#217 – Cannabis Raids, Lab Failures, and Illinois Cannabis Licenses Left Idle

The Cole Memo

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 new report revealing that nearly half of Illinois’ cannabis licenses remain unused, despite the state’s social equity promises. Cole also shares his experience speaking at a Cannabis Research Institute listening session, where he challenged Illinois officials to address the contradiction between legalization rhetoric and ongoing criminal penalties. Plus, shoutouts to community voices like Cannabis Critique, Elevated News Podcast, and more. Watch video version and read full show notes here: https://thecolememo.com/2025/07/15/e217/