Hemp ban may not be enforced: Report — Newsletter 12/7/25

THE BIG IDEA

Hi all,

Welcome to your end of year sprint. Best of luck with it.

In the newsletter:

• Hemp ban may not be enforceable

Lots more too,

Alex

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HEMP BAN MAY NOT BE ENFORCEABLE

A report from the non-partisan Congressional Research Service found it’s not clear who, if anyone, would enforce the federal hemp ban set to take effect in November 2026:

“If intoxicating hemp products persist on the market after the change to their legal status, it is possible they could be subject to the same criminal and collateral issues as marijuana. It also remains to be seen whether FDA will pursue additional options to remove these items from the market. Both FDA and DEA may lack the resources to broadly enforce the laws prohibiting intoxicating hemp products on the market.“

Other hemp developments:

• A ban could push the market for marijuana genetics underground, the Guardian reports.
• It could also complicate access for MED patients.
  STAT
• Hemp and marijuana businesses are successfully collaborating, according to a Marijuana Moment op-ed by National Cannabis Industry Association chair Adam Rosenberg and Eric Berlin, a partner at law firm Dentons.

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IN WEEDWEEK

Calif. regulator’s tenure dogged by diversion questions

PLUS:

• Newsbrief: Many state operators in crisis, report
• SCOOP: Eaze lays off dozens, preps for deal
• Newsbrief: Texas announces conditional licenses, in MED expansion
• Newsbrief: Mainstream media discovers ‘Green Wednesday’
• Newsbrief: Ohio bill would ban out of state weed
• Newsbrief: Weed has traction against booze

QUICK HITS

Federal:

• Marijuana Moment published the Biden-era guidance telling federal prosecutors to be “extremely cautious” about prosecuting cannabis cases. The Trump administration rescinded the guidance in September and plans to “rigorously enforce” prohibition on federal land.
• Two libertarian groups urged the U.S. Supreme Court to take on the high profile case challenging federal prohibition.
  Law360

Business:

• The industry descended on Las Vegas for its annual MJBizCon confab. MJBowl, in partnership with review site Budist awarded top-judged products in New York and California. The Emjays celebrated leading ancillary companies. (Emjays winners not posted at press time.)
• Right-leaning think tank American Enterprise Institute found most states’ product labels fall short of standards.
• Compliance software leader Metrc announced a partnership with tech shop Distru to generate compliant product labels.
• Substack Cannabis Musings discusses REIT AFC Gamma‘s conversion into a Business Development Company, and what it means for companies trying to raise capital.
• MSO Curaleaf acquired the Virginia assets of rival The Cannabist Co for $110M.
• With dispensaries selling for pennies on the dollar, newcomers are moving into the industry, High Times reports.
• Longtime marketer Zachary Cohen bid the cannabiz a not-at-all fond farewell. He’s going into the politics business.
• MSO PharmaCann is launching a holiday donation drive to collect personal hygiene essentials and gift cards for returning cannabis prisoners. Donations will be accepted at Verilife and LivWell shops across seven states.
  Beard Bros. Pharms

State and local:

• A Manhattan dispensary is raffling off a coveted Hermès Birkin bag.
  amNY
• In Michigan’s very challenging market, Lansing’s CityPulse featured a dominant hometown player, Pure Options.
• The Nebraska Supreme Court heard arguments in a case seeking to repeal MED legalization.
  Nebraska Public Media
• A struggling town in New York has tied its future to California operator Stiiizy, the NY Times reports.
• The Minnesota market is facing a logistics crisis.
  MinnPost
• Virginia REC shops could open as soon as November 2026.
  NBC

Health and science:

• An article in the Journal of the American Medical Association determined that, “Evidence is insufficient for the use of cannabis or cannabinoids for most medical indications.”
• Researchers published more than 4,000 studies on marijuana this year.
  Marijuana Moment

International:

• “Everyone’s cashing in,” except America, High Times argues. The third annual ExpoCannabis Brasil attracted 42,000 visitors.

Fun and interesting:

• The best cannabis advent calendars.
  Weedium
• Influencer @koala.puffss discussed taking enormous doses of THC.
  @brealtv
• This week Vegas hosted the Vlasic Classic, the “first ever legal consumption golf tournament” in the country.
  Cannabis Now

CALIFORNIA HITS

State:

• CDTFA reported $283.7M in Q3 tax collected. It’s the second consecutive quarterly uptick and a 9% year-over-year increase. This year was the one quarter with now repealed 19% excise tax in effect. Cannabis sales were at an all-time low of $940M, down 9% year over year.
• Defying expectations, a study found legalization hasn’t led to an increase in self-reported, adult cannabis use.
  NORML

Business:

• A judge ruled one of the five women suing retailer TRP for wrongful termination on the basis of sex can move forward with her case. Licensed operator TRP runs Cookies and Dr. Greenthumb’s branded shops.
  MyNewsLA
• Former Kiva exec and consultant Caren Woodson posts that CalRecycle is stepping up implementation of a 2022 law which shifts the cost of managing packaging waste from taxpayers to producers. It’s poised to affect all California brands.
• Barney’s Farm signed a deal to be the exclusive grower and distributor for Dr. Greenthumb’s Insane brand in California.

Local:

• Activist/entrepreneur Nina Parks posts that San Francisco’s Budget and Finance Committee Chair Connie Chan remains opposed to a repeal or long term pause of the local tax set to take effect January 1. The Board of Supervisors will discuss the issue tomorrow.
• The LA Taco asked if a tax break can revive LA’s ‘dying’ market.
• An unlicensed extraction lab in Sonoma had the largest stock of hazardous chemicals the county had ever seen.
  Press Democrat
• A judge rejected a Fresno smokeshops lawsuit challenging a crackdown.
  ABC
• The owner of a Sacramento security company allegedly ran a large unlicensed operation.
  CBS