Legal Affairs
FDA Issues Final Guidance on Psychedelic Drug Trials
SILVER SPRING – The FDA published its final guidance titled "Psychedelic Drugs: Considerations for Clinical Investigations" in the Federal Register, finalizing a draft that first appeared in June 2023. Issued by the Center for Drug ...
Vireo Growth Re-Enters Ohio Through Four Concurrent Deals
MINNEAPOLIS – Vireo Growth Inc. announced that it has signed four separate Securities Purchase Agreements to acquire all membership interests of FarmaceuticalRx LLC, FarmaceuticalRx 2 LLC, CAOH LLC, and Canoe Hill Ohio, LLC. The four ...
Cannabis Workers Win Biggest Strike in U.S. History
BARRY – Employees at Ascend Wellness's Cannabis cultivation facility in Barry, Illinois, ratified their first union contract on July 30, ending a 30-day unfair labor practice strike that the International Brotherhood of Teamsters says was ...
Lazear Advises Medical Cannabis Company Organic Remedies on ESOP Transaction
COLUMBUS, Ohio, July 6, 2026 – Organic Remedies, one of Pennsylvania's leading medical cannabis companies, has completed its transition to 100% employee ownership through an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP), marking another milestone in the ...
Q2 2026: The Quarter That Counted For Psychedelics
LOS ANGELES – Q2 2026 gave the psychedelic medicine sector the quarter that practitioners, investors, and regulators had been building up for years. Clinical programs delivered Phase 3 results, the White House signed an executive ...
California’s Legal Cannabis Market Holds Steady at Midyear
LOS ANGELES – California's licensed retailers generated $323.1 million in Cannabis sales in June, pushing the state's first-half total to nearly $1.95 billion. The June figure landed almost exactly in line with the roughly $322 ...
High Tide Tightens Ownership Guardrails with New Two-Part Rights Plan
CALGARY – High Tide Inc. announced that its board of directors approved a Temporary Shareholder Rights Plan and an Amended and Restated Shareholder Rights Plan, both executed with Olympia Trust Company as Rights Agent, dated ...
FDA Issues Final Guidance on Psychedelic Drug Trials
SILVER SPRING – The FDA published its final guidance titled "Psychedelic Drugs: Considerations for Clinical Investigations" in the Federal Register, finalizing a draft that first appeared in June 2023. Issued by the Center for Drug ...
Vireo Growth Re-Enters Ohio Through Four Concurrent Deals
MINNEAPOLIS – Vireo Growth Inc. announced that it has signed four separate Securities Purchase Agreements to acquire all membership interests of FarmaceuticalRx LLC, FarmaceuticalRx 2 LLC, CAOH LLC, and Canoe Hill Ohio, LLC. The four ...
Cannabis Workers Win Biggest Strike in U.S. History
BARRY – Employees at Ascend Wellness's Cannabis cultivation facility in Barry, Illinois, ratified their first union contract on July 30, ending a 30-day unfair labor practice strike that the International Brotherhood of Teamsters says was ...
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 ...
Texas Regulators Set Age Limit on Hemp-Derived THC Sales
AUSTIN – The Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC) voted unanimously on Tuesday to bar liquor-license holders from selling hemp-derived THC products to customers under 21, marking the state's initial response to Governor Greg Abbott's call ...
High Tide Expands Canna Cabana Footprint in Ontario and Alberta
CALGARY – High Tide, Inc. announced plans to open three new Canna Cabana stores in the coming weeks, adding dispensaries in North York and Etobicoke, Ontario, and Fort McMurray, Alberta. The move pushes the company's ...
