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In an effort to support the craft drinks industry, Washington D.C. could soon allow cannabis beverages to be produced by existing breweries and distilleries. The goal is to support local businesses hit by declining alcohol consumption. Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) sees the proposal as an opportunity for collaboration between the city’s alcohol and cannabis businesses. “This is a new opportunity for those two markets to collaborate and create a safe and . . . Log in or become a WeedWeek Member to read this article. The post Newsbrief: D.C. could allow locally made weed drinks appeared first on . . .

When Cheech & Chong moved to Los Angeles from Vancouver in 1970, they began recording comedy albums, starting with the Grammy-nominated self-titled debut, which includes their most famous “Dave’s Not Here” routine.

Hawaii senators have approved a pair of resolutions calling on Congress to federally legalize marijuana, support state efforts to clear people’s conviction records and take steps to facilitate access to banking services for companies in the cannabis industry. “Even though states have made significant policy changes with respect to cannabis, the federal Controlled Substances Act still classifies cannabis as a Schedule I substance,” the measures advanced by the Senate Judiciary Committee in a 5-0 vote on Thursday say, “which means that medical cannabis dispensaries and other cannabis-related . . .

Artificial intelligence is already reshaping how hemp is grown. What is less obvious and far more important is how it is beginning to reshape how the industry thinks, operates and earns trust. At the 2026 Industrial Hemp International Conference, held in Denver on March 26-27, a panel on AI and the evolution of the hemp industry made that shift clear. What began as a discussion of tools quickly became broader: a conversation about how intelligence, machine-driven and human, will define the next phase of the industry. As Cannabis & Tech Today Editor in Chief Charles Warner explained, “The next . . .

President Donald Trump is requesting that Congress continue to protect state medical marijuana programs from federal interference while also maintaining a policy that has blocked local officials in Washington, D.C. from legalizing recreational cannabis sales. In his Fiscal Year 2027 budget request sent to lawmakers on Friday, the president proposed for the first time to maintain the rider that prevents the Department of Justice from spending any money to “prevent [states] from implementing their own laws that authorize the use, distribution, possession, or cultivation of medical marijuana.” . . .

Federal officials have finalized a rule that will allow coverage of some hemp products as specialized, non-primarily health-related benefits through Medicare Advantage (MA) plans. In a filing set to be published in the Federal Register on Monday, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is clarifying that certain cannabis products that are legal under both state and federal laws are eligible to be reimbursed under the Special Supplemental Benefits for the Chronically Ill (SSBCI) program. Under a previous update to the program adopted in April 2025, CMS determined that all cannabis . . .

Europe is the hottest market around for most US cannabis companies, including the tech companies. They enter Europe expecting a familiar landscape, assuming the multiple countries in the EU market will align with their state-by-state experience back home. And they are nearly always unpleasantly surprised. Investors and developers are consistently making the mistake of treating Europe as “America, but later”. Retail vs. Healthcare Infrastructure Structurally, the US built a retail-first market from scratch, with new licenses, new store formats, new tech stacks purpose-built for cannabis. . . .

The Virginia Cannabis Control Authority has posted nearly a dozen new job openings as Gov. Abigail Spanberger (D) considers signing a bill to legalize adult-use sales, Marijuana Moment reports. The agency posted 11 full-time, salaried positions, including several director and administrative roles essential to launching a new industry. The General Assembly passed a conference bill last month to legalize adult-use cannabis sales starting January 1, 2027, sending the proposal to Gov. Spanberger for her consideration. Virginia’s previous governor, Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R), vetoed multiple attempts . . .

We got a new FDA cannabis enforcement memo on Wednesday, April 1, regarding “hemp-derived CBD research in medical research models.” The general thrust is FDA’s assurance that it won’t interfere with a new federal initiative, which covers up to $500 of hemp-derived products for eligible Medicare patients. That initiative is called the Substance Access Beneficiary Engagement Incentive (“Substance Access BEI”), and it also launched on April 1. The usual suspects are suing to block this program, of course. They’re not doing very well. The FDA Memo is welcome guidance as to the Substance Access . . .

A governor-appointed cannabis commission in North Carolina has issued an interim report after holding months of meetings focused on the issue. The group is recommending that the state move away from a criminalization-based approach to cannabis and toward a system of “robust” regulations that provide for adults’ legal access to THC products. The North Carolina Advisory Council on Cannabis, which Gov. Josh Stein (D) convened last year, says in the new document approved on Thursday that the current “absence of regulation for North Carolina’s intoxicating cannabis market raises numerous . . .

“Patients who take traditional medications do not face punishment in the workplace unless their on-the-job performance is impaired. Patients who consume medical cannabis during their off-hours should be treated equally.” The post Maryland: Lawmakers Advance Legislation Providing Employment Protections for Firefighters’ Off Duty Use of Medical Cannabis appeared first on NORML.

FBI agents received specific guidance prohibiting them investing in marijuana companies-but not necessarily those that make hemp or CBD products-according to a 2022 memo that the agency released last week for reasons that are unclear. The allowance for hemp investments and work contains an exception blocking involvement with companies whose packaging “promotes marijuana”-including any depiction of a cannabis leaf, however. The now-unclassified policy directive also details restrictions for agents who work or volunteer outside their roles at FBI, stipulating that they could not take . . .

THE BIG IDEA Hi all, Happy Friday! In the newsletter: SCOOP: Operator intervenes in Catalyst tax suit 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 SCOOP: Retailer intervenes in Catalyst tax suit A Los Angeles County retailer has filed a motion to intervene in a long-running lawsuit over how California taxes vapes. The motion alleges the state is not applying the law fairly. PLUS: The latest in Catalyst’s diversion suit against the DCC Read the story Also in WeedWeek: . . .

A Los Angeles County retailer has filed a motion to intervene in a long-running lawsuit over how California taxes vapes. The motion alleges the state is not applying the law fairly. Catalyst, one of the California’s largest retail chains, argues the state’s 15% cannabis excise tax does not apply to cannabis “accessories.” In terms of vapes, this means the tax applies to cannabis oil but not the vape hardware, as long as they are listed separately on the receipt. For a $25 all-in-one . . . Log in or become a WeedWeek Member to read this article. The post SCOOP: Operator intervenes in Catalyst . . .

Four Massachusetts cannabis operators have filed a legal challenge against the ballot initiative seeking to repeal the state’s adult-use marketplace this November, Bloomberg Law reports. The lawsuit, filed Wednesday in the Supreme Judicial Court, claims the ballot measure violates the state constitution by combining multiple issues into a single ballot question and because of its “failure to present a unified statement of public policy to the voters.” The ballot measure, titled the “Act to Restore Sensible Marijuana Policy,” was approved for this year’s ballot in January despite allegations . . .

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When I asked a random sampling of Facebook friends what they most wanted to snack on for 420, the answer was loud and clear: wings. I’m currently enjoying cooking with sativa-dominant Crater Lake by Pruf Cultivar. It’s perfect for staying focused, excited and ready for some safe, legal 420 fun. Teriyaki-Style Chicken Wings Serving size: 4 wings BRUCE WOLF 2013 Ingredients:24 chicken wings1 tablespoon vegetable oil1 teaspoon kosher salt1 teaspoon ground fresh pepper3/4 cup soy sauce1/3 cup orange juice1/4 cup lime juice1/4 cup hoisin sauce1/4 cup ketchup1/4 cup coconut sugar3 tablespoons . . .

The mayor of Washington, D.C. is proposing to allow medical marijuana companies to partner with local breweries and distilleries to produce cannabis-infused, alcohol-free drinks for sale in the nation’s capital. Under the partnership contemplated by the Medical Cannabis Beverage Product Amendment Act of 2026 proposed by Mayor Muriel Bowser (D), alcohol companies could apply for a medical cannabis production endorsement at a cost of $500 a year to manufacture cannabis beverages, and medical marijuana companies could apply for a $1,000 annual endorsement to import cannabinoids for production. . . .

Massachusetts marijuana businesses have filed a lawsuit aiming to block an initiative to roll back the state’s voter-approved legalization law from reaching the November ballot. The proposal to repeal laws allowing legal recreational cannabis sales violates the state Constitution by containing “impermissibly unrelated subjects,” and the state attorney general’s official summary is “misleading and deficient,” according to the complaint filed on Tuesday before the state’s Supreme Judicial Court. The measure also proposes “an unconstitutional regulatory taking” by “destroy[ing] the reasonable, . . .

Maryland lawmakers have approved a bill to protect firefighters and rescue workers from being penalized over their lawful use of medical marijuana off the job. The House of Delegates passed the legislation, HB 797 from Del. Adrian Boafo (D), on third reading by a vote of 100-31 on Thursday, days after it advanced through the Economic Matters Committee. A Senate companion version of the cannabis measure sponsored by Sen. Carl Jackson (D) advanced through that chamber last month. This marks the latest in a series of attempts over recent sessions to enact the reform aimed at giving emergency . . .

Virginia officials are ramping up hiring for a variety of cannabis regulatory roles as the state’s pro-legalization governor prepares to take action on a bill to allow recreational sales, in addition to several other reform proposals that lawmakers have sent to her desk. In one of the latest indicators that the commonwealth is positioned to enact a system of regulated marijuana sales, Virginia’s government jobs site was recently updated with a list featuring nearly a dozen openings for cannabis regulatory positions. That includes a cannabis licensing director who would play a central role in . . .

President Donald Trump is reportedly considering firing Attorney General Pam Bondi and replacing her with Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin-a move that could have major implications for marijuana reform as proposal to federally reschedule cannabis remains pending at the Department of Justice. On Wednesday, The New York Times reported that Trump has grown “frustrated” with Bondi’s leadership at DOJ, in particular her handling of the release of files related to Jeffrey Epstein. While the president told the paper in a statement that Bondi “is a wonderful person and she is . . .

A new Medicare pilot that would allow some older adults to receive certain hemp products at no cost is facing a court challenge. A coalition of anti-cannabis groups led by Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM) filed a federal lawsuit against the Trump administration in an attempt to block implementation of the pilot, set to take effect as early as today. RELATED: Feds ‘lack the resources’ to enforce new hemp ban The Substance Access Beneficiary Engagement Incentive (BEI) program allows participating Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) to consult with patients and, if approved, distribute . . .

Texas officials have conditionally approved more new medical marijuana business licenses as part of a law that’s being implemented to significantly expand the state’s cannabis program. The Department of Public Safety (DPS) announced on Wednesday that it initiated a second phase of the Texas Compassionate Use Program (TCUP) expansion selection process by picking three new businesses that can move forward in the process. This comes months after the agency selected an initial wave of nine businesses to advance in Texas’s expanded medical cannabis licensing and approval process. The new . . .

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued guidance making clear that it does not intend to interfere with implementation of a new Trump administration initiative to cover up to $500 worth of hemp-derived products each year for eligible Medicare patients. FDA Commissioner Marty Makary wrote in a two-page memo on Wednesday that the agency “does not intend to enforce” certain sections of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act “with respect to an orally administered, hemp-derived CBD product solely on the basis that it contains CBD,” provided that it meets certain requirements. In . . .