💸 The Tape

Democratic Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley have introduced the Cannabinoid Safety and Regulation Act, a sweeping proposal that would create the first federal regulatory framework for hemp-derived cannabinoids while allowing states to maintain stricter rules—or ban products outright. The bill arrives as the hemp sector faces major disruption following President Trump’s recent approval of appropriations language that will recriminalize most consumable cannabinoids next November.

The legislation establishes THC limits of 5 mg per serving and 50 mg per package (10 mg for beverages), requires FDA registration for manufacturers, mandates 21+ age restrictions, and empowers FDA to enforce safety, labeling, marketing, and manufacturing standards. It also bans synthetically derived cannabinoids, defines total THC across delta-8, delta-9, delta-10, THC-A and others, and restricts flavored vape products while capping terpenes at 6%.

States retain the authority to enact tighter regulations but may not block interstate transport. The bill also creates a $125 million youth-prevention grant program and allocates hundreds of millions in funding for CDC data collection, impaired-driving research, and public-health initiatives.

Wyden called blanket federal bans a “gut-punch to small businesses,” arguing that regulated pathways—not prohibition—best protect consumers while supporting a multibillion-dollar industry.

Source: Marijuana Moment

📈 Dog Walkers

$AAWH ( ▲ 5.09% ) Inks Partnership In NJ

Ascend Wellness Holdings, Inc. (CSE: AAWH.U, OTCQX: AAWH) is expanding both its New Jersey footprint and its social-equity impact, announcing a new partnership with Mister Jones, LLC and longtime cannabis advocate Lerone Jones. The collaboration is among the first launched under Assembly Bill A4151, New Jersey’s new law designed to open investment pipelines for diversely owned cannabis businesses.

Ascend will provide upfront capital, retail build-out funding, product supply, and back-end operational support to the new dispensary, located at 655 US-46 in Little Falls. The shop—Mister Jones Dispensary—is set for a December 19 grand opening and will operate 8 a.m.–10 p.m. daily.

Jones, a former Floor Supervisor at Ascend Montclair, has spent years advocating for adult-use legalization and even traveled with New Jersey legislators to Las Vegas in 2017 to study Nevada’s market. His entrepreneurial leap, he says, reflects his commitment to education, community uplift, and expanding opportunities in neighborhoods harmed by the War on Drugs.

Ascend’s Grazia Laurendi, Regional Director for New Jersey, called Jones the “ideal partner,” citing his industry expertise and advocacy track record.

The initiative aligns with Ascend’s broader CO-LAB for Social Equity program, which focuses on restorative justice, economic empowerment, and mentorship for diverse cannabis entrepreneurs—reinforcing the company’s mission to build a more inclusive, community-rooted industry.

$RWBYF ( 0.0% ) Is Somehow Still Alive

Red White & Bloom Brands Inc. (CSE: RWB) has issued 375,000 common shares at a deemed price of $0.035 per share to a former consultant, settling outstanding obligations for past services, the company announced Tuesday. The issuance follows RWB’s earlier December 1, 2025 disclosure indicating the settlement was forthcoming.

As required under Canadian securities law, the newly issued shares are subject to a four-month-and-one-day statutory hold period, during which they cannot be traded.

The company also reiterated that this release is not an offer or solicitation to sell securities in the United States. The shares issued have not been registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933 or state-level securities statutes, meaning they cannot be sold to U.S. persons without proper registration or an approved exemption.

While a small administrative update in the grand scheme of RWB’s restructuring efforts, the share issuance underscores the company’s ongoing work to clean up legacy obligations and simplify its capital structure.

🗞️ The News

📺 YouTube

Can the Cannabis Industry Finally Get Its Story Straight? | TTB Powered by Dutchie

What we will cover:

✅ Is cannabis losing the messaging war right when rescheduling might finally be on deck?

Today at 4 PM ET, TDR Trade to Black goes live with a full breakdown of how politics, capital, and communication are colliding in cannabis — and why getting the narrative right might matter more than ever.

Shadd Dales and Anthony Varrell kick things off with three big storylines: • Ohio’s rollback of a voter-approved cannabis law and new rules that push hemp products into dispensaries. • Cronos Group’s (TSX; CRON) move into the Netherlands, buying CanAdelaar and grabbing the top spot in Europe’s adult-use pilot market. • Pennsylvania’s leadership still hiding behind federal illegality, even while neighbors like New Jersey, Maryland, and Ohio move ahead.

Then we bring on Kyle Sherman, CEO of Flowhub, for a deeper conversation about cannabis messaging:

Why are anti-cannabis fear campaigns getting paid reach but no real engagement? Why is the industry so quiet or fragmented in response? And what does a real, unified PR strategy for cannabis actually look like as rescheduling talk heats up?