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In the newsletter:

• MSOs sue Feds for fair treatment

Plus lots more,

Alex

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Weedmaps sees downgrades following price hike

Weedmaps saw net customer downgrades accompany a recent change in pricing structure, which caused steep hikes for some dispensary customers. California saw more downgrades than any other state. 

At WeedWeek’s request, tech shop CannMenus scraped the data to identify shops nationwide that had upgraded or downgraded their Weedmaps service over the last three months. The price changes at publicly traded Weedmaps took effect October 1. 

Who upgraded? Who downgraded?

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• Sr. Product Manager, Consumables PAX — San Francisco

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A coalition of Massachusetts businesses and investors, with support from several MSOs, sued U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland Thursday calling for normalization of the industry. The plaintiffs are represented by David Boies, one of the country’s most prominent trial lawyers.

The suit, according to a press release, argues that “the federal government has no basis for enforcing the Controlled Substances Act [of 1970] against intrastate, state-regulated cannabis operations,” and that the resulting regulatory situation unfairly harms businesses.

Independent of the suit’s prospects, the 44-page complaint is a sweeping and authoritative summary of the industries difficulties and the history that led us to this point.

Read the story and complaint FREE

Federal:

• The new Speaker of the House, Rep. Mike Johnson (R-La.) is a social conservative who opposes legalization. It probably doesn’t bode well for banking reform. Relatedly, legalization opponents in Congress feel galvanized by recent wins.
  MJBiz
• A key Senator indicated the deadline for passing the Farm Bill, which could change the legality of intoxicating hemp products, could extend into 2024. Passed every five years, the 2018 Farm Bill legalized hemp. It also created the loophole which begat the intoxicating hemp industry, and now threatens the cannabiz. Law360 discusses the new discord between the cannabis and hemp industries.
  STL Public Radio, WeedWeek

Business:

• Bank of America, the NRA and Mastercard are all lobbying on banking reform. It’s not clear what their exact positions are.
• Dama Financial (a WeedWeek advertiser) said it would acquire e-commerce platform Candid AI for undisclosed terms.
• Green Market Report looks at the Croptober forecast in four key states: California, New York, Oregon and Colorado.
• There were layoffs at MSO Curaleaf ahead of its uplisting to Toronto’s main stock exchange.
  Cultivated
• MSO Verano launched a new streetwear line.
• Clio Cannabis announced its annual awards for industry marketing.
• The Cannabis Travel Association is taking a survey.

State and local:

• Ohio could pass a REC initiative in a few days. What would it mean for Michigan?
  Green Market Report
• A report said Kentucky urgently needs cannabis reform.
  Louisville Business Journal

Health and science:

• Despite industry claims, there’s little evidence that MED helps with anxiety.
  WSJ
• The NY Times reports on “mixed” couples: one consumes the other doesn’t.

Psychedelics:

• Efforts to decriminalize psychedelics may be in trouble after an off-duty Alaska Airlines pilot who acknowledged taking psychedelic mushrooms 48 hours earlier tried to disable a plane’s engines during flight. He faces 83 counts of attempted murder. Activists planned to file a new ballot initiative in California this week.
  Politico, Marijuana Moment
  

International:

• Switzerland is trying a small experiment with REC shops.

Fun and interesting:

• 2 Chainz was Lil Wayne’s “connect” before they became collaborators.
  Revolt.TV
• Magnetic Mag serves up a guide to Puffco‘s new dab pen, the Plus.

State:

• Green Market Report discusses the California market’s ongoing challenges.

Business:

• SFGate reports on the arrival of THCV in California products.
• AdWeek checks out Embarc’s new marketing campaign, which riffs on “Reefer Madness” style propaganda.
• Eater checks out PleasureMed, West Hollywood’s new complex with two restaurants, a consumption lounge and dispensary.

Local:

• The original retail licensees in the city of Ventura are miffed that the city awarded more licenses, diluting their market share.
  San Fernando Valley Business Journal
• Belmont (San Mateo Co.) could allow dispensaries to open.
  Scot Scoop
• Palm Springs could put a moratorium on new pot shops.
  KESQ 
• Humboldt supes want to collect at least some of the $14.9M in Measure S taxes owed by cultivators.
  Times-Standard

Business:

• Hall of Flowers could be coming to the Ventura County fairgrounds.
  Ventura County Star

Law enforcement:

• This is how California determines if you’re too high to drive.
  SacBee

Job news:

• Marc Ravner departed Statehouse’s board of directors.
• Attorney Hilary Bricken joined law firm Husch Blackwell. Her previous firm, the publisher of Canna Law Blog, is now called Harris Sliwoski.

Company milestones:

• Cookies and partner TRP opened a shop in North Miami Beach, Fla.
• Unrivaled Brands boasted that its “credit quality” has improved.