Cannabis News Roundup - Podcast: Week 2025-28: Cannabis Testing Scandals in MA and CO, Michigan Market Collapse, Hawaii Regulates Hemp

12 Jul, 2025

 

This week: California's new cannabis use research. Colorado faces backlash after a study uncovers widespread THC label inaccuracies. Massachusetts suspends a major testing lab, Hawaii cracks down on hemp product regulations. TerrAscend’s exit from Michigan, Pennsylvania’s anxiety diagnosis spike, D.C.’s surging medical sales, Virginia’s retail bill push, and the stalled federal rescheduling battle. 

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SUMMARIES:

• A new survey from UC San Diego has found that nearly 4 in 10 Californians use cannabis—mostly to improve their health. But while many report benefits like better mood and pain relief, few talk to their doctors about it, and most get information from friends or online. Experts say more public education is urgently needed.
• A major study out of the University of Colorado Boulder has found that many cannabis products sold in Colorado contain less THC than the label claims. Nearly half of the flower products tested were inaccurately labeled, often overstating how strong they really are. The state’s marijuana regulators say they’re reviewing the findings, as the study raises new questions about how cannabis is tested and sold.
• Hawaii is tightening its hemp laws. Governor Josh Green just signed a bill that will require all hemp retailers and distributors to register with the state starting in 2026. The law also limits the sale of hemp tinctures to people aged 21 and over, and gives health officials the power to inspect shops and seize illegal products.
• A major cannabis testing lab in Massachusetts has shut down and is suing the state, following a regulatory suspension over suspiciously low mold and yeast failure rates. Assured Testing Laboratories, which handled 25% of cannabis testing statewide, says it followed all rules and is being unfairly punished due to unclear regulations. 
• One of North America’s biggest cannabis companies, TerrAscend, is leaving Michigan. The company will close 20 dispensaries and four cultivation facilities, laying off 236 workers. Citing falling cannabis prices and market oversaturation, TerrAscend says it will focus on other U.S. markets. Michigan’s cannabis industry, once booming, is now showing signs of slowdown.
• Anxiety has become the most common diagnosis for medical marijuana patients in Pennsylvania. A study from the University of Pittsburgh and Johns Hopkins University found that after the state added anxiety to the list of qualifying conditions in 2019, monthly cannabis certifications tripled. 
• Virginia’s newly formed cannabis commission held its first meeting this week to prepare for legal marijuana retail sales. The group aims to draft a new bill for 2026, building on legislation twice vetoed by Governor Youngkin. Advocates hope the next governor will support cannabis reform and bring the state’s gray market into a licensed, taxed system.
• Medical cannabis sales in Washington, D.C. have nearly doubled since January, following a crackdown on unlicensed “gifting” shops. But despite the surge, dispensaries are struggling with compliance costs, limited supply, and competition from Maryland’s legal market. Operators say more national brands and government support are needed to stabilize the industry.

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