Legal Affairs
Navigating Local Cannabis Regulations: A State-by-State Guide
NEW YORK — Cannabis regulation in the United States functions ...
Government Relations at The Core
NEW YORK — In industries where business depends on regulation—such ...
Politics & Policy with Jeff Guillot: The Architecture of Cannabis Regulatory Frameworks
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE NEW YORK — Highly Capitalized Network-HCN proudly ...
Analysis: A Tale of Two Markets: U.S. Cannabis at a Crossroads as Global Momentum Builds — and Backtracks
LOS ANGELES-The U.S. cannabis industry stands divided. Some state markets are opening and expanding, while others are contracting under the weight of high taxes, regulatory friction, and unrelenting illicit competition. But across all markets, uncertainty ...
California’s Cannabis Tax Hike Could Break the Legal Market — Just as It Was Starting to Stabilize
LOS ANGELES- California's legal cannabis market, already strained by price compression, regulatory overload, and illicit competition, took another hit on July 1 as the state’s cannabis excise tax officially jumped from 15% to 19%. The ...
Analysis: California’s Cannabis Catastrophe: Why the July 1 Tax Hike Threatens an Already-Struggling Industry
LOS ANGELES-California's legal cannabis industry just got hit with a devastating blow. As of July 1, 2025, the cannabis excise tax jumped from 15% to 19% — a nearly 27% hike — pushing total taxes ...
California’s Cannabis Tax Hike Could Break the Legal Market — Just as It Was Starting to Stabilize
LOS ANGELES- California's legal cannabis market, already strained by price compression, regulatory overload, and illicit competition, took another hit on July 1 as the state’s cannabis excise tax officially jumped from 15% to 19%. The ...
Analysis: California’s Cannabis Catastrophe: Why the July 1 Tax Hike Threatens an Already-Struggling Industry
LOS ANGELES-California's legal cannabis industry just got hit with a devastating blow. As of July 1, 2025, the cannabis excise tax jumped from 15% to 19% — a nearly 27% hike — pushing total taxes ...
Thai Cannabis Stores Face Uncertainty as Government Tightens Sales Regulations
LOS ANGELES- Thailand’s government has introduced a new order—published in the Royal Gazette on June 26, 2025—mandating that cannabis can now only be sold with a valid medical prescription from licensed practitioners. Cannabis buds have been reclassified ...
Cybin Secures Up to US $500 Million via Convertible Debentures to Fuel Clinical Growth
LOS ANGELES- Cybin Inc. has entered into a securities purchase agreement with High Trail Special Situations LLC to raise up to US $500 million through unsecured convertible debentures, aiming to strengthen its position in neuropsychiatric therapeutics ...
Analysis: A Tale of Two Markets: U.S. Cannabis at a Crossroads as Global Momentum Builds — and Backtracks
LOS ANGELES-The U.S. cannabis industry stands divided. Some state markets are opening and expanding, while others are contracting under the weight of high taxes, regulatory friction, and unrelenting illicit competition. But across all markets, uncertainty ...
California’s Cannabis Tax Hike Could Break the Legal Market — Just as It Was Starting to Stabilize
LOS ANGELES- California's legal cannabis market, already strained by price compression, regulatory overload, and illicit competition, took another hit on July 1 as the state’s cannabis excise tax officially jumped from 15% to 19%. The ...
Analysis: California’s Cannabis Catastrophe: Why the July 1 Tax Hike Threatens an Already-Struggling Industry
LOS ANGELES-California's legal cannabis industry just got hit with a devastating blow. As of July 1, 2025, the cannabis excise tax jumped from 15% to 19% — a nearly 27% hike — pushing total taxes ...
Minnesota Enacts Law Enhancing Employment Protections for Medical Cannabis Patients
LOS ANGELES— A new Minnesota law, Senate File 2370 (SF 2370), which took effect on May 24, 2025, introduces expanded employment protections for registered medical cannabis patients. Under the law, employers must now provide a ...
Legal Cannabis Shows Economic Gains and Stable Teen Use Trends
LOS ANGELES— A recent analysis from the Marijuana Policy Project (MPP) indicates that legal adult‑use cannabis sales have generated approximately $24.7 billion in state tax revenue since legalization began in 2014, with $4.4 billion collected in 2024 ...
High-Potency Cannabis Strains Impact Legal and Health Systems
LOS ANGELES— The expansion of high-potency cannabis products—such as concentrated extracts, edibles, and potent vaping liquids is increasingly challenging health-care facilities and legal systems across North America. Emergency departments in the U.S. and Canada report ...
New Zealand Approves Psilocybin for Medicinal Use
LOS ANGELES— New Zealand’s government has authorized the prescription of psilocybin, the psychoactive compound found in so‑called “magic mushrooms,” for patients with treatment‑resistant depression. This marks the first time psilocybin has been approved for medical use ...
Psyence Group Inc. Announces C$600,000 Private Share Offering
LOS ANGELES— Psyence Group Inc. a biotechnology firm focused on nature-derived psilocybin for mental health and palliative care, has announced a non-brokered private placement to raise up to C$600,000. The offering, detailed in a news ...
Texas Governor Expands Medical Cannabis Program, Vetoes THC Ban
LOS ANGELES— Texas Governor Greg Abbott has signed House Bill 46 into law, significantly expanding the state’s limited medical cannabis program, while vetoing Senate Bill 3, which aimed to ban hemp‑derived THC products—including delta‑8 gummies, ...
Method Man and Zamnesia Partner to Launch Eight TICAL Cannabis Seeds in U.S. and Europe
LOS ANGELES- Zamnesia—a European online retailer specializing in cannabis seeds—has partnered with Method Man’s cannabis brand, TICAL, to launch eight exclusive premium seeds across the U.S. and Europe. The collaboration, announced in early June 2025, ...
Aurora Cannabis Denies Acquisition of MedLeaf Therapeutics
LOS ANGELES- Aurora Cannabis Inc. publicly refuted recent reports claiming it was acquiring New Zealand–based MedLeaf Therapeutics. In a statement issued on June 18, 2025, the Edmonton-headquartered company confirmed it “has not entered into any ...
MJ and MSOS ETFs Signal High Upside on U.S. Legalization Outlook
LOS ANGELES- Investment in cannabis-focused ETFs such as Amplify’s MJ and AdvisorShares’ MSOS reflects growing investor anticipation of federal legalization-driven expansion, even amid pronounced volatility and structural headwinds. Analysts argue that rescheduling cannabis from Schedule I ...
Legislative Wave Follows Growth of Hemp-Infused Beverage Market
LOS ANGELES- The market for hemp-derived cannabis beverages has expanded rapidly since the 2018 federal legalization of hemp, reaching an estimated value of over $1 billion today and projected to exceed $30 billion by 2035. ...
Canadian Cannabis Producers Expand Exports
LOS ANGELES- Canada’s licensed cannabis sector continues its move toward international markets, driven by strong global demand, especially for medical cannabis. During the 2023–24 fiscal year, Canada exported approximately CA$218 million of medical cannabis for commercial ...
Big Cannabis Companies Maintain Optimism in Florida Despite Adult‑Use Setback
LOS ANGELES- Major cannabis operators remain confident in the Florida medical market, viewing it as a strategic long‑term growth opportunity despite the failed November 2024 attempt to legalize adult‑use cannabis. In a recent analysis, Forbes ...
AYR Wellness Updates Delay of Q1 2025 Interim Filings
LOS ANGELES- AYR Wellness Inc. announced that it did not complete the filing of its interim financial statements, management’s discussion and analysis, and related CEO and CFO certificates for the three-month period ended March 31, ...
NewLake Capital Partners Declares $0.43 Second Quarter 2025 Dividend
LOS ANGELES- NewLake Capital Partners, Inc. announced on June 16, 2025, that its Board of Directors has approved a cash dividend of $0.43 per share of common stock for the second quarter of 2025. The ...
Israel’s Health Ministry Approves Expansion of Apex Labs’ Phase 2b Psilocybin Trial for PTSD
LOS ANGELES- Apex Labs Ltd. has secured approval from Israel’s Ministry of Health (MoH) and relevant ethics boards to expand its ongoing Phase 2b SUMMIT‑90 clinical trial assessing macrodose psilocybin therapy (APEX‑90) for post-traumatic stress disorder ...
Ohio’s Cannabis Revenue Trends Offer Strategic Guide for Pennsylvania
LOS ANGELES- As Pennsylvania moves closer to legalizing adult-use cannabis, Ohio’s first-year revenue data and regulatory experiences offer critical insights. Since launching sales in August 2024, Ohio has generated approximately $540 million in cannabis revenue ...
Rose Hill Apothecary Completes First Research-Grade Psilocybin Export to Brazil
LOS ANGELES- Rose Hill Apothecary, the research-grade psilocybin arm of Rose Hill Life Sciences, has executed its inaugural international export deal, shipping 18 kilograms of dried psilocybin-containing mushrooms to Biocase Brasil Importação e Comércio de ...
Emerging Programs Aim to Democratize Cannabis Cultivation
LOS ANGELES- Governments, industry groups, and educational institutions are launching a wave of initiatives aimed at lowering barriers to entry in cannabis cultivation and production—efforts collectively referred to as “democratizing cannabis production.” These programs focus ...
Planet 13 Reports Shareholder Decisions at Annual Meeting
LOS ANGELES- Planet 13 Holdings Inc. multi-state cannabis company headquartered in Las Vegas, disclosed the results of its Annual General Meeting (AGM) held on June 10, 2025. The meeting addressed key matters related to corporate ...
German Court Rules Prison Cells Qualify for Cannabis Possession Rules
LOS ANGELES- A Berlin appellate court (Kammergericht) has ruled that prisoners are legally permitted to possess up to 50 grams of cannabis in their cells for personal use, classifying prison quarters as the inmates’ “habitual residence.” ...
Hawaii Governor Vetoes Medical Cannabis Expansion Bill Over Privacy Concerns
LOS ANGELES– Hawaii Governor Josh Green has vetoed House Bill 302 (HB 302), a measure aimed at expanding the state’s medical cannabis program, due to concerns over patient privacy provisions, his office confirmed on June 9, ...
New Zealand Delegation Led by Zoë Reece Targets Multibillion‑Dollar European Medicinal Cannabis Market
LOS ANGELES- New Zealand trade delegation, including key export company Ora Pharm, is advancing into Europe’s growing medicinal cannabis market. CEO Zoë Reece is spearheading the mission, aiming to build clinical and commercial partnerships for cannabinoid-derived therapies ...
North Carolina Governor Proposes Cannabis Legalization to Curb Unregulated Hemp Market
LOS ANGELES- North Carolina Governor Josh Stein (D) has urged legalization and regulation of adult-use cannabis to address growing public health concerns surrounding the state’s unregulated hemp-derived THC market. In a video posted on X, ...
Michigan Dispensary Agrees to $205K Settlement Over Withheld Tip Dispute
LOS ANGELES- A Michigan-based cannabis dispensary chain, Timber Cannabis, has agreed to pay $205,000 to resolve a lawsuit filed by employees claiming management withheld customer tips. While the company did not admit to any wrongdoing, ...
GOP Panel Requests Review of Cannabis Rescheduling by Biden Administration
LOS ANGELES- A Republican-led congressional subcommittee is urging a formal investigation into the Biden administration’s handling of the federal cannabis rescheduling process. The request, made in a report accompanying the fiscal year 2026 funding bill ...