Category: Newsletter

Blossomz, a licensed medical cannabis cultivator in D.C., was closed by ABCA and MPD, marking the first enforcement against an operational grower since the city’s market expansion began in 2023. Meanwhile, Virginia lawmakers are advancing legislation to establish a statewide legal cannabis retail market, potentially enabling adult-use sales later this year, though critics warn ABC…

Blossomz, a licensed medical cannabis cultivator in D.C., was closed by ABCA and MPD, marking the first enforcement against an operational grower since the city’s market expansion began in 2023. Meanwhile, Virginia lawmakers are advancing legislation to establish a statewide legal cannabis retail market, potentially enabling adult-use sales later this year, though critics warn ABC…

Regulators across the Mid-Atlantic are ramping up oversight and advancing major cannabis policy decisions. In Washington, D.C., the Alcoholic Beverage and Cannabis Board suspended Doobie District for 30 days after finding unlawful sales to non-qualified patients and falsified METRC entries, reinforcing regulators’ focus on patient verification and seed-to-sale accuracy.

Recent state-level cannabis updates bring significant regulatory and market developments. In Washington, D.C., the Alcoholic Beverage and Cannabis Board finalized new medical cannabis advertising and signage rules, limiting exterior signs, restricting window coverage, and prohibiting misleading claims. Virginia launched a public Medical Cannabis Program Dashboard, offering real-time sales and inventory data, while lawmakers advanced an…

Cannabis operators are navigating major changes this year, from evolving federal tax rules under Section 280E to state-level policy shifts. In Virginia, lawmakers are advancing restorative penalties for youth cannabis use while cracking down on unlicensed activity, as businesses like The Cannabist Co. and Jushi Holdings prepare for the adult-use market. Meanwhile, Maryland lawmakers are…

Maryland lawmakers are moving to extend the state’s psychedelics task force through 2027, giving regulators more time to study decriminalization, medical access, and potential regulatory frameworks for substances like psilocybin. Meanwhile, Virginia lawmakers rejected a bill that would have barred police from stopping drivers based solely on cannabis odor, preserving law enforcement discretion even as…

District regulators padlocked another illegal cannabis shop in Northwest D.C., seizing unregulated products and making an arrest, marking the 101st unlicensed cannabis business closure since July 2024. In Maryland, the Cannabis Administration issued updated 2026 guidance clarifying how businesses must register cannabis agents and complete required criminal history checks through the OneStop system, while the…

D.C. denies ANC 6A protest, Virginia bill sets November 2026 cannabis retail launch, and East Coast states see regulatory, market, and legal developments. National trends include THC-infused products, market growth, and cultural stories shaping the industry.

D.C. regulators mark a major enforcement milestone, Maryland’s Storehouse dispensary faces penalties for inventory violations, Virginia considers adult-use and terminally ill patient access bills, and federal rescheduling could open the door to D.C. recreational sales.

WVC Wellness becomes the fifth licensed dispensary closed in a year as ABCA and MPD enforce cannabis laws; actions also include liquor store license suspensions, a Maryland union filing federal labor charges, and a Virginia car dealership linked to a multi-state cannabis trafficking ring.

D.C. authorities shut five unlicensed cannabis shops, arresting four individuals and seizing large amounts of THC products under a 2024 emergency law. Local hemp retailers face additional regulatory crackdowns despite federal hemp legalization, raising concerns over enforcement fairness. In Virginia, small vape businesses won a partial injunction against the 2024 “Vape Ban,” which critics say…

D.C. lawmakers have introduced a bill to clarify buffer zones between cannabis retailers and early-childhood centers while expanding community protest rights and tightening licensing oversight. The move comes as Virginia’s hemp sector reels from a new federal ban on most hemp-derived THC products, prompting companies to reassess their business models and as state regulators release…