Happy Monday Investors! You know what’s a better cure for the winter blues than partaking in your room? Partaking on a beach. Whether you prefer the shores of the Bahamas, the Philippines, or Oceania, we've got your cannabis compass ready.

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TOP STORY

Why Is Legally-Sold Medical Marijuana Testing Positive For Pesticides, Mold Or Yeast?

Briefly: Maine’s medical marijuana market has a pest problem.

So Basically: Two recent studies reveal that almost 50% of products in Maine's medical cannabis market may be tainted with pesticides, harmful microbes, yeast and mold.

Back Up: Unlike recreational-use products, medical cannabis in Maine currently does not undergo mandatory testing. However, the Maine Office of Cannabis Policy (OCP) voluntarily conducted tests on 127 medical cannabis samples, applying the same standards as the recreational-use program.

So Then: 57 of 127 samples would have failed the testing due to said prohibited substances, contrasting with just under 4% of the 3,200 samples from the recreational-use market that failed the same testing panel.

So What? The OCP has been pushing for the introduction of a mandatory testing requirement and a track-and-trace program to empower officials to trace the origins of outbreaks or contaminants.

But Still: Medical providers have pushed back on the proposal, contending the suggested requirements would impose a substantial burden and incur high costs.

What Next: Read more here.

JOIN US IN CALIFORNIA

Join The Benzinga Cannabis Market Spotlight

This premier event, focused on high-impact networking, offers a chance to connect and create lasting business relationships.

Engage with top industry figures in structured sessions and casual mixers, turning each interaction into a potential business breakthrough.

It’s more than networking: it’s where the future of cannabis in California (and beyond) is shaped. Be part of the defining conversation.

Click here to join us!

FIVE ZINGERS

Aurora Cannabis CEO Discusses Record Earnings And Strategic Global Expansion

Cannabis Leaves Turning Yellow? Here's How To Treat Them And Prevent It In The Future

House Of Puff Introduces The Spritz, A New Weed Consumption Oral Spray

Canopy Growth Reports 7% YoY Drop In Q3 Revenue, CEO Touts 'New Era' For Company As It Seeks US Listing

Michigan Cannabis Boom: Record Sales Of $3B And $457M In Taxes In 2023

ONE FOR THE ROAD

Remembering The Super Bowl Cannabis Ad That Never Made It Onto The Air: The Adorable 'Brock Ollie'

Briefly: The most memorable Super Bowl ad never aired.

What’s Happening: The cannabis industry is banned from advertising on TV — although more than half of U.S. adults have legal access to recreational cannabis, and 7 in 10 Americans think marijuana use should be legal.

Not To Mention: The cannabis market is poised for explosive growth, with legal sales expected to nearly double to $50 billion by 2027.

But Still: NBC-TV Comcast refused to air cannabis e-commerce and advertising platform Weedmaps‘ ad during the 2022 Super Bowl — so instead it self-published an ad specifically calling out weed censorship. 

Why It Matters: “There's an irony in the fact that the biggest night for advertising will feature an array of consumer brands in regulated industries, from beverage alcohol to sports betting, yet legal cannabis retailers, brands and businesses have been boxed out," said Chris Beals, Weedmaps CEO.

What Now: Watch the full ad here.

KEEP READING

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