Latest News

UK down-schedules Epidyolex to lowest level for controlled drugs

June 24th, 2020The United Kingdom has down-scheduled Epidyolex to the lowest level of control for drugs, greatly easing restrictions on the cannabidiol medicine and reducing administrative processes for companies wanting to supply it. The U.K. said the new provisions – made through the Misuse of Drugs (Amendment) (England, Wales and Scotland) Regulations 2020 – came into force […]

Canada’s discount cannabis segment heats up with competing value brands

June 24th, 2020High prices were a regular consumer complaint when Canada legalized recreational cannabis in October 2018. Only a year and a half later, Canada’s market for affordable cannabis flower is growing rapidly, with large cannabis producers introducing competitive value brands at lower prices. “I would say that the value segment is the most hotly contested product […]

Louisiana medical marijuana market expected to grow after program changes, but headwinds remain

June 24th, 2020Louisiana’s medical marijuana market is poised to grow in the wake of new legislation that allows more physicians to authorize the drug for added medical conditions. But the state’s nascent regulated cannabis sector still faces significant challenges to its business outlook, including: Low patient numbers to date. A limited number of retail outlets, limiting access […]

Prosecutor: AG Barr ordered politically motivated probes of cannabis mergers

June 23rd, 2020A federal prosecutor will testify before members of the U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday that U.S. Attorney General William Barr ordered “politically motivated” reviews of 10 marijuana business mergers. The expected testimony to the House Judiciary Committee will come from John Elias, the acting chief of staff for the assistant attorney general and part […]

Marijuana firm iAnthus receives demand for debt repayment

June 23rd, 2020Multistate cannabis operator iAnthus Capital Holdings received a demand for repayment on a secured debenture issuance as well as a notice of intention to enforce security under Canadian bankruptcy law. New York-based iAnthus defaulted on interest payments on that debt in April and expects to default on payments again at the end of June. The […]

New Bulk Cannabis Drying System Released

June 23rd, 2020ABM Equipment of Vancouver, WA has developed a new system which dries up to 10,000 lbs. of cannabis per hour with minimal loss of cannabinoids. This is a significant improvement over last year’s larger and more expensive tumbler & belt dryers, which burned more CBD and energy respectively. ABM’s process accepts fresh or baled whole […]

Initial closing of $61.5 Harvest-High Times cannabis retail deal completed

June 23rd, 2020Multistate operator and vertically integrated marijuana company Harvest Health & Recreation finalized a deal to sell eight California retail stores to Los Angeles-based High Times Holding. Under terms of the recently updated agreement, Harvest has sold a portfolio of equity and assets of eight operational and planned dispensaries in California for a total of $61.5 […]

Aurora Cannabis to close five facilities, lay off 700 staff as part of restructuring

June 23rd, 2020Aurora Cannabis is shutting down five smaller production facilities and cutting roughly 700 employees as part of a corporate transformation plan over its next two quarters, with the goal of centralizing production and manufacturing at “larger-scale and highly efficient sites.” Aurora Cannabis to close five facilities, lay off 700 staff as part of restructuring is […]

Oregon mulls banning additives in marijuana vaping products

June 22nd, 2020The Oregon Liquor Control Commission, which regulates marijuana in the state, took its first step toward adopting rules that would ban non-cannabis additives from inhalable products containing THC, though MJ-derived terpenes will be allowed. Although much of the evidence for the vaping illness outbreak that began in the summer of 2019 points to illicit-market products, […]

Curaleaf amends deal to acquire cannabis multistate operator Grassroots

June 22nd, 2020Vertically integrated cannabis company Curaleaf Holdings revised its deal to acquire privately owned multistate operator Grassroots Cannabis The stock and cash transaction was originally announced in July 2019 with a price tag of $875 million. But since then cannabis stock prices have fallen. In a note issued Monday, Stifel GMP analysts Robert Fagan and Andrew Partheniou […]

Los Angeles proposes ‘major course change’ for cannabis business licensing, social equity

June 22nd, 2020In a series of recommendations to the Los Angeles City Council, L.A.’s Department of Cannabis Regulation proposed an immense overhaul of its marijuana business licensing structure and social equity program. The DCR’s proposals are set to be taken up Tuesday by a City Council committee. The recommendations, if adopted, could be far-reaching for many marijuana […]

Marijuana MSO Jushi buys Vireo grow facility in Pennsylvania for $37 million

June 22nd, 2020Florida-based Jushi Holdings, a multistate marijuana and hemp company, agreed to purchase Vireo Health International’s grower-processor operations in Pennsylvania for $37 million. To fund the purchase, Jushi secured $15.25 million in debt financing that was led by insiders and existing shareholders. The acquisition involves the purchase of Pennsylvania Medical Solutions (PAMS), a licensed medical marijuana grower-processor […]