News
MariMed Expands Access to Betty’s Eddies Chews to Medical Market in Maine
LOS ANGELES- MariMed Inc. has entered into a licensing agreement with The Stoned Moose, LLC, to distribute its full-spectrum Betty’s Eddies fruit chews in both adult-use and medical cannabis channels across Maine. Previously restricted to recreational consumers since 2022, the brand's expansion into the medical segment comes as Maine medical sales constituted more than half ...
Senate Panel Flags Misleading Cannabis Marketing, Backs Psychedelics Research
LOS ANGELES- The Senate Appropriations Committee released a report accompanying the 2026 agriculture and FDA spending bill that raises concerns over deceptive marketing in the cannabis sector while endorsing expanded federal support for psychedelics research. Although the legislation includes language to ban hemp-derived products containing any detectable THC, the accompanying report urges further action on ...
McConnell Seeks to Close 2018 Hemp “Loophole” in Senate Funding Bill
LOS ANGELES- Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell is advancing a provision in the FY 2026 agriculture appropriations bill aimed at revising the federal hemp definition to bar products containing any “quantifiable” amount of THC. The action responds to what McConnell described as an unintended loophole from the 2018 Farm Bill, passed with his support, which legalized ...
Week In Review: Organigram Expands U.S. Market; The Senator Who Legalized Consumable Hemp Now Wants to Ban It; Curaleaf Takes Full Control of European Arm in Bold Strategic Move
LOS ANGELES — Welcome to the far too-exciting world of cannabis and psychedelics, where it’s a tale of two markets with some states doing amazingly well. And some, well...they're not doing so well (hello New York). Let's get to it! Cannabis Industry Highlights 1#) Organigram Expands U.S. Market Through Collective Project Direct‑to‑Consumer Launch and THC ...
Psilocybin Study Suggests Potential for Longevity Benefits
LOS ANGELES- New preclinical research indicates that psilocybin the active psychoactive compound in psychedelic mushrooms—may significantly extend lifespan in both human cells and aged mice. Published July 8, 2025, in npj Aging, the study found that treating human lung and skin fibroblasts with psilocin (the metabolite of psilocybin) extended cellular lifespan by up to 57%, ...
Challenges Emerge Over Kentucky’s Medical Cannabis License Lottery
LOS ANGELES- A coalition of Kentucky-based businesses has filed legal proceedings challenging the fairness and constitutionality of the state’s April 2024 medical cannabis license lottery. The lawsuit, lodged in Jefferson Circuit Court on June 27, argues that the Kentucky General Assembly improperly delegated authority to the Cabinet for Health and Family Services and its Office ...
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 ...
Legal Status of Cannabis in Europe
LOS ANGELES- A growing number of European countries now permit the use, cultivation or sale of cannabis under regulated conditions, driven by evolving public policy and emerging economic opportunity. Germany legalized limited recreational use on April 1, 2024, allowing adults to carry up to 25 g, grow three plants at home and join non-profit social clubs ...
New Lawsuit Challenges Lottery Process for Kentucky Medical Cannabis Licenses
LOS ANGELES- A group of Kentucky-based applicants has filed a lawsuit arguing that the state’s lottery system for awarding medical cannabis licenses is unconstitutional and unfairly structured. The suit, filed on June 27 in Jefferson Circuit Court, names the Commonwealth of Kentucky and Sam Flynn, former executive director of the state’s Office of Medical Cannabis ...
Organigram Expands U.S. Market Through Collective Project Direct to Consumer Launch and THC Beverage Portfolio Expansion
LOS ANGELES- Organigram Global Inc. Canada’s largest cannabis producer by market share, has entered a significant new phase in its U.S. strategy. Through its recently acquired subsidiary, Collective Project, the company has launched a direct-to-consumer e-commerce platform offering hemp-derived THC beverages in 25 states across the country. The platform debuts with two product lines—Sparkling Juices ...
Clampdown on Australian Medicinal Cannabis Prescribing Raises Questions on Effectiveness
LOS ANGELES- Health regulators in Australia recently issued reinforced guidance aimed at improving prescribing standards for medicinal cannabis, reflecting growing concerns over patient safety and industry conduct. The Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA), along with the Medical Board of Australia and Nursing and Midwifery Board, have reiterated that medicinal cannabis should be treated with ...
9 in 10 Americans Favor Cannabis Legalization, Pew Research Center Poll Reveals
LOS ANGELES – A groundbreaking Pew Research Center survey conducted from January 27 to February 2, 2025, shows that 87% of Americans support legalizing cannabis, reflecting a seismic shift in public sentiment. The poll results, released on July 8, 2025, highlight that 54% of U.S. adults support legalization for both medical and recreational use, while ...
Organigram Global Launches Collective Project THC Beverages in 25 U.S. States
TORONTO – Organigram Global Inc. (NASDAQ: OGI) (TSX: OGI), Canada’s leading cannabis company by market share, has made a significant stride into the U.S. market with the launch of its hemp-derived THC beverage brand, Collective Project, through a direct-to-consumer (DTC) e-commerce platform now available in 25 states. This strategic expansion marks a pivotal moment for ...
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 ...
Canadian Court Sides with Psychedelic Therapy Advocates in Psilocybin Exemption Case
LOS ANGELES- A Canadian federal court has ordered Health Canada to revisit its denial of psilocybin exemptions for health-care professionals, marking a significant development in the country’s evolving drug policy landscape. The ruling stems from a lawsuit filed by Therapsil, a non-profit advocating for legal access to psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy. Therapsil initially received exemptions under the ...
Dallas Halts Enforcement of Voter‑Approved Cannabis Depenalization Charter
LOS ANGELES- Dallas city officials have suspended the enforcement of a charter amendment approved by 67 percent of voters in November, which decriminalized possession of up to four ounces of cannabis and prohibited arrests based solely on its odor. The pause follows a recent ruling by the 15th Court of Appeals in Austin that temporarily blocked ...
Würk Integrates DailyPay’s On‑Demand Pay into Payroll Platform
LOS ANGELES- Würk, a provider of payroll, human resources, and compliance software for highly regulated industries—including cannabis and gaming—has integrated DailyPay’s on‑demand pay service into its existing payroll platform. The integration enables Würk’s clients to offer their employees earned wage access (EWA), along with other financial wellness features, using the “DailyPay Built In” solution. 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 ...
Rolling into Wellness 4 in 10 Californians Choose Cannabis, Study Reveals
LOS ANGELES - A comprehensive study conducted by the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) reveals that 37% of California adults are current marijuana users, with the vast majority reporting significant health benefits. Published in the Journal of Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research in June 2025, the Impact 64 study surveyed over 15,000 Californians between December ...
Cannabis Reform Stalls, Former Republican Calls for Action
LOS ANGELES - Former Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), renowned for his decades-long advocacy for cannabis reform, is sounding the alarm over the Trump administration’s failure to advance federal cannabis policy. The retired congressman, who co-founded the Congressional Cannabis Caucus, expressed deep frustration at the stalled progress since leaving Congress last session. “I’m more than a ...
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 ...
Colorado Legal Cannabis Market Sees Sustained Growth Through 2030
LOS ANGELES- A recent industry report estimates that Colorado’s legal cannabis market, valued at approximately USD 2.59 billion in 2024, is projected to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 12.9% between 2025 and 2030—reaching around USD 5.53 billion by 2030. Growth drivers include regulatory stability following the 2000 legalization of medical cannabis and the 2012 introduction ...
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 ...
