Crackdown on unlicensed cannabis businesses continues across Washington, D.C.

In the past two months, at least five unlicensed cannabis businesses, including District 93 on U Street NW, Wellshroomness on Kennedy Street NW, Crown Tobacco on Florida Avenue NW, B&K Convenience Store and Smoke Shop on 18th Street NW, and both Pot Paradise and H & Vape Smoke Shop on H Street NE, have faced closure orders due to illegal operations. These operations have resulted in seizures of alleged cannabis, THC products, mushroom edibles, and, in one instance, a firearm and ammunition. 

• Sign up for D.C. Cannabis Career fair, June 21st. Candidates register here. Cannabis businesses sign up here.

• Next ABC Board meeting June 25 at 10:30 A.M., agenda, watch.
• Read the full federal hemp lawsuit filed by Capitol Hemp
• May D.C. medical program metrics, stay tuned for our analysis.  
• For nearly a decade, Rep. Harris has consistently used his influence to include a provision, dubbed the “Harris Rider,” in federal budget legislation. This rider effectively bars D.C. from utilizing its locally generated funds to establish a regulated recreational marijuana market. This continues despite D.C. voters overwhelmingly approving legalization back in 2014.

Maryland Collects Over $17.5 Million in Cannabis Taxes in Q1 2025 

Maryland’s Comptroller’s Office announced the state collected over $17.5 million in adult-use cannabis sales tax revenue from January to March 2025. This revenue, primarily from the central region, is allocated to various funds including community reinvestment and public health, with the tax rate set to increase from 9% to 12% on July 1st.

Zarati shop owner avoids prison in plea deal, forfeits cash and rolls-royces

Aaron Ramon Miller, owner of Zarati cannabis-related shops in Southwest Virginia, reached a plea deal in a drug and money laundering case, avoiding prison time. He will serve three years of supervised probation and forfeit over $400,000 in cash and other items, including two Rolls-Royces, seized during a September 2023 raid. The investigation revealed approximately $9 million was laundered through his shop accounts.

• A Virginia federal judge dismissed a construction worker’s wrongful termination lawsuit, ruling that state law permits employers to fire workers, even if the allegations of on-the-job cannabis use prove untrue. The worker’s supervisor had accused him of smoking weed while working.

ICYMI: Easyday Edibles’ Vision, Proposed Craft Endorsements, and the Harris Rider lives

New York’s Office of Cannabis Management issued an advisory and initiated a recall of over 100 cannabis products from more than 30 brands sold at licensed dispensaries across the state due to safety concerns.

A Delaware bill proposes allowing only liquor stores to sell non-alcoholic beverages containing THC, the intoxicating compound found in cannabis. 

Maine lawmakers have deferred a bill that would have required contaminant and tracking tests for medical cannabis, pushing the decision to next year and leaving Maine as the only state without such mandates for its medical marijuana market this year.

Facebook and Instagram appear to have ended their practice of censoring search results for “marijuana” and “cannabis,” a change that now allows users to find content from cannabis businesses, media, advocacy groups, and even state regulatory agencies. 

Some parents of children with autism are exploring cannabis as a treatment option, reporting benefits despite doctors urging caution due to inconclusive scientific evidence.

A new study suggests that incentives within the legal marijuana market, such as optimizing for faster maturation and higher cannabinoid content, are inadvertently reducing the biodiversity of cannabis genetics worldwide, leading to a “bottlenecking” effect.

The signature skunky aroma of cannabis is evolving due to breeding efforts, with many modern strains now engineered to emit scents like lavender, citrus, or even cookies.

Florida lawmakers are advancing a bill that would revoke medical cannabis cards from individuals convicted of cannabis-related and other drug crimes. 

A new report indicates that California’s legal cannabis industry is facing collapse due to high taxes, illicit market competition, and excessive regulations, leading many licensed businesses to struggle or consider exiting the regulated market.

Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick is pushing for a near-total ban on THC products, aiming to close a loophole that allowed a booming market for hemp-derived cannabinoids, despite warnings that the ban could cost over 50,000 jobs and billions in revenue while potentially driving consumers to the black market.

Minnesota lawmakers are working to establish a clear regulatory framework for the state’s currently unregulated THC market, aiming to improve product safety and consumer access.

A Denver marijuana dispensary initiated a voluntary recall of several cannabis products due to the presence of Aspergillus, a common mold, following an investigation by Colorado’s Marijuana Enforcement Division.

Montana Governor Greg Gianforte vetoed a bill that would have directed a portion of the state’s cannabis tax revenue towards local law enforcement and conservation efforts.

California’s Governor Gavin Newsom administration is moving to permanently ban hemp-derived THC products that deliver an intoxicating effect, a decision state officials assert is necessary to protect public health and the regulated cannabis market

Senator Steve Daines indicated he has not had any conversations about the SAFER Banking Act when asked by Matt Laslo of Ask a Pol Drugs, who also noted that the House Cannabis Caucus hadn’t yet met.

A GOP-led congressional panel is demanding an investigation into the Biden administration’s cannabis rescheduling process, citing concerns over alleged procedural deviations and potential mental health risks associated with cannabis.