D.C. cannabis board moves to deny Aloha retail license, citing alleged illegal cannabis activity
D.C. cannabis regulators are seeking to deny a medical cannabis retailer license for Aloha, alleging owner Saleh Salim was involved in illegal cannabis operations and is facing pending criminal charges in Virginia. The proposed order cites prior enforcement actions tied to businesses associated with Salim and questions whether he meets the character requirements necessary to hold a cannabis license. A final decision has not yet been made.
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- May metrics report from ABCA.
Virginia leaders strike deal to launch legal cannabis sales in 2027
Virginia’s long-stalled cannabis marketplace appears back on track after Gov. Abigail Spanberger, Sen. Lashrecse Aird and Del. Paul Krizek unveiled a compromise framework that would launch adult-use sales in July 2027. The proposal, which still requires final budget approval, includes expanded possession limits, hemp regulation reforms and funding for education, treatment programs and cannabis equity initiatives.
Baltimore authorities shut down smoke shop, seize ghost gun and illegal drugs
Baltimore authorities shut down an East Baltimore smoke shop after investigators executing a search warrant recovered a ghost gun, suspected cocaine and hundreds of allegedly illegal THC products, leading to multiple arrests. The raid is part of a broader city enforcement campaign targeting smoke shops accused of selling unregulated cannabis and tobacco products amid growing concerns from residents and local officials.
ICYMI: D.C. tax hike appears defeated as Virginia market talks continue
East Coast Roundup
Connecticut’s cannabis industry has once again sidestepped transparency requirements, this time around the use of radiation to render products legally salable — raising questions about what consumers are entitled to know.
Despite a broadly sluggish statewide market, Norwalk, Connecticut is emerging as a relative bright spot in Connecticut’s recreational cannabis landscape, nearly five years after legalization.
A coalition of New York cannabis businesses is pushing back against a late-session proposal to establish a wage board for the industry, warning that many operators are already financially strained and the measure could force closures and drive up prices.
Culture & More
As the legal cannabis market has scaled into a corporate industry, many of the legacy advocates and cultivators who built the culture are finding themselves pushed out by regulation, capital, and institutional influence.
A Toronto cannabis shop called Cosmic Charlies became an unlikely viral story after FIFA’s legal team sent a copyright infringement notice demanding the destruction of a $50 silicone bong shaped like the World Cup trophy. The shop destroyed the bongs — and ended up with more publicity than they could have bought.
For half a century, farmers in Morocco’s Rif Mountains were jailed for growing the country’s world-famous hashish. Last year the king pardoned 5,000 of them — but as the government moves to build a legal $15 billion export market, the growers who never stopped farming may be getting cut out of the deal.
Around the Country
One of Colorado’s largest cannabis cultivators is soundingthe alarm over what it describes as a breakdown in the state’s legal market, as illegal activity within the industry draws fresh scrutiny from regulators.
Illinois Governor JB Pritzker signed a sweeping cannabis omnibus bill that doubles the legal adult possession limit, significantly restricts hemp-derived THC products, and reforms operating rules for licensed businesses.
LA voters approved a ballot measure imposing higher taxes on unlicensed cannabis shops, a move aimed at leveling the playing field for legal operators in a city long plagued by illicit storefronts.
From the swamp
Supreme Court rules federal firearms ban for cannabis users unconstitutional
The Supreme Court delivered a major win for cannabis consumers, unanimously ruling that cannabis use alone is insufficient grounds to revoke an individual’s Second Amendment rights. The Hemani decision could have far-reaching implications for federal firearms restrictions as cannabis rescheduling remains under consideration.
