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Episode 114 – Florida Amendment 3 and Hemp with Martha Bueno and Dank Informer
In this live episode, I am joined by guests Martha Bueno and The Dank Informer. The discussion focuses on the potential consequences of legalizing cannabis under the proposed amendment 3 in Florida Martha Bueno argues against Amendment Three, expressing concerns that it would grant monopolistic power to a few large cannabis companies, like Trulieve, potentially…
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Episode 113 – Inside The Melt Market: Illinois’ Cannabis Farmers Market
In this special episode, Cole sits down with the organizer of the Melt Market, a unique cannabis farmers market that brings together vendors, growers, and cannabis enthusiasts from across Illinois and beyond. They discuss the origins of the Melt Market, the challenges of organizing such events, and the importance of community involvement and collaboration with…
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Episode 112- The Science of Cannabis: Cultivation, Testing, and Quality Control
In this episode, I am joined by Kyle Baker, founder of Clean Theory. During the episode, we explore the complexities of cannabis cultivation and testing. We also discuss the evolution of third-party lab testing, the challenges of maintaining high standards, and the importance of robust quality control measures. Kyle explains the nuances of state regulations,…
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Exclusive: Uncovering Unpublished Cannabis Data – Illinois Cannabis Testing Results
Inspiration for my Request Investigation by Chicago Sun-Times On December 10, 2021, the Chicago Sun-Times published a series of articles about cannabis testing in Illinois. On February 2nd, 2022, I released a conversation that I had with the lead journalists behind the Sun-Times commissioned lab testing, Tom Schuba and Stephanie Zimmerman. During the conversation, they…
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Episode 111 – Amanita Muscaria Madness – Regina Moore
In this episode, I chat with Dr. Regina Moore, a semi-retired pharmacist and mushroom foraging enthusiast. During the episode, we explore the world of Amanita muscaria mushrooms, discuss their uses, the recent surge in their popularity, and the recent headline stories about mushroom products. Tune in for an enlightening discussion on psychedelics, regulation, and drug…
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Legislative Update from State of Illinois’ Cannabis Regulation Office
The Illinois Cannabis Regulation Oversight Office (CROO) has released a newsletter detailing the latest developments in cannabis and hemp regulation from the 2024 spring legislative session. The newsletter also highlights CROO’s current stance on various issues, and outlines initiatives that they consider to be ongoing. Additionally, CROO highlighted the release of a disparity study. You…
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Episode 110 – Bill Panagiotakopoulos – SafeSupply.com
In this episode, I am joined by Bill Panagiotakopoulos. Bill is the founder and CEO of Safe Supply, a Canadian company that invests in the future of the legal drug trade. During this episode, we speak about the current state of drug policy and discuss what the future (legal) drug trade could look like. Links…
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Episode 109 – Abby Lutz – Death Doula
In this episode, I speak to Abby Lutz – a Death Doula. We discuss human composting, how green burials are revolutionizing the funeral industry, and of course: the topic of death itself. Abby makes the case that these practices are changing the way we think about death and the environment. I met Abby in an…
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Illinois Officially Publishes State-Mandated Disparity Study
Earlier this morning, I wrote about how the Illinois Adult-Use Cannabis Industry Disparity Study was seemingly overdue by 5 months. Shortly after I published my article, the state’s webpage for the Disparity Study was updated to include the official Illinois Adult-Use Cannabis Industry Disparity Study for 2024. You can read the state’s press release for…
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Overdue: Illinois’ State-Mandated Study Is “Being Finalized”
Article Updated at 2:57PM on 7/11/24: shortly after I published this article, the state officially released the Disparity Study. Read it here. Over the years, I have been making an effort to work with the state of Illinois to provide some clarity on the cannabis laws that exist in the state of Illinois. In the…
The Cole Memo
Conversations for Change
The Cole Memo 