Legal Affairs
New Mexico Allocates $630K for Medical Psilocybin Treatment Equity Fund
SANTA FE – Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham signed the state’s annual budget bill, setting aside $630,000 to create the Medical Psilocybin Treatment Equity Fund and extend access to supervised psilocybin therapy for low-income and rural ...
Vireo Growth and MWBE-Led Ace Venture Announce Strategic Partnership
NEW YORK – Vireo Growth Inc. has struck a deal with minority and women-owned business enterprise (MWBE) of Ace Venture of NY to hand over controlling ownership of its long-running medical Cannabis operations in the ...
Why NECANN Boston Is Becoming a Strategic Growth Engine for Cannabis Brands
BOSTON- If you want to understand where the U.S. Cannabis industry is heading next, look east—and more specifically, look at NECANN Boston. Returning April 24–25 at the Hynes Convention Center, the New England Cannabis Convention ...
Cheech and Chong Ink Distribution Deal with Breakthru
LOS ANGELES – Cheech and Chong’s Global Holding Company has entered a strategic partnership with Breakthru Beverage Group to bring its line of hemp-derived THC drinks to a much broader audience across key U.S. markets. ...
C-Stores Press Ahead with Hemp-Derived Products as Regulations Tighten
LOS ANGELES – Major convenience store operators keep stocking hemp-derived THC beverages and related items on shelves in states where sales remain legal, even as a federal overhaul set to take effect in November 2026 ...
Auxly Reports Q4 and FY 2025 Financial Results
TORONTO – In the Canadian Cannabis industry that continues to reward discipline and brand strength, Auxly Cannabis Group Inc., known for its focus on consumer-packaged goods and leading brands, has posted solid results for the ...
Gilgamesh Pharma Raises $60M to Fund Its Remaining Neuropsychiatric Assets
NEW YORK – Gilgamesh Pharma, the clinical-stage neuroscience company formed last year after AbbVie acquired its predecessor’s lead psychedelic-derived program, announced it had completed an oversubscribed $60 million Series A financing. The round was led ...
New Mexico Allocates $630K for Medical Psilocybin Treatment Equity Fund
SANTA FE – Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham signed the state’s annual budget bill, setting aside $630,000 to create the Medical Psilocybin Treatment Equity Fund and extend access to supervised psilocybin therapy for low-income and rural ...
Vireo Growth and MWBE-Led Ace Venture Announce Strategic Partnership
NEW YORK – Vireo Growth Inc. has struck a deal with minority and women-owned business enterprise (MWBE) of Ace Venture of NY to hand over controlling ownership of its long-running medical Cannabis operations in the ...
Why NECANN Boston Is Becoming a Strategic Growth Engine for Cannabis Brands
BOSTON- If you want to understand where the U.S. Cannabis industry is heading next, look east—and more specifically, look at NECANN Boston. Returning April 24–25 at the Hynes Convention Center, the New England Cannabis Convention ...
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 ...
U.S. Whiskey Consumption Slows as Cannabis and Wellness Trends Gain Traction
LOS ANGELES- Brown‑Forman Corp., producer of Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey, cites three primary factors contributing to reduced whiskey consumption in the U.S.: increasing cannabis use, the popularity of GLP‑1 weight‑loss medications, and softer demand among ...
Trump Administration Supports Psychedelic Research in Mental‑Health Efforts
LOS ANGELES- The Trump administration is showing growing support for research into psychedelics such as MDMA, psilocybin, and ibogaine as potential treatments for mental health conditions. Led by Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert ...
ProStar SEO Identifies Key Google Ranking Factors for Cannabis Businesses
LOS ANGELES- ProStar SEO, a Canadian firm specializing in search engine optimization, has released new insights identifying the most influential Google ranking factors specific to cannabis industry websites. The report, based on a large-scale analysis ...
Michigan Cannabis Retailer to Pay $205K in Settlement Over Workers’ Lost Tips
LOS ANGELES— Federal Judge Matthew Leitman has approved a $205,000 settlement in a lawsuit filed by employees of Timber Cannabis, a seven-location cannabis dispensary chain in Michigan. The lawsuit alleged that management appropriated tips left ...
Malaysia Weighs Cannabis Vaporizer Manufacturing for Export
LOS ANGELES— Malaysia’s Cabinet is set to decide whether to permit the manufacturing of cannabis vaporizer hardware for export, as Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr. Dzulkefly Ahmad confirmed following a multi-agency review. The proposal centers ...
North Carolina Governor Establishes Cannabis Advisory Council Amid Unregulated THC Market
LOS ANGELES- North Carolina Governor Josh Stein has issued an executive order forming a 24–30 member North Carolina Advisory Council on Cannabis to develop policy recommendations aimed at regulating cannabis products and formalizing legalization strategies, ...
Cannabis Stocks Decline as Federal Reform Stalls in U.S
LOS ANGELES- U.S. cannabis stocks have declined sharply as investor enthusiasm dampens amid continued delays in federal reform. The AdvisorShares Pure US Cannabis ETF dropped around 48% in 2024, with company shares like Curaleaf, Verano, ...
AYR Wellness Secures Temporary Waiver in Financing Deal
LOS ANGELES- AYR Wellness Inc. a vertically integrated U.S. multi-state cannabis operator, has entered into a Limited Waiver Agreement with holders of a majority of its senior secured notes . Under this agreement, noteholders temporarily agree ...
Minnesota Awards 249 Cannabis Business Licenses in State’s First Lottery
LOS ANGELES- Minnesota’s Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) held its inaugural lottery on June 5, 2025, awarding 249 provisional licenses for social equity and general applicants across four categories: cultivator, manufacturer, mezzobusiness, and retailer. The ...
Ukraine Advances Medical Cannabis Access with Support from Soros-Affiliated NGOs
LOS ANGELES- Ukraine’s State Service for Medicines and Drug Control issued its first license for importing medical cannabis on June 2, 2025, following the enactment of a law in August 2024 that authorized the use ...
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 ...
Massachusetts House Approves Cannabis Oversight Reform Bill
LOS ANGELES- The Massachusetts House of Representatives has unanimously passed legislation aimed at restructuring the state's cannabis regulatory framework. The bill, designated as H 4187, seeks to address administrative challenges and enhance oversight within the ...
Italy Enacts Security Decree Targeting Protests, Squatting, and Cannabis Industry
LOS ANGELES— Italy's Senate has passed a comprehensive security decree introduced by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's right-wing coalition, intensifying penalties for public demonstrations, unauthorized property occupations, and the commercial sale of certain cannabis products. The ...
Czech Republic Advances Cannabis Decriminalization
LOS ANGELES— The Czech Republic's Chamber of Deputies has approved a significant amendment to the nation's criminal code, decriminalizing the possession and cultivation of cannabis for personal use. The measure permits adults to grow up ...
Ascend Wellness Secures $50 Million Through Private Placement of Senior Secured Notes
LOS ANGELES- Ascend Wellness Holdings, Inc. a multi-state, vertically integrated cannabis operator, has completed a $50 million private placement of its 12.75% senior secured notes due 2029. The notes, issued at 97.5% of face value, ...
Alphabet Soup: Common Acronyms in Cannabis and Why You Need to Know Them
LOS ANGELES- Running a cannabis business means speaking more than the language of cultivation and branding — it means speaking compliance, with all its acronyms. You’ve likely seen a wall of them — ADA, OSHA, ...
Financial and Regulatory Hurdles Challenge New Cannabis Enterprises
LOS ANGELES- Emerging cannabis businesses in the United States are encountering significant barriers to entry, primarily due to financial constraints, complex regulatory environments, and competition from established entities. Access to capital remains a primary obstacle ...
Cannabis Use Among Seniors Sees Significant Uptick
LOS ANGELES- A recent study published in JAMA Internal Medicine highlights a notable increase in cannabis use among U.S. adults aged 65 and older. Data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health indicates ...
