By Daniel Levinson, advisor to Just Weed Strains. Last updated October 9, 2026. This article is informational and is not legal advice. Short answer: Yes, hemp drinks are legal in New York right now, but only within narrow limits, and the entire category is weeks away from the biggest legal shakeup in its history. A … Read moreAre Hemp Drinks Legal in New York? The 2026 Federal Ban, Explained
Cannabis deals are still getting done in 2026. What has gone missing is the big all-stock merger between public companies that used to make the news. Most of this year’s transactions are small and private, and they are built on earnouts and borrowed money, which tells you who has cash right now and who does … Read moreCannabis M&A in 2026: Why Deal Activity Is Picking Up (Or Not)
Israel has one of the oldest medical cannabis programs in the world and one of the most centralized. It runs through the Ministry of Health, where the U.S. has a different rulebook in every state. Patient numbers reached a record this year. Much of my consulting work is in this market, so this is my … Read moreInside Israel’s Medical Cannabis Market: What the U.S. Industry Can Learn
Daniel Levinson, cannabis industry business development and M&A consultant. “Cannabis consultant” gets used loosely, sometimes for anyone who has ever grown a plant or worked a dispensary counter. The job I mean is narrower and more technical. It is turning state and local cannabis law into a plan a business can carry out without losing … Read moreWhat Does a Cannabis Industry Consultant Actually Do?
New York legalized adult-use cannabis in 2021. Getting from “legal” to “open for business” took far longer, and for many license holders it is still not finished. This is how dispensary licensing works in the state, and why so many licensees are waiting to open or struggling once they do. The Basic License Structure New … Read moreHow Cannabis Dispensary Licensing Works in New York (And Why the Rollout Has Been So Slow)
Is delta-8 THC legal to buy in New York? No. State hemp rules have barred its sale to consumers since 2021, although enforcement took years to reach the products already sitting on convenience store shelves. Below: what the rules say in 2026, how New York got here, and what it means if you have seen … Read moreIs Delta-8 THC Legal in New York? A 2026 Guide