A federal judge has granted a preliminary injunction that removes a critical signature-gathering obstacle for Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana, a campaign working to place two medical cannabis legalization initiatives on the state’s November ballot.

The group, which became a grassroots effort last month after losing two of its major donors, filed a lawsuit May 16 that seeks to overturn a rule that requires petitioners to collect signatures from 5% of registered voters in each of the state’s 38 counties.

The lawsuit, filed in conjunction with the ACLU, argues that the requirement violates the “one person, one vote” rule, according to according to a local KETV report, and that it gives fewer registered voters in a sparsely populated county more say than those in a more populous county.

District Judge John Gerrard issued the preliminary injunction June 13 to block the Nebraska Secretary of State from enforcing the rule, the news outlet reported, and similar provisions in Idaho and Illinois have also been struck down by federal courts.

Gerrard wrote in his ruling that "the State of Nebraska is absolutely free to require a showing of statewide support for a ballot initiative—but it may not do so based on units of dramatically differing population, resulting in discrimination among voters,” according to KETV.

How many of us think about the quality of building materials used in our homes? This is a question that’s driving the interest in the hemp building industry in Europe and North America.

That was also the motivation for Stephen Hill and Marjolein Meulblok, a couple based in the south of Spain, when they decided to rebuild a derelict Spanish farmhouse using raw hemp materials. In 2020, they launched The Hempcrete Project after years of searching for the right location to build a durable home for their family.

Hill and Meulblok met 15 years ago in La Herradura, Andalucia, and today the couple has five kids. They’ve lived in rental accommodations since they met, but for the last few years, they have been researching alternative ways to live that are more connected to nature–and may even avoid the burden of a 30-year mortgage.

Due to their backgrounds, sustainability and self-sufficiency are important to Hill and Meulblok. Hill grew up on one of the first organic farms in the United Kingdom, where he gained an in-depth knowledge of agriculture. Since 1980, he has specialized in making hand-made guitars, and still teaches the craft to students around the world.

Meulblok is a Tibetan yoga and reflexology practitioner with a deep interest in self-healing practices. Together, they’ve run organic farming workshops in La Herradura, where they learned about permaculture (a sustainable and self-sufficient approach to land management) and how to live in harmony with nature. They knew they wanted to infuse their knowledge of sustainability and self-sufficiency into their next home.

La Herradura is also home to beautiful beaches. But as scenic as is the region is, its coastal location brings high humidity inland, which has a major effect on the structural integrity of buildings over time and makes homes built with concrete extra cold in the winter and extra hot in the summer.

GATINEAU, Quebec, June 14, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- PRESS RELEASE -- HEXO Corp., a producer of cannabis products, today announced that the company has entered into an amending agreement (the “Amending Agreement”) to the previously announced transaction agreement (the “Transaction Agreement”) with Tilray Brands, Inc. Separately, the company announced that it has also entered into an amending agreement to the previously announced equity purchase agreement (the “Standby Agreement”) with 2692106 Ontario Inc. (the “Investor”) and KAOS Capital Ltd. (“KAOS”).

Transaction Agreement Amendments

On June 14, 2022, in view of current stock market conditions and in order to reduce closing risk related to the pre-amendment minimum liquidity closing condition, the Company entered into the Amending Agreement to the Transaction Agreement pursuant to which HEXO, Tilray Brands and HTI agreed to:

reduce the minimum liquidity interim covenant and closing condition from USD$100,000,000 to CAD$70,000,000 with such amount to be determined after giving effect to a release of all conditions in any blocked accounts and restricted cash of the Company and its subsidiaries and including net cash proceeds expected to be received from the Company’s captive D&O insurance policy;extend the Outside Date (as defined in the Transaction Agreement) from July 1, 2022 to Aug. 1, 2022 and to extend the date past which the Outside Date cannot be extended to Nov. 30, 2022;extend the date by which the Company must use best efforts to obtain shareholder approval from June 15, 2022 to July 15, 2022;reduce the Amendment Share Price (as defined in the Transaction Agreement) from USD$0.54 to CAD$0.40;amend the condition regarding Tilray’s right to appoint nominees and an observer to the Company’s board of directors such that Tilray will be entitled to appoint two directors and one observer to the Company’s board of directors;amend and restate the Purchased Note (as defined in the Transaction Agreement) to reflect a reduction in Tilray Brands’ Conversion Price (as defined in the Purchased Note) from CAD$0.85 to CAD$0.40; andamend and restate the Assignment and Assumption Agreement (as defined in the Transaction Agreement) to reflect certain changes to the purchase price and consideration (as between Tilray Brands and HTI).

Additionally, Tilray has irrevocably waived any non-compliance by HEXO with the minimum liquidity interim covenant contained in the Transaction Agreement for all periods prior to the date of the Amending Agreement for all purposes, including with respect to Tilray’s ability to terminate the Transaction Agreement for any such non-compliance.

“The strategic partnership with Tilray Brands significantly improves HEXO’s capital structure and provides the opportunity to accelerate our growth in global markets,” said Charlie Bowman, president and CEO of HEXO. “Challenging stock market conditions have necessitated amendments to the agreement, but this is a critical step in unlocking the shareholder value held within the Company."

HARRISBURG,Pa., June 14, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --PRESS RELEASE-- Pennsylvania Options for Wellness, Inc. is announces launch of Rick Simpson Oil under its "VytalOptions" brand of products in its Pennsylvania-based dispensary locations.

Thedevelopment of this product was announced after PA Options forWellness/"Vytal Options" saw an increase in demand for acompetitively priced RSO product. From patients as well as physicians, thisconcentrated product appears to be a top choice for those battling cancer, chronicpain and insomnia.

Packaged in aneasy-to-read pouch, the back label features simple dosing and warmingdirections.

The fullextract cannabis oil (FECO) is made from high-quality cured flower thatundergoes an extraction process using food-grade ethanol to yield and preservea full array of cannabinoids, terpenes, flavonoids, phenols and other fattyacids. RSO is meant for oral consumption (eaten or used sublingually) orapplied topically, as opposed to being inhaled like other concentrateforms. 

PA Options forWellness/"Vytal Options" RSO is poised to be an integral addition tothe brand's curated in-house product lineup, offering relief througha concentrated intake method at a competitive cost. With educational-backedmarketing materials for patients, this product is well-positioned to serve avariety of patients in the Pennsylvania medical cannabis program. PA Optionsfor Wellness/"Vytal Options" currently offers RSO in one-gramsyringes.

The company'scurrent branded products include its Troche sublingual and exclusive strains inits flower catalog. In addition to product line expansion, PA Options forWellness looks toward geographic growth, with two more dispensaries scheduledto open over the next three months.

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IJSSELSTEIN, 14 June 2022. Dutch Powerhouse Monarch, the smallest and most powerful top light on the market, has been improved. The water-cooled LED fixture is now available with a 1200W driver and more efficient LED chips, and can reach a light output of up to 4020 μmol/s. In addition, the top lights are now dimmable via Oreon's LED Control Center in the cloud.

Massachusetts’ 2022 adult-use cannabis sales are up big compared to the first five months of 2021, but May figures represent a seasonal plateau in the state market.

Adult-use retailers reported just more than $120 million in May 2022 sales, bringing the state’s yearly total to $585.6 million, representing a 20.7% increase from the $485.2 million in sales during the same timeframe in 2021, according to the Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission’s (CCC) open data platform.

But the current retail market has remained stagnant for three months now: May’s $120 million in adult-use sales is a slight dip from March, $120.3 million, and April, $122.2 million. Year-over-year, May 2022 sales represent a 9.3% increase from May 2021.

The three-month plateau comes after Massachusetts retailers experienced a $10-million sales spike from February to March.

The recent flatline somewhat mirrors last year’s seasonal trend. After a $21-million uptick from February to March 2021, sales rose slightly in April, May and June, before another uptick—a $17-million surge to $127.4 million in July 2021—the state’s highest grossing month last year.

Overall, Massachusetts adult-use retailers have recorded roughly $3.1 billion since the state first launched commercial sales in November 2018.

The Louisiana Legislature has passed a bill to protect workers who use medical cannabis, sending the legislation to Gov. John Bel Edwards for his signature.

House Bill 988, sponsored by Rep. Mandie Landry, D-New Orleans, shields state employees from being fired, as well as protects job candidates from being discriminated against, if they are a registered medical cannabis patient.

RELATED: Louisiana House Committee Advances Proposal to Protect Employees Who Use Medical Cannabis

The legislation would not apply to law enforcement, firefighters or other public safety officials.

H.B. 988 passed the House May 24 in a 60-32 vote and cleared the Senate June 1 in a 26-8 vote.

In an unprecedented move, Oregon will ban the sale of all synthetic cannabinoids next month in an effort to crack down on unregulated products that have popped up on the shelves of grocery stores and gas stations.

Oregon will prohibit the sale of synthetic cannabinoids, such as delta-8 THC, starting July 1, according to The Oregonian, and next year, starting in July 2023, the state will allow retailers licensed by the Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission (OLCC) to sell synthetic cannabinoids—as long as they are approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Regulators claim the restrictions stem from concerns about the chemicals used to produce synthetic cannabinoids, The Oregonian reported.

“We have testing for pesticides,” Steven Crowley, the OLCC’s hemp and processing compliance specialist, told the news outlet. “We have testing for residual solvents from the extraction process. We don’t have any testing for any of the whole universe of chemical reagents that you could use to synthetically turn one cannabinoid into something else, or for any of the byproducts of that reaction.”

As The Oregonian pointed out, the FDA has so far approved only a handful of hemp-derived products, meaning the agency is unlikely to grant the approval necessary to bring synthetic cannabinoids to the shelves of OLCC-licensed retailers next year.

New Mexico’s largest cannabis company teamed up with five medical cannabis patients and the father of a minor participating in the state’s program in filing a class-action lawsuit June 10 against several of the state’s prominent health insurance companies.

The lawsuit, filed in the 2nd Judicial District Court in Bernalillo County, comes nearly four months after Ultra Health sent a letter to the health insurers, asking them to confirm their coverage for medical cannabis patients with certain conditions.

A vertically integrated operator with 38 dispensaries serving both patient and adult-use customers in the state, Ultra Health officials claim to have New Mexico law on their side through Senate Bill 317, legislation that expanded the definition of behavior health services to cover several treatment options.

RELATED: New Mexico Cannabis Provider Seeks Insurance Coverage for Patients

Becoming effective Jan. 1, 2022, the legislation intends to make mental and behavior health services more affordable for New Mexicans by eliminating all cost-sharing and any out-of-pocket costs for those services and accompanying medications.

Sent in February, Ultra Health’s letter asked health insurers to affirm they’ll be making payments for qualifying medical cannabis patients with behavior health conditions, such as the now 74,000-plus patients enrolled in the state program for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The letter also requested information from the insurers in regard to how they intend to pay for medical cannabis without any cost sharing for patients enrolled through their programs.

Alabama’s medical cannabis market is expected to launch next spring, roughly two years after Gov. Kay Ivey signed it into law in May 2021.

The Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission (AMCC) met June 9 to discuss plans to develop regulations for the program, according to an AL.com report.

The commission heard presentations Thursday from officials who oversee the medical cannabis programs in Ohio and Louisiana, the news outlet reported.

AMCC members will now submit proposed rules to the Legislative Services Agency for publication on June 21, kicking off a 35-day public comment period on June 30, according to AL.com.

The 14-member commission will hold a public hearing on the rules July 14, and those looking to speak at the hearing must sign up on the AMCC’s website starting June 30, the news outlet reported.

MIAMI, June13, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- PRESS RELEASE--Ayr Wellness Inc. (CSE: AYR.A, OTCQX: AYRWF), a vertically integrated U.S. multi-statecannabis operator, today announced that it will begin serving adult-usecustomers at its three New Jersey dispensary locations on Wednesday, June 15,2022.

Ayr’sadult-use dispensaries are in prime locations in the towns of Woodbridge,Union, and Eatontown, all within Central New Jersey, a region of 3.4 millionpeople. Ayr’s adult-use stores represent 3 of 5 adult-use stores in this highlypopulated region.

“With thesimultaneous opening of our three adult-use dispensaries, Ayr immediately hasone of the largest adult-use retail footprints in the state of New Jersey. Thismarks a monumental step for our company,” said Jonathan Sandelman, Founder,Chairman and CEO of Ayr. “Adult-use cannabis sales in the state topped $24million in the first month alone with only 12 dispensaries, according to theNew Jersey Cannabis Regulatory Commission. As we bring expanded access andintroduce Ayr’s portfolio of high-quality branded offerings, including Kyndflower and Origyn Extracts, to the currently under-served and densely populatedCentral New Jersey market, we expect adult-use cannabis sales to climb furtherfrom these initial levels, with Ayr being a significant contributor. Thank youto our teammates across Ayr who worked so hard to bring this milestone tofruition.”

“I want tothank the towns of Woodbridge, Union and Eatontown for being such greatpartners throughout this process. We are committed to being a great neighbor,and we appreciate the level of trust that these municipalities have placed inus,” said Julie Winter, Ayr’s Vice President of Retail Operations in NewJersey.

Ayr currentlyoperates its New Jersey dispensaries under the Garden State Dispensary banner.

Adult-usesales in New Jersey officially began five weeks ago. BDSA expects New Jersey to be the third largest contributorto overall US sales growth by 2026, projected to generate an annual revenue of$2.3 billion in total legal cannabis sales.

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APOPKA, Fla., June 9, 2022 /PRNewswire/ --PRESS RELEASE-- Sanctuary Medicinalstoday announced the opening of its ninth medical cannabis dispensary inFlorida.

Located just 10 miles southwest of the recently opened West Palm Beachlocation, Sanctuary Greenacres will be holding its Grand Opening celebration onJune 10. As the third operational Sanctuary dispensary in Palm Beach County,Greenacres brings the number of Sanctuary locations in Florida to nine, four ofwhich are in southeast Florida. Formerly a bank, the 3,000-square-footdispensary underwent a full renovation executed by Vantage Builders. Situatedon the westbound side of Lake Worth Rd., Sanctuary Greenacres is located nearthe center of the city in the Poinciana Plaza complex and just to the east ofFlorida's Turnpike.

"As the summer begins, our Florida expansion efforts are really gettinginto gear," said Jason Sidman, CEO of Sanctuary Medicinals."Greenacres brings our complement of southeast Florida dispensaries tofour, and the next opening will finally get the Sanctuary Florida locationcount into double digits."

Sanctuary is continuing to extend its footprint further south, reachingpatients across much of Saint Lucie, Martin and Palm Beach counties whileoffering increased access to its ever-expanding menu of products. With pectinfruit chews and new flower strains now on shelves, Sanctuary's productdevelopment efforts will extend to hash, full-spectrum edibles and more in thecoming months.

"It's nice to leverage the momentum gained from opening in West PalmBeach into the launch of Greenacres" said Bill Dewar, Chief OperatingOfficer. "Three of our next five planned openings are in this region, sowe're excited to start the summer on the right foot and continue building fromthere," Dewar added.

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BOSTON, June9, 2022 /PRNewswire/ --PRESS RELEASE-- Lantern, the on-demand cannabis e-commercemarketplace and home delivery platform in the U.S., today announced apartnership with Doobie in Massachusetts. Founded in 2020, Doobie is a customercentric cannabis delivery service operating in markets throughout the UnitedStates, including Missouri, California, Arizona, and now Massachusetts, whereit is one of the first Delivery Operator licensees.

Doobie is a women-owned platform and Certified Economic Empowerment PriorityApplicant through Massachusetts' Cannabis Control Commission (CCC). Throughthis partnership, Doobie will directly fulfill delivery orders placed on LanternNow.com through its licensed depot.Customers in 150 zip codes throughout Massachusetts will have access to qualitynational and local brands including Cookies, High Supply, Mile 62, Kiva,Fernway, Southie Adams, and Dogwalkers. Lantern will also offer dedicatedmarketing services to expand Doobie's consumer reach and enable the deliveryoperator to provide seamless cannabis experiences along with high-touchcustomer service.

"Working with an innovator such as Ericca Kennedy of Doobie is truly aprivilege and we are excited to see how we can expand delivery service withinthe Massachusetts area," said Meredith Mahoney, Co-founder and CEO ofLantern. "Doobie is an ideal partner as we expand our presence throughoutthe state because of its commitment to improving the communities it serves.Every purchase of its diverse product offerings is used to support Doobie's positiveimpact plan, which supports local communities who have been disproportionatelyharmed by the War on Drugs."

"Lantern has redefined cannabis e-commerce in Massachusetts, and we arethrilled to partner with a team that consistently uplifts local businesses andcommunities," said Ericca Kennedy, Doobie Massachusetts Co-Founder andEconomic Empowerment Applicant. "Joining forces with Lantern allows us tofollow through on our mission to deliver happiness as far and as wide aspossible. Through our extensive delivery zone which reaches over three millionlocal residents, we are ready and excited to bring exceptional cannabisexperiences to new and returning customers."

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As New Jersey’s adult-use cannabis retail footprint expands beyond the original 12 dispensaries that opened when the state launched commercial sales April 21, one facility got going a little too quickly.

Ascend Wellness Holdings, one of seven companies that opened the original dozen adult-use facilities on launch day seven weeks ago, attempted to open another retail store to adult customers earlier this week in Montclair Township, in North Jersey. In fact, the New York-based multistate operator let adult-use patrons inside its Montclair dispensary from 10 a.m.-1:30 p.m. on June 7, believing it had the green light to do so.

But less than four hours into serving adult-use customers at the location, township officials informed the company it was in violation of a zoning ordinance for the new clientele base—Ascend’s Montclair location is an existing medical cannabis retail operator—NJ Advance Media reported.

Ascend officials were under the impression that they had dotted the i's and crossed the t’s on all their paperwork and had the final approval from state and local regulators to serve adult-use customers, Caitlin Fleishman, the company’s director of public affairs and communications, told the media outlet.

“We stopped adult-use sales at 1:30 p.m.,” Fleishman said. “The town said they will send code enforcement/police [if adult-use sales did not cease].”

On New Jersey’s Cannabis Regulatory Commission’s (CRC) website, Ascend’s Montclair location was still listed as a medical-only dispensary when this article was published June 10.

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis signed legislation May 31 to regulate intoxicating hemp products, such as those that contain delta-8 THC and delta-10 THC.

Under Senate Bill 22-205, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) is permitted to “prohibit the chemical modification, conversion or synthetic derivation of intoxicating THC isomers that originate from industrial hemp or may be synthetically derived,” the measure states. 

The legislation also requires the Colorado Department of Revenue’s state licensing authority, the Colorado Department of Agriculture and CDPHE to work together to create a 20-member task force by Sept. 1, 2022, to study intoxicating hemp products and make rule recommendations, the measure states.

The 20-member task force, which would be made up of several officials and stakeholders from the hemp and cannabis industries, would be required to submit a report to the General Assembly by Jan. 1, 2023, that includes rule recommendations for intoxicating hemp products and analysis on the effectiveness of each recommendation. Furthermore, nearly $600,000 will be used to focus on consumer protection.

As initially introduced, the measure “aimed to ban any intoxicating cannabis product that isn’t produced by a state-licensed cannabis business or sold at a licensed dispensary,” Forbes reported.

However, the measure received pushback from Colorado hemp business leaders, who argued that it was too strict and would have given the state’s cannabis industry too much control over the production of these products, Cannabis Business Times previously reported. 

SANTA BARBARA,Calif., June 10, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --PRESS RELEASE-- Pro Farms, Almora and DeibelBioscience of California have teamed up to donate over $5 million worth ofcannabis products to Sweetleaf Collective's patient network. SweetleafCollective is a nonprofit assisting low-income patients in gaining access tomedical cannabis. Affected groups include veterans, people of color, as well asHIV and cancer patients. Pro Farms and Almora are set to donate over a ton of state-tested and approved high-quality, California sun-growncannabis. Deibel Bioscience of California has donated its testing services tothe cause. According to Sweetleaf Collective founder "Sweetleaf" Joe,this is the largest cannabis donation for compassionate use in Californiahistory.  

"With thegrowth of the retail cannabis industry and rising costs of regular goods suchas groceries and gas, access to cannabis for low-income patients is harder thanever. We need corporate donations in addition to individual donations if we'regoing to meet growing demand," said 'Sweetleaf' Joe, founder of SweetleafCollective. "This donation will serve thousands of patients in California.There are currently over 1,000 patients on the waiting list to access medicalcannabis and this donation will service those on Sweetleaf's list and more.Sweetleaf is accepting financial donations to help organize patients throughPayPal as well as cryptocurrency."

"We're inbusiness to grow great crops and do great things. We've become a renowned,family-owned, California sun-grown cannabis farming company because of this andnow we're in partnership with Almora and Sunsmoke, which are fantastic,affordable and compassionate brands with a variety of excellent products,"said Wil Crummer, CEO of Pro Farms. "Meaningful, philanthropicdonations are a foundational aspect of our overall company ethos and incollaboration with Sweetleaf Collective, we're immensely proud to be donatingso much high-quality cannabis to so many patients in such need," Crummer concluded."It just feels so right."

Access tohigh-quality cannabis is necessary for medical patients, which is why DeibelBioscience of California is donating tens of thousands of dollars in testingservices to ensure high product quality and standards are met. "DeibelBioscience of California is a family-owned company committed to providingaccurate, independent, and compliant testing; so we felt it was important tosupport and partner with this cause to ensure that patients receive the safestproducts possible," said CT Deibel, CEO for Deibel Bioscience ofCalifornia.

"The teamat Almora couldn't be more excited to be a part of this donation that is sodesperately needed in our communities throughout California. We believe inradiating love through our products and our people, and we hope that love willfind its way to the patients these products will serve," said KristenEverhart, Almora Brand Director.

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MIAMI, Florida, June 10, 2022 - PRESS RELEASE - Ayr Wellness Inc., a vertically integrated U.S. multi-state cannabis operator, announced that the Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission (CCC) has granted a final license for the sale of adult-use cannabis at its AYR Watertown dispensary in Greater Boston. The CCC voted to grant the final license at its meeting on June 9, 2022.

“With our approval today to open our Watertown dispensary, Ayr will soon have two adult-use dispensaries serving Greater Boston, which has historically been under-served in access to adult-use cannabis,” said Jonathan Sandelman, Ayr founder, chairman and CEO. “The upcoming openings of our Watertown and Back Bay locations represent a huge step forward for our company, and we could not be more excited to introduce these communities to Ayr’s high-quality and unique product offerings, with a customer experience that delivers on the wonder of cannabis."

"Ayr looks forward to establishing itself as a Force for Good within Watertown, as we have done throughout Greater Boston for the past few years," he adds. "Our team is committed to using our platform to enact positive change, and we look forward to further demonstrating that promise.”

 

 

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MIAMI, Florida, June 9, 2022 - PRESS RELEASE - Parallel, a multi-state medical cannabis operator, announced today the opening of a new Surterra Wellness (Surterra) medical cannabis dispensary in Miami, Florida, becoming the third Surterra location in the Magic City. The dispensary is located at 10755 Southwest 72nd Street, known locally as Sunset Drive. The grand opening celebration and ribbon cutting ceremony will take place Thursday, June 16, 2022, with the unveiling of a special art creation for Surterra by internationally known, local artist Douglas Hoekzema, aka Hoxxoh.

"As Surterra continues to expand its dispensary locations across Florida, we're excited to increase our presence in the sunny home to hundreds of thousands of Miami residents who seek high-quality medical marijuana products, which we're proud to provide," said Parallel CEO James Whitcomb.

The new Surterra dispensary is conveniently located among the suburbs of Kendall, Pinecrest, The Hammocks and South Miami, and is easily accessible to the I-95.

Surterra is committed to wellness, providing medical marijuana to patients in need, and bringing people together to celebrate the arts–showcasing both emerging and established artists. Hoxxoh, who will create a special work of art on location, the day of the new dispensary opening, started his career in Miami, where he continues to create today. Internationally known for his murals and spray work, he weaves his paints like a human loom to chronicle the passage of time, using nontraditional tools to push boundaries to find equilibrium. Surterra embraces his talent and artistic message, understanding the deep connection between art and wellness.

"We're thrilled to open a third Surterra location in Miami, complimented by the meaningful artwork from a local artist. Our new dispensary increases access to the world-class products and service for which Surterra has become known," said Zack Fleming, Surterra president. "We welcome all registered patients and also look forward to assisting in the qualification process for new patients."

In celebration of the store's grand opening, patients will enjoy 42% off all items (excludes accessories) and double loyalty points for the entire day of the grand opening. Loyalty rewards allow shoppers to save more when they spend, with 1 point awarded for every $1 spent and at 500 points members receive a 10% discount, which can be stacked for more savings. They will also have branded giveaways for early shoppers. Surterra welcomes anyone 18 and older in its stores so that they can ask questions and learn more about products directly from their highly educated staff.

Mixing hemp hurd, lime and water in a kiddie pool isn’t the way hempcrete is usually created, but that’s how Homeland Hempcrete did it at the Cleveland School of Cannabis’ (CSC) Hemp Day June 7.

In front of an audience, husband-and-wife duo Matt and Sam Marino of North Dakota-based Homeland Hempcrete deconstructed the mixing process in the pool, then poured the hempcrete into a short wall frame as the material solidified.

Matt, Homeland Hempcrete’s founder and president, said hempcrete serves as an insulative infill in buildings.

“This wall is framed very similarly to how a traditional wall would be framed,” he said. “So, it's just a microscale of a standard hempcrete install.”

Nicole Fenix, CSC’s director of education, said a conversation with Matt on LinkedIn led to Homeland Hempcrete’s visit and the larger, three-hour, hemp-focused open house of CSC’s new Independence, Ohio, campus.

At Hemp Day, various hemp, cannabis and agriculture professionals provided demonstrations, such as the hempcrete one and another on composting from the Rid-All Green Partnership; educational material; hemp-derived products; and networking opportunities with current and prospective CSC students and alumni, and the public.

Thailand officially legalized the cultivation, sale and possession of cannabis June 9, joining the likes of Canada and Uruguay to fully reform its drug policy for adult use at the federal level.

The end to prohibition comes nearly six months after Thailand began the shift toward becoming the first country in Asia to decriminalize cannabis: Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul announced Jan. 25 that Thailand’s Narcotics Control Board approved dropping cannabis from the ministry’s list of controlled drugs. He signed the measure in early February.

RELATED: Thailand Moves to Decriminalize Cannabis, Setting Bar in Asia

Thailand’s parliament voted to approved cannabis for medical use in 2018—also a first in Asia. The loosening of those restrictions has since attracted tourism from its Southeast Asia neighbors, The Associated Press reported.

“We should know how to use cannabis,” Charnvirakul said recently, the AP reported. “If we have the right awareness, cannabis is like gold, something valuable, and should be promoted.”

With full legalization taking effect Thursday, the government’s plan to distribute 1 million cannabis seedlings to its citizens will begin Friday. In a tropical region with its capital city of Bangkok within 1,000 miles of the equator, Thailand’s shortest day of the year still receives more than 11 hours of sunlight while average temperatures range from 82 degrees to 89 degrees throughout the year—an ideal climate for outdoor cultivation.