Following these expansions, NORML classifies Georgia as the 41st medical cannabis state.
The post Georgia Expands Patients’ Access to Medical Cannabis Products appeared first on NORML.
Let’s be real: cannabis culture in 2026 looks nothing like it did even a decade ago. Dispensaries are everywhere, billion-dollar brands are flooding the market, and hashtags about legalization are more common than reefer madness headlines. For many of us, lighting up feels normal.
But here’s the truth: normal didn’t just happen. It was fought for. And, it was NORML—the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws—that lit the first spark and kept the fire burning when politicians, corporations, and the mainstream wanted nothing to do with us. For over 50 years, from the advent of prohibition to the reforms of the 21st century, NORML and its local chapters across America have been on the front lines educating lawmakers and the public about the truth when it comes to cannabis.
The United States of America has waged a War on Drugs, with cannabis consumers in its crosshairs, since the passage of the Controlled Substances Act in 1970. The costs of that war?
Tens of millions of Americans have been arrested for a plant that grows naturally. Communities are overpoliced. A law enforcement apparatus that does not make communities safer. Tax dollars diverted from healthcare and education to keep cops violating civil rights and putting billions into a private prison industry that even invests its dollars in selling legal cannabis.
Now the question is: what kind of legalization are we going to settle for?
Because, despite all the progress, cannabis is still federally illegal. People are still being arrested every single day. Black and Latino communities are still targeted. Patients and veterans in prohibition states are still cut off from medicine. And, too many of the people
who built this movement are being pushed aside while corporations cash in for their investors.
That’s why supporting NORML matters more now than ever before. This isn’t about protecting Wall Street weed profits. It’s about finishing the fight for justice, equity, and freedom.
NORML Is Fighting For
To the younger activists stepping into this fight: this is your moment to carry the torch forward. NORML has always been grassroots, powered by people who refused to wait for permission to be free. The next wave of reform needs your energy, your creativity, your voice.
And to the older readers—the ones who remember when speaking up about cannabis could cost you your job, your freedom, or your reputation—we need your fire again. You know what it took to get us here. You know what it means to fight when the odds are stacked against us. This movement was built on that kind of courage, and we need it now more than ever.
Because legalization without justice isn’t the endgame. The endgame is freedom for everyone, in every state, with no one left behind.
So don’t just consume cannabis—defend it. Support NORML. Get involved. Donate. Volunteer. Share your voice. The future of this movement belongs to all of us, and if we don’t fight for the kind of legalization we deserve, someone else will define it for us.
Light it up, stand up, and let’s finish what we started.
Christopher Cano is labor policy leader, cannabis rights organizer, advocate for marginalized communities serving as Director of Political & Legislative Affairs for the Service Employees International Union Local 500 in the D.C. & Maryland, Co-Founder & Executive Director for Suncoat NORML in Florida for over a decade, and a board member of NORML since 2023.
This article is from an external, unpaid contributor. It does not represent High Times’ reporting and has not been edited for content or accuracy.
<p>The post Light It Up: Why NORML Still Matters in the 21st Century first appeared on High Times.</p>
A look at Jamaica’s cannabis landscape during a pivotal April window—April 15 to April 21. Ganja Week was envisioned as a structured, island-wide platform bringing together Jamaica’s cannabis industry, culture, and global audience between April 15 and April 21. While that full structure did not roll out this year, the week itself still carried weight….
The post Ganja Week: The Week That Was… But Wasn’t. And What Comes Next. first appeared on .
Thursday’s pre-market window, with US equities not opening until 14:30 BST, finds cannabis stocks at Wednesday’s close — a session that left the sector modestly tilted to the downside, with 19 tickers lower, 15 higher, and four unchanged. Following Wednesday’s session, where Organigram led a broad retreat, the final session produced a more differentiated picture: meaningful gains in several US multistate operators and a sharp move from ancillary name GrowGeneration, set against continued pressure on the sector’s lending names. Note that OTC-listed names reflect data as of Wednesday’s session, which for some tickers carries a one-session lag. Business of Cannabis monitors cannabis equity price action daily.
The most striking move on the session belongs to GrowGeneration Corp (GRWG), the hydroponic horticulture retailer, which closed at $1.61 — up 17.5% against its prior close of $1.37. AFC Gamma (AFCG), the cannabis-focused specialty lender, sits at $2.96, down 9.2%. Among the US multistate operators, Trulieve Cannabis (TCNNF) holds at $8.31 (+2.6%) and Curaleaf Holdings (CURLF) is at $3.94 (+2.1%), while the AdvisorShares Pure US Cannabis ETF (MSOS) sits at $4.86, marginally below its prior close of $4.88. Our Cannabis Stocks Today series covers the sector daily.
| Ticker | Company | Current Price | Change ($) | Change (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AYRWF | Ayr Wellness | $0.0146 | +$0.0026 | +21.67% |
| GRWG | GrowGeneration Corp | $1.61 | +$0.24 | +17.52% |
| AFCG | AFC Gamma | $2.96 | -$0.30 | -9.20% |
| CRBP | Corbus Pharmaceuticals | $12.15 | +$0.72 | +6.30% |
| IPW | Ipower Inc | $0.8159 | +$0.0360 | +4.62% |
| AAWH | Ascend Wellness Holdings | $0.5699 | +$0.0200 | +3.64% |
| MAPS | WM Technology | $0.3756 | -$0.0144 | -3.69% |
| TPB | Turning Point Brands | $89.80 | -$3.16 | -3.40% |
| VFF | Village Farms International | $2.60 | -$0.07 | -2.62% |
| TCNNF | Trulieve Cannabis | $8.31 | +$0.21 | +2.59% |
| MO | Altria Group | $71.54 | +$1.65 | +2.36% |
| CURLF | Curaleaf Holdings | $3.94 | +$0.08 | +2.07% |
| JAZZ | Jazz Pharmaceuticals | $232.33 | +$4.49 | +1.97% |
| GLASF | Glass House Brands | $9.04 | -$0.17 | -1.80% |
| GTBIF | Green Thumb Industries | $7.54 | -$0.13 | -1.69% |
| IIPR | Innovative Industrial Properties | $54.93 | -$0.83 | -1.49% |
| CRON | Cronos Group | $2.73 | -$0.04 | -1.44% |
| STZ | Constellation Brands | $140.52 | -$2.01 | -1.41% |
| CBWTF | Auxly Cannabis Group | $0.0994 | -$0.0014 | -1.39% |
| IXHL | Incannex Healthcare | $3.85 | -$0.05 | -1.28% |
| SMG | Scotts Miracle-Gro | $58.81 | -$0.76 | -1.28% |
| CRLBF | Cresco Labs | $0.94 | -$0.01 | -1.05% |
| TLRY | Tilray Brands | $5.46 | +$0.05 | +0.92% |
| HITI | High Tide Inc | $2.41 | -$0.02 | -0.82% |
| JUSHF | Jushi Holdings | $0.5041 | +$0.0041 | +0.82% |
| ACB | Aurora Cannabis | $3.34 | -$0.02 | -0.60% |
| CNBS | Amplify Seymour Cannabis ETF | $28.29 | +$0.13 | +0.48% |
| OGI | Organigram Holdings | $1.115 | +$0.005 | +0.45% |
| MSOS | AdvisorShares Pure US Cannabis ETF | $4.86 | -$0.02 | -0.41% |
| REFI | Chicago Atlantic Real Estate Finance | $11.34 | -$0.04 | -0.35% |
| YOLO | AdvisorShares Pure Cannabis ETF | $3.03 | -$0.01 | -0.34% |
| ABBV | AbbVie | $208.50 | +$0.64 | +0.31% |
| IMCC | IM Cannabis Corp | $0.2512 | -$0.0003 | -0.12% |
| MJ | ETFMG Alternative Harvest ETF | $26.23 | +$0.01 | +0.04% |
| CGC | Canopy Growth | $1.09 | $0.00 | 0.00% |
| SNDL | SNDL Inc | $1.41 | $0.00 | 0.00% |
| VEXTF | Vext Science | $0.2124 | $0.00 | 0.00% |
| EEX | Emerald Holding | $4.99 | $0.00 | 0.00% |
GrowGeneration’s close at $1.61 is the most notable single-name development from Wednesday’s session. The Denver-based hydroponic horticulture supply retailer, which operates a network of garden centres serving commercial cannabis cultivators and home growers, had been trading below $1.50 for several sessions, and Wednesday’s 17.5% gain takes it to its highest close in recent weeks. The stock’s fortunes are closely tied to cannabis cultivation activity in the US market; periods of retail expansion and improved operator margins have historically correlated with increased grower capital expenditure. No public announcement from the company is available to explain the move, and the level should be treated as a data point rather than a confirmed directional signal. The Cannabis Stocks Tracker will reflect any subsequent developments in real time.
AFC Gamma (AFCG) sits at $2.96 after shedding $0.30, or 9.2%, on Wednesday — the sharpest decline among the better-known names in the table. The Florida-based cannabis specialty lender provides credit facilities to licensed operators across the US, and has faced sustained pressure as those operators contend with compressed margins, balance-sheet constraints, and limited access to conventional capital markets. No specific public catalyst for Wednesday’s decline is cited in available data. Elsewhere on the lending and REIT side, Chicago Atlantic Real Estate Finance (REFI) holds at $11.34, off $0.04, and Innovative Industrial Properties (IIPR) is at $54.93, down 1.5%.
Trulieve Cannabis (TCNNF) trades at $8.31, a gain of $0.21 on the session, placing the Florida-headquartered multistate operator at the firmer end of its recent range and among the few large US cannabis names currently trading above $8. Curaleaf Holdings (CURLF) is at $3.94, up $0.08. Penny-stock name Ayr Wellness (AYRWF) closed at $0.0146, recording a 21.7% gain from a prior close of $0.012; at this price level, small absolute moves produce outsized percentage readings, and the figure should be interpreted accordingly. Ascend Wellness Holdings (AAWH) also advanced, sitting at $0.5699, up 3.6%, while WM Technology (MAPS), the cannabis software platform, trades at $0.3756, down 3.7%.
The ETF picture shows limited directional conviction. MSOS sits at $4.86, ETFMG Alternative Harvest (MJ) holds at $26.23, and AdvisorShares Pure Cannabis (YOLO) is at $3.03. Canadian licensed producers are largely lower heading into Thursday: Cronos Group (CRON) is at $2.73 (-1.4%), Village Farms International (VFF) at $2.60 (-2.6%), and Aurora Cannabis (ACB) at $3.34 (-0.6%), while Tilray Brands (TLRY) holds at $5.46, a 0.9% gain. Scotts Miracle-Gro (SMG) sheds 1.3% to $58.81, consistent with the cautious tone across the broader cannabis-adjacent supply chain.
Track all cannabis stocks live on the Business of Cannabis Stocks Tracker.
The post Cannabis Stocks Today — Thursday 14 May 2026: GrowGeneration Trades at $1.61 as AFC Gamma Slides 9% appeared first on Business of Cannabis.
Flushing is the art of washing your growing medium with plain water or an enzyme solution. The goal behind this is to push the …
A first-person review of the hemp-derived THC cocktail base I poured at our Cannabis Cup in New York. What’s in it, how it hits, and why I haven’t stopped pouring it.
The Short Version
There’s a moment at almost every event when the bar opens. The bottles come out. The wines, the whiskeys, the canned cocktails, the beers. The room shifts.
I’m not anti-alcohol. I drink it. I just don’t always want it.
That was the situation at our Cannabis Cup in New York. The bar was open. I had the option. I was off the clock by then. But I knew what alcohol would do to me at this particular event. It would soften the conversations I actually wanted to remember, slow me down for the rest of the night and ruin the morning after.
So I reached for the bottle on our table instead. Black currant color. 750ml. Hemp-derived Delta-9 THC.
I poured it for myself, then for the colleague next to me, then for the friend who walked over, then for the four other people who saw what we were doing and asked what it was.
Somewhere in the middle of all that, I slipped another bottle to Josh Kesselman, High Times’ publisher and a good friend who’s famously not a drinker.
“You know I don’t drink,” Josh said.
“What you don’t know yet is, this isn’t booze. It’s weed.”
He laughed and took the bottle home.
By the end of the night, the bottle on our table was empty. Nobody was drunk. Everybody was happy. The next morning, I woke up like I’d had a tea.
By the end of the night, the bottle was empty. Nobody was drunk. The next morning, I woke up like I’d had a tea.
The bottle is Black Market. It’s a hemp-derived Delta-9 THC beverage built like a spirit, not like a seltzer. The 750ml flagship gives you about sixteen 1.5-ounce pours. Each pour delivers 5mg of THC and 10mg of THCV. Onset is ten to fifteen minutes. Black currant flavor with a custom terpene blend the brand calls the “Black Market Bite.” Functional ingredients in the mix: L-theanine, lion’s mane, electrolytes and B vitamins.
Black Market is made by cannabis people. Co-founders Adam and Jason held the first medical cannabis grow license issued in Puerto Rico. Heidi Minx, the brand’s CMO, is a longtime cannabis operator with a background that runs through the Sonoma County Growers Alliance, Conception Nurseries and Juva Life before landing at Hightails, Black Market’s parent company.
What’s in Each Pour
1.5oz serving from a 750ml bottle.
THC
5 mg
THCV
10 mg
Onset
10–15 min
Alcohol
0%
Pours per bottle
~16
Price
$49.95
THCV is a rare cannabinoid that tends toward clear-headed, social, energizing effects rather than the couch-lock that bigger doses of THC alone can produce. At 5mg THC plus 10mg THCV per pour, the lift is functional. You feel it in fifteen minutes. It doesn’t take you out of the room. It puts you further into it.
Most hemp-derived THC beverages on the market are seltzer-style, low-dose, single-cannabinoid drinks. They’re fine. They also tend to bottom out at a certain point in the night because the format doesn’t have anywhere to go. Black Market went a different way. The format is a spirit. The cannabinoid load is dialed for social use. The taste profile is built to mix or sip neat.
Real black currant, deep and a little tart, with the kind of botanical depth that makes you want a second pour. The “Bite” is the terpene blend doing its work, a small herbal sharpness on the back of the tongue that keeps the drink from reading as sugary fruit juice. On ice with a splash of soda, it pours like a Spritz. Mixed with lemon-lime soda, the brand calls it a Dirty Sprite. Straight up over ice, it sits next to anything on a craft cocktail menu without looking out of place.
The format is a spirit. The cannabinoid load is dialed for social use. The taste profile is built to mix or sip neat.
I’ve been making one cocktail with it more than any other. Here’s the recipe.
Recipe
Black Market Sour
A nod to the Penicillin and the whisky sour.
Ingredients
Method
Combine Black Market, lemon juice and honey syrup in a cocktail shaker. Add ice. Shake well until chilled. Strain into a glass filled with fresh ice. Top with kombucha. Garnish with a lemon wheel.
Bright, herbal, a little tart. The kombucha gives it the acidity a sour needs without the citrus going one-note. The honey syrup smooths it out. Black Market does the rest.
I love a cocktail. I love a glass of wine with dinner. None of this is anti-alcohol propaganda. But the math is what it is.
Alcohol vs Black Market
One pour of each.
Alcohol
Onset: 15–30 min
Calories: 100–200+
Sleep impact: poor REM
Hangover risk: yes
Clear-headed: not really
Black Market
Onset: 10–15 min
Calories: under 50
Sleep impact: minimal
Hangover risk: no
Clear-headed: yes (THCV)
Your mileage may vary. So will your morning.
Anyone who drinks but is tired of paying for it the next morning. Hosts who want a bottle on the table that gets passed around. Cannabis people at industry events where alcohol is the wrong tool. Anyone who’s spent the last few years going dry-ish and looking for a real alternative to the seltzer aisle.
The bigger point: hemp-derived THC beverages have mostly been a seltzer category. Seltzers are fine for a poolside afternoon. They’re not built for the dinner, the Cup, the networking room or the 2am drink. Black Market is. That’s what makes it different.
Buy a 750ml. Keep it in the fridge. Pour it the next time you want a drink that doesn’t end in a hangover or a four-hour nap. The 90ml minis (10mg THC plus 20mg THCV per bottle) are for the bag.
I drank Black Market at our NY Cannabis Cup. I drank it again at home a couple of days later. I’ll drink it again this weekend. That’s the most honest review I can give.
<p>The post Alcohol Is Fun. Hangovers Suck. Here’s What I Drink Instead. first appeared on High Times.</p>
