🌿 Midwest states mull hemp THC regulation, Edibles.com expands nationwide, and 1906 enters beverage market

Happy Friday Pre Rollers! Welcome to another edition of The Pre Roll, the cannabis newsletter that keeps you up-to-date on the industry happenings you need to know.

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Here’s what we’re rolling up this week:

• Midwest states mull hemp THC regulation

• Edibles.com expands nationwide

• 1906 enters beverage market

…and more. Let’s get to it.

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🚨 ROLL CALL

Policy

Hemp-derived hurdles. Midwest states are wrestling with how to manage the booming market for intoxicating hemp-derived THC products, but their approaches vary amid political divides and industry pushback.

Amid ongoing legislative inaction and growing concerns about protecting children, Illinois Governor JB Pritzker has signaled he may use executive authority to regulate these products.

Michigan is exploring a revenue-focused strategy, with lawmakers considering bringing hemp-derived THC beverages under the Michigan Liquor Control Commission’s oversight to enable taxation.

In St. Louis County, Missouri, a proposed ban to limit the sale of unregulated hemp-derived cannabis products to dispensaries was dropped following strong pushback from retailers, but officials indicated they hope state lawmakers will take up the issue instead.

Meanwhile, Wisconsin Republicans are pushing for a more prohibitive path, proposing a full ban on hemp-derived THC.

Across these states, the common thread is the urgent need to balance public safety, economic interests, and regulatory clarity in a rapidly evolving market.

Business

Edibles expansion. The parent company of Edible Arrangements, the brand known for its fruit bouquet baskets, announced a nationwide expansion of Edibles.com, its eCommerce marketplace for hemp-derived THC products. Following a successful pilot, the company is now expanding to serve over 65% of the United States with direct shipping to all legal states and extended same-day local delivery in North Carolina, Florida, Georgia, and Texas supported by independent fulfillment centers.

The new venture launched earlier this year in March offering a selection from brands such as Cann, Wana, 1906, Happi, Cantrip, and ayrloom. New partners include Wyld and Kiva Confections.

This wider rollout reflects their strategy to combine eCommerce, logistics, and a future retail presence to build a comprehensive ecosystem.

Products

Beverage bet. Cannabis wellness and edibles brand 1906 introduced its first foray into beverages with a new neutral-flavored cannabis spirit made to blend seamlessly into cocktails, mocktails, sparkling water, or soda.

The drink has been dubbed by 1906 as “the vodka of cannabis” due to its neutral flavor. It contains both THC and CBG. The effects were designed to kick in within 20 minutes and last two to three hours.

🇺🇸 STATE OF THE INDUSTRY

Delaware: Licensed cannabis businesses can now to transfer their permits between counties, removing the prior restriction that tied licenses to a specific county.

New York: The Office of Cannabis Management has unveiled an implementation plan for the state’s new track‑and‑trace system, Metrc, that will require all licensed cannabis operators to be in the system by December.

Vermont: Regulators settled a lawsuit with a cannabis retailer, leading to eased advertising restrictions in which ads get automatic approval if the board doesn’t respond in five days and social media promotion is permitted as long as no pictures are used.

💻 TECH

Lucid Green lands fresh funding

The provider of item-level supply chain transparency, inventory optimization, and consumer engagement solutions raised capital to fuel its expansion after its tracking‑ID system exceeded 160 million units deployed.

💨 QUICK HITTERS

• Kentucky-based Cornbread Hemp filed a federal lawsuit against the state of Tennessee over a new law requiring hemp products to go through in-state wholesalers and retailers, effectively banning DTC sales from out-of-state sellers.

• California Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Marijuana Enforcement Team conducted raids on six illegal cannabis grow operations negatively impacting natural resources on publicly accessible sites across the state.

• The British Columbia General Employees' Union strike has expanded to include alcohol and cannabis distribution warehouses, halting operations at key facilities.

• Sacramento approved cannabis consumption lounges, with the first few expected to open next year.

📚 WHAT WE’RE READING

• Rescheduling marijuana is the responsible choice for America (The Washington Times)

• What Will Marijuana Rescheduling Mean For Hemp, Which Is Already Fully Descheduled? (Op-Ed) (Marijuana Moment)

• Study Reveals Why Some Medical Cannabis Patients Use Illegal Products (University of Utah)

• Virginia’s medical marijuana program logs big sales, but patient concerns linger (Virginia Mercury)

📽️ VIDEO OF THE WEEK

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Stay tuned for more cannabis industry news next week!

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The Pre Roll Team

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