MjLink Cannabis Business News and Press
CBT focuses strictly on the business of legal cannabis for medical and recreational use and aims to provide timely information—through its website, e-newsletter, mobile app, print magazine and annual conference—to help the reader make timely, informed decisions to help them run their businesses better and more profitably. In 2018, Cannabis Business Times was named Magazine of the Year by the American Society of Business Publication Editors.
The California Assembly approved legislation Aug. 30 to prevent employers from punishing workers for off-the-clock cannabis use, sending it to Gov. Gavin Newsom’s desk.
Assembly Bill 2188, sponsored by Assemblyman Bill Quirk, would prohibit companies from discriminating against an individual in hiring, termination, or any term or condition of employment based on the person’s use of cannabis when off the job and away from the workplace, according to the California Globe.
The law would carve out certain exceptions, including those for preemployment drug screening tests and employees who require federal background checks or clearance, as well as those in jobs with high safety standards, like construction workers, the news outlet reported.
If Newsom ultimately signs the bill, the law will take effect Jan. 1, 2024, according to the California Globe.
Similar laws have been passed in Nevada, New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Montana and Rhode Island, the news outlet reported.
Cannabis legalization is not just a hot topic in Congress, but all throughout the United States even as the plant remains federally illegal.
Despite being a Schedule I controlled substance, according to the Drug Enforcement Administration, Americans are pretty split on their views of cannabis and its effects on both individual consumers and society as a whole.
Gallup’s recent annual Consumption survey polled Americans on their cannabis views, habits, and more to examine trends and changes over the years.
Views of Cannabis Consumption
If you’ve consumed cannabis, you likely approve of its effects on individuals and society at large. If you haven’t, you probably believe it has negative effects.
Among those who have tried marijuana, 70% believe it has very or somewhat positive effects on consumers and 66% believe it has a very or somewhat positive effect on society. In contrast, among those who have never tried marijuana, 35% believe it has very or somewhat positive effects on consumers, and 27% believe it has a very or somewhat positive effect on society.
Overall, 53% of Americans say marijuana has positive effects on individual consumers and 49% say it has positive effects on society, while 45% say it has negative effects on consumers and 50% say it has negative effects on society.
A judge dismissed two lawsuits Aug. 30 that challenged Detroit’s adult-use cannabis ordinance, paving the way for city officials to start processing applications for licenses, according to the Detroit Free Press.
"Although the city's 2022 marijuana ordinance is a complicated scheme, it is unambiguous and provides a fair licensing process, which comports with the mandates of the [Michigan Regulation and Taxation of Marihuana Act]," Wayne County Circuit Judge Leslie Kim Smith said in an opinion in the first lawsuit, House of Dank v. city of Detroit, which was filed in May.
In that case, a group of medical cannabis dispensaries—House of Dank, Herbal Wellness, TJM Enterprises Services and Detroit Natural Selections Enterprises—challenged a provision in Detroit’s adult-use cannabis ordinance that they said barred medical cannabis operators from receiving adult-use licenses until 2027.
Smith said in her opinion that the plaintiffs’ interpretation that medical cannabis businesses cannot apply for adult-use licenses until then was incorrect, the Detroit Free Press reported.
A second lawsuit, filed in June by medical cannabis company JARS Cannabis, sought to block the ordinance altogether, alleging that it violates Michigan law by giving preferential treatment to certain applicants.
A poll conducted in South Dakota last month shows that an adult-use cannabis legalization measure that’s slated to appear on the state’s November ballot may not have the support it needs to pass.
The statewide poll of 500 registered voters revealed that 43.8% of respondents support adult-use cannabis legalization, while 54.4% expressed opposition to the issue, according to the Argus Leader.
Mason-Dixon Polling & Strategy of Florida conducted the poll, which was commissioned by South Dakota News Watch and the Chiesman Center for Democracy at the University of South Dakota, from July 19-22, the news outlet reported.
In the 2020 election, South Dakota voters passed Constitutional Amendment A to legalize adult-use cannabis, but the measure was then challenged in court and the state’s Supreme Court ultimately struck it down.
South Dakota lawmakers attempted to legalize adult-use cannabis legislatively and restore the will of their constituents and during this year’s legislative session, but the bill ultimately failed.
The Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) and the National Industrial Hemp Council (NIHC) co-hosted a webinar “Hemp as a Feed Ingredient: A National Discussion” Aug. 9 to discuss the steps needed to gain approval for hemp as an animal feed ingredient.
The virtual webinar—which had nearly 600 attendees—featured 18 industry professionals who spoke on the following topics: scientific research and data; ingredients review and approval; and interests and concerns everyone is facing. All topics were tailored to address one overarching question, “Why isn’t hemp in animal feed?” according to a press release.
Here are 10 key takeaways from the webinar as listed in the release:
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved hempseed oil, hearts and protein powder as Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) for human consumption, which panelists used as a basis for conversation.Several industry professionals (producers, researchers, government officials, policymakers, etc.) agree that it’s essential to collaborate on creating safe solutions and practices for the use of hemp in animal feed. “National discussions, forums and multi-industry collaboration will help move the approval process forward with new ideas, procedures and solutions. Finding out what other people are doing and needing across industries and then collaborating will help all industries understand the challenges and opportunities,” according to the release.Extensive research is needed on hemp’s nutritional profile and its effects on the nutrition of animal byproducts.Safety data is essential to “establish specification for hemp as an ingredient and analytical methods that are accurate and validated,” according to the release.“It’s important to establish safety and utility in target animals and pets first, then to ensure the safety of meat, milk and eggs that are marketed for human consumption," according to the release.State regulatory programs for commercial animal feed are encouraged to address consumer concerns, support land grants, engage with farmers and motivate research.The significant opportunities for hemp seed as an ingredient lie in creating alternative crops for farmers, a good nutrient source for animals and additional raw materials to assist growing populations.The biggest challenges for gaining approval for hemp as an animal feed ingredient include “the acceptance and availability of peer-reviewed safety and utility data for animal feed for different species of animals; the lack of universally accepted standard testing methods for hemp ingredients for inclusion in feed; and a need for additional information,” according to the release.Unified standards that align with regulatory laboratories in charge of feed safety need to be established to create valid methods to test hemp grain for contamination.Currently, hemp and its byproducts are not approved by the FDA for use in animal feed or animal drug products. In early February, AAFCO issued a joint open letter of concern–signed by 17 industry and regulatory organizations—to “agricultural leaders and policymakers, addressing the need for further education and research to ensure the use of hemp in animal feed is safe,” Cannabis Business Times reported.
Following suit, NIHC issued a letter in March, “inviting AAFCO and industry professionals to collaborate together to achieve safe solutions,” according to the release.
“By co-collaborating with AAFCO, we were able to address a path forward for the hemp and animal-feed industries—working together to identify ways to decrease barriers and speed up approvals. The webinar provided the clarification we all have been craving,” said Hunter Buffington, member of NIHC’s Government Affairs Committee and vice president of policy & advocacy for element6 Dynamics. “With a shared goal, we will soon achieve the regulatory oversight and approval of new feed ingredients for the agriculture, livestock and hemp industries. And that’s good news for all of us.”
]]>The Nebraska Secretary of State’s office announced last week that advocates fell short on signatures to qualify two medical cannabis legalization initiatives for the November ballot, but a state senator has pledged to introduce legislation to address the issue while state officials double check the signatures submitted for the ballot measure.
Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana submitted more than 90,000 signatures in early July to place two medical cannabis legalization initiatives on the state’s 2022 ballot.
Roughly 87,000 valid signatures were required by July 7 to get the group’s initiatives before voters this fall.
RELATED: Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana Likely a Signature Bust
The first petition, called the Medical Cannabis Regulation Initiative, would add a line to the state Constitution that provides for a “right to cannabis in all its forms for medical purposes," while the second petition, called the Medical Cannabis Patient Protections Initiative, would protect qualifying patients and their caregivers from arrest for the use of medical cannabis recommended by a doctor.
Florida officials have released an emergency rule to address dosing and supply limits for medical cannabis products. The rule sets a daily dose THC limit per product and total THC limit per 70- and 35-day supply.
The rule states that medical cannabis patients should not exceed more than 24,500 mg of THC for non-smokable cannabis products (i.e. flower, prerolls) within 70 days. In addition, the rule states that patients should not purchase more than 2.5 ounces of smokable cannabis products within 35 days.
However, physicians can submit an electronic “Request for Exception” form through the Medical Marijuana Use Registry to increase the 35-day supply limit on smokable products to 4 ounces for patients. “The department will approve or disapprove the exception request within 14 calendar days,” the emergency rule states.
The daily dose THC limits and total THC limit per 70-day supply for approved medical cannabis products are listed in the emergency rule as follows:
| Route of Administration | Daily Dose Amount | 70-Day Supply Limit |
|---|---|---|
| Edibles | 60 mg THC | 4,200 mg THC |
| Inhalation (e.g., vaporization) | 350 mg THC | 24,500 mg THC |
| Oral (e.g., capsules, tinctures) | 200 mg THC | 14,000 mg THC |
| Sublingual (e.g., sublingual tinctures) | 190 mg THC | 13,300 mg THC |
| Suppository | 195 mg THC | 13,650 mg THC |
| Topical (e.g., creams) | 150 mg THC | 10,500 mg THC |
| Marijuana in a form for smoking | 2.025 grams | N/A |
In addition, licensed medical marijuana treatment centers in Florida “shall not dispense to a patient an amount exceeding the amount remaining on the patient’s current order. The amount remaining on a patient’s current order is calculated by subtracting all dispensations to the patient under the current order from the total amount allowed by such order,” the emergency rule states.
]]>
[Los Angeles, CA] August 31, 2022 -- PRESS RELEASE -- Hot off a record-breaking launch of Cookies in Miami, Fla., TRP continues its nationwide expansion on its home turf. Bringing one of the world’s most recognized cannabis brands to one of LA’s most exclusive and picturesque neighborhoods of Brentwood, TRP is excited to open a new Los Angeles location for Cookies with a gorgeous dispensary on San Vicente Boulevard on Saturday, Sept. 10, 2022. In an industry with complex rules and regulations that vary from state to state, TRP has been the engine behind the successful rollout of Cookies dispensaries in eight states (CA, NV, OR, WA, OK, CO, FL, MA) and counting, providing expertise and enterprise level infrastructure to exclusive partners including Cookies, Dr. Greenthumb’s, and Insane.
Regarded as one of the cannabis capitals of the world where hype and premium genetics reign supreme, it makes sense that TRP is best suited to take on the challenging task of spearheading the newest Los Angeles store opening for Cookies Brentwood. Situated next to the iconic Brentwood Country Mart, TRP was able to open the very first dispensary located in the Westside neighborhood, standing beside other high-profile retailers including James Perse, goop, and Christian Louboutin, beloved by the community for decades.
“TRP opening Cookies Brentwood just weeks after a successful Cookies Miami launch is exactly the challenge at which we excel,” says co-founder and CEO of TRP, Brandon Johnson. “Our team at TRP is experienced at operating in multiple markets. We encompass everything from adapting standard operating practices to complying with different regulations while catering to the unique customers in each market.”
The excitement generated from the Miami launch will no doubt create a halo as TRP meets the demand for a more accessible and updated storefront with the elevated customer experience that is expected from TRP’s owned and operated Cookies stores. The newest location will seamlessly capture a new and existing customer base with exclusive cannabis offerings as TRP builds strong relationships with the local community as well as serves as an educational resource for premium cannabis genetics.
“Brentwood is one of the most exclusive and coveted neighborhoods in the country,” says president and co-founder of TRP, Daniel Firtel. “Securing real estate here is a challenge no matter who you are, let alone a cannabis company. It’s these types of challenges that set TRP apart as an operator in cannabis. We’ve been able to take one of our core competencies in real estate to achieve a small win for the industry."
TRP’s expansive retail, cultivation and distribution network is imperative to the success of brands as they look to scale across the U.S. and the world’s segmented cannabis market. The greater Los Angeles community is invited to join and support TRP in breaking opening day records for their high wattage grand opening with a ribbon cutting ceremony on Sept. 10, 2022, at 9 a.m. PDT, further locking in its foothold in the cannabis space as the largest owner and operator of Cookies dispensaries nationwide. The TRP team looks forward to bringing the grand opening back to California to see Cookies loyalists and new customers explore the store, shop, and if they’re lucky, receive giveaways from the TRP team, as the entire crew gears up to meet their new neighbors and community members.
]]>Illinois officials announced Aug. 19 that the state’s 185 total adult-use cannabis dispensary licenses have been issued to social equity applicants.
Gov. JB Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) awarded three additional Conditional Adult Use Dispensing Organization Licenses to applicants who were selected in lotteries held in the summer of 2021.
The final three awardees join 182 others who were awarded conditional licenses in July and early August.
All of the license winners qualify as Social Equity Applicants as defined in Illinois’ Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act, which passed in 2019 to legalize adult-use cannabis in the state.
A full list of awardees can be found here.
NEW YORK, Aug. 31, 2022 – PRESS RELEASE – RMJ Supply, a solutions-focused distributor of horticultural equipment and supplies providing a single source solution for the CEA industry, announced that it has entered into a sales and distribution agreement with Cryo Cure, a U.S. patent holder for a 12-to-24-hour cannabis drying and curing process, to offer its leading solutions to controlled environment agriculture (CEA) customers throughout North America. RMJ will be the sole distributor for Cryo Cure servicing the burgeoning cannabis sector.
The agreement will allow Cryo Cure to leverage RMJ’s robust network of cultivators throughout the category to expand its reach and adoption of its solutions. The Cryo Cure machines have been in high demand globally, including with operators in California, Colorado, Arkansas, Ohio, Massachusetts, Oklahoma, Delaware, Nevada, New Mexico, Illinois, Jamaica and South Africa—with additional international deals in the pipeline such as in the United Kingdom.
Cryo Cure’s technologies and methodologies allow cultivators to skip the hanging phase of drying, cutting the processing time from weeks to just one day. The resulting product is light, vibrant and aromatic, with trichomes and terpenes intact and flavor profile preserved as if at the height of freshness. With traditional curing, color, smell and texture are lost during the lengthy drying and curing process and the Cryo Cure solutions alleviate these issues.
“Our company President Greg [Baughman] and I are confident that the RMJ team is a great addition to our fast-growing enterprise, as they offer superior customer service and expertise,” Cryo Cure CEO Tracee McAfee said. “The RMJ team fully understands our patented technology, from integration through maintenance, and we are extremely confident that partnering with them will bring our solutions to a larger market. Their vision and values align with ours and we see them as a welcome extension of our company.”
“As with any of our suppliers, we seek to work with the best and believe Cryo Cure to be the perfect embodiment of that as it relates to the drying and curing segment of cultivation equipment,” RMJ Supply CEO Mike Kupferman said. “We foresee that their new line of machines for cultivators of all sizes will change the way cannabis is cured while providing industry-leading ROI. We look forward to a very long-term relationship with Cryo Cure and are honored to offer their revolutionary curing process equipment to new and existing RMJ customers.”
The new partnership expands RMJ’s industry leadership in the procurement of equipment for use in professional CEA cultivation facilities. Cyro Cure products range from high-capacity models, which come in three sizes and offer shorter cycle times supported by refrigeration capacity, to their newest lower-capacity machine, the CC260, which fits up to 20 pounds of cannabis and is the perfect size for craft and small-batch growers.
CHICAGO, Illinois, Aug. 31, 2021 - PRESS RELEASE - Cresco Labs., a vertically integrated multistate operator and wholesaler of branded cannabis products, announced the expansion of its Sunnyside retail brand in Florida with three new dispensaries in Cape Coral, Tampa and Panama City Beach. These stores bring Cresco’s store network to 19 locations in Florida and 53 nationwide.
“We are thrilled to bring Cresco Labs’ portfolio of leading cannabis brands to patients in Cape Coral, Tampa and Panama City Beach,” said Charlie Bachtell, co-founder and CEO of Cresco Labs. “When patients have the opportunity to visit our stores and try our category leaders such as High Supply flower and vapes and Sunnyside Chews edibles, they understand why we are the No. 1 wholesaler of branded cannabis products in the U.S. per BDSA. With nearly 750,000 qualified patients, over $2 billion in market revenue (per BDSA) and adult-use still on the horizon, Florida remains an attractive growth opportunity. We have several additional locations planned for the fourth quarter of 2022 and early 2023, which, combined with Columbia Care’s retail footprint, will help us reach our goal of becoming one of the leading operators in the state.”
Sunnyside Cape Coral is the company’s first dispensary in North Lee County. It resides near a Walmart Supercenter and Publix and is a half mile from the city thoroughfare Veterans Parkway.
Sunnyside Tampa is in the heart of the city’s primary retail corridor across from Walmart and Best Buy and just five minutes to Raymond James Stadium. It also is accessibly located just off the I-275.
Sunnyside Panama City Beach will be opening in a few weeks located a few blocks from scenic Hwy 30A, which is easily accessible to locals, commuters and guests of numerous beachside resorts.
All dispensary store hours are 9 a.m. – 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. Sunday. For more information about Sunnyside, promotions and to place online orders, visit www.sunnyside.shop.
]]>PHOENIX, Arizona, Aug. 30, 2022 — PRESS RELEASE — TILT Holdings Inc., a global provider of cannabis business solutions that include inhalation technologies, cultivation, manufacturing, processing, brand development and retail, announced its subsidiary, Commonwealth Alternative Care, Inc. has passed its final inspection and received approval from the Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission to commence operations for the medical use of cannabis at its Cambridge dispensary. The doors of the Cambridge dispensary will open Friday, Sept. 2. The store will be open 9:30 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. Monday through Wednesday and 9:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Thursday through Sunday.
CAC’s Cambridge 5,100 square-foot dispensary, located at 1385 Cambridge Street in Inman Square, will offer a wide selection of products from TILT’s house brands, including flower, concentrates, edibles and topicals, as well as TILT’s cross-business collaborations such as the Jupiter CAC Infinity vaporizer. In addition, medical patients will have increased access to products from industry-leading partner brands including AIRO, Black Buddha Cannabis, Her Highness, Highsman, Old Pal, and Toast.
"Located right in the heart of Inman Square, we are excited to open the doors of our third medical dispensary in Massachusetts this week, just before the [long] holiday weekend," Gary Santo, TILT CEO, said. "Adding Cambridge to our existing retail facilities in Brockton and Taunton strengthens TILT’s position as a resource throughout patients’ cannabis journeys."
Santo added, "With the addition of home delivery at all of our locations, we are able to expand access to our distinctive portfolio of CAC and brand-partner products to those communities and beyond and look forward to welcoming new patients. We anticipate a grand opening celebration in September during Boston Cannabis Week."
]]>Wisconsin, Aug. 29, 2022 — The Indigenous Cannabis Industry Association launches today to promote the exploration, development and advancement of the cannabis industry for the benefit of all Indigenous communities. As a non-profit organization, ICIA is dedicated to the advocacy and empowerment of Indigenous cannabis businesses and aspiring entrepreneurs nationwide.
Founded by cannabis entrepreneur and member of the Bad River Band of the Lake Superior Tribe of Chippewa Indians Rob Pero, ICIA will create opportunities for Indigenous people in cannabis and empower the Indigenous community through policy, programming, and outreach initiatives.
“As stewards of environmental responsibility and with deep histories in agricultural expertise, Tribal governments and Indigenous people are uniquely positioned to add value to the cannabis industry,” said Pero, president of ICIA. “ICIA will help tribal communities and Indigenous entrepreneurs navigate the cannabis industry, preserve Tribal sovereignty, further economic opportunities, and bring their unique perspectives into the national conversations around policy, sustainability, and equity.”
While in 2016 the National Congress of American Indians passed a resolution approving cannabis production to promote tribal self-determination and self-governance, create job opportunities, strengthen tribal governance, and promote equity in the cannabis industry, the current legal landscape of the cannabis industry is complex. As federal legalization of cannabis looms in the future, ICIA seeks to provide critical certainty for Indian Country cannabis economic development and long-term strategic analysis by building data and information on Tribes in cannabis.
“We are working directly with local representatives to support fair implementation and enforcement of sensible cannabis policies in our home state of Wisconsin,” Pero said. “We will continue to empower the Indigenous community and provide resources to Tribal Nations to influence policy at the state and federal levels and work to be a conduit of information for the community at large.”
Members of ICIA are given access to ICIA’s network of Tribal Nations, industry partners, advocacy groups, mentors, businesses and aspiring entrepreneurs to help navigate the complex landscape of Tribal, state and federal policy and to provide resources for Tribal governments and Indigenous people to design and advocate for equitable cannabis policies.
MIAMI, Aug. 31, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- PRESS RELEASE -- Ayr Wellness Inc., a vertically integrated U.S. multi-state cannabis operator, announces the opening of its relocated Dania Beach store, offering an elevated patient experience.
The new store, located at 222 N Federal Hwy, Ste. 103, Dania Beach, FL 33004, is just over a mile away from the former location and moments away from the Fort Lauderdale–Hollywood International Airport and the major intersection of US-1 and A1A.
“We’re happy to reopen in Dania Beach, a community where we’ve received strong support from the local patient population, with our newly relocated dispensary. Patients who visited our former location will find an upgraded retail experience and an array of newly introduced products and brands, complementing the offerings they’ve come to love. The new location is indicative of the improvements we continue to make in our Florida operation, which includes our 50 retail locations and our suite of branded products,” said Jonathan Sandelman, founder and CEO of Ayr.
The new store spans more than 2,000+ square feet of retail space and offers patients an expansive menu, including brands and products from Ayr’s national portfolio, such as Kynd premium whole flower, Walking Stix pre-rolls, Entourage vapes and Secret Orchard vapes, distillates and edibles.
Ayr relocated its U.S. headquarters from New York City to Miami following it acquisition of Liberty Health Sciences in 2021, underscoring the company’s commitment to the region. Since the acquisition, Ayr has expanded its retail footprint by more than 60% and has introduced its suite of national brands and products to its dispensaries statewide. Today, Ayr Wellness proudly employs more than 745 people across the state of Florida, including corporate, retail and production positions.
BOSTON, Aug. 30, 2022 – PRESS RELEASE – Lantern, a leading on-demand cannabis e-commerce marketplace and home delivery platform in the U.S., introduced Ngiste Abebe as the seventh member of the company’s board of directors. In this role, she will assist the company as it strives to provide legal, convenient access to local cannabis dispensaries and products for adult-use consumers and medical patients.
Abebe is an immensely talented executive and cannabis advocate with more than a decade of knowledge in the public policy, health care and cannabis spheres. She currently serves as vice chair for the Virginia Cannabis Public Health Advisory Council, president of the New York Medical Cannabis Industry Association and vice president of public policy for Columbia Care. Additionally, Abebe volunteers as a board member for Virginia NORML, a nonprofit organization that works to reform cannabis laws for a safer commonwealth.
She has used her vast knowledge of cannabis and public policy to advocate for cannabis policy reform as a panelist and speaker at the Virginia Cannabis Conference, National Black Caucus of State Legislators, Black CannaBusiness Conference and Cannabis Business Times’ Cannabis Conference. Cannabis Business Times recognized Abebe’s work by inducting her into the inaugural Cannabis Leadership Awards class in August 2021.
She also received the Young Alumni Merit Award from the Carnegie Mellon Heinz School of Public Policy in October 2016.
“I am excited to join Lantern and continue to advocate for a more equitable cannabis space,” Abebe said. “Lantern is an innovator in the on-demand cannabis marketplace that is committed to building a more accessible industry while addressing the impact of the war on drugs. The company’s expansive social equity incubator programs are not only beneficial to the areas in which they operate, but they also provide a blueprint for others to follow in the future.”
Las Vegas, Aug. 30, 2022 – PRESS RELEASE – Mobius, a leading manufacturer of pharmaceutical-grade cannabis processing equipment, released a scaled-down cannabis mill that delivers the precision and grind quality of industrial mills at a lower price point.
The newly released M60 Mill draws technology from Mobius’s flagship M210 Mill. Both utilize slow rotational speeds to reduce heat degradation, and precision cutting matrixes to maintain uniform particle sizes without THC loss.
Precision milling is important because an inconsistent grind can adversely affect how ground cannabis packs within the cone, how it burns, and if the cone breaks during transport or consumption.
In a crowded market sector like pre-rolls, brands need to deliver consistent quality to survive and thrive.
“We’re excited to fit full-scale technology into our Mobius M60 Mill,” said Amanda James, director of strategy at Mobius. “It empowers smaller pre-roll and extract producers to achieve a top-quality grind at a much lower price point.”
Conventional cannabis mills destroy high-value cannabinoids (e.g., THC) by creating unnecessary heat. Mobius mills use low-friction internal mechanisms that prevent temperature elevation to optimize potency and smokeability.
Once again, voters’ will to effectuate policy change via a cannabis ballot measure hangs in the balance of a state’s supreme court decision ahead of the general election.
Just months before the 2022 election, the Oklahoma Supreme Court has declared authority to decide whether State Question 820, an adult-use cannabis ballot measure organized by Oklahomans for Sensible Marijuana Laws (OSML), meets the qualifications to appear on the ballot in November. OSML advocates have dubbed their effort the “Yes on 820 Campaign.”
But cannabis ballot initiatives left in state supreme courts’ hands in other cases have historically not fared well.
Two years ago, the Nebraska Supreme Court sided with opponents that a medical cannabis legalization measure violated the state’s single subject rule and could not appear on the 2020 ballot. That decision came after a signature campaign received the green light from the secretary of state.
In Mississippi, the Supreme Court overturned its voter-approved medical cannabis ballot initiative six months after the 2020 election. And South Dakota’s Supreme Court overturned a voter-approved adult-use ballot measure roughly a year after the 2020 election.
According to OSML advocates, the Oklahoma Supreme Court justices announced Aug. 30 that they are deferring a final decision on the ballot question until after a 10-day protest period under state law. The news came as a short-term win for reform proponents, OSML Campaign Director Michelle Tilley said in an Aug. 30 press release.
NEW YORK, Aug. 30, 2022 – PRESS RELEASE – Franchising is taking the cannabis industry by storm to help keep businesses locally owned and operated, with national franchise networks being built alongside the rapidly growing $24 billion market. The frontrunners, who are leading this charge, are the first-in from a franchising perspective and have the know-how to build franchise brands on a national scale in the U.S.; they are Unity Rd., the first cannabis franchisor, and Cannabis10X, a full-service franchise brokerage.
Founded by Jason Tropf and Holly Ford, experienced business owners and franchise executives, Cannabis10X is the world's first full-service cannabis franchise brokerage and is comprised of a world-class franchising team that has franchised household name brands such as 7/11, Five Guys, Panda Express, Sbarro's and thousands more.
“The barrier to entry is high in cannabis,” Ford said. “With our team of experienced franchise executives and our 50 in-house cannabis-trained brokers, we are breaking down that barrier brick by brick as we place investors and qualified operators into profitable franchise systems.”
Unity Rd. is the first true national cannabis dispensary franchise model in the United States. Backed by Item 9 Labs Corp.—a vertically integrated cannabis franchisor and operator that produces premium, award-winning products—the dispensary franchise pioneer is poised to lead the franchising space as the No. 1 cannabis brand in the country. Unity Rd. is 10X's newest cannabis client to benefit from its franchise brokerage services, utilizing support in growing its franchise network with qualified prospective entrepreneurs nationwide.
“For franchisees, having the opportunity to join a network like this is like having the chance to hop in a time machine and go back to the beginning of franchising to be one of the first franchisees in the country,” Tropf said. “This is an unparalleled opportunity that happens once in 100 years with the birth of a brand-new industry; similar to getting into the industrial revolution at its infancy or tech industry when the internet was still rolling out.”
Unity Rd. offers a guided route for cannabis entrepreneurs looking to enter and navigate the complex cannabis industry. Today, the fast-growing cannabis franchise has retail shops open in Boulder, Colo., and Denver; Hartford, S.D.; and Oklahoma City, with additional locations projected to open this year in Colorado and Maine, among other markets. Unity Rd. has a network of 20-plus entrepreneurial groups that are expanding the franchise across 10-plus states.
Las Vegas, NV, August 29, 2022—Cannabis Conference, the industry’s leading educational and expo event for plant-touching cannabis businesses, wrapped up Thursday after drawing 2,500 professionals to the Paris Las Vegas Hotel & Casino.
Held Aug. 23-25, the three-day event featured 40+ education sessions, 90+ expert speakers, and an 85,000-square-foot expo hall with nearly 200 exhibitors with industry-leading technologies.
Attendees from more than 30 countries gathered to network with and learn from top experts and leaders in the cannabis and hemp industries.
“If you’re not here, you’re missing a lot of it. You can read about these topics, and you can understand a lot of that through media, but you get a lot more by sitting down with someone and talking to them and seeing them and what’s in the passion they have for it,” said attendee Stan Wagner, owner of Bozeman Plan Room Inc.
Cannabis Conference panelists and presenters provided these quotable moments and highlights:
Cannabis sales figures are creeping up, and total taxes continue to dive in California.
That’s the big takeaway from the state’s cannabis tax revenues report for the second quarter of 2022, based on data updated Aug. 29 from the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration (CDTFA).
California’s taxable sales for adult-use cannabis eclipsed $1.2 billion in Q2, representing a 2.9% increase from the previous quarter. Meanwhile, the nearly $280 million in total taxes collected by the state in Q2 represents a 6.5% decrease from the previous quarter’s tax collection.
But does coupling sales increases with tax decreases mean struggling California cannabis operators who have been up against encroaching market obstacles are now headed toward greener pastures in one of the most overtaxed state markets in the U.S.?
The full picture has yet to play out amidst a host of regulatory changes under the barely 1-year-old Department of Cannabis Control, a continuous effort to license more retailers, and the zeroing out of the cultivation tax while shifting the excise tax collection to retail.
RELATED: California Eliminates Cannabis Cultivation Tax, Effective Immediately