The Cole Memo

On May 16, 2023, Metrc announced that Illinois planned to award the company a contract for its cannabis seed-to-sale tracking system.

According to a press release issued today by the State of Illinois, the state will transition to Metrc as its new seed-to-sale tracking system for medical and adult-use cannabis sometime this summer. The system will introduce RFID tags to track cannabis plants from seed to sale. Unlike other states, Illinois says cannabis businesses will not be charged for these tags, subject to certain restrictions. The press release also highlighted that Metrc will integrate with point-of-sale systems.

“We look forward to this new partnership with Metrc to ensure Illinois continues advancing the safest and most secure cannabis market,” said Erin Johnson, Illinois Cannabis Regulation Oversight Officer. “We are eager to work alongside the Metrc team to enhance compliance efficiencies, promote industry and consumer education, and bolster public safety to protect the integrity of the most equitable cannabis market in the country.” 

The state confirmed that BioTrack, the current seed-to-sale system, will remain in place until Metrc launches. According to the press release, Metrc provides seed-to-sale tracking in 27 jurisdictions and has training and implementation support services available for industry participants to help with the transition.

You can read the entire press release from the state below.

Press Release

Previous Coverage

I recently wrote about this topic and another cannabis-system transition that is expected in the future. You can read about it here.

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Illinois to Open Medical to All Dispensaries + Allow Outdoor Grows for All | E309 – The Cole Memo

Illinois is moving forward with several significant cannabis policy changes. Adult-use dispensaries will soon be able to apply for licenses to serve medical cannabis patients, while newly proposed rules from the Illinois Department of Agriculture would allow licensed cultivation centers and craft growers to grow cannabis outdoors under specific conditions. Cole breaks down both developments, including what dispensaries would need to do to obtain a medical license, why outdoor cultivation has been a years-long issue in Illinois, and the state's proposal to limit outdoor-grown cannabis to extraction. Plus, a rare glimpse inside Illinois' Bureau of Cannabis Testing laboratory. Watch video version and read full show notes here: https://thecolememo.com/2026/08/14/e309/

1. Illinois to Open Medical to All Dispensaries + Allow Outdoor Grows for All | E309 33:02
2. Cannabis Access, Hemp Politics, and the Rise of Flock Cameras | E308 50:45
3. The Hemp Debate: Cannabis, Decriminalization, and Where We Go From Here | E307 02:17:39
4. Independent Candidate Collin Corbett on His Campaign for Illinois Governor | E306 57:43
5. Illinois Cannabis: What Comes After the Omnibus? | E305 01:30:03