The Cole Memo

I’ll be joined by Ashley Surin’s mom, Maureen, for an important conversation about their ongoing fight to access a medical cannabis product they describe as lifesaving for Ashley. We’ll talk about Ashley’s story, the barriers families face when seeking critical care options, and what this case says about the broader state of medical cannabis policy. You can sign the petition to support Ashley at ColeMemo.com/Ashley. Watch video version and read full show notes here: https://thecolememo.com/2026/01/16/e252/

In this episode of The Cole Memo, Cole covers a wide-ranging Illinois cannabis update, beginning with a family fighting to maintain access to a medical cannabis product that has kept their daughter seizure-free for years. As production moves out of state and federal law blocks interstate access, patients are once again left navigating a system that claims to prioritize health but often fails to deliver.

The show also breaks down the return of Illinois cannabis legislation, including the omnibus package and probable cause reform, alongside new data showing arrests continue despite legalization. Cole shares highlights from his first appearance as an Illinois correspondent on a national cannabis news show, examines a recent dispensary closure, and explores the growing tensions between hemp, cannabis, enforcement, and civil rights in a state that insists the system is working.

Watch video version and read full show notes here: https://thecolememo.com/2026/01/13/e251/

Cole is joined by recurring guest Phil to break down Part 1 of ColeMemo.com’s overview of Illinois’ 2025 annual cannabis report, a required compilation of updates from state agencies covering licensing, enforcement, public health, and revenue. They discuss IDFPR reporting that 93 dispensaries received operational licenses, the agency’s description of Metrc entering its post-launch phase, and a discrepancy in reported craft grow license counts across state reports and press releases. Most of the conversation focuses on the Illinois State Police section, including Chicago’s arrest heat map, the first year-over-year increase in Cannabis Control Act arrests since legalization, and how hemp and THCA products have complicated prosecutions. Cole and Phil also discuss ISP’s push for phlebotomy training to speed up DUI cannabis blood draws, K9 policy changes, gaps in expungement tracking, and what the data suggests about cannabis-related criminal enforcement continuing in Illinois despite legalization. Watch video version and read full show notes here: https://thecolememo.com/2026/01/13/e250/

In this Three Dope Dudes crossover episode, Cole is joined by Aaron and Dave from Support Dope People to recap some of the most important cannabis stories of 2025. The conversation spans declining Illinois cannabis sales, stalled social equity licensing, continued arrests in a so called legal state, medical program updates, hemp policy confusion, and the ongoing tension between regulation, taxation, and true legalization. Together, they reflect on what these stories reveal about the health of the Illinois market, the persistence of criminalization, and what consumers, patients, and advocates should be watching as 2026 approaches. Watch video version and read full show notes here: https://thecolememo.com/2026/01/05/e249/

In this episode, a surprise guest joins me to smoke and discuss the latest annual cannabis report from the state of Illinois. We're also joined by a live caller. Read full show notes here: https://thecolememo.com/2026/01/02/e248/

I’ll be joined by a surprise guest to recap the latest developments in cannabis policy and what they could mean for both businesses and consumers. Read full show notes here: https://thecolememo.com/2025/12/22/e246/

Despite cannabis being legal in Illinois, people are still being arrested, charged, and even serving long prison sentences for marijuana related offenses. In this episode, I unpack recent reporting that highlights just how much criminalization remains baked into Illinois law and why legalization did not bring the relief many expected. We dig into possession limits, enforcement disparities, and how criminal penalties continue to fall hardest on marginalized communities. Drawing from years of reporting and my own mini documentary, this episode breaks down what legalization changed, what it did not, and why true decriminalization remains unfinished business in Illinois. Watch video version and read full show notes here: https://thecolememo.com/2025/12/22/e246/

President Trump announces an executive order directing the Attorney General to expedite the process of moving marijuana to Schedule III, emphasizing medical research access while rejecting legalization or recreational use. Watch video version or read full show notes here: https://thecolememo.com/2025/12/19/e245/

On December 17, as fresh reports suggested cannabis could be rescheduled any day, I sat down with Jordan Davidson, government affairs director at Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM), to hear the case against moving cannabis from Schedule I to Schedule III. We revisit how the rescheduling process started, review President Trump’s recent comments, and dig into SAM’s core concerns, including 280E tax implications, messaging to young people, public safety, and what rescheduling does and does not change. We also get into a brief debate around DOT testing and “safety carveouts,” plus a broader question that has been on my mind: if cannabis companies want wider access and expansion, why did so many either support a hemp ban or stay quiet as it moved forward? Watch video version and read full show notes here: https://thecolememo.com/2025/12/17/e244/

Attorney Ali Jubelirer returns to the show to break down two cannabis legal battles unfolding in Illinois and beyond. We revisit the independent transporter lawsuit against the Illinois Department of Agriculture, discuss new developments in discovery, and unpack what the state’s legal positions could mean for social equity licensees.

We also dive into the 1500 foot dispensary spacing rule, the growing conflict between licensed dispensaries and hemp retailers, and how federal rescheduling could ripple through both industries. From hemp beverages to tax implications and unintended consequences of a potential hemp ban, this conversation explores how cannabis law, policy, and economics are colliding in real time. Watch video version or read full show notes here: https://thecolememo.com/2025/12/16/e243/