# Medical Marijuana In Illinois: Is It Actually Happening Or Are They Still Just Talking About It **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 4, 2015, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medical-marijuana-in-illinois-is-it-actually-happening-or-are-they-still-just-talking-about-it/726969 "2015-08-04T13:30:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2015, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medical-marijuana-in-illinois-is-it-actually-happening-or-are-they-still-just-talking-about-it/726969/1 "2015-08-04T13:30:33Z")
Last I had read, well over a year into Illinois’ four-year medical marijuana program, not a single patient had been able to purchase a single gram of medicine due to bureaucratic entanglements and foot-dragging on the part of politicians. That was probably six months ago. Have things improved since then? Are there dispensaries on the ground that patients can go with the recommendations and get their medicine? Or is the legislature still dragging its feet (or “moving cautiously,” depending on your point of view)? ---
**Author:** ![anson2995](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c77e96/32.png) [@anson2995](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anson2995)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2015, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medical-marijuana-in-illinois-is-it-actually-happening-or-are-they-still-just-talking-about-it/726969/2 "2015-08-04T16:53:28Z")
[NORML categorizes the Illinois law as “not yet operational.”](http://norml.org/legal/item/illinois-medical-marijuana) The deadline for signing up for the pilot program was last week (July 31). Unclear from the state website when any dispensing might begin. They spent the last 18 months deciding which medical conditions would qualify. See [the state website for more details](http://www.dph.illinois.gov/topics-services/prevention-wellness/medical-cannabis) ---
**Author:** ![picker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/picker/32/13969_2.png) [@picker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picker)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2015, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medical-marijuana-in-illinois-is-it-actually-happening-or-are-they-still-just-talking-about-it/726969/3 "2015-08-04T17:38:00Z")
It’s Illinois. They’re still working out the corruption and graft. ---
**Author:** ![JerrySTL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e274bd/32.png) [@JerrySTL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JerrySTL)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2015, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medical-marijuana-in-illinois-is-it-actually-happening-or-are-they-still-just-talking-about-it/726969/4 "2015-08-04T19:36:00Z")
> [@picker](#): > > It’s Illinois. They’re still working out the corruption and graft. And how much to over-tax it. ---
**Author:** ![Chitloff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/2acd7d/32.png) [@Chitloff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chitloff)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2015, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medical-marijuana-in-illinois-is-it-actually-happening-or-are-they-still-just-talking-about-it/726969/5 "2015-08-05T23:19:26Z")
The end of July was the last day for submitting petitions for additional qualifying conditions, this does not in any way affect when patients with qualifying conditions may apply. The program is open enrollment, and anyone can apply at any time. Cultivation centers have begun planting, estimates are they will harvest between the end of October or beginning of November.