The Cole Memo Monthly: October 2026

I’m going to start putting together monthly recaps highlighting some of the articles, interviews, and conversations featured on The Cole Memo.

Whether you’ve been following along or missed a few things, I hope that these summaries will offer a quick way to catch up on the topics I’ve explored and the discussions I’ve hosted over the past month.

Here’s a look back at October (and a peek back at September) of 2026:

Notable Developments

Medical Cannabis Patient Portal: Illinois patients can now view their remaining allotment and recent purchase history online, following the rollout of a new state feature.
Annual Cannabis Reports: Illinois released its fiscal year 2026 cannabis reports at the end of September, featuring new data on the state’s cannabis industry, enforcement, and public health.
Cannabis Tax Revenue and Surveillance: Cannabis tax dollars are helping fund automated license plate readers in Champaign County.

Interviews and Conversations

Collin Corbett: I interviewed independent Illinois gubernatorial candidate Collin Corbett about his campaign and vision for Illinois, including cannabis policy.
Aaron Del Mar and Illinois Hemp Advocates: Moderated a roundtable featuring the Republican lieutenant governor candidate, hemp advocates, and small business owners discussing the future of cannabis policy.
State Rep. La Shawn Ford: Discussed the future of Illinois cannabis legalization, including home cultivation, criminal justice reform, and additional legislative priorities.
Brad Spirrison: Discussed hemp restrictions, home grow, and Illinois cannabis policy, including the relationship between the hemp and licensed marijuana industries, and his upcoming event.
Josh Anderson: I toured an extraordinary outdoor hydroponic cannabis grow belonging to an Illinois medical patient whose home had previously been raided by police.

Additional Podcast Coverage

October 1 — Episode 323: Examined Champaign County’s use of cannabis tax revenue for license plate readers and the resulting public debate.
October 6 — Episode 325: Previewed Josh Anderson’s outdoor cannabis grow, discussed the state’s upcoming medical cannabis patient portal, and highlighted an upcoming cannabis event.
October 13 — Episode 326: Covered Illinois cannabis sales, federal rescheduling developments, and we watch the gubernatorial forum.
October 23 — Episode 330: Released a closer look at Josh Anderson’s custom-built outdoor cannabis cultivation system.

Looking Back at September

Since this is my first monthly recap, I also wanted to take a moment to highlight some coverage from September that you may have missed.

Podcasts

Illinois Police Raid a Legal Home Grow: I released body-camera footage documenting the police raid of medical cannabis patient Josh Anderson’s home. The charges against Anderson were ultimately dismissed after evidence from the search was suppressed.
- You can also watch the full conversation and explore additional court records and details surrounding the case.
Brian Dombrowski: Discussed hemp regulations and the future of cannabis, including THCA flower, testing, labeling, and consumer access.

Articles

Illinois Police Raid a Legal Home Grow: Released body-camera footage documenting the police raid of medical cannabis patient Josh Anderson’s home. The charges were ultimately dismissed after evidence from the search was suppressed.
Medical Cannabis Expansion: Illinois expanded medical cannabis access to 37 additional dispensaries, allowing more registered patients to purchase cannabis at medical tax rates.
Early Look at Medical Dispensary Licenses: Identified newly approved medical dispensary locations through state databases ahead of the formal announcement.

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Illinois Launches New Medical Cannabis Patient Portal | E331 – The Cole Memo

Illinois has launched a long-awaited feature allowing medical cannabis patients to check their remaining purchase allotment and view their recent purchase history online. In this episode, Cole takes a closer look at the new patient portal, including questions about how long purchase records are retained and where that information is stored. Plus, a special Halloween guest takes over The Cole Memo, and Cole explores some interesting parallels between cannabis policy and the history of alcohol regulation in the United States. Watch video version and read full show notes here: https://thecolememo.com/2026/10/29/e331/