Legal Affairs
California’s Cannabis Promise Remains Unfulfilled: Why Racial Disparities in Cannabis Arrests Continue to Shame the Golden State
SACRAMENTO- Nearly a decade after California voters approved adult-use Cannabis, the state has become one of the world's largest legal Cannabis markets. Billions of dollars have flowed through licensed businesses, thousands of jobs have been ...
FDA Finalizes Psychedelic Drug Guidance and Schedules September Public Hearing
WASHINGTON, D.C., The US FDA has established clearer expectations for psychedelic clinical trials while inviting public input on how the therapies could eventually be delivered in supervised healthcare settings. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration ...
Ascend Wellness Seeks Shareholder Approval for Reverse Stock Split Ahead of Potential Uplisting
NEW YORK – Ascend Wellness Holdings Inc., a vertically integrated multistate Cannabis operator, is preparing for a possible move to a major U.S. stock exchange. The company has filed documents outlining a shareholder vote on ...
Glass House Brands Triggers Warrant Acceleration
LONG BEACH – Glass House Brands Inc., a major player in California Cannabis production and retail, has told holders of warrants issued in two earlier financing rounds that their right to convert those securities into ...
Week in Review: Cannabis & Psychedelics Industry Highlights
LOS ANGELES – Two weeks of headlines confirm a market sorting itself by balance sheet rather than by ambition. Cannabis is consolidating into a smaller circle of disciplined operators, while psychedelics graduate from pilot programs ...
Virginia Lawmakers Send Cannabis Retail Framework to Governor’s Desk
RICHMOND – The Virginia General Assembly approved budget language that sets the terms for a regulated adult-use Сannabis market, sending the measure to Gov. Abigail Spanberger after a year of stalled bills and one rejected ...
Definium Clears Phase 3 Trial for its LSD-Based Depression Treatment
NEW YORK – Definium Therapeutics Inc. announced positive topline data from its Phase 3 Emerge study evaluating DT120, an orally disintegrating tablet (ODT) formulation of pharmaceutical LSD, in adults with major depressive disorder (MDD). The ...
California’s Cannabis Promise Remains Unfulfilled: Why Racial Disparities in Cannabis Arrests Continue to Shame the Golden State
SACRAMENTO- Nearly a decade after California voters approved adult-use Cannabis, the state has become one of the world's largest legal Cannabis markets. Billions of dollars have flowed through licensed businesses, thousands of jobs have been ...
FDA Finalizes Psychedelic Drug Guidance and Schedules September Public Hearing
WASHINGTON, D.C., The US FDA has established clearer expectations for psychedelic clinical trials while inviting public input on how the therapies could eventually be delivered in supervised healthcare settings. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration ...
Ascend Wellness Seeks Shareholder Approval for Reverse Stock Split Ahead of Potential Uplisting
NEW YORK – Ascend Wellness Holdings Inc., a vertically integrated multistate Cannabis operator, is preparing for a possible move to a major U.S. stock exchange. The company has filed documents outlining a shareholder vote on ...
Week In Review: Cannabis & Psychedelics Industry Highlights
LOS ANGELES - Critical compliance issues, market exits, and clinical and regulatory breakthroughs shaped a turbulent week for cannabis and psychedelics businesses. Cannabis Industry Highlights 1.Cresco Labs Exits California, Refocuses on Profitability Cresco Labs confirmed ...
Glass House Brands Tightens Up Compliance After ICE Raids Shake Operations
LOS ANGELES – Glass House Brands Inc. has swiftly moved to strengthen its compliance protocols following federal immigration raids on two of its California farms on July 10. Conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement ...
Canada’s Cannabis Industry Defies Economic Odds
TORONTO – In a striking contrast to Canada’s faltering economy, the legal Cannabis industry continues to flourish, bolstering the nation’s GDP while other sectors struggle. Statistics Canada reports that the licensed cannabis sector grew by ...
Cannabis Giants Grapple with Weak ROIC, Viridian Report Finds
LOS ANGELES – A recent analysis by Viridian Capital Advisors paints a somber picture for the Cannabis industry, projecting that none [!] of the 11 major companies studied will achieve a Return on Invested Capital ...
Aurora Cannabis Inc. Reports 93% Sales Surge & Focus on Medical Market Dominance
OTTAWA – Aurora Cannabis Inc. (ACB), a leading Canadian cannabis producer, has reported a 93% jump in sales for its latest quarter, cementing its position in the medical cannabis market. The Edmonton-based company’s financial results, ...
Cannabis Real Estate Valuations Highlight Sector Dynamics
LOS ANGELES – A recent report from Viridian Capital Advisors sheds light on the valuations of four key players in the U.S. Cannabis real estate sector: Chicago Atlantic and AFC Gamma, the leading specialty lenders, ...
Germany Breaks Ground with EU’s First Psilocybin Compassionate Use Approval
BERLIN – Germany has become the first European Union nation to authorize the compassionate use of psilocybin, the psychoactive compound in magic mushrooms, for patients with treatment-resistant depression (TRD). Under this program, approved by the ...
Golden Gate Park Celebrates Grateful Dead’s Timeless Legacy at 60th Anniversary Show
SAN FRANCISCO – This weekend, August 1-3, Dead & Company will take the stage at Golden Gate Park’s Polo Fields for a monumental three-night concert series commemorating the Grateful Dead’s 60th anniversary. The event, expected ...
Analysis: The Quiet Revolution in U.S. Cannabis: Efficiency Is the New Growth Engine
LOS ANGELES — The U.S. Cannabis industry is evolving—but not in the way headlines suggest. Yes, national retail sales remain strong at a $32 billion annualized pace. And yes, states like New York and Ohio ...
Ayr Wellness Faces Drastic Restructuring as Noteholders Take Control
LOS ANGELES – Ayr Wellness Inc., a prominent player in the U.S. Cannabis industry, is set to undergo a seismic restructuring that could mark the end of the company as it exists today. On July ...
Verano Reimagines Cannabis Retail with Bodega-Style Store in Phoenix
PHOENIX – Verano Holdings Corp., a Chicago-based multistate Cannabis operator, introduced a novel retail concept with its "bodega-style" dispensary at the Zen Leaf Phoenix-Cave Creek location. This innovative store offers a new take on the ...
GTI Launches Señorita’s Ranch Water, Fusing THC and Texas Flair
LOS ANGELES – Green Thumb Industries (GTI) has introduced Señorita’s Ranch Water flavor, a THC-infused, alcohol-free beverage inspired by the iconic West Texas cocktail. Unveiled on July 27, this crisp drink blends sparkling water, real ...
Consumers Demand Clean Label Cannabis, Survey Reveals
LOS ANGELES – A recent survey commissioned by XRPure has uncovered a strong consumer push for cleaner, safer Cannabis products. Conducted among 516 adults, the survey found that an overwhelming 91.7% believe medical Cannabis should ...
Cannabis Rescheduling Omitted from Cole’s Priorities, Raising Questions About Trump’s Stance
LOS ANGELES – In a surprising turn, newly appointed DEA administrator Terrance Cole has sidelined Cannabis rescheduling, despite pledging it as a top priority during his April 2025 Senate Judiciary Committee hearing. According to a ...
New York’s Licensing Blunder
NEW YORK – NY’s adult-use cannabis market, now boasting 436 licensed dispensaries [a 93-store increase since late 2024] has hit a snag. The Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) recently acknowledged a critical error in its ...
Massachusetts Psychiatric Society Backs Psilocybin Decriminalization in Historic Move
BOSTON – In a groundbreaking development for psychedelic policy reform, the Massachusetts Psychiatric Society (MPS) has publicly endorsed legislation to decriminalize psilocybin, marking the first time a branch of the American Psychiatric Association (APA) has ...
THC Levels Vary Across Plant Layers, Study Reveals
BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA – A landmark study published in Scientific Reports by researchers from Pure Sunfarms Corporation has provided the first in-depth analysis of total THC variability in greenhouse-cultivated Cannabis. The research tackles a critical ...
Cannabis Earnings Outlook Dims as Q2 2025 Looms, Latest Analysis
LOS ANGELES – As the Cannabis industry braces for Q2 2025 earnings releases in early August, a sobering picture emerges from Viridian Capital Advisors’ Chart of the Week. Ten of twelve tracked companies are projected ...
Cash, Crime, and Cannabis: Attorneys General Push Congress on SAFER Banking Act
WASHINGTON, D.C.–In a rare show of bipartisan unity, attorneys general from 32 states and U.S. territories issued a pointed appeal to Congress on Thursday: pass the SAFER Banking Act of 2025 — and finally bring ...
Cresco Labs Exits California Cannabis Market in Bold Strategic Pivot
LOS ANGELES – Cresco Labs Inc. (OTCQX: CRLBF), a multistate cannabis operator, announced its withdrawal from California, the world’s largest cannabis market. This move aligns with the company's broader strategic restructuring aimed at stabilizing its ...
Arkansas Activists Blaze Trail for Psychedelic Reform
BENTONVILLE – In the heart of Northwest Arkansas, a group of dedicated activists is pushing to reshape the legal landscape for psychedelics. Decriminalize Nature NW Arkansas, founded in 2023, is leading the charge to decriminalize ...
Kentucky Governor Urges Trump to Honor Campaign Promise on Cannabis Rescheduling
FRANKFORT – Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear (D) has stepped into the national spotlight, urging President Donald Trump to oppose congressional efforts that would halt the federal rescheduling of cannabis from Schedule I to Schedule III ...
The DEA’s Time‑Warp Appointment: Terrance Cole and the Revival of “Reefer Madness”
WASHINGTON, D.C. –Terrance Cole, the newly confirmed Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Administrator, brings a worldview rooted in 1980s-era drug hysteria—one that dismisses decades of research, economic gains from cannabis legalization, and evolving public opinion. ...
Texas Governor Backs Regulation Over Ban in Hemp THC Showdown
DALLAS —Texas Governor Greg Abbott has drawn a firm line in the sand when it comes to the future of the hemp industry in the Lone Star State. In a public statement on July 22, ...
Single Psilocybin Dose Shows Promise in Easing OCD Symptoms, Study Finds
LOS ANGELES – In a pioneering study, researchers from the University of Hertfordshire and Imperial College have uncovered the potential of psilocybin to alleviate symptoms of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Published in Comprehensive Psychiatry on July ...
