Illinois marijuana stores told to let medical patients buy more than recreational customers under new state guidelines

Marijuana stores should take concrete steps to prioritize medical patients over recreational customers, state regulators said Friday.

Cannabis dispensaries should keep one sales window open for medical patients, may not reserve products for recreational customers, and must allow medical patients to buy up to 2.5 times any limit they set on recreational products, under new state guidelines.

The advisory from the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation came following complaints from patients that they have not been able to get their usual specific products because of shortages caused by recreational sales which started this year.

State law had already required pot shops to “prioritize” medical patients and caregivers, but had not given these specific measures.

The law already allows medical patients to buy up to 2.5 ounces of marijuana every two weeks, rather than the one ounce allowed at any one time to recreational customers. But because of shortages, shops have been setting their own limits on purchases, such as one-eighth an ounce of flower, the smokable part of the plant. Under the new guidelines, shops must let medical patients buy 2.5 times as much as any limit they set for recreational customers. [Read more at Chicago Tribune]