With medical marijuana dispensaries now open in Illinois, a Chicago chef has become the first to launch a line of marijuana edibles attached to her personal brand of sweets.
Mindy Segal, of Mindy's Hot Chocolate, announced her new line of infused products Monday. They will include chocolate brittle bars, granola bites, a warm chocolate drink and ready-made mix with do-it-yourself instructions, according to a press release.
To produce the new sweets, Segal partnered with Cresco Labs, Illinois' largest cannabis cultivator. The products are expected to be available for distribution in late February.
"We've all heard the expression 'it tastes like medicine,' but there's no reason it has to," said Segal, who is a winner of a James Beard Award for outstanding pastry chefs. "With my recipes and Cresco's technology, we're developing this line of products to be consistent every time and absolutely enjoyable to eat."
Charles Bachtell, the founder of Cresco Labs, said Segal's partnership "says a lot about where this industry is headed."
Segal's edible products will be available at licensed dispensaries across Illinois for approved patients suffering from one of the nearly 40 medical conditions eligible for medical marijuana treatment.
Medical marijuana sales began in Illinois last month with eight licensed dispensaries opening in Marion, Mundelein, Canton, Quincy, Addison, North Aurora, Schaumburg and Ottawa. One is also set to open in Chicago at 5001 N. Clark St. in the Andersonville neighborhood.
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Illinois is among 23 states with medical marijuana programs. State officials expect 25 dispensaries will be open to the public by the end of the year.
