Cannabis Advocates Connect and Support The Community in Elgin

Elgin, IL (May 2, 2022) – While new cannabis cultivation and dispensing licenses are caught in a legal quagmire, ancillary businesses have been advocating and navigating a nascent industry heavily clouded by social taboo.

The organizers of Herban Social understand the impediments to industry growth. Kalee Hooghkirk and Kirsten Velasco have been educating groups and individuals since 2015. “Most people have a very limited understanding of cannabis uses, and its special opportunity for Illinois: agricultural, industrial, recreational, medicinal, etc. Our social events show that contemporary cannabis consumers come from every walk of life,” said Velasco.

Hooghkirk, president of Midwest Hemp Coalition, is a native of the Elgin area, and has assisted hundreds of people with adapting cannabis into their health and wellness strategies. “It’s been a wild ride for the entrepreneurs. We don’t have licenses for cannabis businesses, but we are still excluded or shadow-banned from traditional marketing and social media. We’re bouncing back from the COVID shutdowns to forge connections with the community,” Kalee explained.

On May 13, 7-10 p.m. Herban Social invites enthusiasts and the curious to register here: ssinfused.com/herbansocial General admission is free but you must reserve your ticket to enter. Expect a beautiful night on the Fox River, peruse an artisan market of unique products offered by local entrepreneurs while enjoying hemp-infused confections and craft cocktails on a private patio. Organizations such as Not-for-profit Cannabis Equity Illinois Coalition, will be present to share their resources, including know-your-rights education, cannabis conviction expungement information, important legislative policy updates, and more. “We strive to build partnerships across the state, including Elgin & Aurora, to provide resources that keep people safe,” says Deputy Director Peter Contos. “We are excited to join Herban Social, and to communicate important education to attendees and community members.”

“We hope many other local venues will host our events. When residents have clearer understanding, their communities win.” Velasco said. “Local municipalities reap 3% of dispensary sales. Typically a city must alter zoning to accept cannabis businesses. If they work proactively to make the adjustments, they can get a slice of the revenue. Over $2B of cannabis sold in Illinois in 24 months, produced $593.1M in taxes,” she continued. “With ancillary products and services, economic opportunity extends beyond selling cannabis.”

Elgin has only recently approved one cannabis business but it's a cultivator, not a dispensary. New dispensary openings are delayed due to lawsuits concerning the accuracy and fairness of the license issuing process. For now, residents of Elgin who are over 21 years of age must travel to Carpentersville, Schaumburg or St. Charles to make legal cannabis purchases. Even with legal purchases, adults are restricted to consuming on private property with the permission of the owner or landlord. Properties that receive federal funding include lease contracts forbidding consumption of cannabis. Those extra caveats create the need for safe consumption lounges and events. For now there are only 3 lounges in Illinois. Limited venues leave the cannabis tourism opportunity untapped with almost a third of all sales coming from out-of-state. Connecting directly with the community eases apprehension and exposes the need for social, legislative, and economic adaptation.

Ref:
Canada’s Cannabis Tourism Gap:
https://www.bradfordtoday.ca/local-news/beyond-local-tourism-is-the-missing-piece-of-canadas-cannabis-legalization-puzzle-5289877

Illinois Cannabis Sales Stats March 2022:
https://www.marijuanamoment.net/illinois-marijuana-sales-rebound-in-march-reaching-131-million-state-officials-report/#:~:text=The%20Illinois%20Department%20of%20Financial,out%2Dof%2Dstate%20visitors.

###