Marijuana

Nicholas Hohns shows off a tray of strawberry-lemon CBD gummies at his Deutermann Farms kitchen in Clayton, N.C., on Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2026. (AP Photo/Allen G. Breed)

A $28B hemp THC industry is fighting to save itself from a looming federal ban

By Gene Johnson

October 3, 2026 at 5:15 p.m.

The ban “threatens to reduce retail revenues by $28.3 billion, displacing 225,000 jobs and reducing...

A pedestrian crosses East Ontario Street at North Fairbanks Court in Chicago in 2018. The building at left contains 620 N. Fairbanks Ct., where cannabis store Guaranteed Dispensary opened late in 2025. (Jośe M. Osorio/baiduhai)

Judge upholds permit for controversial cannabis shop in Streeterville

By Robert McCoppin

September 10, 2026 at 4:20 p.m.

A judge upheld Chicago's permit for a controversial cannabis store in Streeterville, despite new evidence...

A Chicago resident shows a marijuana plant growing outdoors at her home garden on Aug. 19, 2026. The resident, who has a medical cannabis card, is currently growing four plants in her backyard to cultivate for personal use. (John J. Kim/baiduhai)

Illinois regulators propose allowing licensed cannabis producers to grow outdoors

By Robert McCoppin

August 20, 2026 at 6:10 p.m.

In a major reversal, Illinois regulators have proposed letting cannabis companies grow cannabis outdoors.

Customers pick up orders at Sunnyside Cannabis Dispensary on March 4, 2021, in Chicago. Illinois generated $1.38 billion in recreational cannabis sales last year, more than doubling 2020 sales.

Illinois recreational cannabis sales set record in December and hit $1.38 billion for the year, more than doubling 2020

By Robert Channick

January 4, 2022 at 3:10 p.m.

Chicago missed out on a traditional white Christmas, but robust weed sales made for a...

People attend the grand opening of Cresco Labs' flagship Sunnyside recreational marijuana store, which is a block south of Wrigley Field, on Nov. 15, 2021.

Boom time for marijuana sales in Illinois, as industry expands with new products — but minority businesses get left behind

By Robert McCoppin

January 3, 2022 at 8:15 a.m.

While 2021 was a boom time for legal marijuana sales in Illinois, it was another...

Cresco Labs employee Nicholas Stankus counts out cash received for a medical cannabis sale on Dec. 30, 2019.

Illinois’ top cannabis official Toi Hutchinson leaves post to head national lobbying group that helped draw up law making pot legal in state

By Dan Petrella

December 15, 2021 at 6:35 p.m.

The top marijuana official in Illinois, Toi Hutchinson, is leaving her state job to work...

On Jan. 2, 2020, Jasmine Turner, a social equity applicant with The Majority-Minority Group, submitted her cannabis license application with other social equity applicants at the Thompson Center in Chicago.

Craft cannabis applicants fighting court injunction against new licenses in Illinois

By Robert McCoppin

December 10, 2021 at 4:44 p.m.

Cannabis license applicants and Illinois officials are scrambling to change a court order after a...

The Illinois cannabis industry is transforming to the point where half of new licenses are owned by minorities — but critics say many of those newcomers may never get to open.

Cannabis industry in Illinois sees increasing minority ownership — but delayed startups say they may have to sell out

By Robert McCoppin

December 8, 2021 at 8:40 a.m.

The Illinois cannabis industry is transforming to the point where half of new licenses are...

A person walks by Dispensary 33 on North Clark Street in Chicago's Andersonville neighborhood on Jan. 29, 2020.

Ayr Wellness cannabis company buys Dispensary 33 shops in Chicago for $55 million, looks to add more

By Robert McCoppin

November 22, 2021 at 3:56 p.m.

A large multistate cannabis company Monday announced plans to acquire two independent Chicago dispensaries in...

Moderator and founder Scott Redman, from left, talks with panelists and dispensary operators Felix Vogele, Tom Cohen, Gabe Mendoza, Andrew Dordek and Timothy Salazar during the Illinois Independent Craft Growers Association's first in-person meeting at Dorian's in Wicker Park on Oct. 6, 2021.

New cannabis craft growers advised to follow craft beer model and specialize

By Robert McCoppin

November 24, 2021 at 6:29 p.m.

Like craft brewers, craft cannabis growers can't compete in size or price with established businesses...

Marijuana plants at Cresco Labs in Joliet in 2019.

Illinois Supreme Court orders consolidation of lawsuits by applicants challenging the recreational cannabis licensing process

By Robert McCoppin

October 19, 2021 at 4:28 p.m.

The Illinois Supreme Court ordered the consolidation of lawsuits filed by cannabis dispensary license applicants...

Eli Holesley hands a bag of products to a customer at Rise Mundelein, a medical cannabis dispensary, on Dec. 18, 2019, in Mundelein.

Chronic pain, PTSD top the list of reasons people buy medical marijuana in Illinois. Number of medicinal cardholders grows by 30%.

By Robert McCoppin

October 4, 2021 at 7:01 p.m.

Despite the legalization of recreational marijuana in Illinois and problems with a new patient tracking...

Marijuana plants in growing room at Cresco Labs in Joliet on Dec. 17, 2019.

Marijuana license winners in Illinois now compete in ‘Shark Tank’-like scramble to get startup cash

By Robert McCoppin

September 20, 2021 at 5:00 a.m.

In the recent competition for cannabis business licenses in Illinois, Ambrose Jackson's team struck gold....