The Weekly Roll - June 6th 2025

Happy Friday!

Welcome back to The Weekly Roll. I hope everyone had a lovely week! Here is what’s happening this week in cannabis and art:

The Beverage Battle Begins : Kentucky bars and restaurants are saying goodbye to hemp beverages this weekend, with a "last call" party marking the end of an era before new legislation kicks in. Starting June 1st, thanks to Senate Bill 202, you won't be able to order THC-infused drinks by the glass at bars anymore, though you can still buy packaged versions at liquor stores. It's a pretty big hit for companies like Louisville's Cornbread Hemp, since about 30% of their beverage sales came from bars and restaurants serving drinks on-site. Article

California Woes : California's legal cannabis market is having its worst year yet, with sales dropping 11% in the first quarter of 2025 to just $1.088 billion – the biggest decline since legalization started. The legal market is getting crushed by high taxes, regulatory fees, and competition from illegal dispensaries that don't have to deal with all those costs, with licensed stores only supplying about 38% of California's cannabis consumption. Article

Interesting Number :  249. The number of applicants in Minnesota that got the green light to move forward with licensing for dispensaries, cultivation, and manufacturing operations. The first lottery was a nail-biting experience for hopefuls who gathered at watch parties, with only about a third of applicants winning licenses across four business categories. Winners are now eyeing early 2026 openings for their dispensaries. Article

All-Female Jury Selects Bennett Prize Winner : Dallas artist Amy Werntz won the Bennett Prize, the biggest art award for women in figurative painting, taking home $50,000 for her strikingly realistic paintings of elderly people in everyday moments. This year's prize was judged by the first all-female jury in the competition's history as part of a broader effort to boost women painters who haven't achieved full professional recognition yet. Article

Have a great weekend! 

Aidan