Focus Article
What MJ Unpacked Reveals About Cannabis in 2026
From cultivation to retail, businesses are digging deep to tighten operations and increase margins as the only way to endure another grueling year in cannabis without federal support. A common sales pitch these days centers on cost-saving systems and operational efficiency. The industry has shifted from “how fast can we grow?” to “how do we […]
The Third Exit Path for Cannabis Founders
For many cannabis founders, the exit problem is not finding the right buyer. It is that there are barely any buyers at all. The field is narrow, capital is tight, and the strategic buyers that do exist are rarely showing up with clean cash offers. More often, founders are being asked to accept low valuations, […]
Why Cannabis Businesses Are Turning to Captive Insurance for Better Coverage
It starts with a routine test result. A mid-size cannabis brand discovers that a batch of infused edibles has failed a pesticide screening. Within 48 hours, the company issues a voluntary recall, pulls product from dozens of dispensary shelves, and begins fielding calls from anxious retail partners. The financial damage — replacement inventory, logistics, regulatory […]
Operating in the Missouri Market with Curio Wellness
Missouri has quietly built one of the country’s more successful adult-use cannabis markets since launching recreational sales in 2023. Since legalization, the state has quickly grown into one of the largest cannabis markets in the Midwest, generating strong sales and supporting an expanding network of cultivators, processors, and dispensaries. Unlike many states that see medical […]
Are Acidic Cannabinoids the Next Frontier for Product Innovation?
While the cannabis industry has made significant strides in incorporating minor cannabinoids into product formulations, a vast number of therapeutic compounds remain largely unexplored. Researchers and cannabis physicians have been experimenting with acidic cannabinoids for several years with promising results, but the broader industry is only now beginning to catch up. As extraction technologies improve […]
The Power of AI and How it Will Transform Cannabis Medicine
Biotechnology, cannabis medicine, and the rapid advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) are beginning to converge. Hemant Kumar Bid, program director for the Master of Science in Biotechnology and the Medical Cannabis concentration at Morehouse School of Medicine, believes this convergence could dramatically accelerate the development of cannabis-based therapies. With AI, cannabis […]
What Cannabis Can Learn from the Luxury Perfume World
When most people think of luxury goods, they picture high-quality, high-priced products. But what truly sets luxury apart is not just cost. It is craftsmanship, design, heritage, cultural cachet, and mastery of materials and technique. Luxury is a sensory experience rooted in both tradition and innovation. Cannabis, with its complex chemistry, rich history, and powerful […]
How To Use Blunts As a Brand Building Catalyst
There’s an opportunity in the pre-roll sector that many companies are missing. The pre-roll sector is the fastest-growing category in the cannabis industry. In 2025 alone, $3.6 billion worth of pre-rolls were sold across the 14 markets tracked by cannabis analytics firm Headset. Customers love the portability, the ease of use, and the innovation modern […]
NIH Releases Scientific Paper on the Therapeutic Value of Acidic Cannabinoids
A new scientific review published in the National Library of Medicine (NIH) shines a spotlight on one of the most overlooked areas of cannabis science: the untapped benefits of acidic cannabinoids naturally produced by Cannabis sativa — THCA, CBDA, CBGA, and CBCA. These compounds are the biosynthetic precursors to THC, CBD, CBG, and CBC. But […]
The Cannabis Retailer’s Survival Guide to 2026
2025 saw most businesses scrutinizing their operations to trim margins and survive the tumultuous market. 2026 is about digging deeper to uncover hidden costs that will further improve their bottom line. Tom Zuber, partner at Zuber Lawler, led a panel discussion at the recent IgniteNJ event, where experts offered advice on margin discipline and where […]