On January 7, 2019, the Illinois Department of Agriculture posted applications for Cannabis Craft Growers, Cannabis Infusers, and Cannabis Transporters. Applications in all three categories are due March 16, 2020.

Illinois is currently in the midst of one of the most ambitious and widely-watched rollouts of adult use marijuana in the country. The Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation on January 2, 2020 closed the application period for adult use dispensaries, and is reported to have received hundreds of applications for approximately 75 licenses that Illinois intends to award prior to May 1, 2020.

Adult use marijuana became legal in Illinois at the start of the new year. Dispensaries within the existing medical use program were given a head start that permitted them to begin serving adult use customers on January 1. Unsurprisingly, the January 1 rush saw dispensaries reporting shortages of both marijuana products and state-approved employees to keep up with unprecedented demand. Once additional dispensaries are licensed, Illinois will be among the largest adult use markets in the United States.