Six Years of Illinois Cannabis: A Conversation with Chicago Tribune Reporter Robert McCoppin | E301

The Cole Memo · Jul 21, 2026 · 1h 14m

For more than six years, Chicago Tribune reporter Robert McCoppin has documented the evolution of Illinois' cannabis industry, from the earliest legalization debates to today's fights over home grow, market concentration, ownership transparency, hemp, and continued criminalization. In this episode, Robert joins me to reflect on the stories behind the headlines and what he's learned covering one of the state's most consequential policy changes. We discuss campaign contributions during legalization, limited licensing, why Illinois remains one of the nation's most expensive cannabis markets, the…