News
GTI Launches $50M Share Buyback Program
CHICAGO – Green Thumb Industries announced that its board has approved a program to repurchase up to $50 million of its subordinate voting shares over the next year. The initiative, set to begin on September 23 and run through September 22, 2026, allows the company to acquire as many as 10.4 million shares through open ...
Chinese Gangs Exploit Farm Bill Loophole, Fueling Illicit Cannabis Spread Across the States
LOS ANGELES – Chinese criminal syndicates have seized on a flaw in the 2018 Farm Bill to flood American markets with illegal high-THC Cannabis disguised as legal hemp, creating a shadow economy that rivals major corporations in scale and revenue. Through detailed analysis and investigation, we expose how the Farm Bill loophole enables unregulated products ...
Switzerland Advances Draft for Regulated Cannabis Sales with Centralized Online Distribution
BERN – Switzerland has released a draft proposal for legalizing adult-use Cannabis, featuring a tightly controlled system that includes one authorized online retailer alongside licensed brick-and-mortar stores. The plan, now open for public input through a three-month consultation period starting this month, aims to shift consumers away from the black market while prioritizing public health ...
GTI Opens Rise Dispensaries in Minnesota, Expanding Access to Adult-Use Cannabis Buyers
CHICAGO – Green Thumb Industries (GTI) announced opening its Rise dispensaries across Minnesota, marking a key step in the state's shift to broader access for adult consumers. The move comes two years after lawmakers approved legalization, allowing established medical providers to expand into the general market ahead of a full retail licensing rollout. Sales start ...
California Reaps $259.7M in Cannabis Tax Revenue for Q2 2025
LOS ANGELES – California's legal Cannabis sector delivered $259.7 million in tax revenue during the second quarter of 2025, based on data released by the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration (CDTFA). The figure includes $147.3 million from the state's 15% excise tax on Cannabis products and $112.4 million from sales and use taxes. ...
Verano Adds Crystal River Location, Reaching 82 Dispensaries in Florida
CHICAGO – Verano Holdings Corp. has expanded its presence in Florida by opening a new MÜV dispensary in Crystal River, bringing its total to 82 stores statewide and 152 nationwide. This move bolsters Verano's network along Florida's western edge, close to existing outlets in Ocala, Spring Hill and Lady Lake. The company runs one of ...
Verano Announces Redomicile from British Columbia to Nevada
CHICAGO – Verano Holdings Corp. has put forward a plan to shift its parent company's incorporation from British Columbia to Nevada. The board gave its nod to the proposal on September 15, and the company now aims to secure shareholder backing at a special meeting. The move, outlined in a preliminary proxy statement filed with ...
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 ...
Arkansas Medical Cannabis Sales Are Expected to Break Previous Record
LITTLE ROCK – Dispensaries in Arkansas have recorded $193.1 million in medical Cannabis sales from January through August, according to data from the state Department of Finance and Administration. This figure positions the market to exceed the $283 million total achieved in 2023, which stands as the current annual record. Sales have averaged around $800,000 ...
Rhode Island Launched Applications for Additional Cannabis Retail Licenses
PROVIDENCE – The Rhode Island Cannabis Control Commission has started taking applications for 24 additional adult-use Cannabis retail licenses, a step that expands the state's recreational market three years after legalization. The licenses are spread across six geographic zones, with a cap of four stores per zone to ensure balanced distribution. Among them, six are ...
Week In Review: Cannabis & Psychedelics Industry Highlights
LOS ANGELES – Wrapping up the first half of September 2025, it's worth noting that the Cannabis & Psychedelics industries continue proving their resilience amid political uncertainty and turbulent market dynamics. From stock rallies signaling undervaluation to regulatory shifts aimed at stabilizing operations, this Week in Review highlights a sector balancing regulatory and financial pressures ...
Former Arizona Senator Sinema Advocates Ibogaine Research Post-Treatment
LOS ANGELES – Former U.S. Senator Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona shared details of her personal encounter with ibogaine during a recent appearance on CNN. Speaking with Jake Tapper, Sinema highlighted her push for expanded research into the drug's potential to address traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) and neurodegenerative conditions. She credited a former staffer's positive outcome with ...
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 ...
California Lawmakers Back Pause on Recent Cannabis Tax Hike
LOS ANGELES – The California Senate approved Assembly Bill 564, a measure that would roll back a recent jump in the state's Cannabis excise tax for five years, sending it back to the Assembly for concurrence on amendments. The vote, 38 to 1, comes as the legal Cannabis sector grapples with declining sales and heavy ...
Schwazze Nears Debt Restructuring Echoing Ayr Wellness Strategy
DENVER – Schwazze approaches a debt restructuring that closely follows the path set by Ayr Wellness, as financial strains push more companies in the sector toward creditor-driven asset reallocations. Ayr Wellness Inc., a Miami-headquartered MSO, signed a Restructuring Support Agreement on July 30 with holders of its senior notes, paving the way for asset sales ...
Cannabist Expands Ohio Footprint with Norwalk Dispensary Opening
NORWALK – The Cannabist Company marked a key step in its regional strategy by opening its first branded retail outlet in Norwalk, Ohio. The location represents the company's sixth storefront in the state and introduces Cannabis sales to Huron County for the first time, under a license that accommodates both medical Cannabis patients and recreational ...
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 ...
Morocco Approves Licenses for 67 Cannabis-Based Products
RABAT – Moroccan regulators have cleared 67 Cannabis-derived products, signaling steady progress in the country's push toward a structured legal framework for the plant. The batch includes 26 cosmetic items and 41 dietary supplements, each vetted and registered by the Moroccan Agency for Medicines and Health Products for either local distribution or overseas shipment. This ...
LSD Shows Promise in Prolonged Reduction of Anxiety Symptoms
LOS ANGELES – A recent study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) on September 4, suggests that a single dose of lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) may significantly reduce symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) for up to 12 weeks. Conducted by MindMed, a biotech company focused on psychedelic-based treatments, the research ...
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 ...
NY OCM Shifts to Metrc for Inventory Tracking
NEW YORK – New York's Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) has decided to replace BioTrack and announced transition to Metrc as the state's official seed-to-sale tracking system, following a review prompted by a corporate deal between the two firms. The change, set to go-live in early 2026, comes about a month after regulators halted BioTrack's ...
Curaleaf Set to Join S&P/TSX Composite Index
STAMFORD – Curaleaf Holdings, Inc. announced it has been selected for inclusion to the S&P/TSX Composite Index later this month, marking it as the initial U.S.-headquartered company in the sector to achieve this status. The move stems from the latest quarterly review by S&P Dow Jones Indices, which oversees the benchmark tracking around 250 of ...
