Category: Washington, D.C.

The D.C. Council has introduced a bill that would implement several notable refinements to the District’s medical cannabis regime. The proposed amendments clarify distance requirements for proposed retail locations near child-development facilities, broaden the scope of protest rights available to Advisory Neighborhood Commissions and eligible parties, and align licensing criteria with practical enforcement considerations identified…

October marked a record-breaking month for Washington, D.C.’s medical cannabis program. 34,695 patients were served, the highest monthly total in program history, while dispensary and manufacturing sales surged to near-record levels. Manufacturing revenue hit $2.46 million, dispensary sales reached $5.78 million

D.C. officials shut down DC Daze Wellness and Snackz DC this week, seizing large quantities of cannabis and related products as part of ongoing enforcement against unlicensed retailers. The joint ABCA–MPD operation is part of a citywide effort that has closed 86 illegal cannabis businesses since July.

A federal lawsuit challenging the District of Columbia’s cannabis enforcement system escalated this month as both sides submitted contrasting legal arguments in U.S. District Court. The Alliance of Recreational Cannabis Entities, representing unlicensed cannabis retailers, argues that D.C.’s regulatory framework violates constitutional protections, including due process and the Seventh Amendment, by imposing closures and fines…

D.C. regulators and police shut down three unlicensed cannabis retailers — YouGroGurl, Puff Puff Pass, and Smoke Shop, Inc. — as part of the city’s ongoing crackdown on illegal operators under the 2024 Emergency Amendment Act. Authorities seized over 35 pounds of cannabis, hundreds of THC vape cartridges and edibles, and psychedelic mushrooms during the…

The D.C. Alcoholic Beverage and Cannabis Board (ABCB) has adopted its Ninth Emergency Rulemaking, immediately implementing crucial provisions of the MMPA Act of 2020 to modernize the market and expand patient access.

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…

In September, D.C.’s medical cannabis program saw total sales of $7.8 million, a slight 5% decline from August, continuing a typical seasonal slowdown. While dispensary sales and overall patients served dipped, manufacturing sales nearly quadrupled year-over-year, and concentrate and infused products saw strong growth.

D.C.’s cannabis market is booming — maybe too fast. With more dispensaries per capita than Maryland or Pennsylvania, sales per store are slipping and prices stay high. More shops don’t always mean a stronger market.

The District of Columbia files a motion to dismiss a lawsuit from the Alliance for Recreational Cannabis Entities, arguing the group lacks legal standing and its claims challenging D.C.’s cannabis regulations on constitutional grounds—including the Dormant Commerce Clause and Fifth Amendment—are without merit.

The D.C. Alcoholic Beverage and Cannabis Board has suspended Chocolate City Wellness for 30 days after undercover investigators found the retailer sold untested, non-medical cannabis in violation of District law.

D.C.’s medical cannabis sales dropped to $8.2 million in August, down from May’s record but still up 82% year-over-year. While vape and concentrate sales surged, cultivation and manufacturing revenues declined, signaling early signs of market cooling amid new federal oversight.