The Weekly Roll August 15th 2025

Happy Friday!

Welcome back to The Weekly Roll. I hope everyone had a lovely week, as we turn the corner into the back half of summer! Here is what’s happening this week in cannabis and art:

The Decision : President Trump announced he'll make a decision on marijuana rescheduling within weeks, but key figures in his MAGA movement are deeply divided on the reform. While some allies like Roger Stone and Alex Bruesewitz support moving cannabis from Schedule I to Schedule III, prominent voices like Matt Walsh and Charlie Kirk are pushing back against the proposal, creating a split within Trump's base despite broad bipartisan public support for rescheduling. Article

Bi-Coastal Showdown : MJBowl, a new bi-coastal cannabis competition between California and New York, will crown national champions across five product categories including flower, pre-rolls, cartridges, concentrates, and edibles. Expert judges will evaluate entries from August through November, with winners announced at MJBizCon on December 4, marking what organizers call a significant step toward national recognition for cannabis product excellence. Article

Interesting Number : $31.7 million. Canadian cannabis retailer High Tide is acquiring a 51% stake in German pharmaceutical company Remexian Pharma, marking its entry into Germany's booming medical marijuana market. The deal comes as Germany's medical cannabis patient base has surged from 250,000 to nearly 900,000 over the past year, with the country importing a record 47 tons of medical cannabis in the second quarter alone and annual revenue approaching 1 billion euros. Article

Plugging the Gap : Major auction houses like Christie's, Sotheby's, and Phillips are increasingly relying on luxury goods sales to offset a dramatic 44% decline in fine art sales, which represents a roughly $3 billion market gap. Luxury categories including handbags, jewelry, watches, and wine now account for over 20% of auction house revenues in 2025, with notable sales like a Jane Birkin Hermès bag that sold for a record $10 million and Christie's luxury sales surging 30% to bring in $468 million in the first half of 2025. Article

Have a great weekend! 

Aidan