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Getting the “munchies” after using marijuana isn’t just in your head. It’s a real biological phenomenon that could hold important, real-world implications for people suffering from conditions associated with appetite loss, according to a new study that also identified some of the most commonly desired food items while high. Researchers at Washington State University (WSU) and the University of Calgary sought out to investigate the well-known cannabis experience, which is often comically portrayed in media as a hunger-inducing side effect that’s coupled with copious consumption of Doritos and . . .

For generations, the Vlasic name has stood for consistency and quality. First through a Detroit dairy, then as America’s most famous pickle jar with its iconic smiling stork. Entrepreneur Willy Vlasic is carrying that entrepreneurial legacy forward in his own way for a new generation with a potent combination of business acumen and ethical ethos he inherited from his forefathers. As the head of Vlasic Bioscience, Willy applies the same family values that built one of the country’s most enduring food brands to his hemp and CBD company, which is proudly rooted in innovation and social impact. . . .

Starting a local business means balancing a big vision with shifting rules, local competition, stigma, and uneven information. Here’s a hack. The post How to start and grow your successful local business appeared first on The Leaf Online.

“It’s unfair to everyone that’s invested time, money and attention to this process. We ask there not be any delay.” By Christopher Shea, Rhode Island Currant State cannabis regulators have yet to decide how they will handle the awarding of up to 20 cannabis retail licenses to applicants chosen by lottery as early as May. The state had planned to award 24 licenses but reduced the number based on the distribution of applicants among the state’s six geographic zones. A total of 98 applications were submitted by the Rhode Island Cannabis Control Commission’s December 29, 2025, deadline. One has . . .

Michigan cannabis sales for January fell sharply from a year ago as they decreased sequentially by 15.9%. At $226.8 million, sales were down 8.3% from a year earlier: The Michigan Cannabis Regulatory Agency breaks out sales by medical and adult-use, with medical sales falling 43.4% from a year ago to $0.4 million, down 1.6% sequentially, and adult-use [ . . . ]

The New York Times has published a poorly researched, misleading op-ed on the cannabis industry and the effects of legalization. Read our response. The post WTF is The New York Times’ problem? appeared first on Leafly.

A GOP congressman and the agriculture commissioner of Kentucky are imploring a key Republican senator who helped lead the push to initially federally legalize hemp before supporting the recriminalization of THC products to back a proposed two-year delay on the implementation of a policy that industry stakeholders say would upend the market. As prohibitionists mount a pressure campaign in support of the forthcoming recriminalization of most hemp-derived cannabinoid products, Rep. James Comer (R-KY) and Kentucky Agriculture Commissioner Jonathan Shell are asking Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) to . . .

Two cannabis dispensary licenses were renewed at a strange, special meeting of the NJ Cannabis Regulatory Commission (NJ-CRC). At the beginning of the meeting, Commissioner Harris Laufer was surprised that people had signed up to speak during the public comment period. Acting Executive Director Christopher Riggs explained that two annual license renewals were up: “Staff [ . . . ] Source: Special NJ-CRC Meeting Held to Renew 2 Cannabis Licenses from Heady NJ

Arizona senators have approved a pair of measures that would make the act of creating “excessive” amounts of marijuana smoke or odor a criminal nuisance punishable by jail time, even if the person is using cannabis in compliance with state law in their own homes. Despite concerns about undermining the will of voters who passed legalization at the ballot and ambiguity around enforceability and what constitutes “excessive” marijuana smoke, members of the Senate Judiciary and Elections Committee on Friday passed the bill and a companion resolution to put the issue on the ballot in 5-2 and 4-3 . . .

Maryland senators on Thursday took up a bill to protect firefighters and rescue workers from being penalized for off-duty use of medical marijuana. Members of the Senate Finance Committee held a hearing on the proposal from Sen. Carl Jackson (D) about a year after the full chamber advanced an earlier version that ultimately stalled out in the House. Under SB 439, state law would be amended to codify that firefighters and other rescue workers who are registered medical cannabis patients could not be penalized over their participation in the state-legal program or for testing positive for . . .

“Cannabis re-legalization is a work in progress. But it’s here to stay and by and large, it’s a process we’re getting right.” The post NORML Op-Ed: What the New York Times Gets Wrong About Marijuana Legalization appeared first on NORML.

Lawmakers in multiple states are advancing bills meant to provide patients with access to medical marijuana in health care facilities, with lawmakers from Virginia to Hawaii making the case this week for a policy change they say is necessary to ensure patients have a full range of treatment options at their disposal. While the specific provisions of the legislation that’s actively under consideration may differ from state to state, the main thrust of the proposals are the same: Legislators are hoping to adopt versions of what’s known as “Ryan’s law,” named after a young medical cannabis . . .

“The Times fixates on the fact that among some consumers, cannabis use is surpassing the use of alcohol. This is neither surprising nor troublesome.” By Paul Armentano, NORML The New York Times has a pot problem. In a recent commentary, the Times editors opine that states have rushed to legalize the substance “without adequately regulating it.” However, state marijuana markets are already highly regulated and many of options proposed by the Times editors are either redundant or would inadvertently strengthen the illicit marketplace. For instance, the Times laments that adult-use cannabis . . .

The Missouri House of Representatives on Thursday passed HB 2641 to ban hemp-derived THC sales in the state, the Missouri Independent reports. The bill’s sponsor, state Rep. Dave Hinman (R), said the ban on intoxicating hemp products would essentially mirror the incoming federal crackdown on hemp-derived THC approved in a spending bill last year. “We’re not pioneering anything new here. What Missouri is doing . . . is simply aligning our state statutes with the federal action so our law enforcement, the highway patrol, local prosecutors and the attorney general’s office can work in tandem with our . . .

The eight-member Virginia General Affairs Committee voted unanimously this week to advance updates to the Nebraska Medical Cannabis Commission, the Nebraska Examiner reports. The changes include granting commissioners an annual salary of $12,500, creating an account with the state to help fund the commission, and enabling the commission to start charging application fees up to $50,000. State Sen. Rick Holdcroft (R) said the commission had indicated it would not immediately charge $50,000 application fees, but that setting a high limit would prevent lawmakers from needing to revisit the issue . . .

The mayor of New York City says the rise of tax revenue from marijuana sales “has not been as rapid as the expansion in store openings” because of competition among suppliers and low cannabis prices. But with the market’s expected expansion, the city is anticipating continual growth over the coming years. In his 2027 preliminary budget that was released on Tuesday, Mayor Zohran Mamdani (D) laid out the state of the cannabis industry, with tax revenue projections reaching $43 million by fiscal year 2030. For the current fiscal year, the city expects to bring in $24 million in marijuana tax . . .

Statistics Canada released December retail sales for the country, with cannabis sales increasing from the November levels, up 5.3% to C$503.7 million, a new record monthly total. This sequential increase was up 1.9% on a per-day basis more due to the higher number of days than in the prior month. November, originally reported at C$477.9 million, was [ . . . ]

The Justice Department is urging the U.S. Supreme Court to uphold the constitutionality of a federal law preventing marijuana users from legally owning or possessing guns-insisting that, even if cannabis is rescheduled under an executive order issued by President Donald Trump, its use makes people uniquely dangerous and deserving of disarmament. In a reply brief in the pending case, U.S. vs. Hemani, DOJ reiterated its prior arguments defending the federal statute Section 922(g)(3), maintaining that there are sufficient historical analogues consistent with the nation’s founding that justify . . .

Green Thumb Industries Announces an Additional $50 Million Senior Debt Financing CHICAGO and VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Feb. 20, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) – Green Thumb Industries Inc. (“Green Thumb” or the “Company”) (CSE: GTII) (OTCQX: GTBIF), a leading national cannabis consumer packaged goods company and owner of RISE Dispensaries, today announced the Company increased its existing [ . . . ]

Thousands of devotees gathered at Pashupatinath Temple in Kathmandu for Mahashivratri on Sunday, the annual Nepalese Hindu festival dedicated to Lord Shiva. Long lines formed as people offered prayers, sang devotional songs and performed rituals. What makes this festival stand out is the fact that Hindu holy men known as sadhus, along with many young devotees from Nepal and Indian pilgrims, openly smoke cannabis at the annual event. The temple grounds become engulfed in marijuana smoke on this particular day each year, which drifts its way across the forested Bankali hills along the Bagmati . . .

THE BIG IDEA Hi all, Another week and no rescheduling news. But there’s plenty more going on. In the newsletter: EXCLUSIVE: California promised clean weed. What happened? Read up. Alex Send tips, press releases, concerns, feedback and criticism to hello@weedweek.com. Sensitive material to share? Contact Alex on Signal. * * FROM WEEDWEEK istockphoto.com EXCLUSIVE: California promised clean weed. What happened? California requires cannabis to be tested for 66 pesticides, more than most legal states. Yet more than eight years after the REC market opened, the DCC has struggled to show that . . .

This is the third in a series of three stories on Nicole Elliott’s tenure as director of California’s Department of Cannabis Control (DCC). Here are Part One and Part Two. In 2021, the year Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) appointed Nicole Elliott to lead California’s newly formed Department of Cannabis Control (DCC), the industry faced a testing crisis. As . . . Log in or become a WeedWeek Member to read this article. The post Exclusive: California promised clean weed. What happened? appeared first on WeedWeek.

“We’re not pioneering anything new here. What Missouri is doing . . . is simply aligning our state statutes with the federal action.” By Rebecca Rivas, Missouri Independent The Missouri House approved a bill Thursday that would ban all intoxicating hemp products-things like THC seltzers or hemp-derived THC edibles currently sold at gas stations and smoke shops-beginning in November. The bill, sponsored by Republican state Rep. Dave Hinman of O’Fallon, would prohibit hemp products from containing more than 0.4 milligrams of THC per container, which is among the limits included in a provision in the . . .

In collaboration with Higher Function, High End Events NJ hosted its third annual Dabstravaganza cannabis hash concentrates educational party in Atlantic City. The event gave attendees the chance to explore and learn in a professional, fun environment by offering cannabis education and training. The education helped people make the most of their cannabis experience by [ . . . ] Source: Higher Function Hosts 3rd Annual Dabstravaganza Party in Atlantic City from Heady NJ

Contributed by Christi Mathis CARBONDALE, Ill. – Learn all about growing industrial hemp for grain and fiber at Southern Illinois University Carbondale’s Industrial Hemp Farmer Informational Event. Industry leaders and experts will offer the latest information at the event set for 6 p.m. on Feb. 25 at the Gower Translational Research Center, 1785 University Press Drive in Carbondale. There is no cost to attend but participants are asked to pre-register online. Comprehensive program The event begins with networking and then presentations run from 6:15-8 p.m. About an hour afterward is reserved . . .