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Episode 220 – Choosing Both: Advocacy, Burnout, and Balance with Jean Lacy
In this deeply personal episode of The Cole Memo, I’m joined by longtime friend and inspiration Jean Lacy, founder of the Illinois Psychedelic Society. We talk about burnout, idealism, and how to keep moving forward in advocacy work without losing yourself in the process. Jean reflects on her powerful essay, “choosing both: rest and resistance,
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Episode 219 – Inside Michigan’s Psychedelic Movement
In this episode, Cole sits down with Michigan drug policy advocate Julie Barron for an honest conversation about the state of psychedelic reform, community burnout, and the challenges of staying grounded when a movement starts to fracture. They discuss Ann Arbor’s unique culture, the evolution of Hash Bash, and how grassroots momentum led to real
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Episode 218 – Descheduled Cannabis, Rescheduled Fentanyl & The Illinois Tax Trail
In this episode of The Cole Memo, Cole breaks down a whirlwind of news from the local to the federal level. He starts with a look at Texas, where Governor Abbott is calling a special session that could lead to new restrictions on hemp—but without banning it outright. Then, Cole dives into the newly signed
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Episode 217 – Cannabis Raids, Lab Failures, and Illinois Cannabis Licenses Left Idle
In this episode of The Cole Memo, Cole checks in live to unpack some of the biggest cannabis stories of the week—from federal immigration raids on licensed California cannabis farms, to a scathing internal report on UIC’s faulty THC blood tests that may have tainted over 1,000 DUI cases. He also dives into a troubling
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Episode 216 – The Economics of Cannabis: Price, Policy & Prohibition with Beau Whitney
In this episode of The Cole Memo, Cole sits down with economist Beau Whitney of Whitney Economics to unpack the complex realities behind cannabis market structures. From price elasticity and licensing limits to the rising tension between hemp and marijuana regulation, Beau explains what the data really shows. They also tackle how market access, consolidation,
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Episode 215 – Federally legal cannabis survives another day in Texas
In this live stream, we’ll be discussing the failed attempt to ban federally-legal cannabis products in Texas. Links mentioned during show
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Episode 214 – Cannabis Policy in Maine featuring Derek Shirley
In this episode of The Cole Memo, Cole talks about odor proof updates + Metrc’s impact on Illinois Medical Cannabis Patients. Links mentioned during show
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Episode 213 – Odor Proof Updates + Metrc’s impact on Illinois Medical Cannabis Patients
In this episode of The Cole Memo, Cole talks about odor proof updates + Metrc’s impact on Illinois Medical Cannabis Patients. Links mentioned during show
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Episode 212 – A Conversation Across the Divide: Aubree Adams on Cannabis, Policy, and Prevention
In this episode of The Cole Memo, Cole sits down with Aubree Adams, director of Every Brain Matters, to hear her perspective on the harms of marijuana legalization. While Aubree and Cole don’t see eye to eye on many drug policy issues, the conversation is respectful, candid, and wide-ranging—touching on personal experiences, cannabis-induced psychosis, youth
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Episode 211 – Cannabis, Criminal Justice & Public Health: A Conversation with Jordan Davidson
Cole is joined once again by Jordan Davidson, Government Affairs Director at Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM), for a fast-paced and surprisingly friendly debate on the future of cannabis and hemp policy. They cover everything from rescheduling rumors and the Texas THC fight, to whether cannabis should be legal, decriminalized, or something in between. Jordan
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