Aug 12 2025
In a ruling released today, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit declared that New York’s cannabis licensing system — which gives “extra priority” to applicants or their close relatives with New York marijuana convictions — violates the dormant Commerce Clause and is therefore unconstitutional. The court found that this protectionist carve-out “cannot …
Aug 12 2025
Texas House Bill 5, which would ban hemp-derived THC products statewide, is set for a public hearing tomorrow in the House Health Committee. The hearing will take place at 9am in room E2.030. The proposal is the companion to Senate Bill 5, which has already passed the Senate and is now moving through the House …
Aug 12 2025
A recently published study has provided one of the most detailed looks yet at the genetic diversity of Cannabis sativa, identifying four genetically distinct lineages and confirming the effectiveness of a rapid DNA-based test for determining plant sex long before flowering. For the study, researchers at the Institute of Plant Breeding and Genetic Resources in …
Aug 12 2025
Moving marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III isn’t legalization, but it would have real, tangible effects—some immediate, others more symbolic. With President Trump saying that his administration will have a decision on rescheduling within “the next few weeks”, it’s left many wondering what the real-world implications would be of such a move. Below is …
Aug 12 2025
A new study published in Neuropharmacology found that cannabidiol (CBD) counteracted some harmful behavioral and brain changes caused by social stress in mice, including heightened sensitivity to cocaine’s rewarding effects. Researchers from the University of Valencia, University of Zaragoza and University of Heidelberg used an intermittent social defeat (ISD) model, where adolescent male mice were …
Aug 11 2025
Oklahoma’s medical marijuana program brought in $3,895,089 in excise tax revenue in July, according to newly released data from the Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority. With the state’s 7% tax rate, this figure translates to approximately $55.64 million in medical marijuana sales for the month, bringing the year-to-date total to around $392 million.
Aug 11 2025
Applications for Round 3 of Illinois’ Cannabis Social Equity Loan Program opened today. This round of funding includes $40 million, which will be available through Direct Forgivable Loans fully financed by the State. This round of funding includes $40 million, which will be available through Direct Forgivable Loans (DFL) fully financed by the State, according to …
Aug 11 2025
Suffolk County Sheriff Steven W. Tompkins has been indicted on federal charges accusing him of extorting an executive from a Boston-based marijuana company in connection with its efforts to operate a retail store in the city. Federal prosecutors say Tompkins, 67, of Boston, used his position to pressure the executive for a pre-IPO equity stake …
Aug 11 2025
New Jersey’s cannabis market continued to grow in the second quarter of 2025, with regulators reporting increases in sales, strong participation from minority- and woman-owned businesses, and a licensing process that is surpassing state equity benchmarks. According to the New Jersey Cannabis Regulatory Commission’s Q2 reports (found here and here), total adult-use marijuana sales from …
Aug 11 2025
At a press conference today, President Donald Trump confirmed that his administration is actively weighing whether to reschedule marijuana under federal law, saying a decision could come soon. “We’re looking at reclassification [of marijuana] and we’ll make a determination over the next few weeks. And that determination will hopefully be the right one,” said Trump. …
