John Kagia

New York’s legal cannabis market is rapidly gaining momentum, with state officials predicting it could reach $1 billion in sales in its second full year of adult-use cannabis sales. According to Debra Brochard, for Green Market Report, John Kagia, director of policy for the New York Office of...

The New York State Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) has introduced a new initiative to ensure that cannabis cultivation in the state aligns with its environmental sustainability goals. Beginning in September, the OCM will launch PowerScore, a free online tool designed to help cannabis...

New York’s legal cannabis industry has surpassed $500 million in sales less than a year after the state’s first authorized dispensary opened its doors. Officials attribute this rapid growth to intensified enforcement efforts against unlicensed sellers, signaling a promising trajectory...

Over the first six months of 2024, cannabis dispensaries that legally sell marijuana to New Yorkers have sold $260.6 million worth of product, equaling approximately $43.4 million per month. The upward trajectory revealed in the data released by the Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) could result...

New York cannabis regulators have amended the state's marketing rules – a stumbling block of which cannabis retailers have complained previously. What Happened The state Office of Cannabis Management has adopted regulations for personal home cultivation of cannabis, allowing for the rules to go...

Colorado’s once-thriving cannabis market is grappling with another setback as sales dipped for the second consecutive month. Data released by the Colorado Department of Revenue reveals a decline in total cannabis sales for February, dropping from $115.4 million in January 2024 to $114.4...

New York’s legal cannabis market surpassed $150 million in sales during its inaugural year, reports the Office of Cannabis Management (OCM). The market’s successful launch follows the approval of only 40 retail dispensaries from over 6,900 applicants, indicating a stringent vetting...

Despite licensing chaos, lawsuits and a booming illicit weed market, New York's two dozen legal weed shops managed to pull in $83 million year-to-date, according to the state’s cannabis regulator.  And now, New York will open five new retail shops, bringing the number...

New York's cannabis landscape is set for a significant transformation. Licensing Expansion The New York State Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) announced that it is expanding its licensing program for recreational marijuana, after numerous delays that brought the entire process to a...

It's been a wild ride for New York's cannabis market and its efforts to get up and running as issues around its slow rollout keep piling up. Cannabis farmers have become concerned since the Cannabis Control Board's approved the first adult-use Cannabis...

New York's Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) has unveiled an innovative plan to introduce cannabis farmers' markets this summer as a way of tackling the supply chain challenges caused by limited retail outlets across the state.  With only 13 operational retailers in New...

Following a lawsuit and prolonged delay, the New York Cannabis Control Board (CCC) has finally awarded 99 conditional adult-use retail dispensary licenses, bringing the total number of permits to 165. This move comes less than a week after a federal court lifted an injunction that prevented New...

After the global industry jolt in 2018 when Canada legalized the recreational and medical use of cannabis, licensed producers and investors are well into a pivot to the U.S. market and beyond for future growth. That's the consensus of a panel Wednesday at the Benzinga Cannabis Capital...

A shortened week didn't stop the action in the cannabis industry. Several big deals were announced last week, including CannaRoyalty Corp (OTC: CNNRF)’s purchase of RVR in an all-stock deal, GB Sciences Inc (OTC: GBLX)’s acquisition of a Nevada operation for all cash, and Liberty...

It was a turbulent week for cannabis stocks in the U.S., however, it was Canadian equities that experienced the most volatility, largely due to the publication of Health Canada’s document on legal cannabis packaging, marketing and retail, and the later vote of Bill C-45, also known as ...