CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- Medical Marijuana is big business. In fact, it's one of the fastest growing industries in the country.
"In Illinois alone there are 20 growers, 58 dispensaries and more than 54,000 people enrolled in the program," said Jason Erkes, Chief Communications Officer, Cresco Labs, which is based in Chicago and operates in seven states.
"We are one of the largest growers and retailers of medical cannabis here in Illinois. We have three grow facilities. One in Joliet, one in Kankakee, one in Lincoln, Illinois and we own five dispensaries around the state."
Cresco manufactures medical products from the plants, to pills, to products, to patches to edibles to topical lotions.
Illinois legalized medical marijuana in 2015.
"There are 40 conditions in Illinois approved for cannabis use," said John Sullivan, Senior Vice President Cresco Labs, MedMar Executive Vice President. "The biggest change that has happened is now you can get cannabis instead of opiates."
"Illinois doesn't have chronic pain as on of the conditions. We were really looking for a way for people to get pain relief and get off opiates. Any person who is being prescribed an opiate, doesn't have to take them anymore. It's a huge development," Sullivan said.
More than 15,500 Illinois residents overdosed on prescription or opioids in 2017, with 2,202 suffering fatal overdoses, according to a new report by the Illinois Department of Public Health.
Erkes predicted that the opioid alternative program could quadruple the number of patients currently enrolled in the Illinois medical marijuana plan.
"We're excited about it. It has a potential to a lot of good here in Illinois. We believe in safe, regulated and tested cannabis marketplace and Illinois has really lead the way with a safe market," Sullivan said.
"A new study says current growers in Illinois could launch an adult use rec program nearly immediately and supply the demand while the program is ramping up. Having a governor, a speaker of the house and two Chicago Mayoral candidates support adult use, it's just a matter of time. Adult use is on the fast track to passing," Erkes said.
On Thursday, the group "Smart Approaches to Marijuana" held a rally in Springfield. They said legalizing the drug could put children in danger.
Despite the group's claims, 12 of 13 states that have legalized marijuana report that they have actually seen no increase in usage among youth.
Governor JB Pritzker's new budget proposal is banking on the state collecting at least $170 million in licensing fees for dispensaries this year. Each license would cost $100,000.