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8 | September 27, 2018 | The highland park landmark news hplandmark.com Highland Park cannabis dispensary sponsors CannaExpo Hilary Anderson Freelance Reporter Cannabis for medical use is attracting growing interest. Highland Park’s Elevele and PDI Medical in Buffalo Grove sponsored the second annual Lake County CannaExpo Sept. 9 in Vernon Hills to provide information and answer questions about obtaining cannabis for medical purposes. The organizations are two of about 55 medical cannabis dispensaries in Illinois and four in the Lake Country area, which are licensed by the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Registration to sell cannabis to a person certified by a doctor who thinks the patient has a qualified medical condition that could benefit from the use of cannabis. “The State of Illinois medical cannabis laws and the Illinois Compassionate Use of Medical Cannabis Pilot Program are quite stringent regarding how a patient may obtain the cannabis,” said Andy Hunt, who owns the Highland Park Elevele dispensary with his wife, Veronica Hunt. “The patient must fill out and register for a medical cannabis card stating he/she is an Illinois resident—with proof of residency, be 18 years of age or older, not be an active duty law enforcement officer or hold a school bus permit or commercial driver’s license,” Andy Hunt said. “They send the card with the doctor’s VENDORS WANTED SATURDAY OCT. 13, 2018 10 AM - 2 PM NORTHBROOK COURT 1515 LAKE COOK ROAD, NORTHBROOK Vendors are needed to offer seniors and baby boomers everything they need to know about health and wellness, fitness, financial planning, shopping and entertainment, assisted living, real estate, travel and more. For more information, call 708.326.9170 or visit www.22ndcenturymedia.com/events DEADLINE: WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 26 certification of condition, two passport size photos and a $100 annual fee to the Illinois Department of Public Health.” Hunt said the current wait to receive the card is 60 to 90 days but the ability for the prospective medical cannabis user may get access sooner to a dispensary. “When Governor Rauner signed Senate Bill 336 this past Aug. 28, which amended the Compassionate Use of Medical Cannabis Pilot Program Act into law, one of its components was that the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) could issue provisional access to a licensed medical cannabis dispensary until the full processing of a patient’s application can be completed,” said pharmacist Joseph Friedman, owner and chief executive officer-Buffalo Grove’s PDI Medical. Cannabis has been shown to relieve about 40 physical ailments including pain from diseases like cancer, rheumatoid arthritis inflammation, nausea, muscle spasms, depression, insomnia, glaucoma, lupus, muscular dystrophy, Parkinson’s Disease, fibromyalgia and even reduction of some Epileptic seizures. “Patients often ask if there are alternatives to smoking medical cannabis,” Friedman said. “There are many other delivery choices including edibles, vaporizer, tinctures, oils, recipes and ingredients, transdermal patches and micro-dosing options.” A commonly asked question is whether medical cannabis will make them high. “That is not necessarily true,” Veronica Hunt said. “CBD, a chemical in cannabis has many medical applications because of its anti-inflammatory, antianxiety, pain-relieving and spasm and seizure reduction properties. CBD is usually taken from the cannabis plant and is not psychoactive. Most of the products we sell do have some THC, the psychoactive ingredient; however, we offer several high CBD/lowTHC strains so patients can find the right balance for themselves.” Those working in a medical cannabis dispensary do not ever touch the product nor smell it. He adds the delivery of the product is done as unobtrusively and discreetly as possible. Obtaining a license to Elevele employee Paul Nowacki (left) and patient care representative, Jack Weiss service a patient at the Highland Park cannabis dispensary. Photo submitted operate a medical cannabis dispensary was no easy task. The Hunts and Friedman talk about the long process of first filling out a 400-page application. Friedman is a licensed pharmacist. “Working on the application was quite a process,” he said. “It took a good two years to complete from the time the law was signed in 2013. It was something that took great skill and professionals. I had two pharmacists and two lawyers working with me on the application. It was a big time commitment. I had to find a parttime job to keep afloat.” Friedman’s dispensary now employs a full-time pharmacists, a part-time nurse, rotational pharmacy students and product specialists who are also cannabis patients to help patients with their needs. Like Friedman, the Hunts found the seven different sections on the application form rather daunting and a huge time commitment. “It has been a roller coaster ride because of all the rules and regulations but it is worth it because we are helping people improve the quality of their lives,” Veronica Hunt said. “We are required to keep records of everything and be totally transparent in what we do.” Andy Hunt calls working at their dispensary as gratifying. “I worked at the Chicago Board of Trade but wanted to do something else when the business started changing,” he said. “A friend and I talked about doing something different with our lives. We could not have found anything more gratifying than helping people lessen their pain and suffering.” Both Friedman and the Hunts are frustrated there is not enough research being done, not enough testing of how medical cannabis can help cut down on the opioid problem. “There is a reluctance among physicians to get on board,” Friedman said. “Recent small scale scientific studies offer promising evidence that medical cannabis can serve as a substitute for opioids. One study across multiple medical cannabis states indicated that where medical cannabis is legal there was a 25 percent decrease in deaths from opioids.”
hplandmark.com Highland Park the highland park landmark | September 27, 2018 | 9 YOUDON’T NEED TO SPEND AMILLION DOLLARS TO FIND AGREAT HOME IN HIGHLAND PARK JUSTLISTED JUSTLISTED JUSTLISTED 781PLEASANT AVENUE $465,000 1900 NORTHLAND AVENUE $479,900 943MARVELL LANE $450,000 867BROADVIEW AVENUE $999,000 1436 SUNNYSIDE AVENUE $899,000 626HOMEWOOD AVENUE #102 $450,000 1242 LYNN TERRACE $424,000 MAKE YOUR NEXT MOVE WITH THE CML TEAM 847.579.9214 CARON COMIN CARON@THECMLTEAM.COM MARCIA LYMAN MARCIA@THECMLTEAM.COM LAURIE FIELD LAURIE@THECMLTEAM.COM The property information herein is derived from various sources that may include, but not be limited to, county records and the Multiple Listing Service, and it may include approximations. Although the information is believed to be accurate, it is not warranted and you should not rely upon it without personal verification. Real estate agents affiliated with Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage are independent contractor agents and are not employees of the Company.©2018 Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage. All Rights Reserved. Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage fully supports the principles of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Opportunity Act. Owned by asubsidiaryofNRT LLC. Coldwell Banker and the Coldwell Banker Logo are registered service marks owned by Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC.
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