Pubdate: Sun, 01 Feb 2015
Source: Chicago Sun-Times (IL)
Copyright: 2015 Sun-Times Media, LLC
Contact: http://mapinc.org/url/5QwXAJWY
Website: http://www.suntimes.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/81
Author: Becky Schlikerman

STATE'S MEDICAL POT STARTUP COSTS PILING UP

Although the state's medical marijuana program remains in limbo, with 
patients and entrepreneurs waiting for the state to get it rolling, 
it's not coming cheap.

So far, the startup cost has been more than $1.8 million, most of it 
for computer software, records show.

The Illinois Department of Public Health, using money from the 
dedicated Compassionate Use of Medical Cannabis Fund, has shelled out 
nearly $1.5 million to Iron Data Solutions Inc. for the software used 
to house the registry of patients and caregivers allowed to purchase 
medical marijuana, according to records from the Illinois Comptroller's office.

The total contract with Iron Data is for nearly $2.6 million, 
comptroller records show.

The state has also spent about $345,000 for the operation of the program.

Most of that has been spent on salaries and benefits, records show.

Some of the employees paid have worked to determine who should get 
coveted businesses licenses to make legal medical marijuana 
available. Among some positions listed are contractual employees 
whose positions are with the medical marijuana unit for the Illinois 
State Police, records show.

Some of those employees helped review security plans for cultivation 
centers, said Lance Trover, a spokesman for Gov. Bruce Rauner.

The state has paid $23,000 to Aon Fire Protection Engineering Corp., 
which was hired to review security plans for dispensary applicants, 
Trover said.

Rep. Lou Lang, the Skokie Democrat who sponsored the medical 
marijuana legislation, said upfront costs are needed to get the program going.

"Both personnel and technology are necessary to run this program," he said.

Data from Illinois comptroller's office shows the state has earned 
$5.2 million in revenue from the medical marijuana program.

Most of the cash came from non-refundable fees paid by prospective 
marijuana farmers and sellers who applied for the licenses in 
September. Those applying to grow medical marijuana paid $25,000 per 
application, and those applying to sell the product paid $5,000 per 
application.

Seriously ill people, who had to pay a $50 or $100 fee as part of the 
application process to get into the program, have also given the 
state a large chunk of cash. Records show they've paid out nearly 
$154,000, but they can't yet use medical marijuana.

Some patients have said they're worried they'll have to shell out the 
cash again when the yearly permit expires, even though they haven't 
been able to use it yet.

"Imagine if their permit expired before the product is even 
available," Lang said. "That would certainly be unfair."

Patients and entrepreneurs are on edge as Rauner's administration 
determines what will happen next.

Former Gov. Pat Quinn, left office without issuing the licenses that 
would have gotten the legal medical marijuana seeds into Illinois soil.

On Friday, Rauner described what Quinn left behind as a "mess."

"We owe a duty to the taxpayers and the families of this state to 
check the process and make sure it's been done right, according to 
the law," the governor said.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom