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  30. <item>
  31. <title>Cookies owes $8.4 million to partner on San Francisco marijuana store</title>
  32. <link>https://moderncannabislifestyle.com/cookies-owes-8-4-million-to-partner-on-san-francisco-marijuana-store/</link>
  34. <dc:creator><![CDATA[MCL]]></dc:creator>
  35. <pubDate>Wed, 09 Jul 2025 22:03:15 +0000</pubDate>
  36. <category><![CDATA[What's Hot]]></category>
  37. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://moderncannabislifestyle.com/cookies-owes-8-4-million-to-partner-on-san-francisco-marijuana-store/</guid>
  38.  
  39. <description><![CDATA[Prominent marijuana brand Cookies is on the hook to pay its former partner on a failed San Francisco&#8230;]]></description>
  40. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>
  41. </p>
  42. <div>
  43. <p>Prominent marijuana brand Cookies is on the hook to pay its <a target="_blank" href="https://mjbizdaily.com/cookies-cuts-ties-with-san-francisco-marijuana-store/">former partner on a failed San Francisco marijuana</a> store $8.4 million, according to court records.</p>
  44. <p>The significant payout due to the Cole Ashbury Group, Cookies’ erstwhile partner at the Berner’s on Haight dispensary that closed last year after opening to great fanfare in December 2019, <a target="_blank" href="https://blurredculture.com/berners-cookies-ordered-to-pay-up-cole-ashbury-group-wins-arbitration-battle-in-court/">is the result of a “put option”</a> baked into the two parties’ licensing agreement, according to an <a target="_blank" href="https://webapps.sftc.org/ci/CaseInfo.dll?CaseNum=CPF25519085&amp;SessionID=694BF226E49BC1FF682F7A68620DF371B255D59B">earlier arbitration ruling upheld on June 30</a>.</p>
  45. <p>The April 2025 arbitration ruling, which awarded Cole Ashbury $7.3 million in damages plus more than $1.1 million in attorney’s fees and costs, <a target="_blank" href="https://blurredculture.com/berners-cookies-ordered-to-pay-up-cole-ashbury-group-wins-arbitration-battle-in-court/">was first reported</a> by Blurred Culture.</p>
  46. <p>Retired San Francisco Superior Court Judge Harold Kahn finalized the ruling on June 30, records show.</p>
  47. <p>Representatives from the Cole Ashbury Group, which operated the first cannabis store in San Francisco <a target="_blank" href="https://www.sfweekly.com/archives/upper-haight-dispensary-gets-city-hall-ok/article_88333dfd-aa54-5fa6-917c-1cb4b9433438.html">permitted under that city’s marijuana social equity program</a>, did not immediately respond to an <em>MJBizDaily</em> request for comment.</p>
  48. <p>In a statement to SFGate, Parker Berling, San Rafael, Calif.-based Cookies’ president, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.sfgate.com/cannabis/article/cookies-san-francisco-haight-street-20763172.php">said that the company “respects” the decision</a> but will consider “all available options.”</p>
  49. <h2 id="10-million-put-option-as-part-of-marijuana-store-licensing-agreement">$10 million ‘put option’ as part of marijuana store licensing agreement</h2>
  50. <p>According to the findings from the arbitrator, retired San Francisco Superior Court Judge David Garcia, the two parties’ November 2019 licensing agreement included a “put option” that, if exercised, required Cookies to buy out Cole Ashbury Group for $10 million.</p>
  51. <p>That valuation was based on average sales in that era, before some of the publicized struggles affecting the legal cannabis industry set in, Garcia wrote.</p>
  52. <p>That option could be activated if Cole Ashbury Group maintained its license to use Cookies’ branding and iconic strains for 42 months, according to the agreement.</p>
  53. <p>Cole Ashbury Group exercised that option on May 22, 2023, but Cookies refused to pay, which led to an October 2024 arbitration hearing that Garcia oversaw, according to court records.</p>
  54. <p>In the meantime, Cookies revoked the store’s permission to use its branding. The rebranded store, called Blaze on Haight, closed sometime after the <a target="_blank" href="https://mjbizdaily.com/cookies-cuts-ties-with-san-francisco-marijuana-store/">relationship with Cookies ended in early 2024</a>.</p>
  55. <h2 id="cookies-must-suffer-the-consequences-of-a-bad-deal">Cookies must ‘suffer the consequences’ of a bad deal</h2>
  56. <p>In the arbitration proceedings, Cookies tried to argue that store was mismanaged and that Shawn Richard, the store’s equity owner, violated the terms of the licensing agreement with alleged misbehavior, including a still-pending sexual harassment lawsuit.</p>
  57. <p>Richard has denied any wrongdoing in that lawsuit, which is still ongoing, records show.</p>
  58. <p>Cookies also contended that the store, which allegedly never turned a profit despite a prime location in San Francisco’s iconic Haight Ashbury neighborhood and never paid Cookies any licensing fees, was worthless.</p>
  59. <p>But Garcia dismissed those arguments, noting in his February ruling that Cookies never moved to revoke the store’s licensing agreement.</p>
  60. <p>And though “the belief that the storefront in the iconic Haight Ashbury was destined for success was unfounded,” that did not invalidate the put option, he added.</p>
  61. <p>“The usual consequence of making a bad deal is to suffer the consequences,” Garcia wrote in his ruling.</p>
  62. <p>Garcia noted that the store’s struggles are likely the result of  “a governmental regulatory failure that has been complicated by local and state governments that have contributed to the problem by perhaps overtaxing and over permitting cannabis dispensaries.”</p>
  63. <p>The situation follows <a target="_blank" href="https://mjbizdaily.com/cookies-wins-arbitration-with-partner-fate-of-branded-cannabis-stores-unknown/">Cookies’ significant win in a separate arbitration proceeding</a> with another retail partner.</p>
  64. <p>In those proceedings, in which Garcia also served as arbitrator, Cookies was awarded $22.7 million from Cookies Retail, which is an alter-ego of Los Angeles- based TRP Co., <a target="_blank" href="https://mjbizdaily.com/cookies-wins-arbitration-with-partner-fate-of-branded-cannabis-stores-unknown/">for unpaid royalty fees and “misuse of trademarks.”</a></p>
  65. <p>Court records show that Cookies Retail is attempting to invalidate that ruling. A hearing is scheduled for July 14.</p>
  66. <div class="columns col-lg-12 col-md-12 col-sm-12 con_cta_wrapper">
  67. <h3 id="subscribe-to-the-mjbiz-factbook"><b><span data-contrast="auto">Subscribe to the MJBiz Factbook </span></b><span data-ccp-props="{"> </span></h3>
  68. <p><span data-contrast="auto">Exclusive industry data and analysis to help you make informed business decisions and avoid costly missteps. All the facts, none of the hype.</span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></p>
  69. <p><span data-contrast="auto">What you will get:</span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></p>
  70. <ul>
  71. <li>Monthly and quarterly updates, with new data &amp; insights</li>
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  74. <li>Annual survey of cannabis businesses</li>
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  77. </ul>
  78. </div>
  79. <h2 id="eaze-will-attempt-to-make-haight-ashbury-marijuana-store-work">Eaze will attempt to make Haight-Ashbury marijuana store work</h2>
  80. <p>But though the Haight Street store evidently did not succeed under the Cookies branding, another national cannabis brand plans to give it a go, <em>MJBizDaily</em> has learned.</p>
  81. <p>State Department of Cannabis Control <a target="_blank" href="https://search.cannabis.ca.gov/results/2864">records show that Cory Azzalino, CEO of Eaze</a>, was added to the store’s permit sometime this year.</p>
  82. <p>Eaze Technologies, a marijuana delivery startup, . A new company, called Eaze Inc., emerged earlier this year under the ownership of Netscape billionaire Jim Clark.</p>
  83. <p>The new Eaze will take over management of the location under the branding Eaze on Haight, Azzalino told <i>MJBizDaily</i> last month.</p>
  84. <p>“We are just managing the location, not taking over ownership,” Azzalino said in an email.</p>
  85. <p>He did not provide an opening date. The store remained shut as of Wednesday.</p>
  86. <p><em>Chris Roberts can be reached at </em><a target="_blank" href="https://mjbizdaily.com/cookies-owes-8-4-million-to-partner-on-san-francisco-marijuana-store/mailto:chris.roberts@mjbizdaily.com"><em>chris.roberts@mjbizdaily.com</em></a>.</p>
  87. </div>
  88.  
  89. <br /><a href="https://mjbizdaily.com/cookies-owes-8-4-million-to-partner-on-san-francisco-marijuana-store/">Source link </a></p>
  90. ]]></content:encoded>
  94. </item>
  95. <item>
  96. <title>Ohio recreational cannabis sales double that of medical marijuana</title>
  97. <link>https://moderncannabislifestyle.com/ohio-recreational-cannabis-sales-double-that-of-medical-marijuana/</link>
  99. <dc:creator><![CDATA[MCL]]></dc:creator>
  100. <pubDate>Wed, 09 Jul 2025 20:00:47 +0000</pubDate>
  101. <category><![CDATA[What's Hot]]></category>
  102. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://moderncannabislifestyle.com/ohio-recreational-cannabis-sales-double-that-of-medical-marijuana/</guid>
  103.  
  104. <description><![CDATA[Ohio adult-use marijuana stores have racked up $600 million in sales since the market launched in Aug. 2024,&#8230;]]></description>
  105. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>
  106. </p>
  107. <div>
  108. <p>Ohio adult-use marijuana stores have racked up $600 million in sales since the market launched in Aug. 2024, recent data shows.</p>
  109. <p>And so far, customers <a target="_blank" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YFLO9J1yi18">are buying twice as much cannabis</a> from adult-use stores as they are from MMJ dispensaries, according to Columbus-based NBC-4.</p>
  110. <p>Existing MMJ dispensaries <a target="_blank" href="https://mjbizdaily.com/ohio-adult-use-marijuana-sales-launch-gets-off-to-really-special-start/">were first in line to start selling</a> to all adults 21 and over on Aug. 6, 2024.</p>
  111. <p>Across the state, stores have recorded on average about $1.8 million in recreational marijuana sales per day, according to state data.</p>
  112. <p>By comparison, medical marijuana sales have averaged about $925,000 per day over the past six years.</p>
  113. <p>MMJ sales may exceed $481 million in 2025, according to an MJBiz Factbook projection. Recreational sales are projected to hit $650 million.</p>
  114. <p>There are currently <a target="_blank" href="https://com.ohio.gov/wps/wcm/connect/gov/2db02238-3101-4845-b999-a64ce6f0887c/DCC_Update_By_The_Numbers.pdf?MOD=AJPERES&amp;CONVERT_TO=url&amp;CACHEID=ROOTWORKSPACE.Z18_JQGCH4S04P41206HNUKVF31000-2db02238-3101-4845-b999-a64ce6f0887c-pq78IWX">153 licensed “dual-use” dispensaries</a> in the state, according to recent state Department of Commerce data.</p>
  115. <p>Efforts to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.dispatch.com/story/news/politics/2025/03/05/why-ohio-marijuana-social-equity-program-stalled-after-legalization/79320201007/">add new permits via a marijuana social-equity program</a> have stalled.</p>
  116. <p>Meanwhile, both cannabis industry operators and lawmakers remain concerned about intoxicating hemp products containing Delta-8 or Delta-9 THC.</p>
  117. <p>Lawmakers failed to pass proposed legislation that would have <a target="_blank" href="https://ohiocapitaljournal.com/2025/05/01/ohio-senate-passes-bill-that-would-require-hemp-products-to-only-be-sold-at-marijuana-dispensaries/">restricted sales of intoxicating hemp products</a> to licensed cannabis stores.</p>
  118. <p>Ohio lawmakers failed to make changes to the <a target="_blank" href="https://mjbizdaily.com/ohio-lawmakers-unlikely-to-change-recreational-marijuana-law-before-break/">state’s recreational marijuana laws</a> before going on their summer break.</p>
  119. <p>Operators are hoping for stricter rules around intoxicating hemp as the market grows.</p>
  120. <p>“While we would have hoped for stronger safeguards around intoxicating hemp products, we remain optimistic that Ohio’s regulatory approach will continue to evolve in the best interest of public health and consumer safety,” Story Cannabis CEO Jason Vedadi told NBC4.com.</p>
  121. <p> </p>
  122. </div>
  123.  
  124. <br /><a href="https://mjbizdaily.com/ohio-adult-use-marijuana-sales-top-600-million-doubling-mmj-sales/">Source link </a></p>
  125. ]]></content:encoded>
  129. </item>
  130. <item>
  131. <title>John Hopkins University Study: Cannabis Initiation Associated with Significant Reductions in Anxiety, Depression</title>
  132. <link>https://moderncannabislifestyle.com/john-hopkins-university-study-cannabis-initiation-associated-with-significant-reductions-in-anxiety-depression/</link>
  134. <dc:creator><![CDATA[MCL]]></dc:creator>
  135. <pubDate>Wed, 09 Jul 2025 13:54:33 +0000</pubDate>
  136. <category><![CDATA[What's Hot]]></category>
  137. <guid isPermaLink="false">http://moderncannabislifestyle.com/john-hopkins-university-study-cannabis-initiation-associated-with-significant-reductions-in-anxiety-depression/</guid>
  138.  
  139. <description><![CDATA[The consumption of THC-dominant cannabis products is associated with sustained reductions in anxiety and depression, according to newly&#8230;]]></description>
  140. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>
  141. </p>
  142. <div itemprop="text">
  143. <div class="wp-block-image">
  144. <figure class="alignright size-full is-resized"><img data-recalc-dims="1" fetchpriority="high" decoding="async" width="730" height="411" data-attachment-id="69472" data-permalink="https://norml.org/smoking-legal-cannabis-joint/" data-orig-file="https://i0.wp.com/norml.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/smoking-legal-cannabis-joint.png?fit=730%2C411&amp;ssl=1" data-orig-size="730,411" data-comments-opened="0" data-image-meta="{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}" data-image-title="smoking-legal-cannabis-joint" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="" data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/norml.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/smoking-legal-cannabis-joint.png?fit=730%2C411&amp;ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/norml.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/smoking-legal-cannabis-joint.png?fit=730%2C411&amp;ssl=1" src="http://moderncannabislifestyle.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/smoking-legal-cannabis-joint.png" alt="man smoking a legal cannabis joint" class="wp-image-69472" style="width:365px"  /></figure>
  145. </div>
  146. <p>The consumption of THC-dominant cannabis products is associated with sustained reductions in anxiety and depression, according to newly published <a target="_blank" href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40623642/">data</a> in the <em>Journal of Effective Disorders</em>.</p>
  147. <p>Investigators affiliated with the John Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore assessed the use of state-authorized medical cannabis products in a cohort of 33 participants with clinically significant anxiety or depression. Subjects in the study were naïve to cannabis. Study participants used a variety of cannabis products, including botanical and edible preparations, as needed for six months.</p>
  148. <p>“Initiation of THC-dominant medicinal cannabis was associated with acute reductions in anxiety and depression, and sustained reductions in overall symptom severity over a 6-month period,” researchers reported. Improvements in patients’ quality of life and overall health satisfaction were also observed. Medicinal cannabis use was not associated with the development of physical or psychological problems.</p>
  149. <p>“Collectively these data offer insights into the therapeutic effects of medicinal cannabis when it is used by a population with clinically significant anxiety and depression,” the study’s authors concluded. “The positive response, reflected by reductions in anxiety and/or depression by most participants, support the need for continued investigation of medicinal cannabis or related cannabinoid therapeutics as pharmacological treatments for anxiety and depression symptom relief, ideally with randomized, placebo-controlled trials.”</p>
  150. <p>NORML’s Deputy Director Paul Armentano said that the study’s findings are “consistent with those of prior assessments <a target="_blank" href="https://norml.org/news/2022/05/12/survey-use-of-medical-cannabis-associated-with-sustained-improvements-in-anxiety-depression/">concluding</a> that cannabis provides patients with sustained ‘statistically significant improvements’ on validated measurements of anxiety and depression.” Armentano also acknowledged that the adoption of cannabis legalization laws is associated with declines in prescriptions of anxiolytic drugs like <a target="_blank" href="https://norml.org/news/2024/09/26/study-cannabis-access-laws-associated-with-reduced-use-of-benzodiazepines/">benzodiazepines</a>, as well as <a target="_blank" href="https://norml.org/news/2017/04/13/study-medical-cannabis-patients-report-decreased-use-of-opioids-anti-anxiety-medicines/">anti-depressants</a>.</p>
  151. <p>According to <a target="_blank" href="https://norml.org/news/2022/06/30/survey-consumers-most-likely-to-self-medicate-with-cannabis-to-alleviate-anxiety-pain-and-depression/">survey data</a>, those who acknowledge consuming cannabis for purposes of self-medication are most likely to report doing so to alleviate pain, anxiety, sleep disturbances, and/or depression.</p>
  152. <p><em>An <a target="_blank" href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40623642/">abstract</a> of the study, “Acute and chronic effects of medicinal cannabis use on anxiety and depression. In a prospective cohort of patients new to cannabis,” appears online in the</em> <em>Journal of Effective Disorders</em>.</p>
  153. <div class="sharedaddy sd-block sd-like jetpack-likes-widget-wrapper jetpack-likes-widget-unloaded" id="like-post-wrapper-161076362-73650-686e7497adf3a" data-src="https://widgets.wp.com/likes/?ver=14.9-a.1#blog_id=161076362&amp;post_id=73650&amp;origin=norml.org&amp;obj_id=161076362-73650-686e7497adf3a" data-name="like-post-frame-161076362-73650-686e7497adf3a" data-title="Like or Reblog">
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  159.  
  160. <br /><a href="https://norml.org/blog/2025/07/09/john-hopkins-university-study-cannabis-initiation-associated-with-significant-reductions-in-anxiety-depression/">Source link </a></p>
  161. ]]></content:encoded>
  165. </item>
  166. <item>
  167. <title>3 states increase cannabis levies as ideal tax rate remains elusive</title>
  168. <link>https://moderncannabislifestyle.com/3-states-increase-cannabis-levies-as-ideal-tax-rate-remains-elusive/</link>
  170. <dc:creator><![CDATA[MCL]]></dc:creator>
  171. <pubDate>Wed, 09 Jul 2025 10:51:35 +0000</pubDate>
  172. <category><![CDATA[What's Hot]]></category>
  173. <guid isPermaLink="false">http://moderncannabislifestyle.com/3-states-increase-cannabis-levies-as-ideal-tax-rate-remains-elusive/</guid>
  174.  
  175. <description><![CDATA[Three states are raising cannabis taxes this year in response to budget deficits, with more predicted shortfalls looming&#8230;]]></description>
  176. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>
  177. </p>
  178. <div>
  179. <p>Three states are raising cannabis taxes this year in response to budget deficits, with more predicted shortfalls looming in 2026 as <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cnn.com/2025/06/27/economy/us-pce-consumer-spending-inflation-may" target="_blank" rel="noopener">consumer spending stalls</a> and President Donald Trump’s signature spending bill <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/04/us/politics/states-trump-bill.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">hammers state and local government balance sheets</a>.</p>
  180. <p>If that sounds like unwelcome news to the U.S. marijuana industry, consider: If governors and lawmakers across the country had their way, three other states likely would have increased their cannabis taxes.</p>
  181. <p>The tax increases in California, Maine and Minnesota are the latest instance of state governments turning to cannabis to balance budgets in an era when revenue from local and federal sources is dwindling.</p>
  182. <p>But they’re also the latest tests in an ongoing experiment that’s seeking the elusive answer to a fundamental question: What’s the ideal number for marijuana taxes that ensures meaningful government revenue while also encouraging legal market growth?</p>
  183. <p>Or, put another way: How much are consumers willing to pay at a state-licensed store before they’ve had enough?</p>
  184. <h2 id="different-markets-different-cannabis-tax-numbers">Different markets, different cannabis tax numbers</h2>
  185. <p>There’s no universal answer, according to experts who spoke with <em>MJBizDaily</em>.</p>
  186. <p>As a nationwide survey of cannabis tax rates indicates, what might be reasonable in one state could be outrageous in another.</p>
  187. <p>But observers are nonetheless raising a collective eyebrow at state governments’ willingness to turn to their still-young, regulated marijuana industries as a ready source of cash.</p>
  188. <p>And, they stress, additional taxation without either the appetite or the funding for a crackdown on a freshly incentivized illicit market might backfire.</p>
  189. <p>“I’m kind of surprised so many jurisdictions are doing it,” said Patrick Oglesby, a North Carolina-based attorney and researcher at The Center for New Revenue who has <a target="_blank" href="https://governor.nc.gov/news/press-releases/2025/06/04/governor-stein-announces-state-advisory-council-bring-order-cannabis-market" target="_blank" rel="noopener">advised several state governments</a> on cannabis taxation.</p>
  190. <p>“It’s like cutting off the cat’s tail one inch at a time.”</p>
  191. <h2 id="3-states-raise-marijuana-taxes-3-tax-plans-stall">3 states raise marijuana taxes; 3 tax plans stall</h2>
  192. <p>As a general rule, the states that legalized recreational marijuana more recently have lower tax rates than the first wave of adult-use markets.</p>
  193. <p>However, the tax increases are in states with mature markets, relatively new markets and one market that has yet to open.</p>
  194. <ul>
  195. <li>California, which launched adult-use sales in 2018 after years of a robust medical cannabis market, is increasing the excise tax from 15% to 19% after a last-second tax freeze supported by Gov. Gavin Newsom <a target="_blank" href="https://mjbizdaily.com/california-lawmakers-fail-to-include-cannabis-tax-relief-in-budget-bill/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">was thwarted by</a> a key state legislator.</li>
  196. <li>Minnesota, which legalized adult-use cannabis in 2023 <a target="_blank" href="https://mjbizdaily.com/minnesota-adult-use-marijuana-sales-havent-begun-but-taxes-already-raised/">but has yet to launch sales</a>, is raising its tax from 10% to 15%.</li>
  197. <li>Maine, where adult-use sales <a target="_blank" href="https://mjbizdaily.com/week-in-review-vermont-oks-adult-use-marijuana-maine-sales-begin-who-plan-questioned-more/">began in 2020</a>, from 10% to 14%.</li>
  198. </ul>
  199. <p>Critics in Minnesota are questioning the wisdom of raising taxes before its recreational marijuana market launch, which still has no solid start date.</p>
  200. <p>Cannabis tax increases were floated in several other states but ultimately failed.</p>
  201. <ul>
  202. <li>In Ohio, a controversial package of changes to voter-approved legalization regulations that included a 50% increase in the state excise tax, from 10% to 15%, <a target="_blank" href="https://mjbizdaily.com/controversial-ohio-adult-use-cannabis-changes-stall-amid-political-dissension/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">failed last month</a>.</li>
  203. <li>In Michigan, where a 10% tax is considered by many national experts to be a “gold standard,” Gov. Gretchen Whitmer pitched a <a target="_blank" href="https://mjbizdaily.com/michigan-governor-floats-extra-32-percent-adult-use-cannabis-tax/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">whopping 32% wholesale tax on marijuana</a> to fund infrastructure spending. That proposal stalled in April.</li>
  204. <li>In New Jersey, outgoing Gov. Phil Murphy in March proposed a budget with a <a target="_blank" href="https://mjbizdaily.com/new-jersey-governor-proposes-stiff-marijuana-tax-hike-new-hemp-levy/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">500% increase in a per-ounce tax</a>, to $15 per ounce. But the Legislature <a target="_blank" href="https://headynj.com/politics/nj-cannabis-seef-tax-unchanged-in-new-budget/">quietly abandoned the proposal this spring</a> and it was not in the budget Murphy signed July 1, according to Heady NJ.</li>
  205. </ul>
  206. <h2 id="nationwide-median-cannabis-tax-of-17">Nationwide median cannabis tax of 17%</h2>
  207. <p>Those recent tax increases mean California, Maine and Minnesota are still relatively close to the <a target="_blank" href="https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=4648323" target="_blank" rel="noopener">nationwide cannabis tax median of 17%</a> observed in fall 2023 by Ohio State University researchers.</p>
  208. <p>But, that report noted, while “(a) higher tax rate might theoretically bring in additional tax revenue … it can also incentivize (recreational) customers to purchase their cannabis product from unsanctioned sellers if the higher tax results in uncompetitive prices for legal cannabis product.”</p>
  209. <p>Finding that ideal tax number is elusive – except for the observation that there is no universal answer.</p>
  210. <p>For instance, Washington state cannabis consumers pay the nation’s highest tax at 37%, according to the Washington, D.C.-based think tank Tax Foundation.</p>
  211. <p>That’s almost twice the state levy applied to cannabis in California.</p>
  212. <p>However, Washington state isn’t experiencing the same problems with a shrinking legal market and a rampaging illicit market as California, Oglesby noted.</p>
  213. <p>And while California officials, from the governor down to the local level, decry the illicit market and have celebrated enforcement efforts, those efforts have yet to significantly curtail unlicensed marijuana activity.</p>
  214. <p>“Tax rate and enforcement are two blades of the same pair of scissors,” Oglesby said.</p>
  215. <p>“If you only have one blade, the scissors can’t cut.”</p>
  216. <h2 id="even-red-states-have-high-taxes">Even red states have high taxes</h2>
  217. <p>However, state excise tax rates for cannabis do not tell the full picture.</p>
  218. <p>The excise tax in Missouri – a conservative state that launched adult-use cannabis sales in 2023 – is one of the lowest in the country at 6%.</p>
  219. <p>Some observers credit this low levy for a market that’s <a target="_blank" href="https://mjbizdaily.com/total-marijuana-sales-in-missouri-increase-nearly-5-percent-from-april-2024/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">far exceeded early expectations</a>.</p>
  220. <p>That’s despite the fact Missouri consumers might actually pay as much as 22% in taxes on marijuana purchases once local and county general sales taxes as well as cannabis taxes are calculated.</p>
  221. <p>For now, that might include city and county marijuana taxes as well as the state’s 6% excise tax.</p>
  222. <p>That’s under a practice called “tax stacking” that’s <a target="_blank" href="https://mjbizdaily.com/marijuana-sales-tax-challenge-heads-to-missouri-supreme-court/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">being challenged at the state Supreme Court</a>, which is expected to issue a decision sometime this summer.</p>
  223. <p>California has a similar situation in which the state sales tax <a target="_blank" href="https://cdtfa.ca.gov/taxes-and-fees/rates.aspx" target="_blank" rel="noopener">can range from 7.25% to as much as 10.75%</a> depending on the city or county.</p>
  224. <div class="columns col-lg-12 col-md-12 col-sm-12 con_cta_wrapper">
  225. <h3 id="subscribe-to-the-mjbiz-factbook"><b><span data-contrast="auto">Subscribe to the MJBiz Factbook </span></b><span data-ccp-props="{"> </span></h3>
  226. <p><span data-contrast="auto">Exclusive industry data and analysis to help you make informed business decisions and avoid costly missteps. All the facts, none of the hype.</span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></p>
  227. <p><span data-contrast="auto">What you will get:</span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></p>
  228. <ul>
  229. <li>Monthly and quarterly updates, with new data &amp; insights</li>
  230. <li data-leveltext="?" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="9" data-list-defn-props="{" aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-posinset="4" data-aria-level="1"><span data-contrast="auto">Financial forecasts + capital investment trends</span></li>
  231. <li data-leveltext="?" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="9" data-list-defn-props="{" aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-posinset="4" data-aria-level="1"><span data-contrast="auto">State-by-state guide to regulations, taxes &amp; market opportunities</span></li>
  232. <li>Annual survey of cannabis businesses</li>
  233. <li>Consumer insights</li>
  234. <li data-leveltext="?" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="9" data-list-defn-props="{" aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-posinset="7" data-aria-level="1"><span data-contrast="auto">And more!</span></li>
  235. </ul>
  236. </div>
  237. <h2 id="tax-situation-varies-widely-but-unlikely-to-improve">Tax situation varies widely but unlikely to improve</h2>
  238. <p>Along with the cannabis tax picture, overall budget situations vary significantly from state to state.</p>
  239. <p>Tax revenue in California, for example, is connected to stock market performance, specifically blue-chip tech companies. But it also hinges on consumer spending.</p>
  240. <p>And both tariffs as well as recession fears along <a target="_blank" href="https://lao.ca.gov/LAOEconTax/article/Detail/777" target="_blank" rel="noopener">with soaring housing costs</a> have kept sales tax revenue down, analysts say.</p>
  241. <p>Federal spending also <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cbpp.org/research/state-budget-and-tax/roundup-state-budgets-increasingly-strained-as-house-senate" target="_blank" rel="noopener">directly affects the states</a>.</p>
  242. <p>But unlike federal lawmakers, state and local governments <a target="_blank" href="https://www.pew.org/en/research-and-analysis/articles/2025/06/16/most-states-tax-revenue-falls-below-long-term-trends-amid-federal-uncertainties" target="_blank" rel="noopener">can’t borrow their way out of</a> a deficit and must present balanced budgets.</p>
  243. <p>More pressure will mount on state legislatures over the next year as the massive cuts to Medicaid and food-stamp assistance are felt.</p>
  244. <p>That means another round of marijuana tax increases is likely next year, unless lawmakers can be steered toward other sources.</p>
  245. <p>But those are more entrenched industries that enjoy stronger lobbyists.</p>
  246. <p>“You’ve got to wonder why they don’t go after alcohol or tobacco,” Oglesby said.</p>
  247. <p>“There’s not really an illicit market in either. Nobody’s bootlegging alcohol that I know of.”</p>
  248. <p><em>Chris Roberts can be reached at <a target="_blank" href="https://mjbizdaily.com/3-states-increase-cannabis-levies-as-ideal-tax-rate-remains-elusive/mailto:chris.roberts@mjbizdaily.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">chris.roberts@mjbizdaily.com</a>.</em></p>
  249. </div>
  250.  
  251. <br /><a href="https://mjbizdaily.com/3-states-increase-cannabis-levies-as-ideal-tax-rate-remains-elusive/">Source link </a></p>
  252. ]]></content:encoded>
  256. </item>
  257. <item>
  258. <title>THC potency inflated in most Colorado marijuana flower</title>
  259. <link>https://moderncannabislifestyle.com/thc-potency-inflated-in-most-colorado-marijuana-flower/</link>
  261. <dc:creator><![CDATA[]]></dc:creator>
  262. <pubDate>Tue, 08 Jul 2025 20:43:25 +0000</pubDate>
  263. <category><![CDATA[Recipes]]></category>
  264. <guid isPermaLink="false">http://moderncannabislifestyle.com/thc-potency-inflated-in-most-colorado-marijuana-flower/</guid>
  265.  
  266. <description><![CDATA[Most marijuana products in Colorado are mislabeled, with actual THC potency “significantly lower” than the verified lab results,&#8230;]]></description>
  267. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>
  268. </p>
  269. <div>
  270. <p>Most marijuana products in Colorado are mislabeled, with <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-025-03854-3" target="_blank" rel="noopener">actual THC potency “significantly lower”</a> than the verified lab results, according to the largest study yet of cannabis labeling.</p>
  271. <p>But while concentrates remain more trustworthy than flower products, the latest confirmation of <a href="https://mjbizdaily.com/colorado-cannabis-testing-experiment-yields-damning-pesticide-microbial-potency-results/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">widespread THC potency inflation</a> underscores the need for regulators to independently verify lab results, University of Colorado Boulder researchers wrote in the journal Scientific Reports.</p>
  272. <p>Widespread allegations that <a href="https://mjbizdaily.com/marijuana-lab-testing-analysis-finds-routine-thc-inflation-data-manipulation/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">labs artificially inflate THC percentages</a> to please customers have been made for years in the marijuana industry.</p>
  273. <p>It’s a <a href="https://mjbizdaily.com/claims-of-marijuana-testing-lab-fraud-hit-new-york-adult-use-market/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">stubborn problem that persists</a> despite <a href="https://mjbizdaily.com/fourth-california-cannabis-testing-lab-loses-license-as-crackdown-continues/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">an uptick in enforcement</a> in some states.</p>
  274. <h2 id="how-the-thc-potency-study-worked">How the THC potency study worked</h2>
  275. <p>In the study, researchers analyzed 277 adult-use marijuana samples from 52 Colorado dispensaries:</p>
  276. <ul>
  277. <li>178 flower samples.</li>
  278. <li>99 concentrate samples.</li>
  279. </ul>
  280. <p>Those samples were then tested by MedPharm Research, a licensed lab based in Denver.</p>
  281. <p>A product was considered “accurately labeled” if tests yielded THC potency within 15% of what was listed on the product label.</p>
  282. <p>The mean labeled THC potency was 22.5% for flower and 73% for concentrates.</p>
  283. <p>However, the observed THC potency was only 20.8% for flower and 70.7% for concentrates.</p>
  284. <p>That means that, of the flower samples, only 56.7% of products were within the threshold.</p>
  285. <p>And while 96% of concentrates met the “accurately labeled” requirement, the researchers still found actual THC potency overall to be” significantly lower than labeled potency” across the board.</p>
  286. <p>Most cannabis flower was overreported by 5.19%.</p>
  287. <p>For example, that means a cannabis flower product was advertised as 22% when it actually tested in the high teens.</p>
  288. <h2 id="latest-confirmation-of-colorado-lab-oversight-problem">Latest confirmation of Colorado lab oversight problem</h2>
  289. <p>The study is “the largest sample to date examining THC potency labeling in cannabis flower,” according to the report’s authors.</p>
  290. <p>And its findings are consistent with the experiences reported by many growers and labs, who say that consumers will pass up high-quality, potent cannabis that tests only in the teens.</p>
  291. <p>A spokesperson for Colorado’s Marijuana Enforcement Division, which is responsible for regulating commercial cannabis testing laboratories as well as cultivators and retailers, told Colorado Public Radio that it was <a href="https://www.cpr.org/2025/07/07/marijuana-potency-inaccurate-labels-cu-study/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">“reviewing the study.”</a></p>
  292. <p>However, the study also affirms earlier findings in Colorado.</p>
  293. <p>A report earlier this year by Justin Singer, CEO of Denver-headquartered cannabis manufacturing company Ripple, found that 85% of products on Colorado store shelves <a href="https://mjbizdaily.com/colorado-cannabis-testing-experiment-yields-damning-pesticide-microbial-potency-results/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">might violate health and safety laws</a>.</p>
  294. <p>Colorado has yet to launch the kind of crackdown on lab fraud that’s led to <a href="https://mjbizdaily.com/massachusetts-revokes-first-cannabis-testing-laboratory-license/">laboratories losing their licenses</a> in other states.</p>
  295. <div class="columns col-lg-12 col-md-12 col-sm-12 con_cta_wrapper">
  296. <h3 id="subscribe-to-the-mjbiz-factbook"><b><span data-contrast="auto">Subscribe to the MJBiz Factbook </span></b><span data-ccp-props="{"> </span></h3>
  297. <p><span data-contrast="auto">Exclusive industry data and analysis to help you make informed business decisions and avoid costly missteps. All the facts, none of the hype.</span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></p>
  298. <p><span data-contrast="auto">What you will get:</span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></p>
  299. <ul>
  300. <li>Monthly and quarterly updates, with new data &amp; insights</li>
  301. <li data-leveltext="?" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="9" data-list-defn-props="{" aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-posinset="4" data-aria-level="1"><span data-contrast="auto">Financial forecasts + capital investment trends</span></li>
  302. <li data-leveltext="?" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="9" data-list-defn-props="{" aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-posinset="4" data-aria-level="1"><span data-contrast="auto">State-by-state guide to regulations, taxes &amp; market opportunities</span></li>
  303. <li>Annual survey of cannabis businesses</li>
  304. <li>Consumer insights</li>
  305. <li data-leveltext="?" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="9" data-list-defn-props="{" aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-posinset="7" data-aria-level="1"><span data-contrast="auto">And more!</span></li>
  306. </ul>
  307. </div>
  308. </div>
  309.  
  310. <br /><a href="https://mjbizdaily.com/thc-potency-inflated-in-most-colorado-marijuana-flower/">Source link </a></p>
  311. ]]></content:encoded>
  315. </item>
  316. <item>
  317. <title>Auxly Cannabis reaches &#8216;turning point&#8217; with closing of 2 transactions</title>
  318. <link>https://moderncannabislifestyle.com/auxly-cannabis-reaches-turning-point-with-closing-of-2-transactions/</link>
  320. <dc:creator><![CDATA[]]></dc:creator>
  321. <pubDate>Tue, 08 Jul 2025 18:41:32 +0000</pubDate>
  322. <category><![CDATA[Recipes]]></category>
  323. <guid isPermaLink="false">http://moderncannabislifestyle.com/auxly-cannabis-reaches-turning-point-with-closing-of-2-transactions/</guid>
  324.  
  325. <description><![CDATA[Auxly Cannabis Group has closed on two transactions intended to reduce the Canadian operator’s debt and strengthen its&#8230;]]></description>
  326. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>
  327. </p>
  328. <div>
  329. <div class="bialty-container">
  330. <p>Auxly Cannabis Group has closed on two transactions intended to <a href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/auxly-closes-transformational-debt-reduction-transactions-strengthens-financial-position-and-unlocks-growth-potential-302499670.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reduce the Canadian operator’s debt and strengthen</a> its financial position.</p>
  331. <p>The transactions, originally announced June 19, extend its credit facility with the Bank of Montreal and <a href="https://mjbizdaily.com/imperial-brands-converts-ca123-million-in-debt-to-auxly-cannabis-shares/">settle all debts owed to Imperial Brands</a>, according to a Tuesday news release.</p>
  332. <p>With the transactions completed, Toronto-headquartered Auxly has:</p>
  333. <ul>
  334. <li>Eliminated about $21 million in debt.</li>
  335. <li>Reduced debt-service obligations by about $700,000 per year.</li>
  336. <li>Provided a new $10 million revolving facility for financial flexibility to support growth.</li>
  337. <li><a href="https://mjbizdaily.com/auxly-cannabis-auditor-flags-going-concern-risk-despite-smaller-loss/">Removed the “going concern” uncertainty</a> disclosed in the company’s financial statements in March as well as in 2022.</li>
  338. </ul>
  339. <p>The moves leave Imperial Brands with a 19.9% stake in Auxly.</p>
  340. <p>The British tobacco giant <a href="https://mjbizdaily.com/british-tobacco-giant-invests-ca123-milllion-in-canadian-cannabis-firm-auxly/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">first invested in the cannabis operator</a> in 2019.</p>
  341. <p>“The closing of these transactions marks a turning point for Auxly,” CEO Hugo Alves said in a statement.</p>
  342. <p>“We emerge from these transactions with a transformed balance sheet and the financial strength to fuel future growth.”</p>
  343. <p>Chief Financial Officer Travis Wong said the transactions are a milestone for Auxly.</p>
  344. <p>“We’ve reduced debt, extended the term of our senior facility and secured a new working capital facility,” Wong said.</p>
  345. <p>“These improvements provide us with the financial flexibility to execute our strategy with confidence.”</p>
  346. <p>Auxly shares trade as <a href="https://money.tmx.com/en/quote/XLY" target="_blank" rel="noopener">XLY</a> on the Toronto Stock Exchange.</p>
  347. </div></div>
  348.  
  349. <br /><a href="https://mjbizdaily.com/auxly-cannabis-reaches-turning-point-with-closing-of-2-transactions/">Source link </a></p>
  350. ]]></content:encoded>
  354. </item>
  355. <item>
  356. <title>Texas: Dallas Officials Halt Implementation of Voter-Approved Marijuana Depenalization Ordinance</title>
  357. <link>https://moderncannabislifestyle.com/texas-dallas-officials-halt-implementation-of-voter-approved-marijuana-depenalization-ordinance/</link>
  359. <dc:creator><![CDATA[MCL]]></dc:creator>
  360. <pubDate>Tue, 08 Jul 2025 15:27:34 +0000</pubDate>
  361. <category><![CDATA[What's Hot]]></category>
  362. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://moderncannabislifestyle.com/texas-dallas-officials-halt-implementation-of-voter-approved-marijuana-depenalization-ordinance/</guid>
  363.  
  364. <description><![CDATA[City officials in Dallas have paused the implementation of a voter-approved ordinance (the Dallas Freedom Act) limiting the&#8230;]]></description>
  365. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>
  366. </p>
  367. <div itemprop="text">
  368. <div class="wp-block-image">
  369. <figure class="alignright size-full is-resized"><img data-recalc-dims="1" fetchpriority="high" decoding="async" width="730" height="411" data-attachment-id="55427" data-permalink="https://norml.org/news/2022/12/01/texas-harker-heights-council-members-repeal-voters-initiated-marijuana-depenalization-ordinance/attachment/texas-prohibition/" data-orig-file="https://i0.wp.com/norml.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/texas-prohibition.jpg?fit=730%2C411&amp;ssl=1" data-orig-size="730,411" data-comments-opened="0" data-image-meta="{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}" data-image-title="texas-prohibition" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="" data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/norml.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/texas-prohibition.jpg?fit=730%2C411&amp;ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/norml.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/texas-prohibition.jpg?fit=730%2C411&amp;ssl=1" src="http://moderncannabislifestyle.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/texas-prohibition.jpg" alt="shape of the state of Texas with a marijuana leaf covered by a circle with a line through it representing &quot;prohibited&quot;" class="wp-image-55427" style="width:365px"  /></figure>
  370. </div>
  371. <p>City officials in Dallas have <a target="_blank" href="https://www.fox4news.com/news/dallas-pauses-enforcement-voter-approved-marijuana-law" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">paused</a> the implementation of a voter-approved <a target="_blank" href="https://www.groundgametexas.org/dallas" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ordinance</a> (the Dallas Freedom Act) limiting the ability of local police to make low-level marijuana possession arrests. Sixty-seven percent of Dallas voters <a target="_blank" href="https://www.statesman.com/story/news/state/2025/01/13/marijuana-decriminalization-law-dallas-police-department-dallas-freedom-act/77666073007/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">approved</a> the marijuana depenalization ordinance in November.</p>
  372. <p>Dallas is the latest Texas city to shelve its voter-initiated depenalization law after Attorney General Ken Paxton <a target="_blank" href="https://norml.org/news/2024/02/08/texas-attorney-general-files-suit-to-overturn-voter-approved-marijuana-depenalization-measures/">filed lawsuits</a> against half a dozen localities for failing to “fully enforce laws related to drugs.”</p>
  373. <p>Since taking legal action, city officials in Bastrop, <a target="_blank" href="https://norml.org/blog/2025/05/28/texas-denton-city-officials-repeal-voter-approved-marijuana-depenalization-ordinance/">Denton</a>, Harker Heights, and Lockhart have each declined to move forward with their local laws. Additionally, a Texas appellate court in March <a target="_blank" href="https://norml.org/news/2025/05/01/texas-appellate-court-strikes-down-voter-approved-marijuana-ordinances/">issued a pair of rulings</a> halting the implementation of voter-approved depenalization initiatives in the cities of Austin and San Marcos. </p>
  374. <p>State lawmakers this session also <a target="_blank" href="https://norml.org/act/texas-dont-take-away-voters-ability-to-decide-cannabis-policies/">sponsored legislation</a> prohibiting voters from deciding on future marijuana depenalization ordinances. That bill was approved in the Senate but ultimately stalled in the House.</p>
  375. <p>“Texas voters, like most Americans, <a target="_blank" href="https://uh.edu/hobby/tx2025/#gambling" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">do not want cannabis consumers arrested or jailed</a>,” NORML’s Deputy Director Paul Armentano said. “That is why, when given the opportunity, they have consistently and overwhelmingly decided in favor of these local ordinances to end low-level marijuana arrests. Unfortunately, Texas officials would rather cancel their own voters than abide by the will of the people and move forward with smart and sensible cannabis policies.”</p>
  376. <p><a target="_blank" href="https://norml.org/laws/texas-penalties-2/">State law</a> defines marijuana possession of two ounces or less as a criminal misdemeanor, punishable by up to 180 days in jail, a $2,000 fine, and a criminal record. Since 2018, Texas police have <a target="_blank" href="https://norml.org/marijuana/library/state-marijuana-arrests/texas-marijuana-arrests/">made approximately 200,000 marijuana-related arrests</a>. Ninety-six percent of those were for possession only.</p>
  377. <div class="sharedaddy sd-block sd-like jetpack-likes-widget-wrapper jetpack-likes-widget-unloaded" id="like-post-wrapper-161076362-73640-686d38e49f10e" data-src="https://widgets.wp.com/likes/?ver=14.9-a.1#blog_id=161076362&amp;post_id=73640&amp;origin=norml.org&amp;obj_id=161076362-73640-686d38e49f10e" data-name="like-post-frame-161076362-73640-686d38e49f10e" data-title="Like or Reblog">
  378. <h3 id="like-this" class="sd-title">Like this:</h3>
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  382. </p></div>
  383.  
  384. <br /><a href="https://norml.org/blog/2025/07/08/texas-dallas-officials-halt-implementation-of-voter-approved-marijuana-depenalization-ordinance/">Source link </a></p>
  385. ]]></content:encoded>
  389. </item>
  390. <item>
  391. <title>D.C. medical marijuana sales soar, but many dispensaries struggling</title>
  392. <link>https://moderncannabislifestyle.com/d-c-medical-marijuana-sales-soar-but-many-dispensaries-struggling/</link>
  394. <dc:creator><![CDATA[MCL]]></dc:creator>
  395. <pubDate>Tue, 08 Jul 2025 10:50:33 +0000</pubDate>
  396. <category><![CDATA[Culture]]></category>
  397. <guid isPermaLink="false">http://moderncannabislifestyle.com/d-c-medical-marijuana-sales-soar-but-many-dispensaries-struggling/</guid>
  398.  
  399. <description><![CDATA[While overall medical marijuana sales in Washington, D.C., have nearly doubled since January, dispensaries that converted from “gifting”&#8230;]]></description>
  400. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>
  401. </p>
  402. <div>
  403. <p>While overall medical marijuana sales in Washington, D.C., have nearly doubled since January, dispensaries that converted from “gifting” shops are facing significant struggles.</p>
  404. <p>Cannabis sales in the District of Columbia increased <a href="https://abca.dc.gov/node/1766921#gsc.tab=0">from $4.6 million in January to nearly $9 million</a> in May, according to the Alcoholic Beverage and Cannabis Administration (ABCA).</p>
  405. <p>In that time, the district has <a href="https://mjbizdaily.com/dc-authorities-close-25-unlicensed-marijuana-stores-during-crackdown/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">cracked down on the gifting shops</a> that were authorized under voter-approved <a href="https://mjbizdaily.com/suggested-head-dc-council-takes-another-step-towards-rec-sales/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Initiative 71, which legalized</a> the recreational possession, consumption and sharing of marijuana among adults while outlawing sales of the drug.</p>
  406. <p>The measure allowed stores selling non-marijuana items to include a “gift” of cannabis.</p>
  407. <p>Those retailers had until March 31 to open as licensed medical marijuana facilities or be shut down.</p>
  408. <p>“There were 250-plus at the peak,” said Robbie Martin, president of the DC Cannabis Business Association.</p>
  409. <p>“Now, unlicensed brick and mortar is uncommon to see around town.”</p>
  410. <p>There are currently about 60 licensed medical marijuana retailers in the district, up from roughly 10 before the <a href="https://mjbizdaily.com/district-of-columbia-dc-gifting-shops-transition-to-medical-marijuana/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">gifting shops started transitioning</a> a few months ago.</p>
  411. <p>Increased competition from the newly licensed dispensaries, the lingering presence of unlicensed shops offering cheaper products and regulatory challenges have combined to make turning a profit difficult.</p>
  412. <h2 id="high-hopes-hard-times-in-d-c">High hopes, hard times in D.C.</h2>
  413. <p>“The first 90 days have been a tarantula,” said Terrence White, CEO of Monko, a former gifting shop that spent about six months converting to a licensed MMJ dispensary.</p>
  414. <p>White said that business is down about 250% since he transitioned Monko, with sales dropping from about $300,000 per month to barely $100,000.</p>
  415. <p>Patient participation is lagging, with only 53,000 transactions among the district’s roughly 60 dispensaries, White said.</p>
  416. <p>“People are not really excited about the D.C. medical market,” he said. “It’s been kind of a dipsy-doodle time.”</p>
  417. <p>Linda Greene, owner and CEO of dispensary Anacostia Organics, said the new dispensaries are cannibalizing sales from the original cannabis businesses, but she doesn’t expect all of the new shops to survive.</p>
  418. <p>“I think a lot will close sooner than later because of taxation, compliance and because they have to buy product from a licensed cultivator, which don’t have product yet – it takes a minute for that,” she said.</p>
  419. <p>“We have found that some are still getting product from their old suppliers and not using Metrc.”</p>
  420. <p>Both White and Greene noted that Washington, D.C., borders Maryland, <a href="https://mjbizdaily.com/map-of-us-marijuana-legalization-by-state/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">where recreational marijuana is legal</a>.</p>
  421. <p>Although self-certification makes getting a medical card in the district easy, the city’s dispensaries can’t compete on price and many people don’t want to be part of a registry.</p>
  422. <p>“You can go to a recreational dispensary within 15 minutes without having to register as a patient,” Greene said.</p>
  423. <p>Green and White also agree that the district needs leadership in government that understands and supports the industry.</p>
  424. <p>“Until we can find a champion who will fight for us in council, we’re fighting an uphill battle,” White said.</p>
  425. <h2 id="national-brands-legitimize-market">National brands legitimize market</h2>
  426. <p>Martin, of the DC Cannabis Business Association, said that since regulators cracked down on gifting shops, national brands are demonstrating more interest in the market.</p>
  427. <p>“A year ago, D.C. was on a blacklist, but that deadline opened up a lot of people’s eyes. It looks like it’s going legit,” he said.</p>
  428. <p>One brand that’s embracing the Washington, D.C., market is Cookies, which started selling products in medical marijuana shops earlier this year.</p>
  429. <p>The company is now opening Cookies DC on July 11, a dream the dispensary’s owner and CEO James Kahn has had <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/posts/rabbikahnabis_cookies-dc-is-5-years-in-the-making-grown-activity-7273846055471923201-QSqZ/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">for about five years</a>.</p>
  430. <p>“Cookies is the first international brand showing up in D.C.,” said Kahn, a founder of the family operated Takoma Wellness Center in the district.</p>
  431. <p>“It has legitimized the current cannabis market for all these new consumers.”</p>
  432. <p>Crystal Millican, senior vice president of marketing and retail for San Francisco-based Cookies, said the brand has eyed the District of Columbia for a long time.</p>
  433. <p>“D.C. is an important market,” Millican said. “D.C. is our country’s history – it’s also our country’s future.”</p>
  434. <p>Monko’s White said attracting more national brands is the key to the Washington, D.C., MMJ market’s survival.</p>
  435. <p>“Until we get other national brands in, we’re going to be stuck in a bad place,” he said.</p>
  436. <p>“It’s not that we don’t have the people to market to. We don’t have the brands to market to the people.”</p>
  437. <p><em>Margaret Jackson can be reached at <a href="https://mjbizdaily.com/district-of-columbia-medical-marijuana-sales-soar-but-dispensaries-struggling/mailto:margaret.jackson@mjbizdaily.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">margaret.jackson@mjbizdaily.com</a>.</em></p>
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  453. <br /><a href="https://mjbizdaily.com/district-of-columbia-medical-marijuana-sales-soar-but-dispensaries-struggling/">Source link </a></p>
  454. ]]></content:encoded>
  458. </item>
  459. <item>
  460. <title>Massachusetts cannabis lab sues to recover suspended license</title>
  461. <link>https://moderncannabislifestyle.com/massachusetts-cannabis-lab-sues-to-recover-suspended-license/</link>
  463. <dc:creator><![CDATA[MCL]]></dc:creator>
  464. <pubDate>Mon, 07 Jul 2025 19:44:05 +0000</pubDate>
  465. <category><![CDATA[Culture]]></category>
  466. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://moderncannabislifestyle.com/massachusetts-cannabis-lab-sues-to-recover-suspended-license/</guid>
  467.  
  468. <description><![CDATA[A Massachusetts cannabis testing laboratory that lost its license after allegedly failing to report contaminated product is going&#8230;]]></description>
  469. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>
  470. </p>
  471. <div>
  472. <p>A Massachusetts cannabis testing laboratory that lost its license after allegedly failing to report contaminated product is <a href="https://mjbizdaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Assured-Test-Laboratory-Complaint-and-Exhibit-A.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">going to the courts to recover</a> its permit, according to records obtained by <em>MJBizDaily</em>.</p>
  473. <p>Assured Testing Laboratory, based in Tyngsboro, is claiming Massachusetts’ Cannabis Control Commission (CCC) violated “its basic rights of due process” when it <a href="https://mjbizdaily.com/massachusetts-revokes-first-cannabis-testing-laboratory-license/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">suspended the lab’s license</a>, effective July 4, according to a complaint the lab is filing in Suffolk County Superior Court.</p>
  474. <p>In a June 30 order, the CCC alleged that the laboratory had an abnormally low fail rate for contaminants such as yeast and mold.</p>
  475. <p>The order – the first instance of Massachusetts regulators cracking down on an allegedly lax testing laboratory – gave Assured Testing 21 days to request a hearing.</p>
  476. <p>According to Assured Testing’s claim, the CCC’s action “is unlawful” and will force the lab “out of business … all over what is essentially a data-reporting disagreement.”</p>
  477. <h2 id="cannabis-testing-regulations-unclear-lab-owner-says">Cannabis testing regulations ‘unclear,’ lab owner says</h2>
  478. <p>Dimitrios Pelekoudas, the lab’s CEO, told the Boston Herald that “the CCC’s <a href="https://www.bostonherald.com/2025/07/06/suspended-cannabis-testing-lab-has-appealed-and-will-sue-regulators-owner-says/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">regulations were so unclear</a> on this specific testing issue, that it reissued regulations that became effective as of April 1 of this year.</p>
  479. <p>“At all times Assured Testing Laboratory complied with all active regulations and orders.”</p>
  480. <p>He also claimed the lab, which tested 25% of the cannabis in the state between April 2024 and April 2025, “did nothing wrong here, posed no threat to the public, and ensured that no contaminated products reached the market.”</p>
  481. <p>In more than 17,000 tests reported to the state, Assured Testing reported only 10 fails for yeast and mold for a 0.05% fail rate, or 90 times below the state average of 4.5%, according to the CCC.</p>
  482. <p>A later state investigation found that Assured Testing had actually recorded 544 tests of cannabis in excess of the state’s 10,000 colony forming units-per-gram limit – but did not report those failures to the state, as required by law.</p>
  483. <p>The action follows years of complaints about <a href="https://mjbizdaily.com/cannabis-testing-lab-fraud-can-be-curbed-if-industry-is-part-of-solution/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">THC potency inflation</a> and labs <a href="https://mjbizdaily.com/major-marijuana-markets-still-lacking-controls-for-suspicious-lab-results/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">giving clients favorable results</a> in order to secure business.</p>
  484. <h2 id="separate-lawsuit-questions-testing-technology">Separate lawsuit questions testing technology</h2>
  485. <p>But Assured Testing might have another explanation for any questionable results.</p>
  486. <p>The lab is one of 26 plaintiffs that sued a laboratory technology company in January, claiming the chromatography machines and other lab equipment they purchased were faulty and “consistently resulted in failed testing,” court records show.</p>
  487. <p>In Assured Testing’s case, the lab “could not have discovered the falsity” of the manufacturer’s claims until “2024 at the earliest,” when litigation in other states revealed similar problems.</p>
  488. <p>The January lawsuit is pending, according to Suffolk County Superior Court records.</p>
  489. <div class="columns col-lg-12 col-md-12 col-sm-12 con_cta_wrapper">
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  495. <li data-leveltext="?" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="9" data-list-defn-props="{" aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-posinset="4" data-aria-level="1"><span data-contrast="auto">Financial forecasts + capital investment trends</span></li>
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  497. <li>Annual survey of cannabis businesses</li>
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  500. </ul>
  501. </div>
  502. </div>
  503.  
  504. <br /><a href="https://mjbizdaily.com/massachusetts-cannabis-testing-lab-sues-state-to-recover-suspended-license/">Source link </a></p>
  505. ]]></content:encoded>
  509. </item>
  510. <item>
  511. <title>Delaware: Regulators Announce Adult Use Marijuana Sales to Begin Next Month</title>
  512. <link>https://moderncannabislifestyle.com/delaware-regulators-announce-adult-use-marijuana-sales-to-begin-next-month/</link>
  514. <dc:creator><![CDATA[]]></dc:creator>
  515. <pubDate>Mon, 07 Jul 2025 19:28:12 +0000</pubDate>
  516. <category><![CDATA[Entertainment]]></category>
  517. <guid isPermaLink="false">http://moderncannabislifestyle.com/delaware-regulators-announce-adult-use-marijuana-sales-to-begin-next-month/</guid>
  518.  
  519. <description><![CDATA[Consumers ages 21 and older will be able to purchase cannabis products from licensed retailers beginning on August&#8230;]]></description>
  520. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p></p>
  521. <div id="post-73612">
  522. <p> <!-- .entry-header-wrapper --></p>
  523. <div class="entry-content" itemprop="text">
  524. <div class="wp-block-image">
  525. <figure class="alignright size-full is-resized"><img data-recalc-dims="1" fetchpriority="high" decoding="async" width="730" height="411" data-attachment-id="43833" data-permalink="https://norml.org/news/2021/12/16/analysis-jurisdictions-permitting-adult-use-retail-facilities-experience-employment-growth/attachment/cannabis-dispensary-employee/" data-orig-file="https://i0.wp.com/norml.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/cannabis-dispensary-employee.jpg?fit=730%2C411&amp;ssl=1" data-orig-size="730,411" data-comments-opened="0" data-image-meta="{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}" data-image-title="cannabis-dispensary-employee" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="" data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/norml.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/cannabis-dispensary-employee.jpg?fit=730%2C411&amp;ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/norml.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/cannabis-dispensary-employee.jpg?fit=730%2C411&amp;ssl=1" src="http://moderncannabislifestyle.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/cannabis-dispensary-employee.jpg" alt="Marijuana Legalization" class="wp-image-43833" style="width:365px"  /></figure>
  526. </div>
  527. <p>Consumers ages 21 and older will be able to purchase cannabis products from licensed retailers beginning on August 1st, according to an <a href="https://www.delawarepublic.org/politics-government/2025-07-07/recreational-marijuana-sales-begin-aug-1-with-conversion-licenses-others-wont-be-far-behind" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">announcement</a> by the state’s Marijuana Commissioner.</p>
  528. <p>Lawmakers <a href="https://www.delawarepublic.org/politics-government/2025-07-07/recreational-marijuana-sales-begin-aug-1-with-conversion-licenses-others-wont-be-far-behind">approved legislation</a> more than two years ago regulating the adult-use marijuana market.</p>
  529. <p>Consumers will initially be able to purchase cannabis <a href="https://www.marijuanamoment.net/heres-where-to-buy-legal-recreational-marijuana-in-delaware-next-month/?" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">at approximately a dozen retail locations</a> — all of which are existing medical cannabis dispensaries that have received ‘conversion licenses’ to sell to patients and adults. (Lawmakers legalized <a href="https://norml.org/laws/medical-laws/delaware-medical-marijuana-law/">medical cannabis access</a> in 2011.) The Commissioner’s office <a href="https://www.delawarepublic.org/politics-government/2025-07-07/recreational-marijuana-sales-begin-aug-1-with-conversion-licenses-others-wont-be-far-behind" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">says</a> that regulators will begin providing additional licenses to new applicants by summer’s end.</p>
  530. <p>Regulators had anticipated launching adult-use sales in early 2025, but the rollout faced numerous delays. Regulators have also faced resistance from municipal officials who have expressed a reluctance to have licensed retailers operating in their towns. </p>
  531. <p>NORML’s Deputy Director Paul Armentano has criticized local bans prohibiting licensed cannabis businesses, arguing that they are ineffective and that they bolster the unregulated marketplace. </p>
  532. <p>“Marijuana marketplaces already exist in every neighborhood in Delaware. The question is whether lawmakers want these markets to be regulated or not,” he said. “It’s time for local officials to put an end to the NIMBYism and <a href="https://norml.org/marijuana/fact-sheets/societal-impacts-of-cannabis-dispensaries-retailers/">unwarranted fears</a> surrounding the establishment of state-licensed marijuana retailers.”</p>
  533. <p>A Delaware State Auditor’s report <a href="https://delawarecannabis.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/DE-Auditors-Report-2021.pdf">estimates</a> that adult use sales will generate 43 million in annual tax revenue.</p>
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