The Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board (LCB) suspended Port Angeles-based Dank Inc.’s cannabis producer/processor license Dec. 14 for a period of 180 days while it seeks permanent revocation of the company’s permits.

The suspension came as an emergency measure following multiple violations issued by state regulators and alleged criminal activity by Dank. The company has held active Tier 2 cultivation and processor licenses since November 2015, both of which weren’t up for renewal until October 2023, according to the Washington Department of Revenue.

The emergency suspension also followed LCB’s joint investigation with the Washington State Patrol’s Cannabis Enforcement Response Team into Dank, which allegedly uncovered criminal cannabis growing and distribution activity that resulted in roughly 5,000 cannabis plants being seized by state regulators in November, according to an LCB press release.

Through a search warrant issued for Dank’s Port Angeles location, investigators allegedly found untagged cannabis plants and cannabis plants whose tags had previously been used—both violations of state laws and rules written to prevent potential diversion to unregulated cannabis markets—according to the release.

In addition, Dank allegedly violated Washington’s “true party of interest/financier” law, which outlines who must be listed on a cannabis license with residency requirements applying. LCB officials claimed in the release that Dank allowed undisclosed and/or unapproved persons affiliated with a criminal enterprise to control the day-to-day operations of the business.

“Based on the seriousness of the violations and the conduct of the licensee, including traceability, true party of interest, criminal conduct, probable diversion into the illegal cannabis market, and the likelihood the licensee will commit these violations in the future, the board found that these activities constitute a direct and immediate threat to the public health and safety,” the LCB release read. “The board therefore approved an emergency suspension of the license. The license will remain suspended for a period of 180 days during which the LCB will seek permanent revocation.”

The Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board (LCB) suspended Port Angeles-based Dank Inc.’s cannabis producer/processor licenses Dec. 14 for a period of 180 days while it seeks permanent revocation of the company’s permits.

The suspension came as an emergency measure following multiple violations issued by state regulators and alleged criminal activity by Dank. The company has held active Tier 2 cultivation and processor licenses since November 2015, both of which weren’t up for renewal until October 2023, according to the Washington Department of Revenue.

The emergency suspension also followed LCB’s joint investigation with the Washington State Patrol’s Cannabis Enforcement Response Team into Dank, which allegedly uncovered criminal cannabis growing and distribution activity that resulted in roughly 5,000 cannabis plants being seized by state regulators in November, according to an LCB press release.

Through a search warrant issued for Dank’s Port Angeles location, investigators allegedly found untagged cannabis plants and cannabis plants whose tags had previously been used—both violations of state laws and rules written to prevent potential diversion to unregulated cannabis markets—according to the release.

In addition, Dank allegedly violated Washington’s “true party of interest/financier” law, which outlines who must be listed on a cannabis license with residency requirements applying. LCB officials claimed in the release that Dank allowed undisclosed and/or unapproved persons affiliated with a criminal enterprise to control the day-to-day operations of the business.

“Based on the seriousness of the violations and the conduct of the licensee, including traceability, true party of interest, criminal conduct, probable diversion into the illegal cannabis market, and the likelihood the licensee will commit these violations in the future, the board found that these activities constitute a direct and immediate threat to the public health and safety,” the LCB release read. “The board therefore approved an emergency suspension of the license. The license will remain suspended for a period of 180 days during which the LCB will seek permanent revocation.”

Colorado regulators issued a Health and Safety Advisory Dec. 15 over potentially moldy cannabis flower produced by adult-use licensee 240 Arthur Avenue LLC, which does business as Rivus Fine Cannabis.

The advisory, issued by the Colorado Department of Revenue (DOR) in conjunction with the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE), stems from potentially unsafe levels of total yeast, mold and aspergillus in two harvest batches of adult-use flower produced by Rivus Fine Cannabis, Retail Marijuana Cultivation License 403R-01197.

Dispensaries sold the potentially contaminated products between Sept. 17 and Oct. 12. A full list of affected harvest batches, as well as the retailers where they were sold, can be found below.

Regulators urge consumers who have the affected products to destroy them or return them to the dispensary where they were purchased for proper disposal. Those who experience adverse health effects from consuming the potentially contaminated products should report it using a MED Reporting Form.

Total Yeast and Mold and Aspergillus Contaminated Harvest Batches:

PRESS RELEASE - Parabola Center, a nonprofit cannabis policy think tank based in Massachusetts, is announcing a partnership with small cannabis organizations from around the country. Collectively, the group believes federal legalization should support small businesses and the historically disenfranchised.

Fifty cannabis businesses, service providers and nonprofits are teaming up to end cannabis prohibition fairly and equitably without the influence of big money. The group’s goal is to create a model of legalization that centers small businesses instead of large corporations.

“The best way to push for a model of national legalization that protects small cannabis businesses is to listen to the thousands of them who already exist,” said Shaleen Title, founder and director of Parabola Center. “Our organization believes that social equity, craft and disadvantaged business operators should be driving the discussion on how to design a national regulatory framework for cannabis. That’s why we reject the monopoly model and the money behind it.”

The initial list of partners supporting Parabola Center can be found here. Fifty additional partners will be accepted, with a launch event for all 100 partners taking place in Boston on June 10, 2023. Any organization interested in learning more or becoming a partner can contact Parabola Center here or at info@parabolacenter.com.

Tennessee Democratic lawmakers Sen. Heidi Campbell and Rep. Bob Freeman have announced plans to introduce a bill in the coming days that would legalize adult-use cannabis.

Campbell noted that many states surrounding Tennessee have already legalized cannabis either recreationally or medically. “Let’s not delude ourselves that people aren’t crossing the border and getting cannabis from other states. Of course, they are,” Campbell told WKRN News. “So, that’s just income we’re missing out on.”

The lawmakers also noted that in the event of federal legalization, which they both believe will eventually happen, the state would “theoretically miss out on tax revenue more than it is right now,” the news outlet reported.

Freeman also said he wants to pass the bill to help low-income communities negatively impacted by the war on drugs.

“If you live in a wealthy part of the state and a wealthy community in our city, the odds of you getting a slap on the wrist and nothing happening is pretty high,” Freeman said. “If you live in a [low-income] neighborhood, and you get picked up with cannabis, you’re going to jail.”

When asked how confident they were of the bills passing on a scale of one to 10, Freeman said 7 or 7.5, while Campbell was less convinced. “I’m pretty low. I won’t give you a number, but I have no delusions that we’re going to pass it this session,” she said, adding, “Regardless, it’s important to keep the conversation around cannabis alive.”

As adult-use sales are approaching in New York, Gov. Kathy Hochul introduced a cannabis dispensary verification tool Dec. 15, which will allow consumers to know they are purchasing from a state-licensed dispensary.

The verification tool is a seal that will be posted on licensed dispensary windows and will contain a QR code that says “scan to verify,” which consumers can scan to confirm the dispensaries license status. New York also plans to introduce a similar tool for cannabis delivery sales in the future, according to a press release.

Dispensaries must also have a universal symbol on all product packaging, which will help consumers verify they are purchasing regulated and tested products.

Tremaine Wright, chair of the state’s Cannabis Control Board, said having dispensary and product verification tools in place is “critical” for consumers to “know and trust that the new, legal cannabis market offers tested products and follows protocols designed to protect public health. These efforts, combined with rigorous enforcement, will help build a stable, legal marketplace.”

Moreover, the state plans to launch a public education campaign titled “Why Buy Legal New York” in Q1 of 2023, which will discuss the risks of purchasing illicit products, the benefits of purchasing regulated products from licensed dispensaries, and how buying illicit products undermine New York’s goals building the “most equitable and inclusive cannabis market in the nation,” according to the release.

“It’s critical for New York’s cannabis consumers to understand the risks of buying untested, illicit products and to have the tools to guide them to the safer, legal market that’s poised to open,” Hochul said. “These tools will help to protect public health and strengthen our ability to deliver the equitable cannabis market our law envisions. We will continue to work with our partners in municipalities across the state to enforce the law and shut down illicit operators who are selling products that put New Yorkers at risk.”

As New York works to roll out its adult-use program, the NYU School of Professional Studies (NYU SPS) is implementing a certificate in the Business of Cannabis in spring 2023 to stay on top of market demand and support cannabis career pathways.

The certificate in the Business of Cannabis will consist of various courses designed to give students an in-depth understanding of the industry. Industry professionals will teach the courses.

The certificate will consist of an introductory course: Overview of the Cannabis Industry and four core foundational courses: Managing a Cannabis Dispensary and the Regulation of Operations; Cannabis Sales and Marketing; The Chemistry of Cannabis: Medicine, Wellness, and Product Use; and Cannabis and Social Equity Policy, according to a press release.

Students will also be required to take one elective course.

"NYU SPS developed this program in collaboration with industry professionals and thought leaders in the field, many of whom will also teach our courses,” said June Chin, MD, an adjunct professor at the school who will teach The Chemistry of Cannabis: Medicine, Wellness, and Product Use in the Spring. “This certificate provides a distinctive credential for those seeking to develop the skills to transition into this thriving market.”

As the United States Congress looks toward its end-of-year checklist, high in priority is the need to pass a new appropriations bill to fund the federal government for another fiscal year. Lawmakers recently passed a one-week extension to pass the bill, with a new deadline of Dec. 23.

Part of that bill may enact a change to Federal Communications Commission (FCC) spending that would in practice allow cannabis companies to advertise on FCC-regulated television and radio broadcast networks, such as CBS and Clear Channel.

In July of 2022, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill as part of its appropriations package that included a provision prohibiting the FCC from spending federal funding to stop cannabis companies from advertising in states with state-legal marijuana markets. The bill contains other provisions specific to the FCC approval process for broadcast companies and their advertising, but in short, the bill allows for advertising by cannabis companies on FCC-regulated television and radio networks.

The National Association of Broadcasters, a trade organization representing television and radio broadcasters, praised the bill when it passed. This is unsurprising given its passage would almost certainly unlock new advertising dollars for broadcasters.  Advertising dollars spent on television and radio ads combined have fallen to about half the value spent on digital advertising in recent years. According to a report from PricewaterhouseCoopers, digital advertising in the U.S. is expected to be a $200 billion industry in 2025, while TV will account for just $81 billion, and radio a meager $19 billion. And the gap between digital ad spend and broadcast ad spend is only expected to widen. 

Broadcast networks, however, will not have much competition for cannabis advertising dollars from digital advertising services, as the major players currently prohibit the marketing of drugs and paraphernalia. Amazon, Alphabet (the parent company of Google) and Meta all have advertising policies that block the cannabis industry from tapping into their platforms, which are currently some of the most popular advertising platforms. Amazon recently reported it increased its global ad revenue from $19 billion to $31 billion from 2020 to 2021, and the three platforms are estimated to receive nearly 50% of all advertising dollars, according to reporting from Digiday.

Given the restrictions on digital advertising, the cannabis industry is likely to welcome further advertising opportunities. Currently, not only are cannabis companies prohibited from advertising on federally regulated channels, but also states with legal recreational marijuana markets impose their own state-level advertising restrictions, and often local towns and cities further restrict marketing activities. This leaves a lot of the cannabis industry resorting to advertising techniques that have not been popular since the 1990s–local radio, pamphlets and billboards. Yes, some brands manage to use social media to a certain extent, but many brands have horror stories of getting locked out of their accounts or kicked off social media platforms. So, the addition of traditional FCC-regulated TV and radio as an advertising platform would indeed be the start of a major shift for advertising in the cannabis space.

TORONTO - December 15, 2022 - PRESS RELEASE - RIV Capital Inc., an acquisition and investment firm with a focus on building a leading multistate platform with one of the strongest portfolios of brands in key strategic U.S. markets, today announced that it has completed the final closing of its previously announced transaction involving Etain, LLC–owner and operator of a legally-licensed Registered Organization with cannabis cultivation and manufacturing facilities, and retail dispensaries in the state of New York–and Etain IP LLC.

RELATED: New York’s Women-Led Etain Health Acquired by RIV Capital for $247 Million

“With four dispensaries, including a Manhattan flagship store and locations in Kingston, Syracuse and Westchester, as well as a cultivation and production facility in Chestertown, we believe Etain is a strong foundation and a scalable platform for future growth,” said Mark Sims, president and CEO of RIV Capital. “We plan to continue Etain’s collaboration with diverse New York-owned brands, optimize Etain’s attractive retail footprint, and augment Etain’s four premium product lines with high-performing west coast brands. The ongoing expansion of Etain’s Chestertown cultivation facility, which is nearing completion, and our planned flagship indoor cultivation facility in Buffalo, will enable Etain to better serve medical patients and, eventually, adult-use consumers in New York.”

Final Closing Transaction Details

Under the terms of the transaction, RIV Capital paid the remaining purchase price through a combination of approximately US$42 million in cash and the issuance of 5,273,084 Class A common shares in RIV Capital. Following the final closing, the former owners of Etain hold approximately 16% of the issued and outstanding Class A common shares of RIV Capital.

After protests and litigation derailed Georgia’s medical cannabis program, state regulators issued licenses to two companies in September to allow them to produce low-THC cannabis oil for the state’s registered patients.

Now, the Georgia Court of Appeals is set to take up new a legal challenge to the licensing process, again stalling the program.

Georgia passed a law in 2015 to allow registered patients to possess low-THC cannabis oil, but the statute did not establish a regulated system for cultivating, processing or dispensing cannabis in the state.

RELATED: How Are Georgia’s Medical Marijuana Patients Supposed to Access Cannabis Oil?

It wasn’t until 2019 that Gov. Brian Kemp signed legislation into law to set up a regulatory framework for the production, processing and sale of medical cannabis oil that contains no more than 5% THC.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla., Dec. 15, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- PRESS RELEASE -- Trulieve Cannabis Corp., a U.S. cannabis company, announced their partnership with California-based Connected Cannabis and AlienLabs. As part of the announcement, Trulieve is the exclusive provider of Connected Branded products throughout Florida.

"Trulieve consistently seeks ways to introduce new products and better serve our patients," said Kim Rivers, CEO of Trulieve. "Connected and AlienLabs represent a portfolio of top-shelf strains that have benefited medical patients in other states, and we're now excited to exclusively offer these products exclusively in Florida."

AlienLabs is well-known for its flower strains with a focus on top-shelf, exotic, indoor cannabis. As one of the first California cannabis brands, AlienLabs has established a reputation for pushing quality to new heights in cannabis and takes pride in creating new, unique strains with a menu where each strain is distinct. Two strains, Xeno and Kryptochronic, will be available at select Trulieve Florida locations beginning Dec. 15.

Connected Cannabis offers high-quality cannabis by developing different cultivation techniques to create the strains they are now best known for in the California market. Three strains, El Jefe, Gelonade, and Nightshade, will be available at select Trulieve Florida locations beginning Dec. 20.

As the state's leading medical cannabis provider, Trulieve patients across Florida can choose from the largest selection of THC and CBD products available in a variety of consumption methods, including smokable flower, concentrates, edibles, capsules, syringes, tinctures, topical creams, vaporizers, and more.

For more information, or to learn how to become a registered patient, please visit Trulieve.com and connect on Instagram or Facebook.

NEW YORK, December 14, 2022—PRESS RELEASE—The booming cannabis business offers many high-growth opportunities for entrepreneurs and those seeking an exciting new career. In the United States, cannabis sales will grow from $25 billion in 2021 to $40 billion in 2026, according to a recent Forbes article.

Capitalizing on the rising demand in this sector, the NYU School of Professional Studies (NYU SPS) is offering a brand-new continuing education program, the Certificate in the Business of Cannabis, in the Spring 2023 semester.

The Certificate fosters an in-depth understanding of the cannabis industry and its professional opportunities. Students will have the opportunity to learn about the unique aspects of the industry, including cannabis cultivation techniques, managing a dispensary, financial regulations, medical cannabis, and cooking with cannabis.

“NYU SPS developed this program in collaboration with industry professionals and thought leaders in the field, many of whom will also teach our courses,” said June Chin, MD, an adjunct professor at the School who helped to create the Certificate program and will teach The Chemistry of Cannabis: Medicine, Wellness, and Product Use in the Spring. A noted expert in developing medical cannabis protocols for the industry and internationally accepted methods for cannabinoid formulations, research, education, and training programs, she added, “This Certificate provides a distinctive credential for those seeking to develop the skills to transition into this thriving market.”

The Certificate consists of a required introductory course, Overview of the Cannabis Industry, which will include a visit to a local dispensary to learn firsthand what dispensaries do and how they operate. Upon completion of the introductory course, students are required to take four core foundational courses: Managing a Cannabis Dispensary and the Regulation of Operations; Cannabis Sales and Marketing; The Chemistry of Cannabis: Medicine, Wellness, and Product Use; and Cannabis and Social Equity Policy.

While a class action lawsuit unfolds over its worker layoffs in Florida, Trulieve announced this week it is also reducing staff at its McKeesport, Pa., cultivation and processing facility in Allegheny County, just outside of Pittsburgh.

The McKeesport worker cuts are due to greater efficiencies throughout the company’s operations, a Trulieve spokesperson said, ABC-affiliate WTAE reported. Trulieve officials did not say how many employees are affected, but the company will offer severance pay to those not able to move to other positions, the news outlet reported. 

The Tallahassee, Fla.-based multistate cannabis operator acquired three buildings in McKeesport totaling more than 228,000 square feet, along with U.S. Steel’s former Guard House and 37 acres in land parcels, in an October 2021 transaction with the Regional Industrial Development Corp. (RIDC), a nonprofit dedicated to acquiring and redeveloping abandoned property like the steel mills.

At the time of that deal—which came with the help of a $2 million state redevelopment grant to assist in an expansion—Trulieve had planned to build a cultivation and processing facility comprising of more than 500,000 square feet and anticipated employing roughly 800 people, according to an RIDC press release.

“Trulieve’s expansion will help them meet the demands of their customers all while creating family sustaining jobs for Mon Valley residents,” former state Rep. Austin Davis, whose 35th District encompasses McKeesport, said at the time. Davis, who helped secure the $2 million grant, is the lieutenant governor-elect of Pennsylvania.

The news in McKeesport comes after employees impacted by Trulieve layoffs in Gadsden County, Fla., near the company’s headquarters, filed a class action lawsuit earlier this month against Trulieve, alleging that the company did not provide the required Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act notice regarding the terminations. Trulieve disputes the allegations.

KANHA Nano gummies have expanded to Thailand, marking the first U.S. cannabis edibles to be available in Asia.

The gummies are produced by Sunderstorm, a California-based cannabis product manufacturer, in partnership with Geocann, a global cannabis research organization. KANHA edibles, which utilize Geocann’s VESIorb delivery system technology, launched in the U.S. in 2019 and are currently available in California, Colorado, Massachusetts, and Nevada.

Sunderstorm will work with THCG Group, a Thailand-based, vertically integrated medical cannabis licensee who will cultivate, produce and distribute KANHA edibles throughout the country, according to a release.

“Our partnership with Geocann is the platform for providing consumers around the world with safe and effective products that are validated in both peer-reviewed and well-designed pilot studies,” said Sunderstorm CEO Cameron Clarke. “The global demand for fast-acting and high-bioavailable cannabis products has increased dramatically, and leveraging Geocann’s VESIorb technology allows us to become a dominant global cannabis brand where we can improve the lives of millions of consumers in the U.S. and key international markets.”

The companies’ edibles expansion to Asia comes in the wake of Thailand legalizing cannabis in June.

“Sunderstorm has pioneered the fast-acting edibles market in the U.S. and has championed VESIorb technology-based cannabis formulations to deliver superior Kanha products that have gained a loyal customer following,” said Geocann Founder and CEO Jesse Lopez. “We are committed to their continued success and prepared to support their international expansion as we remain focused on novel cannabis research and innovative product development that provides valuable brand differentiation for our partners around the world.”

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul signed legislation Dec. 13 to expand the market opportunities for industrial hemp in the state.

Senate Bill 8496, which is sponsored by Democratic Sen. Michelle Hinchey, calls for the Commissioner of Agriculture and Markets to work with the Urban Development Corp., the New York state Hemp Workgroup and industry representatives to develop a plan to create market opportunities for industrial hemp to be used in food, fiber, packaging, construction, cannabinoid content, and more, according to the bill text.

“The market for New York industrial hemp is still developing, and the state needs to take an active role in researching, identifying, and promoting hemp to industries that may incorporate it into their products,” according to the justification section of the bill.

“For example, as the market for sustainable, biodegradable, non-petroleum-based packaging grows, so do the opportunities for New York produced industrial hemp as an ingredient in these products,” the bill read.

Hinchey said in a press release that hemp is the “material of the future,” adding that increasing industrial hemp production in New York can help fight the climate crisis, unlock new revenue opportunities for farmers, and fund rural communities.

“I’m proud that my hemp bill has been signed into law, directing our state to seek strategic collaborations to help us usher in a new era of manufacturing power, product creation, and rural economic development around an industry that is nearly untapped around the world,” Hinchey said.

A consortium led by Tennessee State University has received nearly $5 million in grant funding for sustainable hemp fiber research.

The federal agency awarded $4,972,900 to the “Climate-Smart Fiber Hemp: A Versatile Thread Connecting the Nation’s Underserved Farmers, Climate Change Mitigation and Novel Market Opportunities,” research project led by Tennessee State University.

The project is designed to increase industrial hemp production as a climate-smart commodity, “evaluate its greenhouse gas benefits and promote the value of market development to a cross-section of production agriculture, including small, medium, and underserved producers across the state of Tennessee,” according to the project proposal.

Leaders of the project plan to recruit underserved producers and farmers who reside in Tennessee’s nine most economically distressed counties and 30 counties in the state at risk of becoming economically deprived, according to the proposal.

“We are proud to partner with Tennessee State University to realize the full potential for hemp in the state of Tennessee, with both this grant proposal and the feasibility study we announced earlier this year,” said Frederick Cawthon, president of the Hemp Alliance of Tennessee, officer and vice president for Minority Empowerment of the U.S. Hemp Roundtable (USHR). “It is heartening that the USDA is making sure that the historically disadvantaged have a seat at the table and an opportunity to benefit from the industry’s potential, all while promoting climate-smart agricultural practices.”

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) granted the funds as part of its Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities program, which is designed to “finance pilot projects that create market opportunities for U.S. agricultural and forestry products that use climate-smart practices and include innovative, cost-effective ways to measure and verify greenhouse gas benefits,” Cannabis Business Times previously reported.

NORWOOD, Mass., Dec. 14, 2022 – PRESS RELEASE – MariMed Inc., a leading multistate cannabis operator focused on improving lives every day, announced its board of directors appointed Jon Levine, MariMed’s president, as interim CEO.

“With a heavy heart on the news of Robert Fireman’s passing, appointing Jon Levine as interim CEO was an easy decision,” said Edward Gildea, one of MariMed’s independent directors. “As president, Jon has managed the day-to-day facets of MariMed’s operations and, as co-founder of MariMed, has the experience and knowledge of the company’s innerworkings and growth strategy that are crucial at this juncture.”

RELATED: MariMed Mourns the Passing of Robert Fireman, Chairman, CEO and Cannabis Industry Pioneer and Visionary

The board will conduct a process to identify a permanent CEO for MariMed, which may include external and internal candidates. The company will announce an update on the process upon completion. No timing was provided for the duration of the process.

The bottom has yet to arrive for flower prices in Michigan’s adult-use cannabis retail market, while consumer demand has yet to hit its peak.

The average retail price for an ounce of adult-use flower hit another all-time low at $95.12 per ounce in November, according to data from the state’s Cannabis Regulatory Agency (CRA). That’s a 50% decrease from the average retail price of $191 last November.

Two years ago, in November 2020, licensed adult-use dispensaries were commanding $376 per ounce on average, per CRA.

Despite the falling flower prices, adult-use licensees have continued to record monster hauls in recent months thanks to increasing demand. Michigan retailers sold nearly $190 million in adult-use cannabis products in November 2022—just shy of September’s all-time high of $195 million in sales.

Overall, adult-use shoppers purchased a record 59,752 pounds of cannabis flower last month in Michigan, representing a 219% increase from November 2021.

Flower sales represented roughly 48% of the adult-use market last month, while vape cartridges (20%), concentrates (12%), infused edibles (11%) and shake/trim (8%) represented the other major product types contributing to the overall sales figure.

FLORIDA – Dec. 12, 2022 – PRESS RELEASE – Sunnyside, the national cannabis dispensary brand operated by multistate cannabis operator Cresco Labs, today announced the launch of Sunnyside Rewards, a new loyalty program available now on Sunnyside.shop for medical patients in Florida.

The Los Angeles Department of Cannabis Regulation (DCR) conducted its lottery for cannabis retail applicants Dec. 8, selecting 100 social equity applicants to advance in the cannabis dispensary licensing process.

The move comes after a court ruling last week allowed the licensing process to proceed.

The lottery included a process that allowed individuals to request verification as a Social Equity Individual Applicant (SEIA). More than 1,000 individuals requested SEIA verification and more than 500 SEIAs met the criteria to participate in last week’s lottery.

The list of individuals selected in the lottery can be found here.

The DCR plans to conduct another SEIA verification process and another lottery in early 2023.