You Went Legal. The Federal Government Rewarded You With a 70% Tax Rate.
Legal cannabis operators paid $2.24 billion in excess federal taxes in 2025. The illicit market paid zero. That is not a coincidence. That is policy. What 280E actually means for your business Would rescheduling fix this? If you run a legal cannabis business and you feel like the system is working against you, the numbers […]
Marijuana Budtenders Could Qualify For ‘No Tax On Tips,’ IRS Says, But Only After Federal Legalization
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) says that while marijuana industry workers are not currently eligible under the “No Tax on Tips” law signed by President Donald Trump last year to write off any gratuities they receive, that could change in the event of federal legalization. The agency discussed the issue in a final rule for […]
Cleveland City Council Proposal Would Use Marijuana Tax Money To Support Neighborhood Projects
“Legalization created opportunity. This ordinance ensures that this opportunity is shared, shared fairly, shared transparently and shared with the residents who made it possible.” By Nick Castele, Signal Cleveland This story was originally published by Signal Cleveland. Sign up for their free newsletters at SignalCleveland.org/subscribe. Cleveland City Council members should be able to spend part […]
Michigan Sheriff Running For Governor Pledges To Repeal Marijuana Tax Increase
“We cannot balance state budgets on the backs of one industry. Excessive taxation drives consumers back to the illicit market and shrinks the legal one.” By Katherine Dailey, Michigan Advance Genesee County Sheriff and Democratic gubernatorial candidate Chris Swanson came out strongly in opposition to the 24 percent cannabis tax passed as a part of […]
The Only American Sent to Prison for the Pot Tax
The Cannabis Operator Prosecutors Got Like Al Capone In this first-person commentary, Ryan Richmond argues that after marijuana charges failed, federal authorities turned to tax law—specifically Section 280E—to win the conviction that sent him to prison. Editor’s note: This essay is a first-person opinion piece by Ryan Richmond. It reflects the author’s recollections, views, and […]