The Chicago United Center will sell THC beverages with concessions

Chicago’s United Center is stepping into new live events territory, becoming the first major American arena to offer cannabis beverages in its concessions.

The arena — home to the NBA’s Chicago Bulls and the NHL’s Chicago Blackhawks — on Tuesday announced a multi-year partnership with Rythm, a cannabis-derived beverage company that makes Rythm and Señorita brand drinks, to sell cans at concerts and live events.

The drinks will be available to adults 21 and over and sold alongside alcohol and soft drinks.

“We’re seeing consumers choosing this at the liquor store, at venues, at restaurants, so this is a time when consumers are looking for alternatives,” CEO Ben Koffler said. Green Thumb Industrieswhich owns a stake in Rythm.

“We know consumers want it,” Kofler said. “They don’t believe in zero waste, and they want an alternative.”

Consumer interest in hemp-derived tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) products has been steadily increasing in recent years. According to a study by consumer researcher Brightfield Group cited by Bernstein, 14% of US adults reported using some type of hemp-derived THC product in the first quarter of 2025, up from just 8% the year before.

“As we continue to evolve offerings for our guests, RYTHM’s roots in Chicago make its beverage line a natural fit for the United Center experience,” said Joe Mehra, United Center’s chief operating officer, in a press release.

The drinks will be available during concerts at the venue starting in early February and will serve as a test case for cannabis at major venues even as lawmakers debate tightening rules around the category due to safety concerns.

Sales of the product will comply with safety and compliance procedures in line with Illinois law, Koffler said, though the company did not specify service limits or monitoring protocols.

“The American consumer is familiar with self-dosing and self-moderation, unlike alcoholic beverages,” Kofler said. [THC] Gummy Candy – It is difficult for most Americans to eat just one piece of candy.”

Last year, Congress passed a funding bill that included a THC cap that would effectively ban most hemp-derived THC products — the same category now sold at the United Center — starting in November.

Public health advocates have argued that the market has overstepped regulations, while industry groups have warned that a blanket ban could cripple consumer sales by the billions.

This legislation was followed by revisions to the 2018 Farm Bill, which added exceptions to the federal definition of hemp. In fact, the changes close the so-called cannabis loophole and could make many cannabis-based THC drinks illegal within months, unless further policy shifts occur.

Lawmakers in both chambers of Congress have already introduced legislation to keep intoxicating cannabis products legal through 2028. A separate bipartisan bill has also been introduced that would establish a regulatory framework for intoxicating cannabis beverages and CBD products, giving the industry hope for change before the current expiration.

“The timing in government and the rules are never good and never clear,” Kofler said. “It’s still a mystery, but we’re guided by the consumer, and that gives us a lot of confidence in betting on this now.”

In addition to the political change, the Trump administration moved last year to reclassify cannabis under the Controlled Substances Act — a shift that sent cannabis stocks soaring and raised questions about taxes, access to banking and federal oversight.

While the rescheduling primarily impacts legal marijuana businesses in the state rather than hemp-derived products, it signals a growing willingness in Washington to reconsider decades-old cannabis policy.

If policy momentum continues, analysts say the door could swing open for more cannabis-related products entering mainstream venues, but with some risks.

““Cannabis investing remains a volatile and challenging endeavor, and it is not for the faint of heart,” Bernstein analyst Nadine Tharawat wrote in a recent research note.