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StratCann’s weekly round-up of cannabis industry news for the week ending January 3, 2026. The post Week in Weed – January 3, 2026 appeared first on StratCann.

The legal hemp market has exploded since the 2018 Farm Bill legalized industrial hemp in the USA under strict THC limits. For aspiring entrepreneurs, launching a medicinal hemp company means balancing compliance, product quality, and credibility. Whether you’re crafting tinctures, topicals, or capsules, the path from idea to operation requires precision – and a plan. [ . . . ] The post Starting a legal medicinal-hemp products company: A practical guide appeared first on The Leaf Online.

Dry January is no longer just a detox. What began as a post-holiday pause from drinking has evolved into a cultural reassessment of how people relax, socialize, and manage stress. Each January, millions of Americans step back from alcohol not simply to recover from the excesses of the holidays, but to question a deeper assumption: that alcohol is the default reward, social lubricant, and stress reliever in adult life. In recent years, that assumption has started to crack. Rising awareness around mental health, sleep quality, inflammation, and long-term wellness has led many people to look for . . .

In a subsequent search of the vehicle, which was seized as part of the investigation, the officer seized more than seven kilograms of dried cannabis… The post RCMP in Nova Scotia seize cannabis, vapes during traffic stop appeared first on StratCann.

Massachusetts lawmakers have assembled a bicameral conference committee to reach a deal on a bill that would double the legal marijuana possession limit for adults and revise the regulatory framework for the state’s adult-use cannabis market. After the Senate passed an amended version of the legislation in November, the House pushed back against the changes. Now appointed legislators will meet to hash out the differences between the chambers’ approaches and potentially send the House bill to the governor’s desk. Among the proposed revisions to the state’s cannabis law is a section that would . . .

There were a total of 102 new federal cannabis licences issued in 2025. Of these, 76 were micros, 20 were standards, five were licensed for… The post Micros continue to be the most popular cannabis licence type in 2025 appeared first on StratCann.

The U.S. Supreme Court has scheduled oral arguments in a case challenging the constitutionality of a federal law banning people who use marijuana or other controlled substances from buying or possessing firearms. About two months after agreeing to take the case, justices on Friday set a date of March 2 to consider the conflicting arguments from the Justice Department, which has consistently defended the gun prohibition for cannabis consumers, and lawyers for Ali Danial Hemani, who is challenging the ban after being prosecuted under it. Attorneys general for 19 states and Washington, D.C. . . .

New York officials have released a set of reports providing an end-of-year status update on the evolution of the state’s medical and adult-use marijuana markets-touting record sales, revenue hauls for state coffers, licensing approvals, equity initiatives and more. All told, retail cannabis sales in New York have exceeded $2.5 billion since the passage of recreational legalization, including $1.6 billion that was generated this year alone as of November. Also, licensed storefronts nearly doubled from 261 last year to 556 in 2025. The Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) said the state . . .

Register here Webinar overview This webinar will feature Harris Sliwoski attorneys Jason Adelstone (Denver, CO) and Vince Sliwoski (Portland, OR). Jason and Vince will examine a pair of significant developments for federal cannabis law and policy in 2026. These developments are: 1) last month’s Executive Order from President Trump, to reschedule marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act, and 2) recent Congressional legislation to redefine “hemp”, effective this November. Please join us on January 15, 2026 at 10 a.m. PST / 1 p.m. EST. Feel free to submit . . .

If marijuana is rescheduled-as President Donald Trump directed in a recent executive order-congressional researchers say the move could ease current restrictions on advertising for cannabis products. Moving marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) wouldn’t federally legalize the plant. But while it’s commonly understood that the reclassification would have tax policy and research implications, a lesser known effect concerns federal advertising laws. In a report from the Congressional Research Service (CRS) that was published on Tuesday, analysts . . .

A leading marijuana prohibitionist group says it’s retained the legal services of President Donald Trump’s former attorney general, Bill Barr, to sue to reverse federal marijuana rescheduling if and when the pending rule is finalized. And they’ll also be filing a petition through the administrative process to keep cannabis strictly prohibited. Trump earned bipartisan applause last month when he signed an executive order directing the current attorney general to complete the process of moving cannabis from Schedule I to Schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA). The policy change . . .

Marijuana rescheduling doesn’t go into effect overnight, and many questions are left unanswered. But MJBizDaily tries to answer some of the industry’s most pressing concerns. Is 280E tax relief immediate? Your top marijuana rescheduling questions answered is a post from: MJBizDaily: Financial, Legal & Cannabusiness news for cannabis entrepreneurs

Cannabis regulators in Massachusetts are set to begin reviewing license renewals of cannabis cultivators to determine whether they will be bumped down to a lower tier, State House News Service reports. If the Cannabis Control Commission (CCC) determines a licensee sold less than 70% of what they produced during the review period, the commission may reduce the licensee’s maximum canopy to a lower tier, according to a CCC Investigations and Enforcement Division memo outlined by State House News Service. If the commission reduces a licensee’s canopy, they may not cultivate beyond the new cap . . .

Alabama’s stricter regulations on intoxicating hemp products took effect on January 1, the Montgomery Advertiser reports. The new rules require retailers to be licensed; impose an age limit of 21-and-older, require retailers to keep a certificate of analysis for each product; limit THC concentration in beverages and edibles at 10 milligrams; limit THC concentrations in other consumables to 40 milligrams; and cap beverage sizes at 12 fluid ounces and beverages to be individually wrapped. Products sold in violation of the law are considered contraband and can be seized by law enforcement . . .

Kentucky’s first medical cannabis dispensary temporarily closed just seven days after it opened after running out of products, Spectrum News reports. Trip Hoffman, owner of The Post, located in Beaver Dam, told Spectrum News that he had imposed strict purchase limits – one unit per person – to extend the supply, but still sold out in a week. “You have people here in tears, so happy that we’re finally open, that they can get legal, regulated, medical-grade products for their needs. We were happy to be a part of that.” – Hoffman to Spectrum News Hoffman said he expected to get deliveries . . .

Our January 2026 jobs roundup highlights new cannabis industry openings across Canada, spanning retail, production, brand representation, and more. The post Cannabis Jobs Update – January 2026 appeared first on StratCann.

Four in five marijuana consumers say they oppose the recriminalization of hemp THC products under a spending bill President Donald Trump signed into law in November-weeks before he issued a cannabis rescheduling order and took steps to protect access to full-spectrum CBD. The current law as enacted, however, would redefine hemp in a way that industry stakeholders argue would effectively eradicate the sector that Trump legitimized during his first term when hemp was federally legalized under the 2018 Farm Bill. Though there’s been some splintering between marijuana and hemp interests over the . . .

Your January 2026 horoscopes are here! January opens the year with a sense of fresh beginnings as the stars encourage reflection. The post Star signs and cannabis strains: January 2026 horoscopes appeared first on Leafly.

A Democratic congressman is accusing a top GOP colleague of attempting to “invalidate thousands of lawful pardons” that former President Joe Biden issued to people who’ve committed federal marijuana possession offenses. Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-NY)–the lead sponsor of a cannabis legalization bill called the Marijuana Opportunity, Reinvestment and Expungement (MORE) Act-responded to comments from House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chairman James Comer (R-KY), who applauded President Donald Trump’s recent cannabis rescheduling order and recognized racial disparities in marijuana . . .

You’re reading this week’s edition of the New Cannabis Ventures weekly newsletter, which we have been publishing since October 2015. The newsletter includes unique insight to help our readers stay ahead of the curve as well as links to the week’s most important news. We no longer send these by email as we did in [ . . . ]

“If cannabis is medicine, why is the system built as if it were only a retail commodity?” By Jordan Tishler, MD, Association of Cannabinoid Specialists Currently, medical cannabis programs across the United States are dwindling. This is directly a result of these programs being deprioritized in favor of recreational programs and being regulated in a manner that neither provides support to clinicians to do their jobs, nor value to patients who need safe, effective products and expert medical guidance to achieve benefit. Among the many problems baked into these medical cannabis programs, the . . .

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is defending its decision to adopt a rule adding restrictions on companies that provide services to marijuana businesses, making it so participants in a particular government loan guarantee program are prohibited from receiving income from cannabis operations. After posting the finalized rule in October 2024-amending a guaranteed loan program called OneRD through USDA’s Rural Utilities Service-the agency published a notice in the Federal Register last month responding to comments on the marijuana-related policy change. Regarding cannabis, the rule . . .

Dry January has come a long way from being a month of white-knuckled willpower and awkward soda water orders. These days, it’s less about deprivation and more about rethinking how you can socialize and still have fun while committing to a month of sobriety. This year, Beezy Snaps by Bee’s Knees Wellness are making it easier with portable THC and CBD beverage boosters designed for people who still want the hangout vibe without the hangover. Think of it as a modern alcohol alternative that lets you customize your experience by adding THC or CBD to any drink, from sparkling water to juice. All . . .

The 2026 cannabis calendar is already filled with events. Here are 40+, from Cannacon to CHAMPS to Flower Show to Lucky Leaf Expo to NECANN and more.

Tech company Weedmaps is a connector at its core, best known for helping consumers find and order from dispensaries carrying their favorite cannabis products. But that theme of connection extends far past the screens, as Weedmaps moves from traditional to experiential marketing, building authentic moments rooted in the creativity and spirit of the cannabis community. Their 2025 collab with premier sneaker designer Ceeze is just one example of how the tech platform continues to find memorable, made-you-look ways to drive their mission forward. “Sneakers have long served as a canvas for . . .