🌿 Rescheduling begins with medical focus, Aurora and Tilray widen global reach, and POSaBIT platform expands into supply side

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.

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

…and more. Let’s get to it.

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Take two. The Department of Justice announced a major federal policy change yesterday, immediately placing both FDA-approved cannabis products and cannabis products covered by qualifying state medical cannabis licenses into Schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act. This marks the most significant policy shift in more than a half-century since the Controlled Substances Act came into effect.

The move, made under a directive tied to a December 2025 executive order signed by President Donald Trump, is intended to recognize accepted medical uses of cannabis in tightly regulated contexts while still maintaining federal controls against illicit trafficking.

It also removes the burden of IRS tax code 280E for state-legal medical cannabis operators, which prohibits them from deducting ordinary business expenses on their federal tax returns.

An expedited administrative process was reported as well, including hearings beginning in June 2026, to evaluate whether cannabis more broadly should be rescheduled from Schedule I to Schedule III.

Major cannabis MSOs including Cresco Labs and Trulieve were quick to applaud the rescheduling news.

Cannabis was previously classified in its entirety as a Schedule I substance alongside drugs such as heroin, LSD, and ecstasy, which are considered to have no accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse.

Former President Joe Biden originally initiated the rescheduling process in 2022. In 2023, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) made a recommendation for the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to move cannabis to Schedule III.

International scale. Aurora Cannabis and Tilray Brands both reinforced their global medical cannabis expansion strategies this month, underscoring a continued industry shift toward high-margin international medical markets and vertically integrated supply chains.

Aurora highlighted its acquisition of Safari Flower Company, an EU GMP–certified cultivation and manufacturing facility in Ontario, as a strategic move to expand production capacity for premium medical cannabis destined for key regulated export markets such as Germany, Australia, Poland, and the UK. The deal is positioned to strengthen Aurora’s already fast-growing international segment, which management has emphasized as its highest-margin business, while enhancing supply reliability and scale to capture additional global share in tightly regulated medical markets.

Similarly, Tilray Brands outlined its next phase of global growth by deepening its integrated medical cannabis platform and expanding its international footprint through strategic investments and acquisitions. The company emphasized the development of a fully vertically integrated model that combines cultivation, pharmaceutical-grade production, clinical care, and distribution — most recently through the acquisition of UK-based Lyphe Group, a UK-based medical cannabis clinic and digital pharmacy platform.

Other side. POSaBIT, a provider of point of sale and payment solutions for the cannabis industry, has introduced POSaBIT Brands, an AI-driven platform for cannabis producers and processors, expanding beyond its core retail business to address the supply side of the market. The new offering aims to better connect brands with retailers through shared data and streamlined operations.

The platform provides real-time sales and inventory visibility, business intelligence tools, a centralized product catalog, and features like vendor-managed inventory, order building, and B2B ACH payments. Its AI capabilities automate data mapping and analytics, helping brands identify trends, optimize promotions, and manage inventory more effectively.

The launch reflects a broader shift toward more integrated, data-driven cannabis infrastructure, giving producers improved insight into retail performance while strengthening supply chain coordination.

Connecticut: Legislators in the House passed a bill that removes most THC potency limits on cannabis products and allows higher strength edibles, concentrates, and flower in an effort to modernize regulations and keep the state’s legal market competitive.

Massachusetts: Governor Maura Healey signed a law overhauling the state’s cannabis system by dissolving and restructuring the Cannabis Control Commission, consolidating control under governor-appointed members, and updating cannabis rules such as higher purchase limits and expanded business licensing.

Virginia: Lawmakers declined to consider proposed changes from Governor Abigail Spanberger to a cannabis legalization bill, leaving the original legislation largely intact but signaling ongoing disagreement over how the state should structure its cannabis market.

LEEF Brands buys HIMALAYA

The extraction and manufacturing cannabis company is set to acquire the premium California concentrates brand for about $2.5 million in stock and warrants to enhance vertical integration, reduce costs, and expand margins and distribution.

Dutchie debuts 4/20 dashboard

The cannabis retail technology giant released a 4/20 dashboard showing strong growth in cannabis retail activity over the holiday weekend, highlighting shifting consumer behavior and category trends; cashless payments tripled year over year, and about one-third of orders came through digital channels like online pickup, kiosks, and mobile apps.

Cannabis 42.0 (Forbes): The business publication released the fifth-annual list, identifying the 42 leaders who are paving the way for the cannabis industry.

Overall Store Management Platform of the Year (RetailTech Breakthrough Awards): AI-driven video intelligence platform Solink was given the distinction by the leading independent market intelligence organization that evaluates and recognizes standout retail technology companies, products, and services around the globe.

April 30: Rudick Law Group is hosting a webinar called “Colombia: Supporting & Amplifying Local Economies in Cannabis, Wellness & Tourism” for free on Zoom.

May 12 — 14: The National Cannabis Industry Association (NCIA) is hosting its 14th Annual Cannabis Industry Lobby Days in Washington, D.C. — bringing operators, advocates, and industry leaders together to engage directly with policymakers at a pivotal moment for federal reform.

June 17 — 18: The International Cannabis Bar Association (INCBA) is hosting its 2026 Cannabis Law Institute (CLI2026), widely regarded as the leading annual conference for cannabis law practitioners, at Northwestern Pritzker School of Law in Chicago.

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Stay tuned for more cannabis industry news next week!

💚,

The Pre Roll Team

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