Illinois Social Equity Cannabis Program: Marijuana Licensing 101  By: Alex Ion                                                                                                                                         Attorney, Cannabis & Healthcare Consultant                      Published on October 22, 2019  Illinois has allotted 20% of the total point structure for the license application of recreational cannabis businesses to social equity applicants. More specifically, out of the total 250 points, 50 points are designated for applicants that qualify as “social equity applicants.” This relatively large allocation is perhaps the most progressive social equity program of the 11 states that currently have a recreational cannabis licensing program, but this program’s implementation has been problematic. Under the Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act of Illinois (410 ILCS 705), to qualify as a Social Equity Applicant an Illinois resident must meet one of the following criteria: “an applicant with at...

Does SAFE Act Really Provide Safety to Marijuana Industry?  By: Ted Kirsch & Alex Ion                                                                                                                Attorneys & Regulatory Consultants Ion Law                Published on September 26, 2019  Formally known as the “Secure and Fair Enforcement Banking Act of 2019,” the SAFE Act passed in the House last night on bipartisan grounds with a 321-103 vote. The Act seeks to ensure a “safe harbor” among other protections for depository institutions that want to engage with state-licensed cannabis companies and their service providers. The original impetus, which the Act was predicated on, was to take cash out of the cannabis industry. The industry facilitating the sales of cannabis has grown exponentially as the medical and recreational use of cannabis becomes more widely tolerated in many states. The amount of money in the industry has also increased in lockstep with the expansion of legal cannabis throughout the...