WAKEFIELD, Mass., Oct. 13, 2022 – PRESS RELEASE – Curaleaf Holdings Inc., a leading international provider of consumer products in cannabis, announced that it has relocated its Deerfield, Ill., dispensary to 677 Lake Cook Road and expanded the location’s operations to serve adult-use customers. 

Curaleaf Deerfield is dedicated to providing premium quality products for adult-use customers while continuing to serve patients enrolled in the Illinois medical program. The new location has implemented additional measures to prioritize licensed medical patients including a secure online ordering system and a curbside pickup option for medical patients only.

The dispensary celebrates its soft opening Oct. 13, and will follow with an official grand opening event on Oct. 20, commencing with a ribbon cutting ceremony at 9:50 a.m. and featuring festivities throughout the day including limited-time discounts and swag giveaways.

"As we expand access to high quality cannabis products and service, we're excited to open the doors to adult-use customers at our new location in Deerfield," Curaleaf CEO Matt Darin said. "Curaleaf remains committed to Illinois state medical patients, as demonstrated by our convenient curbside pickup option which enables our team to provide a streamlined cannabis retail experience exclusively for medical patients."

For more information regarding Curaleaf's dispensary opening in Illinois, along with product offerings and hours of operation, visit https://curaleaf.com/dispensary/illinois.]]>

Wilmington, DELAWARE — PRESS RELEASE — Recognized as a cannabis juggernaut before legalization, New York City’s emerging regulated adult-use industry is poised to be historic. Its new head is a respected industry pioneer with regulating experience and a demonstrated commitment to centering equity and inclusion in the space. On Wednesday, NYC Mayor Eric Adams and New York City Department of Small Business Services (SBS) Commissioner Kevin D. Kim announced the appointment of Cannabis Regulators of Color Coalition (CRCC) Chair Dasheeda Dawson as the founding director of its new Cannabis NYC initiative to lead the agency’s support of the burgeoning cannabis industry.

Dawson will helm SBS’s strategy to support New York’s emerging cannabis market through public education, direct services to cannabis entrepreneurs and professionals, legislative advocacy, and policy development at all levels of government.

She’ll serve as the primary liaison between SBS, other city agencies, the New York State Office of Cannabis Management (NYSOCM), as well as community stakeholders, including elected officials, community boards, and industry associations. She will also work to establish and collaborate with the New York City Cannabis Advisory Council, an advisory board of industry and community stakeholders that aims to ensure innovation and equity are central to the success of this emerging industry.

“As a Brooklyn, New York native, I witnessed the many harms of cannabis prohibition—the unequal enforcement that shattered the lives of so many of my peers, the awful impact of revolving residents shuttering in and out of the criminal justice, the void left by the unfulfilled promise and traps into poverty and marginalization,” says Dawson. “Now, I have an opportunity to support our state’s nascent industry so that it can be a force for positive change. I am honored by the chance to lead cannabis efforts in the Big Apple and look forward to working with Mayor Adams, SBS, the New York State Office of Cannabis Management, as well as community stakeholders to ensure that every New Yorker can benefit from the growing industry, particularly those most harmed by prohibition, which targeted Blacks and other people of color.”

“Dasheeda is a regulator with a thoughtful and inclusive approach that seeks to restore communities and individuals harmed by cannabis prohibition. She works hard to ensure that everyone benefits from the fast-growing industry, not simply those with money and power,” says Shaleen Title, CRCC co-founder and former Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commissioner. “I’m confident that she will bring the same spirit of fairness and cooperation to what will likely be the biggest cannabis market in the world. New York City is lucky to have a leader with her vision and determination.”

Nearly a century ago, U.S. federal lawmakers began to examine cannabis legislation, which eventually led to its prohibition in 1937. The reason? At that time, an influx of Mexican immigrants were entering the country following the Mexican Revolution, bringing with them bits of their culture, which included “marihuana,” according to the Drug Policy Alliance. The flow of new immigrants brought a wave of xenophobia, which eventually led to the demonization of cannabis as a way to quell Hispanics entering the country.

Fast-forward to today, and the Denver-based National Hispanic Cannabis Council (NHCC) is still working to fight that stigma, both outside of and within the U.S. Latino community. The NHCC was founded in 2021 as a way to educate and empower Hispanics who are interested in both cannabis use and entering the industry. The organization currently has 40 paid members, as well as corporate members who consist of some of the largest players in the cannabis space, including Cresco Labs, Curaleaf and more.

Here, NHCC President Brian Vicente (who is also a co-founder of law firm Vicente Sederberg), and NHCC Executive Director Antonio Valdez, both of whom co-founded the organization, discuss how they’re working to break down barriers for Latinos who want to enter the industry in light of National Hispanic Heritage Month (Sept. 15-Oct. 15).

Theresa Bennett (TB): Can you tell me a little about how the organization got started and its biggest initiatives to date?

Brian Vicente (BV): The world is becoming sort of familiar with how cannabis became illegal, and it was largely just through racist legislation passed to discriminate against Latinos. Last year, in the height of the [Black Lives Matter] movement and all these really important conversations in our country, we said, ‘You know, it's just sad that Hispanics are underrepresented as owners, as consumers and as staff of these facilities. Let's organize and see if we can do something about that.’ So, we're working on education, and we're doing that in a very organized fashion. We have subcommittees that hold webinars that are really well-attended. We're working with a lot of our board members, who are some of the biggest cannabis companies in the world, to provide bilingual materials to encourage hiring Latino staff, but also highlighting their Latino staff. So, just this kind of destigmatizing and empowering is how we're spending our time now.

Antonio Valdez (AV): We're still in the wild, wild west here in the cannabis industry since [the federal government] is not involved. It's really a jigsaw puzzle, and a lot of Latinos are embarking on it, but it's not a uniform approach. There [are] social equity programs out there, but I think at the end of the day, for us, it's to have more seats at the table in terms of representation and to demystify it from all angles.

For example, one of the biggest things we did was a white paper on the state of Hispanics and cannabis. We wanted to get a pulse on [a few] things: Number one, total market availability, and what does that slice of the pie look like for Latinos? Number two, for those Latinos that are currently in the industry–for the 560 that we unearthed– where are they? Who are they, how did they get in this, what made they get in this? And what did their mom think when they got in this? [Laughs.] You know, those cultural taboos.

PORTLAND, Ore. — PRESS RELEASE — Former Cannabis Program Manager Dasheeda Dawson shared that she is taking on a new role in the City of New York’s cannabis program. Dawson’s announcement was first shared by the New York Times today. Dawson's last day with the City of Portland was yesterday, but she plans to remain as a volunteer to support Portland’s Cannabis Policy Oversight Team.

“I have loved working with this amazing team and community committed to growing Portland’s cannabis market and repairing the damage of cannabis prohibition,” said Dawson. “The program is under the Office of Community & Civic Life because it houses important community issues including cannabis reform, immigration, livability and disability justice. The bureau's framework in working with the community to resolve systemic issues is only inspiring other larger markets to follow Portland’s lead.”

RELATED: Building on Portland’s Vision of Equity: Q&A with Cannabis Program Supervisor Dasheeda Dawson

Despite the market’s repetitive theft, increased overhead, and inflation challenges, Portland may have the country’s most innovative, equity-centered, and resilient cannabis ecosystem due to the creative problem-solving and programming created by the community, businesses and the city's program.

The program’s recent accomplishments include:

The illicit cannabis market in Southern Oregon continues. So, too, does the eradication effort by law enforcement officials.

The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office announced Oct. 12 that Illegal Marijuana Enforcement Team (IMET) detectives served a search warrant last week at three neighboring properties in rural Rogue River, where they discovered 113 cannabis greenhouses. The illicit operation included roughly 8,675 plants, 7,155 pounds of processed cannabis and $46,000 in cash.

Assisting in serving in the warrant were sheriff’s deputies, the Oregon State Police Southwest Region Drug Enforcement team, and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Medford.

“This case was the result of a months-long investigation of a black-market marijuana growing and processing operation,” according to a press release from the sheriff’s office. “Detectives identified the primary suspects and investigations are ongoing. The three separate properties are owned by different individuals.”

Jackson County code enforcement officials issued $1.25 million in fines to the property owners, which, in addition to the unpermitted greenhouse structures, included citations for unpermitted electrical and mechanical installations, unpermitted accessory structures, failing to obtain cannabis land use approval, camping within a cannabis grow site, and solid waste, according to the release.

The $1.25 million in fines also includes citations stemming from last year, for similar violations that the property owner failed to correct, according to the release.

Charlotte’s Web, a producer and distributor of hemp-derived CBD products, is partnering with Major League Baseball (MLB) in a first-of-its-kind agreement.

This partnership makes Charlotte’s Web’s products, including its new SPORT product line, available to MLB players to support recovery, focus and sleep cycles, according to a release.

The first product released in the company’s SPORT line, its Daily Edge tincture, underwent specific testing to meet MLB scientific and no-banned substances standards. Daily Edge was also 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.

RELATED: Major League Baseball Officials Say They Will Allow CBD Companies to Sponsor Teams

Charlotte’s Web also plans to add gummies, topical creams and sprays to its SPORT product line, which, in tandem with this partnership, launches this month during MLB’s postseason.

The company says it will have a brand presence at MLB events going forward, including this postseason and World Series, as well as future All-Star games and more.

Adult-use cannabis is already legal in Colorado Springs—the Centennial State’s second largest city of roughly half a million people—but city council members still don’t want retail operations a decade after legalization.

In a symbolic stance against a pair of ballot questions that will go before voters this November, Colorado Springs City Council members voted, 6-3, during their Oct. 11 meeting to pass a resolution that opposes the ballot measures.

That resolution, in part, states that “City Council is gravely concerned about the dangers of allowing retail marijuana by expanding access within the City of Colorado Springs and strongly encourages greater awareness regarding the harms and dangers of marijuana use.”

Regardless, voters will still have their say in just a few weeks.

Question 300 would amend the city’s ordinances to authorize adult-use cannabis retail establishments in the same manner as medical cannabis, as well as authorize already existing medical operators in the city to be licensed for an expanded market.

Question 301 would attach a 5% local tax to adult-use cannabis sales, which would fund public safety programs, mental health services and post-traumatic stress disorder programs for veterans.

TORONTO, Oct. 12, 2022 – PRESS RELEASE – TerrAscend Corp., a North American cannabis operator, announced that its New Jersey and Maryland subsidiaries—TerrAscend NJ LLC, HMS Hagerstown LLC, HMS Processing LLC, and HMS Health LLC—have closed on a non-brokered senior secured term loan for gross proceeds of approximately US$45.5 million from funds managed by Pelorus Equity Group, a leading provider of commercial real estate loans for the cannabis sector.

The loan currently bears interest of 12.77% per annum and is based on a variable rate tied to the one month secured overnight financing rate, with interest-only payments for the first 36 months. The maturity is five years from closing. There are no warrants being issued as part of the transaction. The loan proceeds from this transaction will be used to fund the company's growth initiatives. 

“We are pleased to announce this non-dilutive financing at attractive terms given the current market environment," TerrAscend Executive Chairman Jason Wild said. “The Pelorus team has been a pleasure to work with, delivering exactly what they promised. We look forward to a long successful partnership as we continue to grow.”

“With this agreement, we are excited to help fuel TerrAscend’s growth and long-term business goals," said Dan Leimel, CEO of Pelorus Equity Group and manager of the Pelorus Fund. "Our investment and lending philosophy is focused on being honest, upfront and doing what we say we’re going to do for both our borrowers and our investors. As the demand for capital continues to increase in tandem with the growth of the cannabis industry, we plan to deliver even more innovative, flexible lending solutions and stabilized loans like this one to meet the needs of a wide range of clients, including MSOs, SSOs and ancillary businesses.”

Pelorus Managing Partner Travis Goad said, “We really enjoyed working with the TerrAscend team on our first deal together—they were great throughout the entire process.”

Goad added, “As the largest privately held commercial real estate lender in cannabis, we are seeing an increase in deals coming through our pipeline, and are strategically closing on them—even during this time of market volatility. With the longest history in the space of deploying capital successfully and seeing it returned, we spend a lot of time underwriting the company we're working with, the real estate and the projections prior to making any loans.

It's that time of the year:budget season!

When developing a budget foryour business, there are a lot of factors to consider, such as revenues,expenses, build-out costs, industry- and inflation-related trends, and muchmore. 

Granger

Here, Naomi Granger, founderof the NationalAssociation of Cannabis Accounting and Tax Professionals, shares critical factors cannabis businesses should considerwhen building their budget for 2023 and how they can plan for the potentialimpacts of even greater inflation in the new year.

REVENUES

When creating a budget,Granger says one of the first factors owners need to consider is theirrevenues.

Retailers: Retailers should track existing data to access revenuenumbers. 

"They should be lookingin their POS (point of sale) system,” Granger says. “They should be able to seehow many transactions they're doing on a weekly basis and what their averagebasket price is per transaction. If you multiply the total transactions timesthe average ticket price or average basket price per transaction, you can gethow much you should expect to earn on a weekly, monthly, or annual basis."

New York regulators recently unveiled proposed cannabis packaging and labeling rules that include provisions to boost sustainability in the state’s adult-use industry.

The regulations, in part, direct licensees to implement an environmental sustainability program that requires businesses to incorporate at least 25% post-recycled consumer content into their packaging and annually report key metrics on the implementation of their sustainability initiatives.

RELATED: Cannabis Industry Stakeholders Weigh in on New York’s Packaging and Labeling Regulations

In more mature markets out West, some cannabis operators have already implemented sustainability standards on their own that could provide a benchmark for newer markets. 

Troy Meadows, co-founder of California-based Legion of Bloom, has taken steps in his own business to transition to more environmentally friendly packaging solutions for the company’s vape cartridges and flower line.

Cannabis industry stakeholders are grappling with New York’s proposed adult-use packaging and labeling regulations, which, in a largely unprecedented move, include a sustainability program that directs licensees to incorporate at least 25% post-recycled consumer content into their packaging.

The state’s Cannabis Control Board (CCB) proposed the initial rules and accepted public comment on them through Aug. 15. The New York Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) is currently sifting through the feedback and working on revised regulations that will again go before the CCB for approval once all comments are assessed, according to Lyla Hunt, the OCM’s deputy director of public health and campaigns.

“I just want to underscore the balance of the wide array of different critical public policy goals in releasing the packaging and labeling regulations,” Hunt said. “We’re really excited to move the needle and to be leading here on the environmental component. We’re really excited to work to help continue those good efforts.”

As Cannabis Business Times previously reported, the draft regulations include provisions to ensure that cannabis packaging is child-resistant, tamper-evident and nontoxic. The proposal also includes required labeling components such as warnings, serving size, potency, ingredients, and usage and storage instructions. In addition, the draft rules require a universal symbol—which includes a triangle containing a cannabis leaf and the word “THC,” as well as a circle containing “21+” and an outline of New York that’s labeled “New York State”— on all cannabis packaging.

The initial guidelines prohibit packaging that could be attractive to individuals under the age of 21 (e.g., packaging that incorporates cartoons, characters, celebrities or toys), as well as packaging that includes false or misleading statements (e.g., “organic,” “craft” or health claims) and multiple brand logos.

BEND, Oregon, Oct. 12, 2022 - PRESS RELEASE - Dutchie, a technology platform powering cannabis commerce, announced the launch of Dutchie Insurance, a new full-service insurance offering designed to meet the needs of the cannabis industry by offering all-encompassing protection at the lowest prices. The new insurance offering from Dutchie provides a crucial service and better protection for any stakeholder in the cannabis supply chain in every legal market across the United States.

“Cannabis businesses need appropriate insurance coverage that gives them peace-of-mind and confidence that their businesses will be protected no matter what,” said Mauricio Comi, head of insurance at Dutchie. “Dutchie Insurance builds on our mission to help create safe and easy access to cannabis by ensuring the industry is supported and in a position to reach its full potential.”

As of 2020, only six insurance carriers offered cannabis coverage. With a limited supply of coverage options, prices are often higher, and coverage can be inferior. Further, a patchwork of regulations creates confusion and barriers to justly insuring dispensaries, leaving businesses frustrated at the amount of time and resources needed to find a good insurance plan. Dutchie Insurance is a response to fragmented insurance providers who are unfamiliar with the intricacies of the cannabis industry and unable to offer dispensaries reliable, affordable coverage and rates. Existing cannabis insurance offerings are limited, and getting insurance can be long and convoluted. 

Tackling this issue head-on, Dutchie’s team uses data to identify gaps in insurance and ensure any cannabis business has the right coverage at all times, even as businesses change and grow. Dutchie partners with leading insurance carriers to provide a dedicated account manager who negotiates and secures the best coverage plan for the best price. The service offers plans that cover and protect everything for a cannabis business, including property, physical products, lawsuits, and more.

The launch of Dutchie Insurance follows on the heels of both Dutchie POS and Dutchie Pay. Dutchie Insurance signals the company’s evolution to serve customers throughout the entire cannabis supply chain, from seed to sale. To learn more about Dutchie, visit https://business.dutchie.com/. 

 

MIAMI,Oct. 12, 2022 – PRESS RELEASE – Ayr Wellness Inc., a leading verticallyintegrated multistate cannabis operator, announced that consumer packaged goods(CPG) and retail industry veteran David Goubert has been appointed president,joining Ayr’s leadership team to oversee the company’s operational andcommercial functions, including production, supply chain, retail, wholesale andmarketing. Goubert will report to Ayr’s founder and CEO Jonathan Sandelman.

Goubertjoins Ayr from Neiman Marcus Group (NMG), one of the largest multi-brandretailers in the United States, where he helped lead the company through atransformation to become one of the strongest retailers in the country. Mostrecently, he served as NMG’s president and chief customer officer, where he wasresponsible for the full profit and loss statement of the Neiman Marcus brandas well as all customer touchpoints. Prior to that role, he led NMG’s digitaland in-store retail operations as chief retail officer, driving many of NMG’senhancements to the customer experience, creating personalized and memorableexperiences for customers at each of the company’s 36 locations, as well asonline, including style adviser matching, virtual appointments, in-storepick-up and virtual fashion events.

“Weare excited to add an experienced CPG and retail operator to our leadershipteam,” Sandelman said. “As the Board and I engaged with David over the lastseveral months, it became clear that he was a natural leader with a trackrecord of driving positive organizational change and operational excellence.His experience at other vertically integrated, consumer-facing businesses makeshim the ideal choice to help support our company as we enter our next phase ofgrowth and optimization of our footprint.”

Sandelmanadded, “Over the last five years, Ayr has built a foundation. We have securednew licenses, opened cultivation facilities, and acquired and integrated newbusinesses, all of which have expanded the company’s scale and enhanced thebreadth and quality of the products we offer our customers. David will be animportant part of our leadership team as we focus on sustainable, profitablegrowth.”

Priorto joining Neiman Marcus, Goubert spent 20 years at LVMH, the world’s leadingluxury consumer products company. Most recently, he served as senior vice presidentof LVMH’s Starboard Cruise Services subsidiary, spearheading partner relationsand overseeing hundreds of retail outlets on Starboard cruise ships. Hepreviously spent 15 years at the company’s flagship Louis Vuitton brand, wherehe successively led the company’s demand planning, U.S. manufacturing,worldwide supply chain, and all retail operations in the southern U.S., theCaribbean and Latin America.

“I’mproud to join Ayr at this pivotal time in the company’s history as its focusshifts to performance enhancement,” Goubert said. “After more than two decadesof operating large consumer-facing businesses, I am excited to apply myexperience to Ayr’s strong foundation. I look forward to working with Jonathan,the Board of Directors and Ayr’s talented team as we collectively build on thework that has been done to develop Ayr into one of the few scaled companies inthe cannabis industry. We will drive operational excellence throughout the companythrough world-class practices and capitalize on our broad footprint and strongfoundation.”

PRESS RELEASE -- Molded Fiber Glass Tray Company, or MFG Tray, headquartered in Linesville, Penn., is a manufacturer of high-strength, glass-reinforced composite containers, trays, boxes, flats, and totes. MFG Tray containers support businesses serious about material handling in the metalworking, plastics, electronics, food service, confectionery, farming, and pharmaceutical industries. MFG Tray is one of the 10 entities within the Molded Fiber Glass Companies (MFG). After 74 years of private ownership, the Morrison family sold 100% of its shares to the MFG Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP), transitioning it to a 100% employee-owned company–an exciting move for the employees and a beneficial move for the local economy.

MFG was founded in 1948 by entrepreneur Robert S. Morrison (1909–2002) and has grown to be one of the largest local employers in the area. MFG has prided itself on being an innovative, family-owned enterprise spanning four generations of the Morrison family for the past seven decades. When they opened their doors, a small creative team worked diligently to figure out the best way to mass-produce the first polyester resin and fiberglass products. In 1953 MFG was selected to manufacture fiberglass body parts for the new Chevrolet Corvette. This move put MFG on the map as a significant player in the market and launched a sequence of other "firsts"–including the creation of the first fiberglass boats, high-volume truck and tractor parts, bakery trays, concrete forms, and satellite dishes, to name a few. These early successes allowed MFG to spin off specialized divisions, like MFG Tray, to support the ever-growing popularity and demand for fiberglass.

"It's not common knowledge that fiberglass containers outperform and outlast plastic, metal, and wood containers or that fiberglass containers integrate seamlessly into existing material handling operations," said Celena Davis, MFG Tray's General Sales Manager. "'The material matters in material handling' isn't just our tagline–it's an anthem. Our team takes great pride in arming our clients with a new lineup of containers, knowing it will immediately up their game and let them kick the competition to the curb."

More than 70 years after MFG Tray opened its doors, the enduring entrepreneurial spirit, commitment to customer satisfaction, and integrity in business that Morrison reinforced in the very fiber of the products he created–lives on through MFG Tray's dedicated employees. The change in share ownership from Morrison family members to the ESOP does not change contractual relationships or business operations but rather benefits and rewards the entire team directly dedicated to producing the highest quality fiberglass products in the market. John Thompson, MFG Tray's President & General Manager, noted that any discussion on the transition to an ESOP must first begin with a heartfelt expression of gratitude:

"Our team is incredibly grateful for the Morrison, Warner, and Raffa families' support over the past seven decades. Under their ownership, MFG Tray teammates became a part of their extended family–a rare thing in today's competitive business world. We sincerely appreciate all they have done for our operation, and we wish them a blessed future. Looking ahead, we are excited to begin the transition to an ESOP and for its potential. Robert Morrison wove spirit, commitment, and integrity into MFG and now it is up to us to keep those principles in the forefront. Fortunately, we have the best team in the industry. They are not only ready for the challenge but talented enough to grow and expand MFG Tray's operations and footprint for generations to come."

In the weeks after two major hurricanes stormed the southeastern corner of the U.S. and its territories, cannabis companies are starting to resume operations. 

Many of Florida’s medical cannabis operations have reopened to serve patients as search-and-rescue teams continue to examine homes and businesses along the Gulf Coast following Hurricane Ian’s wrath.

The Category 4 hurricane brought maximum-sustained winds of 150 miles per hour, and roughly 3.3 million Florida homes and businesses initially lost power during the storm, according to an Oct. 3 Reuters report.

Hurricane Ian has resulted in at least 125 deaths in the U.S., CNN reported Oct. 5.

ACS Laboratory, a cannabis, CBD and hemp testing facility based in Sun City Center, Fla. (about 30 minutes south of Tampa), closed on Sept. 28 due to the storm and did not reopen until Sept. 30. The business sent every employee home and lost power six times during a 24-hour period, said ACS Laboratory Founder and President Roger Brown.

A monumental storm, Hurricane Ian left behind a devastating trail of death and destruction. Tragically, more than 100 people reportedly have died as a result of the powerful hurricane, which first made landfall in Florida as a Category 4 storm on Sept. 28, 2022. And, according to multiple reports, the economic damage caused by the catastrophic storm is expected to total tens of billions of dollars.   

RELATED: Cannabis Businesses in Florida, Puerto Rico Reopen Following Hurricanes

Unfortunately, but not surprisingly, the cannabis industry (specifically in Florida) did not escape Hurricane Ian unscathed. To the contrary, like other businesses, cannabis-related businesses suffered property damage and (presumably) business-income losses. 

Fortunately, insurance may be available to cover at least some losses. To maximize the potential for any insurance recovery, cannabis-related businesses—again, like other businesses—can and should take several important steps as soon as possible.

Hurricane Ian Hurts Cannabis Industry 

In a press release dated Oct. 6, 2022, Cansortium Inc., “a vertically-integrated cannabis company operating under the Fluent brand,” disclosed that, in addition to some “minimal physical damage” that certain of its stores suffered, one of its “cultivation and packaging facilit[ies] … sustained moderate damage to its HVAC and fertigation system.” The company—which also had to close 12 of its dispensaries “for various periods due to forced evacuations and the uncertain path Hurricane Ian”—further announced that, due to the storm’s impact, it “currently anticipates that it will take approximately 12 weeks to return the [damaged cultivation and processing] facility to the production level that existed prior to the hurricane.”

A steadfast spirit. The desire to encourage and empower. One big heap of compassion.

These are some of the requirements to steer a team through the ever-evolving and increasingly competitive world of cannabis, as shared by Cannabis Business Times Editorial Director Noelle Skodzinski during her opening remarks at the Cannabis Leadership Awards Class of 2022 reception Aug. 24 at Cannabis Conference in Las Vegas.

Cannabis Business Times/Cannabis Conference Editorial Director Noelle Skodzinski addressing the crowd at the second-annual Cannabis Leadership Awards.

Produced by Cannabis Business Times and Cannabis Conference, and sponsored by FOHSE, the Cannabis Leadership Awards recognize those who address the industry’s injustices, build positive workplaces, and facilitate positive change in the cannabis industry. Nearly 200 industry professionals gathered for the ceremony, which also honored actor, musician, cannabis activist and business owner Tommy Chong with a Lifetime Achievement Award.

“It is crucial to … recognize those who are leaders not because they want to be leaders, but because they embody the true ideals of leadership,” Skodzinski said.

FOHSE Co-Founder and President Ben Arnet

FOHSE Co-Founder and President Ben Arnet said, “We have a long way to go to where the industry deserves to be, and it’s a huge opportunity for the leaders … to continue that narrative.” In the meantime, he added, “It’s really nice to see the industry continue to knock down barriers, and it’s time to loudly applaud those innovators for doing so.”

The Cannabis Leadership Awards 2022 recipients were selected from nearly 200 peer-nominated submissions.

ASTM International’s D37 cannabis committee, a group that develops standards and solutions related to quality and safety for the cannabis and hemp industries, has announced five new standards.

The committee announced four standards Oct. 3:

Standard (D8375) will “provide a method to establish cannabinoid content in cannabis and hemp samples.” The standard will benefit laboratories, producers, researchers, regulatory bodies, and consumers, according to Garnet McRae, ASTM member. The standard can be used by forensic labs to support cannabinoid research and to confirm cannabinoid content in illicit samples, according to the release.Standard (D8399) “will aid laboratories in analyzing cannabis and hemp samples to establish pesticide concentration levels–or lack thereof–to ensure products meet regulatory requirements within appropriate jurisdictions,” according to the release. This standard, which will benefit laboratories, producers, regulatory bodies and consumers according to McRae, will help “address health and safety concerns as well as labeling and regulatory requirements for consumable cannabis products,” according to the release.Standard (D8442) “will provide a method to test for terpenes and cannabinoids in cannabis using gas chromatography,” and will assist in quality control, according to Randall Shearer, ASTM International member. Standard (D8469) will “aid manufacturers, regulatory bodies, and other cannabis industry stakeholders by providing a new test method for metals in cannabis,” according to the release. The testing method will be used to detect dangerous metals and lead in cannabis.

The committee also recently announced a new standard Oct. 10 on medicinal-use cannabis inflorescence.

The soon-to-be-published standard, D8439, will help provide “specifications for cannabis flower that can be used to support sound and reproducible research,” according to the release.

ASTM International member David Vaillencourt said the standard would help provide consistent testing for quality and safety.

]]>

An unannounced compliance visit has resulted in a 30-day license suspension and a $75,000 fine for one of Michigan’s medical marijuana provisioning centers.

When Cannabis Regulatory Agency (CRA) officials inspected The House of Mary Jane on May 19, 2021, in Detroit, they “observed multiple bags, backpacks and duffle bags of marijuana products that did not have the tracking identification numbers assigned by the statewide monitoring system (METRC) attached,” according to a complaint released Oct. 10 by the agency.

State officials advised the licensee that none of the products within the unmarked bags could be sold or destroyed until an investigation was completed and guidance was provided by the CRA. The regulators also requested The House of Mary Jane to provide video surveillance for the past 30 days, which is required by the state’s administrative rules, according to the complaint.

The licensee allegedly failed to provide the video surveillance, and, when CRA officials returned to the retail facility six days later and inquired about the untagged cannabis products, the licensee claimed to have destroyed the remaining evidence with “motor oil and had Waste Management remove the destroyed products,” according to the complaint.

“The Cannabis Regulatory Agency has a legal responsibility to protect the health, safety and welfare of the public,” CRA spokesman David Harns said in a public statement. “Our licensees must follow all of the rules and laws that govern the cannabis industry. Untagged marijuana products and the inability to provide video footage is simply unacceptable.”

Except for designated consumption establishments or temporary cannabis events licensed under the Michigan Regulation and Taxation of Marihuana Act (MRTMA), a cannabis business must not have cannabis products that are not identified and recorded in the statewide monitoring system. CRA officials requested for video recordings of the product’s destruction, as required by state code, but the licensee did not provide the surveillance, according to the complaint.

The Vermont Cannabis Control Board (CCB) issued 13 additional adult-use cannabis business licenses Oct. 6, at the board’s first meeting since adult-use sales launched Oct. 1.

RELATED: 3 Vermont Dispensaries to Begin Adult-Use Sales at Their Discretion

Regulators approved three cultivators, four manufacturers, four wholesalers, a testing lab and a retailer Thursday, Heady Vermont reported.

The latest licenses were issued to the following applicants, according to the news outlet:

Only in VT – Outdoor Cultivator Tier 1Lindies Kitchen – Manufacturer Tier 2Big Intelligence Group, LLC – Wholesaler, WorcesterVermont Cannabis Distributors LLC – Wholesaler, WillistonThe Cannabis Collective – Manufacturer Tier 2Northern Craft Cannabis – Wholesaler, Hyde Park @northerncraftcannabisGlocanna, LLC – Manufacturer Tier 2Apex Arboretum DBA Green State Dispensary DBA Upstate Elevator Operators – Indoor Cultivator Tier 1Apex Arboretum/Upstate Elevator Niceties/Green State Gardener Dispensary – Retailer + Wholesaler, BurlingtonSH Lab Holdings LLC, DBA: Steep Hill Vermont Labs – Testing Lab, ColchesterAltitude Drops – Manufacturer Tier 2Passion Fruit Farms – Indoor Cultivator Tier 1

A full list of Vermont’s adult-use cannabis licensees can be found here.