Senior writer at Forbeshttps://bsky.app/profile/willyakowicz.bsky.socialhttps://bsky.app/profile/willyakowicz.bsky.social/post/3mnuv2aqgac2uRead my story about the world's first marijuana-derived painkiller, which was just approved in Germany. @forbes.com https://www.forbes.com/sites/willyakowicz/2026/06/09/the-inside-story-of-the-worlds-first-cannabis-based-painkiller/09 Jun 2026 19:01 +0000at://did:plc:k5rlzermffqpyjtej3fugw3b/app.bsky.feed.post/3mnuv2aqgac2uhttps://bsky.app/profile/willyakowicz.bsky.social/post/3mjx4jaormk2r420 used to be a secret kept by those in the know. Now, it's a mainstream "holiday" celebrated by the cannabis industry and consumers alike. Check out this video we made at @forbes.com years ago about the history of 420. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6JKN5ySFkIA20 Apr 2026 18:39 +0000at://did:plc:k5rlzermffqpyjtej3fugw3b/app.bsky.feed.post/3mjx4jaormk2rhttps://bsky.app/profile/willyakowicz.bsky.social/post/3mjx3pmwsrc2rKim Rivers, CEO of Florida-based Trulieve, was instrumental in getting President Trump to issue an executive order to reschedule marijuana. Now she is trying to build her $1.2 billion company into the Starbucks of weed. Read my story on @forbes.com20 Apr 2026 18:25 +0000at://did:plc:k5rlzermffqpyjtej3fugw3b/app.bsky.feed.post/3mjx3pmwsrc2rhttps://bsky.app/profile/willyakowicz.bsky.social/post/3mjwz6xlcbc2rHappy 420, everyone. Ring in the high holiday and check out @forbes.com's 42.0 List, a collection of the most innovative, successful and influential people and companies in America's $30B cannabis industry.20 Apr 2026 17:40 +0000at://did:plc:k5rlzermffqpyjtej3fugw3b/app.bsky.feed.post/3mjwz6xlcbc2rhttps://bsky.app/profile/willyakowicz.bsky.social/post/3mjplsyk3422pMeet The Cannabis Industry’s Trump Whisperer in @forbes.com https://www.forbes.com/sites/willyakowicz/2026/04/17/meet-trulieve-ceo-kim-rivers-the-cannabis-industrys-trump-whisperer/17 Apr 2026 18:52 +0000at://did:plc:k5rlzermffqpyjtej3fugw3b/app.bsky.feed.post/3mjplsyk3422phttps://bsky.app/profile/willyakowicz.bsky.social/post/3mgxfrikwgc2zThis $100 Million Vape Company Is A Pillar Of The Cannabis Industry @forbes.com https://www.forbes.com/sites/willyakowicz/2026/03/13/this-100-million-vape-company-is-a-pillar-of-the-cannabis-industry/13 Mar 2026 17:09 +0000at://did:plc:k5rlzermffqpyjtej3fugw3b/app.bsky.feed.post/3mgxfrikwgc2zhttps://bsky.app/profile/willyakowicz.bsky.social/post/3mep2ghnmas2xIt's time for entrepreneurs to apply to the @forbes.com Cannabis 42.0 List. If you have built a successful, privately-owned company in legal weed, please apply here: https://forms.gle/6WXxfwvh76irtX5x812 Feb 2026 22:34 +0000at://did:plc:k5rlzermffqpyjtej3fugw3b/app.bsky.feed.post/3mep2ghnmas2xhttps://bsky.app/profile/willyakowicz.bsky.social/post/3mcl4cipffs2yThe Last Casino Mogul: Derek Stevens, owner of Circa, Golden Gate and The D, took a big gamble on remaking Downtown Vegas. He now has a portfolio of properties worth more than $1 billion—including the world’s largest sportsbook and Sin City’s biggest pool. @forbes.com https://www.forbes.com/sites/willyakowicz/2026/01/16/derek-stevens-interview-circa-last-las-vegas-casino-mogul/16 Jan 2026 22:07 +0000at://did:plc:k5rlzermffqpyjtej3fugw3b/app.bsky.feed.post/3mcl4cipffs2yhttps://bsky.app/profile/willyakowicz.bsky.social/post/3mabxzvmvus2vPresident Trump signs executive order to reclassify marijuana as a less dangerous drug under Schedule 3. Read my story @forbes.com https://www.forbes.com/sites/willyakowicz/2025/12/18/president-trump-to-reschedule-cannabis-as-less-dangerous-drug/18 Dec 2025 20:06 +0000at://did:plc:k5rlzermffqpyjtej3fugw3b/app.bsky.feed.post/3mabxzvmvus2vhttps://bsky.app/profile/willyakowicz.bsky.social/post/3m7sgtq7rxc2vWhite House Says President Trump Has Made ‘No Final Decisions’ Around Marijuana Rescheduling @forbes.com https://www.forbes.com/sites/willyakowicz/2025/12/11/white-house-says-president-trump-has-made-no-final-decisions-around-marijuana-rescheduling/12 Dec 2025 15:49 +0000at://did:plc:k5rlzermffqpyjtej3fugw3b/app.bsky.feed.post/3m7sgtq7rxc2vhttps://bsky.app/profile/willyakowicz.bsky.social/post/3m5k46flqvs2p$28 Billion Hemp Industry Faces Extinction With Government Re-Opening @forbes.com https://www.forbes.com/sites/willyakowicz/2025/11/13/28-billion-hemp-industry-faces-extinction-with-government-re-opening/13 Nov 2025 21:26 +0000at://did:plc:k5rlzermffqpyjtej3fugw3b/app.bsky.feed.post/3m5k46flqvs2phttps://bsky.app/profile/willyakowicz.bsky.social/post/3lzt5qpvhus27Bookie Tied To Ohtani’s Interpreter Says Half Of All Pro Athletes Gamble On Sports @forbes.com https://www.forbes.com/sites/willyakowicz/2025/09/27/bookie-tied-to-ohtanis-interpreter-says-half-of-all-pro-athletes-gamble-on-sports/27 Sep 2025 14:07 +0000at://did:plc:k5rlzermffqpyjtej3fugw3b/app.bsky.feed.post/3lzt5qpvhus27https://bsky.app/profile/willyakowicz.bsky.social/post/3lynxcvfwxc2wThis Pharma Billionaire Is Developing A Cannabis Painkiller To Replace Dangerous Opioids @forbes.com https://www.forbes.com/sites/willyakowicz/2025/09/12/this-pharma-billionaire-is-developing-a-cannabis-painkiller-to-replace-dangerous-opioids/12 Sep 2025 19:04 +0000at://did:plc:k5rlzermffqpyjtej3fugw3b/app.bsky.feed.post/3lynxcvfwxc2whttps://bsky.app/profile/willyakowicz.bsky.social/post/3lxb4347sjs2zWhy Cheech And Chong’s $100 Million Cannabis Empire Is No Joke @forbes.com https://www.forbes.com/sites/willyakowicz/2025/08/24/why-cheech-and-chongs-100-million-cannabis-empire-is-no-joke/25 Aug 2025 22:59 +0000at://did:plc:k5rlzermffqpyjtej3fugw3b/app.bsky.feed.post/3lxb4347sjs2zhttps://bsky.app/profile/willyakowicz.bsky.social/post/3lwtphr2lqs2kMeet The Ex-NASA Engineer Training Robots To Make Pre-Roll Joints More Potent @forbes.com https://www.forbes.com/sites/willyakowicz/2025/08/20/meet-the-ex-nasa-engineer-training-robots-to-make-pre-roll-joints/20 Aug 2025 15:09 +0000at://did:plc:k5rlzermffqpyjtej3fugw3b/app.bsky.feed.post/3lwtphr2lqs2khttps://bsky.app/profile/willyakowicz.bsky.social/post/3lpyuljey4s2oWith Federal Legalization Stalled, Cannabis Companies Are Finding A New Green Rush In Europe @forbes.com https://www.forbes.com/sites/willyakowicz/2025/05/25/with-federal-legalization-stalled-cannabis-companies-are-finding-a-new-green-rush-in-europe/25 May 2025 14:27 +0000at://did:plc:k5rlzermffqpyjtej3fugw3b/app.bsky.feed.post/3lpyuljey4s2ohttps://bsky.app/profile/willyakowicz.bsky.social/post/3lfxr2mmtcs2lCasino Billionaire Phil Ruffin Is Ready To Sell Las Vegas’s Circus Circus @forbes.com https://www.forbes.com/sites/willyakowicz/2025/01/17/billionaire-trump-pal-phil-ruffin-is-ready-to-sell-the-aging-circus-circus-casino/17 Jan 2025 21:40 +0000at://did:plc:k5rlzermffqpyjtej3fugw3b/app.bsky.feed.post/3lfxr2mmtcs2lhttps://bsky.app/profile/willyakowicz.bsky.social/post/3lavyq7v7pc2xI spent Election Day eve with Tucker Carlson. Instead of talking about Trump, who he campaigned for, he was pitching his new business, a nicotine pouch brand named Alp. @forbes.com https://www.forbes.com/sites/willyakowicz/2024/11/14/tucker-carlson-interview-alp-nicotine-pouch-zyn-donald-trump/14 Nov 2024 13:46 +0000at://did:plc:k5rlzermffqpyjtej3fugw3b/app.bsky.feed.post/3lavyq7v7pc2xhttps://bsky.app/profile/willyakowicz.bsky.social/post/3l5kckgr3ct2yHow Zyn Conquered America @forbes.com https://www.forbes.com/sites/willyakowicz/2024/09/26/how-zyn-took-over-america/02 Oct 2024 17:54 +0000at://did:plc:k5rlzermffqpyjtej3fugw3b/app.bsky.feed.post/3l5kckgr3ct2yhttps://bsky.app/profile/willyakowicz.bsky.social/post/3kv2jnqp2rz2sHonor Thy Father: The Saga of a Drug Smuggler’s Son @forbes.com https://www.forbes.com/sites/willyakowicz/2024/06/16/brady-cobb-interview-sunburn-cannabis-bill-cobb-operation-sunburn/16 Jun 2024 15:57 +0000at://did:plc:k5rlzermffqpyjtej3fugw3b/app.bsky.feed.post/3kv2jnqp2rz2s