NewsRoom Articles - CannabisNewsWire

WednesdayNov 19, 2025 4:20 pm

420 with CNW — Will the Revolt Against Marijuana Taxes Succeed?

The U.S. has roughly 38,000 licensed marijuana businesses, yet many are struggling to meet federal tax obligations. Eleven of the largest operators collectively owe over $2.3 billion in federal income taxes. Smaller firms are facing similar pressure, largely due to Section 280E of the federal tax code, which blocks marijuana businesses from deducting most expenses. That burden has pushed a growing number of companies to take a risky step. Cannabis businesses are submitting tax returns that challenge the IRS’s position on what they owe. Whether that pushback will succeed is far from clear. Previous attempts by Americans to mount large-scale…

TuesdayNov 18, 2025 4:20 pm

420 with CNW — New Federal Law Gives States Power to Regulate Hemp THC

Cannabis remains illegal in Wisconsin, yet anyone driving through commercial districts could easily assume otherwise. Shops advertising CBD and THC products have multiplied across the state, filling windows with colorful displays of gummies, oils, drinks, and vape cartridges. Many grocery stores and gas stations also carry similar items. Their presence stems from a gap in federal law that allowed hemp products with trace levels of the psychoactive compound THC to be sold openly. That gap is now on track to close. A policy change in 2018 removed hemp from the federal list of controlled substances. The move permitted a wide…

MondayNov 17, 2025 4:20 pm

420 with CNW — Michigan Files Defense in Case Challenging its New Marijuana Taxes

The state of Michigan is standing by its newly approved wholesale cannabis tax, stating that the measure complies with the state constitution and does not violate the 2018 ballot initiative that legalized recreational marijuana. The legal defense comes in response to a lawsuit filed by the Michigan Cannabis Industry Association, which is challenging a 24% wholesale tax on cannabis slated to take effect at the start of 2026. The tax would be added to the existing excise tax already applied to retail sales under the voter-approved legalization measure. Industry representatives argue that the new levy is unconstitutional as it was…

FridayNov 14, 2025 4:20 pm

420 with CNW — Trump Supports Hemp THC Ban in Spending Bill Reopening Government

The U.S. Senate’s recent approval of a broad spending bill to end the longest federal government shutdown includes a measure that would prohibit hemp-derived THC products, marking a major shift in national cannabis policy since the passage of the 2018 Farm Bill. The proposal, which has now been signed into law, seeks to close what lawmakers describe as a loophole that has allowed intoxicating hemp products to flourish outside state-regulated marijuana markets. While Senator Rand Paul(R) attempted to strike the new language from the legislation, the White House indicated that President Trump supported the measure. The debate represented another chapter…

ThursdayNov 13, 2025 4:20 pm

420 with CNW — Virginia’s New Democratic Governor Could Establish a Retail Market for Marijuana

Virginia could soon establish a legal retail cannabis market by 2026, with Abigail Spanberger (D) elected as the state’s next governor and her party securing control of both chambers of the General Assembly. Although adults 21 and older have been allowed to possess and use cannabis in Virginia since 2021, there is still no legal way to purchase it. Outgoing Governor Glenn Youngkin (R) vetoed legislation twice that would have created a regulated retail market. That stance is expected to shift when Spanberger takes office in January. “Spanberger noted during her campaign that she supports moving cannabis sales from the…

WednesdayNov 12, 2025 4:20 pm

420 with CNW — Federally Financed Canadian Research Shows Marijuana Use by Youths Reduced After Legalization

A new Canadian study funded by the federal government suggests that cannabis use among young people has dropped since the country legalized marijuana, challenging long-standing fears that legalization would lead to higher rates of youth consumption. The research, published in Addictive Behaviors Reports, analyzed data from the COMPASS Study, an ongoing national survey that tracks health-related behaviors in Canadian youth. Conducted by researchers from Brock University and the University of Waterloo, the study compared cannabis use rates among youths before legalization (2017 and 2018) and after legalization (2021 and 2022). Results showed that 15% of adolescents reported using cannabis in…

TuesdayNov 11, 2025 4:20 pm

420 with CNW — Massachusetts Regulators Delay Decision on Marijuana Consumption Lounges

The Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission has postponed a key vote on regulations that would open the door for social marijuana consumption across the state, with officials now aiming for a decision before Christmas. Commission Chair Shannon O’Brien outlined the revised timeline during the agency’s public meeting, which also marked the introduction of a new commissioner, Carrie Benedon. The proposal in question would permit marijuana consumers to buy and use products in the same location, a move advocates say would expand access and normalize legal consumption. However, commissioners opted to delay the vote to allow for further review. The proposal, first…

MondayNov 10, 2025 4:20 pm

420 with CNW — Activists in Oklahoma Withdraw Ballot Measure to Legalize Marijuana in 2026

Efforts to place a cannabis legalization measure on Oklahoma’s 2026 ballot have been halted after organizers withdrew their proposal before the submission deadline. Oklahomans for Responsible Cannabis Action confirmed it did not deliver its petitions to the Secretary of State’s office in time, effectively halting the campaign. The decision marks a major setback for advocates who had been working quickly to collect signatures statewide. The group had enlisted over 500 local businesses to help circulate petitions, including medical marijuana dispensaries, tattoo shops, and other small retailers. Despite the broad outreach, ORCA fell short of submitting the required 172,993 valid voter…

FridayNov 07, 2025 4:25 pm

420 with CNW — Campaign Seeking Marijuana Recriminalization in Massachusetts Accused of Deceptive Tactics

A campaign pushing to reverse Massachusetts’ recreational marijuana industry is distancing itself from accusations that petition circulators are misleading voters into signing its initiative. Organizers behind the “Act to Restore Sensible Marijuana Policy” say they are not connected to individuals reportedly using deceptive language to obtain signatures. However, even if those reports are true, experts say such tactics are largely protected under free speech laws. If the measure makes it onto the 2026 ballot and wins majority support, it would end the state’s recreational marijuana industry while keeping medical marijuana legal. To qualify, organizers must gather at least 75,000 valid…

ThursdayNov 06, 2025 4:25 pm

420 with CNW — Doctors, Lawmakers Still Unsure About Medical Marijuana

After seven years of unrelenting back pain and 36 different prescriptions, Josh Dunifon believed he had exhausted every medical option. His medicine cabinet, once filled with bottles and hope, had become a reminder of how little relief he’d found after a devastating truck accident. At 48, Dunifon never imagined cannabis could be an alternative. He had always opposed its use, but desperation pushed him to reconsider after his physician brought up the idea of medical marijuana. “It never occurred to me,” he said. “I was one of those people who thought marijuana was bad. But at that point, I was…