Welcome to Rise & Roll, a bi-weekly newsletter that keeps you smart, savvy, and always in the loop on the latest in cannabis.

Here’s what we have on deck for today…

1. Kentucky gives voters shot at legal cannabis

2. Virginia unveils path for psychedelic therapy

3. Missouri stops predatory cannabis license practices

Kentucky gives voters shot at legal cannabis

Kentucky's heating up the cannabis conversation with a bold move: putting adult-use legalization on the 2026 ballot.

• The proposed bill would allow personal grows and set up a regulated market, building on the state's fresh medical cannabis framework.

• The timing's interesting — over 100 Kentucky cities just gave medical cannabis a thumbs-up in local votes.

With medical infrastructure rolling out now, early birds eyeing the Kentucky market could have a serious head start if voters say yes in 2026.

Virginia unveils path for psychedelic therapy

The Virginia Senate is paving the way for breakthrough psychedelic therapies. A new bill would fund clinical trials for FDA-designated breakthrough therapies and create a state advisory council to guide future policy.

This strategic approach mirrors early cannabis reform efforts — starting with medical research and veterans' advocacy before broader adoption.

For cannabis operators looking to expand into emerging therapeutics, Virginia's measured approach offers a valuable blueprint.

Missouri stops predatory cannabis license practices

Missouri is cracking down on sneaky middlemen who've been gaming the state's cannabis microbusiness program. The state just dropped new rules requiring license contacts to be actual owners – not random consultants.

Why? They found some wild stuff — like one consultant who appeared on 329 different applications!

The move protects genuine entrepreneurs from predatory players who've been intercepting official communications and keeping real business owners in the dark.

For cannabis startups, the message is clear: keep your business in your own hands.

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We’ll be back with another edition on Tuesday. See you then!

To stay up-to-date on cannabis news, visit us at riseandroll.news.