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-JB, JR, ZH, NM
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💡What’s the big deal?
EVENTS
NECANN cancels Rochester show, pushes to next year
On cultivated.news today, we have an exclusive story from veteran journalist Chris Casacchia on where cannabis industry events go from here.
The big picture: NECANN abruptly canceled its first Rochester cannabis trade show less than two weeks before doors were set to open — a move that underscores the mounting challenges for cannabis events in a tightening industry.
Why it matters: B2B conventions once served as a lifeline for brands, retailers, and ancillary businesses to connect, but shrinking budgets and crowded schedules are making it harder to fill show floors.
Driving the news: NECANN cofounder Marc Shepard said that forecasting has become far less predictable post-COVID, with most exhibitors and attendees waiting until the last minute to commit.
Past shows in Syracuse and Albany saw fewer than 25% of attendees registered two weeks out, and a hoped-for surge after NECANN’s New Jersey event never materialized.
Exhibitors and attendees who had already booked travel scrambled to salvage value, with some partners hosting alternative events in Rochester to support the community.
Zoom in: Costs are a key barrier.
Trifecta Natural Solutions, a past platinum sponsor, skipped this year’s show, citing overhead that can exceed $50,000 per event. “All of that comes into play,” said owner John Mussare, who is diversifying into home and garden markets.
Between the lines: The cancellation highlights a broader squeeze.
East and West Coast operators are forcing brands to choose between overlapping shows, from Revelry in New York to Hall of Flowers and Network in California.
What’s next: NECANN plans to return to Albany October 2–3 of next year, but Shepard said some elements of their strategy.
The bottom line: “We can’t spend $10,000 at minimum at every one of these shows,” Kendra Stocking, an exec at vape and hardware company Bloom, said.
📣 Quotable
“We sell out daily, and we’re really thankful for the pre-rolls that we do get. But the demand is so high. Literally, they’re here and gone,” said Darius Walters of Nar Reserve, an Ohio dispensary that’s now able to sell pre-rolls.
Plus, check out our market insights from Lit Alerts about the first-movers in the Ohio pre-roll market.
⏩ Quick hits
NY judge orders OCM to revert to old proximity rules 🗽
A New York Supreme Court judge issued an injunction on the state Office of Cannabis Management’s new interpretation of the rules over how far a dispensary could be located from a school, which left over a hundred license-holders in jeopardy of needing to move. The judge ruled that the OCM will have to revert to the old proximity rules which measure door-to-door, rather than school property line-to-dispensary door, until February 15, 2026. Read the judge’s order.
Harris says Rogan lied about willingness to discuss cannabis 🎙️
Former Vice President Kamala Harris says Joe Rogan “lied” when he claimed she refused to talk about cannabis with him, in her new book about the 2024 presidential campaign, “107 Days.” Marijuana Moment has more.
👨🏽⚖️ Lawsuits
Vermont eases cannabis ad rules in settlement with FLŌRA Cannabis 🧑⚖️
FLŌRA Cannabis and the Vermont Cannabis Action Fund settled their free speech lawsuit against the state, with regulators agreeing to ease restrictions on advertising. The deal allows outdoor signage, exempts in-store marketing from prior approval, and permits cannabis businesses to use social media, though advocates say more reforms are still needed.
🤝 Deals, launches, partnerships
Cannabis College of America opens physical campus 🧱
The Cannabis College of America, built a physical location in Philadelphia where students can engage in hands-on cultivation training. This means physical plants, tools, and a licensed grow operation. The education center is based on a 6 week training program running Monday-Friday (12-8pm) to offer flexibility for busy participants, and is the only one of its kind with physical learning in Pennsylvania.
And more:
📰 What we’re reading