The Cole Memo

Governor J.B. Pritzker has signed a sweeping cannabis and hemp omnibus bill into law, enacting one of the most significant updates to Illinois cannabis regulations since adult-use legalization took effect in 2020.

The legislation passed the Illinois House 77-31 and the Senate 47-10 during the final days of the spring legislative session. Legislative records show the measure (Senate Bill 3222) was sent to Gov. J.B. Pritzker on June 10.

The legislation makes a wide range of changes affecting cannabis consumers, medical patients, licensed businesses, and hemp products sold throughout the state.

1. Key Changes
2. Press Releases
3. Watch: Governor Pritzker’s Remarks

Key Changes

The law includes a wide range of changes affecting cannabis consumers, medical patients, licensed businesses, and hemp products sold throughout the state.

• Creates the Illinois Hemp Act and establishes a regulatory framework for hemp products
• Allows adult-use dispensaries to register as medical cannabis dispensaries.
  • Allows registered medical cannabis patients to purchase from participating adult-use dispensaries at the medical tax rate
• Increases cannabis possession limits for Illinois residents and non-residents
  • Illinois residents: Up to 60 grams of cannabis flower, 10 grams of cannabis concentrate, and 1,000 milligrams of cannabis-infused products.
    • Registered medical cannabis patients may continue to possess up to their authorized medical allotment from dispensaries. Cannabis produced from legally cultivated home-grown plants is not subject to a possession limit, though any amount exceeding 60 grams must be “secured” within the residence.
  • Non-residents: Up to 30 grams of cannabis flower, 5 grams of cannabis concentrate, and 500 milligrams of cannabis-infused products.
• Raises the threshold for certain minor possession offenses from 30 grams to 60 grams, expanding eligibility for automatic expungement
• Allows dispensary drive-through and curbside pickup
• Permits dispensaries to remain open until 2 a.m.
• Authorizes telehealth appointments for medical cannabis certifications
• Increases allowable flowering canopy space for craft growers
• Creates licensed cannabis transfer facilities
• Provides fee waivers and reductions for qualifying smaller cannabis businesses
• Updates ownership and investment disclosure requirements
  • This provision received renewed attention Friday morning following a Chicago Sun-Times report examining convicted cocaine money launderer David Berger’s ties to Illinois cannabis businesses. The report was published hours before Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s signing of the legislation.
    • According to the report, IDFPR views the new language as an enforcement tool to address undisclosed ownership interests and companies that may attempt to avoid ownership registration requirements by characterizing themselves as service providers rather than owners. The governor’s office said the law also provides clarity that certain revenue-sharing and consulting agreements may constitute ownership or control interests and therefore require disclosure
• Reduces certain video surveillance retention and storage requirements
• Removes some third-party security contract mandates
• Extends Illinois’ community college cannabis training program through 2031 and removes the word “Pilot” from the program’s title
• Creates enforcement mechanisms targeting anti-competitive practices within the cannabis industry
• Establishes a social equity experience lottery for infuser licenses
• Allows adult-use dispensaries to apply for relocation
• Expands transporting organization operating hours
• Makes various technical and administrative changes to Illinois cannabis law

Press Releases

The following press release was issued by Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s office following the signing of Senate Bill 3222.

The following press release was issued by Representative Bob Morgan following the signing of Senate Bill 3222.

Watch: Governor Pritzker’s Remarks

This article will be updated with statements from Governor Pritzker, lawmakers, industry stakeholders, and advocacy organizations as they become available.

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Six Years of Illinois Cannabis: A Conversation with Chicago Tribune Reporter Robert McCoppin | E301 – The Cole Memo

For more than six years, Chicago Tribune reporter Robert McCoppin has documented the evolution of Illinois' cannabis industry, from the earliest legalization debates to today's fights over home grow, market concentration, ownership transparency, hemp, and continued criminalization. In this episode, Robert joins me to reflect on the stories behind the headlines and what he's learned covering one of the state's most consequential policy changes. We discuss campaign contributions during legalization, limited licensing, why Illinois remains one of the nation's most expensive cannabis markets, the ongoing debate over home cultivation, cannabis seed sales, public access to ownership records, management agreements, hemp regulation, and whether Illinois has lived up to its promises of social equity. If you've followed Illinois cannabis over the past six years, this conversation offers an inside look at how one of the state's leading reporters has covered it all. Watch video version and read full show notes here: https://thecolememo.com/2026/07/21/e301/

1. Six Years of Illinois Cannabis: A Conversation with Chicago Tribune Reporter Robert McCoppin | E301 01:14:26
2. Illinois Has More Cannabis Brands Than Ever. Fewer Companies Own Them. | E300 01:27:46
3. Oregon's Legal Psilocybin Experiment Faces a Major Test | E299 45:11
4. #298 – Illinois Signs Major Cannabis Overhaul, Plus Q&A With Brad Spirrison 01:19:50
5. #297 – Illinois Homegrow: Can Medical Patients Actually Buy Cannabis Seeds? 56:25