“Censored by Stripe” – Newsletter 4/10/26

THE BIG IDEA

Hi all,

Happy almost 4/20!

In the newsletter:

• “Censored by Stripe”

And so much more!

Alex

Send tips, press releases, concerns, feedback and criticism to hello@weedweek.com.

Sensitive material to share? Contact Alex on Signal.

FROM WEEDWEEK

“Censored by Stripe”

In an exclusive excerpt from her new book Transaction Denied:Big finance’s power to punish free speech, press freedom advocate Rainey Reitman argues the financial industry has exercised a free hand to suppress cannabis-related speech.

Read the chapter

Related:

• This week Christina Wong’s Substack newsletter Fruit + Flower by Christina Wong announced it had lost its Stripe account. This happened despite Stripe previously restoring access for journalists Jackie Bryant and Adam Tschorn. The book chapter recounts Jackie’s ordeal.
• Also this week, Chase shut down the bank account of Cultivated News, which runs on newsletter platform Beehiiv.

Also in WeedWeek:

• Calif. industry says drinks bill would wipe out product category
• Newsbrief: Weedmaps‘ parent voluntarily delisting from Nasdaq
• Newsbrief: D.C. could allow locally made weed drinks

QUICK HITS

Federal:

• The rescheduling process “remains pending” the DEA said in a filing. It did not provide any updates on when hearings or briefings will be held. Presidential advisor and legalization supporter Roger Stone said someone in the administration is “holding up” the process.
  Marijuana Moment
• Law360 gives a status update on the various dormant commerce clause cases challenging state and local licensing rules in several states. The Constitutional clause involves states’ ability to favor in-state businesses.
• Two law professors argue the right schedule for cannabis does not yet exist, in a paper associated with Emory University’s law school.

Business:

• MJBiz asks if the $28B hemp industry can be saved. Meanwhile companies are challenging state hemp bans in court.
• A WSJ podcast asks if the high is over for hemp drinks.
• Even with the ban looming, Edibles.com, an affiliate of Edible Arrangements, opened its first brick and mortar store. It’s in the Atlanta area.
  Retail Touch Points
• Javier Hasse weighs in on why most celebrity brands failed, (and a few succeeded.)
  Forbes
• The feds declined to pause an import and sales ban on Stiiizy hardware while the company appeals a patent infringement ruling. Stiiizy has said it will be able to continue sales using different hardware.
  Law360, WeedWeek
• Wrapping up a buying spree, MSO Vireo Growth closed its acquisition of hydroponics company Hawthorne Gardening Company from Scotts Miracle-Gro.
• A new lending intelligence platform from mainstream firm NCS Analytics aims to support cannabiz lending with verified operational data.
  Cannabis Equipment News
• Dispensary software company Sweed named Brad Cross CRO.

State and local:

• A federal judge halted the licensing process in Rhode Island amid lawsuits challenging the state’s equity program and to favor in-state applicants, related to the dormant commerce clause.
  Boston Globe
• Maine lawmakers rejected a cannabis lounge bill. Lawmakers may vote to require MED products to undergo lab testing.
  Marijuana Moment, Spectrum
• A bill in Massachusetts would enable operators to run six stores, up from the current three and overhaul the state regulator.
  MJBiz
• Baltimore has collected $35M in cannabis reparations payments. None of it has been distributed.
  Baltimore Beat
• A North Carolina report found the state has a $3B illegal market, second largest after Texas of states without a legal market. Gov. Josh Stein (D) endorsed REC legalization.
  Cannabis Business Times
• Texas hemp businesses sued the state over its new smokeable hemp ban.
  Cannabis Business Times
• Green Thumb Industries and Cresco Labs became the third and fourth MSOs to join Texas’ expanded MED market.
  Mugglehead
• A lawsuit accuses an erotic influencer of tarnishing rapper Lil Baby’s brand by using it to sell contaminated cannabis products.
  Law360

Health and science:

• Axios takes a look at Medicare’s new CBD for seniors program.
• Americans for Safe Access mourned the death of Patrick Navarro who was denied a lung transplant because he was a long time MED patient.
• A federally funded study announced a breakthrough in THC breathalyzer tech.
  Marijuana Moment

Fun and interesting:

• High Times re-ups 19th century rolling paper pioneer Saul David Modiano.
• The media brand also features in Jimmy Kimmel’s new 420 documentary.
• “Storage is Sexy:” Longtime canna-scribe Ellen Holland reports on the Get to the Bag art show in San Francisco.
  GreenState

CALIFORNIA HITS

State:

• CA Norml looked at the key bills before the legislature this year.
• The Department of Cannabis Control(DCC) announced the end of the state’s provisional licensing program.
  Redheaded Blackbelt
• Are state raids on unlicensed farms starting to work?
  Independent Voter News
• Entrants in the California Cannabis Awards will be eligible to win a Golden Ticket trip to Sacramento.
  KymKemp

Business:

• Hall of Flowers NorCal is moving to a new location and dates this November.

Local:

• Under Mayor Daniel Lurie(D), San Francisco has become much less tolerant of open air drug use.
  NY Times
• Rural communities are pushing back at San Diego County’s equity program.
  The Coast News
• Santa Paula’s (Ventura Co.) city council rejected a retail ballot measure.
• Santa Paula Today
• Lemon Grove (San Diego Co.) upheld its denial of a dispensary permit.
  San Diego Union-Tribune
• The Oakland Blazers baseball team are coming to light up the East Bay.
  Adam Tschorn

Upcoming:

• Cal Poly Humboldt is hosting an April 17 symposium on Cannabis and Environmental Stewardship.
  Times-Standard
• Hippie icon Wavy Gravy is celebrating his 90th birthday May 16th in San Francisco.
• SF Spacewalk Festival kicks off ahead of 420. Once again, Hippie Hill festivities have been cancelled.
  KRON
• PuffCon returns to downtown LA October 3 and 4.