#115 - Holiday Hiatus & High Spirits News

The mics take a breather, but the cannabis market doesn’t. We’re wheels up for MJBizCon and our High Spirits Morning Mixer on Thursday, and then straight to BevNET, while state and federal moves reshape the map from Texas to Virginia to Minnesota to California.We start with Texas, where regulators approved nine new medical licenses in a historically tight program. It’s a modest step with big implications: recognition that demand is outpacing capacity, but who will be the winners? For operators eyeing long-term positioning, Texas remains a massive, underdeveloped prize where patience, compliance, and local partnerships can compound.Minnesota faces a different pressure: the looming federal hemp THC ban embedded in a congressional minibus. The state’s hemp-derived THC market—thousands of retailers and strong consumer buy-in—could be gutted overnight. The governor is exploring rapid rulemaking, carve-outs, and potential court challenges to protect businesses until adult use retail is fully stood up. How Minnesota responds may become the national playbook for preserving economic activity amid federal whiplash.Virginia looks ready to convert legalization on paper into real stores. A bill targeting adult use sales in 2026 would finally establish a regulated retail framework, address social equity, and balance political priorities after years of stalls and illicit market growth. If it moves, Virginia could become the first Southern state with full adult use, forcing regional recalculations and opening a high-potential market.And California turns the screws on packaging. With a new top regulator and CalRecycle implementing SB54, brands must enroll in a PRO, report packaging at the SKU level, plan for recyclability and compostability by 2032, and meet aggressive plastic recycling targets. Expect cost shifts, supplier consolidation, and innovation in materials, especially for vapes and multi-layer plastics. The winners will treat compliance as strategy, integrating sustainability into brand and supply chain decisions.Headed to Vegas? Come say hi at the High Spirits Morning Mixer on Thursday. If this breakdown helped you navigate the noise, follow, share, and leave a quick review—what state move should we unpack next?Have a question for us? Send us a text. We may answer it in the next show!--High Spirits is brought to you by Vertosa and Wolf Meyer.Your hosts are Ben Larson and AnnaRae Grabstein.Follow High Spirits on LinkedIn. We'd love to hear your thoughts. Who would you like to see on the show? What topics would you like to have us cover? Visit our website www.highspiritspod.com and listen to all of our past shows.THANK YOU to our audience. Your engagement encourages us to keep bringing you these thought-provoking conversations. Remember to always stay curious, stay informed, and most importantly, keep your spirits high.