Cannabis News
Michigan’s Marijuana Tax Experiment Should Be An Urgent Warning To Other States (Op-Ed)
Published
2 months agoon
By
admin
“Other states should also learn from Michigan’s experience, rather than repeating the same economic mistake when faced with a budget deficit.”
By Hirsh Jain, Verdant Strategies
In an effort to raise short-term revenue, Michigan recently adopted a cannabis tax structure that is already proving economically counterproductive and strategically short-sighted.
For many years, Michigan was one of the most successful legal cannabis markets in the United States. The explanation was simple. Michigan, understandably, adopted one of the lowest cannabis tax rates in the country.
The state imposed a 10 percent excise tax on adult use, shared between state and local governments, plus a standard 6 percent sales tax, for a total effective rate of 16 percent. By comparison, California’s cannabis tax burden was twice as high, approaching 40 percent in some cities.
The contrast was stark because California and Michigan share deep histories of medical cannabis. California was the first state in the nation to legalize medical cannabis in 1996. Michigan subsequently developed one of the strongest grower-based cannabis markets in the country in the 2000s and 2010s. Both states built strong cultural and political foundations around the idea that cannabis is medicine.
When it came to legalizing adult use, however, the two states went in different directions.
Michigan largely believed that cannabis should be treated as a medicine rather than a vice. He adopted a moderate tax structure that kept legal prices competitive. California, in contrast, imposed heavy taxes and regulatory costs that treated cannabis as a luxury or vice product rather than a therapeutic good.
Predictable results followed.
Michigan’s relatively modest taxes drove consumers out of the illegal market and into licensed stores. Legal sales rose quickly, reaching about $3.3 billion annually in a state of just 10 million people.
California’s market has hovered around $4 billion in recent years, despite nearly quadrupling its population. Per capita, Michigan became one of the strongest adult cannabis markets in America, while California became the weakest, driven by tax policies.
In July 2025, industry analytics firm Headset stated: “What’s so surprising about Michigan’s pace of sales is California’s population difference. With a population of 10 million, Michigan is on the verge of usurping America’s largest state, California, with a population of nearly 40 million.”
Cannabis became a major driver of employment in Michigan. According to industry recruiting firm Vangst, 47,000 Michiganders were expected to work in the industry in 2024, representing a staggering nearly 1 percent of the statewide workforce.
Even more striking, Crain’s Detroit Business reported that cannabis accounted for a staggering 52 percent of Michigan’s private sector net job growth from 2018 to 2024. At a time when many of Michigan’s traditional manufacturing industries have struggled and wage growth has stalled for many workers, cannabis has been the state’s most consistent source of job growth.
Then the tax structure changed.
From January 1, 2026. Michigan enacted a new 24 percent wholesale cannabis tax. This effectively doubled the tax burden on operators at a critical point in the supply chain. The effects were immediate.
According to New Cannabis Ventures, Michigan’s legal cannabis market generated just $226 million in sales in January 2026, the lowest monthly figure since late 2022. Sales fell a sharp 16 percent from December 2025, the month before the tax took effect, and were 8 percent lower than in January 2025.
The situation may worsen in the coming months. Many Michigan dispensaries stocked inventory at the end of 2025, before the tax went into effect, and are still selling product that was not subject to the new wholesale tax.
And even that temporary solution came with compromises. Retail analytics firm Happy Cabbage noted that high-demand items were often in limited supply by the end of 2025, while low-demand items were readily available. As a result, purchasing decisions increasingly reflected what suppliers had available, rather than what customers would buy.
The full impact of the tax increase will become clearer in the coming months as more inventory from the new taxes hits store shelves and higher costs are passed on to consumers.
But already the influence of the industry has been sobering. In January alone, several large operators in Michigan announced crop closures, retail consolidation and layoffs, citing falling margins after the tax hike.
Higher Love Cannabis announced the layoffs of 61 of its 213 employees, explaining that the cuts were necessary to deal with the new tax. C3 Industries said it would close its Webberville cultivation facility and lay off 62 workers, noting that it had warned lawmakers of this outcome if the wholesale tax were enacted. PinCanna put its operations up for sale, citing the new wholesale tax as the reason. The owner of The Greenhouse announced that 30 percent of Michigan dispensaries could close in the next year due to tax increases.
This tax increase is quickly destabilizing perhaps Michigan’s most dynamic job-creating industry in recent history. An unmistakable reminder that cannabis does not operate in a closed legal market. It competes directly with a resilient illegal market with no excise taxes, no compliance costs and no regulatory burden.
This illegal market has operated for decades and can quickly absorb consumers if the price difference is too great. It is an intellectual fantasy to think that when policymakers raise taxes on cannabis, they are adjusting their revenue projections. In reality, market share and financial resources are being shifted to an unscrupulous and often violent illegal market.
Michigan’s early success showed that moderate taxation can expand the legal market and grow revenue organically. His latest shift suggests that aggressive taxation could quickly reverse that progress.
It is critical that other states take notice of what is happening in Michigan right now. In recent months, states such as Maine, Maryland and Minnesota have also increased tax rates on cannabis, hoping to cover several unrelated revenue gaps. But whether policy makers in these states appreciate it yet, these decisions will reduce legal sales and strengthen illegal operators.
In fact, California learned this lesson in the third quarter of 2025 when it raised its already high cannabis tax from 15 percent to 19 percent. Legal sales fell 5 percent from the previous quarter, falling to the lowest quarterly level in more than five years and prompting the state to quickly overturn and reset the tax rate to 15 percent. Michigan ignored this clear economic lesson.
Beyond its economic consequences, overtaxing cannabis runs counter to the spirit and logic of federal reprogramming. If cannabis is formally recognized at the federal level for medical use under Schedule III, states with a long history of medical cannabis should pause and reconsider whether their tax policies adequately reflect and respect their heritage.
Michigan and California pioneered the legalization of cannabis as medicine, creating the conditions for the dramatic shift in national attitudes reflected in the current rescheduling push. Taxing cannabis at rates that exceed those applied to alcohol and tobacco, products that kill hundreds of thousands of Americans each year, betrays this pioneering medical legacy.
If the lessons of reorganization are taken seriously, both Michigan and California should reexamine their punitive tax structures in light of their history.
And states like Pennsylvania and Virginia, which could vote to create new adult-use markets in 2026, also have a clear chance. They can achieve illusory short-term fiscal gains through higher taxes and risk repeating Michigan’s recent mistakes. Or they can design tax structures that support stable businesses, protect jobs, and align policy with the growing acceptance of cannabis.
Michigan’s tax experiment is unfolding, but early signs are troubling. The state still has time to change course, as California did, albeit modestly.
For the sake of the public, tens of thousands of cannabis workers, and the legal market it built, Michigan lawmakers should roll back this tax increase.
Other states should also learn from Michigan’s experience, rather than repeating the same economic mistake in the face of a budget deficit.
Hirsh Jain is the Director of Market Intelligence Green strategiesfinancial services and solutions company providing tax planning and accounting services to many of the nation’s leading cannabis brands and retailers. He is also the principal of Ananda Strategy, a consulting firm based in Los Angeles.
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Cannabis News
Tilray advances UK healthcare platform while prepares for U.S. rescheduling
Published
8 hours agoon
April 16, 2026By
admin
Tilray has announced a number of strategic initiatives to mark the next phase of its global growth, expanding across healthcare, cannabis and beverages, strengthening its ability to expand internationally and capture emerging market opportunities.
Irwin D. Simon, President and CEO of Tilray Brands, stated: “Tilray Brands is setting the pace for global innovation in healthcare, cannabis and craft beverages – each a distinct growth engine on our platform. This is a crucial time as we enter the next phase of global growth. We are executing carefully against our strategic plan by expanding our international brand growth icon position and Brewver’s international medical icon position. At the same time, our brands, We maintain the financial flexibility to invest behind infrastructure and capabilities.Together, these actions position Tilray as a broad and diversified global platform with multiple near- and long-term growth drivers, and one of the most dynamic and exciting consumer companies today.
© Tilray Marks
Tilray expands UK Medical Platform with acquisition of Lyphe
Tilray acquired Lyphe Group, a leading UK-based medical cannabis clinic and digital pharmacy platform, with Lyphe Dispensary dispensing around 150,000 units and Lyphe Clinic treating over 16,000 patients to date, anchoring and expanding Tilray Medical’s footprint in one of Europe’s largest and most dynamic healthcare markets. The addition of Lyphe strengthens Tilray’s vertically integrated medical ecosystem, combining clinical services, patient access and pharmaceutical distribution. Through Lyphe’s online clinic and pharmacy platform, Tilray will improve access to medical cannabis while accelerating its traditional prescription drug delivery capabilities, creating a seamless digital patient experience.
Most importantly, with the addition of the Lyphe Group, Tilray Medical is establishing its first fully vertically integrated medical platform, which combines the cultivation and production of pharmaceutical-grade medical cannabis with clinical care, distribution services and pharmaceutical distribution. The integration of Lyphe’s highly skilled patient care team further differentiates this model, enabling a more personalized, unified and comprehensive approach to patient care and outcomes. Tilray will also leverage CC Pharma’s established scale, supply capabilities and purchasing power to supply medicines more efficiently through the Lyphe platform, supporting the wider needs of UK patients and further strengthening Tilray’s European pharmaceutical distribution network.
Rajnish Ohri, International President, Tilray Brands, said: “I am proud to welcome the Lyphe team to Tilray, bringing deep clinical experience and a strong patient-first approach, which immediately strengthens our capabilities. This acquisition marks an important step in Tilray Medical’s continued expansion as a global healthcare platform. We look forward to enhancing our capabilities, our ability to serve UK patients, and the international medical ecosystem in 2027. to build a fully connected, consistent, high-quality care while expanding access to cannabis and traditional therapies.
BrewDog and the beverage platform: Accelerate growth, scale globally and invest in expansion
Six weeks after Tilray acquired BrewDog, the company has moved with speed and discipline to stabilize and strengthen the platform, positioning the brand for its next phase of growth. Tilray has stabilized beer volumes, maintained service levels across channels to ensure consistent stock availability and has begun onboarding new distribution and strategic partners to support expansion.
Mr Simon added: “Our priorities are clear: to strengthen BrewDog, accelerate innovation and scale our global beverage platform. We are already taking decisive steps to reinvest in the BrewDog brand, the innovation pipeline and the brewpub experience, and we see a clear path to rebuilding BrewDog. In the US, we are leveraging our infrastructure and distribution network for our broader beverage portfolio in key growth markets, including the Middle East and India. to scale and support the growth of our American craft brands and global partners like Carlsberg across the US.
Tilray expects the BrewDog business to be cash flow positive by 2027 and is investing in the brand and to revitalize and modernize the existing brewpub estate – areas that have seen limited investment in recent years. This provides a strong foundation for improving performance through targeted operational improvements and focused brand building. These efforts are focused on reimagining the brewpub experience to better connect with today’s consumers to ensure long-term brand relevance. As part of enhancing the venue experience with modern activations, strengthening brand engagement and aligning with evolving consumer preferences, Tilray will invest in a “brewpub of the future” at one of its existing locations, allowing it to analyze, evaluate and recommend future changes to its brewpub network. Tilray BrewDog is building a more compelling platform for the future.
Tilray is seeing strong and growing demand for its American craft portfolio in the UK, creating near-term opportunities to expand distribution and build brand presence in the market. Building on this momentum, the Company plans to launch Hi*Ball Energy in the UK in May, further expanding the beverage offering and increasing consumer demand in the growing functional drink category.
Positioned for US reprogramming and medical cannabis options
In the United States, we are closely following medical cannabis rescheduling and actively engaging with legislators and regulators as they evaluate and work on this important drug policy development. We are also evaluating our participation in the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation pilot program, an opportunity to partner with Healthcare Organizations and oncology practices to provide hemp-derived medical cannabis to underserved and vulnerable patients, provide safe and therapeutic access to medical cannabinoids, and collect data on patient outcomes.
Denise Faltisch, Director of Strategy and Head of M&A, Tilray Brands, stated: “In retrospect, Tilray Medical is strategically positioned to participate in the US medical cannabis market, given our proven track record of operating at scale in highly regulated medical cannabis markets globally, our pharmaceutical quality systems and scientific research, backed by scientific education and scientific research. It will happen in the near term and when it does, we are well positioned to seize the opportunity.”
Through our global Tilray Medical platform, Tilray Medical offers extensive experience in pharmaceutical-grade cultivation, manufacturing and distribution, clinical research and regulatory expertise based in more than 20 markets worldwide. Tilray Medical has helped hundreds of thousands of patients worldwide and offers an extensive portfolio of medical cannabis products, including CBD and THC: beverages, edibles and topicals.
Tilray Introduces ATM Program to Accelerate Global Beverage Expansion
To support this next phase of growth, Tilray has also announced that it will introduce a market equity program (the “ATM program”) of up to $180 million to improve financial flexibility and invest behind its global beverage platform. The ATM program will be managed by Jefferies LLC, TD Securities (USA) LLC and Roth Capital Partners LLC.
For more information:
Tilray
www.tilray.com
Cannabis News
FDA’s New Hemp CBD Enforcement Move Is Encouraging, But Congress Still Needs To Enact Real Regulations (Op-Ed)
Published
9 hours agoon
April 15, 2026By
admin
“These products have the potential to reshape how Americans approach wellness by providing accessible plant-based alternatives to traditional care, but realizing that potential will require more than discretion.”
By Thomas Winstanley, Edibles.com
For years, the hemp-derived CBD market has operated in a paradox: federally legal, accessible, and increasingly standardized, but without a clear regulatory framework that provides confidence to consumers and stability to businesses. The The latest move by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to use enforcement discretion for certain CBD products it is a significant step forward, emphasizing how incomplete and fragile the current system is.
Essentially, the FDA’s position acknowledges that hemp-derived cannabinoids are part of Americans’ daily wellness routine. By announcing its intention to enforce certain provisions of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act against orally administered CBD products, the agency is recognizing a practical way forward that is rooted in a supplemental framework with safety, labeling, and marketing protections.
That matters. For the first time in decades, cannabinoids are being discussed in terms that resemble the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994 (DSHEA). The implication is a viable path forward for CBD products, as consumers already engage with wellness through vitamins, nutraceuticals and other over-the-counter formats, with expectations of quality and transparency.
But let’s be clear about what this is and what it isn’t.
This is not absolute regulatory approval. It does not establish CBD as Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS), and does not create lasting protection for the wider market. Instead, it reflects a selective enforcement policy under narrow conditions. Products must meet supplement-style standards, avoid contamination, be child-resistant, and dispensed in a physician-directed Medicare-affiliated setting. That last point is where the gap is most obvious.
“These products have the potential to reshape how Americans approach wellness by providing accessible plant-based alternatives to traditional care, but realizing that potential will require more than discretion.”@thomwinstanley shared his thoughts… https://t.co/b0FqdsGfsM
— Edibles.com (@ediblesdotcom) April 15, 2026
FDA’s position is limited to a very specific use case related to healthcare programs. It does nothing to address the much larger and more dynamic reality of the national consumer market, which includes retail, e-commerce and direct-to-consumer platforms. Here’s where millions of Americans already access CBD and companies have built entire categories without federal oversight.
Industry is no longer a fringe experiment. Since the 2018 Farm Bill, hemp-derived products have grown into a multibillion-dollar industry, expanding access to cannabinoids in ways that state-regulated cannabis markets cannot. In doing so, the category has helped normalize THC and reshape public perception, introducing new consumers and expanding acceptance of plant-based alternatives to wellness.
Consumers are integrating these products into their daily lives. Sleep support, stress management, recovery and general wellness are the core use cases today. From small businesses to national platforms, companies have also invested heavily in building responsible and compliant offerings to meet this demand. However, the rules governing this market remain fragmented and sometimes contradictory.
Federal agencies continue to send mixed signals. States have established a patchwork of consistent standards. Responsible operators such as those investing in testing, labeling and compliance are forced to compete alongside bad actors who exploit regulatory gray areas. The result is a market that works, but not efficiently and certainly not safely at scale. Therefore, the FDA’s move, while encouraging, is not a comprehensive solution.
Selective enforcement is not regulation. It offers temporary flexibility, not long-term certainty. It expresses tolerance, not acceptance. Without action from Congress, the entire category is vulnerable to sudden policy changes that could disrupt supply chains, deter investment and erode consumer confidence.
In fact, recent legislation is in danger of holding the industry back. The narrowing of the federal definition of hemp in the final credit framework introduces new ambiguity around product eligibility, particularly for cannabinoids that fall outside the traditional interpretation.
Without clear federal standards, we risk an outcome worse than the problem policymakers are trying to solve. Rules that are too restrictive or unclear will not remove the application. They will simply redirect you to unregulated or imported products that potentially lack basic safety oversight. That’s a real consumer protection risk.
At the same time, the US must dismantle a largely domestic supply chain as it reaches significant scale, undermining the farmers, manufacturers and retailers who have diligently built this industry. None of this is to dismiss the FDA’s progress.
The agency deserves credit for taking a pragmatic step forward. Its emphasis on pollution-free products, responsible marketing and clear labeling reflects principles that the entire industry should embrace. These are not debatable standards. These are basic expectations. However, they should be applied broadly, not selectively.
FDA’s recent actions and increasing alignment between the executive branch and the legislature indicate the need for a federal framework. It reflects openness to integrating cannabinoids into established regulatory systems. It also reinforces the importance of safety and supervision. What it doesn’t do is solve the problem.
Only Congress can provide the clarity this market demands. A comprehensive federal framework that establishes consistent standards for manufacturing, labeling, distribution, and access is needed. This step is essential to unlocking the full potential of hemp-derived cannabinoids.
This is a significant opportunity. These products have the potential to reshape how Americans approach wellness by providing accessible plant-based alternatives to traditional care, but realizing that potential will require more than discretion. He will ask for a policy. Until then, the FDA’s change is a step in the right direction. It is not the destination.
Thomas Winstanley is Executive Vice President and CEO Edibles.com®an innovative and reliable marketplace for high-quality THC products, offering convenient direct-to-consumer delivery.
user photo Nanny Kimzy.
Cannabis News
Vireo Growth announces California retail joint venture with Glass House Brands
Published
1 day agoon
April 15, 2026By
admin
Vireo Growth and Glass House Brands have announced a joint venture to build one of the largest and most strategic cannabis retail platforms in California. Subject to certain regulatory and closing conditions, each company will bring its California dispensary operations to the combined entity in exchange for 50% ownership.
Vireo operates twelve dispensaries and home delivery operations that it recently acquired from Eaze, Inc. (“Eaze”). Today, Glass House has eleven stores in California. Together, the combined network will be supported by a preferential supply agreement with Glass House, California’s most efficient large-scale cannabis grower. After five years, Vireo will have the option to acquire Glass House’s stake in the joint venture, and Glass House will own the mutual well.
Cory Azzalino, Vireo’s California president, has been named CEO of the joint venture, where he will oversee operations and lead the platform’s retail acquisition and expansion strategy.
“California continues to be the largest legal cannabis market in the world, and this joint venture allows us to unlock its potential in a way that no one company can achieve alone,” said Kyle Kazan, founder, president and CEO of Glass House. “Vireo brings unparalleled retail reach and delivery infrastructure through the Eaze platform, while Glass House supports proven retail execution, low-cost, large-scale production and deep brand equity. Together with Vireo, we have found a way to mitigate California’s challenging pricing dynamics and enhance the value of our retail operations without expanding Glass House’s focus on selling biomass outside of the state.”
“Glass House is the ideal partner to collaborate with to build the future of cannabis retail in California,” said Vireo CEO John Mazarakis. “Their production scale and brand strength, combined with Vireo’s retail depth and access to one of the industry’s leading technology-based delivery platforms, creates a joint venture that is greater than the sum of its parts – serving more consumers, supporting independent brands and providing a compelling home for operators looking for a strong, capitalized partner.”
The joint venture’s integrated delivery capabilities through the Eaze platform will expand distribution to areas with limited retail access, offering competitive pricing that supports the legal market.
“I am proud to lead this platform and the opportunity it represents,” said Cory Azzalino. “Our combined retail and delivery network gives us the reach and resources to bring high-quality, affordable cannabis to consumers across California, including underserved communities, seeking disciplined growth that strengthens the long-term legal market.”
For more information:
vireo
vireohealth.com
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glasshousebrands.com/
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