Jan. 13--Pat Quinn left the Illinois governor's office Monday without awarding medical marijuana business licenses, prompting criticism of the delay in getting the drug to patients.
"I was crushed," said Jim Champion, an Army veteran with multiple sclerosis who was named to the governor's medical cannabis advisory board. "He just left the sick and the dying hanging."
The Illinois Cannabis Industry Association, a trade group, also expressed disappointment, as did state Rep. Lou Lang, the Skokie Democrat who sponsored the legislation.
"The people suffering from cancer (and) epilepsy will be further victimized by the governor's failure to do his job," Lang said.
The process for determining which businesses will be allowed to grow and sell medical cannabis is now left for incoming Gov. Bruce Rauner. He has criticized the selection procedures as secretive and suggested auctioning business licenses to the highest bidders.
Quinn signed the law authorizing a four-year medical marijuana pilot program in August 2013. It took state agencies all of 2014 to develop rules and the application process for patients and businesses. So far, the state has awarded permits to only about 650 patients. Under the current law and rules, the state will award licenses for up to 21 growing facilities and 60 retail outlets, based on evaluations of their business and security plans.
Quinn also on Monday called for eliminating criminal background checks for patients, extending the pilot program another two years and allowing 22 growing centers.
His office issued the following statement: "The governor believes we must get relief to those who need it as soon as possible, but it has to be done right in a fair and careful way. It shouldn't be rushed out last minute.
"The agencies in charge of awarding these licenses have already completed most of the work in full accordance with the law, and the new administration will now administer the rest."
Rauner is bound by current law and rules dictating how the licenses will be awarded, unless he seeks changes in legislation, but officials would not say what he will do.
"During the campaign, Bruce called for a more transparent process and an open auction for these licenses," spokesman Lance Trover wrote in an email. "A Rauner administration will review the status of the program and act accordingly."
As one of his last deeds, Quinn named an advisory board of doctors, nurses and patients who will consider expanding the list of medical conditions that qualify for medical marijuana.
rmccoppin@tribpub.com
Twitter @RobertMcCoppin
