Legal Affairs
AtaiBeckley Reports Expanded Phase 2a Data for EMP-01 in Social Anxiety Disorder
NEW YORK – AtaiBeckley Inc., the clinical-stage biopharmaceutical firm born from the November merger of atai Life Sciences and Beckley Psytech, released additional results from its exploratory Phase 2a trial of EMP-01, an oral formulation ...
Industrial Hemp Market to Exceed $7B by 2031, Driven by Construction and Wellness
LOS ANGELES – The global industrial hemp market is on track to nearly double in value over the next five years, according to the latest report by Mordor Intelligence that projects the market to grow ...
Oklahoma Law Review Claims 280E No Longer Applies Post-Cannabis Rescheduling
TULSA – A forthcoming article in the Oklahoma Law Review contends that federal rescheduling of Cannabis to Schedule III would place the plant outside the reach of Internal Revenue Code Section 280E, potentially ending the ...
Legal U.S. Cannabis Markets Generated Over $6B in Q1 2026
LOS ANGELES – Legal Cannabis markets across the United States generated $6.6 billion in sales during the first three months of 2026, according to compiled and released state regulatory data. The figure, which includes adult-use ...
Week in Review: Cannabis & Psychedelics Industry Highlights
The last fortnight delivered sustained progress across the U.S. Cannabis sector and meaningful steps forward in Psychedelics, showcasing the tangible outcomes that stem from a balance of ambition and discipline. State programs posted solid numbers, ...
Two in Three Americans Support Legal Home Cannabis Cultivation, The Harris Poll Finds
LOS ANGELES – A new national survey shows that a clear majority of U.S. adults support the right to grow Cannabis at home, even as many Cannabis users express concerns about pesticides in store-bought products. ...
9th Circuit Orders U.S. Government to Pay Over $2M to Ayahuasca Church
PHOENIX – The Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled that the federal government must reimburse the Church of the Eagle and the Condor and its members more than $2 million in attorney fees ...
AtaiBeckley Reports Expanded Phase 2a Data for EMP-01 in Social Anxiety Disorder
NEW YORK – AtaiBeckley Inc., the clinical-stage biopharmaceutical firm born from the November merger of atai Life Sciences and Beckley Psytech, released additional results from its exploratory Phase 2a trial of EMP-01, an oral formulation ...
Industrial Hemp Market to Exceed $7B by 2031, Driven by Construction and Wellness
LOS ANGELES – The global industrial hemp market is on track to nearly double in value over the next five years, according to the latest report by Mordor Intelligence that projects the market to grow ...
Oklahoma Law Review Claims 280E No Longer Applies Post-Cannabis Rescheduling
TULSA – A forthcoming article in the Oklahoma Law Review contends that federal rescheduling of Cannabis to Schedule III would place the plant outside the reach of Internal Revenue Code Section 280E, potentially ending the ...
NY Cannabis Market Posts Record August Sales, OCM Reports
NEW YORK – New York dispensaries rang up $214.4 million in legal Cannabis sales in August, the highest total since the program's start nearly three years ago, according to the state's Office of Cannabis Management. ...
New National Survey Highlights Cannabis Engagement Rise, Backing Broader Access and Uniform Legal Framework
LOS ANGELES – A fresh national survey underscores Cannabis's deepening foothold in American life, with 31% of adults reporting use within the last six months. Released last month, the MRI-Simmons 2025 National Cannabis Study also ...
Case Study: Better Data, Better Decisions: How Clean Inputs Strengthen Cannabis Strategy
NEW YORK- In a highly regulated and competitive industry like Cannabis, data isn’t just numbers on a spreadsheet — it’s the foundation of effective decision-making. Yet many operators still struggle with messy, inconsistent, or incomplete ...
Michigan Senate Approved 24% Wholesale Cannabis Tax
LANSING – In a late-night session that stretched into the early hours of Friday, October 3, 2025, the Michigan Senate gave final approval to a sweeping state budget that includes a new 24% wholesale tax ...
Verano Pushes Digital Voting as Postal Strike Disrupts Shareholder Materials
CHICAGO – Verano Holdings Corp. is telling investors to submit votes electronically for its special meeting next month, citing delays from Canada's postal workers strike. The company released a statement warning that physical copies of ...
Psilocybin Review Points to Rapid Relief for Treatment-Resistant Depression
LOS ANGELES – A new systematic review of clinical studies underscores psilocybin's potential to deliver quick and lasting reductions in depressive symptoms, offering a targeted option for patients who see little benefit from standard medications. ...
Vireo Takes 86% Stake in Schwazze’s Convertible Notes in $62M Deal
DENVER – Vireo Growth Inc., a multistate Cannabis operator, has entered into definitive agreements to purchase about 86% of the senior secured convertible notes held by Medicine Man Technologies Inc., which operates as Schwazze, for ...
France Upholds Pesticide Ban, Guaranteeing Survival of the Bees
LOS ANGELES- Over the past decade, France has stood at the center of Europe’s fight to protect pollinators from the devastating effects of pesticides. In 2018, the nation became the first EU member to ban ...
OPINION: The People Have Spoken: It’s Time to End Federal Cannabis Prohibition (and Release the Epstein Files)
LOS ANGELES- With 87% of Americans supporting Cannabis legalization — and nearly 80% demanding the release of the Epstein files — public consensus on reform and transparency has never been stronger. The question now is ...
How Professional Services Firms That Serve Cannabis Can Thrive in the Wellness Industry
NEW YORK- Professional service providers — from accountants and attorneys to brand strategists and tech consultants — have played an indispensable role in legitimizing and professionalizing the Cannabis sector. These same firms now have a ...
Curaleaf Executive Vice Chairman Adopts Automated Share Sales Plan
STAMFORD – Joseph F. Lusardi, executive vice chairman of Curaleaf Holdings Inc., has put in a place an automatic securities disposition plan (ASDP) to sell company shares, a move designed to handle tax obligations tied ...
Oregon Invites Input on Psilocybin Service Center Regulations Through New Advisory Panel
SALEM – State health officials in Oregon are seeking participants for a rules advisory committee that will shape permanent guidelines on the temporary use of licensed Psilocybin Service Centers, as applications close in less than ...
California Enacts Law Requiring Intoxicating Hemp Sales Through Licensed Cannabis Outlets
LOS ANGELES – Governor Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill 8 into law on Thursday, directing intoxicating hemp-derived products into California's tightly controlled Cannabis distribution system and barring their sale elsewhere. The measure addresses gaps in ...
Case Study: Better Data, Better Decisions: How Clean Inputs Strengthen Cannabis Strategy
LOS ANGELES- In a highly regulated and competitive industry like cannabis, data isn’t just numbers on a spreadsheet — it’s the foundation of effective decision-making. Yet many operators still struggle with messy, inconsistent, or incomplete ...
NY Cannabis Board Hits Equity Target With 57% of Licenses to Social Equity Holders
NEW YORK – New York regulators reported that social and economic equity applicants now control 57% of the state's adult-use Cannabis licenses, a figure that clears the program's initial benchmark and signals steady advancement in ...
Australia’s Medicinal Cannabis Imports Hit Record Highs
SYDNEY – Figures released this week by Australia's Office of Drug Control paint a picture of robust expansion in the country's regulated Cannabis sector, with imports leading the charge alongside steady advances in domestic output ...
California Reinstates 15% Cannabis Excise Tax Through 2028
LOS ANGELES – A measure signed by Governor Gavin Newsom last month took effect on Wednesday, dialing back California's Cannabis excise tax to 15% and holding it steady at that level until at least the ...
Trump Video Fuels Cannabis Stock Surge, Yet Analysts Question Depth of Policy Shift
LOS ANGELES – A recent video posted by President Donald Trump on Truth Social, touting support for CBD products under the Farm Bill, triggered a sharp but fleeting uptick in valuations for major multi-state Cannabis ...
Ex-Curaleaf Executive Files Suit Alleging Ignored Warnings on Inventory Shortfalls at Illinois Facility
LOS ANGELES – A former compliance director for Curaleaf Holdings Inc. has filed a federal lawsuit accusing the Cannabis MSO of overlooking repeated alerts about missing inventory and unlicensed pesticide applications at its Illinois cultivation ...
Alcohol Trade Group Welcomes Hemp-Derived THC Beverage Maker as First in Category
WASHINGTON – The Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America (WSWA), a key advocacy organization for the beverage alcohol distribution sector, has accepted CannaBuzz, a Kentucky-based producer of hemp-derived THC drinks, as its inaugural associate member ...
Verano Secures $75M Credit Agreement
CHICAGO – Verano Holdings Corp. has finalized a $75 million revolving credit facility, drawing $50 million immediately to pay down higher-cost debt and leaving $25 million on tap for future needs. The deal, arranged by ...
EU Releases Cannapol Toolkit to Aid Member States in Crafting Adult-Use Cannabis Rules
BRUSSELS – The European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA) unveiled the Cannapol toolkit, a set of resources intended to help national governments build regulated markets for recreational Cannabis. Developed over months of consultation with experts and ...
Trump’s CBD Endorsement for Medicare Sparks Rally in Cannabis Equities
LOS ANGELES – Shares in Cannabis companies climbed more than 20% on Monday, propelled by President Donald Trump's weekend social media post backing the inclusion of cannabidiol in Medicare coverage for older Americans. The AdvisorShares ...
Michigan House Approves 24% Tax on Wholesale Cannabis Sales for Road Repairs
LANSING – In a swift move to head off a potential state government shutdown, the Michigan House of Representatives passed legislation imposing a 24% excise tax on wholesale Cannabis transactions, directing the proceeds toward long-overdue ...
Starmer Rules Out Cannabis Legalization in UK
LIVERPOOL – British Prime Minister Keir Starmer made clear during a question-and-answer session with high school students this week that his government has no plans to legalize Cannabis, a position that stands in contrast to ...
