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What You Need to Know to Exercise Your Rights Under the New Cannabis Laws On April 28, 2026, federal cannabis policy changed.

When it comes to Europe’s emerging legal cannabis industry, Germany continues to stand alone as the undisputed continental leader. Germany launched legal medical cannabis sales through the nation’s pharmacies in 2017, and since that time, the nation’s legal market has increased exponentially in size and market value. One of the best ways to help quantify how large Germany’s legal medical cannabis industry has become is to look at medical cannabis import totals. In addition to domestic medical cannabis production, Germany’s legal cannabis industry imports a considerable number of products from . . .

“I’m proud to continue contributing to the growth and success of Rhode Island and its cannabis industry.” By Christopher Shea, Rhode Island Currant Gov. Dan McKee (D) has nominated the state’s top cannabis administrator to chair the panel that oversees Rhode Island’s cannabis industry, which has now been without a leader for over seven months. McKee on Tuesday nominated Michelle Reddish to the Cannabis Control Commission seat left vacant last October after then-Chairperson Kim Ahern resigned to pursue a run for state attorney general. Reddish has served as administrator of the Rhode Island . . .

Hemp farmers and industry advocates will have a challenging time stopping the planned federal recriminalization of hemp THC products that’s scheduled to take effect later this year, Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) says. But, he added, it will be easier to pass legislation on the issue next year when Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY), who led the push for the new ban, will likely be replaced by another Republican senator who supports keeping the crop’s derivates legal. “I think the way Congress handled it and treated the hemp industry was really unfair,” Cruz said during a Zoom meeting with members of the . . .

The New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA) announced Tuesday that the agency still has approximately $5 million in funding available for licensed cannabis businesses via the Cannabis Business Development (CBD) Grant Program. The funding is available in the form of $75,000 reimbursements to help eligible cannabis manufacturers, cultivators, retailers, and testing laboratories. The one-time refund on business expenses is meant to help “alleviate” the costs of maintaining compliance with state and local laws for early-stage cannabis companies. NJEDA said it has already disbursed $5 . . .

Illinois state lawmakers could pass major cannabis and hemp policy changes during the last few days of this year’s legislative session, WAND reports. The proposals, HB 5784 and SB 20, seek to regulate hemp-derived CBD products and establish the Illinois medical and adult-use cannabis industries. Co-sponsored in the Senate by Sen. Majority Leader Kimberly Lightford (D), the legislation would create a regulatory framework for non-intoxicating, hemp-derived CBD products ahead of the federal pivot coming this November on hemp-derived THC. The legislation also seeks to enact multiple cannabis . . .

A recent poll showed that most Virginia voters disagree with Gov. Abigail Spanberger’s (D) veto of legislation to legalize recreational marijuana sales-but the disappointment in the move extends to members of her own family, the governor says. “I know a lot of people are not pleased with that veto,” she said in an interview with actor and content creator Tevin Davis that was posted on Monday. “Friends and family are displeased as well.” “I do think it’s an obligation to get it right, and I can’t overstate the fact that I was really dug in on the details on this bill-and it’s all about making . . .

A newly released poll from the Pew Research Center found that “the vast majority of Americans” support legalizing marijuana in some form-with an accompanying analysis finding that backing for the reform “has increased dramatically in recent decades.” The survey results, published on Tuesday, show that 55 percent of U.S. adults support legalizing cannabis for both recreational and medical use, and that another 33 percent say it should be legal for medical use only. A small minority of only 11 percent of Americans say marijuana should remain illegal across the board. There is majority support . . .

The California Department of Cannabis Control and co-defendants have asked a judge to dismiss a lawsuit filed by several non-profits. The suit alleges that legalization has failed to deliver promised tax dollars to non-profits and that the regulator has failed to protect young people from cannabis products. The complaint, filed in SF Court in April is not available online. But an April article in Capitol Weekly by plaintiff Youth Forward executive director Jim Keddy says . . . Log in or become a WeedWeek Member to read this article. The post Newsbrief: Calif. regulator seeks dismissal of . . .

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Marc Rodriguez, Co-Founder and CEO of Green Leaf Business Solutions, has spent over a decade guiding cannabis operators through these critical but often overlooked areas. With a background in corporate sales and workforce solutions, Rodriguez recognized early on that the cannabis industry’s unique payroll and HR challenges required more than a plug-and-play approach. They needed a dedicated partner. Today, Green Leaf stands at the forefront of cannabis workforce infrastructure, offering tech-enabled HR and payroll solutions built to navigate the intricacies of banking limitations, tax . . .

For years, the risks in growing cannabis were tied to what happened inside the grow: genetics, pests, environmental control. But today, the biggest decisions happen before your first plant even goes in the ground-especially if you’re managing a commercial operation or planning to scale. From inefficient facility layouts to misaligned systems and delayed equipment, early-stage decisions can quietly determine whether your operation runs smoothly, or struggles to reach its full potential. GrowGeneration, the nation’s leading specialty distributor for controlled environment agriculture (CEA), . . .

When legal cannabis markets first opened, the industry celebrated availability. Getting product to consumers safely and legally was the mission, and for a long time, that was enough. Hardware was an afterthought. A cart was a cart. A battery was a battery. That era is over. In California, the largest legal market in the world, vapes outsold flower for the first time in July 2025. In 2021, flower outsold vapes in that state by nearly two to one. According to data from the California Department of Cannabis Control, vape sales hit $124.4 million in December 2025 compared to $107.6 million for . . .

Advocacy organizations on both sides of the marijuana legalization debate have filed notices of intent to participate in a hearing on broad federal rescheduling of cannabis that the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is set to begin next month. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche last month issued an order that immediately reclassified state-licensed medical cannabis, as well as marijuana products approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) from Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) to Schedule III. Under a separate order the acting attorning general signed, DEA will . . .

NORML argues that the hearing record will be incomplete unless it includes the perspective of adult cannabis consumers – the constituency NORML has represented for more than fifty years. The post NORML Seeks Seat at DEA Marijuana Rescheduling Hearing, Says Consumers Must Be Represented appeared first on NORML.

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is launching a new trial on whether MDMA-assisted therapy can help military veterans who are struggling with severe mental health disorders, including PTSD and alcohol use disorder. The study will involve approximately 80 veterans and will compare outcomes between those who take MDMA and undergo psychotherapy and those in a control group who receive identical psychotherapy without the drug. “We need an all-of-the-above strategy when it comes to improving mental health treatments, and under President Trump, that’s exactly what VA is working to . . .

For many, last week’s rescheduling announcement threw a spanner in the works. The US medical cannabis market, for now the only market to be impacted by rescheduling directly, is far smaller and, as such, much less of a priority for many operators. Yet Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche’s announcement has done something more profound than adjust a tax position or ease a research barrier. By moving Schedule III, cannabis is officially recognised as having medical benefits for the first time. In essence, this brings the US’ federal policy far closer to its European counterparts. The legal . . .

Cannabis products appear to have “beneficial effects” for people struggling with the symptoms of chronic pain, according to a new study- with the results indicating relief from both intoxicating and nonintoxicating cannabinoids. Researchers affiliated with the University at Buffalo, University of Michigan Medical School and MoreBetter recruited 64 people with fibromyalgia, 25 with rheumatoid arthritis and 75 with osteoarthritis of the knee and/or hip to participate in the trial. The participants, all of whom were California residents, were randomly assigned to take one of three different . . .

After rigorous evaluation, Modern Canna adds EPA-registered sanitation to its growing suite of cannabis quality solutions – which spans laboratory testing, software, consulting, risk mitigation, and auditing services. [Lakeland, FL] – May, 2026 – Modern Canna, a full-spectrum cannabis and hemp quality solutions provider, today announced a strategic investment in CannaGuard PRO, the maker of a patented, EPA-registered disinfectant platform purpose-built for commercial cannabis and hemp operations. The investment adds facility sanitation to the Modern Canna Quality Ecosystem – a comprehensive . . .

“There may be some fiddling around the edges with THC limits and maybe with beverages.” By Phillip Smith, The American Hemp Monitor Congress is unlikely to do anything to undo the hemp ban it passed last year, and that will have devastating consequences for the hemp cannabinoid industry, leaders of the Marijuana Policy Project (MPP) said in a Wednesday Zoom call. Hemp-defined as cannabis containing less than 0.3 percent THC by dry weight-was legalized by Congress in 2018, but under legislation last fall, new, more restrictive definitions effectively criminalizing many hemp-derived cannabinoid . . .

The Trump administration is seeking to accelerate efforts to provide access to psychedelics for military veterans and others who may benefit from their therapeutic impact, but that push may be slowed when it comes to sourcing a particular substance to be used in studies, the head of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) says. VA Secretary Doug Collins spoke about ongoing studies his department is conducting on the therapeutic benefits of psychedelics at a hearing before the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee on Thursday, saying that “if it helps a veteran, we’re going to look into it.” He . . .

In a letter to President Donald Trump (R) and his pardon czar Alice Marie Johnson, 28 Democratic lawmakers, along with independent Bernie Sanders (VT), are seeking the administration to pardon everyone in federal prison for non-violent cannabis crimes. The letter notes that the administration’s decision to move cannabis from Schedule I under the Controlled Substances Act to Schedule III “does not provide relief for anyone currently in federal prison from a marijuana conviction.” The letter notes that data from the U.S. Sentencing Commission estimates that there are about 3,000 people . . .

A bill introduced in Rhode Island seeks to remove the state’s residency requirements for cannabis businesses, which led to a judge halting the state’s industry licensing process last month. The legislation would remove language from the state’s legalization law that requires cannabis business owners to be Rhode Island residents and that a state resident own at least 51% of the business. The proposal also removes some social equity language, including designating “disproportionately impacted” areas for social equity licenses; however, the proposal does broaden the definition of a social . . .

Workers at Sun Extractions in Hamilton, New Jersey, have voted to join United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 360 and are currently negotiating a union contract. In a statement, Hugh Giordano, UFCW Local 360 Director of Organizing, said the 12 workers’ vote to join the union makes the state’s cannabis industry “stronger.” “Sustainable success for businesses, employees, and communities starts with fair treatment, strong standards, and shared commitments. That’s how jobs in the cannabis industry become long-term careers, and it’s the future these employees are working toward.” . . .

Table of Contents Terpenes as a Strain’s Genetic Signature Matching Extraction Parameters to Strain Chemistry Solvent vs. Solventless: How Method Shapes Terpene Retention. Why Live Resin and Live Rosin Capture the Full Profile? Terpenes, the Entourage Effect, and Therapeutic Potential Strain Genetics, Trichome Density, and Extraction Yield How Post-Extraction Processing Reshapes Terpene Profiles In the world of cannabis extraction, understanding how strain genetics affect terpene profiles and extraction yields is crucial. Terpenes are the aromatic compounds that give cannabis its distinctive . . .