News
Grown Rogue Claims Ground in Minnesota
MINNEAPOLIS – Grown Rogue International Inc., a Сannabis MSO focused on premium flower, has signed a long-term lease for a 109,000-square-foot facility in Fridley, just north of Minneapolis, positioning the company to produce for the state's adult-use market. The deal comes as Minnesota's recreational sales kicked off in September 2025, two years after voters approved ...
New Mexico Speeds Up Psilocybin Therapy Access
SANTA FE – State health leaders in New Mexico outlined plans this week to open a regulated psilocybin therapy program by the close of 2026, advancing the timeline a full year from the original statutory target. The move, shared during the inaugural session of the Medical Psilocybin Advisory Board, reflects strong public demand and positions ...
Stiiizy Expands California Retail Network Buying 12 Gold Flora Outlets
LOS ANGELES – Stiiizy, the dominant player in California's Cannabis retail, has taken control of 12 former Gold Flora dispensaries in a $25 million court-approved transaction, marking a key step in the state's ongoing industry shakeout. The deal, finalized this week after an October 23 auction in Los Angeles Superior Court, adds significant square footage ...
Cronos Targets Europe Through Dutch Cannabis Leader Acquisition
TORONTO – Cronos Group Inc. has agreed to buy CanAdelaar B.V., the top supplier in the Netherlands' controlled adult-use Cannabis program, for $67 million upfront plus performance incentives. The move marks Cronos's first major step into Europe's most developed recreational Cannabis sector. The Toronto-based company's subsidiary signed a binding share purchase contract on December 9, ...
Craft Cannabis Market Projects Steady Climb to $12.3B by 2031
LOS ANGELES – Small-scale producers in the Cannabis industry are gaining ground as buyers turn toward premium, handcrafted options, with the craft segment expected to double in value over the next five years. A report from Market Research Intellect forecasts the global craft Cannabis market at $5 billion for 2025, on pace to hit $12.3 ...
FDA Signals Shift to Single Phase 3 Trials for Drug Approvals, Opening Door for Faster Psychedelic Therapies
LOS ANGELES – The Food and Drug Administration is preparing to overhaul its evidence requirements for new drug approvals, making a single well-designed Phase 3 trial the standard rather than the exception. This adjustment, outlined by agency Commissioner Marty Makary, could streamline paths to market for therapies in mental health, including experimental psychedelic treatments for ...
Trulieve Clears $368M Debt with Full Redemption of Senior Notes
TALLAHASSEE – Trulieve Cannabis Corp. wrapped up the buyback of its entire $368 million stack of 8% senior secured notes set to mature in 2026, handing over about $373 million in cash to cover the principal and built-up interest through early December. The move wiped the notes off the books and pulled them from trading ...
OPINION: MJBizCon25 Review: The Race To Be Second
LAS VEGAS- Gosh… the MJBizCon I attended was awesome — genuinely one of the best and most productive ones I’ve ever been to — which is why I was so surprised to see how much negative commentary appeared afterward. Because the MJBizCon I experienced was vibrant, busy, and full of serious people doing serious business ...
CRS Reveals Hemp Ban Enforcement Hurdles
WASHINGTON – The Congressional Research Service (CRS) has highlighted gaps in the federal government's plans to enforce the upcoming ban on intoxicating hemp products, raising questions about the practical reach of the law amid the sector's expansion. The report examines the redefinition of hemp tucked into the November 2025 spending bill signed by President Donald ...
Federal Hemp Overhaul Threatens Cannabis Seed Trade, Sparking Breeder Backlash
LOS ANGELES – A tucked-away clause in last month's federal spending package has upended the rules for Cannabis seeds, thrusting the U.S. genetics sector into uncertainty and prompting warnings from cultivators that prized strains could vanish from legal channels. The provision, embedded in H.R. 5371 and signed by Trump, redraws the line between hemp and ...
CMI Projects Double-Digit Expansion for Cannabis Testing Market
LOS ANGELES – A recent analysis from Custom Market Insights (CMI) forecasts the global Cannabis testing market to climb from $2.13 billion in 2025 to $11.15 billion by 2034, powered by a CAGR of 18%. The projection underscores how stricter quality controls in an industry still navigating patchwork regulations could sustain steady investment in lab ...
Week in Review: Cannabis & Psychedelics Industry Highlights
LOS ANGELES – The past fortnight delivered a surge of momentum across the U.S. Cannabis and Psychedelics sectors, where federal signals on coverage and equity met bold state actions on access and licensing. Operators navigated stock adjustments and acquisition plays, while research breakthroughs hinted at broader therapeutic frontiers. Investors watched closely as these developments underscored ...
Psychedelics Advance in Federal Arena as Trials and Policies Align
LOS ANGELES – Federal health officials under the Trump administration have begun to signal stronger backing for psychedelic therapies, setting the stage for possible FDA approvals of MDMA and psilocybin treatments within the next 18 months, according to recent conversations with regulators, lawmakers, and industry executives. This shift comes as developers ramp up lobbying efforts ...
RESPECT: House Lawmakers Introduce Cannabis Equity Resolution
WASHINGTON – A group of eight House lawmakers, led by members of the Congressional Cannabis Caucus, filed a resolution aimed at bolstering fair access to the burgeoning Cannabis sector for communities long sidelined by federal prohibition. The measure, titled the Realizing Equitable & Sustainable Participation in Emerging Cannabis Trades Resolution, or RESPECT, calls on states ...
Bipartisan Measure Targets Barriers to Psychedelic Therapies for Terminal Patients
WASHINGTON – A group of House and Senate lawmakers from both parties unveiled legislation to permit physicians to deliver Schedule I substances, including MDMA and psilocybin, to individuals grappling with terminal illnesses or severe mental health disorders. The Freedom to Heal Act, sponsored by Senators Cory Booker (D-N.J.) and Rand Paul (R-Ky.) alongside Representatives Madeleine ...
Curaleaf Opens 70th Dispensary in Florida
STAMFORD – Curaleaf Holdings Inc. added its 70th medical Cannabis dispensary in Florida, targeting patients along the Space Coast with a new location in Cape Canaveral. The store, set for a grand opening on December 12, sits near beaches and residential areas, featuring a curated lineup of pre-rolls, flower selections, vape options, and strains exclusive ...
Aurora Partners with Leafio to Expand Medical Cannabis Reach in Australia
EDMONTON – Aurora Cannabis Inc. disclosed a new wholesale distribution agreement with Leafio, the supply chain arm of Montu Australia, positioning the Canadian producer to channel more of its medical Cannabis lineup into clinics and pharmacies across the continent. The deal, struck through Aurora's local unit MedReleaf Australia, grants Leafio rights to handle sales of ...
Curaleaf Secures Virginia Foothold with Purchase of Cannabist Assets
STAMFORD – Curaleaf Holdings, Inc. has entered into an agreement to purchase key Cannabis operations in Virginia from The Cannabist Co. Holdings Inc. for $110 million, marking a calculated move into one of the East Coast's most promising medical Cannabis markets just as recreational sales draw nearer. The deal covers all ownership in gLeaf Virginia, ...
Virginia Panel Outlines Path to Regulated Cannabis Sales in 2026
RICHMOND – Members of Virginia's Joint Commission to Oversee the Transition of the Commonwealth into a Cannabis Retail Market presented a series of amendments to create a licensed system for adult-use Cannabis sales, targeting a launch date of November 1, 2026. The framework, built on prior legislative drafts, removes provisions allowing local governments to block ...
Texas Regulator Awards Verano Conditional License to Operate in State’s Medical Cannabis Market
AUSTIN – The Texas Department of Public Safety has issued a conditional license to Verano Texas, LLC, a subsidiary of Verano Holdings Corp., paving the way for the MSO to pursue cultivation, processing, and retail sales of medical Cannabis products across the state. This move comes as part of a broader effort to scale up ...
Sensi Brands Secures Major Cultivation Site in Bid for Overseas Expansion
RICHMOND HILL – Sensi Brands Inc. completed its purchase of Maricann Inc., gaining control of a sprawling production facility tailored for export markets. The deal, the company's biggest to date, centers on a 100-acre campus in Langton, Ontario, complete with a 350,000-square-foot hybrid greenhouse built to EU-GMP standards. The property holds potential for expansion up ...
High Tide Launches Europe’s First Canna Cabana Store in Berlin
BERLIN – High Tide Inc., the Calgary-based Cannabis retailer known for its discount club model, has cut the ribbon on its inaugural European outpost, a Canna Cabana store in central Berlin that sells accessories and lifestyle products tied to Cannabis culture. The 1,500-square-foot location in the vibrant Mitte district, mere steps from Alexanderplatz, Berlin's bustling ...
Conservative Think Tank Advocates Federal Cannabis Labeling Standards to Address State Disparities
WASHINGTON – A prominent conservative policy group has called for federal guidance on Cannabis product warnings, pointing to stark differences in state regulations that leave consumers with inconsistent information on health risks. The American Enterprise Institute (AEI), in a report released last month, analyzed labeling requirements across states where recreational Cannabis is legal and found ...
Psyence BioMed Ventures into Psilocybin’s Role in Aging Research
NEW YORK – Psyence BioMedical Ltd. disclosed its entry into longevity science with a new program probing psilocybin's influence on key aging indicators. The initiative, conducted alongside South African academics, marks the company's first foray beyond mental health applications and establishes it as the sole public firm pursuing this angle on the Schedule I substance. ...
Kenyan MP Advocates for Regulated Cannabis Framework
NAIROBI – Peter Kalerwa Salasya, the outspoken member of Parliament for Kenya's Mumias East constituency, has ignited fresh debate on Сannabis policy by urging the government to pursue legalization under strict controls. Salasya highlighted the perils of Kenya's current unregulated market, where sellers peddle products without basic knowledge of their contents or effects. His remarks, ...
