The Illinois Supply and Provisions has become the first marijuana dispensary in the state to get approval for the pot consumption lounge. The Springfield City Council has approved the construction of the lounge adjacent to its dispensary.
Illinois Supply and Provisions spokesman Chris McCloud said that while the details of the lounge were still being worked out, the firm will ensure that it provides a good experience for users.
Recreational marijuana has been legalized in Illinois from January 1, and business is booming. In just 12 days, marijuana sales have reached $20 million statewide.
The law bans marijuana use in public spaces. It also allows landlords and hotel owners to ban marijuana use. This makes it problematic for tourists and students who live in rented locations. The lounge will allow a safe, legal place where people can use marijuana products.
Explaining her reason for supporting the opening of the lounge Springfield Alderwoman Erin Conley said,
We do have a lot of tourists, we’ve already seen a fair amount of out-of-town visitors coming to our dispensary, and we have a lot of hotels downtown where people cannot consume…I thought it was better to have a place…for people to reasonably partake in something that’s legal in Illinois.
Alderwoman Doris Turner asserted that people would behave responsibly and not abuse the lounge facility and use it more like a place for hanging out like a bar, for example.
Mayor Lori Lightfoot had earlier put forward a proposal for granting licenses to dispensaries for constructing on-site marijuana consumption facilities.
Illinois Supply and Provision also has a dispensary in Collinsville and plans to open two more this year in Springfield and Fairview Heights.