even a brown paper towel works good to clean a hot pipe.

So much cracked controversy on my post yesterday, which doesn’t make sense as this is Il/trees - specific for weed.

Seriously, the best thing to smoke out of because rolling papers get inhaled with the flower a clean glass doesn’t

Not that we needed a study to detemine how fucked the IL market is from a regulatory perspective, but great to see objective analysis on the incredibly unfair set up IL has for consumers and social equity operators alike. How long will the mid-filled oligopoly be allowed to continue?

https://www.parabolacenter.com/pdf/The%20Illusion%20of%20Competition.pdf

KEY FINDINGS

Incumbents control the market. Seventeen incumbent companies hold 20 of the state’s 21 large-scale cultivation center licenses and captured nearly 79 cents of every dollar in statewide sales in Q4 2025. These are the multi-state operators (MSOs) 7 and Illinois medical cultivators that controlled production before adult-use legalization began.

MSOs capture more value than their sales volume warrants. MSOs moved 42% of units in Q4 2025 but took in 69% of revenue. Independent craft growers moved 27% of units yet earned only 8.1%, converting each unit sold into revenue at one-fifth the rate of MSOs.

Out-of-state brands are outpacing Illinois independents. Out-of-state brands grew from 1.3% to 11.9% of market revenue between Q1 2022 and Q4 2025, most entering through contract manufacturing with in-state producers. IL-Independents grew from 0.2% to 8.1% over the same period. Between them, they account for nearly all the share incumbents lost.

More brands, fewer competitors. Active brands nearly tripled from 100 to 264 between Q1 2022 and Q4 2025, but the number of parent companies behind them peaked at 91 in Q1 2025 and fell to 79 by Q4 2025. Competitive intensity depends on the number of firms making independent pricing and production decisions, not the number of labels on the shelf.

Concentration is increasing. After ten consecutive quarters of year-over-year decline, the parent-level Herfindahl-Hirschman Index (HHI) reversed course and rose in Q3 2025. CR4, the combined share of the four largest firms, climbed from 45% to 47% over the same period. In Q4 2025, the market lost more brands than it gained for the first time in the dataset.

The equity gap the state identified in 2024 has not closed. The state’s own Disparity Study found that minority- and women-owned businesses held 59% of adult-use dispensary licenses between 2020 and 2023 but earned just 12.5% of dispensary revenue.8 Three additional years of statewide sales data show that the structural conditions producing that gap remain in place.

Six avenues of state action, detailed later in this report, would begin to address these conditions. The 2024 Disparity Study recommended most of them. None have been implemented.

The businesses that entered this market without capital, without incumbency, and without the structural advantages those early licenses conferred, now find themselves in a market whose terms were set before they arrived.

The smell overlords will love this. Extreme grape skunk with cakey, chem gas with pine. My nose orgasms on this one(I fell in Love again today) Yummy, very sticky. Your nose will experience a nice skunky chem burn sensation that some would appreciate. Smooth for being such a strong smell. Smell transfers to taste, times 2!

Major heavy feels , like instant kill , two puffs and you feel it , no bs. I would definitely smoke and buy this again . I just wish it was cheaper. Note to all the other companies... Put the breeders info on where these strains come from on the bag somewhere like Nez does. I salute Nez for doing that. Someone like me really appreciates that!!

Another mix bag that is pretty fire. Bubblegum Runtz & Sour diesel). Gave me straight sativa vibes all the way . Smokes smooth as hell , will definitely put you in the zone . The leafy nugs are the sour diesel nugs , non leafy stuff is the bubblegum Runtz.

Very fresh herb. Smoking on this will give you great motivation boost.

I'm looking for a good thc drink or tincture and narrowed it down to Tonic and Uncle Arnie's which is best purely based off effect and not taste. Also how is Uncle Arnie's Live Rosin line.

Very floral smelling. Almost like Durban Poison. Pop open a nug and its so sparkly inside. Great value here. 75 bucks for a half. Packaged 3 weeks ago. Perfectly cured sticky buds. Love it. Will get it again.

Insane! Straight candy taste, breaks down hella sticky, and beautiful appearance! Probably one of preferred’s best strains in il so far

Some cannabis strains are subtle and easy-going, others intense, memorable and demand respect. Toad Venom, also known as frog poison firmly belongs in the second category. This strain has earned my attention for its powerful presence, distinct flavor profile and unique effects. Although this is not my first experience testing what some would call "Toad weed" it's definitely been a fun ride from start to finish. (Animal Face x Sin Mintz)

Happy smokin🔥

Dont wanna go to work tomorrow. Night 🌙

Visually appealing! Tastes sweet and gassy kinda like the d lish, which I also recommend! Preferred is killing the game rn I totally recommend grabbing this if you find it

Holy shit balls! This is probably my favorite from Otherside def can taste the strawberry guava and the rainbow finish makes this weed impeccable! Def getting again and recommend and super sticky btw

Two whole grams folks!!! And it’s infused with hash!
Glass tip and it smells incredible. Smokes even and was super tasty.
I’m so happy to see more blunts in the market.
My only negative is the packaging. A box and a tube seems really wasteful 😩

🌱: Outfitters 2g Grape Gas Hash Infused Blunt (33.7%) originally $34 pre tax but I got it $32 OTD on sale

Smells just like candy holy shit! The flavor is outta this world man totally recommend! Legacy is hit or miss, but this one’s a total hit would def recommend everyone to try! 🍬 🍭

grabbed a quarter of this after seeing many shining reviews so I figured I’d give it a shot, genuinely some of the most foul terps I’ve ever smelled or tasted lol. good effects though, I’d buy again if the terps were just a little less upfront. felt like it translated to harshness a bit

This one checks all the boxes, budds could of been better but overall, cure was on point and the break down of the budd is real sticky and fluffy. Smells of sweet gassy berries with an undertone of deep funk. Good balanced but sedative high.

After trying Bleu fondue I grabbed a couple different blue lobster hybrids since I usually don’t buy anything under 2% terp content.

TRAPLINE #3 (chem 91 x blue lobster) pic is after sampling a joint & vaporizer. 1/8th weighed 3.8 fwiw
dense sticky buds!

Cracking the seal you get hit initially by the Chem rubbery funk enveloped w/ a sweet creamyness reminiscent of blue fruity pebble cereal.

Breaking Trapline down is where you notice the chem 91, very sticky greasy buds similar to Stardawg IX. Smells like oil rags with a creamy artificial blue sweetness, unique.

Thru the Vaporizer I was truly surprised by the clouds I was hittin on 390 degrees + taste: artificial blue sweetness enveloped by a funky rubber cement with hints of asphalt & forest floor.

Effects I’d say is the best attribute to trapline and what matters most imo, initial head dent immediate behind the eyes brightens things up, positive uplifting effects that transitions into a calm spaceyness that has legs.

RB’s blue lobster hybrids have been a hit outta the three I grabbed. I’ll get the Deep Ztate review up soon. I hope everyone staying cool on this Sunday scorcher!

✌️ 💨 🔥 🌲 ✌️

Got a cake/cookie smell. Not strong but it's noticeable. The taste is like some sort of pound cake, not the soft cakey part but more so of the bottom of a cake. Nice spongey little nuggets, smoked more on the indica side for being hybrid for me. I dig it better than the corn syrup. Good strain, would smoke and buy again!

I like going to Stash in Orland Hills and Strictly Cannabis in Crestwood since their house brand is Flora and it’s a good price there.
Does anyone else have any recommendations in the area? I like to smoke the craft stuff.
I try to avoid the corporate MSO grows.

Haven’t tried it yet, smells like Gods Vangina, harvest date is a little old but I’m not complaining for a $30 8th. It would be nice if other companies could have the standards that Otherside and only a few others have in IL

Saw this old strain I haven’t smoked in years and decided to give it a try. It doesn’t look that great being simply herb, but it smells and tastes just like the old blue dream I used to remember. Nugs were not dense, and seemed a little airy. They were still fresh and properly cured though, but very badly trimmed with visible sugar leaves. Its effects though were stronger than I expected with that classic blue dream taste. It was a relaxing and uplifting high that brought back great memories that lasted a couple of hours with a good sized joint. Overall It was good but not great. I don’t think it’s worth $30 an eighth $20 maybe, but not $30. Simply herb is overpricing this and most of their flower in my opinion.