Cannabis licensing in New York 🗽

We hosted a webinar with Modern Advocacy and Hodgson Russ breaking down the cannabis licensing framework in New York. Watch it here:

Weed and movies “go together fucking perfectly,” actor and comedian Danny McBride told GQ. “f I went to a theater, and it was like, ‘Here’s your popcorn and here’s fucking weed,’ I feel like that would be an awesome little combo right there.”

McBride said he and his friends tossed around the idea of opening a movie theater with a dispensary inside, called the Green Screen. But they haven’t committed — yet. (If any Cultivated readers have the capital to open this, call us).

Read the full GQ interview here. 

Report: Online ‘hemp’ products contain synthetic cannabinoids 🌿

Many "hemp" products on the market are actually synthetic cannabis, often containing unregulated, highly potent cannabinoids, according to a new report. Testing of 104 products in California found that 95% contained illegal synthetic THC, with some gummies exceeding legal THC limits by more than 30 times, raising concerns about consumer safety, tax evasion, and regulatory loopholes. Read the full report here.

HHC classified as Schedule II drug by the United Nations 👀

The United Nations voted to declare HHC, or hexahydrocannabinol, a synthetically derived cannabinoid often found in unregulated products, as a Schedule II drug. Many unregulated ‘hemp’ products contain HHC, which can intoxicate consumers. 

Catalyst sues Trulieve over tax refund 🤔

Catalyst Cannabis CEO Elliot Lewis claims Trulieve stole a $305,000 federal tax refund to which Catalyst was entitled, WeedWeek reports. Lewis is an outspoken CEO, to say the least, but he has been correct in the past. Trulieve hasn’t issued a statement on the suit yet, but it has to do with the company’s claimed refunds on 280E tax.

FDA warns against ‘injectable’ CBD 💉

The Food and Drug Administration sent a warning letter to Pico IV, which makes a form of injectable CBD, saying that the product is violating law as it’s marketed as a dietary supplement even though it is designed to be injected, SF Gate reports. 

Legal cannabis could generate $700 million for Australia 🦘

Legal cannabis could generate $700 million in tax revenue for Australia, according to new figures from the Parliamentary Budget Office. Legalization is supported in Australia by the Greens party, who will push for it in the next Parliament. Read more.

Cannabis earnings season continues:

The Cannabist reported its full year and fourth quarter results. For the full year, the company reported a $206 million net loss on $459 million of revenue. For the fourth quarter, the company reported a  $156 million net loss on $96 million of revenue, a decrease of 16% from the previous quarter due to asset sales in Virginia, Arizona, and Florida. 

• On Trump, CEO David Hart said: “Despite the uncertainty at the federal level, this industry is here to stay.”

Village Farms International reported its full year and fourth quarter results. For the full year, the company reported a $35.9 million net loss (CAD) on $336.2 million of revenue. For the fourth quarter, the company reported an $8.6 million (CAD) net loss, a 66% improvement sequentially, on $82.6 million of revenue.

Rubicon Organics completes first international shipment 🌎

Canadian cannabis firm Rubicon Organics on Thursday said it completed its first shipment of cannabis internationally to Poland. Canadian cannabis firms have looked to medical export markets, as they benefit from stable, coherent federal regulations.

Tilray expands its non-alcoholic beer line 🍺

Tilray is expanding its non-alcoholic beer line, Runner’s High Brewing, to stores in the East Coast and Midwest. Read more. 

Reason, a libertarian magazine, has a new documentary out about New York’s legal cannabis rollout, focusing on Jonathan Elfand, the cofounder of Empire Cannabis, a chain of unlicensed cannabis shops around New York City. It’s worth a watch. 

Michigan tops the US in legal cannabis sales per resident, according to LeafLink’s 2024-25 Winter Report. Cannabis shops sold $327 per resident in Michigan, followed by New Mexico, at $277 per resident. The national average is $97. 

You can download the report.

Victoria Cvitanovic is joining cannabis and psychedelics focused law firm Rudick Law Group. She will oversee new offices in New Orleans and Santa Fe, and will serve as the firm’s in-house psychedelics counsel. Cool job!

Hundreds of Humboldt marijuana farmers expected to lose licenses over tax debt | MJBizDaily

Marijuana Masquerade: Disguised cannabis illegally peddled at New Mexico convenience stores | KRQE