
Here are three big questions the journalists at Cultivated Media are looking to answer in 2025, based on what they heard at MJBizCon:
Will there be change in Washington?
Both presidential candidates spoke about rescheduling and reforming cannabis banking regulations. But neither put a firm timeline on these changes. With a new Administration and new Congress preparing to take office, we’ll be watching closely what, if anything, will happen in 2025. The impacts of these federal reforms could have a seismic impact on the industry.
Hemp versus cannabis or hemp and cannabis?
Hemp-derived THC products have proliferated in the US. Many in the cannabis industry have argued that hemp-derived THC products benefit from an unintended loophole in the 2018 Farm Bill. But others see a silver lining. In many places, THC products are now available outside of dispensary channels — normalizing consumer behavior, and hopefully, eroding stigmas. At the same time, many jurisdictions, including California, Texas, Missouri, New Jersey, and others, are looking to crack down on hemp-derived products. In 2025, we think we will find out if there is a future where hemp and cannabis merge into one sector, or if the battle between the two will continue.
Will tariffs impact the cannabis industry?
China plays a central role in the cannabis supply chain. From lighting in cultivation facilities to batteries in vape pens to cannabis packaging of all kinds — it’s hard to understate the critical role Chinese imports play in the sector. It remains a key question as to what impact tariffs, especially those directed at China, would play in shaking up the cannabis supply chain.
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