High Tide, a Canadian-based retail-focused cannabis company with brick-and-mortar and global e-commerce assets, has monetized its membership-based loyalty program at its Canna Cabana retail locations, launching “Cabana Elite.”

High Tide operates in the Canadian cannabis retail market through its flagship retail brand, Canna Cabana, which has over 140 locations across five provinces. The company has become known for its discount club retail model, modeled after wholesaler Costco’s membership-based program.

Cannabis Business Times spoke with Raj Grover, founder, president and CEO of High Tide, in early November to discuss the company’s differentiated retail approach and how it has contributed to its success.

RELATED: How High Tide Became the ‘Costco of Cannabis’

The Cabana Club loyalty program launched last October and has over 860,000 members, who account for 90% of the daily transactions at Canna Cabana retail stores. Essentially, loyalty members have access to a member price, versus a market price, at Canna Cabana dispensary locations and online. The member and market prices typically vary within a $10 range.

Now, the company has taken its membership program further, launching Cabana Elite, a paid membership for consumers priced at $5 per month.

Advocates in Ohio are renewing their push to get an adult-use cannabis legalization measure before voters after a lawsuit suspended their 2022 campaign.

The initiative, backed by the Coalition to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol, has been cleared for signature gathering, and the campaign has about eight weeks to collect roughly 130,000 signatures to qualify the initiated statute for the November 2023 ballot, according to a Cleveland.com report.

“We expect that we’ll be able to do it,” Tom Haren, an attorney working on the campaign, told the news outlet. “We’ll have staff get ready. Our intention is to give Ohio voters an opportunity to weigh in if the General Assembly continues to ignore them.”

The proposal would allow adults 21 and older to purchase and consume cannabis, and would create a new state agency, the Division of Cannabis Control, to regulate cannabis in the state.

The initiated statute would levy a 10% sales tax on adult-use cannabis, and the resulting tax revenue would be distributed among several entities, including municipalities that host cannabis businesses, a substance abuse and addiction fund, and a social equity fund to support communities that have been adversely affected by prohibition.

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker announced Nov. 28 that he appointed Erin Johnson to serve as the state’s next cannabis regulation oversight officer (CROO), a top regulatory position that has remained vacant for six months.

Johnson, who spent 2 1/2 years as chief of staff for the Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice, where she drafted and reviewed legislation that impacts juvenile justice and served as a liaison for the governor’s office, succeeds Danielle Perry, who left the CROO role in May 2022 as the state faced ongoing legal battles to issue 185 cannabis retail licenses.

RELATED: Judge Ends Court Order, Allows Illinois to Issue 185 New Cannabis Dispensary Licenses

Before Johnson began her work with juvenile justice, she spent 2 1/2 years as associate general counsel and chief diversity officer under former Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner, whom Pritzker defeated in the 2018 election.

“Erin Johnson’s commitment to equity will serve Illinois well as she takes the reins as the state’s cannabis regulation oversight officer,” Pritzker said in a press release. He added that Johnson “has the experience, education, and expertise to thrive in this role while advancing cannabis equity throughout Illinois. I can think of no better person than Erin to serve as our cannabis regulation oversight officer and I wish her all the best in this new position.”

The Cannabis Regulation Oversight Office is part of the state’s Department of Financial and Professional Regulation and works with other state agencies as the regulatory authority for Illinois’ licensed industry. Johnson will oversee the office to help ensure the state’s social equity goals are met through expungements, community reinvestment and diversification of the cannabis industry.

CHICAGO and VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Nov. 29, 2022 – PRESS RELEASE – Good Green, a cannabis flower brand owned by Green Thumb Industries Inc., announced the third group of nonprofit organizations to receive unrestricted funding as part of its grant program.

“Just over a year ago, Good Green was launched with the goal of creating opportunity within Black and Brown communities that have been disproportionately impacted by the war on drugs,” said Green Thumb founder, Chairman and CEO Ben Kovler. “Since then, the grant program has funded a spectrum of meaningful, mission-driven initiatives to foster change and help repair cannabis-related injustices. We are honored to support four additional organizations in their efforts to rectify the wrongs of cannabis prohibition and uplift those negatively affected.”

First launched in the fall of 2021, Good Green offers high-quality and affordable flower products. The brand aims to reinvest cannabis dollars back into communities disproportionately affected by the war on drugs by awarding grants to nonprofit organizations working in one or more of Good Green’s core pillars: expungement, education and employment. The four organizations will receive unrestricted grants of $50,000 to advance their missions. Good Green’s third round of beneficiaries includes nonprofit organizations based in New Jersey, Illinois and Virginia:

The Petey Greene Program (New Jersey): The Petey Greene Program (PGP) supports the academic goals of incarcerated and formerly incarcerated individuals through high-quality volunteer tutoring programs, while educating volunteers on the injustice manifest in the United States’ carceral system. Since its founding in 2008, the PGP has supported more than 16,000 system-impacted learners, most of whom were pursuing their GED or high school diploma.

“Despite the significant need, the Petey Greene Program is one of just a handful of organizations that focuses on the academic achievement of incarcerated and formerly incarcerated students at the pre-collegiate level. With the generous support of Good Green, our team will have the resources to tutor exponentially more people as they strive to reach their educational goals.” – Chiara Benetollo, Director of Program Development
Minority Cannabis Academy (New Jersey): Minority Cannabis Academy is a workforce development program that offers comprehensive cannabis education to disenfranchised communities that have been disproportionately impacted by the war on drugs. The organization’s program courses are instructor-led by subject matter experts and free of charge to students. Minority Cannabis Academy also provides job placement for students upon completion of the eight-week course.

“Good Green’s grant gives our team the opportunity to hire new educators, secure a facility for our upcoming cohort, purchase learning materials and much more as we educate the next generation of cannabis industry leaders. We are grateful for Good Green’s belief in our mission and look forward to serving the Jersey City community and beyond.” – Brendon Robinson, President
CEIC Corp (DBA Cannabis Equity IL Coalition) (Illinois): The Coalition is a community-led organization providing support services for individuals returning from incarceration to clear their criminal records and access wraparound services. The Coalition advocates for the expansion of automatic expungement and other policy solutions to end the war on drugs and support community members in the reentry process.

“For those with cannabis offenses, expungement and record sealing are essential means to creating a fresh start in life and rejoining the community. We would like to express our appreciation for the Good Green team, as their funding will allow us to connect individuals to these necessary legal services while offering reentry programs such as housing, food assistance, ID services and more.” – Douglas Kelly, Executive Director
Nolef Turns Inc. (Virginia): Nolef Turns Inc. strives to decrease the prison population by supporting and empowering those most affected by crime, trauma and incarceration. The organization provides direct service for individuals with court and justice involvement, participates in advocacy and trains those directly impacted by mass incarceration.

“Nolef Turns Inc. exists to build a network of resources for individuals to help them thrive post-conviction, fighting against an unjust judicial system to help end mass incarceration. The Good Green Grant Program will be crucial in building up that network and fostering positive change in the lives of those affected by incarceration.” – Sheba Williams, Executive Director

Good Green is committed to bringing responsible consumers and change-making organizations together to create real, lasting progress against the war on drugs. The brand’s current product offerings, including indica, sativa and hybrid flower, are available in Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Nevada, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Virginia.

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Cannabis laws throughout the United States are ever-changing and complex. On the federal level, cannabis remains a Schedule 1 substance, meaning it has no medical use whatsoever, although President Joe Biden recently urged his administration to reexamine how cannabis is classified.  The prospects for federal decriminalization of cannabis remain somewhat dim, but even if that were to occur, the regulation of cannabis would still be largely governed by state and municipal law. 

At present, less than half of the states where there is some cannabis allowed also permit adult use. All those states, and quite a few others (around 40 in total currently, some of which have highly limited programs), allow for medical marijuana, although the definition of what constitutes a qualifying medical condition varies greatly from state to state. Moreover, the amount of THC that is allowable in a single product also varies between states.

In many states that allow some form of legal cannabis, some municipalities can then also pass their own cannabis laws (see the discussion of Rhode Island below). As such, states require businesses to have both state and municipal licenses. Some states have as many as 12 licenses cannabis businesses can receive.

With so much complexity in cannabis law, here is an overview of how recent legislation moving through states could impact the cannabis landscape at both the local and federal levels. (Note that this list is not comprehensive.)

State-by-State Legislation

-California is one of the most favorable environments for cannabis. Last year, California had over $5.2 billion in sales, according to the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration, making licenses in the state highly prized. However, growing cannabis in California continues to be expensive. Recently passed legislation now requires that operators seeking a license in the state must fill out extensive forms and obtain an environmental impact report to show they’re in compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), which requires state agencies to consider what changes in the physical environment may occur as a result of the activities being licensed. In addition, current provisional license holders must demonstrate efforts they’re making to be in compliance with CEQA. The state legislature has appropriated $100 million in grants to assist growers in offsetting some of the costs that will come with these applications, but cultivation in the state remains expensive.

Like Illinois, California also has pending legislation (Assembly Bill 2188) that would not allow an employer to terminate an employee for use of cannabis outside of the workplace. 

MIAMI, Florida, Nov. 28, 2022 - PRESS RELEASE - Ayr Wellness Inc., a vertically integrated U.S. multi-state cannabis operator, has began adult-use sales alongside its established medical sales at its Somerville, Mass., retail location.

Located at 240 Elm St in Somerville, Sira Naturals is located within the bustling Davis Square–home to many of the community’s favorite restaurants and shops and just minutes from Tufts and Harvard universities. The dispensary is located in one of the most densely populated areas of Boston and is easily accessed via the Davis Square Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority stop. Ayr’s retail footprint in Massachusetts now includes AYR Back Bay serving adult-use consumers; AYR Watertown and Sira Naturals Somerville, which serve both medical patients and adult-use consumers; and Sira Naturals Needham serving medical patients.

“We are excited to add adult-use sales to our Somerville location, introducing our portfolio of high-quality branded products to more cannabis consumers, as we continue to serve our loyal medical patients at this location,” said Jonathan Sandelman, founder and CEO of Ayr. “We are grateful to our neighbors in Somerville, who have been phenomenal partners from the first day Sira Naturals opened to serve medical patients in 2017. We look forward to further strengthening our place in the community and being a force for good in Somerville.”

Sira Naturals and Ayr Wellness have been dedicated to enacting positive change in the Somerville community. As a member of the Medical Marijuana Community Benefits Association (CBA), the company collaboratively developed prevention, diversion and mental health policy and programs for children and young adults. As a founding member of CulivatED, the company strengthened its commitment to social justice in Somerville by focusing on equity for those most disproportionately harmed by cannabis prohibition. Through these memberships and other community initiatives, Ayr remains committed to the tradition of social justice and community service as a Force for Good within the Somerville community and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

“We are grateful to the City of Somerville for creating an adult use cannabis program grounded in social justice and equity – concepts that underlie Ayr’s voluntary community partnerships with the Community Action Agency of Somerville (CAAS) and UFCW local 1445," Sandelman said. “Community is the most important aspect of our business, as it defines who we are as a company. Now, as we welcome adult-use consumers to our Somerville location, we look forward to creating even stronger ties to the local community."

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Ireland has become the latest European country to consider legislation to legalize some form of adult-use cannabis.

RELATED: German Health Minister Presents Cannabis Legalization Plans to Government Officials

The Irish Parliament, called the Oireachtas, plans to take up a bill introduced by Gino Kenny, a member parliament from the People Before Profit party, according to a Forbes report.

The legislation would allow adults 18 and older to possess up to 7 grams of cannabis or 2.5 grams of cannabis resin for personal use, the news outlet reported. Viewed largely as a decriminalization bill, the legislation would not tee up commercial cannabis cultivation or sales, according to Forbes, nor would it allow the cultivation of cannabis for personal use.

“The bill is quite moderate,” Kenny said during the debate in the lower house of the Irish Parliament, called the Dáil Éireann, according to Forbes. “It amends existing legislation that dates back 42 years. Forty-two years is a very long time. I believe the existing legislation is out of date and out of time. We need a different narrative around drug reform.”

A random drawing to determine the winners of 20 cannabis consumption lounge licenses in Nevada will be held at 2 p.m. Pacific Time on Nov. 30 at the state’s Cannabis Compliance Board (CCB) offices in Las Vegas. The event can be viewed via livestream.

The new licenses—10 of which are reserved for social equity applicants—will be awarded to those who plan to operate a consumption lounge independent from an existing retail facility. Overall, 30 social equity and 49 nonsocial equity applicants submitted the proper paperwork for the licenses during a 10-day window last month, according to CCB.

In addition, another 20 applications were completed for a retail license type, allowing for established dispensaries to have a consumption lounge attached or adjacent to their current facility. State officials did not cap the number of lounge licenses for retailers, so those submissions are not subject to a lottery.

License Application Type	Completed Applications
Retail Cannabis Consumption Lounge	20
Independent Lounge (Nonsocial Equity)	49
Independent Lounge (Social Equity)	30
Total	99

The 79 total applicants for the 20 independent licenses will be selected from a computerized system provided by New Jersey-based Smartplay International Inc. Auditing and consulting firm Henry and Horne will oversee the event.

“Those selected to receive a prospective license will receive a letter from the CCB, upon which applicants will move into a ‘prospective licensee’ status and will have 120 days to provide the documentation and information required for the CCB’s suitability investigation,” according to a press release from the board.

The CCB provides a checklist on its website for prospective license holders. 

The Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority (OMMA) is currently accepting public feedback on its proposed medical cannabis rules, which would permanently incorporate the emergency rules that the industry has been operating under.

Regulators launched a month-long public comment period Nov. 15, with a public hearing scheduled Dec. 15 in Oklahoma City.

“This is the opportunity for medical marijuana licensees and all Oklahomans to make their voices heard in our rulemaking process,” OMMA Executive Director Adria Berry said in a public statement. “We take the public input process seriously and look forward to hearing feedback from around the state.”

OMMA officials submitted the proposed permanent rules to Oklahoma Secretary of State Brian Bingman Oct. 25, and regulators will consider the feedback received during the public comment period and public hearing as it submits rule documents to the Oklahoma Legislature for consideration during the 2023 legislative session.

The permanent rules would take effect later next year, upon approval by the Legislature and the governor.

Johnson

The New Jersey Cannabis Trade Association (NJCTA) named Todd Johnson as its executive director.

In his new role, Johnson will oversee managing internal communication among member organizations, according to a release, as well as external communication efforts with government officials, policymakers and other industry stakeholders. He previously served as NJCTA’s treasurer since 2020.

“When this opportunity presented itself, I knew my passion for the industry and my professional experience equipped me with the tools needed to effectively carry out the association’s mission,” Johnson said. “I look forward to working with our members to promote all that is good about New Jersey’s medical and recreational cannabis industry while we address issues and find solutions to challenges that affect our industry and operators.”

Johnson also previously served as an NJCTA Trustee on behalf of association member Justice Cannabis Co., a multi-state operator, where he was executive vice president and head of New Jersey operations for the company. In addition, he is also a co-founder of Community Greenhouse, a New Jersey cannabis company which was recently awarded a conditional retail license, according to the release.

Johnson is a graduate of the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania with a bachelor’s degree in economics.

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Colorado officials issued a health and safety advisory Nov. 23 to warn consumers of adult-use cannabis potentially contaminated with mold.

The Colorado Department of Revenue (DOR) and the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) identified potentially unsafe levels of yeast and mold in adult-use flower produced by Beddor Claude LLC, doing business as Chronic Therapy, according to the advisory.

A DOR investigation revealed levels of contaminants above Colorado’s acceptable limits for total yeast and mold in harvest batches produced by Wheat Ridge, Colo.-based Beddor Claude, license 402R-00217, between Sept. 23 and Oct. 11, 2022.

All affected cannabis products have a label that includes the license number of the business that cultivated the cannabis and the harvest batch number assigned to it.

The affected Retail Marijuana Cultivation License is 403R-00287 and the harvest batch number is Silver Mountain 9.14.22.

Potentially contaminated, untested harvest batch numbers can be found below.

Charlotte’s Web, a producer and distributor of hemp-derived CBD products, made history on Oct. 12 when it became the official CBD of Major League Baseball (MLB), establishing the first-ever partnership between a cannabis/hemp brand and a professional sports league.

Through the partnership, Charlotte’s Web products are now available to MLB players to support recovery, focus, and sleep cycles, with the first product available being its Daily Edge tincture. The company’s Daily Edge tincture falls under its SPORT line and will include MLB’s logo on its bottle.

All Charlotte’s Web products underwent specific testing to meet MLB scientific and no-banned substances standards, and were Certified for Sport by NSF, a third-party, independent auditor of safety and quality standards, becoming the first broad-spectrum, hemp-derived tincture to earn that distinction.

What’s more, the partnership between Charlotte’s Web and MLB continues to normalize cannabis and/or hemp in U.S. culture, and forges a new path forward for cannabis companies looking to expand their brand presence and audience among a larger population segment.

Jared Stanley, co-founder and chief operating officer for Charlotte’s Web, says the company’s partnership with MLB gives it a “megaphone we can use to educate people on what CBD is and what it does.”

Stanley joined Cannabis Business Times to discuss the company’s precedent-setting partnership with MLB, how it all came together, and the opportunities ahead for Charlotte’s Web.

A new poll shows that the majority of Americans support cannabis legalization as voters in two states, Maryland and Missouri, became the latest to approve adult-use legalization measures in the Nov. 8 election.

RELATED: US Support for Cannabis Legalization Remains at Record 68%

Results of a Pew Research Center survey conducted Oct. 10-16, 2022, revealed that 88% of U.S. adults believe cannabis should be legal in some form. Fifty-nine percent said that medical and adult-use cannabis should be legal, while 30% said cannabis should be legalized for medical purposes only.

Just 10% percent of respondents said cannabis use should not be legal.

Pew Research Center reported ongoing age and partisan differences in Americans’ views on cannabis legalization. Older adults are less likely to favor adult-use legalization than younger generations, for example; only 30% respondents ages 75 and older believe cannabis should be legal for both medical and adult use, while 53% of those ages 65 to 74 said it should be legal for both purposes.

NEW YORK, Nov. 22, 2022 – PRESS RELEASE– Ascend Wellness Holdings Inc., a multistate,vertically integrated cannabis operator, announced that it filed a registrationstatement on Form S-3 containing a base shelf prospectus with the UnitedStates Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on Nov.22, 2022. The registration statement is expected to become effectivefollowing review by the SEC. A corresponding preliminary base shelfprospectus (the "Canadian prospectus") has been filed with thesecurities regulatory authorities in each of the provinces of Canada,excluding Québec,under the U.S.-Canada multijurisdictionaldisclosure system (MJDS).

The registrationstatement (when effective) and Canadian prospectus (upon the issuance of areceipt for the final Canadian prospectus) will qualify the distribution fromtreasury of up to an aggregate amount of $100,000,000 worthof shares of Class A common stock, preferred stock, warrants, debt securities,subscription rights and/or units of the company (collectively, the "securities"),or any combination, over the period(s) that each of the registration statementand Canadian prospectus remain effective, respectively.

"While we do not haveimmediate plans to issue securities under the registration statement or theCanadian prospectus, we deemed it prudent to prepare ourselves to take advantageof markets should they evolve into a more accretive financingalternative," said Dan Neville,interim co-CEO and chief financial officer. "This filing allows us theflexibility to pursue additional financing opportunities should they become inthe best interest of our shareholders."

The company became eligible tofile a registration statement on Form S-3 after one year of SEC reporting,following the effectiveness of its previously filed registration statement onForm S-1. The terms of any securities to be offered under the base prospectuswill be specified in a prospectus supplement, which will be filed with theapplicable U.S. andCanadian securities regulatory authorities in connection with any suchoffering. 

The registration statement hasbeen filed with the SEC butis not yet effective. The securities may not be sold nor may offers to buy beaccepted under the registration statement prior to the time the registration statementbecomes effective or under the Canadian prospectus prior to the issuance of areceipt for the final Canadian prospectus. This press release shall notconstitute an offer to sell nor the solicitation of an offer to buy the securities,nor shall there be any sale of such securities in any jurisdiction in whichsuch offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration orqualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. Any offer of securitieswill occur solely by means of the base shelf prospectus included in the registrationstatement and/or the Canadian prospectus and one or more prospectus supplementsthat would be issued at the time of any such offering.

A copy of the registration statementcan be found on EDGAR at www.sec.gov anda copy of the Canadian prospectus can be found under the company's SEDARprofile at www.sedar.com.

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While Connecticut adult-use sales were anticipated to launch by the end of this year, that start date may be pushed back to early 2023.

The Department of Consumer Protection (DCP) announced Nov. 22 that the fourth remaining medical cannabis producer—Theraplant—applied Nov. 10 to convert its facility to grow adult-use and medical cannabis, and the application is still under review by the DCP.

While adult-use sales were expected to begin by the end of this year, the law in Connecticut requires at least 250,000 square feet of growing and manufacturing space to be approved for adult-use production before sales can begin. Therefore, the start of adult-use sales relies on all four existing medical cannabis producers completing the conversion process to operate within the adult-use and medical markets.

The other three producers—Advanced Grow Labs LLC, Connecticut Pharmaceutical Solutions LLC, and Curaleaf LLC—have already completed the steps to serve the adult-use and medical markets. Now, the market waits for the DCP to approve Theraplant’s application.

The DCP also announced that seven existing medical cannabis dispensaries have already received approval to sell adult-use cannabis.

Those dispensaries are as follows:

DENVER, Colo., Nov. 23, 2022 /CNW/ - PRESS RELEASE - Schwazze, a vertically integrated, multi-state operating cannabis company with assets in Colorado and New Mexico, announces the grand opening of its adult-use dispensary, R.Greenleaf, located in Sunland Park, N.M. The new store, located at 1541 Appaloosa Drive in Sunland Park, officially opened its doors for business on Nov. 22. Thanksgiving Day the store will be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Regular store operating hours are 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Saturday; 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Sunday.

The Sunland Park store opening continues the intentional expansion throughout the state of New Mexico and comes on the heels of the store openings in Ruidoso and Clovis within the last 60 days. This brings R.Greenleaf's number of New Mexico retail dispensaries to a total of 13. All locations serve the needs of medical patients as well as recreational adult-use consumers.

"This week in particular, Schwazze gives tremendous thanks to be contributing to the Sunland Park community and to serve its residents. We are very grateful to add our third R.Greenleaf retail dispensary in New Mexico within the last two months and since adult recreational cannabis was legalized in New Mexico on April 1st," said Steve Pear, New Mexico Division President for Schwazze. "R.Greenleaf offers a wide variety of quality products serviced by top-notch, knowledgeable staff."

Grand opening product specials and promotions are already in full swing with multiple flower pack offers, pre-rolls, gummies, chocolates, and distillate vaporizer cartridges. Introductory pricing will be offered through November 30th to provide patients and recreational customers special savings on a variety of product forms based on individual needs and preferences.

A grand opening celebration will be held today, Wednesday, Nov. 23, beginning at 12 noon and running until 6 p.m. Swag bags will be available to the first 50 shoppers featuring a water bottle, rolling papers and other R.Greenleaf gear, with one lucky customer receiving a 50% discount coupon. DJ Sonya G will be on site during the event to provide tunes for all in attendance, and the Sunland Park BBQ Company will provide free food for the first 50 customers making a purchase.

Ascend Wellness Holdings’ executive reshuffling continued Nov. 23 with the exit of one board member and the naming of two board members amidst the multistate cannabis operator’s ongoing leadership transition.

Emily Paxhia, who co-founded Poseidon Asset Management with sibling Morgan Paxhia in 2013, submitted her resignation from the board, effective Nov. 23. According to an Ascend press release, her resignation was not a result of any disagreement with the company’s operations, policies or practices.

“On behalf of the board and everyone at AWH, we would like to thank Emily for her contributions and dedication during her tenure here,” Executive Chairman Abner Kurtin said in the release. “Emily was one of our earlier investors and has supported Ascend from the beginning. We wish her the very best in her continued leadership in the industry.”

Also effective Nov. 23, Ascend appointed interim co-CEO and Chief Financial Officer Dan Neville and Joshua Gold (independent) to the company’s board of directors.

Neville, who has been with the company since March 2019, was named a co-CEO with president and co-founder Frank Perullo on Sept. 28, when Ascend first announced its leadership transition plan as founder and former CEO Kurtin awaited his arraignment hearing after a domestic battery charge earlier that month.

RELATED: Ascend Shuffles Leadership Team After CEO’s Domestic Charge

While 2022 has been a challenging year for the cannabis industry, one company has grown exponentially despite market challenges.

Founded in 2009 and headquartered in Alberta, Canada, High Tide operates as a retail-focused cannabis company with brick-and-mortar and global e-commerce assets.

The company is a lead player in the Canadian cannabis retail market through its flagship retail brand, Canna Cabana—which has 141 locations across Ontario, Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba and Saskatchewan. High Tide also serves the U.S. and Europe through consumption accessories and CBD-focused e-commerce platforms.

High Tide has become known for its discount club retail model at its Canna Cabana locations, modeled after Costco’s membership-based program. Some have even deemed the company the “Costco of Cannabis.”

High Tide’s differentiated retail approach has contributed to its success. In the third quarter of 2022, High Tide’s revenue increased to $95.4 million—up 98% compared to quarter three last year ($48.1 million).

So, how has the company continued to position itself as a leader in the Canadian cannabis retail space using its differentiated discount club approach?

AUSTIN, Texas, Nov. 22, 2022 – PRESS RELEASE - Libra Design, LLC announced its collaboration with VoltServer to optimize horticulture lighting solutions for Digital Electricity, starting with the Libra Mid-Flux (MF) and High-Flux (HF) LED Modules for controlled environment agriculture (CEA). By combining lighting solutions from Libra with a fault-managed power distribution platform from VoltServer, vertical farm and greenhouse companies can build, operate, and manage their gardens efficiently, safely, intelligently, and ultimately with a lower lighting cost compared to conventional AC-powered lighting fixtures. 

“At its core, our collaboration with VoltServer reflects Libra Design’s mission to advance CEA by removing the cost barrier to building and operating a profitable, efficient and highly productive indoor and greenhouse farm,” said Travis Williams, co-founder and CEO of Libra Design. “Libra LED solutions powered by Digital Electricity create an optimal growing environment with the safety, reliability, control and ease of installation necessary to succeed in today’s commercial agriculture industry.” 

According to VoltServer, Digital Electricity reduces the cost of distributing power and control to horticulture lighting systems by 20% to 40%, while improving safety, energy management, and control density. Digital Electricity is listed to UL/IEC 62368-1 as a Limited Power Source developed with safety at the forefront based on a patented Packet Energy Transfer protocol. The protocol distributes power via discrete energy packets with 500 safety checks per second. By preventing the safety hazards associated with conventional AC/DC electricity, such as electric shock and fire, Digital Electricity can be installed with un-certified labor using the same wiring practices as Ethernet including flexible cable and wire trays while omitting conduit, circuit breakers and other costly and time-consuming infrastructure. 

“Digital technology continues to proliferate every aspect of society, yet we still rely on antiquated power distribution platforms which waste time, energy and money. These are precious resources we cannot afford to waste, especially when it comes to agriculture,” said James Eaves, Ph.D., director of indoor agriculture at VoltServer. “With a Libra Design lighting solution powered by Digital Electricity, growers can save millions of dollars in capital expenses and months of construction time while simultaneously making their facility safer, smarter and uniquely suited for their needs.”

Libra worked closely with VoltServer to develop horticulture lighting systems specifically optimized for Digital Electricity. The result is a driverless LED system capable of delivering optimal light intensity and uniformity while being powered remotely by the VoltServer ETX8 transmitter. Lighting control is also delivered via the platform, providing growers and operators the insight and control needed to manage and monitor their lighting systems and power usage without the requirement of additional control cables or systems. With a remote power system, growers also reduce the heat load inside the growing environment and save precious space resulting in increased canopy density and airflow in vertical farms and reduced shading in greenhouses. Libra horticulture lighting solutions powered by Digital Electricity start at $0.16/PPF with a 1,000-unit minimum order quantity (MOQ). All Libra systems have a photosynthetic photon efficacy (PPE) of 2.7 µmol/J or greater and are customized based on the unique cultivation, operations, and business goals of each client.

 

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The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued its latest batch of warning letters to five companies that the agency claims are illegally selling CBD food and beverage products.

The FDA issued the warning letters to 11-11-11 Brands, Naturally Infused LLC, Newhere Inc dba CBDFX, Infusionz LLC and CBD American Shaman LLC, according to the agency’s Nov. 21 news release.

“These companies are selling CBD-containing products that people may confuse for traditional foods or beverages, which may result in unintentional consumption or overconsumption of CBD,” FDA officials said in the release. “CBD-containing products in forms that are appealing to children, such as gummies, hard candies and cookies, are especially concerning.”

The five warning letters, dated Nov. 16, also outline violations related to the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic (FD&C) Act, according to the release. These violations include the sale of unapproved CBD products that claim to cure, mitigate, treat or prevent diseases, as well as adding CBD to animal foods.

Officials said in the release that CBD raises safety concerns, particularly with long-term use.