US Hemp Industry Wins a Stay of Execution as Senate Delays Ban Until December

The US hemp industry has successfully bought itself some additional time to find a permanent solution to the incoming federal ban.

Senate leaders moved to include a short delay to the sweeping hemp ban into a must-pass spending bill, giving some, but not all hemp-derived products until December 11 rather than November 12 before they’re pulled from shelves.

Cannabis Did Not Always Produce THC and This Study Shows How Evolution Figured It Out

Cannabis did not evolve THC with a single, elegant molecular stroke.

Instead, the plant appears to have stumbled toward it by “experimenting” chemically, copying useful genes, and slowly refining a messy process into the precise cannabinoid assembly line we recognize today. According to a new study from Wageningen University & Research, the familiar compounds THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), CBD (cannabidiol), and CBC (cannabichrome) emerged from such an evolutionary period of biochemical improvisation.

Retailers Challenge Cannabis Store Entry Rules for Minors

Eight years after Canada legalized recreational cannabis, one of its lesser-known retail rules continues to raise questions among consumers and retailers alike. Children are prohibited from entering licensed cannabis stores, even when accompanied by a parent or guardian..

Across much of Canada, minors can accompany adults into liquor stores, pharmacies selling controlled medications, and convenience stores where tobacco products are available. Yet a parent stopping at a cannabis retailer while running everyday errands may have to abandon the purchase or find someone to watch their child first.

Study: Businesses Perform Better in States with Medical Cannabis Access

A new study from University of Iowa researchers suggests that businesses do better in states that have legalized medical cannabis. The study analyzed the financial results of more than 13,000 publicly traded companies from 2001 to 2022 found that corporate valuation increased in 21 of 38 states that allowed medical cannabis access.