SAM’s Medicare lawsuit tossed

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The DOJ is going after TerrAscend for a $64 million tax refund — and it raises serious questions about what happens to 280E claims filed before rescheduling. 

Virginia's cannabis market got another gut punch this week as Governor Abigail Spanberger vetoed a retail sales bill, meaning legal sales could be pushed to 2028, over seven years after the state legalized possession. 

We also look at a surprising finding from the annual Monitoring the Future survey: teen cannabis use peaked in 1979, not during the modern legalization era. 

And Gail Rand joined us to break down her new Gross Margin Index tracking publicly traded cannabis company performance.

In case you missed it »

“Equity is survival. It’s not just the licensing,” Dasheeda Dawson, the former director of Cannabis NYC, said during an Albany lobbying event for social equity cannabis operators.

“It’s about whether the business survives long enough to deliver on [the program’s] promise.”

As we recently reported, the vast majority of cannabis businesses are started with the founder’s own money, which puts social equity license-holders on the back foot given the lack of access to capital in the industry.

Judge tosses SAM lawsuit over Medicare hemp coverage program

A federal judge dismissed a challenge to the Trump administration's Medicare hemp coverage program, ruling that Smart Approaches to Marijuana and co-plaintiffs lacked standing to bring the case. The CMS initiative covers up to $500 worth of hemp-derived products annually for eligible Medicare patients, focusing largely on CBD but allowing limited THC.

Dems push Trump to commute sentences for nonviolent cannabis offenses

Democratic lawmakers led by Reps. Steve Cohen and Steven Horsford and Sen. Cory Booker urged President Trump to commute the sentences of the estimated 3,000 people still federally incarcerated for nonviolent cannabis offenses, noting that rescheduling to Schedule III provides no relief for those behind bars.

Missouri preps final microbusiness lottery with new rules to stop predatory deals

Missouri cannabis regulators will open applications this summer for 77 remaining microbusiness licenses, the last of 144 required under the state's 2022 legalization amendment, with new rules requiring pre-application training and front-loading the ownership verification process after predatory third parties exploited earlier rounds and triggered more than 30 revocations.

Indiana judge suspended 60 days over cannabis use

An Indiana Superior Court judge faces a 60-day unpaid suspension after the state Supreme Court found he consumed cannabis gummies and vaped cannabis over a four-month period, including an incident where he appeared impaired at a county council meeting. He is set to return to the bench in July.

Vireo to acquire organic ag supplier Bridgewell Agribusiness

Vireo Growth will acquire Bridgewell Agribusiness, a supplier of organic and non-GMO food and agricultural products, for a base purchase price of $40 million, with an estimated closing price of around $10 million after accounting for assumed debt. $VREOF ( ▼ 3.27% )

Too many dispensaries? State officials say New York’s cannabis market is still growing | News10

How a Billionaire Friend Changed Trump’s Mind About Pot | The Free Press

What rescheduling weed could mean for the workplace | HR Brew

Pets are getting into owners’ weed stash — landing them at emergency vet in record numbers | New York Post