That got him an eighth of a strawberry cannabis flower variety.
Compared to street prices, he said “I probably would have got that for $60, so a little bit [more expensive].”
Cannabis could be taxed up to 44 percent, depending on the potency and once local governments can begin collecting a local sales tax on top of the state’s taxes.
Just as Watson exited the dispensary, he was standing next to a Springfield police squad car.
“It’s different, I mean I’m a little nervous. But hey, it’s legal now and I’m fresh out of the store and I’m hoping I’m OK,” Watson said. “It’s a little odd but it’s better. I don’t feel like I’m going to get in trouble because it’s legal.”
Watson said there wasn’t much flower to choose from in the store, but there were a lot of options for vaping products and edibles.
Cresco Labs spokesman Jason Erkes said consumers throughout Illinois are buying products across the spectrum. Their locations in Champaign and in Lakeview saw long lines.
“We had people lining up outside our Champaign [location] at 9 o’clock last night to spend the night in the parking lot,” Erkes said.
In Springfield, Neal Young of Chatham said he went to bed at 8 on New Year’s Eve to get up early. He was in line New Year’s Day at 3:45 a.m. to get some flower .
“I’m just here just for the experience of finally seeing it through,” said Young, who acknowledged he’d used cannabis when it was previously prohibited. “It was a long time coming and it feels like freedom.”
There are concerns about shortages for recreational users.
Robert Robbins hails from the East St. Louis area. While he lives in Springfield, he was cautious about traveling down to the Illinois Supply and Provisions location in Collinsville.
“That’s the only dispensary down that way and you’ve got the huge population of the St. Louis metropolitan area to vamp down one supply organization, which is not going to be helpful for that store in that location,” Robbins said while waiting in line.
As to the demand’s impacts on supply, Erkes said that’s expected.
“I think there’ll be enough supply to supply the market just these first couple of days like when anything new launches, a shoe, an i-Phone, it’s going to be hard to meet that initial demand,” Erkes said.
Erkes didn’t anticipate price fluctuations but said there may be some limits put in place to stretch supply as far as possible while maintaining enough for medical card holders as required by law.
As to those concerned about privacy, Erkes said for recreational sales consumers will show their ID as they would to get into a bar.
“There’s no data being stored,” Erkes said. “It’s not matched to any state records. It’s a private transaction and the only way your data is being stored is if you opt in to receive marketing emails or things like that.”
The state of Illinois has a list of all the approved legal cannabis dispensaries online.
With only a few dozen dispensaries across the state in the first phase of Illinois’ adult-use program, in the months and years ahead more dispensaries and cultivation centers will be approved.
Illinois Radio Newtwork can be reached at [email protected].
