Cannabis Briefs for September 30, 2025

•Curaleaf has expanded its Anthem brand with Anthem Bold, a new line of pre-rolls, launching exclusively in the company’s dispensaries in Arizona, Illinois, New Jersey, and New York, ahead of wholesale availability. The new line is focused on high potency, with the rolled cannabis infused with THCA diamonds, which, according to Curaleaf, brings the average potency up to around 40% THC. Anthem Bold pre-rolls are available in six strains, with three featuring wooden tips—Blue Raspberry Kush (Indica), Pineapple Haze (Sativa), and Watermelon Z (Hybrid)—and three featuring glass tips—Blue Dream (Hybrid), King Louis XIII (Indica), and Acapulco Gold (Sativa).

•Illinois-based Winesellers Ltd. has entered the hemp THC category with Nektr, a new line of infused teas. The brand is launching with three flavors—Peach + Ginger, Blackberry + Sage, and Yuzu + Honey—all made with a blend of black and decaffeinated green teas, 5mg of hemp-derived THC, and organic agave nectar. The brand is now available for DTC ordering and in retail in Illinois, Minnesota, New Jersey, and Texas, among others, with retail expansion planned throughout the rest of the year. Nektr’s teas come in 4-packs of 12-ounce cans with DTC pricing at $24 a 4-pack.

•Maryland cannabis sales exceeded $100 million in August, bringing the state’s year-to-date sales to $779 million, according to the state’s cannabis regulator. Maryland’s August sales were heavily skewed toward the adult-use market, with retail consumers generating $80 million in sales and medical users contributing $20 million. Broken down by category, flower led the way in August, with sales generating $58 million in revenue, followed by concentrates at $30 million, and edibles at $12 million.

•California has lowered its cannabis excise tax back to 15%, responding to widespread industry pressure after the state bumped the tax up to 19% in July. The law, Assembly Bill 564, has been signed by Governor Gavin Newsom and will lock the cannabis excise tax at 15% through 2028. The move provides relief to California’s cannabis operators, who are burdened with high taxes and a large black market pulling customers away from legal dispensaries. Through the first six months of 2025, Californians purchased just under $2 billion in cannabis products.

•President Trump’s tariff-driven trade policy is set to place the pre-roll industry in a bind, with tariffs on India affecting imported paper cones used to make pre-rolls. The move is bad news for the industry, with pre-rolls among the leading growth categories in cannabis. Cones are most commonly made in India, China, and Indonesia, meaning that switching to a new supplier may not alleviate the tariff threat.

Tagged : anthem, cannabis, Curaleaf, Nektr, Tariffs, Winesellers Ltd.

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