Good morning.
When Colorado starts taking a look at it’s cannabis program, it’s worth paying attention. That, plus High Tide’s CEO has some good things to say about Alberta.
Let’s get to it.
-JR, CC
Today’s newsletter is 530 words or about a 4-minute read.
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💡 What’s the big deal?
COLORADO
Colorado lawmakers suggest cannabis overhaul
Colorado lawmakers introduced the Cannabis Consumer Protection Act (SB 26-161) which would overhaul how the state taxes and regulates marijuana, scrapping the current 15% sales tax in favor of a per-milligram levy on intoxicating cannabinoids and shifting product testing oversight from the Department of Revenue to the Department of Public Health and Environment.
The bill ends the practice of growers and manufacturers submitting their own compliance samples, replacing it with third-party "authorized samplers" who collect directly from retail shelves.
📣 Quotable
“While Canada’s cannabis industry contributes approximately $16 billion to GDP and supports more than 227,000 jobs, governments across the country have too often treated cannabis policy as a static file rather than an evolving economic opportunity,” High Tide CEO Raj Grover wrote about why Alberta’s leadership is leading the way in Canada. $HITI ( ▼ 1.62% )
⏩ Quick hits
The Natural Medicine Alliance of Idaho says it has collected more than 102,000 signatures for a ballot initiative that would legalize medical cannabis in the state — well above the 70,725 required to qualify for November's general election. Organizers are still pushing to hit the required threshold in some rural legislative districts before the April 30 deadline. Read more.
Nebraska's Medical Cannabis Commission unanimously approved formal regulations this week, sending them to Attorney General Mike Hilgers and Gov. Jim Pillen for review — a significant step for a program that has operated on temporary 90-day rules since voters approved it in November 2024. The catch: Hilgers has been openly hostile to the program and hasn't committed to approving the rules, and no in-state doctors have yet issued recommendations, largely out of fear of retaliation from his office. Read more.
🚀 Deals, launches, partnerships
Canadian cannabis marketers Colin Bambury and Jeremy Bouvet have launched grnroom, a full-stack creative and marketing agency headquartered in Toronto and Vancouver, with former THC Canada founder Spensir Sangara joining as Head of Growth. More here.
STIIIZY now operates 65 stores nationwide, 62 in California and three in Michigan, just in time for 4/20, after absorbing 12 former Gold Flora locations.
Ayr Wellness is launching HZ, a new live rosin line, across its Florida dispensaries on April 18, timed to 4/20, powered by flower from its recently opened indoor cultivation facility in Ocala
🧳 People moves
Digital marketing agency Lucyd has hired Matt Nissenbaum, formerly of DTCanna, as Head of Regulated Cannabis to launch a new arm focused on paid media for cannabis brands, retailers, and MSOs
🤔 One interesting thing
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has a new campaign about the risks of driving high ahead of 4/20:
📰 What we’re reading
New York weighs overhauling cannabis regulations after years of snags, unclear processes | Buffalo Business First