What a Year of Cannabis Media Stories Means for Your Business

Cannabis gets more press attention than ever, and very little of it comes from cannabis companies. Over the past year, the industry ran on front pages, in business sections and on health desks, but politicians, regulators, researchers and opponents did most of the talking. Companies mostly showed up when something went wrong: a recall, a lawsuit, a closure or a tax fight. 

The coverage also got tougher. Federal rescheduling and a booming THC-drink market made headlines, and so did the federal hemp-THC ban, a repeal campaign in Massachusetts and editorial boards questioning whether legalization went too far. Reporters now want to know whether the industry can keep products safe and out of kids’ hands. 

Some companies still broke through, and they had a few things in common. They brought reporters a real news hook, a local angle, useful data or an executive who could explain a complicated issue on deadline. Several of these stories happened because of Marino.  

Marino has worked in cannabis since 2017, when legal cannabis arrived in the Northeast, and we’ve served clients in every legal market in the U.S. To give businesses a clearer picture of what reporters cover and why, we reviewed a year of cannabis coverage from 51 national, regional and trade outlets, from August 2025 through August 2026. 

The result is our Cannabis Media Intelligence Report. Inside, you’ll find how tone and framing shifted over the year, who gets quoted and who gets left out, how the five leading trade outlets differ, the moments that drove the news, the topics where reporters need credible sources, and how to prepare for the stories no company wants. 

Whether you’re launching a product, entering a new market or getting ahead of the next regulatory fight, start here.