News

  • Revelry Buyers Club Brings New York Cannabis Operators to Hudson
    by Jon Purow on May 11, 2026 at 5:00 pm

    Hudson, New York is about to get loud – in the best possible way. Having attended Revelry’s New York Buyers Club, I can sum up the experience in one word: energy. The room crackled with it. Revelry is the rare gathering where you feel like you’re at a party and a board meeting at the same time, in the best sense of both. Deals are being sketched out over handshakes, introductions are snowballing into real opportunities, and you can practically see the New York market knitting itself together in real time. One moment from the New York event has really stuck with me. I spoke with a California . . .

  • Indiana GOP Senator Announces New Bill To Legalize Medical Marijuana In The State
    by Tom Angell on May 11, 2026 at 4:38 pm

    An Indiana Republican state senator has announced plans to file legislation to legalize medical marijuana in the 2027 session in light of recent comments from the governor about the issue and as reform advances at the federal level under the Trump administration. “In light of the governor’s openness to consider legislation regarding the legalization of marijuana, we need to consider a feasible marijuana policy that would be the most helpful to Hoosiers and the economy,” Sen. Mike Bohacek (R) said in a press release on Monday. “The use of medical marijuana has been proven to be beneficial for . . .

  • DEA Announces New Marijuana Registration Forms For Manufacturing, Distribution And Testing Businesses
    by Tom Angell on May 11, 2026 at 3:21 pm

    The federal Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has announced it will soon be rolling out new forms for additional types of state-licensed medical marijuana businesses beyond dispensaries that want to take advantage of federal protections in line with the Trump administration’s cannabis rescheduling process. Last month, DEA launched a registration form for medical marijuana dispensaries only, raising questions about how operators elsewhere along the cannabis supply chain could become federally compliant during a 60-day registration window for expedited processing that is scheduled to close . . .

  • Connecticut Bill To Expand Psychedelics Pilot Program In Anticipation Of FDA Approval Heads To Governor’s Desk
    by Tom Angell on May 11, 2026 at 2:31 pm

    Connecticut lawmakers have sent the governor a bill to expand a pilot program that’s meant to explore the therapeutic potential of psychedelics such as psilocybin and MDMA. The legislation sponsored by the Joint Committee on Public Health cleared the House of Representatives in 122-27 vote on Wednesday after being approved unanimously by the Senate last month. It now heads to the desk of Gov. Ned Lamont (D). If enacted into law, the proposal would build upon an existing psychedelic-assisted therapy program involving military veterans and first responders who elect to participate in clinical . . .

  • Campaign to Repeal Arizona’s Adult-Use Cannabis Market Shuts Down
    by Graham Abbott on May 11, 2026 at 2:30 pm

    The campaign to repeal adult-use cannabis sales in Arizona is over after the political organizer behind the petition said his “viewpoints on the [industry’s] threat to kids” changed, Capitol Media Services reports. Sean Noble, president of the political strategy firm American Encore, launched the petition drive in January over concerns that cannabis retailers were marketing products to children. “I went into it with a pretty profound belief that it was happening . . . . I was kind of relying on things that I had seen or read from other people.” – Noble, in the report Noble said that he has changed . . .

  • Report: Most Candidates for Florida Governor Oppose Legalizing Cannabis
    by Graham Abbott on May 11, 2026 at 2:30 pm

    \Florida voters may not be considering a cannabis legalization question this November, but they will be electing a new governor, and all but one major candidate opposes adult-use cannabis reforms, the Florida Phoenix reports. Former Republican Florida Rep. David Jolly – who is now running for governor as a Democrat after distancing himself from the Republican party as a prominent critic of President Trump – said that he supports legalizing adult-use marijuana because a majority of Floridians supported the legalization question in 2024. The Republican candidates all oppose adult-use reforms: . . .

  • Massachusetts Lawmakers Decline To Act On Measure To Roll Back Marijuana Legalization
    by Tom Angell on May 11, 2026 at 12:57 pm

    Massachusetts lawmakers have decided not to take up a proposal that would scale back the state’s voter-approved marijuana legalization law, leaving it to prohibitionist activists to collect additional signatures to place the initiative on the November ballot. The legislature’s Special Joint Committee on Initiative Petitions issued a report last week saying that a majority of the panel “voted to recommend that the General Court take no action” on the measure. Under state law, the legislature gets a chance to enact proposed ballot measures after organizers submit an initial round of petitions. . . .

  • Cannabis telehealth operator Veri Medtech aims for Nasdaq uplisting
    by Rowan Dunne on May 11, 2026 at 11:42 am

    Veri Medtech Holdings Ord Shs (OTCMKTS: VRHI) is planning to move up from the OTC markets to the Nasdaq Exchange. On May 7, the company filed paperwork to sell 3.75 million shares at US$4.00 each in a firm commitment offering. This move aims to raise about US$15 million gross, with roughly US$13.35 million in net proceeds after fees. Veri Medtech plans to use the money to grow its operations, improve its platform and pursue possible acquisitions. The stock currently trades on the OTCID Market under VRHI and last closed around US$1.00 before the filing. The company will apply to list on Nasdaq . . .

  • New ATF Gun Form Recognizes Medical Marijuana’s Federally Legal Status Under Trump’s Rescheduling Move
    by Tom Angell on May 11, 2026 at 11:18 am

    A federal agency is proposing to update a gun purchase form to acknowledge the federally legal status of medical marijuana under the Trump administration’s recent move to reschedule the drug. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) on Friday posted a proposed revised version of Form 4473, which must be filled out by anyone purchasing a gun from a federally licensed firearms dealer. For years, the document has contained a question that asks whether the buyer unlawfully uses cannabis or other federally controlled substances, in accordance with a law that makes it a crime . . .

  • White House Drug Strategy Shows Trump Administration’s Conflicts On Marijuana And Other Issues, Experts Say
    by Marijuana Moment on May 10, 2026 at 4:23 pm

    “The administration, on the one hand, is moving in a direction of liberalizing access to cannabis, but at the same time, in the strategy, it talks about the dangers of doing so.” By Aneri Pattani, KFF Health News The White House’s newly released strategy for tackling the nation’s drug and addiction crisis calls for a number of ambitious public health approaches that some experts say are laudable but will be hampered by the administration’s own actions. The sweeping 195-page National Drug Control Strategy, published May 4, advocates for making access to treatment easier than getting drugs, . . .

  • Trump’s Marijuana Rescheduling Move Is A ‘Step Forward,’ But Still ‘Falls Well Short’ Of Needed Changes (Op-Ed)
    by Marijuana Moment on May 10, 2026 at 2:00 pm

    “To rectify this state/federal conflict . . . cannabis must be removed from the Controlled Substances Act altogether.” By Paul Armentano, NORML The Trump administration’s decision to reclassify state-authorized medical cannabis products and recognize state-licensed medical cannabis providers is a historic first step toward bringing federal drug policy into the 21st century. For over 50 years, the federal government had clung firmly to its “Flat Earth” position that marijuana lacks any legitimate medical utility and belongs in the same federal classification as heroin. And for much of this time, . . .

  • Congressman Pledges To Help Virginia Hemp Farmers As Federal THC Product Ban And State Marijuana Changes Loom
    by Marijuana Moment on May 9, 2026 at 3:56 pm

    “You’re a constituent. Let’s see what is in the realm of possibility.” By Charlotte Rene Woods, Virginia Mercury “We needed this rain,” farmer and entrepreneur Graham Redfern said from his front porch in Caroline County Wednesday as U.S. Rep. Eugene Vindman (D-VA), who represents Virginia’s 7th District in Congress, approached. The lawmaker was there to learn about the crops and products at Redfern Hemp Co., one of the state’s small businesses whose future hangs in the balance between soon-to-start federal restrictions on hemp THC products and Virginia’s not-yet-finalized retail cannabis . . .

  • Bulk Hemp Warehouse Releases Free Hempcrete Calculator to Help Builders Estimate Materials in Seconds
    by Industry Articles on May 9, 2026 at 2:57 pm

    The new browser-based tool removes a long-standing barrier for builders, architects, and DIYers working with one of the world’s most sustainable building materials. Bulk Hemp Warehouse, one of North America’s leading suppliers of bulk hemp materials, today announced the launch of a free Hempcrete Calculator – a simple online tool that instantly estimates how much hemp hurd, lime binder, and water a builder needs for any hempcrete project. The calculator is available now at no cost at bulkhempwarehouse.com/hempcrete-calculator. Hempcrete: a carbon-negative, fireproof, breathable building . . .

  • Pennsylvania Medical Marijuana And Hemp Regulation Bill Sets The State Up For Broader Recreational Legalization, GOP Senator Says
    by Marijuana Moment on May 9, 2026 at 1:22 pm

    “This bill does not legalize adult-use cannabis, but eventually we probably will. If we have this board set up ahead of time, they can do it in a professional manner.” By Ian Karbal, Pennsylvania Capital-Star A state Senate committee has advanced a bill to create a Cannabis Control Board that would allow more oversight of the existing medical marijuana program. It would also regulate hemp-derived products, which contain intoxicating cannabinoids and are currently sold in head shops and gas stations around the commonwealth. The bill’s sponsor, Republican Sen. Dan Laughlin (R-Erie), who has . . .

  • Newsbrief: Okla. tells licensees to register with DEA
    by Week_admin on May 9, 2026 at 3:24 am

    Following the Trump administration’s rescheduling of MED last month, Oklahoma’s top drug cop is telling businesses in the state’s MED industry to register with the DEA or face penalties including potentially having their licenses revoked. Citing state laws, Donnie Anderson, director of the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Control (OBNDD) wrote in a letter that “every registrant who is a distributor or manufacturer of medical marijuana products must comply with federal . . . Log in or become a WeedWeek Member to read this article. The post Newsbrief: Okla. tells licensees to . . .

  • Oklahoma Officials Say Medical Marijuana Businesses Must Register With Federal DEA To Avoid Punishment
    by Tom Angell on May 8, 2026 at 8:12 pm

    Oklahoma drug officials have issued guidance warning medical marijuana businesses that they must register with the federal government in order to avoid facing punishments, including potentially having their state registrations revoked. Donnie Anderson, director of the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Control (OBNDD) said in a letter to cannabis industry operatives on Friday that they are required to fill out a new Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) registration form that was launched in conjunction with the Trump administration’s move to federally reschedule cannabis. . . .

  • Aprio Acquires Price Kong, Enters Cannabis Accounting and Expands Arizona Footprint
    by Industry Articles on May 8, 2026 at 6:44 pm

    Aprio, the 20th-largest business advisory and accounting firm in the U.S., has agreed to acquire Phoenix-based Price Kong, a long-standing CPA and advisory firm with deep experience serving cannabis businesses. The deal, effective June 1, 2026, expands Aprio’s Arizona footprint, unites its legal, accounting, audit, and wealth capabilities in the Phoenix market, and formally marks the firm’s entry into cannabis accounting and advisory. By bringing more than 40 Price Kong professionals into the fold, Aprio is positioning itself as a go-to partner for Arizona entrepreneurs navigating complex . . .

  • NJ Court Rules Cops Can’t Be Fired for Off-Duty Cannabis Consumption
    by Dan Ulloa on May 8, 2026 at 4:24 pm

    A New Jersey Superior Court has ruled in a decision that police officers’ off-duty consumption of cannabis is not grounds for termination. Police Consuming Cannabis Cases The case Patten v. Jersey City Police Department has been an ongoing issue for years, along with those against other officers of the Jersey City Police Department (JCPD). They also [ . . . ] Source: NJ Court Rules Cops Can’t Be Fired for Off-Duty Cannabis Consumption from Heady NJ

  • Minnesota Lawmakers Pass Bill To Legalize Psilocybin Therapy
    by Kyle Jaeger on May 8, 2026 at 4:23 pm

    Minnesota House lawmakers have voted to legalize the regulated therapeutic use of psilocybin for adults 21 and older. The reform was added to broader health policy legislation via an amendment on the floor of the House of Representatives that was adopted by a vote of 114-15 on Thursday. The amended legislation now heads to the Senate for consideration. The psilocybin provisions that are advancing are similar to those of a standalone bill that was approved earlier this year by the House Health Finance and Policy Committee, though that legislation had also contained language to reschedule the . . .

  • FBI Raids Dispensary Co-Owned By Virginia State Senator
    by Graham Abbott on May 8, 2026 at 3:19 pm

    Agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) on Wednesday raided a medical cannabis dispensary co-owned by Virginia state Sen. Louise Lucas (D), the Virginia Mercury reports. Carried out by SWAT teams and federal FBI agents, the raids targeted the senator’s Portsmouth-based cannabis retailer, The Cannabis Outlet, as well as the senator’s office, which is adjacent to the business. The officers entered the shop with their weapons drawn, ordered everyone to exit, and arrested three individuals, according to the report. Lucas initially told reporters that she had no idea why she was . . .

  • Investigation Deems Kentucky Medical Cannabis Licensing Process ‘Transparent and Fair’
    by Graham Abbott on May 8, 2026 at 3:19 pm

    The Kentucky Office of the Inspector General announced Thursday that it has concluded an investigation into the medical cannabis licensing process implemented by the state’s Office of Medical Cannabis (OMC). “After independently reviewing the program, the licensure process it created in regulation, and the relevant regulations and statutes, this office found that OMC created an effective program that was fully transparent and fair to all licensure applicants.” – Excerpt from the report The report comes one year after the OMC requested the investigation into the process. Gov. Andy Beshear . . .

  • More Older Adults Are Using Marijuana As An Alternative To Pharmaceuticals, Federally Funded Study From American Medical Association Shows
    by Tom Angell on May 8, 2026 at 3:01 pm

    Most older adults who seek out marijuana do so to avoid negative effects associated with traditional pharmaceuticals or because they’ve exhausted other options to treat conditions like pain or sleep disorders, according to a new federally funded study released by the American Medical Association (AMA). The study, published in JAMA Network Open on Friday, examined the motivations that have driven older adults to become the fastest-growing demographic of cannabis consumers in the U.S. Researchers at the University of Utah Health and the University of Colorado Boulder also looked at product . . .

  • The Mothers Building Cannabis
    by Hannah Eko on May 8, 2026 at 2:20 pm

    Cannabis has long been spoken about in feminine terms: the Green Goddess, lunar cycles, pot girls, and canna-moms. Cannabis growers speak about the “mother plant,” the living genetic anchors from which entire harvests emerge. A healthy mother plant is not rushed. She is protected, tended to carefully, relied upon for consistency, resilience, and future growth. And yet, despite the cannabis industry’s dependence on the language and labor of caregiving, motherhood itself is still frequently underestimated inside the business. Mothers are often treated as peripheral to innovation rather than . . .

  • White House Drug Czar Clarifies That Marijuana Is ‘Still Illegal’ Following Trump Administration’s Rescheduling Move
    by Tom Angell on May 8, 2026 at 2:17 pm

    The Trump administration’s drug czar is clarifying that move to federally reschedule marijuana doesn’t make cannabis broadly legal. “It’s still illegal,” Sara Carter Bailey, director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), said in an interview with Newsmax this week. “Executive-level Schedule III allows for doctors and research and for medicine, for medicinal purposes.” She was answering a reporter’s question about the potency of marijuana products during an interview about the administration’s new National Drug Control Strategy. That document, released this . . .

  • Louisiana House Passes Bill To Create Psychedelic Therapy Pilot Program Funded By Opioid Settlement Dollars
    by Tom Angell on May 8, 2026 at 12:25 pm

    Louisiana lawmakers have passed a bill to create a psychedelic-assisted therapy pilot program, using opioid settlement dollars to fund clinical trials aimed at developing alternative treatments such as psilocybin and ibogaine, also adopting a new amendment that adds MDMA to the scope of the legislation. The proposal from Sen. Patrick McMath (R) was amended and approved by the House of Representatives in a 97-0 vote on Thursday, weeks after passing the Senate in a unanimous vote. Because an amendment adopted on the House floor added MDMA to the bill, and the Health and Welfare Committee . . .