In this Trade To Black livestream presented by Flowhub, host Shadd Dales and Anthony Varrell sit down with Michael Bronstein, President of the American Trade Association for Cannabis and Hemp, for another round of the Weekly Insider’s Edge — and there’s a lot happening right now, especially in Texas and Washington.
We kick off with a quick update on Virginia’s adult-use cannabis bill. With Governor Abigail Spanberger facing a midnight deadline to act on the legislation, sources close to the process indicated she was expected to amend rather than veto the bill, sending it back to the legislature for a follow-up vote.
Looking at Texas, a state judge granted a temporary restraining order pausing enforcement of new rules that would have effectively banned smokeable hemp products, including THC-A flower, until at least April 23rd. The suit, filed by the Texas Hemp Business Council and allied industry groups, argues the rules exceeded the state’s administrative authority outside the legislative process.
Michael Bronstein cautioned businesses to proceed carefully while the case plays out, noting that the broader question is not just about hemp regulations but whether Texas has, in practical terms, already legalized cannabis under the framework of the 2018 Farm Bill.
The conversation turned to Washington, where Smart Approaches to Marijuana filed suit seeking to block a Medicare pilot program championed by HHS Secretary RFK Jr. and CMS Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz that would expand patient access to cannabis. The group alleges the program bypassed the Administrative Procedures Act, but the lawsuit might be little more than a last-ditch effort by a prohibitionist organization.
And finally, Mike Tyson is expanding Tyson 2.0 with a cannabis consumption lounge opening April 20 at 733 Flatbush Avenue in Brooklyn. This isn’t just a retail play — it’s an experience-first model built around brand identity and what today’s cannabis consumer actually wants.
