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Happy Friday! Let’s get to it.

Alex

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More than two dozen testing labs sued a major equipment manufacturer for more than $1B alleging it sold them “faulty gear under false promises:”

MJBiz reports:

The suit, refiled in Suffolk County Superior Court in Massachusetts on July 24, accuses Massachusetts-based PerkinElmer Health Sciences, now known as Revvity Health Sciences, of undertaking a “knowingly and intentionally deceptive marketing and sales campaign” to sell equipment it knew “could not – and w(as) not designed to” test cannabis, court documents show.

Read the story

Federal:

• Senators appeared to protect the intoxicating hemp industry by stripping language from a federal spending bill.
  Politico  
• A scientist and permanent resident who has lived in the U.S. since he was five was detained for a week at SFO due to a past minor pot charge.
  SFGate
• Consultant Marc Hauser weighs in on the SHIP Act, which has “almost no chance” of becoming law.
  Cannabis Musings

Business:

• In a screw-up that wowed even this grizzled newsletter writer, New York state’s Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) realized it had been measuring the required 500-foot buffer between schools and dispensaries incorrectly and that 152 would now have to move. Of these, more than half are in New York City and about 40% are currently open. The industry is irate.
  NY Post, NY Times
• Thirty-two state attorney’s general called for cannabis banking reform.
  State Affairs
• Creditors took control of MSO Ayr Wellness.
• Lawyers at McCarter & English discuss antitrust in the industry.
• Jordan Tepper, CEO of (alcohol) cocktail company Apologue sees cracks in the hemp THC beverage business.
• Canadian consultant Ari Cohen defends the existence of 200mg gummies.

State and local:

• Following Gov. Greg Abbott’s (R) veto of a similar bill, the Texas Senate passed another bill to effectively ban intoxicating hemp products. And a longshot bill would legalize REC in the Lone Star State.
  Texas Tribune
• Oklahoma activists hope to get a REC ballot initiative in 2026.
  Oklahoman
• In Massachusetts, cannabis lounges are a step closer to reality.
  NBC
• Delaware Gov. Matt Meyer (D) toured a licensee ahead of REC sales opening. Here’s what else you need to know.
  WHYY

Health and science:

• The Wall Street Journal reports on the “combat cocktail,” a potent and concerning assortment of pharmaceuticals sometimes used to treat PTSD among veterans.
• Shortly after swearing in commissioner Terrance Cole the U.S. DEA promoted a claim that marijuana causes depression and suicide.
  Marijuana Moment
• In a journal article, a lawyer argued current methods used to detect high drivers are scientifically invalid or based on “pseudoscientific ‘police science’. 

R.I.P.

• Richard Lee, a pivotal legalization activist and founder of Oaksterdam University, died at 62. The pioneering school and activism organization paid tribute. So did NORML and activists Dale Sky Jones, Angela Bacca and Etienne Fontan. Contributions can be made to his memorial fund.

Fun and interesting:

• Naga, a 100-foot sea creature installation which debuted at Burning Man will rear its head in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park this weekend.
  SFGate

State:

• The ICE raid at Glass House clouds the picture for the struggling industry, the LA Times reports. 

Business:

• LAist reports on the city’s devastated, indebted equity license holders.
• Embarc is hosting cannabis sales at Dead & Co’s three-show run in SF.
  GreenState
• The Artist Tree opened its second Fresno shop.
  The Business Journal
• How one SoCal company made an award-winning edible.
  SacBee