Data collection company MoreBetter announced a new study aimed at understanding the impact of THC-infused beverages on alcohol consumption, mood and overall quality of life. The company said it is looking for 2,000 qualified participants to provide daily feedback over three weeks about their infused beverage and alcohol consumption patterns, as well as self-assessments on their overall quality of life.

Infused beverages have become the hottest thing in cannabis. It seems every week, more brands are introducing some form of seltzer or juice infused with either regulated THC or a hemp-based THC. However, there has been little research into the effects or benefits of consuming these products.

Participants in the study must be over the age of 21 and willing to share their day-to-day experiences with using infused beverages. Individuals can check if they’re eligible for the study at this website: mystudi.es/bevstudy.

The study is sponsored by several leading beverage brands, that will collectively supply study participants with free infused beverage products to consume throughout the study.

“By collecting consumer-reported outcomes from thousands of consumers, over a multiweek basis, we provide brands and industry advocates with the real world data they need to understand how infused beverages are impacting consumers’ quality of life,” MoreBetter COO Tyler Dautrich said.

Alcohol sales have been trending downward as interest in about THC-infused beverages has increased. Some of the largest alcohol distributors, such as Total Wine & More and Spec’s, now include large selections of infused beverages. The brands, however, want to gain insight into how consumers are using their products and what perceived lifestyle benefits or wellness outcomes might result after consumption.

“The cannabis plant should be better researched, and we are hopeful that this is just the first step in learning how these products can improve people’s lives as acceptance, access, and consumption of infused beverages expands across the US,” said Adam Terry, CEO of Cantrip, also a sponsor of the study.

The study will mainly focus on canned THC-Infused seltzers, but MoreBetter will also investigate 750ml bottles used as mixers, dry powder mixes and 1.5-2 oz “shots” to study how various doses and form factors impact consumers’ perceived experiences.

“As more consumers explore mindful options, real-world data like this will be essential in understanding how THC-infused beverages are enhancing quality of life and transforming social rituals. Our partnership with MoreBetter isn’t just about validating our brands – it’s about leading a cultural shift with integrity, innovation, and style,” said Evan Eneman, CEO and co-founder of Iconic Tonics.

MindBio Therapeutics Corp. (Frankfurt: WF6) (CSE: MBIO) on Friday announced a new financing package that includes a private placement and substantial debt settlements to help strengthen its cash position.

The company plans to raise up to $170,000 via a non-brokered private placement of 15.45 million common shares priced at $0.011 per share, according to a news release. At the same time, MindBio is working to settle $1.76 million in outstanding debt through the issuance of up to 160 million shares at the same price.

The Vancouver-based firm specializes in microdosing psychedelic medicines for mental health conditions. Its lead candidate, MB22001, is described as a “proprietary titratable form of Lysergic Acid Diethylamide (LSD) designed for take-home microdosing.”

According to the announcement, MindBio has completed Phase 1 clinical trials in 80 healthy participants and a Phase 2a trial in patients with major depressive disorder, with “positive top line data reported” for both. The company is currently conducting two Phase 2B trials – one in cancer patients experiencing existential distress and another in patients with MDD. It also received approval for multiple Phase 1/Phase 2B trials focused on women’s health.

The private placement is expected to close around April 18, pending approval from the Canadian Securities Exchange. MindBio may pay finder’s fees of up to 8% of the gross proceeds, which could be settled through cash or additional shares at the offering price.

The company noted that the debt settlement arrangements concern “certain unsecured loans and payables that are due and owing.” Insiders may participate in the debt settlement.

The company said it intends to rely on exemptions from formal valuation and minority shareholder approval requirements since “no securities of the Company are listed on specified markets and the fair market value of the debt being settled by interested parties does not exceed 25% of the Company’s market capitalization.”

Israel took a firm stance against Canadian cannabis imports with the announcement of steep tariffs on the products.

Israel’s minister of economy and industry plans to impose tariffs as high as 165% on Canadian cannabis imports for the next four years, according to StratCann. The decision, which still requires approval from Israel’s Knesset Finance Committee and Finance Minister, follows allegations of “product dumping” into the Israeli medical cannabis market.

“Following the economic investigation I led, which found that cannabis is being imported from Canada at dumping prices causing significant damage to the local industry, and following the recommendation of the advisory committee that approved the findings of the investigation, the Minister of Economy decided to impose an anti-dumping duty on cannabis imports from Canada,” Dany Tal, director of import administration & commissioner of anti-dumping measures at Israel’s Ministry of Economy, said in a Thursday LinkedIn post.

The Israeli tariff decision followed a lengthy investigation that began with a preliminary report in July 2024 proposing tariffs from 63% to 369%, and a final report in November 2024 arguing for rates as high as 175%. However, Israel’s Ministry of Health opposed the tariffs option, with Ran Ridnik, head of economy, regulation and innovation at the ministry, previously expressing dismay at the proposed rates and the process used to determine them.

The final tariffs vary significantly by company:

• Decibel (12%)
• Village Farms (28%)
• Organigram (53%)
• Tilray (70%)
• 165% for most other Canadian imports.

Adam Coates, chief revenue officer at Decibel Cannabis, told StratCann their lower rate resulted from cooperation with authorities: “The lower potential duty rate reflects the cooperative approach we’ve taken and the confidence in our pricing practices.”

Other Canadian producers expressed frustration with the decision.

“We remain of the firm belief that the investigation’s methodology and interpretations were seriously flawed and that there is no credible basis for the tariffs placed on our company,” said Mark McKay, director of communications at Organigram. “The appropriate tariff amount for Organigram is zero.”

Mike Gorenstein, CEO of Cronos, which does extensive business in Israel, including local production, was more blunt.

“Inventing arbitrary formulas to make tariffs is bad for consumers and worse for patients,” he said. “I would have thought we just learned that in the last week.”

Israel has been one of a handful of significant export markets for Canadian cannabis companies, along with Australia, Germany, and to a lesser degree, the U.K.