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Building a business isn’t just about making and selling a product; it’s about creating something truly meaningful. For me, that journey began when I saw how THC (the main active ingredient in cannabis) helped ease a friend’s pain during cancer treatment, giving him the strength to fight back.
Inspired by his experience, I set out to create a product that could provide similar comfort and benefits to everyday folks. That vision became Jane & Mary’s, my online business specializing in hemp-infused sorbets for adult consumption. With operations based in Grayslake, IL, our THC- and CBD-infused sorbets are sold online and in 40 Illinois retailers as well as eight other states, offering adults a way to incorporate the benefits of lawful hemp into their lives. (CBD is derived from the hemp plant and doesn’t cause a high by itself).
But this dream — and the dreams of many other small business owners like me — faces an uncertain future. Proposed state rules and legislation threaten to prohibit small businesses like mine from producing and selling hemp products while giving them exclusively to the regulated marijuana monopolies. This would shut down local businesses and strip Illinois consumers of trusted, responsibly crafted options.
Getting to this point in my career wasn’t easy. After opening two traditional ice cream shops in North Carolina, I spent years perfecting recipes and learning how to responsibly infuse sorbets with hemp. Illinois’s restrictive marijuana laws made it impossible to enter the state’s marijuana market — frozen products like ice cream aren’t even allowed. Instead, I found a path forward through the federally legal hemp industry, which offered room for innovation.
Now, however, broad proposals targeting legal hemp are jeopardizing everything I’ve worked to build. These proposed regulations favor big marijuana companies and get the government to do the dirty work of eliminating legitimate competition while demonizing small businesses that already implement responsible practices. At Jane & Mary’s, for example, we voluntarily conduct rigorous product testing, practice a minimum 21 age requirement, and avoid marketing to children — all because we believe in consumer safety and industry integrity.
What’s frustrating is that we’ve been advocating for responsible regulations for years. We want fair standards that hold bad actors accountable and ensure that products are safe. But sweeping bans would do the opposite, punishing legitimate businesses while leaving consumers without suitable options.
Thankfully, some officials are listening to the concerns of the hemp industry. Chicago Alderman William Hall (6th Ward) proposed an ordinance for responsible hemp regulations in Chicago that also generates a sustainable revenue stream for the city, rather than outright bans that would harm local businesses without truly addressing public safety.
Illinois lawmakers have a choice to make: They can collaborate with small hemp businesses to create thoughtful regulations that support consumer safety and economic growth, or they can force us out of business by giving our market to the marijuana monopolies. Giving the hemp industry to the existing marijuana monopolies would stifle innovation, eliminate jobs, and limit access to safe, legal options.
A balanced approach is possible. By working with small business owners, Illinois can craft policies that protect consumers while allowing responsible businesses to thrive. A robust hemp industry benefits everyone — bringing economic growth, creating jobs, and giving adults access to well-crafted, reliable products.
For me, Jane & Mary’s is more than a business. It’s a mission to provide something that improves people’s lives and contributes to our community. Illinois has an opportunity to foster this kind of innovation and support entrepreneurs who are here to make a difference.
Let’s find a path forward that embraces thoughtful regulation, protects consumer trust, and keeps businesses like mine right here in the state we call home. Together, we can make Illinois a model for how hemp and cannabis can coexist and thrive, driving meaningful growth for everyone.
