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South Carolina Lawmakers Should Pass Hemp Legislation That Smartly Regulates Products (Op-Ed)

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“South Carolina can take an important step forward in regulating the hemp industry, protecting our families and ensuring access to these products.”

By David Spang, Coastal Green Welles via South Carolina Daily Gazette

In South Carolina, the hemp industry is at a crossroads.

Without common sense regulations for the sale of hemp and hemp-derived products, we risk reducing public safety, damaging the industry’s credibility, and putting South Carolina’s small businesses at risk.

the current South Carolina law does not regulate products containing hemp-derived cannabinoidsin addition to limiting delta-9 THC to 0.3 percent by dry weight under federal law.

This gap has allowed the rapid expansion of products, from gummies to vapes, with little oversight or guidance.

Fortunately, there is a solution.

In recent years, the South Carolina Association of Healthy Alternatives has worked to develop a reasonable and responsible regulatory framework for the state’s hemp industry. As the legislature opens in Columbia, an amendment House Bill 3924 it allows to establish this framework.

With the support of many legislators, we believe this amendment will make it the only piece of legislation that meets the goals of protecting our industry, law enforcement and, most importantly, the public.

States across the country, including Georgia, Tennessee, West Virginia and Kentucky, have passed bills to responsibly regulate hemp and hemp-derived products in their states.

Additionally, last month’s White House order to reclassify marijuana provided a clear direction on full-spectrum hemp, signaling more support for consumable hemp products.

It’s time for South Carolina to join its peers in ensuring access to these products for the people who have come to rely on them and protecting small business owners and the public from bad actors.

In December, local, state and federal law enforcement conducted “Operation Ganjaprenuer,” a series of coordinated operations against criminals trafficking illegal drugs in South Carolina.

Unfortunately, these actions also affected legitimate businesses across the state that sold legal hemp products.

For those businesses, Attorney General Alan Wilson (R) called for what is needed: a reasonably and responsibly regulated South Carolina hemp industry.

This means creating a framework for responsible regulation of hemp-derived consumer products to include:

  • Limit sales to persons over 21 years of age
  • Testing requirements to ensure safe and compliant products for consumers
  • Packaging and labeling requirements
  • Licenses for manufacturers, distributors/wholesalers and retailers
  • Server size limits

For responsible businesses trying to operate legally, current interpretations and inconsistent enforcement are unsustainable.

Business owners who are committed to doing things the right way are forced to compete with bad actors who cut corners, mislabel their products, or target minors.

South Carolina can take an important step forward in regulating the hemp industry, protecting our families and ensuring access to these products.

If we can amend H3294 with full regulatory guidelines and send it to Governor Henry McMaster’s (R) desk, we will ensure that South Carolina follows the responsible regulations of our peer states.

This article was first published by the South Carolina Daily Gazette.

David Spang is the founder of Coastal Green Wellness, which sells hemp products. He is also the president of the South Carolina Healthy Alternatives Association, a group that advocates for responsible regulation of the hemp-derived products industry. Born in South Carolina, lives in Myrtle Beach.

Max Jackson’s photo.

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General Assembly advances cannabis retail framework

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February 21, 2026

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After years of vetoing the General Assembly, legislation to create a legal adult cannabis market in Virginia passed both chambers on Tuesday, this time ready for a governor’s signature and retail sales to begin in November. The votes provide the clearest sign yet that Virginia is ready to move from legal ownership to a fully regulated no-sale market, a transition that has eluded the commonwealth since 2021, when lawmakers legalized simple ownership.

On Tuesday morning, the House passed House Bill 642, Del. Paul Krizek, D-Fairfax, by a vote of 65-32. A few hours later, the Senate passed House Bill 542 by Sen. Lashrecse Aird, R-Petersburg, by a narrow 21-19 margin, after a failed initial vote.

Similar proposals have cleared the General Assembly in recent years—often with bipartisan support—but were repeatedly vetoed by former Gov. Glenn Youngkin. This year, the political calculation has changed. Democratic Gov. Abigail Spanberger has vowed to sign legislation establishing a regulated retail market.

Under Krizek’s bill, the Virginia Cannabis Control Authority would administer the retail system, with no retail sales permitted before November 1, 2026. “It’s about fixing a situation that isn’t working,” he said, noting that while it is legal for adults to possess cannabis, retail sales remain unregulated.

Read more at Virginia Mercury










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Rhode Island Marijuana Regulators Weigh How To Award New Dispensary Licenses

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February 21, 2026

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“It is unfair to everyone who has invested time, money and attention in this process. We ask that there be no delay.”

By Christopher Shea, Rhode Island Currant

State cannabis regulators have yet to decide how they will handle the allocation of 20 retail cannabis licenses to applicants selected by lottery before May.

The state planned to issue 24 licenses but reduced the number based on the distribution of applicants among the state’s six geographic areas. A total of 98 applications were submitted by the Rhode Island Cannabis Control Board’s December 29, 2025 deadline. One has since been withdrawn, Rhode Island Cannabis Administrator Michelle Reddish told the board at Friday’s monthly meeting.

A second applicant withdrew after the meeting, Cannabis Control Board spokesman Charon Rose confirmed Tuesday.

Commission staff are still reviewing applicants’ qualifications before they enter the final lottery that will award retail licenses. A breakdown of applicants available on the commission’s website shows that more than half — 56 — are seeking general retail licenses. Another 19 were cooperative workers and the remaining 23 were for social equity applicants, or those affected by the war on drugs.

State regulations passed last year set a maximum of four retailers zoneat least one license designated for a social equity applicant, and for a worker-owned cooperative.

Nearly a third of all retail license applications — 31 — were in Zone 6, along with all of Pawtucket, East Providence, Bristol and Newport counties.

Zone 1, which covers Burrillville, Cumberland, Glocester, North Smithfield and Smithfield, saw only two applications, both for social equity licenses. Applicants that did fall back were Die of Laughter, which applied to Zone 5, and Green Dolphin, which applied to Zone 4.

At the committee’s Friday meeting, the committee raised the possibility of phasing out the license release.

“Many stakeholders have raised the issue that if all potential licenses come online at the same time, the price of the product could drop so quickly that no one would win,” said Commissioner Robert Jacquard.

Kevin Rouleau, chief operating officer of Portsmouth-based Newport Cannabis Company, warned that a rapid saturation of the state’s small market could lead to a “race to the bottom” as more established businesses like his try to survive the new competition.

“This is going to hurt everybody, especially farmers who get pennies on the dollar for their produce,” Rouleau said.

The cultivators who participated in the meeting did not feel that way.

“We’re absolutely fine moving forward with the retail stores and we’re not concerned about that outcome,” Rhode Island Growers Association representative Nicholas Lacroix told the commission during the public comment period.

However, Reddish was concerned that the rapid expansion could lead to problems that have occurred in other states.

Cannabis revenue in Michigan fell in 2025, despite record total sales, driven by falling prices. The Oregon market has come under increased pressure from large harvests and low wholesale prices. In Massachusetts, merchants describe a “race to the bottom” that has wiped out many businesses from their market.

“Based on these examples, there is a need to discuss whether the commission should use its ability to take proactive steps to support a stable and successful cannabis industry, prepare to respond to market changes in real time and adjust course if necessary,” he said.

But attorney Allan Fung, a former Cranston mayor and former GOP congressional and gubernatorial candidate, appeared on behalf of several candidates. the applicantshe said that the market should ultimately be the entity that dictates price and competition.

“It’s unfair to everyone who has invested time, money and attention in this process,” Fung told commissioners. “We ask that there be no delay.”

It has already been a slow road for the state to establish its own recreational cannabis market. More than a year passed before the three-member committee was inaugurated in June 2023. The commission had to hire staff to write proposals and review rules adopted in other states. Rhode Island’s rules governing retail cannabis were finally approved in May 2025. Chairman Kim Ahern stepped down last October to become attorney general, and Gov. Dan McKee (D) has yet to name a successor.

Meanwhile, eight medical dispensaries in the state have been authorized to sell recreational cannabis under hybrid licenses.

“The only people who benefit from these dispensaries being slow are the current dispensaries who have a monopoly on the cannabis market,” said Spencer Blier, director of Warwick-based Mammoth Inc. CEO and founder of cultivator.

Because few applications were submitted for Zone 1, Reddish informed the board on Jan. 16. the meeting that regulators would issue up to 20 licenses statewide.

“Depending on how the application process is completed, that number may decrease,” Reddish said Friday.

Starting Jan. 1, the state Office of Cannabis had 90 days to review applications and confirm they met eligibility requirements before entering a lottery, according to a schedule approved by the commission at its Oct. 20 meeting.

Applicants must still obtain the necessary local approvals to enter the random drawing. Regulators aimed to start issuing licenses before May, although the regulations do not specify how many will be issued at one time.

The commissioners did not vote on Friday. The board decided to decide how many licenses to grant at a time for a future meeting.

The next meeting organized by the committee is Friday, March 20, at 1:00 p.m.

This story was first published by the Rhode Island Currant.

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Curaleaf secures $500M financing, extends debt maturity to 2029

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1 day ago

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February 20, 2026

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Curaleaf Holdings has closed a $500 million private debt financing, refinancing existing obligations and extending the maturity of the debt by more than two years.

The company issued senior secured notes with an interest rate of 11.5%, due in February 2029. At the same time, Curaleaf repaid $475 million in prepayments due in December 2026. According to the company, the transaction is non-dilutive and was completed at par.

The refinancing effectively pushes Curaleaf’s near-term debt obligations further down the road, giving the company additional runway as it continues to operate in multiple international cannabis markets. The net proceeds from the offering will be used to support global growth initiatives, as well as to cover transaction-related costs.

© Curaleaf

“This financing strengthens our balance sheet and gives us greater flexibility to execute our long-term strategy,” said Boris Jordan, President and CEO of Curaleaf. He described the deal as the largest bond offering completed in the cannabis sector to date, and pointed to renewed interest from institutional investors as a sign of increased confidence in the industry.

The notes pay interest annually and are secured against the company’s assets. The financing structure also allows for debt issuance under certain leverage conditions, along with $100 million in senior bank financing.

The private placement was conducted under existing securities law exemptions in Canada and the United States and was led by Seaport Global Securities, with ATB Cormark Capital Markets acting as placement agent.

For more information:
Curaleaf
(email protected)
curaleaf.com



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