Cannabis Business Times

10/31/2025

Cannabis prohibitionists are "tricking" Massachusetts voters into signing their petition to end the state's adult-use market, according to the state's industry trade association.

"Clearly, they’re having trouble here in Massachusetts finding people who want to repeal our highly effective cannabis laws and kill our successful cannabis industry. This is voter fraud that people should report to their local town hall.”

The Massachusetts Cannabis Business Association is accusing signature gatherers of deceptive tactics for their ballot initiative campaign.

10/31/2025

Are you ready to grow up?

Advancements in horticultural systems and equipment have made it practical for growing taller, bigger crops in multiple tiers, CBT columnist Ken Morrow writes.

"Given the equipment and technology available today, there is no reason not to explore the possibilities of vertical growing – if you have the available space."

Advancements in horticultural systems and equipment have made it practical for growing taller, bigger crops in multiple tiers.

10/27/2025

39 state/territorial attorneys general are urging Congress to stop the sale of "dangerous and intoxicating" hemp-derived THC products through the appropriations process or the farm bill's reauthorization.

"State efforts to outlaw hemp-derived psychoactive products to protect their citizens cannot solve this problem. Such efforts can only lead to an uneven and ineffectual patchwork of bans and regulations that differ from State to State and will not stop the flood of mail-order THC products from streaming through interstate commerce."

The bipartisan group wrote a letter to GOP committee leaders, asking that they redefine hemp in the appropriations process or farm bill reauthorization.

10/23/2025

💡Lighting is both the driving force of cannabis cultivation and one of the largest operating expenses for growers. It’s important to get it RIGHT!

In this special report, the experts at Thrive Agritech provide practical insights to help growers critically evaluate and improve the designs they are given.

The report explores:

1. Grow Light Fundamentals
2. Back-of-the-Envelope Calculations
3. Lighting Design Considerations
4. Contributions From Adjacent Benches
5. Lighting Design Validations

By demonstrating real-world examples and trade-offs, the report equips cultivators with the tools to demand lighting layouts that deliver on their promises, protect return on investment, and ultimately support consistent, high-quality harvests.

👉 Learn More:

LightingLED Lighting CannabisGetting Lighting Right: Practical Insights for Cannabis GrowersThrive AgritechLighting is both the driving force of cannabis cultivation and one of the grower’s largest operating expenses. While conversations often center on fixture efficiency or spectrum, long-term su...

10/22/2025

Wisconsin lawmakers rallied behind a medical cannabis legalization bill during a Senate Committee hearing, sharing their personal stories.

Nora Lowe, a 17-year-old with a rare neurological disorder called Rett syndrome, also testified. "It affects everything I try and do ... I believe that I deserve the same opportunities to improve my quality of life; don’t you?"

The state Senate’s top Republican officers shared personal stories to advocate for reform in the chamber’s Health Committee hearing.

10/20/2025

⏰ ONE DAY AWAY!

Do you want to learn how to:

🌿spot and eliminate the “8 wastes” of cultivation,
🌿streamline workflows,
🌿improve ergonomics, and
🌿adopt continuous improvement practices?

Then don't miss this no-cost webinar at 2 p.m. ET on Oct. 21 to learn how to apply transformative Lean Manufacturing principles to your grow.

Speakers Michael Williamson, director of cultivation, and Anders Peterson, director of horticulture, from Pipp Horticulture also will share real-world examples and practical data points that demonstrate how Lean Farming reduces costs, improves consistency, and helps operators do more with less.

👉 Register HERE: http://bit.ly/4mKuKT6

10/20/2025

A Massachusetts initiative petition to end the state's $1.6 billion adult-use cannabis market is "on track" to collect enough signatures for the 2026 ballot, a campaign spokesperson tells Cannabis Business Times.

"The signature phase is going well. It's on track."

The petitioners aim to collect more than the 74,574 signatures needed to place ‘Version B’ of a prohibition initiative on the 2026 ballot.

10/20/2025

As the cannabis industry matures, the integration of targeted workforce and business development training will be essential in maintaining high standards, supporting business growth, and fostering a compliant and professional workforce, Veronica Castillo, The Traveling Canna Writer, writes.

As the cannabis industry matures, the integration of targeted workforce and business development training will be essential.

10/17/2025

Jason Gellman of Ridgeline Farms, a second-generation farmer in Southern Humboldt County, goes global with his genetics to fight cratering cannabis prices in California.

“You can’t make it by selling the same clone from the same nursery as everyone else."

Jason Gellman of Ridgeline Farms says selling genetics to companies that can amplify his reach is the best way to survive oversupply in California’s legal market.

10/16/2025

🌿 Do you know the "8 wastes" of cannabis cultivation? Lean Manufacturing principles have transformed industries by cutting waste and driving efficiency. Join us for this no-cost webinar on Oct. 21 to learn how to apply those same methods in the grow room.

👉 Register: http://bit.ly/4mKuKT6

Michael Williamson, director of cultivation, and Anders Peterson, director of horticulture, from Pipp Horticulture, will share strategies to enable you to:

🌱 spot and eliminate the “8 wastes” of cultivation;
🌱 streamline workflows;
🌱 improve ergonomics; and
🌱 adopt continuous improvement practices

Plus, real-world examples and practical data points will highlight how Lean Farming reduces costs, improves consistency, and helps operators do more with less in 2025’s challenging market.

👉 Don’t Miss This One: http://bit.ly/4mKuKT6

10/15/2025

Ohio companies selling intoxicating hemp products can conduct business as usual for at least two more weeks after a judge granted a temporary restraining order blocking Gov. DeWine's order.

"The separation of powers is not a matter of convenience."

The trial court judge granted a temporary restraining order that delays Gov. Mike DeWine’s executive order to shut down hemp THC product sales.

10/14/2025

California Gov. Gavin Newsom vetoed a bill that had aimed to expand patient access to medical cannabis by allowing FedEx and UPS shipments directly to homes.

"The proposed direct-shipping program would be burdensome and overly complex to administer."

Gov. Gavin Newsom’s veto comes at a time when medical cannabis sales continue to shrink, and medical cannabis products have become ‘virtually extinct.’