Legal Affairs
New York Celebrates the Five-Year Anniversary of Cannabis Legalization
ALBANY – Governor Kathy Hochul marked the five-year anniversary of New York’s Cannabis legalization measure, reporting $3.3 billion in total retail sales and more than 600 licensed dispensaries operating statewide. The Marihuana Regulation and Taxation ...
Week in Review: Cannabis & Psychedelics Industry Highlights
LOS ANGELES – The U.S. Cannabis sector has settled into a phase defined by operational discipline rather than continued expansion. While mature markets continue to generate reliable revenues, wholesale price compression and margin erosion have ...
From Survival to Execution: Hall of Flowers Ventura Reflects an Evolving Cannabis Industry
LOS ANGELES- Hall of Flowers Ventura continues to set the standard for what a modern Cannabis industry event should look and feel like—focused, curated, and highly effective. Hall of Flowers Ventura this past March 18 ...
Compass Pathways Advances in Second Phase 3 Trial for Psilocybin-Assisted TRD
LONDON – Compass Pathways PLC ADR, a UK-based mental health biotech company, announced that its second Phase 3 trial met the primary endpoint in evaluating COMP360, a synthetic formulation of psilocybin, for treatment-resistant depression (TRD). ...
350 Retail Cap and Tier V Cultivation Limits: What Virginia’s Scarcity Model Means for License Strategy
RICHMOND- Virginia’s adult-use design is built on scarcity and structural oversight. The 350 retail cap materially limits market density, shaping site selection and long-term valuation models. Tier V cultivation remains limited to five large operators. ...
Virginia Adult-Use Applications Expected in 2026: Operators Should Begin Structuring Now
NEW YORK- Virginia’s adult-use Cannabis legislation is now in reconciliation after both the House (HB 642) and Senate (SB 542) advanced competing sales frameworks. For operators, the question is no longer whether retail will launch—but ...
SAM in Action: How Dark Money Fuels Prohibitionists Attacks
LOS ANGELES – A noticeable uptick in anti-Cannabis content has appeared on social platforms lately, flooding threads with posts on scromiting, schizophrenia, psychosis risks, outdated research, recycled study headlines, and new ballot proposals surfacing in ...
New York Celebrates the Five-Year Anniversary of Cannabis Legalization
ALBANY – Governor Kathy Hochul marked the five-year anniversary of New York’s Cannabis legalization measure, reporting $3.3 billion in total retail sales and more than 600 licensed dispensaries operating statewide. The Marihuana Regulation and Taxation ...
Week in Review: Cannabis & Psychedelics Industry Highlights
LOS ANGELES – The U.S. Cannabis sector has settled into a phase defined by operational discipline rather than continued expansion. While mature markets continue to generate reliable revenues, wholesale price compression and margin erosion have ...
From Survival to Execution: Hall of Flowers Ventura Reflects an Evolving Cannabis Industry
LOS ANGELES- Hall of Flowers Ventura continues to set the standard for what a modern Cannabis industry event should look and feel like—focused, curated, and highly effective. Hall of Flowers Ventura this past March 18 ...
Cybin Inc. Successfully Completes Phase 2 Dosing of Promising Psilocybin Analog for Depression Treatment
NEW YORK — Cybin Inc., a psychedelic-based medical treatments, announced today the successful completion of its Phase 2 clinical trial for CYB003, a proprietary deuterated psilocybin analog. The compound is being evaluated as a potential ...
Georgia Health Officials Miscount Medical Cannabis Patients, Affecting Dispensary Plans
ATLANTA — A recent revelation by the Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH) has stirred the state’s medical cannabis industry. The DPH admitted to a significant overestimation of the number of medical cannabis patients and ...
U.S. Targets Chinese Firms Over Fentanyl Production
WASHINGTON — In a firm response to the surge of synthetic opioids like fentanyl linked to overdose deaths, the Biden administration unveiled a series of indictments and sanctions targeting Chinese firms and executives implicated in ...
Cannabis Stocks Show Resurgence Amid Regulatory Optimism
NEW YORK- Cannabis stocks, as reflected by the Global Cannabis Stock Index, experienced an explosive upturn on August 30, in light of recent revelations. The Department of Health and Human Services proposed to the DEA ...
California Cannabis Bills Await Governor’s Signature: Implications for Social Equity and Business
LOS ANGELES— A recent session saw California lawmakers passing multiple cannabis-related bills, with the industry carefully watching provisions that address social equity concerns, consumption lounges, and product labeling. Governor Gavin Newsom has until October 14 ...
MediPharm Settles $9 Million Dispute with HEXO Following Tilray’s Acquisition
TORONTO — The landscape of the Canadian cannabis industry experienced a recent shift with the news of MediPharm's $9 million settlement, resolving a lingering commercial disagreement with HEXO. The announcement comes on the heels of ...
U.S. Senate Banking Committee Advances SAFER Banking Act: A Look at the Stance and Votes
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Senate Banking Committee's anticipated markup of the SAFER Banking Act took place on Sept. 27, marking significant progress in the upper chamber for the legislation. The bill aims to streamline cannabis-related ...
Federal Judge Halts Arkansas Ban on Hemp-derived THC Products
LOS ANGELES- A significant judicial ruling in Arkansas has stalled the state's efforts to reclassify and criminalize hemp-derived THC products. U.S. District Court Judge Billy Roy Wilson issued an order preventing the enforcement of a ...
Ohio Voters Show Strong Support for November’s Cannabis Legalization Measure
COLUMBUS- As Ohio prepares for the upcoming November elections, new data reveals that the majority of the state's voters are leaning towards the approval of a cannabis legalization measure. The poll, commissioned by the Coalition ...
MJUnpacked Conference in Detroit: Where Retailers and Brands Meet Investors in Cannabis
DETROIT–Michigan is set to become the epicenter of the cannabis industry as the highly anticipated MJUnpacked Conference unfolds from October 10th to 12th, 2023. This distinctive event, organized by Jage Media, Inc., promises an exclusive ...
Benzinga Awards Ceremony: Meet The Winners from Chicago 2023
The prestigious Benzinga Cannabis Awards, now in their second year, were recently unveiled during the Benzinga Cannabis Capital Conference held in Chicago on September 27-28. These awards serve as a beacon, illuminating the luminaries of ...
Texas Appeals Court Upholds Injunction Against Delta-8 THC Ban
LOS ANGELES- In the ever-evolving landscape of hemp regulation, Texas has encountered more than its fair share of bumps. On Thursday, a significant turn took place as a Texas appeals court upheld a temporary injunction ...
Verano Holdings and TILT Join Forces for Breast Cancer Awareness Month
LOS ANGELES- In a commendable move, Verano Holdings Corp. is prepping for its third annual Breast Cancer Awareness Month campaign, which will commence on October 1st. This extensive initiative will span eleven states, showcasing the ...
Curaleaf Sets Pricing for C$16 Million Offering of Subordinate Voting Shares
LOS ANGELES- In a significant development in the cannabis industry, U.S.-based Curaleaf, a leading provider of consumer cannabis products, has determined the pricing for its marketed offering of subordinate voting shares. As per the announcement, ...
American Nurses Association Recognizes Cannabis as Specialty Practice Area
LOS ANGELES- The American Nurses Association (ANA), representing over 5 million nurses in the United States, has formally recognized cannabis as a distinct nursing specialty practice. This announcement, made in a press release on Wednesday, ...
Schumer Expresses Strong Support for Cannabis Banking Reform in Senate
WASHINGTON- Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) emphasized his support for cannabis banking reform during his speech on the Senate floor this Wednesday. Addressing the Senate, Schumer discussed the ongoing committee markup for the bipartisan ...
Numinus Wellness Seeks C$10 Million Capital Injection Through Share Sale
LOS ANGELES- Vancouver's Numinus Wellness Inc., a pioneer in the psychedelics space, unveiled plans to generate an additional C$10 million through an at-the-market equity program. However, the exact count of shares to hit the market ...
Medical Cannabis Advocacy Gains Momentum in Nebraska
LOS ANGELES- The advocacy group, Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana (NMM), is stepping up its efforts to legalize medical cannabis in the state. The group has rolled out two initiatives for the 2024 ballot: The Patient ...
Curaleaf Holdings Sets Pricing for Its C$16 Million Subordinate Voting Shares Offering
LOS ANGELES-- Curaleaf Holdings, Inc., a U.S. supplier of consumer cannabis products, revealed the pricing details of its forthcoming marketed offering of subordinate voting shares. Each share has been priced at C$6.00. The sole underwriter ...
Beyond the Balance Sheets: The Role of a Strategic Accountant in Cannabis
LOS ANGELES-In the ever-evolving landscape of the cannabis industry, where regulations shift like the winds, and financial complexities rival those of any other sector, the role of an accountant has taken on a new dimension. ...
Senate Banking Committee Advances Cannabis Banking Bill with Bipartisan Support
WASHINGTON — The Senate Banking Committee on Wednesday signaled a bipartisan move forward in the quest for federal cannabis banking reform. The committee's decision could enable financial institutions to service state-legal cannabis businesses, a monumental ...
Wisconsin Democratic Representatives Advocate for Cannabis Legalization
MADISON— Wisconsin Democratic representatives are bolstering their endeavors to legalize adult recreational cannabis, citing potential economic and social benefits. Senator Melissa Agard and Representative Darin Madison are advocating for legalization, asserting that it will enhance ...
Montana Cannabis Lab Closes Amid Testing Concerns, Sparking Statewide Debate
HELENA— A cannabis testing laboratory in Montana has closed its doors, sparking concerns over testing accuracy and oversight in the state's burgeoning cannabis industry. Stillwater Laboratories, owned by Ron and Kristine Brost, raised alarm bells ...
Detroit’s “Psychedelic Church” Raided by Police Amid Legal Controversies
DETROIT — Just days after being featured on the cover of the Detroit Metro Times, Detroit’s first "psychedelic church," Soul Tribes, faced a police raid, drawing attention to the complex legal landscape surrounding entheogenic plants ...
PharmaTher Holdings Pursues Ketamine-Based Medical Product, Eyes Global Market After FDA Nod
LOS ANGELES- In a recent development marking a leap in the medical application of ketamine, PharmaTher Holdings announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) accepted the Abbreviated New Drug Application (ANDA) for its ...
