#231 - Illinois Medical Cannabis Updates, Patient Concerns, and the Hemp Debate

In this episode of The Cole Memo, Cole shares important updates that affect medical cannabis patients in Illinois, including new allotment equivalencies, upcoming changes to dispensary access, and the launch of a patient portal. He also recaps key takeaways from the latest Medical Cannabis Advisory Board meeting, where patients and advocates voiced frustrations with the lack of progress over the last decade. The episode then shifts to Governor Pritzker’s latest comments on hemp and the ongoing debate over whether federally legal cannabis products should be restricted to dispensaries. With stakeholders from the hemp industry weighing in, this conversation highlights the growing divide between patient needs, market access, and state policy. Watch video version and read full show notes here: https://thecolememo.com/2025/09/20/e231/