The AdvisorShares Pure US Cannabis ETF (MSOS) experienced a significant decline intraday, with its price plummeting 13.31%.
The sharp drop followed a sector-wide reversal, as initial investor enthusiasm for a U.S. policy shift on cannabis gave way to concerns over its limited scope. The U.S. Department of Justice moved to reschedule FDA-approved and state-licensed marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III, but industry participants noted the order applies specifically to a narrow segment rather than the broader market.
This realization led to a pullback across cannabis shares, with major companies slumping in afternoon trading. The rescheduling, while significant, was seen as creating uneven benefits and doing little to resolve longstanding structural issues facing the industry, such as conflicts between federal and state law and broader legal and financial barriers.
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