Business & Tech
Morton Grove May Reject Medical Marijuana Clinic
After the medical marijuana clinic left Niles due to zoning code issues, Morton Grove may not allow it either.
The Green Bliss clinic, which bills itself as having "medical marijuana evaluation doctors," is up in the air over whether it will have an office.
The clinic, operated by J. Rene Dadivas, M.D., Jesus R. Dadivas, M.D., and Joseph Dadivas, who has a masters degree in healthcare management, opened in a strip mall at 7509 N. Milwaukee Avenue, Niles, on Oct. 4.
After Niles trustees discussed the clinic at a village board meeting, however, village inspectors said that seeing patients at the location was not compatible with zoning regulations. (The doctors had earlier used the space as an office for a business which sends caregivers to the elderly; no patients were seen, and that did comply with zoning.)
Joseph Dadivas also said earlier this week that parking was scarce at that location, and so the clinic had found a new location at 6020 W. Dempster, Morton Grove.
Earlier: Medical Marijuana Clinic Moves To Morton Grove From Niles
However, the village of Morton Grove issued the following press release Friday, which seems to cast doubt on whether the clinic will be locating in Morton Grove. When asked about reaction to the clinic on Friday morning, Morton Grove Mayor Dan DiMaria responded by sending this press release, which alternately says that the clinic's application is under review and that it will not be allowed in Morton Grove.
A call to Green Bliss Clinic seeking comment was not returned by the close of business Friday.
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From the Village of Morton Grove:
Clinic Application Under Review
A business that is being promoted as a medical marijuana clinic has applied for approval to open in Morton Grove. While medical clinics are allowed in the Village’s commercial districts provided they comply with applicable zoning and parking requirements, the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation “IDFPR” has determined that clinics that exist solely to offer marijuana certifications are illegal, and therefore will not be allowed in the Village.
The Compassionate Use of Medical Cannabis Pilot Program Act takes effect on January 1, 2014. The Act allows persons who have certain debilitating medical conditions to possess and use limited amounts of marijuana. Only a doctor who is treating a patient for a qualifying condition may certify the patient for the legal use of cannabis. Because of the diverse nature of these qualifying conditions, no one doctor can properly treat every patient eligible to use medical cannabis. Additionally, the IDFPR would not consider a physician to be treating a patient for a condition if the only treatment being provided is a written authorization for the use of medical cannabis.
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Medical marijuana can only be provided at state licensed dispensaries. Dispensaries cannot be located in a medical clinic or doctor’s office and must be at least 1,000 feet from schools or day care facilities. While the law will not allow the Village to ban medical marijuana dispensaries, the Village is permitted to enact reasonable zoning regulations for such facilities. The Village is looking to amend its zoning ordinances to comply with the state law in early 2014. To date, no applications for medical marijuana dispensaries have been filed.
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Mayor DiMaria noted that, despite what has been reported in the press, no permit has been issued to this business. “While the Village will comply with this and all state laws, we will not allow any person or business to exploit this law for illegal purposes.”
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