Blunt Business discusses the evolving landscape of cannabis banking, where Kevin Hart (CEO of Green Check Verified) explained that financial institutions are increasingly engaging with the sector, driven by data transparency, robust compliance standards, and the realization that there is no codified rule preventing them from doing so.

Hart details that Green Check Verified facilitates banking by providing compliance data to financial institutions, enabling services beyond deposit accounts, and anticipated that the potential reclassification of cannabis to Schedule 3 will unlock traditional banking services, reduce capital costs, and attract major players from other industries.

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Thomas Winstanley from Edibles.com is back to discuss the critical issue of federally recriminalizing hemp-derived THC products like Delta 8 THC via the congressional spending bill, despite the industry being legalized under the 2018 Farm Bill.

Winstanley emphasized the dire economic consequences for farmers, noting that recriminalization would wipe out a $6.6 billion industry, and argued for a six-month extension to the November 2026 deadline to prevent farmers from harvesting useless crops.

As a political concession to preserve the category, he suggested a focus on codifying the market with a 5-milligram per serving limit for hemp edibles. 

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In what is being hailed as a "watershed moment" for the cannabis industry, President Trump has officially signed an executive order to move cannabis from Schedule 1 to Schedule 3 of the Controlled Substances Act.

This historic shift, which follows a bipartisan initiation process started by the Biden administration, formally recognizes the plant's medical benefits for the first time in over 50 years.

Beyond rescheduling, the order explores directing Medicare to cover CBD products and encourages Congress to pass the Safer Banking Act to grant legal businesses access to traditional financial institutions.

Industry experts anticipate the move will eliminate the heavy federal tax burdens of IRS Code 280E, spark a surge in clinical research, and skyrocket institutional investment. While the President emphasized that this is not full federal legalization, the order opens the door for future clemency for non-violent offenders and marks a significant step toward ending the stigma of prohibition.

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Attorney Joshua Bauchner is back to talk about the potential reclassification of cannabis from Schedule I to Schedule III, spurred by reports of an impending executive order from President Trump.

While the move is seen as a beneficial step for research, both speakers and the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (Normal) prefer full declassification, expressing concern that reclassification could stall further reform for decades.

They also detailed the expected regulatory complexities of a Schedule III move, including the possibility of prescription requirements for dispensaries, as well as the ongoing challenge of creating accurate workplace and roadside impairment tests. 

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Ryan Hurley, founder of Litix Legal, discusses the "full swing market correction" in the Arizona cannabis industry, stressing the critical need for lean, compliant operations for survival.

He introduced Litix Legal's model of "killing the billable hour" through flat, subscription-based rates, making legal services more accessible and predictable for businesses burdened by costs like Section 280E.

Hurley cautioned that exploiting the intoxicating hemp loophole threatens voter trust and the industry's future. He expressed cautious optimism about federal Schedule III reclassification as a positive step.

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Blunt Business speaks with Joel Latham, CEO of Incannex Healthcare (NASDAQ: IXHL), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company pioneering the use of proprietary combination medicines.

Latham breaks down their strategy of fusing synthetic cannabinoids and well-characterized active drug components to target chronic conditions with significant unmet needs, emphasizing a robust intellectual property position and synergistic drug action.

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Blunt Business welcomes back Paul Weaver, Director and Head of Cannabis at the Boston Beer Company, to Blunt Business to discuss the expansion of their Emerald Hour cannabis line, which now includes cocktail-inspired THC gummies made with live rosin, launching in Ontario and Alberta following last year's beverage debut.

Paul explained the company’s bifurcated cannabis strategy, focusing on Teapot for mainstream consumers and Emerald Hour for experienced users, capitalizing on the gummy category's larger market size compared to beverages.

We also covered the market validation of cannabis beverages, the high-growth demographics of younger consumers and women driving sales, and the importance of national regulation—rather than prohibition—for a sustainable industry amidst challenges from groups like the Beer Institute.

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Jackson Rund, a recipient of the DaySavers Higher Potential Scholarship and co-founder of Higher State Brands, shared his journey in the cannabis industry. He overcame felony charges at 17 to pursue his passion, earning dual bachelor's degrees in cannabis chemistry and business.

Rund's company, Higher State Brands, focuses on technology and beverages, including dispensary software and a hemp-derived protein drink, aiming to position cannabis as a wellness product. He advocates for student voices and university partnerships in cannabis research. 

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LeafLink CEO Ashwin Raj discusses the changes for their customers involve a shift back to a flat-fee pricing model from a usage-based structure.

discuss the company's shift in its pricing model. Leaf Link is reverting from an unpopular usage-based structure back to a flat-fee structure and simplifying its product tiers from three to a Starter and a Pro package.

We also discuss Ashwin's background in scaling commerce and fintech platforms at companies like Visa, Amazon, and Lyft, explained Leaf Link's strategy to use technology to navigate the cannabis industry's complex regulatory environment.

This includes providing tools for compliance, order and inventory management, sales processes, and financials. Leaf Link is also sunsetting the previous "post model" to introduce a new financial services strategy that guarantees payment to sellers and offers retailers options like Flex Pay through Leaf Link's Dharma banking service, while focusing on methodical technology partnerships to improve integrations.

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Founder and Chief Communications Officer of Cornbread Hemp and Cornbread Mafia Author Jim Higdon discusses the critical federal threat to the $28.4 billion hemp industry posed by a minibus appropriations bill seeking to ban hemp-derived THC nationwide, noting the government shutdown provides a temporary advocacy opportunity and highlighting that Florida has three congressional members on the relevant conference committee. They also covered Florida's failed House Bill 7027, the appeals court ruling that cannabis odor is insufficient for probable cause, state-level restrictions on intoxicating hemp cannabinoids, and the need for the FDA to regulate the hemp market through a bill giving it authority

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