Cannabis and hemp taxes

California's DCC-2026-04-R: Splitting A/M Licenses to Pursue DEA Registration (Comments Due Dec. 14)

DCC's proposed permanent rules give dual-designated retailers a voluntary path to separate their medical side, California's step toward federal registration.

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DEA Registers 900+ Medical Dispensaries: What the Nov. 29 Supply-Chain Deadline Requires

DEA issued its first registrations to state-licensed medical dispensaries and told every timely applicant to trade only inside the DEA system by Nov. 29.

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DEA Judge Admits GAO Report, Refuses to Reopen Rescheduling Hearing; Stay Ends After Nov. 5 Briefs

DEA Chief ALJ Derek Julius admitted GAO-26-108623 into the rescheduling record, denied reopening and set optional briefs for Oct. 29 and Nov. 5.

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Illinois Reclassifies Hemp Products Over 0.4 mg THC as Cannabis on Nov. 12 — a Month Before the Federal Line

An Illinois Revenue bulletin says hemp products over 0.4 mg total THC per container become cannabis on Nov. 12, 2026. The state line binds a month before the federal one.

Is CBD Legal in Tennessee? The 2026 Rules for Hemp-Derived Cannabinoids, THCA Counting and Who Can Sell

Tennessee draws its line at detectable THC, not at the word CBD: THC-free isolate is unregulated, while full-spectrum oil, gummies and flower are ABC-licensed, 21+ products under a THCA-counting test. The state's head start on THCA does not protect it from the federal 0.4 mg per-container cap arriving December 11.

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D.C. Circuit Denies Stay of Schedule III Medical-Marijuana Order: What No. 26-1106 Does and Does Not Decide

A three-judge panel refused to pause the Attorney General's April order moving state-licensed medical marijuana to Schedule III. The merits fight now runs on a consolidated, joint-brief track the court itself set in motion — likely a year of status quo before any ruling on validity.

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Maryland's New Packaging Rules Are Live — and the Draft Behind Them Could Cost You a Conditional License. Comment Closes September 30

Two live obligations in one state — packaging rules already in force, and a draft that turns a missed MCA email into a lost conditional license. Comment closes September 30.

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A Bill to Make Cannabis Insurable: The Cramer–Gallego Insurance Shield, Explained

Cannabis businesses pay surplus-lines prices for thin coverage because insurers fear federal exposure. A new bipartisan bill takes aim at exactly that.

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The Rescheduling Record Is Closed: What the Final Witnesses Said — and What Happens Next

The evidentiary record is closed. The opposition's star witness conceded marijuana meets Schedule III criteria. Here's the timeline from ALJ recommendation to final rule.

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Inside Week One of the DEA Rescheduling Hearing — and What July 6–15 Decides

Government witnesses defended cannabis's medical value while opponents attacked the FDA's test. Here's what happened in week one and what's left.

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Drug Testers Ask a Court to Freeze Cannabis Rescheduling — What Operators Should Do Now

A drug-testing trade group and a pharmaceutical company asked a federal appeals court to freeze marijuana rescheduling, reviving uncertainty over 280E relief and DEA registration.

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DEA's June 29 Rescheduling Hearing: Who Just Filed to Participate and What Operators Should Watch

The broader rescheduling administrative hearing begins June 29, 2026. The slate of participants is now largely fixed after the May 28 filing deadline. The hearing record will shape what cannabis operators can expect on 280E, banking, and research access.

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Medical vs. Recreational Cannabis After Rescheduling: The Two-Tier Federal Market

The April 2026 order created a two-tier federal cannabis market — Schedule III for medical, Schedule I for recreational. Here is what it means and what comes next.

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Cannabis 280E After Schedule III: The 2026 Operator and CPA Tax Playbook

How the April 2026 rescheduling changes 280E for medical operators — the Treasury transition rule, the retroactive refund question, and a CFO playbook for FY2026.

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Inside the DEA Rescheduling Hearing: What's at Stake as Testimony Begins

The DEA's expedited rescheduling hearing runs June 29 to July 15. Who's testifying and what a Schedule III decision would change for operators.

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Federal Cannabis Rescheduling in 2026: Compliance Actions Operators Should Take Before the Rules Are Final

Executive Order 14370, signed December 18, 2025, directs the Attorney General to expedite federal cannabis rescheduling from Schedule I to Schedule III.

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Schedule III and Cannabis Banking: What Rescheduling Actually Changes for Payments, Lending, and Listings

Schedule III rescheduling removes Schedule I criminal risk but does not automatically unlock cannabis banking, payments, lending, or public listings in 2026.

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Trump's Rescheduling Executive Order: A Schedule III Operational Readiness Checklist

Executive Order 14370, signed December 18, 2025, requires cannabis operators to build a Schedule III operational readiness checklist before DEA rules finalize.

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280E Survival Stack: Finance Controls Cannabis CFOs Need Before Year-End Close

Cannabis CFOs can defend IRC 280E positions at year-end by hardening chart of accounts, inventory costing, intercompany flows, and document retention.

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Canada 2025–2026: Preparing for Digital or Unified Excise Stamps—A Practical Roadmap for Cannabis Beverages

Canada signaled a shift from 13 province-specific cannabis excise stamps toward a unified national stamp, with packaging and co-pack implications for beverages.

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Canada 2025 Excise Tax Reform and Fixing Excise Stamps: What Cannabis and THC Drink Brands Should Plan For

Canada signaled 2025-2026 cannabis excise reform on the dollar-per-gram or 10 percent minimum duty and a move toward a single national excise stamp.

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Ontario’s Blue Box Shake‑Up: 2025 EPR Cost Pressures and Labeling Implications for Cannabis and THC Beverages

Ontario Blue Box EPR transition under O. Reg. 391/21 is adding 2025 cost pressure and labeling scrutiny for THC and CBD beverage producers in the province.

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UK Plastic Packaging Tax in 2025: Cost and Data Impacts for CBD/THC Drink Imports

UK Plastic Packaging Tax rose to 223.69 GBP per tonne on 1 April 2025 and indexes to 228.82 GBP per tonne on 1 April 2026 for under-30-percent recycled plastic.

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EU CBAM Meets THC Beverage Cans: Aluminum Embedded‑Carbon Reporting for 2025–2026

EU CBAM enters its definitive phase January 1, 2026, creating aluminum can supply-chain reporting obligations for U.S. THC beverage brands selling in Europe.

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Massachusetts’ Proposed $4.05/Gallon Hemp Beverage Tax: Price Modeling and Retail Pass‑Through Scenarios for 2026

Massachusetts is weighing a $4.05 per gallon excise on hemp beverages and CCC oversight; this models price impact and retailer pass-through scenarios.

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Pennsylvania on Pause: Governor Pushback Stalls Cannabis Bills—What It Means for Hemp‑THC Drinks in 2025–2026

Pennsylvania's cannabis legalization momentum stalled in September 2025 after the Governor urged a pause on new bills, leaving hemp THC drinks in limbo.

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The ABC Model Takes Over Hemp‑THC Beverages in the South: Comparing Alabama, Tennessee, and Kentucky in Late 2025

Alabama, Tennessee, and Kentucky are moving hemp-derived THC beverages to ABC three-tier distribution, age-21 gating, and alcohol-style excise in 2025.

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New Jersey's Data Privacy Rules Meet Cannabis Ecommerce: NJDPA Compliance for Age‑Gated Sites in 2025

The New Jersey Data Privacy Act took effect January 15, 2025, adding consumer privacy duties to age-gated cannabis ecommerce, ID scanning, and delivery.

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Chicago’s 2025 Hemp & Kratom Ordinance (O2025-0018771): Age‑21 Sales, New Retail Permits, and a City Tax on THC Drinks?

Chicago Ordinance O2025-0018771 would set age-21 hemp and kratom sales, retailer permits, and a possible city tax on THC drinks under new Chapter 4-65.

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Missouri 2026: The Alcohol‑Model Ballot Initiative for Cannabis and Hemp—What It Would Mean for THC Drinks

A September 2025 Missouri initiative would replace the constitutional cannabis program with an alcohol-model framework covering THC and hemp beverages.

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Build a Ship‑Block Engine for Hemp‑THC DTC: Automating State Bans, Carrier Rules, and Tax Logic Before Q4 2025

A 2025 hemp-THC DTC ship-block engine automates state bans, carrier rules, and tax logic, helping brands hold Q4 launches without manual jurisdictional triage.

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Store‑Brand THC Drinks: Private Label Compliance for Grocers and C‑Stores in 2025

Grocers and convenience chains launching private-label hemp THC beverages in 2025 become the responsible person for labeling, traceability, recalls, and excise.

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Marketplace Facilitator Taxes Meet Hemp‑THC: Who Collects on TikTok Shop, Amazon, and Beyond?

Hemp-THC sellers face a state-by-state tax patchwork in 2026 — marketplace facilitator rules rarely apply when Amazon and TikTok Shop ban the listings.

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Gift Cards, Wallets, and Loyalty Points: 2025 Unclaimed‑Property Traps for Cannabis Retail

Massachusetts cannabis retailers face 2025 unclaimed-property audits on gift cards, wallet credits, and loyalty points under tightened escheatment rules.

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Form 8300 in the Hemp Era: Cash Transaction Reporting Risks for CBD and THC‑Drink Retailers in 2025

Hemp CBD and THC drink retailers handling over 10,000 dollars cash in 2025 must file IRS Form 8300 under Section 6050I, exposing pop-ups to audits.

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Illinois 2025: A Beverage‑Specific THC Tax and License Model Emerges—What SB 1766 Signals

Illinois SB 1766 advances a 2025 beverage-specific THC excise tax and licensing model that borrows from alcohol three-tier rules for hemp-derived drink makers.

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Mexico CBD Imports in 2026: COFEPRIS Approvals, 2026 Customs Reform & Medical-Use Rules

Mexico's COFEPRIS modernized CBD imports in June 2025, but 2026 customs reform adds duties and audits. Medical-use only — importer compliance steps inside.

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Texas Q4 2025: DSHS-Led Hemp Cannabinoid Rules on Deck—Testing, Labels, Fees, and Multi-Agency Enforcement

Texas DSHS will issue Q4 2025 hemp cannabinoid rules on testing, labeling, fees, and multi-agency oversight that retailers must prepare for now.

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Missouri’s Supreme Court Ends Local Tax Stacking on Cannabis: Pricing, Refunds, and POS Compliance Playbook

The Missouri Supreme Court ended local tax stacking on adult-use cannabis, forcing pricing, refunds, and POS configuration changes for dispensaries.

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Schedule III, 280E Relief, and the Limits of Rescheduling: A 2025 Compliance Playbook

Cannabis rescheduling to Schedule III remains unresolved in 2025, with limits on 280E relief, banking, and interstate commerce shaping the playbook.

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Schedule III, Then What? Rescheduling’s Hidden Compliance Ripple Effects in 2025–2026

Federal cannabis rescheduling to Schedule III would end IRC 280E and open research pathways, but state licensing and many federal controls stay in place.

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Kentucky’s New Three‑Tier System for THC Beverages: SB 202, Moratorium Risks, and How to Distribute in 2025‑2026

Kentucky SB 202, signed in early 2025, imposes a three-tier producer-distributor-retailer model on cannabis-infused beverages, barring vertical integration.

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Can You Ship Hemp Vapes Under the PACT Act in 2026? DTC Banned, B2B Allowed

No — DTC hemp vape shipping is banned in 2026 under the PACT Act. USPS, UPS, FedEx, and DHL all refuse. B2B is allowed with ATF registration & tax reporting.

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Tennessee’s 2025 Overhaul of Hemp-Derived Cannabinoids: ABC Oversight, New Licenses, and On-Premise Sales

Tennessee's 2025 overhaul moves hemp-derived cannabinoids under the Alcoholic Beverage Commission effective January 1, 2026, with new licenses and tax rules.

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Florida’s 2025 Hemp Bills: THC Beverage Limits, New Taxes, and Synthetic Bans Explained

Florida's 2025 legislative session advanced hemp bills proposing THC beverage milligram caps, new excise taxes, and bans on delta-8 and HHC synthetics.

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Everything You Need to Know About Delaware’s Cannabis Rollout: Licensing, Compliance, and Market Insights

Delaware's adult-use cannabis market launched under House Bills 1 and 2, with personal possession of up to one ounce legal since April 23, 2023.

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Doing More with Less: How AI is Giving Cannabis Operators a Competitive Edge in 2025

Cannabis operators in 2025 face 280E pressure and 2026 debt maturities, leading many to deploy AI for pricing, compliance, and customer experience gains.

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Why Cannabis Software Providers Need AI-Powered Compliance Tools for Cost Efficiency and Precision

Cannabis software providers can replace $10,000-plus monthly legal retainers with AI compliance tools that track state tax rates, purchase limits, and rules.

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