Category: Article
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Loan Applications Open for Licensed Social Equity Cannabis Dispensaries in Illinois
The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) announced the second round of the Cannabis Social Equity Loan Program, offering $12 million in Direct Forgivable Loans to qualified, licensed social equity cannabis dispensaries. According to the press release, the program offers loans up to $240,000 for qualified, licensed social equity dispensaries. This initiative, praised…
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Article: Legalized But Criminalized: David Gets Stuck in Illinois’ Cannabis Contradiction
Article Updated on February 18, 2024, at 12:45 AM to include the home-grow guidelines that were presented by the Illinois Cannabis Regulation Oversight Office (CROO) during a Medical Cannabis Working Group meeting in June of 2022. I also added a reference to an article that I wrote on outdoor cultivation of cannabis in Illinois. Article…
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“Craft Growers” in Illinois Struggle to Cultivate Their Dreams
If you’re at all familiar with my work, you’ll know that I tend to speak about issues as they relate to cannabis consumers. I am not a business owner nor do I have any aspirations to become one. As a result, I found myself in unfamiliar territory when I contacted several cannabis license-holders to discuss…
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Gifting of Cannabis References Vanish from Illinois Website – A Repeat Occurrence
Historically, various references to cannabis regulations have been present on official Illinois Government websites. In this article, I highlight a notable omission or oversight within the CROO’s recently updated website. It’s important to note that this article does not constitute legal advice. Instead, I hope that it serves as an informational resource. I’ve reached out…
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Exclusive: Archive of Illinois Cannabis History — Hash Wednesday!
Long before the implementation of regulations and taxation on cannabis in Illinois, a rich and vibrant cannabis culture thrived. This archive stands as one of the most comprehensive records of that era. Below, you will find photographs, newspaper headlines, press releases, notes, signage, and more, all directly shared with me by participants of past Hash…
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The Alliance for Cannabis Equity Unveils Proposals for 2024 Legislative Priorities in the Illinois Cannabis Industry
It’s the most wonderful time of the year, and I’m not just referencing the recent holiday season. This is the time when legislators make their way back for spring session, a period ripe with opportunities and developments. As we approach the buzz of a legislative session, I’m thrilled to share that I’ve gotten my hands…
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Tired of our series on legal sex? Good news, it is almost over!
As I wrap up my series on the legal sex industry, I wanted to let you know that several new episodes that are centered around the topic of drug policy are now available for streaming at ColeMemo.com/Patreon. These episodes will be available for public streaming now, but, I wanted to make this announcement formally in…
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Exclusive: Outdoor cultivation of cannabis in Illinois
Over the past few years, I have come across discussions about cannabis cultivators in Illinois who have been granted permission to grow their crops outdoors. While this might not seem particularly noteworthy to the average person, those familiar with the intricacies of the Illinois Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act (CRTA 2019) understand that cannabis cultivation…
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Recap: Fireside chat with CBAI and CROO
This article was edited for clarity surrounding the discussion on legal transportation of cannabis in Illinois (paragraph 31). This article was also edited to add a photo of Tiffany Chappel Ingram and I. Edits were made on 12/10/23 at 12:40AM. When I saw that the Cannabis Business Association of Illinois (CBAI) would be hosting a…
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Exclusive: Uncovering Unpublished Cannabis Data – Illinois Cultivator and Dispensary Fines Revealed in Both Unredacted and Redacted Formats
On July 22nd, 2020, an article published on GrownIn.com reported that the state of Illinois had issued fines to cultivators in the years 2019 and 2020. Unfortunately, the original article from GrownIn.com seems to have been removed from their website. To access an archived version of the report as it was initially published, you can…
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