The Cole Memo

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Illinois Begins Transition to Metrc for Cannabis Tracking; BioTrack Shutdown Set for July 1

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

A press release from the State of Illinois on February 4, 2025, confirmed that the state will transition to Metrc this summer, replacing BioTrack.

According to new implementation documents shared by Metrc, the phased rollout will begin April 1, 2025, with testing labs and transporters, followed by cultivators, infusers, and dispensaries in late April and May.

Licensees will receive state-funded RFID tags, with ordering available April 28. According to Metrc, details of the tag ordering process will be communicated to each licensee over the next few weeks. In-person and virtual trainings will be provided.

Below are key dates and deadlines from the Metrc implementation plan for Illinois:

  • April 1, 2025: Credentialing opens for Testing Labs and Transporters
  • April 25, 2025: Credentialing opens for all license types
  • April 28, 2025: RFID tag ordering begins
  • May 25, 2025: All testing must transition to Metrc
  • June 17, 2025: Full market migration deadline (all licensees should be migrated to Metrc and operational)
  • July 1, 2025: BioTrack system shuts down

For more information, visit metrc.com/partner/illinois or view the full implementation plan provided by Metrc below.

Welcome-to-Metrc-IL-implementationDownload

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#262 – Odor-Proof Packaging, Witness Slips, and Illinois Cannabis Regulator Vaughn Bentley’s Take – The Cole Memo

In Episode 262, Cole plays clips from a wide-ranging interview with Illinois cannabis regulator Vaughn Bentley of IDFPR, digging into how the state oversees dispensaries, what regulators say they prioritize, and why Illinois does things differently than most states. Along the way, Cole shares commentary on testing, recalls, product safety, privacy protections at dispensaries, and the ongoing debate over limited licenses and the so-called race to the bottom. You will also get quick legislative updates, including Cole’s latest on Illinois’s odor-proof packaging requirement and what listeners should expect next when it comes to witness slips and committee movement. Watch the video or read full show notes here: https://thecolememo.com/2026/02/27/e262/
  1. #262 – Odor-Proof Packaging, Witness Slips, and Illinois Cannabis Regulator Vaughn Bentley’s Take
  2. #261 – Recapping Governor Pritzker’s Address with Jeremy Gorner
  3. #260 – Chicago Vetoes Hemp Ban, Illinois marijuana news, featuring Jeremy Gorner!
  4. #259 – MSOs Get Sued, Outdoor Grow Quietly Allowed in Illinois, What Illinois Got Wrong With “Legalization”, + More
  5. #258 – The Reality of Being a Craft Grower in Illinois

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Cole Preston

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