The newest episode of the Trade to Black podcast highlights two powerful storylines reshaping the Cannabis Market today: the ongoing hemp policy battles in Washington and the maturing Canadian landscape. Hosts Shadd Dales and Anthony Varrell speak with Michael Bronstein, president of the American Trade Association for Cannabis and Hemp, and Margaret Brodie, CEO of Rubicon Organics, to offer listeners an inside look at the forces driving change in the Cannabis Market.
In the U.S., Minnesota is facing lawsuits tied to its adult-use rollout, while Virginia’s upcoming gubernatorial election could set the stage for legalization if Rep. Abigail Spanberger wins in November. Bronstein explains how Congress might still slip language banning hemp into appropriations bills, underscoring how fragmented regulation affects the Cannabis Market. He argues cannabis should be regulated by final product rather than at the plant level, since loopholes from the 2018 Farm Bill have caused confusion around synthetic cannabinoids an issue weighing on the broader Cannabis Market.
Bronstein also notes that advocacy efforts are far stronger than a decade ago but still lack cohesion. State-by-state approaches make it difficult to present a unified federal strategy, which continues to slow national progress in the Cannabis Market. Congressional staff often receive talking points that skip over key issues like intoxicating products, leaving lawmakers poorly informed about what is really being sold in the Cannabis Market.
Even under heavy excise tax obligations, businesses that remain in the Cannabis Market are positioning themselves for long-term success. Talks in Ottawa between the Liberal government and former Bank of England governor Mark Carney have sparked speculation that meaningful reform could finally be on the table potentially a huge boost to the Cannabis Market in Canada.
Brodie provides a direct update from Canada, where the legal Cannabis Market has stabilized. She explains how companies that survived industry consolidation are now competing on brand quality and efficiency. Pre-rolls have emerged as the leading category this summer, and consumers are showing greater trust in consistency within the Cannabis Market. Rubicon Organics is preparing to launch its new Cascadia facility in British Columbia, increasing production capacity by 40 percent while maintaining premium standards another sign of how the Cannabis Market is maturing.
For investors and entrepreneurs, the Trade to Black discussion reveals how lessons from the Canadian Cannabis Market can help shape strategies in the U.S. Cannabis Market, where policy battles continue to define the industry’s future.