Hi all,

It was a relatively quiet holidays in the cannabiz. Think of it as the eye of the storm.

Happy 2025!

Alex

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Federal:

• Reps. Dina Titus (D-Nev.) and Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) were named co-chairs of the Congressional Cannabis Caucus. They join Republicans Dave Joyce (Ohio) and Brian Mast (Fla.) Previous Democratic members Earl Blumenauer and Barbara Lee have retired.
  Law360
• An ongoing court battle over the federal transparency act, an anti-money-laundering law, could be heard by the Supreme Court. The law applies to cannabis companies.
  Inc. 
• President Jimmy Carter died at 100. In a much told story, Carter’s son Chip shared a “fat Austin torpedo” with Willie Nelson on the White House roof. Carter favored decriminalization which had some traction during his administration, though it ended after he lost the 1980 race to Ronald Reagan.
  Washingtonian

Business:

• MSO PharmaCann defaulted on several leases, REIT Innovative Industrial Properties alleges.
  MJBiz
• MSO Ascend Wellness Holdings announced a share buyback program.
• Longtime pot stock analyst Alan Brochstein is bullish.
• Last year analysts saw a spike in Americans using cannabis instead of alcohol.
  Marijuana Moment
• California attorney Jason Horst weighed in on the latest salvo over whether the U.S. Constitution’s dormant Commerce Clause should apply to the state-licensed industry.

State and local:

• A Colorado industry recession threatens Denver’s new delivery businesses.
  Denver Post
• MED is now legal in Kentucky but it will likely be months before stores open.
  Louisville Public Media
• MJBiz takes a look at the fitful dawn of Minnesota’s market.
• Annual New York REC sales exceeded $1B for the first time in 2024.
• Michigan prices continue to fall, a problem for the industry.
  Crain’s Detroit Business

Crime:

• The U.S. DEA failed to provide annual data on marijuana arrests and seizures.
  Norml

Fun and interesting:

• Diplo appeared on CNN on New Year’s Eve, tripping on LSD.
• Members of the South Humboldt community paddled out to celebrate the life of local legend Lael Curran. And they got some amazing drone footage.
  @ridgelinefarms
• A NY Times op-ed asks if everyone is high.

State:

• New Year’s was the last chance for businesses to renew provisional, as opposed to the more permanent annual, licenses.

Business:

• Operator Stiiizy filed notice that it had suffered a data breach. The company told WeedWeek that the breach may have involved personal information of some of its customers and that it is working to contact individuals who may have been impacted.

Local:

• A long awaited decision from a federal appeals court sided almost entirely with Humboldt property owners (growers) enabling them to pursue a case against the county.
  Kym Kemp
• Cannabis cafes are now legal, with at least one existing West Hollywood lounge starting to sell food.
  Fox
• The California Highway Patrol found cannabis and a baby spider monkey in a Rolls Royce Ghost stopped near Madera (Madera Co.)
  Fresno Bee