High Rise: Cannabis MSOs, Products & Market Analysis

The commish is cracking down in New York, bringing the full might of the OGS to the legal cannabis market. Emily Paxhia and Cy Scott take a laid-back data-backed look at all the latest headlines coming out of New York -- good and bad! 

• New York Must Figure Out How to Fix Cannabis Mess, Hochul Orders [NYTimes]
• Jenny's cannabis sales [Headset] 
• The Comish [Wikipedia]
• Homeland Security, NYPD team up on cannabis smuggling investig...

Okay, so it's been a little while but we are back (by popular demand)! The High-Rise returns with an all-new episode where we discuss what's coming for the show this year, and cover the stories we think we'll be talking a lot about during this upcoming year. 

New York City vs. Upstate, Ohio timelines, Vapor Pen sales continued rise and Hemp D9 THC is everywhere! It's good to be back.

Show links...

We did it everyone, 2023 is done!! Well, for the High-Rise podcast anyway. 

On this episode, Emily and Cy wrap up the year with a podcast episode discussing the significant growth and trends in the cannabis industry throughout 2023 and a look back at what was discussed throughout the year from 75 episodes worth of content! They wrap up the podcast and the year by thinking through 2024 and what is ahead for California. 

In the latest High-Rise, Cy and Emily discuss the latest updates on cannabis legalization in New York and Ohio. They cover the settlement in New York and the approval of licenses for existing medical operators to transition into the adult-use market. They also discuss the disappointing progress of the cannabis industry in New York over the past year. 

The bulk of the discussion is on the recently legalized Ohio,  where the...

New York is (probably) back baby! So, in our latest episode, we dove into New York's cannabis scene – and let me tell you, it's been a wild ride. We kicked things off talking about how New York's retail footprint in cannabis exploded by 2600% - that's going from 1 to 27 stores, which is huge, right? But there's a catch; it's still just 27 stores, and we've got thousands of unlicensed ones around.

W...

Hey all, hope you had a great Thanksgiving!

In this episode of the "High-Rise Podcast," co-hosts Cy and Emily delve into the intricacies of Green Wednesday in the cannabis industry as its happening, focusing on emerging trends, market comparisons, and the nuances of consumer behavior. They examine the distinct dynamics between markets like Missouri and California, highlighting the differences in discounting strat...

This episode explores 'whole day units' in Ohio's medical cannabis program and their impact on the market. Hosts Cy and Emily compare Ohio's cannabis regulations with other states, focusing on patient counts, dispensary numbers, and sales. They discuss Ohio's transition to legal adult cannabis use and speculate on its potential effects. 

The conversation also covers Snoop's decision to quit sm...

Join Emily Paxhia and Cy Scott in the latest episode of High-Rise, where they unpack Ohio's surprising jump into legalizing adult-use cannabis. It's a big deal, not just for Ohioans, but also for the political chessboard. 

The conversation then takes a turn into the world of cannabis heavyweights, diving into the Q3 financial drama of Multi-State Operators like Ascend, GTI, Terrasend, Verano, Trulieve, and Curale...

In this 150th episode of The High Rise podcast, hosts Cy Scott and Emily Paxhia celebrate milestones for the show and Cy's company Headset. 

Headset recently processed its 50 billionth dollar in cannabis point-of-sale data, equating to nearly 1 billion transactions. They also launched a free tool called Brand Explorer that lets anyone search and analyze cannabis brands and their performance. 

The hosts then d...

Join Emily and Cy as they host Darren Weiss, President of Verano as they discuss the genesis of the historic lawsuit filed against the federal government challenging cannabis prohibition under the Commerce Clause. The lawsuit argues that the federal government's current contradictory stance on cannabis - where it is illegal at the federal level but allowed and regulated in many states - violates the Commerce Clause by interfer...

In this episode of the podcast, Cy and Emily dive into the latest pre-roll industry report from Headset. They discuss how pre-rolls are exploding in popularity, especially in Canada where they now make up a third of all cannabis sales. 

Cy compares Canada's love of pre-rolls to Ned Flanders' Canadian counterpart and his fondness for doobies. The hosts talk about the growth of the connoisseur pre-roll segment, whi...

In this week's episode, Cy Scott and Emily Paxhia dive deep into the shifting dynamics of the cannabis market. They begin with a closer look at Missouri, where the top 5 local cannabis brands are emerging strong, now accounting for almost 30%. What's fueling this rise, and what does it signify for other regional players?
 
 The discussion then transitions to a recap of the Benzinga Cannabis Capital Conference in C...

We are live! Or,  were live for that matter.

Cannabis pioneer Kris Krane joins the High Rise at Benzinga in Chicago to reflect on his 25+ year career. He discusses pivotal moments like legalization in 2012 and his shift from advocacy to industry. Krane also provides an insider perspective on dynamics shaping the Illinois market and future growth opportunities. Tune in for a fascinating, in-depth interview with one of the l...

This week, Cy and Emily dive deep into the transformative shifts in the cannabis industry. The much-anticipated SAFE Banking Act is finally approaching a Senate Committee vote, a monumental step in ensuring the industry's legitimacy. But the progress doesn't stop there!
 
 The Cannabis Users’ Restoration of Eligibility (CURE) Act aims to break barriers in federal employment due to marijuana use. Plus, with a majo...

In this episode, Cy and Emily discuss the shifts in Maryland's cannabis scene. They reference a Brookings Institute study which highlights surprising support for cannabis in the state's November '22 election. Interestingly, even traditionally conservative regions in Maryland backed the move to legalize cannabis, proving that the topic transcends typical political lines.

Maryland's approach to cannabis e...

On this episode of the High Rise Cy and Emily decide not to talk too much about the recent news of the U.S. government’s potential move to reschedule cannabis to a schedule III controlled substance. At this point there’s no need to pontificate amongst all of the speculation bouncing around the industry until we get a substantial update from the government…so stay tuned everyone!  
 
 Shifting gears, our hosts get into a tho...

In this episode of High Rise, Cy and Emily delve into the unfolding narrative of Ohio's imminent cannabis ballot initiative. The hosts unpack the Coalition to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol's journey to secure signatures, detailing the suspenseful race against time and the subsequent validation process. They outline the proposed legal framework, including the creation of a Division of Cannabis Control and a 10% sales tax...

On this episode of the High Rise Cy and Emily paint a vivid picture of how cannabis brands are quenching their thirst for beer ventures specifically, Tilray purchasing eight beverage brands from AB/InBev. The discussion explores the implications of this cross-industry relationship on the evolving landscape of both markets. Our hosts also take a quick look into the recent Ohio cannabis legalization initiative that will make its way ...

Join Cy and Emily in an insightful conversation with John Hartmann, the new CEO of Ascend Wellness, as they delve into the dynamic world of leadership, strategy, and growth in the cannabis industry.

The discussion takes a deep dive into Ascend Wellness's strategic operations. John shares unique insights gained from spending extensive time at each of the company's dispensaries and cultivation facilities. The CEO sheds light...