Dispensaries

As you may have heard, there won’t be an official 420 celebration of cannabis and cannabis culture in Golden Gate Park this year. But that surely won’t stop you from celebrating your own way. And because cannabis has been available for recreational use in California since 2016, you probably already have your go-to shop, but in the same way that cocktail bars have different drink menus, you never know what you can discover when you branch out and try something… Read more.

Recreational cannabis has been legal in NYC for three years, and it should come as no surprise that weed delivery has thrived among our tech-savvy and perpetually busy locals. What can we say, convenience is king. While visiting the city’s licensed and hyper-aesthetic dispensaries in person can still feel like a fun, novel experience, the accessibility of to-your-door service and smoking inside your apartment can’t (and won’t) be snubbed. Here’s our guide on the where, what, and how of weed delivery services in NYC. Can… Read more.

In some neighborhoods in LA, there are more cannabis dispensaries than Starbucks. With over 1,481 dispensaries to choose from, finding the best ones hidden in the vast concrete jungle between the beach and the mountains can be hazy and overwhelming. Green cross signs light up billboards and storefronts, some spots are low-key with no signage whatsoever, and others look like high-end jewelry stores. While we are grateful to live in a cannabis-progressive bubble where you can openly smoke weed at… Read more.

Over a decade ago, a local poll found that 80% of residents supported either legalizing or decriminalizing marijuana. Shortly thereafter, the Council of the District of Columbia elected to decriminalize cannabis possession and in February 2015, voters approved the Legalization of Possession of Minimal Amounts of Marijuana for Personal Use Initiative (commonly known as Initiative 71). Ever since, the nation’s capital has created what is called a “gifting economy,” whereupon cannabis is given as a gift whereas the legally defined “purchase” is… Read more.

Navigating through all of the new rap artists emerging out of NYC can be tough. Finding someone who is fresh, interesting, and likes to get stoned might even be a mission. Lucky for me, I stumbled upon Cleotrapa.  Cleo being from Staten Island, which happens to be my hometown, made the assignment even more intriguing. Pair that with the fact that she’s Ice Spice‘s “baddie friend” who’s been by her side in most of the snippets and videos that have stacked up… Read more.

Since breaking through with Sixteen Stone in 1994, Bush’s Gavin Rossdale has been a music industry mainstay. The debut album peaked at #4 on the Billboard charts, leading to successful albums and side projects over the next three decades. The band’s debut release, known for hits like “Machinehead” and “Glycerine,” solidified Bush’s 90s legacy. They continued with chart-topping releases, including 1996’s follow-up Razorblade Suitcase, and maintained momentum through the 2000s. Their latest album, The Art of Survival, released in 2022.  The combined endeavors created a lasting… Read more.

Former Medford, New Jersey mayor and former New Jersey General Assemblyman Scott Rudder is opening a dispensary in Riverside in his home state. Riverside, a suburb in the greater Philadelphia-Camden area, is a prime location for growth in the cannabis sector. Rudder, who is Republican, founded the New Jersey CannaBusiness Association in 2016, a leading cannabis trade industry association. He’s also a veteran and helped organize and was a top consultant to statewide campaigns to legalize adult-use cannabis in New… Read more.

Bliss + Lex is a Black woman-owned cannabis dispensary in Manhattan and its team says it’s the first dispensary of its kind to do so in a March 20 announcement. Licensed adult-use cannabis businesses are beginning to appear in New York City as they compete with unlicensed businesses.  “This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to pull up our own seat at the table in the cannabis industry. As entrepreneurs, we have a chance to create a legacy, change the trajectory of our family’s… Read more.

Jason Harris founded Jerome Baker Designs Inc. (JBD) in Eugene, Oregon, in 1991. As a dyed-in-the-wool deadhead with THC pumping through his veins, he chose Jerry Garcia’s first name, Jerome, and a last name, Baker, to denote “baked” as his pseudonym, fearing repercussions from cops. Through the years, he elevated the form of functional glass art, incorporating innovations along the way, such as fuming glass with fine silver to create a mirror effect and manipulating blown glass into complex art. The JBD seal… Read more.

North Carolina – one of the few remaining states in the U.S. that has yet to legalize medical or recreational marijuana – is about to get an operational weed store anyway, courtesy of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. The Native American tribe plans to launch recreational cannabis sales on its reservation, near the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort, on the cannabis holiday of April 20, The Charlotte Observer reported. “Across the country, it’s the… Read more.

Arizona lawmakers are pushing to return social equity licenses for marijuana dispensaries to their original owners, alleging private investors and cannabis corporations used predatory tactics to seize control of nearly all the lucrative licenses. “We now have here in Arizona a situation where 24 of 26 of these social equity licenses are now fully controlled by companies or people who do not belong in these special groups to get this license.” By Natasha Yee, Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting Arizona… Read more.

New York Governor Kathy Hochul on Wednesday called on social media companies and popular websites including Google and Yelp to stop running listings for unlicensed cannabis retailers. At a press conference, the governor appeared with licensed dispensary owners, who face stiff competition from the multitude of unlicensed weed retailers in New York City, to call attention to the situation. “If you type in ‘cannabis dispensaries’ in Google Maps or Yelp, you’ll get a long list of unlicensed illegal vendors,” Hochul… Read more.

New Mexico’s largest medical and adult-use marijuana operator, Ultra Health, will close one of its two Santa Fe stores at the end of February. The Cerrillos Road store was more expensive to operate than Ultra’s other stores, President and CEO Duke Rodriguez told the Santa Fe New Mexican newspaper. “That location was the most expensive monthly rent at $8,000 in our entire system and the lowest revenue producer in our entire system,” he added. Ultra Health will continue running its… Read more.

Marijuana industry veterans who have dealt with track-and-trace systems generally have found that these programs can meet their expectations on the cultivation and production side of the business with little to no extra help from additional software. Retailers, however, often need more functionality from either point-of-sale (POS) or enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems. “On the cultivation side, Metrc has actually done a good job of building out a software tool that can track the plant inventory and the finished-goods inventory… Read more.

Although the New York cannabis market has gotten considerably better – the number of operational retailers has grown to 52 as of Jan. 19 – a new problem has arisen for operators upstream in the supply chain: how to collect on unpaid bills from retail shops. The issue of nonpayment by licensed New York marijuana stores has been around since the market launched just over a year ago, said Brittany Carbone, both a marijuana farmer and the incoming vice president… Read more.

Connecticut’s attorney general filed civil lawsuits against seven businesses accused of selling “potent, illicit” marijuana products without proper state licenses. The Tuesday announcement by AG William Tong comes on the heels of a record month of legal cannabis sales in the state. According to the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection, the state’s cannabis industry reported $27.5 million in combined recreational and medical marijuana sales in December. It’s the highest monthly total since the state launched adult-use sales in January 2023. Combined sales for all of 2023 topped… Read more.

Lawmakers in Washington DC passed legislation targeting unlicensed cannabis “gifting” stores, potentially empowering a new crackdown on the illicit retailers. Although the District of Columbia has a legal medical marijuana program, the unlicensed stores aren’t part of it. The stores, which sell non-marijuana items and include a “gift” of cannabis, have been a persistent challenge for DC authorities. The new emergency legislation gives powers to the District’s Alcohol Beverage and Cannabis Administration (ABCA), allowing the agency “to issue warnings, fines, and cease-and-desist orders… Read more.

A Montana judge struck down a state law imposing higher fees on cannabis dispensaries, ruling in favor of a group of dispensary owners who argued that the increased costs threatened their businesses. Lewis and Clark County District Court Judge Mike Menahan issued the order last week, effectively halting the enforcement and collection of the new fee structure passed by the state legislature, according to the Daily Montanan. The ruling is a significant blow to the state’s efforts to raise regulatory revenue… Read more.

In Connecticut, the “HighBazaar” is a private cannabis event that has been held since 2022. The Masonic Temple Day Spring Lodge in Hamden hosts these events, which in the past has attracted hundreds or even thousands of people. The event is what many news outlets and politicians call a cannabis “gifting party,” where attendees pay a fee for entry and can purchase cannabis accessories or obtain “gifts” that come with cannabis. Now, Connecticut Attorney General William Tong is claiming that… Read more.

A BBC investigation revealed a plethora of online pharmacies in the U.K. appear to be selling medication without doctor approval.  The BBC said they bought over 1,600 prescription-only pills from 20 online pharmacies without general practitioner approval or any scrutiny other than an online questionnaire. The names of the pharmacies were withheld for obvious reasons, but they managed to purchase anti-anxiety medications, painkillers and sleeping pills as easily as one might purchase a sandwich at Subway.  This problem has been increasing in… Read more.

A new law in Oklahoma gives the state’s cannabis regulators the authority to launch a medical marijuana dispensary secret shopper program. The legislation, which was passed by state legislators and signed into law in 2022, tasks the Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority (OMMA) with inspecting at least 50 licensed medical marijuana retailers for violations of the state’s regulations each year. The new law, House Bill 3971 (HB 3971), went into effect this week along with several other bills designed to rein… Read more.

New Jersey added fifty-seven licensed, operational dispensaries in 2023, the first full year of adult-use legalization in the state. When adult-use legislation went into effect in April 2022, only twenty-two recreational dispensaries existed to serve the state’s twenty-one counties and 9.3 million people. This year seems poised to be another period of expansion. According to the New Jersey Cannabis Regulatory Commission (CRC), another sixteen retailers, five cultivators, three manufacturers, one wholesaler, two distributors, and two delivery services received conditional licenses in December,… Read more.

High Tide has opened the doors for its Canna Cabana cannabis store on the Tsuut’ina Nation in the province of Alberta. It’s only the fourth province-approved adult-use cannabis store on or adjacent to a reserve in the province, according to a spokesperson for the Alberta Gaming, Liquor & Cannabis (AGLC). The other three are: 7 Points Cannabis in Enoch Cree Nation.Green Nation Naturals in the vicinity of Maskwacis territory.4Hoots in Sucker Creek First Nation.Alberta has 750 legal cannabis stores, meaning… Read more.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D), Attorney General Letitia James, and the Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) on Monday announced the forced closure of Big Chief Smoke Shop, an unlicensed cannabis retailer in Brooklyn. The closure came just one day before the opening of the borough’s first licensed adult-use dispensary. Big Chief Smoke Shop had been selling cannabis products without a license since at least November 2022, according to a press release from the governor’s office. Officials said they previously inspected the… Read more.

Law enforcement officials in Colorado last week announced the arrest of 23 individuals for their alleged involvement in more than 40 cannabis dispensary burglaries in the Denver metropolitan area. Denver District Attorney Beth McCann said in a statement on Friday that the 23 defendants are members of two separate organized crime groups. The arrests came following a lengthy investigation by several law enforcement agencies including the Denver District Attorney’s Office, Denver Police Department, Aurora Police Department, the FBI, ATF, the… Read more.

Ontario’s government-owned marijuana wholesaler was sitting on more than 500 million Canadian dollars ($367 million) in cash earlier this year, but officials have declined to spell out why the Ontario Cannabis Store held on to that much money rather than remit some of it back to the provincial government earlier. According to recently disclosed Ontario Cannabis Store (OCS) financial statements, the wholesaler had CA$536 million ($394 million) in cash as of March 31, 2023 – the end of its fiscal… Read more.

It’s hard to imagine now, but legal cannabis only became a thing in the US in 2012, when Colorado blazed the trail to more enlightened legislation. Before that, if you wanted to legally smoke cannabis without a medical card, you were probably eyeballing a trip to Amsterdam. What a difference a decade makes! Today, 24 states have legalized recreational toking, with more hot on their heels. We now live in the golden age of the weed vacation. The right to smoke up freely has… Read more.

New York’s cannabis regulatory agency on Monday announced that it has reached a settlement in two lawsuits that have been blocking the opening of retail weed dispensaries for months. The settlement sets the stage for more than 400 Conditional Adult-Use Retail Dispensary (CAURD) licensees to finally open their businesses after months of waiting for the lawsuit to be resolved. The lawsuits against New York’s Cannabis Control Board (CCB) are challenging the agency’s process for awarding licenses for the state’s first… Read more.

Dispensaries are doing their part to help others to feel the true spirit of thankfulness this Thanksgiving with a round of free turkeys. In recent years, Green Wednesday, which falls on the day before Thanksgiving, has become the cannabis industry’s second-highest grossing day of sales, and a big day for promotional giveaways. Like last year, many cannabis companies are joining the holiday spirit and running their own turkey drives with free turkeys for people in need. Thanksgiving is a holiday people… Read more.

A radiant symbol has recently emerged among the bright neon signs lining Bangkok's streets: the weed leaf. After legalizing medical cannabis in 2018, last year Thailand became the first country in Asia to decriminalize weed. Today, people over 20 who are not pregnant or breastfeeding can consume it without punishment, although smoking in public spaces can still land you a hefty fine. That’s led to a boom in cannabis shops across the country. And with a dispensary practically now on every… Read more.

By the time Greta Brandt entered the regulated cannabis industry, she already had an established career in law and politics. The skills she brought from those sectors – synthesizing complex regulations, negotiating deals and understanding contracts – proved priceless in the regulated marijuana space, where rapidly changing rules are more the norm than the exception. Today, Brandt leads 300 employees as president of The Flower Shop and True North Organics, vertically integrated cannabis companies with operations in Arizona’s recreational marijuana… Read more.

Florida medical cannabis companies have to pay over 22 times the amount to renew their licenses this year—over $1 million dollars—but one company is challenging the unrealistic price hike before it topples the state’s medical cannabis system as we know it. Sanctuary Cannabis, a medical cannabis company that’s due for a license renewal in January, is arguing that their new $1.33 million price tag for a license is unjustified. The company filed  a petition Oct. 26 against the license renewal… Read more.

Country cannabis outlaw and icon Willie Nelson entered the Michigan cannabis market, debuting his cannabis brand in the state last week. Michigan is the eighth state so far to sell flower from the singer-songwriter’s exclusive cannabis brand, Willie’s Reserve, which will be available at all Puff locations and several other dispensaries across the state.  Nelson has earned his name in the cannabis world after decades of support. Now at 90 years old, Nelson has attributed cannabis—a secret to a long life—as a… Read more.

The Canadian cannabis industry is on pace to see a record number of federal licenses revoked this fiscal year, largely at the request of the companies themselves, according to new data from Health Canada. The federal agency revoked 42 licenses during the first six months of the current fiscal year – April through September – putting the industry on pace to surpass the 74 that were revoked in the 2022-23 fiscal year. In 2021-22, 50 licenses were revoked, more than… Read more.

The Palm Springs City Council voted last week to put a temporary moratorium on issuing new cannabis licenses while civic leaders consider steps to rein in the growth of the regulated weed industry. The council voted 4-0 to issue the 45-day moratorium, with Councilmember Christy Holstege recusing herself from the vote because her husband has business ties to the cannabis industry. Palm Springs, a city in the southern California desert with nearly 46,000 residents, has issued 33 licenses for cannabis… Read more.

In the highly competitive cannabis retail sector, the design and aesthetic of dispensaries play a pivotal role in attracting and retaining customers. Gone are the days of dark, dingy rooms with limited product offerings and dimly lit receptions. Modern dispensaries are sleek and more in line with Apple stores, offering top-tier products while delivering a shopping experience. Successful retailers recognize that cohesiveness in flow and functionality is foundational to success, which translates to happy—and repeat—customers. Toronto-based retail design company Visual Elements saw… Read more.

After months of controversy and legal disputes, the first legal cannabis dispensary in Harlem opened its doors to customers on Wednesday.  Gotham Buds celebrated its grand opening on West 125th Street in Manhattan –– just across the street from the historic Apollo Theater.  According to CBS New York, the store is the “the 26th conditional adult-use retail dispensary to open in New York State,” as well as the first state-licensed dispensary to open in the iconic neighborhood with a rich history of… Read more.

The second legal adult-use cannabis store in Queens, NY opens today. Terp Bros is located at 36-10 Ditmars Blvd. in the hip Astoria neighborhood. Terp Bros at 36-10 Ditmars Blvd. in the Astoria section of Queens, NY (CelebStoner photo) CelebStoner visited Terp Bros for their advanced VIP reception on October 16. Locals lined up to buy legal cannabis products throughout the day. A staff of 10 served the customers. Terp Bros has been waiting to open since August when an injunction stopped… Read more.

A New York Judge recently issued a court order that allows just two cannabis retailers to open for business, while hundreds of others are put on hold. On Oct. 6, Judge Kevin Bryant permitted Manhattan-based ConBud LLC and Queens-based Kush Culture LLC (also known as Terp Bros) to be exempt from the current hold on cannabis business operations. Bryant initially issued the injunction in August, which prevents retail cannabis licensees from opening. Currently, more than 400 conditional adult-use retail dispensary licensees… Read more.

Executives often undertake business diversification as a hedge against their core business or the economy going sour. But in 2014, when Curio Wellness co-founder and Chief Brand Officer Wendy Bronfein and her partners conceived the idea for a Timonium, Maryland-based medical cannabis dispensary combined with a wellness store and a spa, the challenges facing MMJ entrepreneurs weren’t just economic but cultural. Diversification built in Bronfein and her partners built diversification into the business model not only to provide backup revenue… Read more.

New York state Judge Kevin Bryant on Friday signed off on three new orders that will allow a trio of licensed cannabis retail shops to open in coming weeks, in addition to the two announced earlier that same day, according to court records. The three retailers that won permission from Bryant include: Air City Cannabis LLC, which is licensed for a retail shop in the Mohawk Valley Gotham Buds LLC, which is licensed for a retail shop in Manhattan North Country Roots… Read more.

Stroll down any of the placid, leafy avenues in Columbus, Ohio, and inevitably you’ll catch sight of an emblem of the state. Maybe it’s a flag on a porch, a bumper sticker, or an Ohio State University hat perched atop a smiling face. Residents’ immense pride in the Buckeye State is unwavering, undeniable, even unavoidable. Ohioans love Ohio things, so it’s fitting one of the most successful companies in the state’s fledgling cannabis industry is Buckeye Relief, a homegrown vertical… Read more.

More than half of Arizona’s 26 social equity retail licensees are poised to miss a key deadline to open their cannabis shops by Sunday, Oct. 8. The group of operators – currently numbering 14 – could face penalties for failing to meet the state-mandated deadline. Those sanctions could include having their licenses revoked. But state regulators have indicated that they won’t go that far and will instead give the dozen or so social equity license holders more time to get… Read more.

General cannabis licensing in New York opens today amid an injunction on its Conditional Adult-Use Retail licensing program imposed by a judge in August. The 60-day window includes licensing applications for cultivators, processors, distributors, retailers, and micro licenses. The window opens two days before the state Supreme Court is set to make a decision on the current injunction. Justice Kevin Bryan in August imposed the injunction on cannabis licenses in New York after finding that the state had not followed its own rules with… Read more.

More than 150 Oklahoma medical marijuana dispensaries have received letters from state regulators notifying owners that they owe thousands of dollars in fines for transactions that do not comply with the state’s medical cannabis regulations. Some providers could also lose their licenses for selling too much medical marijuana in a single transaction, according to a spokesperson for the Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority (OMMA). The letters, one of which has been shared with High Times, notify owners that the potentially illegal transactions… Read more.

New York regulators on Wednesday will launch an application window for several types of marijuana business licenses, with a priority on social and economic equity (SEE) applicants. SEE applicants include those “from communities disproportionately impacted by the enforcement of past prohibition, minority- and women-owned businesses, distressed farmers, and service-disabled veterans,” according to the state’s Office of Cannabis Management (OCM). The OCM plans to issue as many as 1,500 licenses for cultivation, retail, processing and microbusinesses. The vast majority – between 500 and 1,000 –… Read more.

Missouri has awarded 48 cannabis microbusiness licenses to “marginalized or under-represented individuals.” Each of the state’s eight congressional districts were given two retail licenses and four wholesale facility licenses, according to a news release. The Division of Cannabis Regulation selected the winners through a lottery involving 1,600-plus applicants. Applicants denied licenses can request that their applications be reviewed or receive a full refund of their application fees. Another 48 licenses will be issued through another lottery in 2024 and 2025, the Missouri Department of Health… Read more.

Oklahoma is apparently continuing its crackdown on the industry, with marijuana authorities issuing fines to 161 dispensaries – ranging from the thousands to tens of thousands of dollars – for allegedly violating limits on patient purchases. Regulators also are seeking to revoke the permits of 39 of the shops. “Our agency recently filed petitions against 161 licensed dispensaries for sales over the legal limit. Of those 161 cases, 39 seek fines and revocation of licenses; 122 seek fines,” the Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority said… Read more.

Trips to the Bahamas. Rolex watches. Expensive cars. Exclusive concert tickets. Or literally just bags of cash. Those are all ways used by independent marijuana brands in Arizona to buy their way onto dispensary shelves, according to several industry insiders, responding to the news that multistate operator Trulieve Cannabis Corp. – which runs 21 dispensaries in the state – filed a lawsuit against former employees alleging a “commercial bribery” scheme. “Those are all the same concepts. It’s all just paying for shelf… Read more.

While the New York Office of Cannabis Management and the Cannabis Control Board are the direct targets of numerous lawsuits, licensees feel as if they are collateral damage. Retail operators that received licenses in the first round and managed to open fairly quickly are untouched. But the groups and individuals who got licenses later are now in cannabis purgatory. These unlucky licensees are stuck on the sidelines anxiously waiting on the courts to decide if they will get a pass… Read more.

Nearly five years after legalizing recreational marijuana at the federal level, Canada is approaching 4,000 regulated cannabis stores spread unevenly across the enormous country, according to data compiled by MJBizDaily. The latest quarterly store tally comes as Canada’s cannabis retail sector continues to transform. Some private-sector retailers are failing, such as major retail chain Fire & Flower, which entered creditor protection in June after years of operating at a loss. Other retail operators, meanwhile, are acquiring: Fika Cannabis successfully bid 36 million Canadian dollars ($26.7 million) for… Read more.

Some brands just seem to have an innate sense for how to make it to the top. They’re able to attract the old guard with a classic panache while at the same time appealing to hipsters who seek a bougie vibe. Canadian dispensary chain Burb passes the test, blending trendy retail with onsite spaces where artists can create and collaborate and industry members can network and build brands. From consumption lounges and live-music nights to a bud bar and a new location that… Read more.

New York marijuana regulators have spent nearly the past month trying to convince a state judge to allow a handful of conditional adult use retail dispensary (CAURD) licensees to open for business, but as of Friday, nothing the state tried had yet worked, which leaves the Empire State with just 23 operational legal cannabis shops for the foreseeable future. When Judge Kevin Bryant handed down a preliminary injunction last month that froze all retail permitting, he also tried to be flexible with… Read more.

Profitable enterprises take time to build – but it continues to run thin in one of the industry’s most promising cannabis markets. That sentiment underscored many of the conversations that took place at Green Market Report’s first New York Summit on Sept. 13 in the heart of the Big Apple. Operators and investors large and small traded advice and stories of power, money, and property within the context of a market brimming with opportunity, but one that is also showing signs of… Read more.

Access to recreational cannabis stores across the United States and Canada differs greatly by state and province after taking population into account. Different state-by-state regulations have created some markets that offer far fewer retail choices for consumers. Consider two states with approximately the same populations: Rhode Island and Montana. Both states have about 1.1 million people. Rhode Island, however, has only one adult-use retail cannabis store per 100,000 residents, based on March data. By contrast, cannabis consumers in Montana have… Read more.

The court order blocking new entries into New York’s struggling adult-use cannabis market remained in force after a Friday hearing in Ulster County Supreme Court – despite a new appeal filed by the state attorney general to lift the stay. However, 30 applicants who filed for their permits in time might be able to open for business. Several hundred more would-be recreational marijuana entrepreneurs, including both small businesses and major multistate marijuana operators, must wait at least a few more… Read more.

Nearly five years after recreational cannabis legalization, legal weed shops are as common as corner stores in most major Canadian cities. In the biggest metropolis, Toronto, more than 400 cannabis retail licenses have been issued across the city’s six boroughs. In contrast, Canada’s second-biggest city – Montreal – is home to only 21 legal cannabis outlets within city limits, plus some stores in outlying suburbs. All are operated by Quebec’s government-owned recreational cannabis retail monopoly Société québécoise du cannabis (SQDC).… Read more.

The temporary restraining order that halted further cannabis retail licensing in New York was extended by at least two weeks by a state judge on Friday, in a case that has hundreds of conditional permitholders wondering what will come next for them. The ruling that paused licensing was initially handed down on Monday, after four service-disabled military veterans filed suit against the state Office of Cannabis Management and the Cannabis Control Board, alleging that regulators had wrongly skipped their demographic during the conditional adult… Read more.

Brandon Kanitz, CEO of Grand Rapids, Michigan-based marijuana company Fluresh LLC, moved to Traverse City, Michigan, in September 2020. The COVID-19 pandemic had closed schools, the family man needed help with child care and his wife’s family lived in the Grand Traverse region. But moving put Fluresh in violation of Grand Rapids’ medical marijuana social equity system, which requires 25% local ownership. The city’s licensure scoring system provided “bonus points” to companies that committed to local ownership, a diverse workforce… Read more.

Arizona marijuana stores are voluntarily recalling edibles products for the third time this summer – this time out of concern they might be contaminated with salmonella bacteria. The latest recall is for Phoenix-based Nirvana Center’s Cloud 9 gummies, a grape-flavored, cannabis-infused edible under the batch number C9G04102023, according to the Tucson Sentinel. After spotting the potential contamination on testing documentation, a licensing inspector for the Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS) notified the facility that manufactured the products. The manufacturer then notified… Read more.

As one of the most profoundly accomplished female entrepreneurs in cannabis, Wanda James is simultaneously shattering the glass and grass ceilings. The founder and CEO of the Denver-based dispensary, Simply Pure, is blazing a trail for not only women of color, but for women in general.  James is the first legally licensed African American dispensary owner in the US. She attributes that to her strong work ethic; a willingness to trust her intuition; a readiness to pivot when necessary; and the influence… Read more.

Minnesota’s new adult-use cannabis law took effect on August 1. Those 21 and older can now hold up to two ounces of cannabis in public, consume it in any private place and possess two pounds or cultivate up to eight plants (four mature) at home. House File 100, signed into law by Gov. Tim Walz (D) on May 30, makes Minnesota the 23rd US state to legalize cannabis. It also mandates a framework for a regulated retail market, building on that… Read more.

Lines stretched around the block Tuesday for the opening of the first recreational cannabis dispensary in Minnesota. NativeCare on the Red Lake Nation is selling its pot to the public now that cannabis use and possession are legal in the state as of Aug. 1. People came from across the state to take part in the opening and buy weed.  Minnesota has not licensed any businesses yet to sell recreational cannabis in the state, but tribal governments don't have to wait for… Read more.

New York social justice cannabis applicant Roland Connor opened his Manhattan dispensary in the Village to great fanfare at the beginning of the year. However, it was only a temporary store. Nine weeks ago, the dispensary shut down for a total renovation that cost $1.4 million and was constructed by Temeka. Smacked is expected to officially reopen in two weeks. Among the developments for the newly renovated store is the consumption lounge that is planned to take up residence in… Read more.

The second of two licensed medical cannabis dispensary operators in Georgia opened its doors this week. Botanical Sciences began sales Wednesday in the town of Pooler, just outside Savannah, according to the Capitol Beat News Service. The opening comes roughly three months after the state’s only other licensed MMJ operator, Trulieve Georgia, opened for business in Macon, about 85 miles southeast of Atlanta. That company, a subsidiary of Florida-based multistate operator Trulieve Cannabis Corp., has since launched sales in Pooler, Marietta and Newnan. The… Read more.

Low-frequency archetypes could be seen as a transitional phase for newcomers or those returning to cannabis use. People who use cannabis only occasionally aren’t usually looking to acquire itself from dispensaries, according to a report from New Frontier Data. The three part study, Cannabis Consumers in America 2023: Exploring the Archetypes, examined the habits and preferences of low-frequency cannabis consumers, which can be divided into three distinct categories. Social Nibblers Holistic Healers Infrequent Partakers Each category has its own unique consumption habits and… Read more.

The marijuana industry got what it asked for — and operators are unhappy. After years of little to no enforcement under former Michigan Cannabis Regulatory Agency Executive Director Andrew Brisbo, operators demanded a change. They wanted regulators to root out the illicit market marijuana entering the legal space and cratering prices and to also punish those involved in the schemes. Brisbow was reassigned and Gov. Gretchen Whitmer installed Brian Hanna in the role last September. Hanna, a former CRA enforcement agent, and… Read more.

Detroit regulators will open an application window starting Aug. 1 for the second round of cannabis retail licenses in Michigan’s largest city. The city plans to issue 30 retail licenses, 10 microbusiness licenses and 10 consumption lounge licenses, the Detroit Free Press reported. Licenses will be awarded six to eight weeks after the deadline, the city said in a news release. Half the licenses will be earmarked for social equity applicants, or those who reside in a disproportionately impacted community, or for operators… Read more.

Even though markets are expanding, the crowded retail landscape in many regions can make acquiring new customers difficult and expensive. Implementing a robust loyalty program may help merchants boost basket sizes, increase the frequency of customer visits, and offer targeted marketing opportunities that yield better outcomes. Loyalty programs are popular with both consumers and businesses. Data indicate the average program member spends 35 percent more per purchase and buys a significantly more diverse product range than non-members. However, data also show almost 40 percent… Read more.

For cannabis retailers, it’s no secret: Customers like buying weed close to home, if they can. New research into Canada’s regulated cannabis market supports that intuition: Consumer proximity to government-regulated stores increases the odds that people will source product from the legal market. The paper – due to be published in the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs – explores the association between how far Canadian cannabis users live from regulated cannabis retail stores and how they choose to obtain… Read more.

As the cannabis industry matures, regulatory restrictions are becoming less stringent, paving the way for dispensaries to operate more like traditional retailers and cannabis to become a normal part of everyday activities. This situation opens the door for dispensaries to co-brand with complementary business offerings like consumption lounges, hotels, and other adjacent entities. To adapt to changing market conditions, modern cannabis retailers are looking to other verticals for inspiration. One such vertical is hospitality, which has spent decades creating identifiable brands, curating positive customer experiences,… Read more.

The new and continuing science of plant-derived substances like cannabis, hemp and kratom is providing a market of products that goes beyond traditional dispensary options. What if there was a one-stop resource to learn and shop quality, plant-based products that meet your unique health and wellness needs? Enter CBD Kratom, the largest privately-owned CBD and kratom retailer in the US. With over 60 retail locations and an online dispensary shop, CBD Kratom is committed to helping customers lead healthy and fulfilling lives… Read more.

New Mexico authorities revoked the business permit of Albuquerque cannabis dispensary Paradise Distro for selling marijuana shipped in from California, in violation of both state and federal law. Paradise Distro was found to be selling cannabis products with California-made markings, displaying edibles and concentrates that weren’t present on shipping manifests, and inaccurately reporting almost $65,000 in sales, according to a press release from the New Mexico Regulation and Licensing Department. Following an evidentiary hearing on April 27 – which no one from… Read more.

A Native American tribal medical cannabis dispensary may become the first to launch in Minnesota’s recreational marijuana market, following a vote this week by the Red Lake Nation. According to Fox 9, tribal leaders voted to allow NativeCare Dispensary, which the tribe already operates on its reservation in north-central Minnesota, to begin selling to customers 21 and older on Aug. 1, which is when possession and consumption become legal for all residents. That’s months ahead of when non-tribal businesses will be… Read more.

New York Police Department officers and state tax agents raided several illicit dispensaries in Manhattan this week, following through on Governor Kathy Hochul’s promise to levy hefty fines and shut down unlicensed operators. The state’s latest crackdown focused on Empire Cannabis Club, a so-called concierge service with locations in Chelsea and the Lower East Side. Billing themselves as private clubs that provide dues-paying members with access to cannabis products, Empire’s five stores are among the most visible and flagrant licensure… Read more.

If past is prologue, then the 55 upcoming Illinois social equity license lottery winners on Thursday are going to have a rough time actually getting their shops open for business. As of January, only three of 192 social equity retailers that received Illinois licenses last year had opened for business, the state Department of Financial and Professional Regulation said in a press release. Only 113 adult-use shops were serving customers. As of Tuesday, the number of operational stores had increased only slightly to… Read more.

The city of Detroit will begin accepting applications for the second round of limited marijuana business licenses, which include dispensaries, microbusinesses and consumption lounges, on Aug. 1. A total of 30 marijuana retailer licenses are available in this round, along with 10 microbusiness licenses and 10 consumption lounge licenses. Half of all licenses are set aside for "equity applicants," including people who live in communities disproportionately impacted by marijuana prohibition and enforcement. Equity applicants also include those with certified Detroit Legacy status… Read more.

Considering how lengthy national cannabis prohibition and the subsequent societal brutality of the War On Drugs were, it’s quite daunting to consider that recreational cannabis has been legal in Colorado for nearly a decade. Since the 2012 bill Amendment 64 passed by an 11% margin, the Rocky Mountain State’s cannabis industry has grown to support the livelihoods of some 41,000 people at its highest point of job creation and sold $1.7 billion in total retail sales in 2022 and more… Read more.

New York has finally secured an investor to help fully fund the $200 million in startup capital promised to social-equity marijuana entrepreneurs to open “turnkey” dispensaries, Gov. Kathy Hochul has announced. Chicago Atlantic Admin, a publicly traded, Illinois-based investment firm that’s funded marijuana businesses across the country, has agreed to invest “up to $150 million” in the New York State Cannabis Social Equity Investment fund, Hochul said in a news release issued Friday. The state itself has agreed to pony up $50 million to… Read more.

If you find the idea of working with police who once busted marijuana entrepreneurs to be onerous, you’re not alone. But for business owners willing to build understanding and invest in security, the relationship that ensues can be mutually beneficial. Cannabis entrepreneurs will find that local police can help protect their operations and employees, while police find that familiarizing themselves with marijuana businesses makes their jobs easier and safer. For one thing, most police departments are willing to advise licensed… Read more.

Since last year, cannabis businesses in Frederick County have been hunkering down and preparing for a flood of people they expect will come through their doors on Saturday. July 1 marks the first day that cannabis will be legal recreationally for those 21 and older. Medical use is already legal in the state and roughly 163,000 people use it for medical purposes, according to The Associated Press. Maryland voters passed adult use in a referendum in October, expanding the marijuana… Read more.

Located in the heart of Los Angeles’ Arts District, the impossibly popular Coast to Coast Cannabis dispensary will open its doors at 542 Alameda Street, on July 1, as the newly relaunched Arts District Cannabis.  The rebranded dispensary will officially reopen its doors hoping to bridge the gap between cannabis and art, using its platform to feature local, rising artists and creatives. The space was originally the Cirrus Gallery, which art dealer and publisher Jean Robert Milant opened in 1970.… Read more.

Cannabis real estate developer Jeffrey Yatooma could soon have dominance of Auburn Hills’ marijuana market. Yatooma’s impending dominance comes after a creative and successful ballot initiative that led to Auburn Hills voters approving weed businesses in the city in November 2022. But the path for the city has not been straightforward. A month before the vote, City Council effectively blocked marijuana licensing, and Yatooma, with an amendment to zoning rules. And now the council is flipping again. The city’s economic… Read more.

After the markets closed on Friday, MedMen Enterprises Inc.  (CSE: MMEN) (OTCQX: MMNFF) announced the resignation of Ana Bowman as Chief Financial Officer, effective June 29, 2023. Bowman has served as CFO since 2022 and MedMen has begun a formal search for a new CFO. “We thank Ana for her leadership and guidance during MedMen’s restructuring. Ana was instrumental in helping us achieve positive adjusted EBITDA for the last two quarters,” said Ed Record, MedMen’s CEO. “We wish her all the best in her future endeavors.”… Read more.

Just like the old days when cannabis was illegal and Manhattanites got their weed from a guy in a van, Doobie launched a new delivery service that brings products from the licensed Union Square Travel Agency to customers within 60 minutes. Since there are few licensed operations in the city, many customers may not be near such a store. Doobie also plans to expand into other boroughs. (Full Story) https://youtu.be/9FBy7JHod-4 Read more.

The Cannabis Control Board is holding a public meeting Thursday morning to announce they are prioritizing the expansion of New York’s cannabis supply chain. In the public meeting on Thursday, the board announced that they have approved 251 Conditional Adult-use Retail Dispensary licenses. 49 are still left to be awarded at a future board meeting, including 11 more from the Finger Lakes region. On Thursday, seven licenses from the Finger Lakes were approved. The applicants that were approved include: MJ… Read more.

It’s a beautiful fall afternoon in San Francisco. The previous night’s rain left the air feeling clean and crisp as I bike up Folsom Street, passing 14th Street. I see a huge mural of Yolanda López, an activist in the Chicano civil rights movement, with the words “Basta Ya!” in big red letters. I have officially made it to the Mission District. The mural rests on Casa Adelante, the Mission’s only affordable and electric building, which took decades of activism… Read more.

Magic mushrooms have been used as a punchline in the past, but now a growing body of research suggests they may be a medicine of the future. While psilocybin mushrooms and other psychedelics are still illegal, some L.A.-area dispensaries are selling them openly and there is growing support to relax the laws. (Full Story) Read more.

Medical marijuana dispensaries in Arkansas will likely beat the sales they recorded in 2022, a state spokesperson said. After selling $23.9 million in MMJ products in April, licensed dispensaries in Arkansas have sold $94 million so far this year, according to a news release from the state Department of Finance and Administration (DFA). Licensed stores sold $94 million in products for the same time period last year. “On average, patients are spending $787,000 a day at the state’s 38 dispensaries,”… Read more.

Now that weed is legal in more than half the nation, millions of people have the luxury of stepping inside their friendly neighborhood cannabis dispensary to stock up on a wide array of concoctions from the mad science minds of marijuana. It’s a veritable candy store for the red-eyed aficionado, a lengthy departure from a time when procuring pot meant needing to know a guy who knows a guy who knows someone who buys from this dude down in Miami,… Read more.

Post-Prohibition, the alcoholic beverage industry had a head start of nearly 80 years before voters legalized the United States’ first regulated, adult-use marijuana markets in 2012. In the years since, cannabis companies have leaned into the similarities between alcohol and marijuana, with some manufacturers creating THC-infused beers, seltzers and wines. Jim Roberts, owner of The Bohemian Chemist in Philo, California, adopted a different angle when applying lessons from the alcohol industry to his small, vertically integrated cannabis business, which sits… Read more.

The company said it plans to open five more stores in Florida. Red White & Bloom Brands Inc. (OTC: RWBYF) posted its financial results for the first quarter ending March 31, 2023. The company posted revenues that ticked down over the year and opened newly re-branded stores in Florida, as it tries to stave off losses. The Toronto-based firm reported revenues of $27 million, down from last year’s $28 million, with a gross profit of $9.4 million. Operating expenses amounted to $10.9 million, and the… Read more.

Social equity advocates in Missouri are questioning the validity of numerous zip codes submitted by law enforcement that would qualify residents to apply for cannabis microbusiness licenses. Leaders of the local and state NAACP are criticizing the inclusion of several zip codes that encompass government buildings, post office boxes and affluent suburbs, while omitting several others primarily in north St. Louis, where roughly half the city’s Black population resides. The microbusiness licenses were designed to allow “marginalized or under-represented individuals… Read more.

Regulators in the Massachusetts marijuana industry made a decision this past Monday to abandon previous plans for a limited pilot program involving cannabis cafes and social consumption sites in twelve municipalities. One official said this move would help get the voter-approved market sector online "a little quicker." The Cannabis Control Commission changed course from earlier restrictions that would have limited the launch to a dozen cities and towns nine months after a new state law defined a procedure for cities and towns to… Read more.

New York cannabis cultivators may have a partial solution to something they say they've been dealing with for months; not having enough places to sell the pot they grew over the past year. The state Office of Cannabis Management's fledging market has only yielded 12 retail dispensaries statewide and the timeline for more to open their doors is uncertain. But during a Thursday town hall hosted by the Cannabis Association of New York, state representatives said selling at farmers' markets should… Read more.

Targeting the right people along the supply chain, as opposed to focusing on the end user, is an essential part of gaining market share in a highly-competitive retail environment. When it comes to cannabis producers and manufacturers, if you’re not thinking about selling to budtenders, then your sales strategy is missing a critical component. Industry data and market research company Brightfield Group recently conducted its second annual survey of hundreds of retail workers in Canada to determine “What Drives Budtenders.” The findings… Read more.

A newly proposed limit on the number of cannabis dispensaries that can open in Jersey City and its wards could be coming soon to the city’s burgeoning industry, along with changes to how applicants get prioritized for approval. The city council’s proposals, which will first be voted on Wednesday to be sent for planning board review, would cap the number of retail cannabis dispensaries citywide to 48 and the amount in each of the six wards at eight. (Full Story) Read more.

Saturday marked another first for the New Jersey cannabis industry – the grand opening of the Garden State's first standalone retail dispensary, Earth & Ivy, in New Brunswick. Earth & Ivy is not a medical treatment center and can’t fulfill state Medicinal Cannabis Program orders from doctors, but medical marijuana patients will receive a discount. Not only is the dispensary, located on George Street, the first of its kind, but it is also the youngest-owned dispensary in the country, with an average… Read more.

A push toward familiarity and comfort is in, while cannabis shops that resemble the Apple Store appear to be on the way out. Taking a page from contemporary retailers, groceries and restaurants, cannabis companies are overhauling their store interiors to simplify and accelerate transactions using tablet ordering stations, digital signage and menus, and designated queues for online orders. Some dispensary rebrands – including dozens of stores converging under the umbrella of Miami-based multistate operator Ayr Wellness – are intended to… Read more.

No updates were provided on the timing for sale close. Columbia Care Inc. (CSE: CCHW) (OTCQX: CCHWF) reported modest first-quarter growth, despite economic headwinds and the closure of several retail locations, according to the cannabis company’s financial results for the period ending March 31, 2023. The U.S.-based cultivator, manufacturer, and retailer of cannabis products said its top-line revenue grew 1% from the same quarter in 2022 to $124.5 million. The growth beat expectations by $1.3 million and was largely driven by strong performance… Read more.

While people may buy more stuff online, they still like to go out and shop if stores offer them a way to engage their curiosity, a sense of adventure, and a place to gather. That’s what’s helped some retailers compete with the likes of Amazon.com AMZN, -1.71% or discounters such as Walmart Inc. WMT, -0.03%. And that’s the thinking behind tech entrepreneur Joanne Wilson’s newly-opened, state-licensed cannabis store, Gotham, located on 3 East 3rd Street just off the corner of the Bowery in downtown New… Read more.

Long Islanders may soon be able to share a joint with a fellow sports fan at the bar – or toke over trivia. Dozens of cannabis lounges may debut on Long Island under rules proposed by state regulators Thursday. Plans for pot bars were included in guidelines written to cover nearly every aspect of the recreational marijuana market, from growers to distributors to industry event organizers. Thursday was state regulators' second pass at the regulations, which run more than 300 pages. The… Read more.

The deal enhances Schwazze's presence in northern Colorado. Denver-based Medicine Man Technologies Inc., which operates as Schwazze (OTCQX: SHWZ) (NEO: SHWZ), announced Thursday that it has finalized the acquisition of some assets from Cannabis Care Wellness Centers LLC and Green Medicals Wellness Center #5 LLC, commonly known as “Smokey’s.” The transaction, valued at $7.5 million and paid through a mix of cash and stock, includes two Smokey’s dispensaries located at 2515 7th Avenue in Garden City and 5740 S. College Avenue in… Read more.

Graham sees opportunity for both legacy operators and newcomers, but warns against opportunists. Social Impact: Kassia Graham, Cannaclusive Kassia Graham, a vocal advocate for diversity and equity in the cannabis industry, is using her platform to affect change. As the founder of Cannaclusive, Graham noted that the organization is “dedicated to helping to raise the profile of BIPOC in cannabis, whether they are consumers or people within the industry.” She was awarded the 2023 Green Market Report Women’s Leadership Award for… Read more.

Nearly a year after Thailand decriminalised cannabis amid promises of an economic bonanza, Thai growers and sellers say they are being undercut by illegal imports from the United States that sell for a fraction of the price of homegrown buds. Thailand struck cannabis from its list of banned narcotics in June 2022 after a high-profile campaign by Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul to establish the kingdom as a global hub for cannabis for medical purposes. But Thailand’s parliament has yet to pass a… Read more.

You’ve seen cannabis dispensaries open in New York City over the past year, but you’ve never seen one quite like the one set to open in Manhattan’s East Village. Gotham is located on 3rd Street near the Bowery. The first things that catch your eyes on the shelves are not pipes and bongs. Instead, you will find everything from pillows, books, pottery, candles and even clothing. But make no mistake, you will find cannabis products there too. Joanne Wilson, the… Read more.

New York’s budget bill includes $16 million in funds to combat unlicensed cannabis dispensaries, the Buffalo News reports. The legislation, which was signed by Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) this morning, increases fines for illegal operators from $500 to up to $7,500 for the first offense and increases the monetary penalties to up to three times the amount of tax that would have been collected on the sales. The bill also gives the state authority to mandate store closures, seek restraining orders, charge… Read more.

The city of Monterey could move forward in the process to allow marijuana dispensaries to operate within city limits at a council meeting Tuesday evening. According to their agenda, the city council will be deciding if they'll approve a "Description for Cannabis Businesses." If approved, it would bring the city another step closer in the process of bringing at least three marijuana dispensaries to the city. If the council approves the "Description for Cannabis Businesses," the community development department can… Read more.

The Georgia Access to Medical Cannabis Commission (GMCC) on Wednesday issued the state’s first five licenses to dispense low-THC medical cannabis in the state. The commission awarded the licenses to Botanical Sciences LLC and Trulieve GA Inc for dispensaries in Bibb, Chatham, and Cobb counties.  Under the state’s medical cannabis law, products sold through dispensaries can contain up to 5% THC. Both Trulieve and Botanical hold Class 1 production licenses in the state.    In a statement, Andrew Turnage, executive director of… Read more.

Trulieve Cannabis Corp. plans to open the first medical marijuana dispensary in Georgia on Friday. The dispensary will hold a grand opening in Macon at 9:30 a.m. ET with a ribbon cutting, food trucks and merchandise giveaway, the Tallahassee, Florida-based multistate operator announced in a Thursday news release. Normal business hours will be 10 a.m.-7 p.m. seven days a week. The announcement about the Macon opening comes only a day after Georgia regulators issued the state’s first five MMJ dispensary licenses to Trulieve and… Read more.

With continued market expansion, gaining traction as a dispensary isn’t getting any easier. For operators trying to succeed in major cities with legal adult-use markets for interested tourists, standing out requires an even more pointed effort. Cannabis has been legal for adults in Nevada since 2016. Couple that with a highly-developed, city-wide understanding of how to cater to the nearly 40 million annual tourists looking to have a good time, and you’ve got yourself a prime model for coming out on top… Read more.

Marijuana is still an illegal substance in Texas. But with neighboring states offering recreational weed, many Texans are crossing state lines to taste the high life. In total, 21 states across the U.S. have legalized recreational marijuana use — Colorado and New Mexico among them. There are 37 states that allow medical use. Texas also offers medical marijuana use, but it’s extremely limited and heavily regulated. For Texans, what may be legal in New Mexico and Colorado is contraband in the Lone… Read more.

Rapper and cannabis entrepreneur Berner, the CEO of Cookies, issued an Instagram video response on Wednesday to lawsuits filed against him and several other Cookies executives, employees, and associates. One such lawsuit, first covered by Alex Halperin for WeedWeek, was filed by Cookies investors BR Co. and NedCo in February; the suit claims that Berner and other defendants engaged in “pervasive self-dealing” leading to “millions of dollars in personal benefits and kickbacks,” among other allegations. In the Instagram video, Berner — legal name Gilbert Milam… Read more.

No raw plant materials or products for smoking or eating will be allowed. Alabama is set to launch its medical marijuana industry later this year, with up to 17 companies expected to receive licenses to grow and process cannabis for patients in the state. According to Alabama Media Group, the state’s Medical Cannabis Commission said it plans to issue licenses to companies to grow plants in enclosed facilities with 24/7 video monitoring and high security. It is anticipated that it… Read more.

It’s spring in San Diego, so 4/20 can’t be far behind, and it’s safe to say that stoners across the city are looking forward to enjoying a lit holiday. San Diego’s dispensaries are ready with flower, pre-rolls, wax and shatter, vapes, infused edibles from chewy gummies to crunchy corn chips, beverages, tinctures, balms, and more. Whether you like to wake and bake, are a weekend weed enthusiast, or are simply cannabis-curious, San Diego has a wide variety of dispensary options,… Read more.

Study of Dispensaries in 5 U.S. Cities Finds Dispensaries Strictly Enforce ID Verification Laws Given that the cannabis industry is relatively new, numerous individuals are well-acquainted with the rigorous compliance protocols associated with cannabis. To prevent underage customers from accessing products, cannabis vendors in the United States must adhere to various regulations established by state cannabis authorities, including verifying customer identification. According to a study published in the journal Addictive Behaviors, there is new insight into how dispensaries adhere to regulations.… Read more.

As our nation’s capital, it follows naturally that Washington, DC is an exemplar in democratic processes. And this has applied to the District’s stance on recreational marijuana. Back in January of 2014, a poll found that eight out of 10 local residents supported either legalizing or decriminalizing marijuana; by March of that year, the Council of the District of Columbia elected to decriminalize cannabis possession. And 18 months later, voters approved Initiative 71 to legalize the recreational use of cannabis, with nearly… Read more.

Ever since medical marijuana was legalized in Pennsylvania in 2016—and first became available in the state two years later—dispensaries have popped up all throughout the city. From local outposts of national chains to independent shops selling CBD products, there’s a little something for everyone, from flower to lotions. Even with 4/20 soon approaching, keep in mind that marijuana for recreational use is not legal in Pennsylvania—just medical marijuana. So in order to purchase items containing THC, you need a medical marijuana… Read more.

Here’s how you know the world has changed: there’s an adult-use cannabis dispensary on Nantucket. And not just one, but two, including The Green Lady Dispensary, which carries product actually grown on Nantucket and is the first women- and minority-owned cannabis company in Massachusetts. It’s safe to say that our city and state are now awash in adult-use dispensaries both great and small and corporate and indie, which means you no longer have to hoof it to Western Mass to get… Read more.

Every year on 4/20, cannabis retailers across the U.S. gear up to celebrate the unofficial April 20 marijuana holiday with promotions, deals and in-store events aimed at attracting new customers and keeping the ones they have. While this year is no exception – coming three years after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic – many retailers are shifting their focus from 4/20 being a one-day event to a week- or even monthlong celebration with different daily promotions and other straightforward… Read more.

New Jersey cannabis regulators on Thursday declined to renew the license of Curaleaf to grow and sell cannabis for the state’s adult-use market, the New Jersey Monitor reports. Curaleaf is a multistate cannabis company and the biggest player in New Jersey’s cannabis industry. With the denial, Curaleaf’s adult-use license expires on April 21; it’s unclear what the move means for the company’s medical cannabis patients. The vote came a month after Curaleaf said it confirmed to state regulators that it was closing one of its cultivation facilities and… Read more.

With 21 weed shops in the city plus another 53 in the surrounding suburbs (the state has over 100 facilities), there's a lot of bud to sort through in the Land of Lincoln. Naturally, we've put together a handy guide to every recreational dispensary in the city, where you can snag the natural cure to what ails you—from stress mitigation to simple boredom relief. Order ahead or simply walk in to browse the wares: Just make sure to keep an eye on buying limits and… Read more.

Dispensaries across metro Phoenix are celebrating April 20 — also known as Weed Day — with block parties, giveaways and deals three years after recreational marijuana was legalized in Arizona. Some events will take place on the actual holiday while others have delayed the celebration by a day so people can celebrate on a Friday (April 21). The "dopest" block party will return to the streets of downtown Phoenix for its second year and a "transcendent" cannabis-infused dining experience will… Read more.

Ask around, and you may hear 2023 is the most challenging year yet to operate a dispensary. With capital largely evaporating, licensed and illicit competition increasing, and customers conditioned to shop for deals, running a profitable store is becoming harder. As customers increasingly search for better deals, dispensaries have to defend their margins against downward pressure by eking out gains in operational efficiency and retaining existing customers. Since retail locations are where the customer interacts with the supply chain, problems flow… Read more.

BEST OF DENVER®  CANNABIS & MORE  2023 BEST MEDICAL-ONLY DISPENSARY Higher Grade Dispensaries that serve only medical marijuana patients are disappearing faster than a pinner, with just a handful left in Denver as recreational businesses take over Colorado. Patients across town can still rely on Higher Grade, though, thanks to the company's medical-only dispensaries in Cherry Hills and Highland. Higher Grade's in-house flower is some of the very best in Denver. In fact, we've yet to smoke better versions of… Read more.

The highly-anticipated House of Cannabis (THC NYC) is set to open in SoHo this Friday, April 7. Located at 427 Broadway, the 30,000-square-foot building houses ten transformative, immersive experiences for guests to explore. Though it does not actually sell cannabis on-site, THC NYC is the first-ever permanent installation that celebrates “high culture” as well as the impact of cannabis on social reform, fashion, music, art, and cultivation. The journey begins on the fourth floor by taking a look through High… Read more.

The second half of 2022 was bruising for the cannabis industry, prompting changes in strategy for just about every company. Retailers of all varieties—from single-store mom-and-pop businesses to publicly traded multistate operators (MSOs)—are reevaluating how their stores function and whether they are optimally designed for this latest iteration of the industry. Does building visually delightful, multimillion-dollar stores still make sense as prices crash and competition becomes more cutthroat? “We’re calling this ‘the year of efficiency,’” said Jushi Chief Creative Officer… Read more.

We’ve all heard the adage “time is money,” but successful retailers understand space also is money. Cannabis operators need to leverage their space more than almost any other retailers. After all, due to laws and regulations, a single physical space often serves as a primary hub not only for sales, but also for branding and marketing. Failing to leverage square footage may lead to money literally walking out the door. Maximizing the power of a dispensary’s retail space requires much… Read more.

The Capital Region’s first adult-use cannabis dispensary is now officially open in Schenectady. Upstate Canna Co is located on Union Street.Dozens of people lined up to try several different products.The state has made many promises to advance New York’s goals of equity in cannabis licensing.All of the cannabis at the store was grown and tested in New York State. Upstate Canna Co is open seven days a week. (Full Story) Read more.

Los Angeles’s famous Sunset Strip has a storied and often sordid history as the epicenter of sex, drugs, and rock ’n’ roll in America. The mile-and-a-half-long corridor has embraced its countercultural reputation, and its iconic venues like the Viper Room, the Roxy, the Whisky a Go Go, and the Comedy Store all have played pivotal roles as launchpads of American culture.  While the strip was infamous for its hard-drug hedonism of the 1980s and early 1990s, cannabis largely has been absent—even as… Read more.

A New York Appeals Court judge on Tuesday narrowed the preliminary injunction on the state’s conditional adult-use retail dispensary (CAURD) plan to only include the state’s Finger Lakes region. The lawsuit, by Michigan-based Variscite NY One, had affected 63 of the 150 licenses set to be awarded to social equity applicants and prohibited licenses from being granted in the region along with Brooklyn, Central New York, the Mid-Hudson Area, and Western New York.    The decision by Judge Gary L. Sharpe will allow the state to… Read more.

When New Jersey approved legal recreational marijuana in 2020, more than 70% of borough voters cast ballots in favor of the idea. Now they’re getting their wish as the first medicinal marijuana shop has opened in town just days after state officials approved what will be the borough’s first recreational, or adult use, dispensary. “The people of the community voted overwhelmingly for the sale of recreational marijuana, we are only following the will of the people,” said Borough Administrator Steve… Read more.

Assume, for a moment, you want to get high. And you want to do it on the cheap. For around $300, you can drive to Massachusetts, pick up an ounce (about $200), and drive back. For $450, you can even hop on a flight to Denver, buy an ounce (about $40) and fly back. There are flaws with these plans. After all, it's still a felony to transport even legally-purchased cannabis across state lines, even between states that allow it.… Read more.

A bill proposed in Pennsylvania would legalize cannabis for adults and sell cannabis products through the state’s liquor store system, Erie Now News reports. The measure would also expunge low-level cannabis convictions and allow individuals to grow up to six cannabis plants.  State Sen. Dan Laughlin (R) told Erie New Now that while he supports broad cannabis legalization, he does not support the proposal to sell it through the liquor store system.  Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro is including legalizing and taxing adult-use cannabis in the 2023-2024 executive budget. If… Read more.

When New York regulators announced plans to double recreational marijuana retail licenses to 300 for social equity applicants, local cannabis operators and other industry advocates applauded the news. But behind the scenes, concerns were mounting over the challenge of finding affordable cannabis real estate across large parts of the state because of zoning and commercial restrictions. About half of New York’s 1,520 municipalities have opted out of adult-use retail, according to the Rockefeller Institute of Government, a public policy think tank based in Albany.… Read more.

A federal judge in Arkansas dismissed several claims by a medical marijuana dispensary applicant, including tortious interference and racial discrimination during the state’s license-evaluation process. According to Law360, U.S. District Judge James Moody Jr. ruled that tortious interference doesn’t apply to the claim made by Absolute Essence because it’s still an applicant and doesn’t have any property or business rights. Absolute Essence’s suit in February 2022 alleged that the company that state regulators hired to score applications, Public Consulting Group Holdings and… Read more.

Cannabis tech talk rarely excites the masses, but online dispensary menu and ordering services definitely make our lives easier. Not only that, but some of the cannabis tech companies offering these services have pretty badass backstories. Six years before Socrates Rosenfeld was driving around Denver selling dispensaries on his new online ordering platform, Jane, he was flying Apache helicopters in Iraq for the United States Army. A graduate of West Point, Rosenfeld served seven years in the Army before leaving the military… Read more.

Marijuana entrepreneur Marvina Thomas is the first Black woman to own a legal cannabis store in Arizona. Thomas, who also owns and operates a legal marijuana outlet in Las Cruces, New Mexico, “entered into an agreement to operate and acquire” the Arizona Wellness Center in Safford, spokesperson Sadie Thompson told MJBizDaily. That permit was one of six new licenses issued earlier this month, Thompson said. David Fowler, co-founder and executive director of the Marijuana Industry Trade Association of Arizona (MITA-AZ) , confirmed to MJBizDaily that Thomas is… Read more.

In June last year, Thailand became the first country in Southeast Asia to decriminalize the use of marijuana. It comes after decades of being classified as a Category 5 drug. Cannabis, also known as marijuana, has had a long history in Thailand. Traditionally, the plant was used by locals in their food and medicine.  But in 1935, using marijuana — whether as a drug or otherwise — was criminalized. And until last year, anyone using or possessing marijuana could face… Read more.

City of Detroit officials are celebrating the opening of the first adult-use cannabis dispensary that is part of a social equity program designed to ensure that Black residents are represented in the legal marijuana industry. Nuggets Cannabis, a Black-owned family business, opened this weekend at 18270 Telegraph Rd. “This doesn’t happen everywhere,” Deputy Mayor Todd Bettison said. “We fought to ensure legacy Detroiters have an opportunity to grow businesses in the cannabis industry, which has had a disproportionately negative impact… Read more.

Berner is a boss. As the founder and CEO of Cookies, he’s built the world’s first billion-dollar cannabis empire. The Cookies lifestyle brand launched in the Bay Area in 2010 and grew into dispensary storefronts by 2018. As a legacy cultivator, Berner’s presence in the cannabis community was beloved before adult-use cannabis became legal in California. Today, the homegrown brand has a massive retail footprint across the world, including its stylish 58th dispensary which opened in early 2023 in Bangkok, Thailand. Cookies also expanded… Read more.

NY Cannabis Insider bought the eight highest-potency strains of legal recreational cannabis available in New York State on Feb. 24, drove them straight to a state-certified laboratory, placed them in anonymized Ziploc bags and submitted them for potency testing. What came back has kicked open a hornet’s nest within the NY cannabis ecosystem and led to a regulatory policy change within the past 24 hours that affects every cannabis grower, processor and consumer in the state. That’s because our lab results, which… Read more.

The Benzinga Cannabis Capital Conference, the world's largest gathering of cannabis decision-makers, founders and investors is returning to Miami Beach, Florida on April 11-12, 2023 and Raj Grover, president and CEO of High Tide, will be there. High Tide Inc.  HITI+1.48%+ Free Alerts is Canada’s largest non-franchised retailer of recreational cannabis so you won't want to miss out on what he's got to say about the industry. Need A Business Strategy? Ask A Transparent Negotiator Since starting his first company at the age of 22, Grover established himself as one of Canada’s foremost… Read more.

New York is doubling the number of adult-use cannabis dispensary licenses in the state from 150 to 300, according to a Spectrum News report. The state Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) has so far received about 900 dispensary licenses and has issued 66 provisional licenses.  The expansion comes amidst a lawsuit by a Michigan-based cannabis company that has delayed the awarding of licenses in Brooklyn, Central New York, the Finger Lakes, the Mid-Hudson Area, and Western New York.   In a statement, Tremaine Wright, chair… Read more.

ALBANY, N.Y. (WENY) - New York State will be doubling the amount of available conditional adult-use retail cannabis dispensaries. The state said they originally planned to issue 150 licenses, but will now increase that figure to 300. The program's expansion will further advance New York State's Seeding Opportunity Initiative. The initiative gives those that were previously in jail for cannabis an opportunity to run a dispensary. In the southern tier, the number licenses will go to six, up from three. There… Read more.

Dr. Greenthumb’s Worldwide — the cannabis company founded by B Real of the hip-hop group Cypress Hill — and its Los Angeles-based dispensary partner LAHC Inc. have mutually decided to part ways. Dr. Greenthumb’s Worldwide, founded by legendary hip-hop artist B Real of Cypress Hill, and LAHC Inc., a multi-year partner at Dr. Greenthumb’s dTLA dispensary location, have mutually decided to part ways, according to a recent press release. The shift is due to the quickly changing landscape of California’s… Read more.

Women-led multi-state operator The Flower Shop is focused on curating a larger selection of cannabis flower and products in a growing number of state markets. The company showcases artisan and craft cannabis products in a reimagined retail setting tailored to appeal to both men and women. “We operate in Arizona, Utah, New Jersey, and we will be going to Florida—hopefully soon,” says President of The Flower Shop Greta Brandt, as the company is currently securing licensing in the newer states. As president… Read more.

Some customers tend to go to a cannabis dispensary for hybrid products, but never to a hybrid dispensary space that is shared with a bakery and a liquor-licensed cafe.  Well, this is now the reality for Wheeling’s second cannabis dispensary with OKAY Cannabis sharing the same roof as West Town Bakery at 781 N. Milwaukee Ave. The dispensary/cafe/bakery opened Friday, Feb. 3. Introducing innovative ways of creating new customer experiences, especially in the ever-growing Restaurant Row alongside Milwaukee Avenue. Scott… Read more.

The Terrapin Care Station dispensary in Aurora now houses the country’s first fully automated cannabis vending machine. Developed in partnership with BMC Universal Technologies, the machine allows customers to order marijuana products through a touchscreen and dispense them directly to take-out. The Automated Cannabis Experience (ACE), as it’s officially known, picks, packs, seals and affixes a verification sticker to every order, allowing for a fast and contactless purchase. And because it’s integrated with Colorado’s seed-to-sale tracking system, it’s also compliant… Read more.

The Las Vegas City Council on Wednesday postponed a possible vote on regulations for the upcoming cannabis consumption lounges. The decision came as a relief to an industry trade group and Nevada provi .......We hope you appreciate our content. Subscribe today to continue reading this story, and all of our stories. (Full Story) Read more.

A chain of cannabis stores that was once described as the “Apple store of weed” and valued as high as $1.7 billion as a public company, is near financial collapse, according to a regulatory filing. The company, MedMen, said that it has only $15.6 million in cash remaining versus $137.4 million in debt. “The conditions described above raise substantial doubt with respect to the company’s ability to meet its obligations for at least one year,” the company said in its filing last… Read more.

Do you remember the famous "scratch and sniff" stickers from Fox (NASDAQ:FOX)'s "The Simpsons"? Well, now the cannabis industry has taken this innovative tool to introduce it into the marijuana market. On December 10, the first-ever “Scratch n Sniff” type cannabis container made its debut at the Emerald Cup Harvest Ball. The iconic event took place in Santa Rosa, California. Humboldt Seed Company (HSC) collaborated with craft growers, One Straw Farm and Burr's Place to bring this unique shopping experience to the consumer, according to Skunk Magazine. Experts… Read more.

Following the decriminalization of cannabis in Thailand, people in Bangkok have wasted no time in setting up places where you can buy it. Whether you’re looking for a dispensary, a cafe, a street vendor, or a delivery service, Bangkok is full of great places to buy cannabis. But with so many options, it can be hard to decide which one offers the best quality weed at the best prices. So, to help you with your search, here are some of the… Read more.

The county’s first licensed cannabis lounge, and the only one south of Los Angeles, will open next year near the waterfront in National City. Pearl and Alex Ayon won unanimous approval Tuesday from the City Council to operate Sessions by the Bay at a 13,000-square-foot building leased from the Sycuan Tribal Development Council, a partner in the venture. The two-story structure, the former site of California College San Diego’s National City campus, will have a dispensary and lounge where patrons… Read more.

TRAVERSE CITY, MI -- It was quiet morning on Thursday, Oct. 6, inside Traverse City’s Great Lakes Hemp Supplements, a cannabis business with CBD products and a decal on the window that reads, “healers not dealers.” The solace shattered. “This is raid,” shouted Michigan state troopers who rushed in the front door. “Someone’s screaming, ‘state police,’” said 26-year-old office manager Megan O’Brien, who was meeting with a customer in another room. “I come around the corner and there are like… Read more.

Providing patients with quality cannabis medicine is what’s at the heart of Caramor Compassionate Care. Now that cannabis dispensaries are as ubiquitous as liquor stores, it’s going to be harder and harder for cannabis care providers to differentiate themselves. With more than 200 dispensaries in Puerto Rico to choose from, how does a patient or consumer know which dispensaries are truly looking out for their health and well-being? What if patients don’t know what they are looking for when they… Read more.