Illinois Growers Get Green Light to Ship Marijuana to Stores

CHICAGO (AP) — Medical marijuana growers in Illinois have been notified by state officials that they can start shipping their products to dispensaries Friday for sale to patients early next week.

A Department of Agriculture letter to licensed cultivation centers and dispensaries explains how marijuana can be transported.

Growers have been waiting for this official green light. Illinois medical cannabis program director Joseph Wright confirmed the authorization went out to the industry.

The instructions say marijuana can be transported only between 7 a.m. and 9 p.m. Vehicles carrying it must be staffed by at least two cultivation center employees.

Growers must enter product ID numbers into a digital statewide tracking system. A Florida-based company called BioTrack THC has the Illinois contract for tracking medical marijuana from seed to sale.