News
Resurrected Ancient Cannabis Enzymes Pave the Way for Efficient Cannabinoid Production
LOS ANGELES – A team of biologists has brought back to life enzymes from Cannabis plants that roamed Earth millions of years ago, uncovering a blueprint for producing medicinal compounds more effectively than today's methods allow. The work, detailed in a study published last month in the Plant Biotechnology Journal, traces the deep roots of ...
Ten Million U.S. Adults Microdosed Psychedelics Last Year, RAND Survey Finds
LOS ANGELES – A new survey from the RAND Corporation reveals that roughly 10 million adult Americans turned to microdosing psychedelics last year, taking sub-perceptual amounts of substances like psilocybin, LSD or MDMA to manage daily stresses or boost focus. The estimate, drawn from a nationally representative poll of 10,122 respondents, underscores an expansion in ...
Grenada Decriminalizes Cannabis
ST. GEORGE'S – Grenada's Parliament approved amendments to the nation's drug laws, decriminalizing personal possession of Cannabis for adults while imposing strict limits on use and distribution. The move, part of a broader effort to align local policy with regional trends, sets the stage for future medical and industrial applications without opening doors to commercial ...
Curaleaf Debuts in Maine’s Recreational Market
BANGOR – Curaleaf Holdings Inc. launched its recreational customer sales at a newly opened dispensary, marking the company's first step into Maine's adult-use sector after years of serving only medical patients. The store sits next to Curaleaf's established medical outlet opened in 2021 and features easy access near the Bangor Mall and local hotels. Both ...
Americans Are Open to Learn More About Psychedelics, Ipsos Poll Finds
WASHINGTON – A fresh survey reveals that a majority of Americans express interest in gaining more knowledge about psychedelics as potential tools for mental healthcare, even as public familiarity remains spotty and opinions split along demographic lines. The poll, conducted last Fall by Ipsos in partnership with Psychedelic Alpha, underscores readiness among respondents to engage ...
Hawaii Lawmakers Advance Voter Measure on Rec Cannabis Legalization
HONOLULU – A group of 15 Hawaii state lawmakers introduced companion bills in the House and Senate, seeking to amend the state constitution and send the question of recreational Cannabis legalization to voters in the November 2026 election. The measures represent the latest effort to shift Hawaii's Cannabis policy from its current medical-only framework to ...
Aurora Cannabis Secures EU-Wide Rights for Two Proprietary Strains
EDMONTON – Aurora Cannabis Inc. has won rights from the European Community Plant Variety Office (CPVO) for two homegrown strains, Farm Gas and Sourdough. The decision hands the company sole authority to produce and distribute these genetics throughout the bloc's 27 countries, a move that cements its foothold in one of the world's biggest emerging ...
New Jersey Clears Path for $6M Psilocybin Pilot
TRENTON – The New Jersey Legislature gave final approval last week to a measure that sets up a state-backed pilot program for psilocybin therapy, allocating $6 million to explore the compound's role in treating mental health conditions. The bill, S2283, now heads to Gov. Phil Murphy's desk for his expected review in the coming weeks. ...
Week in Review: Cannabis & Psychedelics Industry Highlights
LOS ANGELES – Operators entered 2026 riding a wave of solid year-end performance and calculated moves to shore up operations. December sales figures underscored consumer demand that shows no signs of fading, while MSOs refined their portfolios through deals and restructurings. Regulatory bodies delivered measured steps forward on production limits and market controls, even as ...
Cannabis-Infused Drinks Show Promise in Curbing Alcohol Use, New Research Finds
LOS ANGELES – A fresh analysis from researchers at the University at Buffalo suggests that adults turning to Cannabis-infused beverages often scale back their alcohol habits, including sharp drops in binge drinking. The findings, drawn from a survey of nearly 500 Cannabis users, point to these drinks as a potential tool for those aiming to ...
Verano Raises Credit Limit to $100M, Extending Repayment Deadline to 2029
CHICAGO – Verano Holdings Corp. disclosed an update to its revolving credit facility that lifts the available funds to $100 million and stretches the repayment deadline. The change adds $25 million to the prior $75 million ceiling and shifts the end date from late 2028 to February 28, 2029, without demanding fresh security from the ...
Circle K Tests Hemp THC Waters in Texas
DALLAS – Circle K has begun stocking shelves with hemp-derived THC beverages at select Texas stores, marking the c-store chain's first foray into the state's market for intoxicating hemp products. The rollout, in partnership with beverage maker Varin Life, arrives as operators nationwide brace for a federal hemp ban that could upend sales of such ...
Is the Movement to Repeal Adult-Use Cannabis in Three States a Real Threat to Their Budgets?
NEW YORK – In a development that has raised eyebrows among industry watchers, advocacy groups in Massachusetts, Maine, and Arizona are pushing ballot measures to dismantle key elements of adult-use Cannabis programs, even as these markets generate substantial tax dollars for state coffers. The proposals, which aim to preserve medical Cannabis while curtailing recreational sales, ...
Indiana Residents Voice Strong Support for Medical and Recreational Cannabis Legalization
INDIANAPOLIS – A recent survey of Hoosier voters indicates broad agreement on expanding access to Cannabis, with 84% in favor of medical use and 59% supporting recreational legalization. The findings, drawn from the 2025 Hoosier Survey conducted by the Bowen Center for Public Affairs at Ball State University, reflect responses from 600 Indiana residents queried ...
Bipartisan Bill Aims to Push Back Hemp Ban for Two Years
WASHINGTON – A group of lawmakers from both parties filed legislation seeking to push back a forthcoming federal prohibition on certain hemp-derived products until late 2028, offering the industry a brief reprieve to adjust operations. The Hemp Planting Predictability Act, introduced by Rep. Jim Baird (R-IN), would revise a hemp ban provision tucked into last ...
U.S. Legal Cannabis Sales Hit $2.3B in December, Lifting 2025 Total to $27B
LOS ANGELES – Legal Cannabis sales across the United States reached $2.3 billion in December, pushing the full-year figure for 2025 to $27 billion. The month’s tally edged out November’s $2.2 billion and aligned closely with October’s $2.3 billion, pointing to steady demand in a sector now spanning dozens of markets. This performance draws from ...
California DCC Grants $1.8M to UC Berkeley and Glass House Brands for Cannabis Yield Study
LONG BEACH – State regulators have awarded $1.8 million to a partnership between the University of California Berkeley and Glass House Brands to study variations in Cannabis crop yields across cultivation methods, a move that could refine production benchmarks for California's $5 billion legal market. The grant, from the California Department of Cannabis Control, supports ...
MindMed Rebrands as Definium Therapeutics, Targets 2026 Trials for LSD-Based Treatments
NEW YORK – Mind Medicine (MindMed) Inc., a developer of treatments derived from psychedelics for mental health conditions, has changed its name to Definium Therapeutics Inc., a move that underscores its push into late-stage testing for anxiety and depression therapies. The company, which will begin trading under the Nasdaq symbol $DFTX on January 15, expects ...
Sunderstorm Welcomes Lime to Its Family of Brands
LOS ANGELES – Sunderstorm, the California-based Cannabis company behind the popular Kanha edibles line, revealed its purchase of Lime, an expert in pre-rolled joints that has carved out a steady presence in the state's retail channels. The deal marks Sunderstorm's first serious move into the pre-roll segment, a mainstay of consumer spending that accounts for ...
Curaleaf Observes Delaware Base to Tighten U.S. Footprint
DOVER – Curaleaf Holdings Inc. has filed for shareholder approval to relocate its corporate domicile from British Columbia, Canada, to Delaware, a change designed to match its heavy concentration of business in the American market. The proposal, detailed in a filing with Canadian regulators, calls for a special meeting on or about February 23 to ...
Tilray Brands Reports Q2 Fiscal 2026 Financial Results
NEW YORK – Tilray Brands Inc. posted net revenue of $217.5 million for its fiscal second quarter ended November 30, 2025, marking the company's highest quarterly figure to date and edging up 3% from $211 million a year earlier. The results underscore steady progress in core Cannabis operations even as beverage sales softened, with executives ...
Helus Pharma Rings Nasdaq Bell Post-Cybin Rebrand
TORONTO – Helus Pharma Inc., rebranded from Cybin Inc., opened trading on the Nasdaq Global Market under the ticker symbol $HELP, marking a shift from the NYSE American where it previously traded as $CYBN. The transition followed the company's last day on the NYSE American the prior Friday, a step designed to broaden its investor ...
Who Will Decide Cannabis Legalization? The Math Will.
LOS ANGELES -For decades, Cannabis reform in the United States has moved unevenly—state by state, ballot by ballot, crisis by crisis. On paper, federal prohibition still stands, and national politics remain polarized. But economically and politically, the ground beneath the country is shifting. Those shifts are quietly aligning in favor of nationwide recreational Cannabis legalization ...
Canopy Growth Locks in Debt Overhaul, Gears Up for Expansion
TORONTO – Canopy Growth Corp. detailed a pair of financial maneuvers aimed at shoring up its books and clearing a path for expansion. The deals, which include a new $150 million U.S. term loan and a swap of existing convertible notes, push back all major debt deadlines to at least January 2031 and leave the ...
U.S. Hempcrete Market Set for Steady Rise to $10.6B by 2033
LOS ANGELES – The market for hempcrete, a lightweight composite material derived from the woody core of the hemp plant, stands at $7.83 billion this year and could reach $10.6 billion by 2033. That trajectory points to a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 3.86%, reflecting measured progress in a sector tied closely to the ...
