NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK / ACCESS Newswire / January 15, 2026 / The cannabis industry is approaching a regulatory turning point where storytelling gives way to substantiation. As federal oversight advances, cannabis is transitioning out of fragmented state-by-state systems and toward a compliance model consistent with other regulated industries. In that environment, credibility is no longer measured by disclosure alone. It is measured by verifiable control.

That transition reshapes what scale looks like.

Federal normalization does not instantly reclassify cannabis as a pharmaceutical product, but it does raise expectations toward medical-grade standards. Products intended for ingestion, absorption, or therapeutic use must demonstrate alignment between their physical composition and their recorded history. Labels and reports are no longer sufficient proxies. Regulators require continuity between what exists in reality and what compliance systems claim.

This is where material-level identity becomes essential infrastructure.

Why Cannabis Compliance Now Requires Embedded Proof

Most existing cannabis tracking systems were designed for speed, traceability, and local reporting. They capture activity, but often lack the ability to verify integrity over time. Under limited oversight, that distinction was manageable. Under federal scrutiny, it becomes a structural weakness.

Federal regulators expect chain-of-custody records that remain intact from origin through distribution. They expect discrepancies to be resolved without retroactive reconstruction. Systems dependent on manual reconciliation or fragmented databases struggle to meet those standards.

SMX addresses this gap at the physical layer. By embedding molecular identity directly into materials, its technology ensures that identity persists through processing, handling, and transformation. Records reflect the material itself rather than approximating it after the fact. For cannabis, this approach aligns with the trajectory of federal oversight, where compliance must be continuous rather than episodic.

FDA-Regulated rPET Demonstrates the Framework

This model is already operating within highly regulated federal environments.

SMX has successfully deployed its molecular marking technology in recycled PET used for food-contact applications under FDA Food Contact Substance regulations governed by 21 CFR. These frameworks apply to some of the most tightly controlled materials in commerce. Systems functioning here must demonstrate durability, safety, and verifiable compliance.

In these applications, molecular identity allows recycled plastics to retain permanent, invisible proof of origin and regulatory status, even in contexts where contamination risk is strictly managed. This enables rPET to access markets that were previously restricted.

That precedent matters for cannabis. When products interact directly with the human body, regulators prioritize verifiable control over stated intent. Food-grade rPET offers a clear example of molecular identity operating successfully inside federal compliance regimes.

Shared Regulatory Demands Across Materials

Cannabis and recycled plastics occupy different markets, but they face the same regulatory reality. Both require traceability that survives transformation. Both demand proof that cannot be altered downstream. Both expose the limitations of systems built primarily on declarations.

SMX's platform is not specific to a single industry. Its relevance lies in providing persistent identity wherever regulation requires proof. Whether the material is botanical or polymer-based, the underlying requirement is the same: physical products must be able to authenticate themselves.

As cannabis advances toward federal standards, that requirement becomes unavoidable.

Identity as the Basis for Scalable Compliance

Markets are increasingly rewarding not just growth, but control.

SMX's ability to embed identity at the molecular level and operate within FDA-compliant frameworks positions the company at the convergence of regulation and scalability. Cannabis operators preparing for federal oversight face the same decision already confronting plastics manufacturers: adapt legacy systems, or adopt infrastructure designed for verification.

As oversight intensifies, the distinction becomes decisive.

Cannabis will not be filtered by enthusiasm or branding. It will be filtered by execution. Companies that can demonstrate integrity across their supply chains will progress. Those that cannot will encounter increasing friction.

Identity is no longer optional. It is foundational.

Contact: Jeremy Murphy/ jeremy@360bespoke.com

SOURCE: SMX (Security Matters) Public Limited