The Cole Memo

I recently wrote about a new state reference lab, mentioned in the Chicago Tribune, which is part of the Cannabis Research Institute (CRI). CRI operates under the Discovery Partners Institute, a research center within the University of Illinois system.

Tomorrow at 1 PM, the Cannabis Research Institute will host a livestream update featuring panelists and possible appearances by Governor Pritzker and University of Illinois System President Tim Killeen.

Important Note: You can read key takeaways from the Cannabis Research Institute’s live stream by clicking here.

Members of the news media and the public are invited to register.

CRI, a collaborative initiative with Illinois’ Cannabis Regulation Oversight Office, recently secured $7 million in funding from the Illinois Department of Human Services.

Panelists include:

• Reggie Gaudino: CRI Director and molecular geneticist
• Donell Barnett: Behavioral health advisor and CRI program officer
• Nathaniel Inglis Steinfeld: Deputy Cannabis Regulation Oversight Officer
• Eva-Dina Delgado: Illinois State Representative

Mila Marshall, who writes and edits the “Cannabis Corner” column for Chicago News Weekly, will moderate. Marshall helped write Illinois HB1438, which makes legal cannabis use, possession and purchase in limited amounts and provides for regulation and licensing in its distribution.

Click here to register. (Registrants later will have access to a recording of the session)

Learn more about CRI here

Cannabis Taxes, Flock Cameras & the Fight Over THC Potency | E332 – The Cole Memo

In this episode, Cole looks at how cannabis tax revenue is being used to fund Flock license plate readers in Champaign County and raises broader questions about where Illinois cannabis tax dollars actually go. The conversation also turns to the latest federal cannabis rescheduling developments after a DEA judge paused proceedings amid new questions about the process behind the proposed move to Schedule III. Later, Cole dives into the debate over THC potency limits, including whether higher-dose cannabis beverages should be available outside dispensaries, what role age restrictions should play, and how cannabis regulations compare with the way alcohol is sold. Watch video version and read full show notes here: https://thecolememo.com/2026/09/30/e332/

1. Cannabis Taxes, Flock Cameras & the Fight Over THC Potency | E332 01:17:31
2. Brad Spirrison Returns: Where Illinois Cannabis Goes From Here | E331 42:16
3. Illinois Bill Would Pay People Harmed by Cannabis Criminalization | E320 25:28
4. Brian Dombrowski on the Fight Over Hemp and the Future of Cannabis | E319 01:39:08
5. The Cannabis Industry’s Growing Divide, Plus an Illinois Outdoor Home Grow | E318 54:49