Joliet cannabis dispensary among first 5 approved for recreational marijuana in Illinois

The 3C Compassionate Care Center in Joliet has been approved for sale of recreational marijuana.

The state announced Thursday that 3C, which now has a dispensary for medical cannabis at 1627 Rock Creek Blvd., has been approved for recreational sales at the same location.

A new state law will allow sales of recreational cannabis starting Jan. 1.

Both 3C dispensaries in Joliet and at 1700 Quincy Ave. in Naperville were among the first five adult-use dispensing licenses approved by the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation.

The license also allows 3C to open a second site for recreational marijuana sales. The company has had plans to open a dispensary near the Louis Joliet Mall.

Joliet in November approved a zoning variation and special use permit allowing 3C to operate a dispensary for medical cannabis in a former mattress store at 2903 Colorado Ave.

No dispensary has been opened at the site.

Joliet has not established local regulations for recreational marijuana dispensaries. But the matter will be brought to the City Council in the coming months and staff hopes to bring a draft ordinance to the city Plan Commission in October, said Director of Planning Michael Schwarz.

State law allows municipalities to set zoning restrictions on dispensaries or prohibit them altogether.

3C Compassionate Care is owned by Chicago-based Green Thumb Industries.