Verano Holdings debuted its first cannabis beverage brand in two West states August 21, while California's AB 2250 and AB 2532 both head to Senate floor votes ahead of an August 31 deadline.
WEST, August 24, 2026: Verano Holdings launched Easy Landings, its first dedicated cannabis beverage brand, in Arizona and Nevada on August 21, the company said. The line includes four flavors, Lemon Lime, Watermelon, Mango and Black Cherry, in 2-ounce bottles carrying 100mg of fast-acting THC, with each capful delivering a 5mg serving. Easy Landings is sold through Verano's own Zen Leaf dispensaries and through third-party retail partners in both states; the company said it plans to expand into additional markets later in 2026.
In California, two hemp and cannabis beverage bills are headed to a Senate floor vote before the legislature's August 31 deadline for bills to pass their house of origin, according to a California NORML tracker update published August 21. AB 2250, which would exclude CBN isolate from the "concentrated cannabis" definition set by last year's AB 8, has cleared both relevant Senate policy committees and Appropriations. AB 2532, which would require a national Poison Help line number and a multi-serving notice on cannabis beverage labels, along with industry-wide precision dosing and child-resistant packaging after an earlier 10mg-per-serving cap was dropped during negotiations with the industry, has also cleared Appropriations. AB 2532's status had been unclear for two consecutive weeks after it failed to appear in either of two suspense-file hearing results; the NORML update resolves that gap.
In Colorado, Charlotte's Web Holdings disclosed in a Securities and Exchange Commission filing made August 20 that it signed a $1.58 million convertible promissory note on August 14 with DeFloria, its joint venture with AJNA BioSciences and a British American Tobacco subsidiary. The note supersedes a prior $750,000 note and carries a non-compounding 11.25 percent annual interest rate that resets quarterly and is capped at 14 percent; it converts automatically in a qualified financing of $10 million or more at the better of a 20 percent discount or a $146 million valuation cap.
Elsewhere in the region, Arizona's Court of Appeals has gone five consecutive weeks without ruling on the Hemp Industry Trade Association's special action challenging Attorney General Kris Mayes' dispensary-only enforcement position, and Hawaii's federal court has yet to rule on the pending motions in Alyas v. Lopez. Nevada's Cannabis Advisory Commission Consumable Hemp Subcommittee continues its interim study, with a report and legislative recommendations due November 9. No other West state reported new hemp beverage legislation, rulemaking or enforcement action this week.
Sources: - [Verano Launching THC Beverage Brand Easy Landings in Arizona, Illinois, Nevada and New Jersey](https://themarijuanaherald.com/2026/08/verano-launching-thc-beverage-brand-easy-landings-in-arizona-illinois-nevada-and-new-jersey/) (The Marijuana Herald) - [2026 California Cannabis Legislation: What Bills Cal NORML is Tracking and Acting On](https://www.canorml.org/cacannabisbills2026/) (California NORML) - [Charlotte's Web Issues $1.58 Million Convertible Note to DeFloria JV at 11.25%](https://www.tradingview.com/news/tradingview:ab56b6bcced7c:0-charlotte-s-web-issues-1-58-million-convertible-note-to-defloria-jv-at-11-25/) (TradingView, sourced from SEC Form 8-K)
Forma works embedded on hemp and THC beverage formulation and commercial scale-up, from compliant dosing and label claims through co-packer qualification. This wire is a byproduct of the same regulatory tracking that informs that work.
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