Thirteen minority-owned firms licensed by the state of Illinois to transport adult-use cannabis products have filed a lawsuit in the Circuit Court of Sangamon County against Illinois Department of Agriculture (IDOA) Secretary Jerry Costello II for failing to enforce laws designed to stop companies without licenses from transporting adult-use cannabis products.
Representatives from the firms hosted a press conference at 11 a.m. on Thursday, May 18, outside of the James R. Thompson Center, 100 W. Randolph St. in Downtown Chicago. The representatives claimed that, “As a result of the state’s inaction, illegal cannabis transporters are acting with impunity, jeopardizing the safety of the Illinois public and essentially blocking Illinois transporters from participating in the Illinois cannabis industry, particularly minority firms that worked hard and overcame structural barriers to compete.”
The lawsuit asserted, “The IDOA has failed to ‘Administer and enforce’ the provisions of the CRTA and the Transport Regulations ‘relating to the oversight and registration of…transporting organizations and agents.’ Instead, the IDOA is knowingly and willfully allowing entities to illegally perform cannabis transports in Illinois. By allowing entities to illegally preform cannabis transports in Illinois, the IDOA has made it effectively impossible for compliant, licensed transporters to participate in the cannabis transport market.”
All of the plaintiffs in the lawsuit applied for licenses from the IDOA as qualified Social Equity Applicants. Many have already received licenses, while others have been awarded the licenses but have not yet claimed them.
The plaintiffs stated in a press release that, “In January, the plaintiffs became aware of cannabis transport deliveries happening in Chicago by cannabis firms without transportation licenses and promptly contacted state officials responsible for enforcing the CRTA. Those officials, however, indicated that the IDOA did not have the staff necessary to enforce the state’s laws prohibiting the illegal transport of adult-use cannabis and they also confirmed that the IDOA did not issue a single fine to firms violating the law. To date, no disciplinary action has been taken against any parties involved in these illegal transports because the IDOA does not have the staff to do so.”
“As minority-owned cannabis transporters, it was difficult as it is to simply operate in the industry, but now the state is making that even harder,” said David Scott, the owner of Bellwood-based Vertical Management LLC, one of the 13 plaintiffs. “We should not be punished for doing things the right correct way.”
The press release continued by stating, “plaintiffs are urging the court to order the IDOA to do its job and enforce laws meant to protect public safety and ensure fairness and equity within the Illinois cannabis industry.” For more Illinois cannabis industry news, visit here.
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