2017 marks the first year a cannabis-related business has been an official sponsor of the South by Southwest (SXSW) music, film, and interactive media festival. Leafly will sponsor a three-part track of cannabis programming, including one keynote speaker and two panels, on March 14, 2017.

The pair behind Ohio's 2015 failed recreational marijuana measure now plan to build a medical marijuana growing and processing facility in Southwest Ohio.

Jimmy Gould and Ian James, who co-founded ResponsibleOhio, announced Wednesday they will seek one of 12 large growing facility licenses under the new Ohio Medical Marijuana Control Program. They plan to build near the Wilmington air park.

Canada’s publicly-traded marijuana companies saw their stocks dive Wednesday, after the Liberal government’s point man on legalization cautioned the government will take its time on the move.

Ontario-based Canopy Growth -- which bills itself as the world’s largest medical marijuana producer -- saw its market value plunge nearly 18 per cent between Monday’s close and Wednesday morning, to around $1.53 billion. That’s a market value loss of more than $300 million.

Most other marijuana stocks fell Wednesday as well, with Aurora Cannabis down 6.7 per cent, OrganiGram down 12.6 per cent and Supreme Pharmaceuticals falling 11.2 per cent as of 11:30 am ET Wednesday.

As Wana Brands continues to dominate the Colorado market and expand into emerging markets, the leading producer of cannabis-infused edibles has released a reformation of a classic favorite as well as a new line extension. Wana Brands has reformulated its popular Jewel product and has introduced a new blueberry gummie to the market.                 

Wana Jewels have been reformulated for better taste, texture and effect. Wana Brands also adds blueberry gummies to the company’s popular gummie line that has positioned Wana Brands as 2016’s No. 1 edibles producer in sales revenues in the highly competitive Colorado market, according to BDS Analytics.

Meet the top women in weed from the annual Womens Grow Conference. Women Grow, a for-profit organization, is known for bringing together powerhouse women in the cannabis industry from all over the country to make connections, and share vital industry knowledge.

Power Puff girls

Cannabiz Consumer Group’s (C2G) research findings predict thatlegal marijuana will “canna-balize” 7.1% of revenues from the existing retail beer industry. Those purchases will take many forms, infused beverages among them. If cannabis were legalized nationally, the beer industry would lose more than $2 billion in retail sales, predicts C2G. Twenty-seven percent (27%) of beer drinkers state that they already have substituted cannabis for beer, or would substitute their beer retail purchases with cannabis in the future if legal. Other segments of the alcohol industry including wine and spirits and on-premise sales are also being impacted as are other CPG categories, brands, and retailers.

Central Florida’s first medical marijuana dispensary is slated to open in the next few weeks on North Orange Avenue at Ivanhoe Village, next to White Wolf Cafe.

With gleaming white floors highlighted by gold flecks, wood-slat walls, custom cabinetry and glass panels separating a waiting room from the products, the Knox Medical center is slated to open at 1901 North Orange Avenue. Owners see it as more than a place to distribute, with plans to convey a message.

“I think the community can embrace it and be proud of it,” said Bruce Knox, founder of Knox Medical. “We are just trying to build them as nice as we can to dispel the myth. We all want to have a very professional image and we don’t want anything seedy that could tarnish the state’s image.”

As investors flock to Canada’s burgeoning marijuana sector, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government is signaling recreational pot sales aren’t imminent.

Lawmaker Bill Blair -- the former Toronto police chief leading Trudeau’s legalization effort -- confirmed a bill is due in parliament this spring, but it won’t be the last hurdle as ample regulatory work remains. The federal government will take its time and work with provinces, territories and cities to build a framework and develop specific regulations, he said.

The U.S. cannabis market could generate $2.3 billion in state tax revenue from retail sales by the year 2020, according to New Frontier Data’s newly released annual report on the industry.

This figure was forecasted in the report – titled The Cannabis Industry Annual Report: 2017 Legal Marijuana Outlook – under the assumption that all currently legal states continue their projected growth.

“During this tough economy states are looking for any way to close their budget shortfalls and it appears that cannabis may hold an answer for them,” said New Frontier Data CEO Giadha Aguirre De Carcer in a statement.

Australia's first medical marijuana farm received its growers' licence Wednesday, opening up domestic production of the drug for people seeking relief from serious illnesses.

The Cann Group, who last month received a cannabis research license, was awarded the cultivation permit after a "rigorous on-site security assessment".

"This major development will lead to improved access to domestically produced medicinal cannabis products for Australian patients," said Health Minister Greg Hunt.