What Is an MSO? U.S. Cannabis Operators Explained
An MSO is a cannabis company licensed in two or more states. Here is how multistate operators are structured, who the largest are, and why it matters.
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The cannabis explainers library answers the questions readers actually ask about U.S. cannabis: what is rescheduling, how does SAFE Banking work, what is 280E, what is a multi state operator, how are state licenses awarded, what is the difference between hemp and marijuana under federal law. Each explainer is sourced to primary documents, reviewed by an editor, and updated when the underlying rule changes.
An MSO is a cannabis company licensed in two or more states. Here is how multistate operators are structured, who the largest are, and why it matters.
The DEA moved state medical cannabis to Schedule III on April 22, 2026. Adult use cannabis stays Schedule I. Here is what the order actually does.
Hemp and marijuana are the same plant. The legal difference is a single number: 0.3 percent delta-9 THC by dry weight. Here is how that line works.
Section 280E bars state legal cannabis operators from deducting ordinary business expenses, driving effective federal tax rates above 70%. Here is how it works.