Shortly after noon Monday, the Chamber of Commerce Ambassadors conducted a brief ribbon-cutting ceremony at the Trichome Cannabis Company dispensary on Tenney Street.
And then, the dispensary opened to offer Kewanee’s first legal cannabis sales.
Christian Wells, general manager for Trichrome, said a variety of cannabis-based products are offered at the dispensary.
He stressed that cannabis is not only for recreational use. Its pain-relieving properties can benefit people with a variety of medical conditions.
Trichrome offers a selection of products containing THC (the mind-altering component of cannabis) as well as CBD and other substances that don’t produce a high but have been shown to offer relief of chronic pain for some patients.
Wells, a native of Chicago, said he’s been in the cannabis business since 2021. He first became interested in the drug when he was studying biomedical science in college.
“I fell in love with it,” he said.
He comes to Kewanee after working in a couple of other Illinois cannabis dispensaries.
Wells said the staff at Trichrome — dubbed the “bud tenders” — can suggest appropriate substances for particular ailments.
“We definitely want to be there for people,” he said.
Trichrome will offer discounts on medical cannabis products for people suffering chronic pain, Wells said.
The dispensary offers a wide array of cannabis products, including recreational substances in addition to medical products.
Security is tight in the facility, with a guard stationed in the reception area at all times. Shoppers must show ID — a driver’s license or state ID — at least three times to make a purchase. People have to be at least 21 to enter the room where the cannabis products are on display.
The walls are lined with a number of signs warning people of the potential negative impact of cannabis on users, as well as the state laws covering the use of legal cannabis.
