Key players came together at an event held by The Executives Club of Chicago called the ‘Future of the Cannabis Industry’ to answer questions about what we can expect in 2020 when marijuana is legalized. The first round of license applications will be made available in October and they're due January First.State Representative Kelly Cassidy, who helped shape the legislation, says for those who want to get involved in the industry, but may not be up for owning a dispensary they've added licensing categories to create more opportunities For those starting up a business, Cassidy says a dispensary in this state can cost about one to two million dollars, that's from the application process to opening the doors to open a full-size establishment its eight to 12 million.To help with that Cassidy says they've created funds to address some of the fees and provide waivers as a relief. There are also other online resources provided by her office and the State's Attorney’s Office.For those who want to get licensed but have a criminal record, Cassidy says as long as they meet the requirements for expungement they’ll be able to apply.Another key player present was Wanda James, CEO, and founder of Simple Pure, a dispensary in Colorado. In fact, she was the first African-American woman to own a dispensary in that state. She says as a woman of color in the industry, the biggest challenge is the cultural stigma surrounding marijuana. James says the cannabis industry was built on mass incarceration and people of color have paid the price.The Cook County State's Attorney's Office estimates almost 800,000 marijuana cases are eligible for expungement under new regulations. Most of those are from black and brown communities.Although James started her business in Colorado she says there are some things Illinois can learn such as allowing the industry to thrive, don't be overly zealous in taxes, and build the industry on equity.