Illinois County Compels Legal Weed Shops To Display Signs Warning Of Pot's Mental Health Risks

Is marijuana less stigmatized in states where it is legal?

While generally the answer is probably yes, that is not necessarily true in every state. 

In the case of Illinois, McHenry County is demanding that legal cannabis dispensaries display in-store warnings of marijuana’s potential link to “psychotic disorders such as schizophrenia, increased thoughts of suicide and suicide attempts, anxiety, and depression,” writes Axios Chicago

For local context, the predominantly white, middle-class McHenry County is a GOP stronghold, which has voted for the Republican candidate for president in all but two elections since 1852.

What Happened: Earlier this month, the county state’s attorney Patrick Kenneally (R) announced the change in an op-ed in the Chicago Tribune in which he rejected the potential medical value of marijuana, arguing the plant does more harm than good.

“Cannabis dispensaries in McHenry County will now be the first in the country to warn customers through in-store signage of the mental health dangers associated with cannabis use, which include psychosis, depression, and suicidal ideation,” Kennealy wrote. 

“Dispensaries will also be required to scrub their marketing and websites of any suggestion that their products have medical benefits,” the state’s attorney continued. “They agreed to these consumer protections as part of a settlement with the McHenry County state’s attorney’s office in lieu of a consumer fraud action.” 

Kenneally warned that dispensaries that don’t follow up on these requirements will face litigation and threats of consumer fraud suits from the state's attorney himself.

Spreading Disinformation

Several regulators and lawmakers were disappointed with the county’s regulations. 

Rep. Kelly Cassidy and Sen. Heather Steans issued a statement saying that Kenneally "carelessly conflates cannabis use with the most complex societal issues that our own Illinois researchers, institutions, and community leaders work collectively every day to further understand and improve upon."

The Illinois Cannabis Regulation Oversight Office told Axios that “legalizing adult-use cannabis has always been about justice, safety, and equity in Illinois. The governor is disappointed to learn that the McHenry County state's attorney prefers focusing on spreading disinformation instead of tackling the issues that actually keep residents safe.”

This August, Kenneally slammed Gov JB Pritzker for signing a law that limits judges from barring marijuana and alcohol use for those with criminal pasts.

Pritzker is considered an architect of Illinois' cannabis legalization. In 2019 he signed what is viewed as one of the most equity-centric laws in the nation.  

"As the first state in the nation to fully legalize adult-use cannabis through the legislative process, Illinois exemplifies the best of democracy: a bipartisan and deep commitment to better the lives of all of our people," Gov. Pritzker, who is a featured speaker at the upcoming Benzinga Cannabis Capital Conference, stated at the time. "Legalizing adult-use cannabis brings an important and overdue change to our state, and it's the right thing to do.

What’s next: It remains to be seen how long Kenneally's regulation will stand and whether someone will attempt to overturn it. Illinois, like many other legal states, has laws requesting health warning labels for marijuana, similar to those required for cigarettes. 

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Photo: Courtesy of Budding via Unsplash