Legal Affairs
Michigan Senate Approved 24% Wholesale Cannabis Tax
LANSING – In a late-night session that stretched into the early hours of Friday, October 3, 2025, the Michigan Senate gave final approval to a sweeping state budget that includes a new 24% wholesale tax ...
Verano Pushes Digital Voting as Postal Strike Disrupts Shareholder Materials
CHICAGO – Verano Holdings Corp. is telling investors to submit votes electronically for its special meeting next month, citing delays from Canada's postal workers strike. The company released a statement warning that physical copies of ...
Psilocybin Review Points to Rapid Relief for Treatment-Resistant Depression
LOS ANGELES – A new systematic review of clinical studies underscores psilocybin's potential to deliver quick and lasting reductions in depressive symptoms, offering a targeted option for patients who see little benefit from standard medications. ...
Porter’s Five Forces Unpack Cannabis Sector Pressures: Insights for 2025 Investors
LOS ANGELES – The boards of multi-state operators and decision-makers orchestrating Cannabis deals, investors and analysts, the experts behind cultivation ops in emerging markets and the multilevel executives in our industry often turn to a ...
Trump’s Tariffs Drive Up Costs for U.S. Cannabis Businesses
LOS ANGELES – President Donald Trump's expanded tariff regime, rolled out in stages since February, is delivering a sharp cost increase to the U.S. Cannabis sector, which depends heavily on imported components for cultivation, packaging, ...
Jushi Secures $4M in Revised FVCBank Loan
BOCA RATON – Jushi Holdings Inc. has adjusted the terms of its secured loan with FVCBank, gaining an extra $4 million in funding while pushing back the repayment deadline and trimming interest costs. The changes, ...
Grown Rogue Takes Full Ownership of Illinois Cultivation Project
MEDFORD – Grown Rogue International Inc. has acquired the remaining 30% stake in its Illinois subsidiary, Rogue EBC LLC, for $1.5 million. The transaction, announced Sunday, brings the company's ownership to 100% and clears the ...
Michigan Senate Approved 24% Wholesale Cannabis Tax
LANSING – In a late-night session that stretched into the early hours of Friday, October 3, 2025, the Michigan Senate gave final approval to a sweeping state budget that includes a new 24% wholesale tax ...
Verano Pushes Digital Voting as Postal Strike Disrupts Shareholder Materials
CHICAGO – Verano Holdings Corp. is telling investors to submit votes electronically for its special meeting next month, citing delays from Canada's postal workers strike. The company released a statement warning that physical copies of ...
Psilocybin Review Points to Rapid Relief for Treatment-Resistant Depression
LOS ANGELES – A new systematic review of clinical studies underscores psilocybin's potential to deliver quick and lasting reductions in depressive symptoms, offering a targeted option for patients who see little benefit from standard medications. ...
Week In Review: Arkansas Governor Proposes Funding Free School Meals with Medical Cannabis Tax Revenue; Biden Commutes Sentences of Nearly 2,500 Nonviolent Drug Offenders; Hemp-Derived CBD Market Set to Expand Significantly by 2034
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 In Review: Vireo Growth Inc. Secures $75 Million Financing and Acquires Four Cannabis Operators; Minnesota Approves Hemp Seed Meal for Laying Hens Agrify Divests Cultivation Business to Focus on THC Beverages; Aurora Cannabis Expands Distribution in Australia
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 In Review: Cansortium Completes Merger with RIV Capital; Cannabis Industry Forecast for 2025: A Year of Transformation; MariMed Launches Wholesale Cannabis Operations in Missouri; Aurora Cannabis Expands Distribution in Australia
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 In Review: Bipartisan Legislation for Expungement of Pardoned Federal Offenses; Trump’s Appointments & Future of Federal Cannabis Policy; Federal Restrictions on Cannabis Sales in Washington
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 ...
Portugal Eyes Leadership Role in Global Medical Cannabis Market
LOS ANGELES- Portugal is positioning itself as a significant player in the medical cannabis industry, leveraging its favorable climate and regulatory framework to boost production and exports. In 2023, the country exported nearly 12,000 kilograms ...
Hemp Industry Anticipates Expansion
LOS ANGELES- The U.S. Hemp Roundtable, a leading advocacy organization for the hemp sector, has strengthened its leadership by appointing two prominent figures from the hemp beverage industry. In September 2024, Art Massolo, Vice President ...
Federal Restrictions on Cannabis Sales in Washington
LOS ANGELES- A coalition of Republican lawmakers and Washington, D.C. officials is advocating for the removal of federal restrictions that prevent the District from regulating and taxing cannabis sales. During a recent House Appropriations subcommittee ...
Illinois Cannabis Market Leads in Diversity with 100th Social Equity Dispensary
LOS ANGELES- In July 2024, Illinois marked a significant milestone by opening its 100th social equity-owned cannabis dispensary, underscoring the state's commitment to fostering diversity within the industry. A comprehensive study by the Cannabis Regulation ...
Massachusetts Cannabis Market Sees Surge in Strain Diversity
LOS ANGELES- As of December 2024, Massachusetts' legal cannabis market boasts 740 active strains, marking a 29% increase from the 572 strains available in December 2023 and an 84% rise from 401 strains in December ...
Arizona Cannabis Sales and Tax Revenue: Recent Trends and Milestones
LOS ANGELES- In October 2024, Arizona's cannabis industry experienced a modest rebound, with recreational marijuana sales reaching $75.3 million, up from $67.3 million in September. Despite this month-over-month increase, sales remained below the previous year's ...
Trump’s Appointments and the Future of Federal Cannabis Policy
LOS ANGELES- The Trump administration’s recent appointments have raised questions about the trajectory of federal cannabis policy. With nominees holding diverse views on legalization and regulation, the decisions made in the coming months will play ...
Oh Cannabis, An Industry Is Yet To Land…
TORONTO—It didn’t have to be this way. I mean, in spite of what so many whinge and whine about, Canada had a lot to leverage. Canada is pretty big, with a population of about 40 ...
Dennis Peron: The Gay Revolutionary Who Pioneered Medical Cannabis in America
SAN FRANCISCO-Dennis Peron, the "Father of Medical Marijuana," is a towering figure in the history of cannabis advocacy. His relentless dedication to compassion and justice not only changed the lives of countless patients but also ...
Bipartisan Legislation Introduced to Facilitate Expungement of Pardoned Federal Offenses
LOS ANGELES- On November 22, 2024, Representative Kelly Armstrong (R-ND) introduced H.R. 10248, known as the Weldon Angelos Presidential Pardon Expungements Act, in the U.S. House of Representatives. The bill, which has been referred to ...
Global Developments in Cannabis Legalization in 2023
LOS ANGELES- In 2023, several countries made significant strides in cannabis legalization, reflecting a global shift in drug policy. Germany's Legislative Progress Germany advanced toward legalizing cannabis for adult use, aiming to become the European ...
RIV Capital’s Revenue Doubles Amid New York Cannabis Market Expansion
LOS ANGELES- RIV Capital Inc. reported a significant increase in net revenue for the third quarter ending September 30, 2024, achieving $4.9 million—a 28% rise from the previous quarter and a 186% surge compared to ...
Cannabis Industry Faces Rising Threat of Ransomware Attacks
LOS ANGELES- The cannabis industry is increasingly becoming a target for ransomware attacks, with the Everest Ransomware group recently focusing on this sector. In November 2024, two cannabis operators were listed as victims on Everest's ...
Michigan Transfers Hemp Regulation to USDA
LOS ANGELES- Michigan has concluded its state-managed industrial hemp program, transitioning regulatory oversight to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) effective January 1, 2025. This shift, prompted by the enactment of House Bill 5977, dissolves ...
Psychedelic Drugs Market Poised for Growth: From $0.7B in 2022 to $2.6B by 2032
The global psychedelic drugs market is projected to expand from $0.7 billion in 2022 to $2.6 billion by 2032, reflecting a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 13.4%.According to Allied Market Research This growth is ...
Oklahoma to Launch State-Run Cannabis Testing Lab for Industry Oversight by February 2025
LOS ANGELES- Oklahoma is preparing to launch a state-operated cannabis testing laboratory in February 2025, aiming to enhance the accuracy and reliability of product assessments within the state's medical cannabis industry. This initiative addresses longstanding ...
Climate First Bank Introduces Cannabis-Focused Financial Services in Florida
LOS ANGELES- Climate First Bank, headquartered in Orlando, Florida, has introduced specialized banking services tailored for the cannabis industry. This initiative aims to address the financial challenges faced by cannabis businesses, particularly in accessing traditional ...
Florida’s Cannabis Legalization Measure Fails Despite Majority Support
LOS ANGELES- In the recent election, Florida's Amendment 3, which proposed the legalization of recreational cannabis for adults aged 21 and over, received 56% voter support. However, it fell short of the 60% supermajority required ...
DEA Postpones Cannabis Rescheduling Hearings to 2025
LOS ANGELES-The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has postponed its hearings on the proposed rescheduling of cannabis under the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) to early 2025. The delay follows a preliminary order from Chief Administrative ...
The Vegas Classic: A Premier B2B Networking Event in Partnership with MJBiz
LAS VEGAS- As the cannabis industry continues to evolve and expand, networking, collaboration, and innovative partnerships are more critical than ever. That’s why we’re incredibly excited to introduce The Vegas Classic, an exclusive B2B networking ...
Ohio Legislature Considers Ban on Intoxicating Hemp Products
LOS ANGELES- Ohio lawmakers are evaluating Senate Bill 326, introduced by State Senator Steve Huffman (R-Tipp City), which aims to prohibit the sale of intoxicating hemp products. The proposed legislation defines such products as those ...
