The Cole Memo

Conversations for Change

Start Here: The Cole Memo

This page brings together a sample of my best work — from expert interviews to deep dives into cannabis history, culture, and policy. You’ll also find documentaries, archives, and special projects here. Whether you’re a longtime follower or a first-time visitor, this page is designed to help you dive in at your own pace. Explore below.

Table of Contents

  1. Listen/Watch Now
  2. Guest Index
  3. Guests from Higher Education
  4. The History of Cannabis in Illinois
    1. Mini Doc
    2. Hash Wednesday at University of Illinois
      1. Newspaper/Photographic Archive
  5. Legal Sex Industry in America
  6. Support

Listen/Watch Now

You can watch The Cole Memo Podcast on Spotify, X(formerly Twitter), and Youtube.

You can listen on Apple Podcast, Spotify, TuneInRadio, and most streaming platforms. You can also subscribe directly to the RSS feed here.

Release Schedule

New content is released semi-weekly.

Typically, new content is released on Patreon first. You can become a member here. After the content premieres on Patreon, it is released on all platforms for free streaming.

Click here to listen to podcast now.

You can listen to the latest episodes of the podcast below.

#241 – Cannabis Rescheduling Nears as ‘Scromiting’ Dominates Headlines – The Cole Memo

In this live episode, Cole breaks down the latest reporting and speculation that federal cannabis rescheduling could move fast, possibly as soon as Monday, December 15, 2025. He explains why he is only slightly encouraged by a potential shift to Schedule 3, revisits how the review process started in October 2022, and highlights why Smart Approaches to Marijuana sounding the alarm is something he takes seriously given their connections and past track record. Then, Cole pivots to the sudden media surge around “scromiting” and cannabis hyperemesis syndrome (CHS), pushing back on familiar talking points like “not your grandma’s marijuana” while making the case that learning more about CHS is a net positive in a world where legalization enables more honest conversations, better data, and more informed adults. Watch video version and read full show notes here: https://thecolememo.com/2025/12/13/e241/
  1. #241 – Cannabis Rescheduling Nears as ‘Scromiting’ Dominates Headlines
  2. #240 – Patients Fight for Access, Closure of IL Cultivation Centers, Fresh Look, & More
  3. #239 – A Look Inside the Veto Session and How Cannabis Policy Gets Made in Illinois
  4. #238 – Live Q&A: Cole Breaks Down the Looming Federal Cannabis Ban
  5. #237 – Politicians react to new federal ban on cannabis products

Guest Index

The Guest Index highlights the diverse professionals who’ve joined The Cole Memo Podcast — from regulators and lawmakers to journalists, scholars, and advocates. Explore the conversations shaping cannabis, psychedelics, and policy today.

Guests from Higher Education

Conversations with faculty, researchers, and administrators from universities across the country. These guests bring a scholarly lens to questions of drug policy, public health, and the social impacts of cannabis reform. Whether it’s analyzing data, contextualizing history, or exploring the cultural role of cannabis on campuses, these episodes connect policy debates with academic insight.

The History of Cannabis in Illinois

Illinois has a complicated relationship with cannabis — from early criminalization and uneven enforcement to the launch of a tightly regulated legal market. This section collects reporting, interviews, and research into the key moments, court cases, and community efforts that shaped the state’s path. If you want to understand where things stand today, you need to know how we got here. Click here to learn more.

Mini Doc

A short documentary exploring the first two years of legalization in Illinois. Featuring voices from advocates, patients, and industry insiders, this project captures the growing pains of a new market and the ongoing need for reform. Tune in here.

Hash Wednesday at University of Illinois

Hash Wednesday began on the University of Illinois Quad in 1977 as a student-led call for marijuana law reform. This series revisits the tradition through stories and interviews with those who were there. Tune in and learn more here.

Newspaper/Photographic Archive

A curated collection of original reporting, archival photos, and scanned documents that help tell the untold history of cannabis and protest culture in Illinois. This archive brings together rare material from newspapers, student publications, and photographers who captured the movement as it unfolded. View the archive for free here.

A multi-part series examining Nevada’s licensed brothels and the broader legal sex industry in America. Through interviews and on-the-ground reporting, this series explores how legality shapes labor, safety, stigma, and the economics of sex work. An honest look at one of the country’s most misunderstood industries. You can view the series here.

Support

You can support The Cole Memo with a one-time, monthly, or yearly contribution of your choice at ColeMemo.com/Support.

One of the best ways to support is completely free — subscribe to the podcast on your preferred platform, leave a positive rating, and share it with friends. Every bit of engagement helps the show reach more people and keeps this work going.

Browse content by topic

Published by

Cole Preston

Leave a comment