Greetings to all our cannabis colleagues, friends and readers from Javier Hasse and Maureen Meehan. We hope you’re all hanging on to your hats as changes are occurring fast and furiously on a national level. Though in the cannabis industry, we’re still waiting for some positive changes to, well, hang our hats on.

Meanwhile…

In today's issue:

• Our Northern Neighbor Goes Global, Trump Tariffs Notwithstanding

• What’s Going On, RFK?

• Oregon’s Weed: Super Inexpensive Thanks To Great Growing Conditions

• This Week In Cannabis

Our Northern Neighbor Goes Global, Trump Tariffs Notwithstanding

We’ve all heard about President Donald Trump’s tariffs on Canada and Mexico. Jay Rosenthal of Cultivated shared some ideas from a story in The Toronto Star about how Canadian companies have become the largest exporters of cannabis around the globe, especially to burgeoning medical marijuana markets like Germany. 

So, there’s one sector of Canada’s agriculture industry that won’t suffer too terribly from the Trump tariffs.

What’s Going On, RFK?

Another story that caught our eye, speaking of the Trump government, appeared in Marijuana Moment. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Trump’s nominee to head up the Department of Health and Human Services, now says he will “defer to the DEA” on cannabis rescheduling if confirmed. RFK added that he wants “to review the data” that led to the HHS’s recommendation to reschedule cannabis before he possibly embraces it. 

Change your mind much? On numerous occasions, RFK called for the legalization of cannabis, but now he’s throwing the entire hard-working industry to the DEA for further review, which we all know means delay at best and denial at worst.

Oregon’s Weed: Super Inexpensive Thanks To Great Growing Conditions

Axios Portland tells us that Oregon is suffering from having too much of a good thing. Nearly 12.3 million pounds of weed was harvested in 2024, the largest ever thanks to "ideal growing conditions in Southern Oregon." 

But alas, demand remains flat. The total number of sales ($960 million) is roughly the same as last year. This led to the median retail price-per-gram of flower dropping to $3.75 - the lowest since legalization nearly a decade ago and doubtless the lowest in the country.

This Week In Cannabis

For a full review of what happened over the past week, check out Javier Hasse’s This Week In Cannabis: Paraguay Nears Adult-Use Sales, JPMorgan Hints At Banking And More On Earnings, NHL, Tyson, STIIIZY, Germany

And, in case you missed Benzinga’s cannabis-related stories over the past several days, here they are:

• Mexican President To Trump: Let's Jointly Tackle Border Issues Though We Will Counter Tariffs

• Trump Camp Threatens GOP Holdouts: Confirm Tulsi Gabbard For DNI Or Face Reelection Backlash

• FDA Approves First Non-Opioid Pain Pill, As Medical Marijuana Remains A Proven Alternative For Relief

• No Banks? No Problem: How One Company Is Fixing The Cannabis Industry's Capital Bottleneck

• EXCLUSIVE: Paraguay Could Legalize Recreational Cannabis In March, Opening Dispensaries, Paying Farmers $10K+ Per Acre And Facilitating Transport To Brazil

BEFORE YOU GO

Were you forwarded this email? Click here to subscribe.

And be sure to check out our other newsletters:

Ring The Bell: Created for market enthusiasts by market enthusiasts, this twice-daily newsletter delivers top stories, fast movers, and hot trade ideas straight to your inbox. Subscribe here.

Future Finance: Where fintech, crypto, and the future of finance collide. Future Finance is a perfect lunch read packed with quick bites for industry enthusiasts. Subscribe here.

Real Estate Weekly: Ready to elevate your real estate game? This weekly newsletter provides actionable insights whether you are investing in REITs, owning property, or delving into the fast-growing world of fractional real estate. Subscribe here.

Advisor: Tailor-made for Financial Advisors, this weekly newsletter has industry-specific insights, analysis, and news. Subscribe here.

Tech Trends: Get the inside scoop on AI, the hottest gadgets, and mind-blowing tech trends. Subscribe here.