A lawsuit targeting the state’s process for granting cannabis dispensary licenses was dropped Tuesday after pushback from people who want to see more diversity and equity among state pot businesses.
Sozo Health, a Michigan-based cannabis company, sued in federal court in Chicago last week, claiming the state’s rules for awarding dispensary licenses unconstitutionally discriminated against them.
The suit claimed the state should not be allowed to favor Illinois-based companies or change the rules for earning social equity status when granting these licenses, saying such measures violated federal and state laws.
It also said a tweak in how social equity status was determined for one of the three lotteries was “unfair.” Since that provision wasn’t included in the initial law when applications were submitted, it would deprive Sozo or other applicants of “the right to due process and equal protection under” the Illinois and United States Constitution.
To read more, click on https://blockclubchicago.org/2021/07/27/after-fierce-backlash-michigan-based-pot-shop-drops-lawsuit-to-block-illinois-cannabis-lottery/?fbclid=IwAR2XfRRevsYqy3QpzkKpnueJrYNFQ48L6sdX7n1NA-USf1XJQGHGKXsGdak