#221 - Craig Katz on Hemp, CRTA, and the Future of Cannabis Policy in Illinois

The Cole Memo

Craig Katz joins the show to break down the policy tensions between Illinois’ regulated marijuana market and its largely unregulated hemp industry. As a board member for multiple trade associations and the compliance manager at CBDratom, Katz gives listeners an insider view into the push for House Bill 1—a legislative effort that would add labeling, age-gating, and testing requirements for intoxicating hemp products, without placing them under the expensive and restrictive CRTA framework. We talk about why hemp has become a preferred path for small businesses and social equity entrepreneurs, how major cannabis companies are now entering the hemp space, and what reasonable regulation could look like. Plus, a frank discussion on taxation, the future of HB1, and the controversial compound known as “7OH.” Watch video version and read full show notes here: https://thecolememo.com/2025/07/28/e221/