Illinois medical marijuana card wait time

Juke52

Well-Known Member
Just got off the phone with them again. Talked to a guy, who asked ten more questions and obviously looked up my info. He told me that they are “processing it at this moment.”

Filed on 10/5 online.
This makes me happy! I also filed online on 10/5.
 
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Twistedcrypto1

Well-Known Member
Is that 10 business days or just ten days period
I would say 10 days. Not business. This is just from past results even though they may say business days. I was told sent to printer on 12/6. My card said 12/4. and card arrived in mail 12/14. So 10 days from approval? No one knows but hopefully that gives you guys a better idea.

I still think as others say it’s held to guarantee under 90 but not much sooner. Probably other departments getting involved too. Who knows...
 

RaoulD

Member
Thanks to JamRock2018 for the link. Here's a little numbers-crunching analysis based on the state's own accounting:

In the first two years of the MCPP accepting applications (from Sept. 2, 2014 to Sept. 7, 2016) the state approved 10,033 applicants. Based on a 40 hour work week, that means the state approved 2.41 applicants per hour on average during the first two years. That's around 24 minutes spent on each app.

In the last year, from Dec. 7, 2017 to Dec. 11, 2018, the state approved 20,966 applications. Again based on a 40 hour work week, that comes to 10.01 apps approved per hour on average during the last year.

So the state is approving roughly 80 applications per day as of Dec. 11, 2018. That means they're spending a total of around 6 minutes on each application.

What does this all mean? One, that the state has seen a four-fold improvement in processing time over the last two years. The simplest explanation for this would seem to be that they added staffing, something that was talked about here in wake of the signing of the OAP on Aug. 28th. And the elimination of the fingerprint requirement may have had something to do with it too.

So - it sucks that there's still a 90 day wait time, but things do seem to be moving along at a better pace than they were earlier in the MCPP.

Happy holidays!
Do those numbers assume that only one person is working?
 

Susiecalm

New Member
Does anyone know a phone number or email that I can check to see when my card is coming? Applied Oct. 16. I was told 90 days but it appears that my check was cashed awhile back, what's up? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks
 

Twistedcrypto1

Well-Known Member
Does anyone know a phone number or email that I can check to see when my card is coming? Applied Oct. 16. I was told 90 days but it appears that my check was cashed awhile back, what's up? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks
Expect your card right at 90 days (Jan 16th or a few days earlier)

Medical Cannabis Program representatives are available by phone at 1-855-636-3688Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM

You’ll need to call a few hundred times to get through. Just hang up if you hear the message and dial until it rings.
 

shelby123

Member
Called once and immediately got into the hold queue. Had a lovely woman answer the phone who *shocker!* was happy to help me!

App Received: 10/3
Check Cashed: 12/13
Approved and Sent to Printer: 12/20
Card in Hand: TBD 12/30-1/3 hopefully!

A full week to process my application is shocking (check cash to approval). I'm thinking I may have had to have my address verified by SecState like some other folks have because my DL address was still my old address. If not, processing times are taking WAY longer than before.
 

Juke52

Well-Known Member
Do those numbers assume that only one person is working?
No. Those are the raw output numbers averaged over time. We don't know if it's one person or a hundred doing the work.

As I pointed out, I suspect the the number of people processing apps has increased over time, which would help account for the increased speed at which they're processing apps now.

Knowing the number of people processing apps would allow us to extrapolate more information, but I don't think anyone here knows that number.

Another important factor we don't know is how many applications they're receiving. The monthly processing/output of apps has increased fourfold over the time I looked at, but has the number of apps being submitted per month increased, decreased, or stayed the same? Knowing this would help us understand if the 90 day waiting is a result of a backlog of applications, and how long it might take to get caught up and thereby start shortening the wait time.

I will say this though: the fact that they're processing apps four times faster than they were in 2016, yet there's still a 90 day wait, is a strong indication that the state is purposely enforcing a 90 day wait, regardless of how many apps are coming in or how long it actually takes to process each one.
 
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Myk63

Well-Known Member
Called once and immediately got into the hold queue. Had a lovely woman answer the phone who *shocker!* was happy to help me!

App Received: 10/3
Check Cashed: 12/13
Approved and Sent to Printer: 12/20
Card in Hand: TBD 12/30-1/3 hopefully!

A full week to process my application is shocking (check cash to approval). I'm thinking I may have had to have my address verified by SecState like some other folks have because my DL address was still my old address. If not, processing times are taking WAY longer than before.
The way checks work (supposedly) is a batch of envelopes are opened and sent to the bank. Say your bank clears the check in 1 day, someone else's bank takes 5 days, you wait 5 days before you progress. Your batch of checks clears as fast as the slowest one.
 

Myk63

Well-Known Member
I will say this though: the fact that they're processing apps four times faster than they were in 2016, yet there's still a 90 day wait, is a strong indication that the state is purposely enforcing a 90 day wait, regardless of how many apps are coming in or how long it actually takes to process each one.
With the monthly approval fluctuation it would have to be or the approval times would vary along with them.
FOID does catch up sometimes so their claims of being swamped are more believable.
 

Susiecalm

New Member
Expect your card right at 90 days (Jan 16th or a few days earlier)

Medical Cannabis Program representatives are available by phone at 1-855-636-3688Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM

You’ll need to call a few hundred times to get through. Just hang up if you hear the message and dial until it rings.
Thank you, I called and lady answered right away and was helpful. She said the exact same thing that you did. Thank you so much!
 

asegrower

Member
Called again today after being told it was processing yesterday. Here’s the results:

App 10/5 online
App processed 12/20
Sent to printer 12/21

The lady today was very helpful and friendly and even offered a “Merry Christmas.” She also told me the printer was in Pennsylvania and there was a “slight chance” it could be here the end of next week.
 
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Juke52

Well-Known Member
Called again today after being told it was processing yesterday. Here’s the results:

App 10/5 online
App processed 10/20
Sent to printer 10/21

The lady today was very helpful and friendly and even offered a “Merry Christmas.” She also told me the printer was in Pennsylvania and there was a “slight chance” it could be here the end of next week.
It seems like I read somewhere back in this long thread that IL was using a printer in one of the Carolinas for MMJ cards.

I wonder why they can't or won't do it in-house, or at least in this state? Illinois prints millions of drivers licenses and state IDs. Do they send these out of state for printing? It seems impossible that they wouldn't be able to have suitable printers available locally. What's the deal?
 

asegrower

Member
It seems like I read somewhere back in this long thread that IL was using a printer in one of the Carolinas for MMJ cards.

I wonder why they can't or won't do it in-house, or at least in this state? Illinois prints millions of drivers licenses and state IDs. Do they send these out of state for printing? It seems impossible that they wouldn't be able to have suitable printers available locally. What's the deal?
I’ve heard it said that it’s in New Jersey, the Carolinas, and a few other places. This lady today told me it’s in Pennsylvania. I tend to believe her, but who knows. The IDPH isn’t real great at communication with us, dispensaries, or employees.

I know CCLs where the first thing I heard of being printed out of state. Now everything is.
 

Myk63

Well-Known Member
It seems like I read somewhere back in this long thread that IL was using a printer in one of the Carolinas for MMJ cards.

I wonder why they can't or won't do it in-house, or at least in this state? Illinois prints millions of drivers licenses and state IDs. Do they send these out of state for printing? It seems impossible that they wouldn't be able to have suitable printers available locally. What's the deal?
New Homeland rules. When you get a driver's license you get a picture of your driver's license and wait for the real one to be mailed. I'm not sure where they're printed but it's not at the facility.

But MC licenses would have no such federal rules.
 
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