California-based retailer Harborside and Illinois-based MSO Green Thumb Industries both announced acquisitions after the holiday weekend.

Many observers expect acquisitions to accelerate in coming months as the largest companies vie for position. 

• Harborside said it would acquire Sublime (Sublimation Inc.) for $43.8M. The company is known for its Fuzzies pre-roll brand.
• Green Thumb said it acquired Liberty Compassion for an undisclosed sum, bulking up its presence in Massachusetts.
  MassLive

In more corporate talk:

• The CEOs of KushCo Holdings and Greenlane discussed their future as a combined ancillary player.
  New Cannabis Ventures
• Curaleaf CEO Joe Bayern took questions from WeedWeek on his plans for the leading MSO.
• Canadian Cassandra Rob McPherson didn't pull punches in his assessment of giant Canopy Growth's dismal quarter.
  The Deep Dive

Quick Hit

1. In a blog post, internet giant Amazon endorsed federal legalization through the MORE Act, a progressive bill.
   CNBC 

Not everything's big in Texas.

In what may be the smallest bore cannabis reform ever, the Lone Star State's legislature passed a bill to expand the state's MED program to patients with PTSD and cancer. It also raised the maximum allowed potency from 0.5% THC to 1%, well below the 5% some activists had hoped for.
Texas Tribune

• It's not clear whether Gov. Greg Abbott (R) will sign the bill.
• A bill which would have reduced penalties for possession of THC extracts fell short.
  Austin American-Statesman 
• I previously explained the dynamics which make reform in Texas more difficult than in many other conservative states. 
  WeedWeek

In Forbes, Chris Roberts explains how Republican efforts at vote suppression cancel cannabis legalization.

Elsewhere in red states:

• Oklahoma will allow MED business permits to be transferred, among other minor reforms.
  MJBiz
• Investors are bullish on Florida.
  New Cannabis Ventures

Dispensaries and CBD merchants are slowing rolling back their Covid-related restrictions, MJBiz reports.

• During the pandemic pot shops, like other retailers imposed social distancing, mask mandates and other protocols. Now many are rolling them back in line with states' guidance.
• As per usual with cannabis, the laws vary from state to state and town to town. 

Retail Customer Experience explains how self-service options have catalyzed the proliferation of dispensaries nationwide. 

• The New York Times discusses how the pandemic was a "breakout moment" for the cannabiz.

Goings on:

• The Teamsters union organized a dispensary in Illinois setting off a unionization race with the United Food and Commercial Workers.
  Grown In
• Big California grower Glass House Group has a paid summer internship to train future industry executives.
  Forbes
• Canna Law Blog asks if this is the year the FDA will approve CBD as a dietary supplement. The world awaits Ben & Jerry's CBD ice cream.
  Bloomberg
• Some investors bet fast-acting DMT could be a medical psychedelic rivaling psilocybin.
  Business Insider
• Chris Roberts explains why many states ban delivery by bicycle a la High Maintenance.
  Forbes
• The Cannabis Trail honors heroes of NorCal's legalization movement.
• "Help! My boss texted me right as I got devastatingly high"
  Reductress