Chris@CNW, Author at CannabisNewsWire

FridayDec 12, 2025 4:20 pm

420 with CNW — Judge Rejects Request to Halt Implementation of New Michigan Cannabis Taxes

A Michigan court has refused to pause the state’s newly approved 24% tax on wholesale marijuana, clearing the way for the levy to begin on January 1, 2026. The decision, issued by Court of Claims Judge Sima Patel, was closely watched by marijuana companies and policymakers who have debated for months whether the Legislature overstepped its authority when it added the tax to this year’s budget. Patel sided with state officials who argued that the new charge does not alter the substance of the 2018 ballot measure that opened Michigan’s recreational cannabis market. State lawyers maintained that the voter-backed law…

ThursdayDec 11, 2025 4:20 pm

420 with CNW — Seed Ban in America Threatens to Drive Marijuana Genetics Underground

For the first time in six years, the U.S. is preparing to tighten rules on cannabis seeds after lawmakers inserted a last-minute clause into the recent federal spending package that reopened the government. Industry specialists warn that the change could wipe out the domestic seed market and reverse years of lenient oversight. Marijuana seed producers have operated with relatively few restrictions since 2018. The shift followed the passage of the farm bill that year, which treated any plant material with less than 0.3% delta-9 THC as hemp. Since the seeds contain only trace amounts of the psychoactive compound, they were…

WednesdayDec 10, 2025 4:20 pm

420 with CNW — Consumption Lounges Open New Opportunities for Marijuana Firms

Marijuana consumption lounges are reshaping the hospitality industry with experiences that blend social spaces and regulated cannabis use. What started as a niche concept with events like edible-friendly yoga or art sessions has developed into a broader push for dedicated spaces where adults can gather and consume legally. According to Dale Sky Jones, chancellor of Oaksterdam University in Oakland, these venues represent the next significant development for the legal cannabis sector. Jones argues that the appeal of lounges goes far beyond novelty. Operators who hope to succeed must handle compliance, consumer education, and guest safety with the same care that…

TuesdayDec 09, 2025 4:20 pm

420 with CNW — Study Shows Marijuana Regulations Are Effective on Matters of Public Health

A new federally funded review of state regulations suggests that agencies overseeing legal cannabis are placing far greater emphasis on public health than the bodies responsible for alcohol oversight. The findings are based on an analysis of annual reports issued by regulatory agencies in all 24 states that permit recreational cannabis. Researchers examined how each agency framed its mission, how often it reported working with health departments, and what types of public safety initiatives it highlighted. Roughly 68% of agencies that manage cannabis markets referenced public health priorities in their guiding statements, while only 35% of alcohol regulators did the…

MondayDec 08, 2025 4:20 pm

420 with CNW — Proposal Seeks to Cover Some Hemp Products Under Medicare Plans

Medical marijuana health insurance has long been viewed by cannabis businesses and patient advocates as a breakthrough that could reshape the industry. A recent proposed change to Medicare reimbursement regulations offered a brief spark of attention but delivered little for those hoping for broader coverage. While the revision would allow coverage for a limited range of hemp products, it would not include CBD. Talks of government-backed health plans covering CBD treatments picked up last week after Bloomberg reported that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services was weighing whether certain older adults might qualify for CBD care beyond the single…

FridayDec 05, 2025 4:20 pm

420 with CNW — State Panel to Unveil Plan Establishing a Marijuana Retail Market in Virginia

Virginia is inching closer to clarifying how legal cannabis sales might work after years of political gridlock. A state panel created to review the issue is preparing to release a detailed proposal that could shape the future of the adult-use market. The Joint Commission on the Future of Cannabis Sales, formed this year, has spent months gathering testimony from industry experts, regulators, advocates, and residents. Its final roadmap is expected at the panel’s next meeting, giving lawmakers a structured proposal to consider in 2026. The state legalized possession of small amounts of marijuana and allowed limited home cultivation in 2021,…

ThursdayDec 04, 2025 4:20 pm

420 with CNW — New Report Shows Illicit Marijuana is Being Sold as Hemp in Missouri

A new report from the Missouri Cannabis Trade Association says many retailers that advertise legal hemp products are instead selling cannabis products with high THC levels. The group’s findings come from laboratory tests on 55 products purchased at gas stations, smoke shops, and stores that market themselves as hemp or CBD sellers. According to the report, 96% of the samples turned out to be synthetic THC or cannabis. The association’s 16-page document outlines what it describes as a statewide problem involving hundreds of unregulated shops offering potent THC products while presenting them as legal hemp. It includes test results, a…

WednesdayDec 03, 2025 4:20 pm

420 with CNW — How the Hemp Industry Could Be Impacted by the Federal Ban on Hemp THC

A surge in hemp-derived THC products that reshaped convenience store shelves and fueled a fast-growing market appears to be heading toward a sharp slowdown. Tucked inside the bill that brought an end to the recent federal shutdown is a clause that would outlaw hemp-derived THC products nationwide. That measure, scheduled for November 2026, has sent the $24 billion hemp sector scrambling for answers and time. Supporters and critics agree on one thing; this change would close a loophole created six years ago by the Farm Bill 2018, although some disagree on whether that is a good thing. The 2018 bill…

TuesdayDec 02, 2025 4:20 pm

420 with CNW — Michigan Court Starts Hearing Challenge to Newly Approved Marijuana Taxes

A judge on the Michigan Court of Claims is set to review arguments over whether state lawmakers crossed a constitutional line when they approved a new tax on cannabis. The hearing centers on a 24% levy on wholesale cannabis transactions that became a key part of the state budget signed by Governor Gretchen Whitmer last month. The state’s recreational cannabis industry filed suit shortly after the budget became law. Industry leaders argue that voters already established the tax framework for legal marijuana when they passed a ballot initiative in 2018, which created a retail tax on cannabis products. They argue…

MondayDec 01, 2025 4:20 pm

420 with CNW — Buying Habits of Gen Z’s Are Changing Marijuana Retail

Cannabis retailers across the U.S. are adjusting to an unexpected shift in shopper behavior as the youngest legal buyers reshape the market. Gen Z customers are coming into stores, but they are approaching cannabis with more intention, more research, and more caution than many of the shoppers who came before them. Los Angeles’ The Higher Path & The Other Path director Adrienne Airhart says customers are not walking in to chase intense highs. According to her, younger adults often use THC to support workouts, manage school workloads, or ease social discomfort. For many of them, cannabis has become another tool…

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Author: Chris@CNW