A Look Back At The First Year Of Hemp Growing In Illinois
Now that farmers are wrapping up their first year of growing hemp, we learn whether anything has changed for hemp growers since the legalization of recreational marijuana in Illinois.
This week, public radio stations across Illinois are tackling a once taboo topic. There are several current and emerging markets for cannabis-related products. Medical marijuana is legal in the state, farmers are gearing up to grow industrial hemp, and lawmakers could consider legalizing recreational use this year. Whether or not recreational use is legalized, the business of cannabis is already established in the Land of Lincoln, and our reports bring you information related to these efforts.
Stories regarding the legalization of cannabis in Illinois
How College Campuses In Illinois Are Preparing Students To Work In The Cannabis Industry
Now that recreational cannabis is legal in Illinois, there’s a growing interest from the industry to find candidates qualified to work in the business. Some college campuses in Illinois are stepping up and creating programs to prepare students to be competitive for these jobs.
How Does Legalization Of Recreational Weed Affect Medical Cannabis Patients In Illinois?
Millions of dollars in sales of recreational marijuana this month means some dispensaries have experienced shortages of certain cannabis products and placed caps on how much people can buy. We explored how this and other changes to the law affect the tens of thousands of people in Illinois who are licensed to use cannabis for medicinal purposes.
The 21st—Thursday, January 16, 2020
Today on the 21st: We continued our “State of Cannabis” series with a discussion about how to talk to kids about marijuana, now that it’s legal for adults in Illinois. We also spoke with patients who use cannabis for medical purposes about what changes for them in the era of legal recreational weed, learned how some colleges are stepping up to help prepare students to break into the cannabis industry and explored the challenges Illinois farmers are facing when it comes to growing a plant related to marijuana: hemp.
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What Do College Students Think About Recreational Marijuana?
Many Illinois college students are coming back to class for the first time, in a state where smoking weed is now legal for people 21 and older.
What Does Illinois’ Law Legalizing Cannabis Mean For People With Pot Convictions?
We spoke with Illinois Newsroom reporter Lee Gaines about her reporting on who has been left out of the expungement process. We were joined by Matt, a central Illinois resident dealing with a cannabis felony from nearly 10 years ago, and Brandon Williams,supervising attorney with Cabrini Green Legal Aid in Chicago.
Criminal Justice Reform In The Era Of Legal Cannabis
One of the changes many are hoping to see since the legalization of marijuana in Illinois is a more equitable weed industry. Lt. Governor Juliana Stratton talked with The 21st about reinvesting in black and brown communities that have been hurt by the “war on cannabis.”
The 21st—Wednesday, January 15, 2020
Today on The 21st: So much of the dialogue leading up to the legalization of marijuana in Illinois was about social justice. Today, we spoke with Lt. Governor Juliana Stratton about the state’s efforts to bring more people of color into the industry and reinvest in the minority communities that have been hurt the most by the war on drugs.
What Will It Take To Eliminate The Black Market For Marijuana?
Even though Illinois is now the 11th state to make recreational cannabis legal, that doesn’t mean the black market for marijuana will disappear overnight.
The 21st—Tuesday, January 14, 2020
Today on the 21st: Dispensaries across Illinois have already sold millions of dollars in recreational weed and other cannabis products since New Year’s Day. And it’s all cash.
IPM Newsroom
Visit ipmnewsroom.org for the latest updates on the coronavirus pandemic, including COVID-19 disease cases in Illinois.
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The 21st
21st century radio for the 21st state. Weekdays at 11 am on WILL-AM 580.