Below is The Marijuana Herald’s Daily Cannabis News Brief for August 18, 2026. The Marijuana Herald publishes a new edition every weekday at around 3 p.m. Pacific Time. You can find previous editions by clicking here
Kentucky’s 22nd Medical Marijuana Dispensary Opens in Richmond, Here’s Where All 22 Are Located
Kentucky’s medical marijuana market has expanded to 22 operating dispensaries following the opening of a Green Releaf location in Richmond. The store, located at 212 Wayne Drive, opened August 14 and is Green Releaf’s third location in the state, joining dispensaries in Ferguson and Elizabethtown. Additional licensed dispensaries remain under development as Kentucky’s medical marijuana retail network continues to expand.
DEA Urges Judge to Move Marijuana to Schedule III as Final Rescheduling Briefs Set Stage for Decision
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is formally urging Chief Administrative Law Judge Derek Julius to recommend moving marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III. In a post-hearing brief filed August 17, federal attorneys argued that marijuana’s abuse potential and dependency profile most closely align with Schedule III substances and pointed to the Department of Health and Human Services’ finding that marijuana has a currently accepted medical use. The filing follows a nearly three-week hearing held from June 29 through July 15 and sets the stage for Julius to issue a recommended decision.
California Senate Advances Marijuana Packaging and Advertising Bill to Final Vote After Unanimous Assembly Passage
California legislation establishing new restrictions on marijuana packaging, labeling and advertising has advanced through its second reading in the Senate and was ordered to a third reading and final vote. Assembly Bill 2249, sponsored by Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin (D), would establish a more detailed definition of marijuana packaging and advertising considered attractive to children beginning in 2028. The measure passed the Assembly 69-0 in May and has yet to receive an opposing vote.
CBD and CBDA Hemp Extract May Help Calm Stressed Shelter Dogs, Study Finds
(Photo credit: Mladen Antonov/AFP via Getty Images).
A double-blind, placebo-controlled pilot study found that a hemp extract rich in cannabidiol (CBD) and cannabidiolic acid (CBDA) increased resting and reduced activity among shelter dogs with histories of reactive or anxiety-related behavior. The study involved 17 dogs, with accelerometer data showing significant differences between the cannabinoid and placebo groups across measured activity levels. Researchers said the findings were more consistent with a targeted calming effect than generalized sedation, although larger studies are needed.
Curaleaf Formally Launches $4-Per-Share Takeover Bid for Aurora Cannabis
Curaleaf Holdings has formally launched its takeover bid for Aurora Cannabis, taking the proposal directly to shareholders after the companies failed to reach an agreement through private discussions. Aurora shareholders are being offered 0.3463 of a Curaleaf subordinate voting share plus $0.75 in cash for each share, representing approximately $4 per share based on Curaleaf’s August 10 closing price. Curaleaf says a combined company would generate more than $1.5 billion in trailing 12-month revenue and have a market capitalization exceeding $3 billion.
DOJ Finalizes Gun Rights Restoration Rule Exempting Marijuana Use From Drug-Based Disqualifications
(Photo credit: jirkaejc/Newscom).
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has finalized a new process for restoring federal firearm rights that expressly excludes marijuana use and addiction from drug-related grounds that would otherwise make an applicant presumptively ineligible. The rule also means marijuana offenses do not fall under a special 10-year presumption against applicants with certain drug trafficking convictions, although broader felony provisions may still apply. DOJ said the marijuana exception followed a June U.S. Supreme Court ruling and public comments submitted during the rulemaking process.
Massachusetts Cannabis Regulators Seek $7.9 Million in Additional Funding as Social Consumption Launch Nears
Massachusetts marijuana regulators are seeking more than $7.9 million in additional fiscal year 2027 funding as the state prepares to launch social consumption licenses and implement broader changes to its regulated marijuana market. Cannabis Control Commission Executive Director Travis Ahern said the money would support technology upgrades, consultants, new regulatory systems and staffing. Applications for supplemental social consumption licenses allowing existing marijuana businesses to offer on-site use are currently expected to open in December.
South Dakota Lawmakers Examine Medical Marijuana Rules as Patient Enrollment Tops 19,000
South Dakota lawmakers are examining potential changes to the state’s medical marijuana regulations as enrollment surpasses 19,000 patients. During a meeting of the Legislature’s Medical Marijuana Oversight Committee, lawmakers discussed concerns over inspections and fines, including a proposal to allow practice inspections before formal reviews. The committee also considered how marijuana’s move to Schedule III could eventually affect the state program, although officials said questions remain regarding federal taxes and interstate commerce. The committee is expected to meet again in October.
Poll: 79% of Massachusetts Democratic Primary Voters Want to Keep Recreational Marijuana Legal
Nearly eight in 10 Massachusetts voters planning to participate in the Democratic primary say they want to keep recreational marijuana sales legal, according to a Suffolk University and Boston Globe poll. The survey found 79% would vote to maintain the state’s current law, compared with 16.2% who would repeal it and 4.4% who were undecided. Massachusetts voters will decide Question 8, which would prohibit retail recreational marijuana sales, during the November 3 election.
Study: Medical Marijuana Associated With Improved Seizure Frequency in 68% of Patients
A study published in Epilepsy & Behavior found that 67.6% of patients using medical marijuana for seizures reported an improvement in seizure frequency. Researchers from the University of Minnesota and Minnesota Office of Cannabis Management examined records from 1,940 patients enrolled in the state’s medical cannabis program between 2015 and 2023. Most patients received products containing both cannabidiol (CBD) and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), with 86.8% using formulations containing both cannabinoids.
Trulieve to Ring NYSE Closing Bell Today
Trulieve Cannabis Corp. will ring the closing bell at the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) today, August 18, marking its June listing as the first U.S. cannabis company to trade on the exchange. Founder and Chief Executive Officer Kim Rivers will be joined by members of the company’s board and executive leadership for the 4 p.m. Eastern Time ceremony. Trulieve began trading on the NYSE under the ticker TRLV on June 10.
Vermont High School Marijuana Use Falls to Lowest Level in a Decade, State Survey Finds
Marijuana use among Vermont high school students fell to its lowest level in at least a decade in 2025, according to the Vermont Department of Health. The state’s Youth Risk Behavior Survey found that 18% of high school students reported using marijuana during the past 30 days, down from 22% in 2023 and 27% in 2019, while lifetime use fell to 30%. Current marijuana use among middle school students also declined to 3%.
