News
Cannabis industry, vaporizer launches, deals, culture, and opinion.
Indica vs. Sativa Labels Fail the DNA Test
Genomic studies find indica and sativa genetically indistinct. Dispensary menus still sort by the labels.
Schedule III Cannabis Order Hangs on D.C. Circuit
Three consolidated lawsuits target the April order that moved medical cannabis to Schedule III. Briefing ended July 17. The D.C. Circuit has yet to rule.
35 AGs Press Congress on Hemp Ban as Senate Backs Delay
A bipartisan coalition of 35 chief legal officers asked Congress to keep the hemp THC ban on schedule. The Senate voted to preserve a 29-day delay anyway. The House decides next.
Senate Bill Would Delay Hemp THC Ban by 29 Days
Senate appropriators tucked a 29-day delay of the federal hemp THC ban into a stopgap funding bill. The ban still takes effect November 12 unless the House and president sign off.
Senior Cannabis Use Hits 7%; Assisted Living Writes Rules
Cannabis use among Americans 65 and older jumped 46% in two years. April's rescheduling order handed facilities a new job: deciding which residents' gummies count as federal medicine.
NY Recruits IBD Patients for CBD/THC Study
New York's cannabis office enrolls IBD patients in a six-month oral CBD/THC pilot. The study tracks symptoms, not inflammation.
Sand, Salt and Sun: How a Beach Day Kills a Dry Herb Vape
The beach hits a dry herb vape with four attacks at once: grit, salt, heat and the law. Sand can top 120°F, and salt keeps corroding ports for days. Here is how to win anyway.
Tilray Joins THC Pouch Race With 10 mg ZONNA Launch
Tilray launched ZONNA THC pouches in Canada on July 23. Each pouch holds 10 mg THC. The company calls them fast-acting but has released no onset data.
Health Canada Doubles Cannabis Import Permit Validity
Cannabis import permits now last 12 months, up from six. Odour paperwork shrinks for applicants. The July 22 changes start Ottawa's red-tape push; bigger hemp reforms wait until 2027.
Thailand Fines Cannabis Mules as UK Seizures Hit 28 Tonnes
UK officers caught 976 cannabis couriers flying in from Thailand in 2025, and 600 more by June 2026. Thailand now fines smugglers 30,000 baht per kilogram.
Nov. 12 Hemp Law Will Reclassify Most Cannabis Seeds
A federal law taking effect Nov. 12 reclassifies cannabis seeds based on the parent plant's THC. Congress has multiple bills in play.
Schedule III Order Opens Doors for University Cannabis Labs
A federal order moved state medical cannabis to Schedule III in April. Researchers say the quiet winner is university science, from dosing trials to vaporizer testing.
Spain's Cannabis Clubs Thrive With No Law Behind Them
Spain hosts hundreds of cannabis clubs but has never legalized one. The model rests on a shared-consumption doctrine that courts say does not stretch to organized supply.
Cannabis Consumers Sour on Trump as Rescheduling Drags
Approval of the administration's cannabis record fell 25 points in one quarter, a NuggMD poll found. Consumers split almost evenly on whether rescheduling finishes this year.
UK Private Cannabis Scripts Jump 134% as NHS Stays Shut
Medical cannabis has been legal in Britain since 2018. The NHS barely prescribes it, so patients go private. We map the route, the costs and the traps.
Lawyers Warn Patent Trolls Are Coming for Cannabis
Lawyers warn patent holders are turning to cannabis as federal reform advances. An eight-figure vape-patent settlement and a new extraction suit show what is at stake.
Why Your First Dispensary Run Feels Like a DMV With Weed
The store checks IDs like a bar and prints lab results like a pharmacy. But the person behind the counter works in sales. Here is how to make a first legal purchase without getting burned.
New Hemp Bill Would Replace November THC Ban With Rules
Reps. Andy Barr and Angie Craig filed a bill to replace the federal hemp THC ban taking effect Nov. 12. Low-dose products could survive. THCA flower and high-potency carts likely would not.
Federal Judge Blocks Ohio Hemp Ban for 10 Companies
A federal judge says Ohio's hemp ban likely discriminates against out-of-state companies. Ten firms can sell again for now. The shield ends when federal law changes on Nov. 12.
No Safety Evidence Above 22% THC, Monash Studies Find
Australian pharmacies dispense prescription cannabis at up to 88% THC. Two Monash studies found no safety evidence above 22%, and psychiatric adverse reports are climbing.
Seniors Seek Cannabis Edibles Over Pills, Skip Doctors
A JAMA study of 169 adults over 60 found sleep and pain drove them to edibles. Separately, few older users told a doctor.
THC/CBD Oil Cuts Dementia Agitation in Phase 2 Trial
A Phase 2 trial found an oral THC/CBD oil sharply cut agitation in hospice-eligible dementia patients. Researchers warn dispensary products are not the same medicine.
DEA Hearing Ends With Adult-Use Cannabis Still Schedule I
The DEA's rescheduling hearing closed July 15 without a final rule. Adult-use cannabis stays Schedule I for now. Here is what that means for prices, flower and vape hardware.
Pentagon: Rescheduling Doesn't Free Troops to Use Cannabis
A Pentagon memo warns service members that federal rescheduling does not permit cannabis use. Clearance holders, DOT workers and most federal workers face the same wall.
Cannabis Jobs and Sales Fall Together for First Time
Legal cannabis shed roughly 12,500 jobs while 2025 sales fell 3.3% to $29.1 billion. The two numbers have never dropped together. Falling prices, not falling demand, drive the slide.
THC Turns 'Full' Brain Cells Into Hunger Signals
THC can flip the brain's 'full' signal into a hunger signal. New research shows dose, temperature, and biology matter more than strain labels.
Curaleaf Claims First Cannabis Registrations in Spain
Curaleaf says Spain's medicines regulator registered its first two standardized cannabis preparations. AEMPS has not publicly confirmed the claim. No patient has received a product yet.
Democrats Answer Trump's Schedule III With Full Legalization
Seventeen Senate Democrats reintroduced the CAOA on July 16, one day after the DEA's rescheduling hearing ended. The bill would remove cannabis from federal drug law entirely.
Virginia Fixes Budget Error That Nearly Erased Weed Laws
A drafting slip in Virginia's new budget invited the argument that its ban on marijuana sales vanished July 1. Officials patched the code in days. Legal sales still start in 2027.
NHS Prescribes Cannabis to Fewer Than 5; Private Route Booms
Medical cannabis has been legal in the UK since 2018. NHS prescribing of unlicensed products covers fewer than five patients. Nearly everyone else pays private clinics.
Cloud Size Misleads Dry Herb Vape Users
E-cig culture trained users to chase thick clouds. Lab data show vapor density is a poor measure of what your dry herb vape actually delivers.
Pennsylvania Passes Budget Without Legal Cannabis, Again
Gov. Josh Shapiro signed a $50.85 billion budget with no adult-use cannabis in it, his fourth failed push. The November 3 election may now decide the question.
SAM Witness Reportedly Concedes Cannabis Fits Schedule III
The DEA's rescheduling hearing reached its July 15 deadline. Reporters in the room say an opposition expert agreed cannabis fits Schedule III. The official transcript is still pending.
Trulieve Cracks the NYSE, Then Its Stock Slides
Trulieve began trading on the NYSE June 10 as the first U.S. cannabis operator on a major exchange. A month later, the stock sits below its $11.50 debut price.
Legalization Isn't Driving Psychosis, but Potency Might
A 63.7 million-person U.S. study found no psychosis rise after legalization. Canadian data points to commercialization and high-THC products instead. We break down the evidence.
Wyoming Keeps Cannabis Schedule I, Rejects Federal Shift
Wyoming's attorney general made a final call on July 7: cannabis stays in Schedule I. Federal rescheduling changes nothing for patients or vape users in the state.
Study: Cheap, High-THC Flower Drives German Medical Market
A new study finds demand for German medical flower rises with THC and falls with price. Imports hit 201 tonnes in 2025. Berlin is weighing tighter rules.
Ex-DHS Chief Ties Hemp THC Ban Fight to China Threat
A former Trump homeland security chief wants the House China committee to probe hemp supply chains. He also urged Congress to keep the November 12 THC restrictions on schedule.
Cannabis Opinion Flipped Worldwide. The Laws Haven't
US support for legalization went from 12% to 64% in one lifetime. Similar shifts show up worldwide. Yet most countries still arrest people for cannabis possession.
Georgia Patients Can Now Vape Medical Cannabis Under SB 220
Georgia's expanded medical cannabis law is live. Registered patients can now buy vapes and flower for vaporization. Smoking and recreational use remain illegal.
Norway's Top Court Ends Penalties Parliament Voted to Keep
Norway's parliament killed decriminalization in 2021 and refused it again in 2025. But courts and prosecutors have stopped punishing many personal-use cases. Cannabis stays illegal on paper.
Watford Festival Softens Medical Cannabis Ban After Dispute
A UK festival told a medical cannabis patient their prescription didn't matter. Three days of pressure brought two policy revisions. No final rule was public by opening day.
710: How a Rapper's Pun Became the Dab World's Holiday
Today is 7/10, Dab Day. Dispensaries are marking the concentrate holiday with deals, 15 years after a rapper's chat room pun started it all.
AMA Backs Nationwide Ban on Flavored Cannabis Vapes
The AMA now backs a nationwide ban on flavored cannabis vape cartridges. It also wants more research on cannabis use in older adults. Neither position is binding law.
THCA Flower: Legal Hemp Until Your Vape Heats It
THCA flower ships legally as hemp because raw tests miss its potency. Heat converts it to THC during normal use. Congress has set a 2026 deadline to close the gap.
Federal 0.4 mg THC Cap Set to End Hemp Vape Market
Congress set a Nov. 12, 2026 deadline capping hemp products at 0.4 mg total THC per container. States are banning delta-8 carts and THCA flower even sooner. The court fights have begun.
Massachusetts Set for First Vote to Undo Legal Cannabis
Massachusetts will likely vote Nov. 3 on ending legal adult-use cannabis sales. The state's top court cleared the measure in June. No state has ever reversed voter-approved legalization.
Middle East Opens Cannabis Lanes, Keeps Jailing Vapers
The UAE now fines some first-time tourists caught with drugs at its borders. CBD vape cartridges are still a criminal charge. We map where the region is opening and where it is not.
Sweden Holds Zero Tolerance Line as Europe Legalizes
Sweden criminalizes cannabis use itself, and a blood test can be the evidence. Use rates are low, but drug deaths run far above the EU average. How did hemp country become zero-tolerance country?
Cannabis Firms Move to Defend Schedule III in Court
Two medical cannabis operators want to join DOJ in defending Schedule III in court. Opponents seek a stay of the order. The D.C. Circuit has not yet ruled.
Thailand's Weed Shops Stay Open Under Medical-Only Law
Thailand's cannabis shops still sell to tourists, but the law now says medical only. A quick prescription keeps the trade alive. The hard risks sit at airports and in vape pockets.
Virginia Sets July 2027 Date for Legal Cannabis Sales
Virginia locked in retail cannabis sales for July 1, 2027 through its state budget. Possession has been legal since 2021. The gap between legal and buyable will last six full years.
DEA Defends Schedule III as Only Opponents Get a Seat
The DEA is arguing for Schedule III at its own hearing. Every outside participant opposes the move. Testimony must wrap by July 15.
Amsterdam Coffeeshop Layover: 6 Hours Is the Bare Minimum
The train from Schiphol to Amsterdam takes 17 minutes. The coffeeshop run does not. We break down the real math at 4, 6, 8 and 12 hours.
Storz & Bickel Is Retiring the Plenty and Crafty+
Two of the most recognizable dry herb vaporizers ever made are on their way out of production. Here's what the phase-out means if you own one, or were about to buy one.
The Scariest Vape Myth Steering You Back to Smoke
Americans now fear vaping more than smoking, the reverse of what studies show. We make the case for dry herb vapor, and where caution is warranted.
Medical Marijuana Moved to Schedule III: What Changed
The DOJ moved only state-licensed medical marijuana and FDA-approved products to Schedule III. Recreational cannabis stays Schedule I. The big hearing comes June 29.
Cannabis Stocks Mid-2026: Rescheduling Didn't Help
Medical marijuana hit Schedule III in April 2026, but cannabis stocks stayed flat. Village Farms soared 304% on exports. Tilray sank 66.8%.
Legal Weed Cuts Arrests but Not the Racial Gap
Legalization cut cannabis arrests across 11 states. But drug-offense prison admissions fell 34% for white people and held flat for Black people, a 2026 study found.
Canadian Capital Floods European Cannabis: €200M
Canadian firms spent nearly €200 million on European cannabis deals in six months. Germany imported 201 tonnes in 2025. A continental market is taking shape.
Medical Marijuana Is Now Schedule III. Recreational Isn't.
Medical marijuana hit Schedule III in April, unlocking billions in tax relief. Recreational stayed Schedule I. A July hearing could change that, while hemp faces a November cliff.
Daily Cannabis Use Now Beats Daily Drinking in US
Daily cannabis use now beats daily drinking in the US. Alcohol sits at a 90-year low of 54%. Among adults aged 35 to 50, the two have converged.
Schedule III Won't Fix Cannabis Banking in 2026
Medical marijuana hit Schedule III in April 2026. But banks still treat cannabis cash as high-risk, and SAFER Banking stays stalled in the Senate.
The Science of Stoned Creativity: It's Mostly a Feeling
Cannabis biases you into rating ideas as more creative without improving them. The benefit window is roughly 2-5 mg THC. Higher doses impair creative thinking.
Thailand Cannabis Law 2026: Vapes Stay Banned
Cannabis flower now needs a 30-day prescription. Concentrates above 0.2% THC are narcotics. All vapes stay 100% illegal. 7,297 shops have already closed.
South Africa Legalized Cannabis But Selling It Is a Crime
South Africa's cannabis law turns two but still hasn't taken effect. Sales stay illegal. The government's own estimate puts the market at R28 billion, half illicit.
Alcohol Ranked 5x More Harmful Than Cannabis
A 2026 government-funded study scored alcohol the most harmful drug at 79; cannabis ranked last at 15. New heart studies add caution for cannabis users.
New Zealand's Cannabis Reform 2.0 Faces November Vote
NZ's 2020 cannabis referendum lost by 67,662 votes. Reformers return with stronger evidence and a dead-heat November election.
GOP Files Amendments to Block Federal Hemp THC Ban This Year
Three GOP lawmakers filed amendments to stop a federal hemp THC ban set for November 2026. The law could wipe out 95% of products and 300,000 jobs.
The World's Oldest Vaporizer Was Built 2,500 Years Ago
Scythians threw cannabis on hot stones inside felt tents 2,500 years ago. It was convection vaporization. The Rastafari steam chalice and your dry herb vape carry the same idea forward.
Reefer Madness, Fried Eggs, and 200 Fake Crimes
A church-funded film became a stoner cult classic. A drug czar made up 200 crimes. D.A.R.E. cost $1 billion and made kids use more drugs. The science always said otherwise.
Mexico Cannabis: Legal to Possess, Impossible to Buy
Mexico's Supreme Court struck down cannabis prohibition in 2021. Five years and three legislatures later, no law exists and zero stores have opened.
Your Body Makes Its Own THC in Space
Your body brews its own THC-like molecule to survive weightlessness. Astronaut anandamide levels spike after 150 days in orbit. The bliss molecule got to space before any joint ever will.
Cannabis Insurance Still Locked Out After Rescheduling
Cannabis insurance premiums jumped 25%-40% in 2025-2026 as carriers stay away. April's rescheduling order didn't open the market. Banking and insurance gaps remain.
Two States Sue to Reverse Trump's Marijuana Rescheduling
Indiana and Nebraska are suing to vacate the Schedule III order for medical cannabis. Louisiana withdrew May 29. A stay would revert products to Schedule I.
World's Weirdest Weed Laws, Country by Country
In Amsterdam, 500 grams is the most a coffeeshop can stock. In Singapore, it's the threshold for execution. Same plant, same weight, opposite worlds.
Germany Nears 500 Cannabis Clubs, Only 86 Sell Weed
Germany has approved 413 cannabis clubs from 864 applications. Forecasts point to 500 by year-end. But only about 86 are handing out cannabis.
79 Toxic Chemicals Found in Legal Weed
Tests found 79 toxic chemicals in California legal weed and 551 pesticides across 36 states. A June 29 DEA hearing could let the EPA set national limits.
US Cannabis Goes Schedule III; Canada's Tax Problem
The US moved medical marijuana to Schedule III; adult-use stays Schedule I. Canada captured 76% of cannabis spending but a flat $1/gram tax squeezes growers.
Roadside THC Tests Don't Measure If You're High
States are rolling out saliva drug tests like SoToxa and Dräger 5000. Minnesota's pilot ran 329 tests. But the devices flag presence, not impairment.
Why Cannabis Equity Programs Keep Failing
Equity license holders go bankrupt while landlords and investors get paid. The problem isn't the goal. It's a model that gives licenses without capital, support, or tax relief.
Why Cannabis Sales Surge Every Summer
Cannabis sales spike every summer across legal markets. Pre-rolls and beverages drive the climb. In Canada, July 1 now outsells 4/20 as the year's biggest day.
Where Tourists Can Buy Weed Legally in 2026
Thailand reversed legalization in 2025. Amsterdam may ban tourists. U.S. lounges boom in 15 states. The cannabis travel map has been redrawn.
Celebrity Weed Strains: Which Names Earned the Hype?
Wiz Khalifa's Khalifa Kush made $55-65M in 2025. Snoop Dogg's brand came dead last at $1-3M. Fame alone does not sell weed.
Drug Testing Cannabis: Test for Now, Not Last Week
Old drug tests catch weeks-old cannabis use, not impairment. States are banning them and impairment tech is here. Employers should test for now, not last Saturday.
Cannabis Rescheduling: What Changed (and What Didn't)
The DOJ moved medical cannabis to Schedule III on April 22, 2026. Adult-use stays Schedule I. A June 29 DEA hearing will weigh broader rescheduling.