For Immediate Release – September 10, 2026
Illinois Expands Access for Medical Cannabis Patients and Dispensaries
CHICAGO – Gov. JB Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (ID-FPR) issued medical cannabis dispensary licenses to 37 existing dispensaries which, beginning to-day, may serve both adult use customers and medical patients at the same location. Providing existing dis-pensaries with the ability to opt-in for a medical dispensary license greatly increases patient access across the state, while also eliminating unnecessary red tape for regulators and consumers alike. This change also allows newer dispensaries issued under social equity lotteries the chance to serve medical patients, level-ing the playing field for small businesses.
“Expanding access to medical cannabis is an important step toward ensuring Illinois patients have more op-tions to obtain the medicine they rely on,” said Mario Treto, Jr., Secretary of IDFPR. “More dispensa-ries means better options and increased convenience for medical patients, while still maintaining the regula-tory safeguards that protect patients and promote a safe and responsible cannabis industry.”
Under the new law, an adult-use dispensary with an active license in good standing may apply for a medi-cal cannabis dispensary license. Once approved by IDFPR, the dispensary may sell cannabis to registered medical cannabis patients at the medical tax rate, up to the patient’s authorized allotment.
“This is a monumental day for medical patients, who have long advocated for these changes,” said Erin A. Johnson, Cannabis Regulation Oversight Officer. “We are also proud to expand opportuni-ties for the many small cannabis businesses who have wanted to serve medical patients for years.”
A list of these new medical licenses is available on IDFPR’s Adult Use Cannabis webpage. Additional med-ical cannabis dispensary licenses are expected to be issued on a continuing basis. This means that any new dispensary opening in the State of Illinois will have the option to seek a medical cannabis dispensary license and serve patients.
“IDFPR has been advocating for expanded access to the medical cannabis market, and this change creates meaningful opportunities for both patients and dispensaries,” said Vaughn G. Bentley, Deputy Director of the Cannabis Control Section at IDFPR. “We are committed to implementing SB 3222 in a way that expands access while ensuring dispensaries understand and comply with all applicable requirements.”
This is the biggest expansion of the medical cannabis market in Illinois since 2016. The medical opt-in pro-vision is one of several changes to Illinois’ cannabis laws enacted through SB 3222, which Governor Pritzker signed into law on June 12, 2026. The legislation also made changes related to dispensary operations, licens-ing, possession limits, medical cannabis, and other aspects of Illinois’ cannabis regulatory framework.
“Expanding the number of dispensaries able to serve medical cannabis patients is good policy for Illinois,” said state Rep. Bob Morgan (D – Deerfield). “It means patients have greater access and more choices, while dispensaries have new opportunities to grow their businesses and better serve their communities. This is an important step toward building a stronger, more accessible medical cannabis program in Illinois.”
There are currently 288 adult use cannabis dispensaries in Illinois, including 178 dispensaries from social equity lotteries that have opened their doors. There are 68 conditional licensees from social equity lotteries in the process of working toward their full dispensary licenses. IDFPR will continue to issue full adult-use dis-pensary licenses and medical dispensary licenses as applicants continue to seek to open both their adult use, and now medical, dispensaries.
