Author: Vanessa
Joseph Edwards possesses an intimate knowledge of cannabis cultivation’s perils. As chief science officer at Deconix, formerly Yofumo Technologies, he has witnessed harvests ravaged by invisible foes: yeast, mold, bacteria and the insidious Aspergillus. Beyond compliance, these contaminants imperil not only compliance but the very essence of the plant, compromising terpenes, cannabinoids and aromatic profile. Edwards’s solution eschews brute force for subtlety. His company’s ozone-based systems deliver microbial annihilation through measured exposure, preserving the flower’s intrinsic value. The cannabis industry grapples with microbial bioburden amid fragmented regulations. States like Illinois and New York enforce rigorous limits, while others, such as…
According to a report published on December 11, 2025, by The Washington Post, President Donald Trump is considering an executive order that would direct federal agencies to reclassify marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III under the Controlled Substances Act. This potential shift, which could occur as early as Monday, December 15, would represent a significant federal policy adjustment, easing certain restrictions while maintaining prohibitions on non-medical use. However, a White House official stated that no final decisions have been made, according to Forbes. The development follows discussions in the Oval Office involving cannabis industry executives, during which Trump consulted…
Walk into a well-designed dispensary today and you’re as likely to find glass, light, and polished surfaces as you are strains of flower and terpene charts. Cannabis retail has transformed into a study in sensory curation evolving from the dimly lit rooms that defined the early medical era. Bud Bar Displays sits squarely within that transformation. Founded by Will Smith and his team at All Plastic, Inc., the company adapted display design to the unique challenges of cannabis: compliance, hygiene, and customer education. “It was like the Wild West of cannabis,” Smith recalled of the California medical scene. “The original…
In an era when cannabis brands are popping up faster than new strains at a genetics expo, standing out isn’t just about having a good product — it’s about crafting an identity, experience, and culture that consumers connect with. Few brands illustrate this better than Alibi, a woman-owned, Oregon-born craft cannabis company that has not only won multiple awards (including the prestigious 2025 MJBowl) but is successfully translating the hard-earned experience from the West Coast into new markets like New York. Building an award-winning cannabis brand isn’t accidental. It takes intention, consistency, strategic storytelling, community engagement, and — yes —…
Welcome to the latest edition of “Last week in Weed,” catching you up on the latest breaking news and industry developments in the world of cannabis. Here’s what you may have missed over the last week: Trump Considers Cannabis Rescheduling A Washington Post report revealed that President Trump is weighing an executive order to move cannabis from Schedule I to Schedule III. The shift wouldn’t legalize the plant, but it would lift major tax burdens on state-licensed operators by neutralizing 280E. Brian Vicente of Vicente LLP called the potential change “a massive, positive effect” for businesses finally able to deduct…
In a clandestine Denver basement, amid whiteboards and legal tomes, Bob Hoban and Dotan Melech conceived CTrust in 2022. Hoban, a veteran attorney who has counseled more than 30 governments on cannabis policy, and Melech, a receivership specialist thrust into the sector via a court-appointed oversight of a Nevada cannabis operation in 2019, bonded over shared travails in distressed assets. “We were in a basement in Denver in this historic building trying to hatch a plan to mitigate and address risk in the cannabis space,” Hoban recalled. Their genesis stemmed from observing the industry’s maturation, from a frenzied equity influx…
In a landmark executive order signed Thursday, President Donald Trump directed federal agencies to reclassify marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III under the Controlled Substances Act. This policy shift recognizes the plant’s established medical benefits and lower risk of abuse, marking the most substantial federal cannabis reform since its prohibition over five decades ago. While not equivalent to full legalization, the change aims to align regulations with scientific evidence and public opinion, potentially transforming the industry. Understanding the Policy Change Under the Controlled Substances Act, drugs are categorized into five schedules based on their medical value and potential for…
In the labyrinthine corridors of neuropharmacology, a cadre of intrepid researchers at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, has orchestrated a symphony of molecular ingenuity. Drawing from the unassuming caraway seed, ubiquitous in culinary repertoires as meridian fennel, they have synthesized a pantheon of cannabidiol analogs that promise to redefine therapeutic paradigms for pediatric epilepsy. This endeavor, propelled by undergraduate scholars in concert with faculty mentors and collaborators at New Mexico State University, transmutes carvone, the seed’s principal constituent, into potent anticonvulsants devoid of tetrahydrocannabinol’s psychoactive specter. Molecular Metamorphosis The alchemy commences with (+)-carvone, extracted from caraway’s essential oils, which…
The recent Forbes report on Medicare’s movement toward covering hemp-derived products, arriving at the exact moment Congress is advancing a sweeping federal ban on most hemp cannabinoids, perfectly captures the contradictory place our industry finds itself in. As the founder of a CBD brand dedicated to older adults, I feel both the promise and the pressure acutely. This set of developments represents one of the most disruptive periods we’ve faced since the 2018 Farm Bill, but it may also be the turning point that pushes the country toward real, comprehensive cannabis legalization and proper regulatory oversight. Two Opposing Federal Signals…
Welcome to the latest edition of “Last week in Weed,” catching you up on the latest breaking news and industry developments in the world of cannabis. Here’s what you may have missed over the last week: Ongoing Developments from Trump’s Cannabis Rescheduling Executive Order President Trump’s executive order, signed on December 18, 2025, continued to generate discussion and analysis throughout the week. The order directs the Attorney General to expedite rescheduling marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III under the Controlled Substances Act, recognizing its accepted medical use while also promoting expanded research on medical marijuana and cannabidiol (CBD). It…