The Cole Memo

A new bill filed in the Illinois House aims to expand access to medical cannabis and increase the number of plants residents can legally grow at home.

According to the synopsis for the legislation, House Bill 3498 (HB3498), introduced by Rep. Rita Mayfield on February 7, 2025, proposes amendments to Illinois’ cannabis laws. The bill removes restrictions that previously barred individuals with certain criminal convictions from becoming caregivers and increases the number of patients a caregiver can support from one to ten

Additionally, HB3498 seeks to amend the Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act by expanding home cultivation limits. Under the proposed changes, residents would be allowed to grow up to 12 cannabis plants per household, up from the current limit of five.

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#258 – The Reality of Being a Craft Grower in Illinois – The Cole Memo

In this episode of The Cole Memo, I will sit down with an Illinois cannabis operator for a candid, wide-ranging conversation about what it actually takes to try to build a business in the state’s legal market. Watch video version and read show notes here: https://thecolememo.com/2026/02/08/e258/

1. #258 – The Reality of Being a Craft Grower in Illinois 01:50:16
2. #257 – Illinois Cannabis Sales Drop as Lawmakers Revisit Search Rules 21:58
3. #254 – Announcing the Midwest Cannabis Forum + Other Discussion on Cannabis Policy Today 59:16
4. #256 – Illinois Cannabis Reform 2026: What Advocates Want and What Might Actually Move 01:22:48
5. #255 – Arrests Keep Coming in “Legal” Illinois 01:18:46