Business
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 ...
Single Psilocybin Dose Shows Promise in Easing OCD Symptoms, Study Finds
LOS ANGELES – In a pioneering study, researchers from the University of Hertfordshire and Imperial College have uncovered the potential of psilocybin to alleviate symptoms of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Published in Comprehensive Psychiatry on July 1, 2025, the study demonstrates that a single 10 mg dose of oral psilocybin can significantly reduce compulsive behaviors, offering ...
ANALYSIS: Germany’s Dual Medical Cannabis Market: A Tale of Two Systems
BERLIN- Since legalizing medical cannabis in 2017, Germany has built one of Europe’s most advanced frameworks for patient access. But today, two distinct markets dominate the scene: the slower-growing, regulated reimbursed segment and the dynamic, out-of-pocket private market. 1. The Public (Reimbursed) Market: Slow & Steady The Gesetzliche Krankenversicherung (GKV) and its data arm GKV-GAMSi ...
ANALYSIS : The Looming End of Unregulated Hemp-Derived Intoxicants
LOS ANGELES- July 21, 2025 The hemp-derived THC loophole may be living on borrowed time. Over the past year, the unregulated market for intoxicating hemp-derived cannabinoids—most notably delta-8 and delta-10 THC—has come under increasing legal and legislative scrutiny. What began as a creative interpretation of the 2018 Farm Bill has morphed into a nationwide regulatory ...
Psychedelic Retreats Offer Mental Health Breakthrough for Military Veterans
LOS ANGELES- A growing body of evidence is challenging how we treat combat-related trauma—and this time, it’s not coming from a VA clinic, but from jungle retreats in Peru and quiet mushroom ceremonies in Jamaica. A new peer-reviewed study suggests that psychedelic-assisted retreats may offer powerful short-term relief for veterans suffering from PTSD, depression, anxiety, ...
DaySavers Introduces ‘Higher Potential’ Scholarship with Over $25,000 in Cannabis Education Awards
LOS ANGELES- DaySavers, the pre‑roll accessories brand under Custom Cones USA, has launched its inaugural Higher Potential Cannabis Education Scholarship—a collective effort backed by industry partners, offering more than $25,000 in financial support for current and aspiring cannabis professionals The scholarship bundle includes direct monetary grants, tuition‑free access to cannabis-related courses and certification programs, mentorships, ...
Verano Elevates James Leventis to Chief Strategy & Compliance Officer
LOS ANGELES- Verano Holdings Corp. Announced the promotion of James Leventis to Chief Strategy and Compliance Officer. Leventis, a licensed attorney with nearly 15 years of experience across the healthcare, pharmaceutical, consulting, and cannabis sectors, has been with Verano since 2019 and most recently served as Executive Vice President of Legal, Regulatory and Government Affairs. In ...
Red Light Holland Taps Scott Melker to Lead Bitcoin Strategy Following Banking Setback
LOS ANGELES- Red Light Holland Corp. an Ontario-based psychedelics company known for its psilocybin truffles, announced a strategic pivot on July 14, 2025: appointing crypto influencer Scott Melker—known as “The Wolf of All Streets”—as Senior Advisor and Crypto Czar to advance its new Bitcoin balance-sheet strategy. This move comes after the company was effectively “debanked” by a ...
HYTN Secures Health Canada Drug Licence to Propel Cannabinoid Prescription Drug Pathway
LOS ANGELES- Vancouver-based HYTN Innovations Inc. (CSE: HYTN; OTC Pink: HYTNF) announced on July 14, 2025, that it has been granted a Cannabis Drug Licence (CDL) by Health Canada, effective July 2. This licence enhances HYTN’s existing Drug Establishment Licence (DEL) and federal cannabis licences, placing it among a select number of Canadian firms authorized to manufacture cannabis-derived pharmaceutical drugs. ...
AYR Wellness Secures Extension of Debt Waiver Ahead of Financial Deadline
LOS ANGELES- AYR Wellness Inc. a vertically integrated multi-state cannabis operator, announced on July 11, 2025, that it has secured an additional amendment to its Limited Waiver Agreement with holders of a majority of its senior secured notes, extending the waiver period to July 18, 2025. The waiver protects the company from default-related remedies tied to its ...
Republican Lawmakers Move to Block Cannabis Rescheduling, Undermining Federal Reform Efforts
WASHINGTON, D.C.. Just as the Biden administration’s long-awaited cannabis rescheduling effort appeared to be gaining traction, Republicans in the House Appropriations Committee have moved to shut it down—using their control of a key budget bill to insert language that would block the Department of Justice from changing cannabis’s federal classification. Tucked into the draft of ...
Aegis Capital Maintains Buy Rating on atai Life Sciences with $8 Target
LOS ANGELES- Aegis Capital has reaffirmed its Buy rating on atai Life Sciences N.V. (NASDAQ: ATAI), maintaining a price target of $8 following the release of positive Phase 2b results for BPL-003, the company’s investigational psychedelic therapy for treatment-resistant depression. Analyst Nathan Weinstein described the trial outcome as statistically significant across both the 8 mg ...
ICE Raids California Cannabis Farms as Budget Swells and Allegations Mount
CARPINTERIA, Calif. — In a sweeping operation that has stirred legal, political, and cultural tensions across California, federal immigration authorities executed high-profile raids on two cannabis farms operated by Glass House Brands, one of the state’s largest and most visible cannabis companies. The action, carried out on Thursday morning by agents with U.S. Immigration and ...
The Senator Who Legalized Consumable Hemp Now Wants to Ban It
WASHINGTON, D.C.–Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY), once hailed as the architect of federal hemp legalization under the 2018 Farm Bill, is now backing efforts that could dismantle the very market he helped create. Industry insiders say McConnell is behind new language being added to this week’s agriculture spending package that would outlaw consumable hemp products containing ...
Brazilian App Turns Patient Adoption Into a Cannabis Data Asset
LOS ANGELES- Brazil’s health-tech startup Blis says its mobile platform now supports more than 300,000 registered patients, generates roughly R$2 million (about US$363,000) in monthly revenue and reaches users in more than 1,800 municipalities. By integrating tele-consultation, ANVISA authorization under RDC 660/2022 and direct-to-patient import logistics, the company is accumulating what industry observers describe as ...
Blüm Holdings to Acquire Northern California Cannabis Dispensary
LOS ANGELES- Blüm Holdings Inc, a California-based publicly traded holding company and cannabis operator, has signed a binding all‑stock agreement to acquire a majority stake in a licensed adult‑use and medical cannabis dispensary in Northern California. The deal is valued at up to USD 5.0 million, with additional performance‑based earn‑outs linked to revenue and EBITDA targets. The ...
Curaleaf Takes Full Control of European Arm in Bold Strategic Move
LOS ANGELES - In a major development out of the cannabis industry, Curaleaf Holdings, Inc. (TSX: CURA, OTCQX: CURLF) has just announced it’s taken full ownership of Curaleaf International, buying out its minority partner’s stake in a deal finalized on July 2. Sources confirm the transaction, executed through a 2021 Put/Call Option agreement, hands Curaleaf ...
US Cannabis Industry Poised to Top $123 Billion Economic Impact in 2025
LOS ANGELES–Despite mounting challenges, the U.S. cannabis industry is on track to generate a staggering $123.6 billion in total economic impact in 2025, according to new projections from the MJBiz Factbook. That’s a 9% increase over 2024 – a testament to the sector’s resilience amid federal inaction and headwinds from economic uncertainty. While legacy markets ...
Vireo Growth and Curio Wellness Forge Partnership to Enter New York Market
LOS ANGELES- Vireo Growth Inc. and Curio Wellness have announced a manufacturing-and-distribution agreement aimed at introducing Curio’s Best Self Collection into New York’s licensed cannabis market. Vireo will leverage its existing infrastructure to produce and distribute Curio’s full product portfolio—topicals, tablets, chews, and vapes—under a licensing model The deal adopts a capital-light approach: Curio gains ...
Green Thumb Industries Schedules Q2 2025 Earnings Call for August 6
LOS ANGELES- Green Thumb Industries Inc., a cannabis consumer packaged goods company and operator of RISE dispensaries, announced on July 2 that it will release its second-quarter 2025 financial results after market close on Wednesday, August 6, 2025 . The company will host a conference call and audio webcast the same day at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time (4:00 p.m. ...
SAFER Banking Act Frozen as Lawmakers Tackle War and Budget Issues
LOS ANGELES – The Secure and Fair Enforcement Regulation (SAFER) Banking Act, a bipartisan effort to grant state-legal cannabis businesses access to traditional banking services, remains mired in political gridlock, overshadowed by competing legislative priorities. Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR), a lead sponsor of the bill, recently acknowledged that despite his efforts to push the legislation ...
California’s Cannabis Industry Faces Meltdown as New Tax Hike Begins
LOS ANGELES – California’s legal cannabis industry is sounding the alarm as a significant excise tax increase, which took effect on July 1, 2025, threatens to cripple an already struggling market. The excise tax on legal cannabis has risen from 15% to 19%, a move that industry leaders, including growers, dispensary owners, and advocates, warn ...
Cronos Expands Medical Cannabis Presence in Switzerland
LOS ANGELES- Cronos Group Inc. has entered the Swiss medical cannabis market through a partnership with Dascoli Pharma AG, a Zurich-based pharmaceutical distributor. The deal enables Dascoli to supply five varieties of the company's PEACE NATURALS branded cannabis flower to patients via its established network of pharmacies and clinics. Under the agreement, the following strains will be ...
Analysis: A Tale of Two Markets: U.S. Cannabis at a Crossroads as Global Momentum Builds — and Backtracks
LOS ANGELES-The U.S. cannabis industry stands divided. Some state markets are opening and expanding, while others are contracting under the weight of high taxes, regulatory friction, and unrelenting illicit competition. But across all markets, uncertainty is rising — and it’s not just an American story anymore. Globally, cannabis policy is advancing in some countries and ...
