Legal Affairs
FDA Grants Breakthrough Designation to Vertanical Cannabis-Based Pain Drug
BERLIN – The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted Breakthrough Therapy Designation to VER-01, a Cannabis-derived, non-opioid investigational drug developed by Germany's VERTANICAL for the treatment of chronic low back pain. VER-01 is ...
Apollo Acquires Emerald in $1.5B Deal: What’s Next for MJBizCon?
LOS ANGELES – Apollo Global Management Inc., one of the world's most powerful alternative asset firms, announced that its managed funds have entered into definitive agreements to acquire Emerald Holding, Inc., the owner of MJBizCon ...
Ascend Wellness Shuts Down Lansing Cultivation Facility
LANSING – In a move that reflects ongoing adjustments in Michigan’s Cannabis sector, Ascend Wellness Holdings is shutting down operations at its Lansing cultivation site. The decision comes after a fire late last year and ...
Village Farms Reports Q1 2026 Financial Results
VANCOUVER – Village Farms International Inc., known for its large-scale greenhouse operations, reported gains in revenue and profitability driven largely by exports. Consolidated net sales climbed 27% year-over-year to $50.2 million, with net income attributable ...
Israeli Cannabis Breakthrough Opens New Hope for Fatty Liver Disease
NEW YORK- A new study out of Israel has put Cannabis back into one of the most important conversations in modern medicine: metabolic disease. Researchers at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem have reported that two ...
Why the Endocannabinoid System Is the Future of Cannabis Medicine
NEW YORK- Cannabis medicine is entering a more serious phase. For years, the conversation has focused on pain, sleep, anxiety, appetite, and symptom relief. Those remain important, but they may only be the beginning. The ...
Cannabis, Inflammation, and the Next Frontier in Root-Cause Medicine
NEW YORK- Cannabis medicine is moving beyond pain, sleep, and anxiety. One of the most important next frontiers may be inflammation, because the endocannabinoid system plays a direct role in how the body regulates immune ...
FDA Grants Breakthrough Designation to Vertanical Cannabis-Based Pain Drug
BERLIN – The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted Breakthrough Therapy Designation to VER-01, a Cannabis-derived, non-opioid investigational drug developed by Germany's VERTANICAL for the treatment of chronic low back pain. VER-01 is ...
Apollo Acquires Emerald in $1.5B Deal: What’s Next for MJBizCon?
LOS ANGELES – Apollo Global Management Inc., one of the world's most powerful alternative asset firms, announced that its managed funds have entered into definitive agreements to acquire Emerald Holding, Inc., the owner of MJBizCon ...
Ascend Wellness Shuts Down Lansing Cultivation Facility
LANSING – In a move that reflects ongoing adjustments in Michigan’s Cannabis sector, Ascend Wellness Holdings is shutting down operations at its Lansing cultivation site. The decision comes after a fire late last year and ...
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 ...
Ohio Cannabis Health and Business Summit Returns to I-X Center October 3-4, 2025
CLEVELAND, OH – September 16, 2025 — The Ohio Cannabis Health and Business Summit (OCHBS), founded by entrepreneur and community leader Lenny Berry, returns this fall with its biggest gathering yet. Some of the organizers of ...
Cannabis Stocks Surge After Trump Champions CBD for Seniors — But Is It Another False Dawn?
LOS ANGELES- Cannabis and hemp company shares surged Monday after President Donald Trump publicly endorsed cannabidiol (CBD) as a potential game changer for senior healthcare. His remarks, shared on Truth Social, called for CBD to ...
Cracking the Code to California Cannabis Success: Anaheim Hosts Market Spotlight on October 8
LOS ANGELES- California is the largest Cannabis market in the world, setting trends that shape global culture, regulation, and business strategy. On October 8, 2025, leaders from across the industry will gather in Anaheim for ...
Week In Review: Cannabis & Psychedelics Industry Highlights
LOS ANGELES – Wrapping up September 2025, it's clear the U.S. Cannabis sector is buzzing with a mix of encouraging expansion signs and sobering challenges, ranging from record-breaking sales in emerging markets to the frustrating ...
Colorado Wholesale Cannabis Prices Hit Record Low
DENVER – Wholesale prices for Cannabis flower in Colorado have sunk to $649 per pound, matching the state's lowest level on record, even as the number of licensed growers has shrunk by a quarter over ...
Washington State Regulators Plan to Label Cannabis with Harvest & Processing Dates
OLYMPIA – State regulators in Washington are advancing a proposal to reinstate harvest and processing dates on labels for recreational Cannabis products, a requirement that could equip buyers with clearer indicators of freshness amid concerns ...
FinCEN Reveals Steady Banking Access for Cannabis Businesses Despite Persistent Federal Barriers
WASHINGTON – A recent report from the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network shows that 816 banks and 182 credit unions filed suspicious activity reports (SARs) related to Cannabis businesses through the end of 2024, signaling stable ...
