Best of the Week: November 28 – December 4, 2025

Let’s dive into the top stories shaping the conversation this week. Summaries of each article are listed below.

1. Phase I of Texas Compassionate Use Program Expansion Selection Process for Medical Cannabis Licenses Is Underway

The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) has begun Phase I of the Texas Compassionate Use Program (TCUP) expansion selection process. Nine new businesses (Verano Texas, LLC; Trulieve TX, Inc; Texas Patient Access, LLC; Lonestar Compassionate Care Group, LLC; Lone Star Bioscience, Inc; PC TX OPCO LLC dba PharmaCann; Texa OP, dba TexaRx; Story of Texas, LLC; and Dilatso, LLC) have been selected to move forward for an additional due diligence evaluation. The identified businesses will be subject to due diligence evaluations that include financial stability, litigation history, disciplinary actions, and any other information that is required by the department that follows Phase I of the selection process.

2. First Native American-Owned Cannabis Brand Launched on the East Coast

The Holistic Health Group, Inc., which is operating as Suncrafted, announced that the company has entered into a partnership with Tribal Fire, a local cannabis delivery service located in Cape Cod, Massachusetts. With this joint collaboration, the first licensed Native American cannabis product brand will be able to be launched on the East Coast region. The product line consists so far of vape cartridges, pre-rolls, and flower. The partnership opens a new outlet for customers to be able to support the Wampanoag Tribe, a community that resides in Massachusetts and consists of more than 3,000 members, by purchasing their cannabis products.

3. Pivoting With Purpose: How the Hemp Industry Can Navigate the Federal Change

This month’s Stuck on Compliance blog covers how operators must adapt, strengthen compliance, and pivot product lines to thrive. Here, author Kim Stuck, CQA, CP-FS, CEO of Allay Consulting, explains how doubling down on cGMP certification, understanding what’s allowed in licenses, expanding product lines, preparing for testing, and upgrading facilities can future-proof business in this evolving industry.

4. Low-Dose CBD Oil Study Shows Placebo Response in Reducing Symptoms of Stress

A recently published study aimed to test how a commercially available low-dose cannabidiol (CBD) oil compared with a placebo-oil and no treatment in reducing symptoms of stress in university students. The study, “Placebo effects in a RCT assessing 30 days of low dose Cannabidiol (CBD) treatment for psychological distress in stressed students at risk for depression,” was published in the Journal of Cannabis Research in November 2025.

For this randomized controlled trial, 166 university students aged 19–40 years old with depressive, subclinical symptoms received a daily sublingual dose of either CBD-oil (broad spectrum or full spectrum, to mimic a naturalistic user setting) or a placebo oil (pure hemp seed oil, no CBD) for 30 days. Researchers ultimately determined that a placebo effect was present and could account for the effects of the treatment CBD oil.

5. Cannabis Use May Reduce Risk of Alcohol-Induced Liver Disease, Study Demonstrates

Alcohol-induced liver injury may be reduced through modulation of the hepatic endocannabinoid system (ECS), a new study suggests. In particular, cannabidiol (CBD) may provide protective properties. The research aimed to examine the link between cannabis use and risk for ALD in individuals with alcohol use disorder (AUD). ALD has limited treatments, the study noted, and is a leading cause of liver-related morbidity and deaths globally. The study also noted that though experimental studies have shown there is potential for CBD to reduce alcohol-related liver injury through multiple mechanisms, there is still limited clinical use of CBD. The study, “The Cannabinoid System as a Potential Novel Target for Alcohol-Associated Liver Disease: A Propensity-Matched Cohort Study,” was published in Liver International in October 2025.