Business
A LIFE IN A DAY: David Peck, CEO of Headquarters
LOS ANGELES- In this edition of A LIFE IN A DAY, Highly Capitalized Network catches up with David Peck, the founder and CEO of Headquarters (HQ)—an operations partner for Cannabis businesses across the country. Headquarters helps retailers and operators run smoother by handling the work most companies don’t have time or teams for: staffing, systems, ...
High Tide Enters German Medical Cannabis Market with Remexian Majority Stake Acquisition
CALGARY – High Tide Inc., a leading Canadian Cannabis retailer, announced its strategic entry into Germany’s medical Cannabis market through a 51% acquisition of Remexian Pharma GmbH, a Frankfurt-based pharmaceutical wholesaler. The deal, valued at an estimated €27.2 million (approx. $29.5 million), marks a significant step for High Tide as it expands its footprint beyond ...
Germany’s Medical Cannabis Imports Hit Record in Q2 2025, Sparking Debate Over Misuse
BERLIN – Germany’s medical Cannabis market continues to set records, with imports reaching 43.3 tons in the second quarter of 2025, according to data from the Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices (BfArM). This marks a 5.8% increase over the previous high of 37.5 tons in Q1 2025, bringing the first half of the ...
NYC Near-School Cannabis Dispensaries Avoid Shutdown or Relocation
NEW YORK – A significant number of New York’s licensed Cannabis dispensaries, previously at risk of closure for being too close to schools, have received a lifeline from state regulators. The Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) announced that these businesses will not be forced to shut down or relocate, as Governor Kathy Hochul and state ...
Aurora Launches Whistler Brand in Australia
EDMONTON – Aurora Cannabis Inc. announced the introduction of its Whistler Cannabis Co. brand to the Australian market, marking a significant step in its international expansion strategy. The launch brings two high-potency cultivars, Ginger Breath and Critical Diesel, to Australian patients, thereby broadening their access to premium medical Cannabis products. Whistler Cannabis Co., a brand ...
BREAKING: Trump Signals Possible Cannabis Reclassification Within Weeks
LOS ANGELES- President Donald Trump said Monday that his administration is actively considering shifting Cannabis to a lower-risk category under federal law — a move that could have sweeping implications for the industry. Speaking at a White House press briefing, Trump described the process as still in its early stages but suggested a decision could ...
Snoop Dogg’s Death Row Cannabis Enters Ohio Market
COLUMBUS – Death Row Records Cannabis, the Cannabis brand launched by rapper and entrepreneur Calvin Cordozar Broadus Jr., commonly known as Snoop Dogg, has expanded into Ohio through a partnership with Pure Ohio Wellness. This move brings the brand’s signature products to Ohio’s growing recreational Cannabis market, marking a significant step in its nationwide expansion. ...
Case Study: Grupo Flor: A Cannabis Turnaround Driven by Strategic Focus
SALINAS- When Mark Collins joined Grupo Flor as Chief Financial Officer, the California-based vertically integrated Cannabis company was in severe financial and operational distress. The business held multiple licenses across retail, cultivation, manufacturing, and distribution—far more than it could manage profitably. Heavy tax liabilities and operational inefficiencies threatened the company’s survival. This case study details ...
Cannabis Stocks Rally as U.S. Rescheduling Debate Heats Up
LOS ANGELES — For the first time in more than a year, cannabis stocks are enjoying a sustained rally. Exchange-traded funds focused on the sector have climbed sharply in recent weeks, and several of the country’s largest multi-state operators have posted double-digit gains. The trigger is a familiar one: renewed talk of moving cannabis out ...
Did Psilocybin Arrive From Outer Space? New Genomic Study Opens the Door to a Cosmic Possibility
LOS ANGELES — The psychedelic compound psilocybin has long intrigued researchers for its potential to treat mental health conditions, but a groundbreaking study is now shedding new light on where these mushrooms came from—and it’s sparking speculation that their origins could be cosmic. A team from the University of Utah and the Natural History Museum ...
Will the Hemp Beverage Category Still Be Here in 12 Months?
LOS ANGELES- Will the Hemp Beverage Category Still Be Here in 12 Months? That's not just a provocative question—it’s a quiet but growing concern across the hemp industry. After a explosive rise in popularity, hemp-derived THC beverages are facing mounting pressure from regulators. The 2018 Farm Bill unintentionally cracked open a multi-billion-dollar market, allowing intoxicating hemp ...
AYR Wellness Exits Massachusetts in Broad Financial Restructuring
LOS ANGELES – AYR Wellness, a Miami-based multi-state Cannabis operator, is pulling out of Massachusetts as part of a bold restructuring to tackle its financial challenges. The company will close its 90,000-square-foot Milford cultivation facility, leading to 157 layoffs by September 29, according to a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) filed with the MassHire ...
Canopy Growth Expands its Presence in Australia
OTTAWA – Canopy Growth Corporation has introduced its Canadian-grown 7ACRES brand to the Australian medical Cannabis market, marking a strategic expansion of its global medical portfolio. The launch, announced on August 5, features two high-THC sativa strains, both offered in 10-gram flower formats. This expansion strengthens Canopy’s established presence in Australia, where the Therapeutic Goods ...
Metrc and BioTrack Partner to Forge Cannabis Compliance and Innovation
LOS ANGELES – Metrc LLC, a leading developer of regulatory track-and-trace systems, unveiled a strategic alliance with BioTrack, a prominent Cannabis technology provider, aimed at enhancing compliance and operational solutions for the Cannabis sector. The partnership establishes BT Government, Inc., an independent entity led by Moe Afaneh, to oversee BioTrack’s government-focused operations, enabling both companies ...
Miss Grass Joins Curaleaf to Expand Medical Cannabis Access in Florida
LOS ANGELES – Curaleaf Holdings, Inc. has entered into an exclusive partnership with Miss Grass, a women-founded Cannabis brand celebrated for its premium flower and wellness-focused approach. Announced on August 4, this collaboration introduces Miss Grass’s products to Curaleaf’s 68 dispensaries across Florida, broadening access to high-quality Cannabis for the state’s registered medical Cannabis patients. ...
HCN Launches HCN Pay: The First Dual-Processor Payments Solution Designed Specifically for Cannabis Retail
LOS ANGELES — Highly Capitalized Network, a leading business and financial media platform for the Cannabis, psychedelics, and wellness industries, has officially launched HCN Pay, a breakthrough payments solution built exclusively for Cannabis retailers. HCN Pay is the first platform in the sector to offer fully redundant, dual-processor terminals, ensuring business continuity even in the ...
Week In Review: Cannabis & Psychedelics Industry Highlights
LOS ANGELES - Critical compliance issues, market exits, and clinical and regulatory breakthroughs shaped a turbulent week for cannabis and psychedelics businesses. Cannabis Industry Highlights 1.Cresco Labs Exits California, Refocuses on Profitability Cresco Labs confirmed its full exit from California, divesting cultivation and manufacturing assets to redeploy capital into states with stronger profitability and scale. ...
Canada’s Cannabis Industry Defies Economic Odds
TORONTO – In a striking contrast to Canada’s faltering economy, the legal Cannabis industry continues to flourish, bolstering the nation’s GDP while other sectors struggle. Statistics Canada reports that the licensed cannabis sector grew by 0.63% in May 2025, contributing $9.28 billion to the GDP, even as the country’s real GDP dipped by 0.1% for ...
Aurora Cannabis Inc. Reports 93% Sales Surge & Focus on Medical Market Dominance
OTTAWA – Aurora Cannabis Inc. (ACB), a leading Canadian cannabis producer, has reported a 93% jump in sales for its latest quarter, cementing its position in the medical cannabis market. The Edmonton-based company’s financial results, released last week, underscore its focus on high-margin medical products and international expansion, even as the global cannabis industry navigates ...
Germany Breaks Ground with EU’s First Psilocybin Compassionate Use Approval
BERLIN – Germany has become the first European Union nation to authorize the compassionate use of psilocybin, the psychoactive compound in magic mushrooms, for patients with treatment-resistant depression (TRD). Under this program, approved by the Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices (BfArM), two leading facilities, the Central Institute of Mental Health (CIMH) in Mannheim ...
Analysis: The Quiet Revolution in U.S. Cannabis: Efficiency Is the New Growth Engine
LOS ANGELES — The U.S. Cannabis industry is evolving—but not in the way headlines suggest. Yes, national retail sales remain strong at a $32 billion annualized pace. And yes, states like New York and Ohio are posting impressive gains following adult-use rollouts. But the real story—the one determining which operators thrive and which fade away—is ...
Verano Reimagines Cannabis Retail with Bodega-Style Store in Phoenix
PHOENIX – Verano Holdings Corp., a Chicago-based multistate Cannabis operator, introduced a novel retail concept with its "bodega-style" dispensary at the Zen Leaf Phoenix-Cave Creek location. This innovative store offers a new take on the Cannabis shopping experience, blending accessibility with a familiar, neighborhood vibe. Unlike traditional dispensaries where customers interact with budtenders at a ...
Cash, Crime, and Cannabis: Attorneys General Push Congress on SAFER Banking Act
WASHINGTON, D.C.–In a rare show of bipartisan unity, attorneys general from 32 states and U.S. territories issued a pointed appeal to Congress on Thursday: pass the SAFER Banking Act of 2025 — and finally bring the Cannabis industry into the financial mainstream. The letter, addressed to congressional leadership, presses lawmakers to provide regulated financial access ...
The DEA’s Time‑Warp Appointment: Terrance Cole and the Revival of “Reefer Madness”
WASHINGTON, D.C. –Terrance Cole, the newly confirmed Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Administrator, brings a worldview rooted in 1980s-era drug hysteria—one that dismisses decades of research, economic gains from cannabis legalization, and evolving public opinion. His alarmist rhetoric, linking cannabis to autism, stunted brain growth, and youth suicide, threatens to stall the long-awaited, evidence-based rescheduling ...
Texas Governor Backs Regulation Over Ban in Hemp THC Showdown
DALLAS —Texas Governor Greg Abbott has drawn a firm line in the sand when it comes to the future of the hemp industry in the Lone Star State. In a public statement on July 22, Abbott clarified his preference for a tightly regulated adult-use market for hemp-derived products—countering efforts by Senate leaders pushing for an ...
