Legal Affairs
Medicare’s CBD Shift Signals Validation—But a Looming Hemp Ban Clouds the Path for Seniors
NEW YORK- For decades, seniors managing chronic pain, inflammation, anxiety, or sleep disruption have relied largely on pharmaceuticals—often with long lists of side effects. That landscape is starting to change. Medicare is preparing to recognize cannabidiol ...
DEA Increases Psychedelics Production Quotas for 2026
WASHINGTON – The Drug Enforcement Administration has approved expanded production limits for key psychedelics, setting the stage for increased scientific inquiry into substances like psilocybin and DMT next year. In a final order published Monday ...
Indiana Republicans Propose Statewide Oversight for Craft Hemp Market
INDIANAPOLIS – Three Republican members of the Indiana House introduced legislation this week to impose a structured permitting system on the sale and distribution of craft hemp products, a category that includes flower, beverages and ...
Mid-Cap Cannabis Operators Face Liquidity Pressures Despite Solid Leverage, Viridian Report Finds
LOS ANGELES – Public Cannabis companies with $25-100 million market values are navigating a patchwork of financial strengths and vulnerabilities, according to the latest Weekly Credit Report from Viridian Capital Advisors. It tracks eight U.S.-based ...
Ascend Wellness Partners with Cannabis Advocate for New Dispensary in New Jersey
NEW YORK – Ascend Wellness Holdings Inc. disclosed a partnership with Mister Jones LLC and industry advocate Lerone Jones to launch a retail dispensary in Little Falls, NJ. The arrangement, one of the initial deals ...
Grown Rogue Claims Ground in Minnesota
MINNEAPOLIS – Grown Rogue International Inc., a Сannabis MSO focused on premium flower, has signed a long-term lease for a 109,000-square-foot facility in Fridley, just north of Minneapolis, positioning the company to produce for the ...
New Mexico Speeds Up Psilocybin Therapy Access
SANTA FE – State health leaders in New Mexico outlined plans this week to open a regulated psilocybin therapy program by the close of 2026, advancing the timeline a full year from the original statutory ...
Medicare’s CBD Shift Signals Validation—But a Looming Hemp Ban Clouds the Path for Seniors
NEW YORK- For decades, seniors managing chronic pain, inflammation, anxiety, or sleep disruption have relied largely on pharmaceuticals—often with long lists of side effects. That landscape is starting to change. Medicare is preparing to recognize cannabidiol ...
DEA Increases Psychedelics Production Quotas for 2026
WASHINGTON – The Drug Enforcement Administration has approved expanded production limits for key psychedelics, setting the stage for increased scientific inquiry into substances like psilocybin and DMT next year. In a final order published Monday ...
Indiana Republicans Propose Statewide Oversight for Craft Hemp Market
INDIANAPOLIS – Three Republican members of the Indiana House introduced legislation this week to impose a structured permitting system on the sale and distribution of craft hemp products, a category that includes flower, beverages and ...
Calgary Considers Permitting Cannabis Sales at Adult-Only Events
LOS ANGELES- Calgary city officials are evaluating a proposal to permit the sale of cannabis at adult-only events. Councillor Kourtney Penner has introduced a motion requesting city administration to draft bylaw and business license amendments ...
Aurora Cannabis Reports Record Revenue Driven by International Medical Sales
LOS ANGELES- Aurora Cannabis Inc. has announced a significant increase in revenue for its fiscal third quarter, primarily due to substantial growth in international medical cannabis sales. The company's total net revenue reached C$88.2 million, ...
Arkansas Senate Advances Bill to Fund Free School Breakfasts Using Medical Cannabis Revenue
LOS ANGELES- The Arkansas Senate has approved a bill to allocate revenue from medical cannabis taxes to fund free breakfasts for students statewide. The legislation, designated as SB 59, proposes supplementing federal meal programs with ...
New York’s Cannabis Regulatory Body Introduces Banking Directory
LOS ANGELES- The New York Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) has launched a Cannabis Banking Directory to assist licensed cannabis businesses in identifying financial institutions willing to provide banking services. This initiative aims to mitigate ...
Tennessee Lawmakers Introduce Bills to Legalize Recreational and Medical Cannabis
LOS ANGELES- Tennessee legislators have introduced two separate bills aimed at legalizing both recreational and medical cannabis use within the state. Recreational Use Legislation: Senate Bill 0809, known as the Tennessee Cannabis Act, was introduced ...
Awakn Life Sciences Advances Therapeutics for Substance Use and Mental Health Disorders
LOS ANGELES- Awakn Life Sciences Corp. a biotechnology company, has reported progress in its research and development programs targeting Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). AWKN-001: This investigational therapy combines intravenous ketamine ...
Cannabis Brands Leverage for Marketing Amid Advertising Restrictions
LOS ANGELES- The Super Bowl presents a significant opportunity for cannabis businesses to enhance brand and product awareness, despite existing advertising limitations. While traditional advertising channels during the Super Bowl remain inaccessible to cannabis companies ...
Aurora Cannabis Reports Record-Breaking Q3 2025 Financial Results
LOS ANGELES- Aurora Cannabis Inc. announced its fiscal third-quarter 2025 results, highlighting significant growth in revenue and profitability. Financial Highlights: Net Revenue: The company reported net revenue of C$88.2 million for the quarter ending December ...
Enveric Biosciences Executes Reverse Stock Split and Announces Patent Milestone
LOS ANGELES- Enveric Biosciences, Inc. recently implemented a 1-for-15 reverse stock split, effective January 29, 2025, to comply with Nasdaq's minimum bid price requirement. Following the split, the company conducted a public offering, raising $5 ...
Kentucky Issues Initial Medical Cannabis Patient Identification Cards
LOS ANGELES- Kentucky commenced the distribution of its first medical cannabis patient identification cards. Governor Andy Beshear awarded the inaugural cards to Dr. Ryan Grell, an anesthesiologist and owner of the Kentucky Medical Marijuana Center, ...
Paraguay Considers Legalizing Recreational Cannabis
LOS ANGELES- Paraguay is evaluating the legalization of recreational cannabis, with the Senate scheduled to vote on a proposal in March 2025. The initiative aims to permit the sale of cannabis in regulated dispensaries, under ...
Prospects of Executive Action on Cannabis Under the Trump Administration
LOS ANGELES- As of early February 2025, there is no indication that President Donald Trump plans to sign an executive order directly impacting the cannabis industry. While President Trump has previously expressed support for reclassifying ...
Frontier Risk Group Secures $3 Million in Seed+ Funding
LOS ANGELES- Frontier Risk Group, a company specializing in insurance solutions for the cannabis industry, has announced the successful completion of a $3 million Seed+ funding round. This round was led by Casa Verde, a ...
Nanotechnology-Enhanced CBD Demonstrates Neuroprotective Effects in Retinal Study
LOS ANGELES- A study published in the European Journal of Pharmacology investigated the neuroprotective properties of cannabidiol (CBD) delivered via nanotechnology in an animal model of retinal excitotoxicity. Researchers from the University of Catania, University ...
Texas Lieutenant Governor Prioritizes THC Ban in 2025 Legislative Agenda
LOS ANGELES- Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick has designated the prohibition of all consumable tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) products as a primary objective for Texas' 2025 legislative session. Senate Bill 3, introduced on January 29, 2025, aims to ...
Maine Proposes Mandatory Testing for Medical Cannabis
LOS ANGELES- A new bill introduced in the Maine Legislature seeks to implement mandatory testing for medical cannabis products, aligning them with the state's existing standards for recreational cannabis. Sponsored by Representative Marc Malon and ...
What You Need to Know About Mergers, Acquisitions, and Consolidation
LOS ANGELES—Every CFO needs to know that navigating mergers, acquisitions, and consolidation in cannabis and psychedelics industries requires a deep understanding of business valuation complexities and strategic deal-making. Effective M&A strategies are crucial to driving ...
A Celebration of Cannabis Culture and Commerce: Hall of Flowers Returns to Ventura
LOS ANGELES-Hall of Flowers, one of America’s premier cannabis trade shows, founded in 2018, is poised to make a grand return to the Ventura County Fairgrounds on March 19-20, 2025. This event has become a ...
What You Need to Know About Capital Investment Strategies
LOS ANGELES—Every CFO needs to know that strategic capital investment in the cannabis and psychedelic industries requires a nuanced approach that balances innovation, risk management, and potential. As the market continues to transform and unfold, ...
Indiana House Blocks Cannabis Reclassification
LOS ANGELES- On January 27, 2025, the Indiana House of Representatives voted down an amendment to House Bill 1056 that sought to remove cannabis from the state's list of Schedule I controlled substances. The amendment, ...
Rastafarians Lead Caribbean Cannabis Boom
LOS ANGELES- In recent years, St. Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) has witnessed a transformative shift in its cannabis industry, particularly benefiting Rastafarian farmers who have long regarded the plant as sacred. Historically, these cultivators ...
Florida’s Cannabis Market Sees Shift as Smaller Operators Capture Market Share
LOS ANGELES- In Florida's evolving medical cannabis landscape, smaller operators are making significant inroads, challenging the dominance of established multi-state operators (MSOs). Despite the state's stringent vertical integration requirements—which mandate that Medical Marijuana Treatment Centers ...
Hawaii Lawmakers Renew Push to Legalize Adult-Use Cannabis with Constitutional Amendment Proposal
LOS ANGELES- Hawaii lawmakers introduced House Bill 519, proposing a constitutional amendment to legalize recreational cannabis for adults aged 21 and over. The bill seeks to amend Article IX of the Hawaii State Constitution, allowing ...
Tacoma City Council Decriminalizes Natural Psychedelics
LOS ANGELES- The Tacoma City Council in Washington State unanimously approved a resolution to decriminalize natural psychedelics, including substances containing tryptamines, phenethylamines, and indolamines. This legislative action designates the enforcement of laws against these entheogenic ...
Rhode Island Proposes Psilocybin Legalization and State-Regulated Therapy Program Pending Federal Rescheduling
LOS ANGELES- In January 2025, Rhode Island lawmakers introduced House Bill 5186, aiming to legalize psilocybin possession and cultivation for personal use. The bill proposes that individuals be allowed to cultivate psilocybin within their residences ...
