The suit claims the IDOA granted veterans an unfair advantage in violation of state law, referencing the “Special Legislation Clause” of the Illinois Constitution.
“The taxes put into it go directly to helping benefit and reinvest in communities hurt by the War on Drugs. It’s a great opportunity for the state.”
The court hearing for administrative review is scheduled for July 22 and if it fails, Eckstein says he plans to follow up with a lawsuit scheduled for October.
The lawsuit coincides with two others filed in Detroit earlier this year, where medical operators are claiming the new ordinance would drive them out of business.
Year-over-year medical sales in Michigan have fallen 48% from a year ago, while adult use sales increased by 56% during the same period.
The lotteries do not provide the applicants licenses outright, however. Winners must now argue the merits of getting a license before Cook County Circuit Court Judge Cecelia Gamrath.
While adult use cannabis sales have been legal in Michigan since 2018, cannabis convictions were not automatically expunged and must be manually applied for by the offender.
The DHSS alleges the licensees were operating in unsanitary conditions, including using and applying pesticides without proper training or proper personal protective equipment.
Last month the overall plant count also skyrocketed for adult use, jumping from 403,471 adult-use plants in production in May 2021 to 1,126,881 adult use plants in May 2022.
In a company-wide email, Curaleaf informed employees that those represented by a union would not be receiving holiday pay for Juneteenth.
