Illinois Representative La Shawn Ford returns to The Cole Memo for a candid conversation about where cannabis policy has been, where it stalled, and what it will take to move forward. We unpack the closed-door debate over hemp and delta-8, whether the answer is prohibition or regulation, and why age-gating, testing, and labeling should be the baseline. Ford weighs limited licensing against open market participation, talks wins and gaps since 2019, and shares practical advice for advocates and consumers, including using virtual testimony and focusing on single-issue bills instead of large omnibus packages. We also explore possession limits, homegrow realities in Illinois, and data showing arrests persist where legal access is scarce. Plus, Ford explains why federal action still shapes state choices, and what he hopes to work on as he looks toward Washington. Watch video version and read full show notes here: https://thecolememo.com/2025/10/27/e234/