ACCESS Newswire
09 Mar 2026, 01:45 GMT+10

Duane Boise CEO MMJ International Holdings stated 'You cannot shortcut the FDA. Many companies are just now deciding they want to be pharmaceutical, but the real barrier to entry is time spent inside the regulatory process. MMJ International Holdings made that commitment nearly a decade ago, and that investment in science and compliance is now proving to be our greatest strategic advantage.'

WASHINGTON, DC / ACCESS Newswire / March 8, 2026 / In the months following President Donald Trump's executive order to move cannabis to Schedule III, a remarkable shift has taken place across the cannabis industry. Companies that once built their identities around retail cannabis or consumer wellness products are now repositioning themselves as leaders in medical and pharmaceutical cannabinoid development.

Announcements from companies such as Aurora Cannabis and Tilray Brands signal what many investors already suspect: the next chapter of cannabis will be defined not by dispensaries, but by regulated medicine.

At the TD Cowen Healthcare Conference, Aurora leadership emphasized a strategic shift toward focusing solely on global medical and pharmaceutical cannabis markets. Shortly thereafter, Tilray announced the creation of Tilray Medical USA, positioning itself to compete in the emerging federally regulated medical cannabis landscape.

For much of the industry, this pivot represents a dramatic strategic change.

For MMJ International Holdings, it simply confirms a path chosen long ago.

While many operators are now racing to establish medical credibility, MMJ International Holdings has spent the past decade navigating the most difficult pathway in pharmaceutical development: the U.S. Food and Drug Administration clinical trial process.

That work began long before federal cannabis reform was politically feasible.

Instead of pursuing state-level retail markets, MMJ committed to the FDA botanical drug pathway, developing standardized cannabinoid formulations designed to meet the rigorous chemistry, manufacturing, and clinical standards required for prescription medicines.