A Cook County judge is expected to rule next month on whether connected cannabis businesses gamed Illinois' dispensary lottery system, a case that has wound through the courts for years.
A Cook County judge is expected to rule next month on whether connected cannabis businesses gamed Illinois' dispensary lottery system, a case that has wound through the courts for years.
At issue is whether some applicants in Chicago's cannabis licensing process gained an unfair advantage by submitting multiple entries through affiliated companies, effectively multiplying their chances of winning a license.
Otis Davis of the Well-Being Holistic Group, who brought the challenge, argues the state failed to enforce rules meant to ensure a level playing field.
"This case is about fairness and transparency," Davis said.
His attorney, Chris Carmichael, contends that nearly half of the 901 lottery entries should have been disqualified. Under the rules, no connected group was supposed to submit more than 47 entries. Carmichael alleges two entities far exceeded that threshold.
"They submitted over 400," Carmichael said. "They went under a bunch of aliases, basically."
A hearing Monday brought two previously unnamed businesses into public view for the first time: Dispensary33 and Justice Grown.
The judge is expected to issue a written ruling May 21.
