Illinois medical marijuana card wait time
- Thread starter Znewberry
- Start date
Twistedcrypto1
Well-Known Member
Your approved right?
natureboy!
Well-Known Member
You Got This ! Hang On ! This Rollercoaster is coming to a complete stop ! Relax !
jezzysmooth
Member
Longtime lurker here, been following this forum for word on provisional access and seeing a lot of contradictory information being put out, followed by accusations of trolls.
I did my own research to try and clear this up. Called a few dispensaries in chicago (including coumbia care, which, according to some users here, is already accepting provisional). Their responses:
Dispensary 33, MOCA and Columbia Care—all said they havent been told anything. Dont remember which one but when i called one of the three, the manager told me they had the inspector from the state in at the moment and the inspector had asked the dispensary if they heard anything. (Yikes)
Emailed idph and norml-IL from my law office email address. Idph sent a copy and pasted version of what is already on the idph website. Norml said that theyve been told end of january.
Tl;dr people saying that provisional is already happening in some places are lying.
I did my own research to try and clear this up. Called a few dispensaries in chicago (including coumbia care, which, according to some users here, is already accepting provisional). Their responses:
Dispensary 33, MOCA and Columbia Care—all said they havent been told anything. Dont remember which one but when i called one of the three, the manager told me they had the inspector from the state in at the moment and the inspector had asked the dispensary if they heard anything. (Yikes)
Emailed idph and norml-IL from my law office email address. Idph sent a copy and pasted version of what is already on the idph website. Norml said that theyve been told end of january.
Tl;dr people saying that provisional is already happening in some places are lying.
natureboy!
Well-Known Member
Medical Cannabis Program representatives are available by phone at 1-855-636-3688 Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM
So "after January 1st" turns to "middle of January" turns to "end of January". Just in time for the new people to take over January 14th and actually do something in a timely fashion to have it happen.
Can we start treating this IDPH as hostile to MCPP yet?
Yup! I call Monday and the guy said my card was shipped out 12/14. So I know it’s coming, it’s just a bummer to see other people that were approved on the same day, get theirs yesterday and 2 days ago already!
Zulu Doggy
Member
This will be my first (and potentially only) post. My data:
9/20 - filed online application through IDPH website, CC charged.
12/4 - E-mail sent. Reply received later that day stating: "Your card has not been printed yet. Your application is not yet processed."
12/18 - Card arrived (89 days)
Please don't congratulate me on getting my card. I think it appalling that I had to wait three months, and don't really feel that to be worthy of congratulations. I also find it appalling that no one has the ability to find out anything from the IDPH. They could save themselves hours of telephone answering/e-mail responding with just the barest of information made publicly available. (Something along the lines of, "We are currently processing applications received on XX/XX/XXXX" on the website.) I should also think that some form of lawsuit might be a possibility. My credit card was charged the day I applied, and I got no service (per their own e-mailed response) for over 2 months. Those who mailed their applications in with a check did not have the check cashed until their application began being processed. Just my thoughts. Good luck to all still waiting.
9/20 - filed online application through IDPH website, CC charged.
12/4 - E-mail sent. Reply received later that day stating: "Your card has not been printed yet. Your application is not yet processed."
12/18 - Card arrived (89 days)
Please don't congratulate me on getting my card. I think it appalling that I had to wait three months, and don't really feel that to be worthy of congratulations. I also find it appalling that no one has the ability to find out anything from the IDPH. They could save themselves hours of telephone answering/e-mail responding with just the barest of information made publicly available. (Something along the lines of, "We are currently processing applications received on XX/XX/XXXX" on the website.) I should also think that some form of lawsuit might be a possibility. My credit card was charged the day I applied, and I got no service (per their own e-mailed response) for over 2 months. Those who mailed their applications in with a check did not have the check cashed until their application began being processed. Just my thoughts. Good luck to all still waiting.
I'm going to guess that it will take the new administration some time to sort out exactly what needs to be done to expedite the process. And remember that there's no real financial incentive to fix medical access. The cannabis-friendly incoming administration is focused on recreational, because that's where the tax money is.
It has been obvious to me since I submitted my app that the state has been purposely punishing us for having the audacity to seek relief via the Devil's Weed.
Knowstigma
Active Member
Wow, we are close. Like I said, mine got sent to my address in Rockford. I got mine on day 88 or day 89.
Does anybody know if you can change to a dispensary is a county/"district" that is outside of where you registered? Essentially my card is registered in Winnebago County, but I would like to use a dispensary that is in Cook. Its not the end of the world if I have to drive to Rockford ... my family is there (including family dog and my young niece and nephew) so I am visiting like every other week but it would be way easier for me to go to Chicago locations.
I really do hope the dispensary limit goes soon. Not sure if it will, because there have been places in other states that have essentially abused the system. A few bad people ruin it for everybody. One thing I was worried about was them counting processing time as part of the time the card is "active" but mine didn't become "issued" until the 5th of this month.
As for people treating the IDPH as "hostile" to MMJ. Well, its well documented the last administration was. The new administration hasn't even been sworn in yet, its frustrating but I would give it time.
Also remember the "Illinois Department of Public Health" deals with a ton of issues and all of them are extremely important. If you are "hostile" to anybody, it should be done via activism and the voting booth. I can tell you from being on the receiving end to some extent, that many people that work for organizations like the IDPH are just trying to do a job and many of them actually do care. The IDPH just does what its legally told to do and works with the resources its given. Its very clear that the Medical Cannabis division is totally under resourced and I would bet that was done intentionally. Hopefully that changes, but it won't be overnight. The Rauner administration disbanded the board that essentially looks at the program and improves it and makes changes. That is going to have to be put back together.
IDPH deals with stuff like homelessness, mental health, obesity, suicide, neonatal care, nursing homes and licensing foster homes. People that tend to get into that line of work do so because they are good people, not because they want to "punish people". Maybe I am bias because I do similar type of work, but we do not do it for the pay.
If people start slamming workers via the phone lines because they are upset that its taking so long to get a card then they will end up having the opposite effect. The last thing that MMJ patients want to get is a bad rep, we face stigma still. Many people know next to nothing about MMJ so it is up to us to set a good example.
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Tiredofwaiting
Member
Just got off the phone with idph they said my card was sent to print 12/14 don't know the exact day it was approved so hang tight its coming hopefully before Christmas would be very nice
Knowstigma
Active Member
Actually shit, I will just ask if anybody has changed their dispensary and how did that process go? My question about changing it to a dispensary in another "district" or county might be too specific.
EDIT: I just called Dispensary 33 in Chicago and was told you can change to anywhere within the state. I am going to call a few other places, I have found that often the employee's in the store know as little as we do in regards to the law.
EDIT: I just called Dispensary 33 in Chicago and was told you can change to anywhere within the state. I am going to call a few other places, I have found that often the employee's in the store know as little as we do in regards to the law.
Canibislector
Member
I just got off the phone, I'm approved!
Knowing that just took away so much extra stress.
Knowing that just took away so much extra stress.
What’s your timeline?
thats awesome! Should be 10-14 days now!!
Same. Hopeful for a Happy New Year .I think my card will arrive after Christmas I think... So said I was hoping for a green Christmas. But my 90 day falls on Christmas. And I know that it was approved last week but was told due to holiday it will probably take longer to get to my home.
Twistedcrypto1
Well-Known Member
You can transfer anywhere in the state and transfer as often as you like. Takes 24-48 hrs. Look into earthmed in Addison and natures care in rhowling meadows. Those seem to have the best prices. Zenleaf in Chicago is ok too. They all have new customer specials but you have to ask and ask again at payment time. They won’t give it to you unless you ask. Good luck!
So the administrators of IDPH have been purposely slow walking the medical cannabis program at every step of the way - communications, processing applications, implementing provisional access. That is obvious and indisputable. But what can we do about it?
Here's what: send an email to the director of the IDPH, Dr. Nirav Shah, telling him what is wrong with the program he is tasked with managing.
I've already done this myself, several weeks ago, and he's never responded. But I know what will make him respond - publicity and scrutiny from outside the 'MMJ community'. Public officials do not like public attention when they're not doing their jobs correctly. So when you send your email to Dr. Shah, you have to cc: it to people in the news media as well. Your local newspaper and TV news outlets need to know about this too. THAT'S what will incentivize Dr. Shah to take some action. Even if your local news outlet doesn't do a story on it, Dr. Shah's seeing those addresses in the "cc:" field and knowing that they might is exactly the kind of thing that can help inspire some action.
At around 80 days of waiting now, I'll have my card in hand soon enough that this won't help me. But I'd really like to see the people responsible for this shameful situation held accountable, and if it helps the applicants who come after me too, that's a point on my karma scorecard
If you're in Chicago area, here's a starter list of email addresses. (BTW, if you're concerned about having your name associated with this subject in the media, add something like this to your email: "For media and publicity purposes, I request that my name be kept confidential and off the record." Media outlets must honor your wishes if you state this.)
Nirav.Shah@illinois.gov
Chicago Tribune local news desk: chicagoland@chicagotribune.com
Chicago Sun-Times city desk: metro@suntimes.com
WGN-TV news tips and press releases:
info@wgntv.com
CBS 2 News tips: cbschicagotips@cbs.com
ABC 7 news tips:
wls.desk@abc.com
(NBC 5 doesn't have a news tip email address.)
For the sake of the people who need relief, I hope some folks here follow through.
Here's what: send an email to the director of the IDPH, Dr. Nirav Shah, telling him what is wrong with the program he is tasked with managing.
I've already done this myself, several weeks ago, and he's never responded. But I know what will make him respond - publicity and scrutiny from outside the 'MMJ community'. Public officials do not like public attention when they're not doing their jobs correctly. So when you send your email to Dr. Shah, you have to cc: it to people in the news media as well. Your local newspaper and TV news outlets need to know about this too. THAT'S what will incentivize Dr. Shah to take some action. Even if your local news outlet doesn't do a story on it, Dr. Shah's seeing those addresses in the "cc:" field and knowing that they might is exactly the kind of thing that can help inspire some action.
At around 80 days of waiting now, I'll have my card in hand soon enough that this won't help me. But I'd really like to see the people responsible for this shameful situation held accountable, and if it helps the applicants who come after me too, that's a point on my karma scorecard
If you're in Chicago area, here's a starter list of email addresses. (BTW, if you're concerned about having your name associated with this subject in the media, add something like this to your email: "For media and publicity purposes, I request that my name be kept confidential and off the record." Media outlets must honor your wishes if you state this.)
Nirav.Shah@illinois.gov
Chicago Tribune local news desk: chicagoland@chicagotribune.com
Chicago Sun-Times city desk: metro@suntimes.com
WGN-TV news tips and press releases:
info@wgntv.com
CBS 2 News tips: cbschicagotips@cbs.com
ABC 7 news tips:
wls.desk@abc.com
(NBC 5 doesn't have a news tip email address.)
For the sake of the people who need relief, I hope some folks here follow through.
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Canibislector
Member
I mailed my application 9/15 express, it was signed for on 9/18. 12/6 my check was cashed. 12/10 I received a letter stating they didn't receive my doctors portion of the paperwork. I mailed out the new paperwork 12/14. So somewhere between Monday & today I was approved.
Unless I was approved when my check was cashed, which I'd be okay with lol
I'm so ready for it to come!