Author: Cole Preston
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Cannabis Odor Search Ban Advances in Illinois, but a “Compromise” Could Undermine Its Intent
On Friday, May 9th, an Illinois House committee voted 8-6 to advance Senate Bill 42, a measure sponsored by Senator Rachel Ventura (D) and House Representative Curtis J. Tarver, II (D). If the original language of SB42 is passed into law, the legislation that would prohibit law enforcement from using the smell of cannabis—raw or…
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Episode 198 – Seeds of Change: Jason Brown on Education, Equity, and Five Years of Legal Weed in Illinois
In this episode of The Cole Memo, host Cole Preston welcomes Jason Brown, founder of Illinois News Joint, for a wide-ranging conversation covering five years of legal cannabis in Illinois, the rise of hemp, the evolution of product reviews, and his latest effort to give back: launching two scholarships for cannabis students at SIU and…
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Episode 197 – Starting a small cannabis business in the state of Illinois
In this episode, I’ll be joined by a small business owner to talk about how and why they started a cannabis business in the state of Illinois. Links mentioned during show
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Episode 196 – Unpacking the Rules: Who Gets to Sell Cannabis in Illinois?
In this episode of The Cole Memo, Cole explores the widening divide between state-regulated marijuana programs and the federally legal hemp market—two systems selling identical products under very different rules. After setting the stage with a lengthy intro, Cole sits down with Tom Gliszewski from Chicago Cannabis Company, who responds to recent criticisms that hemp…
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Episode 195 – IL Cannabis Business Owners Call for Change
In this live stream, I’ll cover a recent press conference where Illinois cannabis business owners called for relief from steep fees and burdensome regulations. I’ll also discuss Trump’s pick to lead the DEA, who recently said that reviewing marijuana’s federal status will be one of his first priorities, along with other updates. Links mentioned during…
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Episode 194 – Dispensaries attacked with molotov cocktail & other news
In this episode, I’ll be talking about a few dispensaries that were attacked with molotov cocktails and other news. Links mentioned during show
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Episode 193 – The latest in cannabis news
In this episode, I share some of the latest cannabis news that has caught my attention. Links mentioned during show
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Episode 192 – Inside the Silence: Military Sexual Trauma
Trigger warning: this episode contains detailed discussions of sexual violence, PTSD, and suicide. In this powerful and emotional episode of The Cole Memo, returning guest Torrin Richelle opens up about her experience with military sexual trauma (MST) during her service in the U.S. Army. She recounts the harassment, assault, and institutional failures she endured—and the…
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Metrc Announces New Sustainability Measures in Press Release
Metrc, the company behind the seed-to-sale tracking system used in several state cannabis programs and soon to be Illinois’ official provider, announced a series of sustainability initiatives in a recent press release. The company says it has redesigned its plant tags to use 30% less plastic, with a single-layer format that reduces total production waste…
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New Portal for Illinois Medical Cannabis Patients/Caregivers Goes Live
I first reported in January 2023 that Illinois was planning to overhaul its Medical Cannabis Portal, after Michael Morthland of IDPH previewed the upcoming portal during a meeting I attended with the Cannabis Regulation Oversight Office. Today, the state officially launched the new portal for medical cannabis patients and caregivers. The image below shows the…
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