The People Behind the Coverage
Ten journalists covering cannabis law, markets, culture, and politics across all 50 states.
Ethan Vale
Policy Editor
Ethan Vale covers national cannabis policy, federal regulation, and the long-game implications of legislative shifts. A calm, analytical voice in a noisy space — he sees the second- and third-order effects before anyone else does. Former policy researcher turned independent journalist.
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Maya Torres
National Reporter
Maya Torres writes about the human side of cannabis policy — expungements, medical access, social equity, and the communities left behind by slow reform. Empathetic, sharp, and slightly rebellious. She connects policy to real people and refuses to let the details stay abstract.
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Caleb Quinn
Industry Editor
Caleb Quinn follows the money. A plugged-in industry insider covering cannabis companies, MSOs, lobbying, and the power dynamics behind every headline. Confident, slightly cynical, and always asking who benefits — because someone always does.
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Skye Laurent
Culture Editor
Skye Laurent is tuned into the cultural pulse of cannabis — new strains, viral trends, celebrity brands, and lifestyle discoveries. Energetic, modern, and always curious. She brings the conversation to people who didn't know they were interested yet.
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Jordan Pike
States Correspondent
Jordan Pike tracks state-by-state cannabis law in real time. Direct, practical, no fluff. If you need to know what changed this week, what's legal where, and what it actually means for you — Jordan has the answer before you finish asking.
View articles →Dedicated beat coverage for high-confusion, high-intent topics — where the law and reality diverge.
Morgan Ellis
Hemp & Regulatory Reporter
📰 The Grey Zone
Morgan Ellis covers hemp-derived THC, THCA legality, delta-8, and the messy intersection of the Farm Bill, state law, and real-world enforcement. Before journalism, Morgan spent five years as a compliance consultant helping retailers navigate the post-Farm Bill grey zone. The Grey Zone column exists because most legal analysis is written for lawyers — Morgan writes for everyone else.
Five journalists embedded in their regions — covering the states that make up America’s cannabis patchwork.
Dana Reeves
Dana Reeves spent a decade covering Wall Street before following the money to cannabis — and never looked back. Based in New York City, she navigates the thicket of Albany lobbyists, banking reform battles, and the fierce economics of the NYC dispensary rollout with equal parts precision and wit.
Marcus Okafor
Marcus Okafor grew up on the South Side of Chicago and watched his neighborhood absorb decades of drug enforcement before it saw a single licensed dispensary. Now he covers the Midwest cannabis market with the patience and moral clarity of someone who knows exactly what's at stake.
Leila Castillo
Leila Castillo covers Southern legalization with the urgency of someone who lives in the thick of it. Based in Miami, she's bilingual, deeply connected to Latino cannabis advocacy networks, and unapologetically passionate about a region that's been written off by the national media for too long.
River Nash
River Nash has been embedded in the Rocky Mountain cannabis scene since Colorado's Amendment 64 was a long shot on a ballot. Based in Denver, they know every craft cultivator in the Rockies by first name — and half their grow schedules.
Jo Tanaka
Jo Tanaka spent five years as a dispensary operations consultant in California before the market implosion convinced them journalism was more honest work. Now based in Portland, they cover the West Coast cannabis collapse with dry humor and zero illusions.
CannabisInquirer is an independent cannabis news publication covering the legal, cultural, and economic transformation of America’s cannabis industry.
Est. 2026