Noelle Skodzinski
Verified- Editorial Director and Editor, Cannabis Business Times
- Editorial Director and Editor, GIE Media
- Editorial Director and Editor, Cannabis Dispensary Magazine
New Jersey
Founder, President & Editorial Director of Cannabis Business Times (@CBTmag)
Is this you? As a journalist, you can create a free Muck Rack account to customize your profile, list your contact preferences, and upload a portfolio of your best work.
Claim your profile
Articles by Noelle Skodzinski
Boston Mayor Joins Effort to Protect Legal Cannabis in Massachusetts
Boston Mayor Michelle Wu is the latest high-profile elected official to join the efforts to stop the prohibitionist-driven effort to repeal Massachusetts’ voter-approved cannabis legalization law. The No on 8: Stop the Repeal campaign – which launched in June to defeat Ballot Question 8 that would repeal the state’s voter-approved adult-use cannabis laws – announced her endorsement Oct. 14.
‘DEA Comes Out Swinging in Cannabis Rescheduling Hearing' Leads CBT’s Top Stories in June
The hearing to debate the merits of the Department of Justice’s proposed rule to reschedule cannabis – what many consider the most significant drug reform decision in over 50 years – along with the future of cannabinoid hemp, which continues to hang in the balance, once again captured the lion’s share of the industry’s interest in June.
DEA Says Red-Flag Question on Schedule III Application ‘Not Intended … as a Categorical Barrier’
That requirement stipulated that state-licensed medical cannabis businesses must register their operations with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to become Schedule III compliant. A big perk of Schedule III compliance is Section 280E tax relief, although some industry constituents have debated in recent weeks whether the DEA registration is required for that tax relief.
Naked Man Allegedly Injured by Exploding Vape Pen Sues Cannabis Businesses
Gustavo Mendes was standing in his bathroom “in a state of undress” while using a cannabis vape pen he recently purchased at a licensed Oregon dispensary when the pen exploded in his hands, injuring him and causing a small fire, according to a lawsuit filed Feb. 7, as first reported by The Oregonian/OregonLive.
Sky Labs in Hot Water Again, Allegedly Possessing More Than 2,000 Pounds of Hemp-Derived Isolate
The Michigan Cannabis Regulatory Agency (CRA) has filed yet another formal complaint against Sky Labs LLC, an adult-use cannabis processor located in Mt. Morris, for its receipt and handling of more than one million grams (equal to 2,204 pounds) of product identified as “Isolate (hemp concentrate).” The complaint alleges 10 violations that also include missing and mis-time-stamped security footage, lack of required product testing, noncompliant sources for product purchases and transfers, and...
Former DEA Special Agent Derek S. Maltz Appointed Acting DEA Administrator
The Trump Administration announced on Jan. 21 the appointment of Derek S. Maltz as Acting Administrator of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the agency that has the final say in the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) proposed rule to reschedule cannabis from a Schedule I to a Schedule III drug under the Controlled Substances Act. Maltz replaces Anne Milgram, who left the agency last week, according to a DEA press release announcing the appointment.
Judge Halts Corporate Transparency Act, Calling It a ‘QuasiOrwellian’ Statute
The United States district court in the Eastern District of Texas granted a motion for a preliminary injunction halting the U.S. government from implementing and enforcing the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA). In his 79-page memorandum opinion and order issued Dec. 3, Judge Amos L. Mazzant called the act a “flanking, quasiOrwellian statute.” The CTA took effect Jan.
Cannabis Rescheduling Hearing to Run Through March 2025
Those waiting to find out if cannabis will be rescheduled will have to wait at least a few more months. The rescheduling hearing will begin Jan. 21, 2025, and run through March 6, according to the Prehearing Ruling signed Dec. 4 by Quinn Fox, staff assistant to the Chief Judge, Office of Administrative Law Judges (OALJ).
Trump Is in: Will Pro-Cannabis Reform Be in or Out?
During Trump’s first term, he appointed a staunch cannabis prohibitionist, Jeff Sessions, as U.S. attorney general. Sessions’ anti-cannabis remarks while serving as a U.S. senator became well-known throughout the fledgling cannabis industry. “We need grown-ups in charge in Washington who say that marijuana is not the kind of thing that ought to be legalized.
U.S. Hemp Roundtable, Others, File for a Temporary Restraining Order to Halt California’s ‘Hemp-Killing’ Regulations
The U.S. Hemp Roundtable, along with Cheech and Chong’s, Juicetiva Inc., Blaze Life LLC, Boldt Runners Corp., Lucky To Be Beverage Co., and Sunflora, Inc., filed on Oct. 4 an application for a temporary restraining order (TRO) to halt the implementation, enactment and enforcement of the emergency regulations issued by California Governor Gavin Newsom on Sept. 6 and approved by the Office of Administrative Law on Sept. 23.
1st Sovereignty Summit to Bring Together Tribal Nations for Cannabis Education
The first Sovereignty Summit will take place Sept. 5-7 at the Cookies U campus in the Redwoods of Humboldt County, Calif. The event—organized by cannabis industry veteran Lindsey Renner, owner of Native Humboldt Farms—will bring together tribal leaders from throughout the U.S. and will focus on “education, collaboration and impact.” Networking events, roundtable discussions (sponsored by Cannabis Business Times), educational panels and a facilities tour will take place throughout the summit.
1st Sovereignty Summit to Bring Together Tribal Nations for Cannabis Education
The first Sovereignty Summit will take place Sept. 5-7 at the Cookies U campus in the Redwoods of Humboldt County, Calif. The event—organized by cannabis industry veteran Lindsey Renner, owner of Native Humboldt Farms—will bring together tribal leaders from throughout the U.S. and will focus on “education, collaboration and impact.” Networking events, roundtable discussions (sponsored by Cannabis Business Times), educational panels and a facilities tour will take place throughout the summit.
Virginia Hemp Businesses Fined $12.4 Million Since July 2023, Including $1.6 Million Last Month
In July 2023, new restrictions on hemp-derived edible products manufactured or sold in Virginia took effect, and enforcement has resulted in 13 months of state-driven inspections and civil penalty assessments totaling $12.4 million against hundreds of businesses.
Tilray to Acquire 4 Craft Beer Breweries From Molson Coors
Global cannabis giant Tilray Brands Inc. keeps hopping further into the beer market. The company announced Aug. 13 that it entered into a definitive agreement to acquire four craft breweries from Molson Coors Beverage Co. The acquisition includes Oregon-based Hop Valley Brewing Co., Georgia-based Terrapin Beer Co., Texas-based Revolver Brewing, and Michigan-based Atwater Brewery, and will bring the company’s beverage footprint to a total of 18 brands.
Rescheduling Update: How Long Is the Wait? What’s Next?
Key topics in this article: The process and timeframe to review the 43,564 comments Insights from comparative rescheduling (hydrocodone) Administrative priority: comparing another proposed rule (Student Debt Relief) Hearing requirements and timing Possible litigation after the final rule and what litigation would have to prove After the public comment period closed on July 22 on the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) proposed rule to reschedule cannabis from a Schedule I to a Schedule III drug...
Cannabis Products Found to Contain Insects and Human Hair Recalled in New Jersey
The New Jersey Cannabis Regulatory Commission (CRC) issued a mandatory recall notice dated July 29 for wholesale flower sold by cultivator Green Medicine NJ and resold retail under the tradename Green Joy. The products were recalled after an investigation by the CRC found that 12 of 15 cannabis samples tested from a single dispensary contained insects and one package “contained what appeared to be human hair,” according to the CRC.
30,000+ Comments Submitted on DEA’s Proposed Rescheduling Rule
With one week left in the public comment period on the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) proposed rule to reclassify cannabis to a Schedule III drug under the Controlled Substances Act (CSA), 30,640 comments have already been submitted. More than 1,100 comments were submitted in the past three days, and nearly 3,000 in the past seven days.
North Dakota Group Submits Signatures to Place Adult-Use Legalization Initiative on November Ballot
After failed attempts in two previous elections, North Dakota voters are on track to get another chance to legalize adult-use cannabis in November. New Economic Frontier (NEF), the committee behind the state’s most recent initiative to legalize adult-use cannabis, announced that it submitted 22,444 signatures—more than the 15,582 required—to qualify for the November 2024 ballot.
Judge Dismisses Lawsuit Challenging CSA’s Constitutionality, but Says Cannabis’s Regulation Under CSA Should Be Reexamined
A U.S. district judge granted on July 1 a motion to dismiss a high-profile case brought against U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland by a group of state-licensed cannabis operators.
Legal Settlement Allows for 1st Maritime Transport of State-Legal Cannabis in Massachusetts
In a historic first, licensed cannabis businesses in Massachusetts are now able to ship cannabis over intrastate waterways, reversing a Cannabis Control Commission (CCC) policy that banned transport between mainland Massachusetts and its islands. Until now, island-based dispensaries were forced to produce their own inventory or buy it from cultivators on the island.
Class Action Suit Calls New York City’s Crackdown on ‘Illegal’ Cannabis Shops Unconstitutional
A class action lawsuit filed June 12 against the City of New York and several city officials claims the closure of hundreds of businesses under the SMOKEOUT Act is unconstitutional.
Cannabis Beverage Sales Growth Slower Than Edibles Sales Growth
While a recent report found that daily cannabis consumption now outpaces daily alcohol consumption in the United States, Americans aren’t necessarily replacing alcoholic beverages with cannabis beverages. While cannabis beverage sales have grown, they have grown more slowly than the total edibles category between Q1 2022 and Q1 2024, according to cannabis data company BDSA.
‘Devastating’ Hemp Amendment Language Included in FY 2025 Agriculture/FDA Bill
The House Appropriations Committee released the Fiscal Year 2025 bill for the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Subcommittee on June 10, and included in it is amended language from the draft 2024 Farm Bill amendment offered by Rep. Mary Miller, R-Ill., which hemp advocates say would be “devastating” to the industry.
Criminalization Will Make Delta-8, Delta-10 THC, etc., ‘All the More Dangerous’ Says Harvard Medical Instructor and Leading Cannabis Expert
Hemp-derived intoxicating cannabinoids, such as delta-9 and delta-8 THC, took the U.S. and even global consumer marketplace by storm in recent years, through what is considered an unintended “loophole” in the 2018 Farm Bill. These intoxicating cannabinoids, which occur in relatively low levels in the hemp plant, can by synthesized from cannabinoids, such as cannabidiol (CBD), found in hemp, and therefore became federally legal alongside hemp.
Florida Governor Vetoes Controversial Hemp Bill
Opponents of Senate Bill 1698, an act relating to food and hemp products, celebrated a victory June 7 when Florida Governor Ron DeSantis vetoed the bill that was passed in early March by the state Senate, 39-0, and House, 64-48. “While Senate Bill 1698's goals are commendable, the bill would, in fact, impose debilitating regulatory burdens on small businesses and almost certainly fail to achieve its purposes,” DeSantis wrote in a letter to Florida Secretary of State Cord Byrd.
Florida in Spotlight for Controversial Hemp Legislation
All eyes are again on Florida, but this time as it relates to the hemp industry instead of the citizen-initiated constitutional amendment to legalize adult-use cannabis in the November 2024 election. At center stage is Senate Bill 1698, which was passed by the state Senate, 39-0, and House, 64-48, and is headed for Gov. Ron DeSantis’ desk for his signature—or, as many in the hemp industry hope, his veto.
Canada's Oversupply: 53.7 Million Unsold Cannabis Products in December
Canada continues to face its multiyear cannabis supply-and-demand imbalance. Following a brief supply shortage when it first rolled out its federally legal adult-use program in October 2018, unpackaged and packaged products were in such surplus that they were eventually destroyed by the third full year of the program.
Farm Bill 2024: 'The Sky Isn't Falling ... Yet' for Hemp Industry
Industry reactions have been mixed and often heated after an amendment that proposes redefining hemp was added to the draft 2024 Farm Bill, closing loopholes in the bill that would essentially shutter much of the cannabinoid hemp market and the THCA seed market should it become law. The amendment, offered by Rep.
Farm Bill Amendment Would ‘Devastate’ Hemp-Derived Cannabinoid Industry, Close THCA Loophole for Seed and Flower Sales
Editor’s note: This is a developing story. A proposed amendment to redefine hemp in the 2024 Farm Bill would effectively make the intoxicating hemp-derived cannabinoid market illegal. It also would hinder seed companies, breeders and cannabis flower producers from selling seeds and cannabis flower across state lines in the U.S. under what is considered a loophole in the 2018 Farm Bill. The amendment, offered by Rep.
Will a Lawsuit Challenging CSA’s Constitutionality Move Forward?
Oral arguments unfolded May 22 in a motion hearing for the high profile lawsuit Canna Provisions Inc. et al v. Garland, brought against U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland by a group of state-licensed cannabis operators. The suit asserts that the federal government has no basis for enforcing the Controlled Substances Act against intrastate, state-regulated cannabis operations.
Does Trulieve’s Tax Strategy Tie Into a Bigger Cannabis Industry Battle?
Does Trulieve’s Tax Strategy Tie Into a Bigger Cannabis Industry Battle? How a possibly outdated legal precedent, a pending lawsuit against the U.S. Attorney General, the U.S. Constitution, the Clean Water Act and interstate waterways may all relate to Trulieve’s and other high-profile 280E tax refund cases—and what major legal ‘fight’ we’re going to see playing out this year.
Cannabis Industry Reacts to Biden’s Rescheduling Announcement
The industry stepped into high gear sharing reactions to President Joe Biden’s May 16 confirmation that the White House is moving forward on the next step to reclassify cannabis, from a Schedule I to a Schedule III drug, under the Controlled Substances Act (CSA).
Total Wine & More Takes Another Step Into Hemp-Derived THC-Infused Beverage Market
Just ahead of 4/20, Snoop Dogg, Death Row Records & Hill Beverage Company announced their new partnership with Total Wine & More to debut the Do it Fluid line of CBD- and hemp-derived THC- infused beverages at all Total Wine locations throughout California. The product line—from Hill Beverage Co. and made in collaboration with Snoop Dogg and Death Row Records—will also be available nationwide via a delivery partnership with Total Wine.
Total Wine & More Takes Another Step Into Hemp-Derived THC-Infused Beverage Market
Just ahead of 4/20, Snoop Dogg, Death Row Records & Hill Beverage Company announced their new partnership with Total Wine & More to debut the Do it Fluid line of CBD- and hemp-derived THC- infused beverages at all Total Wine locations throughout California. The product line—from Hill Beverage Co. and made in collaboration with Snoop Dogg and Death Row Records—will also be available nationwide via a delivery partnership with Total Wine.
Special Report: 4 in 5 Cannabis Businesses Want Intoxicating Hemp Regulated; So Do Nearly 50% of Hemp Businesses
The majority of constituents from the state-legal cannabis industry believe intoxicating hemp-derived cannabinoids should be regulated in the same way as products sold in medical and/or adult-use state-legal cannabis markets. 51% of constituents from the hemp industry believe these cannabinoids should not be regulated the same way as products sold in medical and/or adult-use state-legal cannabis markets; 46% believe they should.
Key Takeaways From USDA's 2024 Hemp Report
The USDA’s 2024 “National Hemp Report” shows the value of hemp production, including floral hemp and seed production, is trending upward, though harvested hemp still exceeds hemp sold. Here are some of the key statistics to know.
Former Deputy Attorney General James Cole Weighs in on Cannabis Rescheduling and What’s Next
“Yesterday's news regarding the DOJ proposal to move cannabis from Schedule I to Schedule I is of tremendous importance and substance and should be applauded,” said Former U.S. Deputy Attorney General James M.
UPDATE: DEA Moves to Reschedule Cannabis
Updated 8:15 a.m.. May 1, 2024. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is moving to reclassify cannabis as a Schedule III drug under the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) in a historic decision with wide-ranging and still unclear implications. "Today, the Attorney General circulated a proposal to reclassify marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III," U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) Director of Public Affairs Xochitl Hinojosa said in a statement sent to Cannabis Business Times on April 30.
AYR Wellness and Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine Partner on Medical Research Studying ‘Quality of Life’ Benefits of Medical Cannabis
AYR Wellness Inc., a vertically integrated U.S. multistate cannabis operator (MSO), has partnered with the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM) to conduct medical studies and publish research papers to explore cannabis’s impact on patients’ quality of life and to help destigmatize the plant. The two organizations published their first research paper in the peer-reviewed “Journal of Medical Cannabis & Cannabinoids” on Feb.
Cannabis Rescheduling Update: Is a ‘Notoriously Secretive Agency’ Now Involved?
A “notoriously secretive agency” may have been brought into the cannabis-scheduling review picture, raising new questions and concerns about the outcome of the review ordered by President Joe Biden in October 2022. The Health and Human Services Department (HHS) recently asked the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Office of Legal Counsel (OLC) to “weigh in on legal issues related to” rescheduling cannabis, The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported.
SUV Crashes Into Massachusetts Dispensary Ahead of 4/20
An SUV crashed into the Zahara Dispensary in Attleboro, Mass., at approximately 1:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 11, according to Michael Kochekian, the dispensary’s general manager, who was on-site at the time. Three customers and the driver of the SUV suffered non-life-threatening injuries, said Kochekian, who said that the original police report stating that a dispensary employee was among the injured was just “slightly wrong,” leading to multiple incorrect media reports.
The Proof May Be in the Pudding, But the Price May Be in the Packaging
How much more are consumers willing to pay for those priorities? Survey respondents—who spend from less than $30 to more than $100 for 1/8 ounce of flower—say they are willing to pay, on average, 26% more than they are currently paying. “Those already paying almost $80 per 1/8 of flower on average are willing to pay $15 more if there is a reason,” the report found.
North Dakota May Get Another Chance to Legalize Adult-Use Cannabis in 2024
A ballot measure petition filed by a group of 27 North Dakotans may give voters in the state yet another chance to legalize cannabis for adult use and to establish a regulated industry. To qualify for the November 2024 ballot, 15,582 signatures must be gathered from eligible North Dakota voters by July 8, according to a statement from New Economic Frontier (NEF), the committee supporting the measure.
4/20 Deals and Events: Times Square, Comedy Shows and Consumption Lounge Parties
With the cannabis industry’s biggest holiday landing on a Saturday this year, the anticipation for 4/20 is palpable. Analysts are saying both dollar and unit sales could be the highest ever, especially when considering the number of markets that have launched and expanded in the past year, and brands are capitalizing on this potential with big plans.
New Poll Shows Florida May Lack Voter Support to Pass Adult-Use Legislation in November
Florida cannabis businesses, advocates and enthusiasts celebrated a win on April 1, when the state’s Supreme Court decided the ballot language for a citizen-initiated constitutional amendment to legalize adult-use cannabis was sufficient to appear on the November 2024 election ballot, after state Attorney General Ashley Moody had filed an argument against allowing the measure to go before voters.
'State-Legal' Cannabis Is Not What It May Seem
As each new state in the U.S. legalizes adult-use cannabis and develops a regulated industry to allow retail sales, cultivation, processing, testing and more, industry advocates and cannabis consumers usually enthusiastically applaud.
President Biden Proclaims April as ‘Second Chance Month’
President Joe Biden has proclaimed April as “Second Chance Month,” continuing what is now a seven-year tradition of putting the spotlight on societal and legal barriers hindering those with criminal records from life success.
How Do US Hemp-Derived Cannabinoid Sales and Craft Beer Sales Compare?
The U.S. hemp-derived cannabinoid market is “conservatively” estimated to be $28.4 billion, according to Whitney Economics’ “2023 National Cannabinoid Report,” making the market size the same as the 2022 craft beer market. Craft beer retail sales increased 5% in 2022 (the most recently available data), to $28.4 billion, and “account for 24.6% of the $115 billion U.S. beer market (previously $100 billion),” according to the Brewer’s Association.
Minnesota to Crack Down on Sale of Cannabis Flower Labeled as Hemp
Minnesota will be cracking down on illegal sales of raw cannabis flower labeled as hemp, as it ramps up to roll out its state-legal adult-use cannabis program, with sales slated to begin in the first quarter of 2025.
Highway Horticulture’s Passion for Passionate People
Nick Sayers, co-founder of the vertically integrated, Michigan-based cannabis company Highway Horticulture, with its flagship dispensary, Sunset Coast Provision Center, says a focus on finding employees who take pride and ownership in their work is key to the company’s hiring strategy. Once on board, prioritizing treating each team member like an individual, creating a sense of community and support, as well as working toward internal advancement opportunities are at the core of the culture.
Show More
loading
Actions
Get in touch with Noelle
Contact Noelle, search articles and posts on X, monitor coverage, and track replies from one place.
Learn more about Muck Rack