Legal Affairs
Trump Administration Proposes Elimination of Federal Protections for State Medical Cannabis Programs
LOS ANGELES- The Trump administration's fiscal year 2026 budget proposal includes the removal of a longstanding provision that prohibits the Department of Justice (DOJ) from using federal funds to interfere with state-legal medical cannabis programs. ...
Psychedelic Drugs Market Projects Significant Growth Through 2029
LOS ANGELES- The global psychedelic drugs market is projected to experience substantial growth, with estimates indicating an increase from $6.39 billion in 2025 to $11.93 billion by 2029, reflecting a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) ...
Village Farms Completes Divestiture of Fresh Produce Business to Focus on Cannabis
LOS ANGELES- Village Farms International Inc. has finalized the transaction to privatize its fresh produce operations, marking a strategic shift to concentrate on its cannabis ventures. The deal, completed on May 30, 2025, involves the ...
Curaleaf and Jupiter Research Obtain EU Certification for Medical Cannabis Inhalation Device
LOS ANGELES- Curaleaf International, in collaboration with Jupiter Research LLC, a subsidiary of TILT Holdings Inc., has secured European Union (EU) medical device certification for a handheld liquid inhalation device designed for precise medical cannabis ...
Thailand Implements Stricter Cannabis Regulations
LOS ANGELES- Thailand is set to enforce stricter controls on cannabis sales following a notable increase in smuggling attempts, particularly involving foreign tourists. The Ministry of Public Health announced that, within approximately 40 days, cannabis ...
Indigenous Tribes Expand Presence in U.S. Cannabis and Hemp Sectors
LOS ANGELES- A recent analysis by the Indigenous Cannabis Industry Association (ICIA) and law firm Vicente LLP reveals that approximately 26% of the 358 federally recognized Indigenous communities in the continental United States are now ...
Colorado Court Dismisses Mammoth Farms’ Lawsuit Against Marijuana Enforcement Division
LOS ANGELES- A Denver District Court has dismissed a lawsuit filed by Mammoth Farms against the Colorado Marijuana Enforcement Division (MED), ruling that the cannabis cultivator must pursue regulatory changes through administrative channels rather than ...
Trump Administration Proposes Elimination of Federal Protections for State Medical Cannabis Programs
LOS ANGELES- The Trump administration's fiscal year 2026 budget proposal includes the removal of a longstanding provision that prohibits the Department of Justice (DOJ) from using federal funds to interfere with state-legal medical cannabis programs. ...
Psychedelic Drugs Market Projects Significant Growth Through 2029
LOS ANGELES- The global psychedelic drugs market is projected to experience substantial growth, with estimates indicating an increase from $6.39 billion in 2025 to $11.93 billion by 2029, reflecting a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) ...
Village Farms Completes Divestiture of Fresh Produce Business to Focus on Cannabis
LOS ANGELES- Village Farms International Inc. has finalized the transaction to privatize its fresh produce operations, marking a strategic shift to concentrate on its cannabis ventures. The deal, completed on May 30, 2025, involves the ...
Bipartisan Lawmakers Push for MDMA Therapy for PTSD as FDA Decision Looms
LOS ANGELES- In a rare show of bipartisanship, 80 members of Congress have united to urge President Joe Biden and the FDA to prioritize research on MDMA-assisted therapy for treating post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The ...
Morocco Pardons 5,000 for Illegal Cannabis Cultivation in Push Toward Legal Market
LOS ANGELES- Morocco’s King Mohammed VI has pardoned nearly 5,000 individuals previously convicted or wanted for illegal cannabis cultivation, a move aimed at facilitating the transition to the legal cannabis market. The royal pardon is ...
Willow Biosciences Posts Record Revenue in Q2
LOS ANGELES- Willow Biosciences Inc. a synthetic biology company specializing in pharmaceutical ingredients, reported record revenue of $1 million for the second quarter of 2024, a 660% increase compared to the same period last year. ...
New York Cannabis Market Report Highlights Progress and Challenges
LOS ANGELES- New York state officials released a comprehensive report this week, reviewing the progress made in the three years since the state's cannabis legalization law was signed by then-Governor Andrew Cuomo in 2021. The ...
Week’s In Review: Federal Policy Uncertainty Continues to Challenge U.S. Cannabis Industry; LeafLink Acquires Leaf Trade to Enhance Cannabis Wholesale Platform; Canopy Growth Appoints New CEO Amid Financial Challenges; New York’s Legal Cannabis Sales Approach $1 Billion Milestone
LOS ANGELES — Welcome to the far too-exciting world of cannabis and psychedelics, where it’s a tale of two markets with some states doing amazingly well. And some, well...they're not doing so well (hello New ...
Week’s In Review: GOP Senator Calls for Comprehensive Cannabis Reform, Criticizes Partial Measures; MAPS Wins FDA Approval for Clinical Trials of Medical Cannabis; Curaleaf Secures Massachusetts’ First Cannabis Research License
LOS ANGELES — Welcome to the far too-exciting world of cannabis and psychedelics, where it’s a tale of two markets with some states doing amazingly well. And some, well...they're not doing so well (hello New ...
Week’s In Review: How Do You Target the Right SEC-Accredited Investors in Cannabis?; Amethyst Health Secures Conditional Medical Cannabis License in New York; California’s Cannabis Excise Tax Set to Increase Amid Industry Concerns
LOS ANGELES — Welcome to the far too-exciting world of cannabis and psychedelics, where it’s a tale of two markets with some states doing amazingly well. And some, well...they're not doing so well (hello New ...
Week’s In Review: Trump’s Return to Office: What it Means for the Cannabis Industry; Planet 13 Launches Initiative to Support Florida Veterans and First Responders with Medical Cannabis Access; Mixed Results for Cannabis Initiatives in U.S. States; Texas Voters Approve Local Cannabis Decriminalization in Dallas, Bastrop, and Lockhart
LOS ANGELES — Welcome to the far too-exciting world of cannabis and psychedelics, where it’s a tale of two markets with some states doing amazingly well. And some, well...they're not doing so well (hello New ...
Week’s In Review: Criticism Mounts Over New York’s Social Equity Cannabis Fund for High Costs and Limited Impact; Arizona to Launch Recreational Cannabis Home Delivery; DeSantis Uses Opioid Settlement Funds for Anti-Cannabis Ads Ahead of Ballot Initiative
LOS ANGELES — Welcome to the far too-exciting world of cannabis and psychedelics, where it’s a tale of two markets with some states doing amazingly well. And some, well...they're not doing so well (hello New ...
Week’s In Review: Alabama Judge Appoints Mediator in Medical Cannabis Licensing Dispute; Ascend Wellness Shares Climb 5.3% Amid Low Trading Volume; Unlicensed New York Cannabis Retailer Hit with $9.5 Million Judgment
LOS ANGELES–Welcome to the far too-exciting world of cannabis and psychedelics, where it’s a tale of two markets with some states doing amazingly well. And some, well...they're not doing so well (hello New York). Let's ...
Week’s In Review: Cannabis Industry Poised for $112 Billion Impact in 2024; New York Opens Applications for $5 Million Cannabis-Funded Community Grants Program; Tennessee Introduces New Regulations for Hemp Product Sales
LOS ANGELES–Welcome to the far too-exciting world of cannabis and psychedelics, where it’s a tale of two markets with some states doing amazingly well. And some, well...they're not doing so well (hello New York). Let's ...
Week’s In Review: New Hampshire Senate Blocks Cannabis Greenhouse Bill Despite Overwhelming House Support; Tilray Reports 13% Decline in Cannabis Revenue for Q1 FY25; Missouri Health Department Requests $877K to Enforce Hemp Product Ban
LOS ANGELES–Welcome to the far too-exciting world of cannabis and psychedelics, where it’s a tale of two markets with some states doing amazingly well. And some, well...they're not doing so well (hello New York). Let's ...
Week’s In Review: New York Cannabis Market Report Highlights Progress and Challenges; TerrAscend Secures Additional $26 Million in Loan Draw to Pay Down High-Interest Debt; Harris’s Comments Over Cannabis Reform in the 2024 Presidential Race; FBI Data: Over 200,000 Arrests for Cannabis Possession in 2023
LOS ANGELES–Welcome to the far too-exciting world of cannabis and psychedelics, where it’s a tale of two markets with some states doing amazingly well. And some, well...they're not doing so well (hello New York). Let's ...
Week’s In Review: California Permits Lounges; Los Angeles County Targets Unlicensed Cannabis Dispensaries with “Deplatforming” Motion; California Bans Hemp-Derived THC Products Amid Regulatory Concerns; California’s New Hemp Regulations Raise Concerns for Industry and Consumers
LOS ANGELES–Welcome to the far too-exciting world of cannabis and psychedelics, where it’s a tale of two markets with some states doing amazingly well. And some, well...they're not doing so well (hello New York). Let's ...
Week’s In Review: South Carolina AG Confirms Legality of Hemp-Derived THC Beverages; COMPASS Pathways Receives Analyst Ratings; Pennsylvania Lawmakers Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Legalize Recreational Cannabis.
LOS ANGELES–Welcome to the far too-exciting world of cannabis and psychedelics, where it’s a tale of two markets with some states doing amazingly well. And some, well...they're not doing so well (hello New York). Let's ...
Week’s In Review: Green Thumb Secures $150 Million Syndicated Credit Facility; FDA Consideration of Psilocybin Therapy Could Impact Millions of Depression Patients; Cannabis Sector Volatility Deepens After DEA Rescheduling Delay
LOS ANGELES–Welcome to the far too-exciting world of cannabis and psychedelics, where it’s a tale of two markets with some states doing amazingly well. And some, well...they're not doing so well (hello New York). Let's ...
Week’s In Review: Ohio Recreational Cannabis Sales Reach Over $44 Million in First Month; DEA Reclassification of Cannabis Raises Regulatory Questions for States; Michigan Cannabis Prices Reach Historic Lows Amid Market Oversupply
LOS ANGELES–Welcome to the far too-exciting world of cannabis and psychedelics, where it’s a tale of two markets with some states doing amazingly well. And some, well...they're not doing so well (hello New York). Let's ...
Week’s In Review: Curaleaf Reports Revenue Growth in Q2 2024; DEA’s Postponement of Cannabis Rescheduling Raises Uncertainty for Industry; Pakistan Enters Global Hemp Market with Plans for 2025 Cultivation
LOS ANGELES–Welcome to the far too-exciting world of cannabis and psychedelics, where it’s a tale of two markets with some states doing amazingly well. And some, well...they're not doing so well (hello New York). Let's ...
Week’s In Review: TerrAscend Corp. Announces $10 Million Share Buyback Program; Bipartisan Lawmakers Push for MDMA Therapy for PTSD as FDA Decision Looms; Verano Acquires Cannabist Company’s Operations in Arizona and Virginia for $105 Million
LOS ANGELES–Welcome to the far too-exciting world of cannabis and psychedelics, where it’s a tale of two markets with some states doing amazingly well. And some, well...they're not doing so well (hello New York). Let's ...
Ascend Wellness Expands Recreational Cannabis Sales in Ohio
LOS ANGELES- Ascend Wellness Holdings, Inc. a cannabis operator, announced the expansion of recreational cannabis sales in Ohio to its fifth dispensary in Carroll. The move comes after the company successfully transitioned four other locations—Cincinnati, ...
Maine Regulators Reject Plan to Report High Electricity Usage to Law Enforcement
LOS ANGELES- Maine's Public Utilities Commission has rejected a proposal that would have allowed electric utilities to report high electricity usage to law enforcement as a possible indicator of illegal cannabis cultivation. The measure, proposed ...
California Seizes Over $120 Million in Illegal Cannabis Since January
LOS ANGELES- The Governor’s Unified Cannabis Enforcement Task Force (UCETF) announced this month that it has seized over $120 million worth of illegal cannabis since the beginning of 2024. The task force’s operations also led ...
Industrial Hemp Market Forecasted to Grow by $13.90 Billion by 2028
LOS ANGELES- The industrial hemp market is projected to grow by USD 13.90 billion between 2023 and 2028, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 25.25%. The expansion is largely driven by increasing demand ...
SNDL to Acquire Remaining Nova Cannabis Shares for $40 Million
LOS ANGELES- SNDL Inc. has announced plans to acquire the remaining 34.8% of Nova Cannabis Inc. shares that it does not already own in a deal valued at approximately C$40 million. The transaction will consolidate ...
Verano Acquires Cannabist Company’s Operations in Arizona and Virginia for $105 Million
LOS ANGELES- Verano Holdings Corp., a major multi-state cannabis operator, has announced agreements to acquire the Arizona and Virginia operations of The Cannabist Company Holdings Inc. The $105 million deal positions Verano to enter the ...