County Board Imposes One-Year Moratorium on Recreational Cannabis Businesses in Unincorporated Lake County
The Lake County Board voted today to impose a one-year moratorium on recreational cannabis businesses in unincorporated Lake County.
The moratorium is effective immediately through February 12, 2021. During this time, Lake County will not be accepting or reviewing applications for proposed recreational cannabis businesses. All recreational cannabis businesses, including dispensaries, cultivation centers, craft growers, infusers, processors and transporters, will remain prohibited within unincorporated Lake County.
The recreational use of cannabis in Illinois became legal on Jan. 1, 2020. Under the law, Lake County government has the option to ban recreational cannabis businesses or establish regulations to allow the production and sale of recreational cannabis in the unincorporated areas. The County Board chose to formally delay its decision to allow time to research health and law enforcement impacts and revenue implications of recreational cannabis legalization.
"We will use this time to get a better understanding of the potential outcomes of allowing recreational cannabis businesses in the unincorporated areas," said Eric Waggoner, Director of the Lake County Planning, Building and Development Department. "Staff's research will include assessing community impacts around existing cannabis businesses elsewhere in the area, taking a deeper dive into the statistical information already available from other states that have legalized recreational cannabis, collecting data from health and public safety organizations, and gathering input from the public."
At the end of the moratorium period, the information gathered will be used by the County Board as it considers future regulatory options for recreational cannabis.
The decision today followed a series of meetings that began after the Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act was signed by Governor J.B. Pritzker last summer. Lake County initiated a countywide task force that was attended by representatives from many local municipalities to study and analyze the new law. The Lake County Board also discussed the subject at several committee meetings. Updates from these meetings can be found on Lake County's website.
Those seeking to learn more about the new law can view an informational Q&A developed by Lake County that answers commonly asked questions.
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Contact
Arin Thrower
Chief Communications Officer
athrower@lakecountyil.gov
847-377-2550
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