D.C. regulators move to clarify what cannabis retailers can and can’t sell
The D.C. Alcoholic Beverage and Cannabis Board has proposed new rules clarifying what medical cannabis retailers can sell, banning alcohol, tobacco, and non-cannabis vape products while allowing limited sales of branded merchandise and non-infused food and drinks to adults. The proposal also restricts minors from entering dispensaries unless accompanied by a guardian and seeks to prevent nightlife-style activity at medical cannabis sites.
Workers at Maryland dispensary accuse owners of retaliation amid union drive
Employees at Nature’s Care and Wellness, a medical cannabis dispensary in Cecil County, accused management of an aggressive campaign of retaliation and intimidation after they began efforts to unionize with UFCW Local 27. According to the union, workers have been threatened with termination, removed from schedules, and warned of being replaced by automated kiosks for discussing the union.
With the win of Democratic candidate Abigail Spanberger as the next Governor of Virginia, legal cannabis sales will finally see a take off ramp. Gov. Glenn Youngkin vetoed bills to set up the market twice. Spanberger said she would sign the bill.
State data shows cannabis is a multimillion-dollar industry in Hampton Roads
Virginia’s new cannabis “seed-to-sale” tracking system, launched by the Cannabis Control Authority in July 2025, is providing the first detailed look at the state’s medical cannabis market now generating about $15 million in monthly sales, with Hampton Roads alone contributing roughly $3.6 million. The data shows that flower products dominate purchases, followed by concentrates and edibles.
ICYMI: D.C. Cannabis Sales Hit $7.8M as Maryland grant expands workforce training
East Coast Roundup
In North Carolina, a thriving but unregulated market for hemp-derived THC products has emerged even as both medical and adult-use cannabis remain illegal essentially creating a “legal-ish” cannabis environment where gap-loophole products are openly sold.
Zohran Mamdani’s New York City Mayoral win brings an expectation of a growth‑and‑equity‑oriented cannabis regime in NYC that emphasises legal access and inclusion rather than heavy-handed enforcement of unlicensed operators.
Culture & More
Researchers found that teens who begin using cannabis early especially before age 15 and do so frequently have significantly higher risks of mental health problems and physical health issues later in life.
Seth Rogen argued that efforts to ban hemp‑derived THC beverages reflect how threatened some established interests feel by the rapidly growing market, and he forecasts that consumer demand will ultimately drive these drinks forward.
Around the Country
In Michigan, the legal adult‑use cannabis market is poised for a major shift: a 24 % wholesale tax is set to take effect next year along with proposals for license‑caps and other regulatory changes, putting pressure on the state’s $3 billion recreational industry.
In Florida, a campaign to put a constitutional amendment legalizing recreational marijuana on the 2026 ballot is suing the Ron DeSantis administration for allegedly delaying required certification that it has met signature thresholds, exposing intense political and legal battles around ballot access and cannabis reform.
In Minnesota, social‐equity license applicants in the cannabis industry are raising concerns that the rollout is favoring established operators: the state’s license lottery was cancelled after two‐thirds of applicants were rejected, and many believe the system isn’t sufficiently supporting small entrepreneurs from communities harmed by prohibition.
From the swamp
Attorney Josh Schiller and his legal team representing several state‑legal cannabis businesses are petitioning the Supreme Court of the United States to reconsider the constitutionality of federal cannabis prohibition under the Commerce Clause, arguing that intrastate cannabis activity should not be subject to blanket federal control.
Investors are showing renewed optimism in the cannabis stock market, driven by hopes of federal reform and a potentially softer stance on marijuana by Donald Trump, which is seen as a possible catalyst for regulatory changes benefiting cannabis companies.
Written by: LJ Dawson