Insights
Rad Recruitment Launches “AIRS – AI Recruitment Systems” to Help Cannabis Operators Hire Faster, Smarter, and at Lower Cost
LOS ANGELES - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - Rad Recruitment Launches “AIRS – AI Recruitment Systems” to Help Cannabis Operators Hire Faster, Smarter, and at Lower Cost Embedded, AI-powered talent system greatly reduces time-to-hire and talent spend while strengthening employer branding and compliance across tightly regulated markets. September 9, 2025 — Rad Recruitment, a division of ...
Europe’s Medical Cannabis Sector Shows Steady Expansion
LOS ANGELES – Prohibition Partners’ report indicates that Europe's medical Cannabis market could hit approximately €1.4 billion this year, driven by demand in key countries like Germany and the United Kingdom. Analysts point to a combination of policy shifts and patient growth as factors supporting this trajectory, though inconsistencies in national rules continue to temper ...
Medical Cannabis Finds Favor Among Seniors Across Continents
LEIPZIG, WASHINGTON – Medical Cannabis adoption among older populations is accelerating, with recent data from Germany and the United States illustrating parallel trends in usage for chronic and age-specific conditions. In Germany, following partial legalization in April 2024, Grünhorn Apotheke documented a 640% spike in prescriptions for patients aged 55 and above, peaking at 711% ...
Cannabis Real Estate Trends: What’s Selling Right Now
LOS ANGELES- The Cannabis industry continues to evolve at a rapid pace — but one thing remains constant: real estate is the foundation of every successful Cannabis business. The right property doesn’t just house operations; it determines whether a company can get licensed, open its doors quickly, and compete effectively in a tightly regulated environment. ...
HBA Pushes for Regulatory Framework on Hemp-Derived THC Beverages in Pennsylvania
HARRISBURG – The Hemp Beverage Alliance (HBA), a trade group with close to 400 members in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom, has launched an initiative to set up guidelines for hemp-derived THC beverages in Pennsylvania. The effort comes as state officials grapple with budget pressures and a dip in alcohol sales, while ...
Cannabis MSOs Face Manageable 2026 Debt Maturities, Viridian Analysis Shows
LOS ANGELES – Major Cannabis operators are navigating a once-daunting wave of debt due in 2026 with greater ease than anticipated, according to a recent chart from Viridian Capital Advisors. The analysis examines cash sources and uses for 12 leading MSOs, highlighting fixed charges like taxes, leases, interest, capital expenditures, and maturing debt. It portrays ...
The Scrappy Cannabis Retailer’s Playbook
LOS ANGELES- A Practical Guide to Building a Smarter Marketing System by Tim Naughton. The Cannabis retail landscape is competitive, taxed heavily, and increasingly crowded by new entrants including Hemp and THCA brands selling direct to consumer. In this hyper-competitive and dynamic environment, marketers ought to live on the cutting edge, looking for opportunities to ...
Cultivation Sector Outshines Modest Cannabis Capital Drop, Viridian Capital Advisors Reports
LOS ANGELES – Capital raising in the Cannabis industry has dipped slightly this year, with year-to-date (YTD) totals reaching $1.54 billion as of September 2025, a 2.4% drop from $1.58 billion in the same period last year. On a last-12-months basis, the figure stands at $2.3 billion, down 1.6% from 2024. A notable shift has ...
Cannabis Stocks Rally but Remain Undervalued Relative to Peers, Viridian Report Finds
LOS ANGELES – U.S. Cannabis companies have posted impressive gains this year, yet their valuations still trail those of comparable industries, a new analysis from Viridian Capital Advisors indicates. The Weekly Chart by Viridian plots enterprise value multiples based on 2025 earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA) against expected revenue growth from 2024 ...
Opinion: Rolling Toward a Greener Future: The Case for Industrial Hemp Toilet Paper
LOS ANGELES–When most people think about sustainability, they imagine renewable energy, electric cars, or organic farming. I don’t know many who stop to consider the humble roll of toilet paper. But TP production has a significant environmental cost, and the way we make and use it shows how everyday choices affect forests, water, and the ...
STUDY: Cannabis Consumers Engage in Greater Levels of Physical Exercise
OKLAHOMA CITY–Middle-aged adults are more likely to engage in physical activities on days when they also consume cannabis, according to data published in the journal Addictive Behaviors. Researchers affiliated with the University of Oklahoma assessed the relationship between cannabis use and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) in a cohort of 98 healthy middle-aged adults. They found that participants typically engaged in ...
Google Launches Limited Test of Cannabis Advertising on Its Search Platform in Canada
TORONTO – Google has started a restricted trial allowing select Canadian Cannabis companies to place ads on its search engine, marking a cautious step toward easing long-standing prohibitions on such promotions. The initiative, which went live on August 25, 2025, permits only federally licensed operators to run advertisements for Cannabis products and services through Google ...
Cannabis Stocks Climb 79% in a Month, But Path to Past Highs Remains Uncertain
LOS ANGELES – Publicly traded Cannabis companies have seen sharp gains recently, with the AdvisorShares Pure US Cannabis ETF (MSOS) climbing about 79% over the past month. This rally prompts questions about sustainability and potential for further upside, according to analysis from Viridian Capital Advisors. The firm's latest chart highlights monthly price increases for 11 ...
Trump’s Potential Cannabis Rescheduling Sparked Stock Rise and Industry Uncertainty
LOS ANGELES – On August 11, 2025, President Donald Trump’s public comments on potentially rescheduling Cannabis from Schedule I to Schedule III under the Controlled Substances Act skyrocketed Cannabis stocks. The AdvisorShares Pure U.S. Cannabis ETF (MSOS) jumped 28%, its best day since 2022, while the Amplify Alternative Harvest ETF (MJ) gained over 26%, marking ...
Hemp-Derived THC Beverages Gain Traction as U.S. Alcohol Consumption Declines
LOS ANGELES – Hemp-derived THC beverages generated $382 million in sales in 2024, a marked increase from previous years, yet 2025 projections indicate tempered growth at $571 million, climbing to $756 million by 2029 with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of approximately 14%. THC beverages are gaining momentum as alternatives to alcohol, particularly as ...
Playing to Win: How Strategy Really Works for Cannabis Leaders
LOS ANGELES -The Cannabis industry is filled with ambitious operators, visionary founders, and well-funded enterprises. Yet despite enormous energy and investment, many companies still struggle to answer the most fundamental question in business: what is our strategy? Too often, Cannabis leadership mistakes survival for strategy. But survival alone is not a winning aspiration. To move ...
MSOs Confront Billions in Uncertain Tax Liabilities
LOS ANGELES – U.S. Cannabis operators continue to navigate the constraints of IRS Section 280E, which bars deductions for standard business expenses and drives up effective tax rates. Major multi-state Cannabis operators (MSOs) have leaned on legal opinions to expense these taxes without immediate payment, instead accruing them as uncertain tax liabilities (UTLs) on their ...
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, ...
Cannabis MSOs Face High-Stakes Tax Dilemma as Rescheduling Decision Looms Under Trump
As Trump's administration weighs reclassifying Cannabis to Schedule III, Cannabis giants continue to contend with hefty uncertain tax liabilities under IRS Section 280E, a rule that has long hampered their financial flexibility. A recent report from Viridian Capital Advisors estimates these "Uncertain Tax Liabilities" (UTLs) at approximately $2.3 billion across key industry players, highlighting a ...
Cannabis Stocks Show Sensitivity to Q2 2025 Earnings Despite Market Volatility
LOS ANGELES – In the Cannabis industry, where trading often revolves around speculation and regulatory rumors, a recent analysis suggests that core financial performance still influences investor behavior. According to a recent report from Viridian Capital Advisors, industry stocks respond to quarterly earnings surprises, challenging the notion that fundamentals take a backseat. Viridian's latest Chart ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
Cannabis Giants Grapple with Weak ROIC, Viridian Report Finds
LOS ANGELES – A recent analysis by Viridian Capital Advisors paints a somber picture for the Cannabis industry, projecting that none [!] of the 11 major companies studied will achieve a Return on Invested Capital (ROIC) exceeding their Weighted Average Cost of Capital (WACC) in 2025. This gap signals potential value destruction for investors, as ...
Cannabis Real Estate Valuations Highlight Sector Dynamics
LOS ANGELES – A recent report from Viridian Capital Advisors sheds light on the valuations of four key players in the U.S. Cannabis real estate sector: Chicago Atlantic and AFC Gamma, the leading specialty lenders, and NewLake Capital and Innovative Industrial Properties (IIPR), the top sales-leaseback providers. These companies, critical to the infrastructure of Cannabis ...
