TX Democrat files a legalization bill as Republicans stoke reefer madness

Texas Democrat files legalization bill in special session 🌿

Texas State Rep. Jessica González (D) filed a bill that would legalize and regulate cannabis in the state for adults over the age of 21. The bill would allow possession of up to 2.5 ounces of cannabis, and kick oversight of the commercial cannabis market to the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. The bill comes as Texas Republicans stoke reefer madness and try to kill all THC sales in the state. Read more in our July 23 newsletter. 

State AGs call for banking reform 🏦

Attorneys general from 32 states and US territories signed onto an open letter on July 24 demanding cannabis banking reform. Specifically, they urge lawmakers to enact the SAFER Banking act. The letter, which is addressed to legislative leaders, notes that even state agencies have struggled to find reliable institutions to process and hold cash from cannabis-related fees. 

Maine man pleads guilty to serving THC-spiked ice cream 🍦

Some jerk at an ice cream shop in New Hampshire accidentally sold unsuspecting customers THC-infused coffee Oreo ice cream. The man pleaded guilty in a federal court in New Hampshire on Monday. While Cultivated Media generally supports the concept of THC-infused ice cream, the man reportedly made the spiked batch in 2022 and then forgot about it in the back of a cafe freezer until years later when he inadvertently caused at least four customers to believe they were suffering a stroke.

Curaleaf sues the Illinois Department of Agriculture 👀

Compass Ventures, an affiliate of Curaleaf, is suing the state’s Department of Agriculture for stalling its request to build a secure greenhouse to grow cannabis. The company argues the structure meets legal requirements and says the state is using a stricter rule that’s already been rejected by courts. “This roadblock represents yet another unfortunate example of state regulators obstructing the growth of the regulated cannabis industry,” Curaleaf CEO Boris Jordan said. 

Missouri high court shuts down county cannabis tax 💰

The state's Supreme Court ruled on July 22 that county governments can only levy cannabis taxes on businesses that operate in unincorporated sections of their jurisdiction. Previously, counties had attempted to apply taxes when the businesses were already paying to their town or city, effectively creating a double tax.

Trulieve gets into the cannabis drinks craze 🍹

Cannabis firm Trulieve launched Upward, a line of THC-infused energy drinks, in Florida and Illinois with plans to expand further. The company says these drinks are Farm Bill compliant — meaning, they’re derived from hemp, and are another entrant into the increasingly crowded THC drink market. The drinks come in 5 mg and 10 mg doses. The company also expanded distribution of its Onward line of beverages. 

And more: 

• New York dispensary brand The Flowery is opening its 8th location in the East Village. The store will be managed by Sean Maguire, a longtime East Village hospitality entrepreneur behind 310 Bowery, Downtime, and more. 

• Klutch opened its flagship dispensary in the "Cradle of Rock and Roll." The grand opening, in Cleveland, Ohio, is scheduled for Friday, Aug. 1 at 10:00 AM.

RETAIL INNOVATION
Ascend Wellness unveils a future-ready customer experience with Dutchie 2.0*

Ascend Wellness just raised the bar for cannabis retail.

On July 17, Ascend launched a fully integrated, next-generation digital experience across its platform — powered by Dutchie’s Summer ’25 Release.

The new rollout includes a personalized Ascend Dispensary App, a reimagined eCommerce platform, and the debut of Ascenders Club, a four-tiered loyalty program built with Dutchie’s Loyalty and Marketing Pro tools.

Shoppers can now enjoy exclusive perks, early access to new drops, and birthday gifts — with points earned and redeemed across all Ascend locations.

Customers will also benefit from a more intelligent and seamless shopping experience, including:

• AI-driven product discovery

• Real-time loyalty tracking

• Secure, cashless checkout through Ascend Pay, a digital wallet solution

Ascend CEO Samuel Brill called the upgrades “a complete transformation of our customer experience.”

Learn more about how Ascend and Dutchie are setting the new standard for modern cannabis retail.

*SPONSORED

THC edibles might be detectable in breath 🍬

Researchers from the National Institute of Standards and Technology and the University of Colorado Anschutz detected a significant increase in THC in the breath of 19 out of 29 participants three hours after they took an edible. The findings indicate that detecting whether or not someone ingested a THC edible may be possible, but is also complicated by the fact that THC remains in the system long after its psychoactive effects have subsided, meaning there would need to be standards set for actual impairment.

Most cannabis consumers say the plant has had a positive effect on their careers, according to a new poll from telehealth firm NuggMD. 

Twenty-eight percent of consumers say cannabis has had a “very positive” effect, while only 10% say cannabis use has had a negative effect.

The New York Cannabis Control Board will host a meeting TODAY in Troy. Go here for more details — and we’ll bring you the key takeaways next week.

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