Year in Review: Top 10 stories of 2024

Every year in cannabis is a wild one – and 2024 was no exception. From lawsuits to legalization. Green Market Report’s coverage of the industry spanned a wide range of topics.

As we prepare to head into a new year, we’re taking a moment to highlight the stories that piqued your interest over the past 12 months.

Many cannabis jobs require you to be more than just a stoner, but a posting by Custom Cones USA wasn’t asking for much more than that.

Billed as “the Ultimate Stoner Dream Job,” Custom Cones put out a call for content creators, writers, videographers and social media gurus to smoke test the latest cannabis products, be part of the best cannabis industry events, and share those experiences with the world.

Based on the response to this story, we’re guessing the company’s inbox was flooded with interested applicants.

A federal racketeering lawsuit filed in Georgia in February alleged that California cannabis brand leaders STIIIZY and Cookies – along with 12 co-conspirators – illegally sold marijuana products that had been intentionally mislabeled as federally legal delta-8 hemp goods. It also asked for a minimum of $150 million in damages.

The lawsuit highlighted the ongoing battle between regulated cannabis and intoxicating hemp, a battle that likely won’t be disappearing anytime soon, especially in states where marijuana remains illegal or, in the case of Georgia, where the industry is still getting its footing.

A defining characteristic of the legal U.S. cannabis market is the fact that each state acts as its own independent market. That makes it more difficult for brands to take broad market share. But a report released in September showed that some edibles brands have been able to overcome that hurdle.

In September, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) finally charged Ignite International Brands Ltd., Paul Bilzerian, and six others for improperly recognizing and reporting revenue in 2020.

Green Market Report previously wrote in 2022 that the SEC was suing Ignite Brands Ltd. for failing to produce documents as it attempted to pursue an accounting fraud investigation. Ignite wanted the investigative subpoena “stayed” as the criminal authorities conducted a criminal investigation. The SEC argued at the time that just because the company was facing multiple investigations, it couldn’t ask the SEC to stand down.

The rise in what is now being labeled as “intoxicating” goods has blurred the lines between hemp and marijuana, and is reshaping both industries. Corporate cannabis took notice, and an array of well-known brands jumped in on the action, from Curaleaf to Cookes; (Mike) Tyson 2.0 to Jeeter.

The legal anomaly established by the 2018 Farm Bill opened a floodgate of possibilities for companies.