D.C. cannabis board suspends Doobie District for illegal sales and false METRC entries
The District of Columbia Alcoholic Beverage and Cannabis Board has suspended Doobie District for 30 days after finding the retailer dispensed medical cannabis to non-qualified individuals and falsified entries in the District’s METRC tracking system. The Board declined to revoke the license but ordered mandatory ABCA-approved training for ownership. The case underscores regulators’ continued focus on patient verification and accurate seed-to-sale reporting in D.C.’s medical cannabis market.
Stakeholders press Virginia cannabis regulators on testing, licensing and equity rules
As Virginia moves closer to adult-use retail sales in 2026, regulators are facing mounting pressure from stakeholders seeking changes to testing rules, license caps, social equity standards, workforce policy, and insurance protections. Public comments submitted to the Virginia Cannabis Control Authority highlight concerns about microbial testing methods, permit scarcity, geographic limits on equity eligibility, and the need for in-state insurance safeguards. The debate signals key regulatory decisions still ahead before the retail market launches.
- Virginia farmers and small business advocates say proposed timelines for a new legal retail cannabis market could put them at a disadvantage because of long cultivation lead times and regulatory hurdles, and they’re urging delays to better prepare.
- Roanoke College, home to Virginia’s only cannabis studies major, says its program is prepared to adapt as retail marijuana sales move closer to reality, with discussions and public seminars planned on related topics.
- Catch up on the Feb. 17th CCA meeting here. The next should be in March.
- West Virginia legislators are advancing efforts to legalize recreational marijuana and considering a separate bill to reclassify cannabis under state law to potentially ease regulatory burdens and boost tax revenue
Maryland fines Rise Joppa dispensary $100k over oversales, inventory irregularities
Maryland’s cannabis regulator hit Rise Joppa with a $100,000 fine following multiple inspections that revealed oversales of concentrates, high-potency edible violations, and improper inventory reconciliation practices involving fake transactions in METRC. The consent order mandates third-party audits and enhanced compliance oversight for 18 months.
- Maryland lawmakers approved legislation to extend the State Task Force on Responsible Use of Natural Psychedelic Substances through 2027 while state senators also considered a bill to protect firefighters and rescue workers from job penalties for legally using medical marijuana off duty.
ICYMI: D.C. tightens ads and Virginia moves toward adult-use sales
East Coast Roundup
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani forecasts growing cannabis tax revenue as a rapid expansion of licensed cannabis retail outlets continues across the city, even though current collections lag behind store openings.
New York legislation would allow liquor and wine stores to obtain permits to sell low-dose, low-THC cannabis-infused beverages, expanding the market beyond traditional dispensaries.
North Carolina hemp farmers and business owners face uncertainty and possible economic disruption as impending federal hemp law changes could dramatically restrict or ban many THC-infused hemp products currently sold in the state.
Culture & More
California is actively working to preserve rare historic cannabis genetics like the legendary Big Sur Holy Weed strain as legalization and corporate patenting threaten extinction of iconic local varieties.
A British Columbia court ruled that the former CEO of U.S. cannabis company Columbia Care must personally pay more than $7.4 million in a debt guarantee tied to a collapsed offshore financing deal after rejecting his defence.
New longitudinal research indicates that adolescents who use cannabis are significantly more likely to develop serious mental health issues such as psychotic and bipolar disorders as well as anxiety and depression later in life, raising public-health concerns amid expanding legalization.
Around the Country
In Minnesota, hemp sellers are in regulatory and legal uncertainty as a new federal hemp ban and shifting THC standards leave products and producers with unclear market rules and compliance challenges.
Tests of hemp products in Wisconsin found many contain illegal levels of psychoactive cannabinoids and potential contaminants, highlighting regulatory gaps in the state’s oversight of hemp‑derived products
Minnesota’s recreational cannabis market is facing delays and additional bottlenecks as testing backlogs hinder product certification and slow the rollout of legal adult‑use sales.
Texas lawmakers and regulators broadened the state’s Compassionate Use medical cannabis program by expanding qualifying conditions, increasing licensed providers and improving patient access amid ongoing debates about THC regulation.
The Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment published its 2025 Regulatory and Enforcement Update Report outlining recent and ongoing cannabis regulatory actions and compliance measures affecting the state’s marijuana industry.
From the Swamp
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration failed to meet a congressionally mandated deadline to issue key guidance on categorizing cannabinoids and defining hemp product containers, deepening regulatory uncertainty for an industry facing a major federal hemp THC rule change later this year.
The U.S. Department of Justice urged the Supreme Court to uphold federal law barring individuals who use cannabis from owning firearms even if cannabis is rescheduled, reinforcing a major compliance risk for cannabis consumers and businesses amid evolving federal cannabis policy.
Proposed federal rules tightening the definition of legal hemp and capping THC content per product container have alarmed Colorado hemp farmers and broader industry stakeholders, who warn the changes could effectively eliminate markets and jeopardize thousands of jobs in the roughly $28 billion sector.
