News
Maryland Collects $18.4M in Cannabis Tax Revenue for April-June Quarter
ANNAPOLIS – The Maryland Comptroller's Office issued a quarterly report showing the state gathered more than $18.4 million in sales tax from adult-use Cannabis between April and June 2025, a period that saw the Central Region contribute the most to the total. This marks a slight uptick from the $17.6 million collected in the October-December ...
Delta-8 THC Consumption Peaks in States Lacking Adult-Use Cannabis Access, Study Finds
SAN DIEGO – A new study conducted by researchers at the University of California San Diego reveals that adults, residing in states where recreational Cannabis remains illegal, are almost twice as likely to use delta-8 THC, a hemp-derived compound with effects similar to traditional Cannabis. The research, drawn from a survey of more than 1,500 ...
NORML Calls for MORE Act Support to Transform Federal Cannabis Policy
LOS ANGELES – On August 29, a group of Democratic lawmakers reintroduced the Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement (MORE) Act (H.R. 5068). The legislation seeks to remove (deschedule) Cannabis entirely from the Controlled Substances Act (CSA), effectively ending most federal criminal penalties and granting states the freedom to regulate Cannabis without federal interference. The MORE ...
SHF Holdings Introduces Banking Solution for Cannabis Businesses and Financial Institutions
DENVER – SHF Holdings, Inc. operating as Safe Harbor Financial, has launched a new Fully Managed Cannabis Banking Program, designed to streamline financial services for banks and credit unions serving the regulated Cannabis industry. Announced on September 2, the program offers a comprehensive outsourcing solution for operational and compliance needs, enabling financial institutions to engage ...
Canadian Legal Cannabis Industry Contributes $16 Billion to GDP in 2024, Report Reveals
TORONTO – A new report from Organigram Global Inc., in collaboration with the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, details the substantial economic role of Canada's legal Cannabis industry last year. The sector added more than $16 billion to the national gross domestic product (GDP) and produced close to $29 billion in overall economic activity. The document, ...
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 ...
Delaware OMC Reports $7.4M in First Month of Recreational Cannabis Sales
DOVER – Retailers in Delaware sold about $7.4 million worth of Cannabis products in the first month after recreational sales began on August 1, according to a report from the state's Office of the Marijuana Commissioner (OMC). The figure points to steady consumer demand in The Diamond State, across all three counties, where adult-use Cannabis ...
AYR Locks In $50M Bridge Loan to Strengthen Restructuring Efforts
MIAMI – AYR Wellness Inc., a vertically integrated multistate Cannabis operator, has finalized a senior secured bridge credit agreement offering up to $50 million in funding to maintain operations and advance its restructuring plan. The deal, executed last week, comes as the company navigates financial pressures, including recent missed interest payments on its senior notes. ...
NY Regulators Delay Hearing in Bid for Settlement with Cannabis Dispensary Owners
NEW YORK – New York state Cannabis regulators have postponed a key hearing on a disputed proximity rule, aiming to negotiate a resolution with affected dispensary operators. The move comes after a lawsuit from business owners who argue that a recent policy shift threatens their investments and operations. The controversy stems from a July correction ...
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 ...
Week In Review: Cannabis & Psychedelics Industry Highlights
LOS ANGELES – Recent developments in the Cannabis and psychedelics sectors point to a period of cautious optimism, marked by stock gains, legal battles, and innovative expansions. From property value boosts tied to legalization to emerging research on psychedelics, the industry continues to navigate federal uncertainties while pursuing growth opportunities. In regulatory and legal arenas, ...
Case Study: Navigating Cannabis Tax Hikes in California & New Mexico
LOS ANGELES- In July 2025, cannabis operators in California and New Mexico woke up to another line item tightening their margins: higher excise taxes.California’s excise tax jumped from 15% to 19% — a 25% increase. This was not a surprise move; Assembly Bill 195 (2022) had already eliminated cultivation taxes and empowered the state to ...
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 ...
Trulieve Opens Dispensary in Cincinnati, Strengthening Ohio Market Position
TALLAHASSEE – Trulieve Cannabis Corp., a major multi-state Cannabis operator, has launched its first dispensary in Cincinnati, marking the company's 7th location in Ohio and its 238th nationwide. The facility stocks a range of Trulieve's in-house brands, focusing on flower, edibles, tinctures, and other formats. This move comes through a partnership with Harvest Grows LLC, ...
Jushi Sues Pennsylvania Retailers Over Unregulated Hemp-Derived THC Products
PHILADELPHIA – Jushi Holdings Inc. has initiated legal action against 10 hemp companies in Pennsylvania, alleging they sell intoxicating products disguised as legal hemp that violate state laws and erode profits for licensed operators. The complaint, lodged on August 27, in Philadelphia County Court of Common Pleas, targets wholesalers and retailers accused of flooding the market ...
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 ...
Agrify Corp Rebrands to RYTHM Inc Following $50M Green Thumb Brands Portfolio Acquisition
CHICAGO – Agrify Corporation has acquired a portfolio of intellectual property from Green Thumb Industries (GTI) for $50 million, including cannabis brands like RYTHM, Dogwalkers, Beboe, incredibles, &Shine, Doctor Solomon’s, Good Green, and Señorita. Concurrently, Agrify announced it will rebrand as RYTHM, Inc., with its Nasdaq-listed shares trading under the ticker RYM starting September 2. ...
DPA Petition Urges Trump to Fully Deschedule Cannabis Amid Rescheduling Discussions
LOS ANGELES – The Drug Policy Alliance (DPA) has launched a petition urging the Trump administration to remove Cannabis from the Controlled Substances Act (CSA), arguing that a proposed shift to Schedule III fails to end criminalization. The effort, started this week, cites Trump’s 2024 campaign support for stopping arrests for minor Cannabis possession. The ...
Ibogaine Gains Spotlight as Former House Speaker Calls for Wider Access
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Newt Gingrich, a Former House Speaker, has drawn attention to ibogaine, a psychedelic compound derived from the African iboga shrub, calling it a potential game-changer for treating addiction, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and traumatic brain injuries (TBI). During the recent "Newt's World" podcast episode, the Georgia Republican sat down with W. Brian ...
Colombian President Pushing Congress for Swift Action on Full Cannabis Legalization
BOGOTÁ – Colombia's House of Representatives First Committee has passed a bill to legalize adult-use Cannabis, marking an early win for reformers in a country long at the center of global drug policy debates. Sponsored by Rep. Alejandro Ocampo, the legislation cleared the panel last week and now heads to the full chamber for debate. ...
Missouri Activists Gird Up for 2026 Ballot Measure to Unify Hemp and Cannabis Regulations
LOS ANGELES – Missouri Cannabis advocates, led by hemp business owners, plan to submit a ballot initiative in the coming days that would combine regulations for hemp and Cannabis products under a single framework for the 2026 election. The proposal seeks to establish equal treatment between the two sectors by overhauling the state's licensing process, ...
Australian Cannabis Prices Drop to New Lows, Pressuring Domestic Producers
MELBOURNE – Medicinal Cannabis flower prices in Australia have fallen to a minimum of $3.30 per gram at the patient level, a development that has intensified debates over the viability of the country's homegrown industry. This marks a sharp decline, with nearly 40% of flower products now available for under $10 per gram, compared to ...
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 ...
Ricky Williams Urges Trump to Advance Cannabis Rescheduling Despite Policy Pushback
WASHINGTON – Retired NFL player Ricky Williams has renewed calls for President Trump to reclassify Cannabis to Schedule III, positioning the change as vital for medical access and economic stability in an op-ed that highlights his personal reliance on the substance post-career. Published Sunday in USA Today, Williams detailed how Cannabis supported his recovery from ...
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 ...
