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October 31, 2025
Built by a former cannabis regulator, Policy, Decoded delivers high-signal analysis for operators, investors, and policymakers navigating regulated markets.
Our latest Decoded Insight was too spicy not to make our read-in today. Licensed cannabis operators are no longer hinting at frustration - they’re escalating into a coordinated pressure campaign. Within 48 hours, Missouri, Pennsylvania, and Kansas rolled out lab results, child-safety narratives, and targeted raids that frame hemp products as unregulated marijuana and public health risks. The timing isn’t coincidence. It’s a strategic show of force aimed squarely at Washington as Farm Bill and shutdown negotiations converge: “If intoxicating hemp sits outside the regulated system, chaos follows.”
But here’s the real risk: lawmakers may not draw fine distinctions between hemp and marijuana when the political heat rises. If the industry keeps fighting itself instead of building a credible shared framework, Congress won’t choose winners - it will pull the rug out from under both.
Today’s edition is sponsored by 1440 Media - smart context, delivered fast. Plus, Happy Halloween - and don’t miss today’s new episode of The Hybrid with LEVIA’s Kristin and Eric Rogers on building, selling, and reclaiming a brand.
🧪 Licensed cannabis turns lab data into a weapon
🏛️ Ohio Republicans split on voter-approved cannabis
🌾 Kentucky’s hemp fight becomes a federal showdown
Stay sharp. Stay informed. Check your candy.
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