POLITICAL:

New Republican-led legislation was introduced to Congress: the States Reform Act, which would remove cannabis from the federal list of controlled substances. Until now, cannabis legalization has been dominated by Democratic proposals. This may signal a crucial shift.

ECONOMIC:

Since adult-use dispensaries first opened in Massachusetts in 2018, the state has sold $2.3 billion of cannabis. The state is touting a smooth rollout of licenses to retailers, cultivators, processors and labs all of which contributes to revenue and job creation.

SOCIAL:

In Canada, Uber Eats has officially entered the regulated marijuana industry. The app now offers a click-and-collect service (not delivery), where customers can order and then pick up products in-person at one of Tokyo Smoke’s 35 Ontario locations.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT:

How to avoid these all-too-common mistakes in your email communications.

TECHNOLOGY:

Investing in automation can save cannabis cultivators time and streamline processes. It may not benefit all businesses equally, but automated tech can assist in labor shortages, gaining unmatched consistency and increasing growing capacity.

LEGAL:

Despite being almost four years into industry regulation, three in four cannabis owners still operate on provisional licenses in the state of California. Other states following in California’s footsteps may face similar issues and slowing down of licensing.

ENVIRONMENTAL:

As New York gets ready to launch retail marijuana sales, legislation has been introduced to make sure cannabis products have sustainable, hemp-based packaging. If the bill passes, it could set New York up as the leader for producing biodegradable hemp products.