Illinois, like many states, is grappling with legalization of recreational marijuana. In the first of a series, Brenda Flanagan of PBS member station NJTV News reports on how racial disparities impact the discussion in New Jersey.

Illinois residents could buy and use weed legally as soon as January should a measure backed by Gov. J.B. Pritzker be passed into law – but there’s no guarantee that will happen.

A flood of Illinois farmers are hoping hemp will be a cash crop for them this summer after Gov. J.B. Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Agriculture opened up licensing last week.

Some state lawmakers are scrambling to pass a bill legalizing recreational marijuana this month. Others are urging for a slowdown. We debate the pros and cons of legalization.

Gov. J.B. Pritkzer is counting on Illinois to legalize recreational marijuana as part of his proposed spending plan. The latest in the ongoing debate over legalization.

Illinois’ marijuana industry is growing like a weed, but could banking regulations lead to its collapse? State Treasurer Michael Frerichs says the cash-based business is “now ripe for theft, fraud and tax evasion.”

In Illinois, medical marijuana can now be used as a painkiller to replace opioids. We hear from a co-sponsor of the new law.

In announcing the plan, the Cook County state’s attorney said her office must avoid “needlessly bringing people into the criminal justice system” and instead focus on prosecuting violent crime cases.

In the wake of a new study showing Americans are more likely to die from an opioid overdose than from a car crash, Illinois is trying a new approach to curb opioid addiction: medical marijuana. 

With support from new Gov. J.B. Pritzker, the effort to legalize recreational marijuana in Illinois is getting closer attention throughout the state. 

Farmers and others across the state are preparing to grow and process a new crop as Illinois finalizes regulations for industrial hemp. 

Cannabidiol, or CBD oil, is increasingly being used to treat a range of ailments, from basic pain to rheumatoid arthritis to, in one Schaumburg child’s case, epilepsy.

A law signed Tuesday by Gov. Bruce Rauner opens access to cannabis to a new raft of patients—anyone who would otherwise be prescribed an opioid.

A new law allows Illinois farmers to grow cannabis for non-drug uses, making Illinois the latest state to legalize a crop that experts say is growing in demand.

“Many synthetic cannabinoids are already illegal, but by broadening the criteria, we ensure that they can’t be made legal by small and potentially deadly changes to their chemical formulas,” said state Sen. Jacqueline Collins.

The state is one step closer to legalizing the production of industrial hemp after a 106-3 vote in the Illinois House this week.