•Curaleaf has opened its first dedicated retail shop for hemp-derived THC products in West Palm Beach, Florida. Previously, the store—which is now The Hemp Company by Curaleaf—was one of Curaleaf’s medical cannabis dispensaries. According to Curaleaf chairman and CEO Boris Jordan, this is the first time a medical dispensary has transitioned from the regulated cannabis market to hemp-derived products. The store stocks a variety of hemp-derived offerings from Curaleaf’s own brands like Select, as well as from other hemp-derived brands like Wynk, Cann, Wyld, and Keef, among others.

•Wana Brands president Joe Hodas has stepped down, citing “a pretty normal cycle of acquisition, cost cutting, and consolidation” in a LinkedIn post announcing the move. Hodas has led Wana since founder Nancy Whiteman departed the company last April. Wana was acquired by Canopy USA in a deal that closed last year for approximately $350 million. Hodas has not announced his next professional move, nor has Canopy USA announced his successor.

•Arizona cannabis sales fell last year, dropping 10% to roughly $1.3 billion. Last year was the second decline in a row, with the state’s cannabis market peaking in 2022 at $1.5 billion before declining in 2023 and 2024. Adult-use sales in the state were nearly flat, dropping by $43 million to $1.1 billion. Medical sales, however, contracted by roughly 40%, dropping to $243 million. This drop continues a long-running trend in medical sales after adult-use legalization across multiple states. Since 2022, the share of adult-use sales in Arizona has grown substantially, with 81% of the cannabis sold in 2024 coming from adult-use dispensaries, versus 66% adult-use sales in 2022.

•The Distilled Spirits Council of the United States (DISCUS) has released a policy update affirming its stance on taxing and regulating intoxicating hemp products, while signaling support for closing the Farm Bill loophole allowing such products and for state-level regulation in the absence of federal guidance. In addition, DISCUS supports creating roadside impairment tests and other responsibility measures. “We support the growing group of federal legislators in their efforts to close the Farm Bill loophole that unintentionally allowed intoxicating-hemp products to be sold across the country absent any taxation or regulation,” said Chris Swonger, DISCUS president and CEO.