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What changed, and whether it's in effect, coming soon or only proposed.
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News from your own state. It follows wherever you are.
Local news follows wherever you are, in any state or country. You're seeing Illinois because you're in Chicago.
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Everything else from overnight: states, business, science and the world.
By the numbers
Quick numbers. Tap one to see what it means.
What stores and brands pay growers for a pound of flower, before it reaches shelves. This is still the latest weekly figure; the next one comes out Friday.
Source: Cannabis Benchmarks ↗Adult-use and medical sales combined, about $1.34 billion and $113 million. All-time sales since 2018 are nearly $11.9 billion. Question 8 on November 3 would end adult-use sales starting in 2028.
Source: Marijuana Herald ↗Share found by a Missouri health department survey of recent cannabis users. The reporting isn't clear whether it counts people or dollars, and a survey isn't a sales count.
Source: Ganjapreneur ↗People the state has cleared to buy medical cannabis since the program began. Dispensaries now operate in every licensing region, but only 46 of 80 approved businesses are open so far.
Source: Marijuana Moment ↗One model's estimate of how much property crime fell in Ohio neighborhoods with dispensaries after adult-use sales began, compared with similar areas without them. It's an observational study, so it can't prove the dispensaries caused the drop.
Source: Marijuana Herald ↗How long, on average, potentially harmful cannabis products remained on sale before Colorado issued a public advisory. Auditors say the timeline got shorter in 2025.
Source: Marijuana Moment ↗Events
Culture and industry, near you and nationwide. All 21+.
Today
This week
- Oct23Slow Burn: Fright Night R&B7 p.m. · Unladylike, Chicago · Do312 ↗Halloween R&B and art night. Tickets on Eventbrite.
- Oct243rd Annual Illinois Craft Showcase1–6 p.m. · VFW Post 1232, Pekin · Illinois News Joint ↗Festival and networking with Illinois craft cannabis brands.
- Oct24Halloweed Town5 p.m. · Karma Club Chicago · Do312 ↗Free event hosted by Fernway.
- Oct25Meet Me On MilwaukeeNoon–4 p.m. · The Sparks Club, Chicago · Illinois News Joint ↗Daytime street festival.
Coming up
- Oct27State of the Cannabis IndustryBoston · Emerald Intel ↗Industry conference.
- Oct29Spooky Drag Bingo6 p.m. · Spark'd Dispensary + Lounge, Chicago · Do312 ↗Drag-hosted bingo with Dabstract.
- Nov4Interchange WashingtonSeattle · Emerald Intel ↗Industry trade event.
- Nov18MoCann Trade Q4Springfield, Missouri · Emerald Intel ↗Missouri industry trade show.
- Dec2MJBizConLas Vegas · Emerald Intel ↗The industry's largest trade show.
Events from Illinois News Joint, Do312 and Emerald Intel. Tap an event to see its listing. Check with the host before you go.
Dispensaries near you
Licensed shops nearby, and how they take payment when it's listed.
Store data © OpenStreetMap contributors. Payment details come from public listings and can change, so call ahead. Your location stays on your phone: only a rounded search area is sent to OpenStreetMap, and nothing is saved.
Know the plant
The science behind it, from molecule to method. This chapter stays put while the news changes.
THCA becomes THC with heatBasic chemistry
Fresh flower holds mostly THCA, which doesn't get you high. Heat from smoking, vaping or baking knocks off part of the molecule and turns it into THC. That process is called decarboxylation, which is why edibles are made from heated cannabis.
CBGA is the mother cannabinoidBasic science
The plant first makes CBGA. Enzymes then turn it into the acid forms of the main cannabinoids: THCA, CBDA and CBCA. Different plants make different amounts of each, which is why products vary so much.
THC vs. CBDWell established
THC is the main compound that makes you feel high. CBD doesn't. Labels list how much of each a product has, and that ratio tells you more than the strain name.
CBN comes from aging THCBasic chemistry
As THC is exposed to air, light and heat over time, some of it breaks down into CBN. Old flower usually has more CBN and less THC.
Indica, sativa and hybridSupported by research
The names come from how plants grow: indica plants are short and bushy with broad leaves, sativa plants are tall with narrow leaves. After decades of crossbreeding, nearly everything sold today is a hybrid.
The labels don't predict effectsSupported by research
A study in Nature Plants found indica and sativa labels often don't match a plant's genetics or chemistry, and same-name strains can be very different. Aroma and terpene profile were better clues than the label.
A better way to sort: by chemistryBasic science
Scientists group cannabis by its main cannabinoids: THC-dominant, balanced THC and CBD, and CBD-dominant. Reading a label's THC and CBD numbers tells you which group a product is in.
Terpenes give most of cannabis's smell and taste, but researchers have found that the funkiest notes come from other compounds entirely.
- Earthy, musky, ripe mangoMyrcene, a terpene
- Citrus, lemon, orange peelLimonene, a terpene
- Pine, fresh forestPinene, a terpene
- Floral, lavenderLinalool, a terpene
- Black pepper, spiceCaryophyllene, a terpene also found in pepper
- Hoppy, woodyHumulene, a terpene also found in hops
- Fresh, herbal, fruity pineTerpinolene, a terpene
- SkunkPrenylthiol, a sulfur compound, the same molecule behind skunked beer
- Garlic, onion funkRelated sulfur compounds, structurally similar to garlic's
- Sharp, pungent cheeseOctanoic and decanoic acids, fatty acids
- Tropical, juicy fruitTropical sulfur compounds such as 3-MHH
- Dank, chemicalIndole
What each aroma comes from is well documented. Whether terpenes change how a high feels is still being studied.
How fast it starts and how long it lasts depend on how you use it.
| Method | Starts in | Lasts |
|---|---|---|
| Smoking or vaping flower | Almost right away to 10 min | 1–3 hours |
| Concentrates (inhaled) | Almost right away to 10 min | 1–3 hours |
| Tinctures under the tongue | 10–30 min | 1–3 hours |
| Topicals on the skin | 30 min to 1 hour | 1–3 hours |
| Edibles, capsules, drinks | 1–4 hours | 4–12 hours |
Use it well
Start low, go slowHealth agency guidance
New to it, or trying a new product? Start with a low-strength product in a small amount, and wait the full onset time before having more.
Read the labelHealth agency guidance
Check the THC and CBD amounts per serving. More THC means a stronger effect, not a better one, and stronger-than-expected products are a common cause of taking too much.
Never drive highWell established
Cannabis slows reactions and distorts time and distance. Driving high is treated like drunk driving. Plan a ride.
Don't mix with alcoholWell established
Alcohol, and some medicines like antihistamines, greatly increase impairment. On prescriptions? Ask your healthcare provider first.
Lock it upWell established
Edibles can look like candy, and children who eat them often need an emergency room. Pets can be harmed too. Store everything locked and out of reach.
Some people should skip itHealth agency guidance
Anyone under 21, pregnant or breastfeeding should avoid cannabis.
If it's too muchHealth agency guidance
Extreme anxiety, racing heart, confusion or vomiting? Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222, free, any time. If severe, call 911 or go to an emergency room.
Feel-good
One light story to send you into your day.
Leftover hemp seed could become compostable plastic
When hemp seeds are pressed for oil, a protein-rich cake gets left behind. Researchers turned those proteins into thin, plastic-like films, and a small chemical tweak made them about 86% stronger and better at keeping out moisture. In a 40-day soil test, more than 60% of the films broke down. It's still lab work, but it hints at packaging made from what used to be scraps.
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