Industry Insights
What's changing in California cannabis — and what it means for your brand.
Regulation, taxes, and production economics, read through the lens of what it costs to make and move product.
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Articles
September 5, 2026 · 3 min read
The 2028 Cliff: Hemp Integration, the 19% Tax Return, and What to Build Before Then
AB 8 lands, the excise rate reverts, and a new license type arrives — all inside the same window. The next 16 months decide who is ready.
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September 5, 2026 · 3 min read
The DEA's Final Rescheduling Decision Is Expected Late 2026 — Three Scenarios
An ALJ recommendation, a 20-day objection window, and no statutory deadline. Here is how each outcome hits a manufacturer's tax bill.
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September 5, 2026 · 3 min read
November 12 (or December 11): The Federal Hemp-THC Deadline Is Weeks Away
A 0.4 mg total-THC cap per container takes effect this fall. A pending bill would move the date by a month — for natural cannabinoids only.
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August 20, 2026 · 3 min read
California's Legal Market Is Shrinking. Here's How Brands Are Adapting.
Licensed sales have fallen every year since 2021. The brands still growing have moved from fixed costs to per-unit costs.
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July 20, 2026 · 3 min read
Beyond California: What Changed in Other Markets in 2026
A repeal question in Massachusetts, an initiative fight in Idaho, and a 2027 launch in Virginia — why an LA co-packer watches all of it.
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June 1, 2026 · 3 min read
Hall of Flowers Leaves Santa Rosa: The 2026 Trade Show Map for Brands
Hall of Flowers moves to Sacramento, CHAMPS splits Las Vegas and Austin, and the Network Show stays LA-only. Which room is worth your samples?
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May 5, 2026 · 3 min read
Five 2026 California Bills Every Manufacturer Should Watch
Testing protocols, vape design limits, recall due process, and two packaging bills — plus a checklist for your SKUs.
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April 30, 2026 · 3 min read
Schedule III Is Finally Moving: What the 2026 Rescheduling Actually Changed
Medical cannabis moved to Schedule III in April. Adult-use didn't — and that distinction decides who gets 280E relief.
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March 10, 2026 · 3 min read
AB 8 and the Federal Hemp Ban: Intoxicating Hemp Is Being Pulled Into the Licensed Market
State and federal rules are converging on the same outcome: intoxicating hemp products need a licensed manufacturer.
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January 15, 2026 · 3 min read
California Rolled the Excise Tax Back to 15%: The Math for Brands
AB 564 reversed the 19% excise hike as of January 1. Here is what four points does to shelf price and reorder velocity.
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