💸 The Tape

Ohio lawmakers just can’t leave well enough alone. Less than a year after voters legalized adult-use cannabis, the Ohio House of Representatives has passed a sweeping “cleanup” bill that—depending on your vantage point—either fine-tunes the law or quietly guts it.

The bill, sponsored by Sen. Stephen Huffman (R) and shepherded in the House by Rep. Brian Stewart (R), cleared the chamber on a lopsided 87-8 vote Wednesday. It now heads back to the Senate for concurrence before possibly landing on Gov. Mike DeWine’s desk—where a pen is already rumored to be twitching.

Supporters insist the measure is a “carefully crafted compromise” that brings order to Ohio’s cannabis and hemp markets. But critics see it as a rollback of what voters decisively approved at the ballot box in 2023. The proposal removes key consumer protections, recriminalizes out-of-state cannabis possession, and tightens the screws on hemp-derived THC products.

Among the biggest reversals: the House-amended bill strips anti-discrimination language that shielded lawful cannabis users in child-custody cases, employment, professional licensing, and organ-transplant eligibility. It also makes it a crime to carry marijuana purchased legally in neighboring Michigan—because apparently freedom stops at the state line.

Lighting up outdoors? That’s out too. The legislation bans smoking in public areas such as bar patios and even lets landlords prohibit vaping on rental property, with violations treated as misdemeanors. (So yes, theoretically, you could be fined for a puff on your own porch.)

On the hemp side, lawmakers moved to corral intoxicating hemp beverages and edibles into licensed dispensaries. Bars and breweries could sell low-dose THC drinks—5 mg for on-site consumption, 10 mg for take-home—but higher-potency beverages could only be manufactured for out-of-state sales. A $1.20-per-gallon excise tax sweetens the state’s take.

The House did add a few olive branches: simplifying expungement for past misdemeanor cannabis charges, ensuring dismissed cases qualify, and aligning penalties for selling marijuana or hemp drinks to minors.

DeWine, who recently issued emergency rules banning intoxicating hemp for 90 days, applauded the legislature for “finally taking action,” though a court has since blocked those rules. House Speaker Matt Huffman (R) admits his caucus remains split between legalizers, equalizers, and prohibitionists—a three-way standoff that practically guarantees more drama ahead.

If the Senate signs off, Ohio’s cannabis framework could become one of the nation’s most complex patchworks—where legal weed exists, but only under the watchful gaze of regulators, landlords, and the taxman.

In short: voters wanted legalization; lawmakers delivered legislation. And as any Ohioan could tell you—those are not the same thing.

📈 Dog Walkers

$CNTMF ( ▼ 3.43% ) Unifies New York

What’s Going On Here: FLUENT Corp. (CSE: FNT.U | OTCQB: CNTMF) is expanding its footprint in New York’s fast-growing adult-use market, announcing the rebranding of its Manhattan and White Plains dispensaries—the second and third retail locations to officially transition under the FLUENT banner.

The move follows FLUENT’s December 2024 acquisition of RIV Capital and mirrors the successful rebrand of its Kingston dispensary, which has already seen increases in traffic, sales, and average ticket size. Together, these three co-located stores signal a unified push toward a cohesive retail identity in one of the most competitive cannabis markets in the U.S.

Each newly minted FLUENT dispensary features the company’s flagship brand portfolio, including KNACK (premium everyday flower), MOODS (versatile vaporizers), and Wandr (edibles tailored for personalized experiences). Over the coming months, New York customers can also expect access to Alien Labs and Connected Cannabis—two California heavyweights known for exotic strains and quality craftsmanship.

All locations are now fully integrated into FLUENT’s digital ecosystem, enabling online ordering and in-store pickup via getfluent.com.

Bottom line: FLUENT isn’t just planting its flag—it’s weaving a unified retail identity across New York, positioning itself for scale just as the state’s adult-use market begins to find its rhythm.

$VFF ( ▼ 3.51% ) Passes The Smell Test

What’s Going On Here: Village Farms International (Nasdaq: VFF) is bringing a new kind of sensory experience to cannabis shopping. Its flagship brand, Pure Sunfarms, has launched Canada’s first one-way aroma valve built directly into dried flower packaging — a small but clever innovation that could make a big difference in how consumers connect with their cannabis.

The pressure-activated valve allows shoppers to gently squeeze the pouch and sample the flower’s natural scent — all without opening the package or compromising freshness. Borrowing tech long used in premium coffee packaging, the design keeps air, moisture, and contaminants out, while letting pure aroma flow through.

“Smell is powerful — it’s memory, emotion, and instinct all rolled into one,” said Orville Bovenschen, President of Village Farms Canadian Cannabis. “First, we gave people a window so they could see the flower. Now, we’ve added a valve so they can smell it. It’s more than just aroma — it’s accessibility and experience.”

The company says this latest feature builds on the success of Pure Sunfarms’ windowed packaging, continuing its mission to make cannabis shopping more interactive and inclusive. The goal: bring consumers closer to the farm-to-flower experience that defined pre-legalization cannabis culture — but in a compliant, retail-friendly way.

The new aroma-valve pouches will begin rolling out nationwide this month, starting with Pure Sunfarms ounces before expanding to other top-selling SKUs.

Bottom line: Village Farms just gave the phrase “follow your nose” a legal-market upgrade. With this innovation, Pure Sunfarms isn’t just selling cannabis — it’s re-engineering the sensory ritual that makes choosing your strain feel personal again.

🗞️ The News

📺 YouTube

Fragmented Cannabis State Laws Fuel Investor Confusion

What we will cover:

✅ What happens when every state takes cannabis policy into its own hands? Today, we’re breaking down the growing patchwork of laws and agendas shaping the U.S. cannabis market — from Massachusetts’ repeal campaign and Ohio’s rollback bill to Pennsylvania’s new Cannabis Control Board and a viral LinkedIn post from MC Nutraceuticals CEO Brett Worley that’s shaken the hemp industry.

The TDR Trade To Black Podcast presented by Dutchie, with host Shadd Dales and co-host Anthony Varrell, dives into how the absence of federal leadership is fueling confusion and volatility across the cannabis landscape. We’re covering how operators like Curaleaf Holdings (TSX: CURA / OTC: CURLF), Verano Holdings (CBOE: VRNO), Trulieve Cannabis (CSE: TRUL / OTC: TCNNF), Green Thumb Industries (CSE: GTII / OTC: GTBIF), Cresco Labs (CSE: CL / OTC: CRLBF), TerrAscend (TSX: TSND / OTC: TSNDF), MariMed (CSE: MRMD / OTC: MRMD), and Jushi Holdings (CSE: JUSH / OTC: JUSHF) are positioning amid political theatrics, policy rewrites, and regulatory overhauls. From hemp panic to state-level reform, this episode connects the dots on how fragmented cannabis policy continues to drive both risk and opportunity.