Legal Affairs
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 ...
Minnesota OCM Opens New Window for Hemp Edible Licenses
ST. PAUL – The Minnesota Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) began accepting applications again on April 1 for three types of lower-potency hemp edible (LPHE) business licenses: retailer, manufacturer and wholesaler. OCM Executive Director Eric ...
Virginia Moves Toward Adult-Use Cannabis Sales While U.S. Policy Remains Uneven
RICHMOND- Virginia may finally close one of the most unusual gaps in U.S. Cannabis policy. Lawmakers in the Virginia General Assembly have approved legislation to establish a regulated adult-use Cannabis retail market and sent the ...
Week in Review: Cannabis & Psychedelics Industry Highlights
LOS ANGELES – The Cannabis and Psychedelics sectors delivered clear signals of financial stability, policy refinement, consumer-driven changes, and therapeutic expansion. State-level sales held firm in key markets, major MSOs shared Q4 and FY 2025 ...
Starting a Cannabis Business: The Real-World Founder Guide for an Industry That Gives You ZERO Margin for Error
LOS ANGELES - Starting any business is hard. Starting a Cannabis business is harder. A founder in a typical startup may need to deal with branding, hiring, websites, customer acquisition, and cash flow. A founder ...
LEGAL UPDATE: California Cannabis & Hemp Industry: What Operators & Investors Need to Know
LOS ANGELES- California’s cannabis and hemp markets are navigating a perfect storm of declining retail sales, shifting local tax policies, and a federal hemp reckoning that could reshape the competitive landscape for years to come. ...
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 ...
Minnesota OCM Opens New Window for Hemp Edible Licenses
ST. PAUL – The Minnesota Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) began accepting applications again on April 1 for three types of lower-potency hemp edible (LPHE) business licenses: retailer, manufacturer and wholesaler. OCM Executive Director Eric ...
Trulieve Files Defamation Lawsuit Against Florida GOP Over Cannabis Legalization Ads
LOS ANGELES- Trulieve, Florida's largest medical cannabis operator, filed a defamation lawsuit against the Republican Party of Florida on Wednesday, accusing the party of spreading misleading advertisements about Amendment 3. The amendment, which will appear ...
StateHouse Goes Into Receivership With $100 mm In Debt
LOS ANGELES- Pelorus Fund REIT has filed a request with a California court to place StateHouse Holdings, a vertically integrated cannabis operator, into receivership following the company’s default on four loans. Pelorus, a private mortgage ...
Arkansas Supreme Court Orders Continuation of Signature Count for Cannabis Expansion Ballot Initiative
LOS ANGELES- The Arkansas Supreme Court has ordered Secretary of State John Thurston to continue counting approximately 18,000 signatures for a proposed medical cannabis expansion initiative, despite his earlier decision to invalidate them due to ...
MAPS Wins FDA Approval for Clinical Trials of Medical Cannabis
SAN JOSE-- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Division of Psychiatry Products has cleared the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS)’ Phase 2 study of smoked cannabis in Veterans for the treatment of PTSD ...
How Advanced Nutrients is Unlocking Profit Potential for Cultivators
LOS ANGELES — In the competitive world of cannabis cultivation, plant health has become synonymous with profitability. As the industry matures and consumer expectations rise, the pressure on cultivators to consistently produce high-quality cannabis has ...
Arizona Court Rules THC Metabolites Alone Cannot Justify License Suspension
LOS ANGELES- The Arizona Court of Appeals has ruled that the presence of THC metabolites in a driver’s bloodstream is not sufficient grounds for suspending their driver’s license unless the driver is shown to be ...
TerrAscend Secures Additional $26 Million in Loan Draw to Pay Down High-Interest Debt
LOS ANGELES- TerrAscend Corp. a North American cannabis company, has completed a second draw of $26 million as part of its senior secured term loan, bringing the total gross proceeds to $140 million. The loan, ...
Georgia’s Hemp Industry Faces New Regulations
LOS ANGELES- The Georgia Hemp Farming Act, which introduces new age restrictions and regulations for hemp products, took effect on October 1. The law prohibits the sale, purchase, and possession of consumable hemp products for ...
California Legalizes Cannabis Cafes
LOS ANGELES- California Governor Gavin Newsom has signed a bill legalizing cannabis cafes, where consumers can enjoy cannabis alongside food, drinks, and live performances. This move, which aligns California with cannabis cafe models seen in ...
Ohio Recreational Cannabis Sales Exceed $76.2 Million in Under Two Months
LOS ANGELES- Recreational cannabis sales in Ohio have surpassed $76.2 million since launching in early August, according to data from the Ohio Department of Commerce’s Division of Cannabis Control (DCC). As of September 21, sales ...
Vermont Halts New Cannabis Retail Licenses
LOS ANGELES- Vermont's Cannabis Control Board has temporarily stopped accepting new retail cannabis license applications, citing concerns about market saturation in certain regions. The pause, which takes effect on October 25, comes after issuing just ...
California Legalizes Cannabis Lounges: A Win for the Cannabis Industry and Leaders like Urbana
LOS ANGELES — In a landmark decision for California’s cannabis industry, Governor Gavin Newsom has officially signed AB 1775 into law, allowing the creation of cannabis consumption lounges throughout the state. This move is set ...
FBI Data: Over 200,000 Arrests for Cannabis Possession in 2023
LOS ANGELES- Despite growing momentum for cannabis legalization in the U.S., over 200,000 people were arrested for cannabis possession in 2023, according to new data from the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reporting system. The report, which ...
Harris’s Comments Over Cannabis Reform in the 2024 Presidential Race
LOS ANGELES- Harris's comments come amid a broader debate over cannabis reform in the 2024 presidential race. While Democratic vice-presidential nominee Tim Walz has suggested that cannabis legalization should be handled by individual states, Harris's ...
Los Angeles County Targets Unlicensed Cannabis Dispensaries with “Deplatforming” Motion
LOS ANGELES- Los Angeles County has approved a new initiative aimed at reducing the visibility of unlicensed cannabis dispensaries on major online platforms such as Google and Yelp. The motion, introduced by Supervisor Lindsey Horvath ...
California Bans Hemp-Derived THC Products Amid Regulatory Concerns
LOS ANGELES- California has implemented a ban on hemp-derived THC products following the approval of emergency regulations proposed by Governor Gavin Newsom. Effective September 23, 2024, the new rules prohibit any hemp-based products containing detectable ...
New Bill Seeks to Regulate Hemp-Derived Cannabinoid Market
LOS ANGELES- Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) has introduced the Cannabinoid Safety and Regulation Act, a bill aimed at establishing a federal regulatory framework for hemp-derived cannabinoids. The proposed legislation would empower the Food and Drug ...
Psyence Biomed to Acquire Stake in PsyLabs for $1.1 Million
LOS ANGELES- Psyence Biomedical Ltd. announced its agreement to acquire an 11.13% stake in PsyLabs, a company specializing in psychedelic active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) and extracts, in exchange for $1.1 million worth of common stock. ...
Weedmaps’ WM Technology Faces SEC Scrutiny Over Misleading Investor Reports
NEW YORK–WM Technology, Inc. (Nasdaq: MAPS), best known for its cannabis-focused platform, Weedmaps, has found itself at the center of an SEC investigation over misleading user metrics. The California-based company recently agreed to pay a ...
Colorado’s Cannabis Market Faces Decline Amid National Expansion
LOS ANGELES- Colorado, once a leader in the legal cannabis market, is now grappling with declining sales and tax revenues. A report from the state's Legislative Council Staff attributes this downturn to market saturation, oversupply, ...
California’s New Hemp Regulations Raise Concerns for Industry and Consumers
LOS ANGELES- Governor Gavin Newsom has enacted emergency regulations in California, significantly impacting the hemp industry by banning hemp-derived THC products. This move, approved by the Office of Administrative Law and effective as of September ...
Allegations of Predatory Contracts Surface in Missouri’s Social Equity Cannabis Program
LOS ANGELES- Missouri’s social equity cannabis licensing program faces scrutiny amid allegations of predatory investor contracts. Designed to benefit disadvantaged individuals, the program has seen reports of investors using deceptive agreements to gain control of ...
Florida’s Amendment 3 Sets Record for Cannabis Legislation Funding
LOS ANGELES- Amendment 3, a measure to legalize recreational cannabis for adults 21 and over, is on Florida's ballot this November. The campaign, led by Smart & Safe Florida, has become the most expensive cannabis ...
Ontario Leads Canadian Cannabis Sales
LOS ANGELES- Canada's legal cannabis market continues to show strong performance, with sales exceeding $2.4 billion in the first half of 2024, according to data from Statistics Canada. The provinces driving these numbers were Ontario, ...
Georgia Pharmacy Defies Federal Ban, Sells Low-THC Cannabis Products
LOS ANGELES- A licensed pharmacy in Augusta, Georgia, has begun selling low-THC cannabis products, directly challenging federal regulations enforced by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Living Well Pharmacy, owned by Vic Johnson, is one ...
