Below is The Marijuana Herald’s Daily Cannabis News Brief for August 10, 2026. The Marijuana Herald publishes a new edition every weekday at around 3 p.m. Pacific Time. You can find previous editions of the Daily Cannabis News Brief by clicking here.
Green Thumb Opens 23rd Florida Marijuana Dispensary in Port Charlotte, Now Operates Over 120 Dispensaries in 14 States
Green Thumb Industries has opened its 23rd medical marijuana dispensary in Florida, expanding its RISE retail footprint into Port Charlotte. The company entered Florida’s medical marijuana market in 2018 and also operates cultivation and production facilities in Ocala and Homestead.
The opening brings Green Thumb’s nationwide footprint to more than 120 RISE dispensaries across 14 U.S. markets. A grand opening for the Port Charlotte location is scheduled for September 5, with a portion of profits benefiting The Grateful Veteran.
U.S. House: Bipartisan Bill Would Establish Federal Rules for Hemp THC Beverages
Representatives Beth Van Duyne (R-TX) and Greg Landsman (D-OH) have introduced the bipartisan Beverage Regulatory Parity Act, which would establish a federal regulatory framework for hemp-derived THC beverages and allow products containing up to 5 milligrams of total intoxicating THC per serving to be sold to those 21 and older.
The legislation would establish a three-tier distribution system modeled after alcohol regulations and impose an 8-cent-per-milligram federal excise tax. The bill comes as Congress considers delaying forthcoming federal hemp restrictions that would otherwise restrict finished products to 0.4 milligrams of total THC and certain related cannabinoids per container.
Nearly 40,000 Signatures Submitted for Houston Marijuana Decriminalization Measure as City Council Vote Nears
Nearly 40,000 Houston residents have signed a petition for the Houston Freedom Act, which would make enforcement of low-level marijuana possession the city’s lowest police priority and prohibit participation in no-knock raids. Supporters are preparing to testify before the Houston City Council on August 11, and if enough signatures are validated, the measure could appear on the November ballot.
Mississippi’s Medical Marijuana Market to Have One Testing Company Following Merger
Mississippi’s two remaining marijuana testing companies, Steep Hill Mississippi and Alchemy Analytics, are merging to form Southern Precision Analytics, leaving the state with a single company providing marijuana testing services.
Both existing laboratory locations will remain open with their employees and testing procedures in place, while administrative and back-office operations will be consolidated. Seven marijuana testing laboratories were initially licensed when sales began in 2023, but only Steep Hill and Alchemy remain in operation.
Nearly 40,000 Signatures Submitted for Houston Marijuana Decriminalization Measure as City Council Vote Nears
Nearly 40,000 Houston residents have signed a petition seeking to place the Houston Freedom Act before voters, as supporters prepare to testify before the Houston City Council on August 11.
The proposal would make enforcement of low-level marijuana possession the Houston Police Department’s lowest priority while also effectively prohibiting police participation in no-knock raids. If enough signatures are validated, the measure could appear on the November ballot.
Safe Harbor Financial Reports $1.9 Million in Q2 Revenue, Up 4.8% From a Year Ago, Cannabis Deposit Balances Reach $108 Million
Safe Harbor Financial reported approximately $1.9 million in second-quarter revenue, up 4.8% from a year earlier, while average deposit balances increased 6.8% to $108.4 million.
Loan program income increased 50.7% to approximately $800,000, although the cannabis-focused financial services company reported a quarterly net loss of about $1.5 million, compared with a $900,000 loss during the same period last year.
Study: Activating Cannabinoid Receptor Reduces Iron Overload-Induced Liver Damage
Activating cannabinoid receptor type 2 (CB2) significantly reduced liver damage, inflammation and iron accumulation in a model of iron overload, according to a study published in Molecular Biomedicine.
Researchers found that treatment with the selective CB2 agonist JWH133 reduced liver iron accumulation by 49% and serum ferritin by 20%, while animals lacking CB2 experienced more severe liver damage and iron accumulation. Researchers said targeting CB2 could potentially provide a new therapeutic strategy for diseases involving iron overload.
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