Exclusive: The Cannabis Consumer Anxiety Index 📊

ANXIETY INDEX
Exclusive: The NuggMD-Cultivated Cannabis Consumer Economic Anxiety Index 📊

Driving the news: Cultivated is partnering with cannabis telehealth platform NuggMD to create the exclusive Cannabis Consumer Anxiety Index. 

It’s part of our goal to bring robust economic insights to the burgeoning cannabis market. The data will be exclusive to Cultivated readers and we’ll update it on a quarterly basis. 

Check it out here:

Go deeper: NuggMD polled 602 cannabis consumers in state-legal markets between May 19 and June 3. 

Consumers were asked:  “to what degree do you think the economy will impact your spending on cannabis over the next three months?"

Overall, 54% said no impact, 27% said they’d spend a little less, and 9% said they’d spend much less.

Why it matters: The Index will provide cannabis industry stakeholders with a standardized measure of economic sentiment among the US cannabis consumer population. 

By tracking forward-looking spending intentions, it will offer early insights into how the economic perceptions of cannabis consumers are affecting their spending on cannabis. 

What we’re saying: “At Cultivated, we’re focused on delivering actionable insights that help businesses navigate the cannabis industry’s ever-changing terrain,” our managing director Jay Rosenthal said.  

“Partnering with NuggMD to create this Index allows us to shine a light on the consumer’s economic mindset — something too often overlooked but absolutely essential for understanding market demand, pricing pressure, and strategic planning.”

-The Cultivated team

“When I left the NFL, people questioned my choices. But for me, cannabis was part of my journey to healing — physically, emotionally, and spiritually,” former NFL star and cannabis advocate Ricky Williams told Marijuana Moment, after he attended a meeting at the White House with multiple high-level staffers and federal agencies to discuss cannabis reform.

“I’m not alone in that experience. Veterans, cancer patients, and everyday Americans are all looking for safer, plant-based alternatives — and right now, federal law stands in the way.”

Williams’ visit is the latest sign of increased momentum on the Trump Administration’s part to reclassify cannabis from the most restrictive Schedule I to the less restrictive Schedule III. That process was started under the Biden Administration, but has since stalled.

Anti-legalization group says the Trump Administration is poised to reschedule cannabis 🌿

Smart Approaches to Marijuana, an anti-cannabis advocacy group, warned on social media that the Trump Administration is poised to reschedule cannabis, and that the decision could be announced “any day now.” While that is certainly a fundraising opportunity for the organization, its founder, Kevin Sabet, is a former federal official who is plugged in. 

DHS Secretary says Glass House Brands raid arrested 319 illegal aliens 

Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said the ICE raid on California cannabis company Glass House Brands’ facilities resulted in the arrest of 319 illegal aliens, and 14 children from potential forced labor, though these allegations are unconfirmed. The raid has become a political football, with California Gov. Gavin Newsom, Noem, and Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Rodney Scott weighing in. Glass House Brands says “it has never knowingly violated applicable hiring practices.”

Oklahoma regulators warn about weed auction scam 🥸

The Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority warned cannabis license holders on social media about an ongoing scam in the state, where business owners are offered a chance to bid on an auction for seized medical cannabis. OMMA has cracked down on illicit grows across their state over the last two years, but the agency says it has never resold nor auctioned contraband cannabis. 

California cannabis sales stagnate 📊

Cannabis sales in California have steadily declined over the last few years. This is thought to be the result of expanding legalization in other states, continuously increasing taxes on products, market oversaturation, and competition from illegal sellers. That being said, California’s numbers are still exceptionally high compared to most states, reports SF Chronicle.

Flowhub launches new e-commerce product for dispensaries 🚀

Cannabis tech company Flowhub announced the launch of a new e-commerce platform for dispensaries, that integrates with the company’s point-of-sales system. “We built Flowhub Ecommerce in direct response to customer demand for a unified system. Retailers don't just want a pretty website, they need a platform that converts,” Flowhub CEO Kyle Sherman said.

Green Thumb Industries is staffing up 🤝

Cannabis company Green Thumb Industries has a number of interesting roles open, including Communications Lead, Content Strategist, Creative Director — and what will probably be the industry’s hottest job title in the coming months — a Beverage Brand Manager. Check out the roles. 

Javier Hasse named High Times new Editor-in-Chief 🤙🏻

Javier Hasse, a longtime cannabis industry journalist, has been named High Times magazine’s new acting editor-in-chief, the company said. RAW founder Josh Kesselman recently purchased the magazine for $3.5 million, seeking to reinvigorate it as a print publication

Legalization impacts vaping, but not cigarettes 🚭

A new study from the Harvard Medical School and the Cambridge Health Alliance found that legalizing cannabis showed no impact on how much people were smoking cigarettes. Legalization led to an increase in the use of cannabis, but it also correlated with an increase in tobacco vaping.

On Friday’s This Week in Cannabis News, Jay and Jeremy caught up with LEVEL CEO Chris Emerson. It was a fascinating conversation about LEVEL’s product innovation, and why marketing is just as important as engineering in the cannabis industry. 

Check it out here:

A new group poking fun at Smart Approaches to Marijuana is making the rounds on social media: Smart Approaches to Tylenol (SAT). The organization says it’s “a public health initiative challenging blind trust in over-the-counter drugs — and the hypocrisy of US drug policy.”

Follow SAT on X.

A life was snuffed out in the pursuit of a quota | Hell World

Glass House has history of labor tensions | WeedWeek

Push to legalize recreational weed gains ground for Florida’s 2026 ballot | Florida Voice