Canadian cannabis producer Canopy Growth Corporation has announced cost-cutting initiatives and layoffs as it further streamlines the organization in its quest to achieve profitability.

The company announced in an April 26 press release that it will take several steps to reduce costs and drive efficiency, including:

The organizational changes will impact Canopy’s employees “as the company operates with a reduced headcount moving forward,” according to the press release.

The company plans to lay off roughly 250 workers, according to a Reuters report.

Canopy had 3,259 employees, including 2,362 full-time workers in Canada, as of March 2021, according to the news outlet.

On Friday, April 15, cannabis analyst Alan Brochstein, founder of New Cannabis Ventures (NCV) and 420 Investor, was struck by a car while riding his bicycle, according to an email NCV sent to subscribers on April 24.

Brochstein received multiple operations for fractures that he sustained from the crash in a Level 1 trauma facility and is still being treated in the intensive care unit, NCV updated subscribers in the email.

NCV also provided the following update: “The trauma team has been impressed with his progress, yet time is necessary to heal physically, mentally and emotionally.”

Additionally, per the email, “The incident had witnesses, and a bystander treated Alan before first responders arrived. At this time, the investigation is still ongoing.”

The company had sent out a prior email about the accident on April 17, stating that Brochstein was in a severe accident while riding his bicycle. “Alan would often brainstorm potential topic ideas for the Sunday newsletter but today this newsletter is about him and supporting him and his family during his recovery,” that email stated, continuing: “Out of respect for the family, we are keeping this message brief. We will be sharing more information. Please keep Alan in your thoughts and prayers.”

East Hartford, CT—PRESS RELEASE—As the industry grows and states create medicinal or recreational markets, Zac Ricciardi’s appointment as Cannabis Specialist will help fulfill the demand for BioSafe Systems’ clean chemistries and their renowned technical support. His years of hands-on experience with countless cannabis growers equip him with the skillset to refine IPM programs and develop facility and company-wide standard operating procedures to generate a cleaner and more profitable yield.

Using his extensive knowledge of production and plant health, he continues to expand BioSafe Systems’ presence in the cannabis industry, especially as federal regulation within food safety parameters advance. Branching out from his current territory, Ricciardi will work closely with growers and consultants and multistate operators across the nation.

Ricciardi joined the BioSafe Systems team with experience from ACW Supply in Denver, accrued years of growing knowledge and learned many of the inner workings of the industry, then applied that understanding to help other growers.

Are Europeans ready for adult-use cannabis legalization?

According to a public opinion poll released earlier this month by cannabis-focused advisory firm Hanway Associates, the answer is yes.

The poll, conducted in partnership with Curaleaf, Cansativa and Ince, revealed that 55% of those surveyed support regulated adult-use sales.

While some European countries have well-established medical cannabis markets within their borders, legal cannabis frameworks remain fragmented from country to country.

Malta became the first European country to legalize adult-use cannabis in December 2021 when its parliament approved legislation that allows adults 18 and older to cultivate up to four plants and possess up to 7 grams of cannabis.

Gov. Janet Mills signed legislation April 22 that intends to help municipalities cover the costs of inviting adult-use cannabis business operations into their jurisdictions.

The bill, Legislative Document 1195, authorizes $20,000 reimbursements to help towns and cities pay for expenses associated with the state’s adult-use program roll-out, including legal fees, drafting or amending ordinances, conducting town meetings and holding elections.

Funding for the reimbursements will come from the state’s Adult-Use Marijuana Public Health and Safety and Municipal Opt-In Fund, according to a news release from Maine House Democrats. The fund receives money from the sales and excise taxes imposed on adult-use cannabis and related products.

The legislation was sponsored by Rep. Tiffany Roberts, D-South Berwick.

“In the development of Maine’s adult-use marijuana industry, the state has asked municipalities to help balance the newly sanctioned use of this commodity, however, they are not yet seeing a return on their investment,” Roberts said in the release. “This bill will allow municipal governments to recover expenses from their regulation of the adult-use industry and encourage partnerships with local businesses.”

Maine, which launched its commercial adult-use retail program in October 2020, recorded $81.8 million in adult cannabis sales last year, according to data from the state’s Office of Marijuana Policy.

Elected officials from the third-largest county in Mississippi did not make a final decision on participating in the state’s forthcoming medical cannabis market before adjourning from their April 25 meeting.

Members of the DeSoto County Board of Supervisors weighed their options, specifically as it pertains to zoning, for housing cannabis businesses as a May 3 deadline approaches, the DeSoto Times-Tribune reported.

Under the Mississippi Medical Cannabis Act (MMCA), legislation Gov. Tate Reeves signed into law on Feb. 2, municipalities have 90 days, or until May 3, to decide whether to opt out of allowing medical cannabis businesses in their jurisdictions. If city or county officials take no action before the deadline, they will opt in by default.

The DeSoto board’s meeting on Monday was to discuss the law and to hear from the public. Its next meeting is scheduled for May 2.

District 2 Supervisor Mark Gardner and District 3 Supervisor Ray Denison both said they were in favor of opting in because DeSoto County voters were overwhelmingly in favor of legalizing medical cannabis in the November 2020 election. Roughly 73.4% of voters cast ballots in support of either Initiative Measure 65 or 65A, according DeSoto County election results.

“I too, like Mark, believe we ought to do what the people voted for,” Denison said during the meeting, the Times-Tribune reported. “In this case, it was well over a majority. I think we still have a lot of work to do to iron out the details. There are so many questions and there are so many opinions.”

The California Exhibition & State Fair is now accepting applications for its first-ever science-based commercial cannabis competition until April 30.

The competition is open to all licensed California cannabis cultivators. 

SC Labs, a California-based cannabis and hemp testing lab, will test and score California-grown cannabis flower for seven individual cannabis plant compounds. Seventy-seven awards will be presented based on the levels of terpenes and cannabinoid concentration in the samples, Cannabis Business Times previously reported.

According to a Cal Expo press release, the competition will serve as a platform to educate consumers and highlight how the state’s cannabis industry aids the economy. 

In addition to the cannabis competition, the State Fair will also host matches for cheese, olive oil, wine and craft beer.

“The return of the State Fair this July is another testimony to California’s resiliency,” Rick Pickering, CEO of Cal Expo, said in a press release. “In addition to the iconic foods, entertainment and rides, the commercial competitions are part of the safe, fun and exciting way for families, friends and loved ones in our community to get back together this summer at their State Fair.” 

Canadian actress and model ShayMitchell has added hemp as a primary material to create a new bag collectionunder her brand, BÉIS.

The High Line collection—made from 55%hemp—includes five lightweight bags in a neutral beige color ranging from $48to $138.

Mitchel told ENews she was “immediately sold” on using hemp as a primarymaterial to create The High Line collection.

“This is a new material forus and highly conceptual. I love that these bags are all lightweight but supersturdy. They are perfect for spring or summer and literally any occasion,”Mitchell told ENews. “Hemp seemed like a great materialregardless, but once I learned about the benefits of hemp, I was immediatelysold.”

The majority of North Carolina voters support the legalization of cannabis for both medical and adult-use purposes, according to a WRAL News poll released April 12.

The poll, conducted through SurveyUSA, revealed that 72% of the state’s voters are in favor of medical cannabis legalization and 57% support adult-use legalization, WRAL reported.

Eighteen percent of respondents said medical cannabis should continue to be illegal, while 32% said adult-use cannabis should not be legalized, according to the news outlet.

Of the Democrats polled, 73% said medical cannabis should be legalized, 15% said it should remain illegal and 10% responded that they weren’t sure, WRAL reported.

Sixty-three percent of Democrats polled said adult-use cannabis should be legalized, 26% said it should remain illegal and 12% responded that they weren’t sure, according to the news outlet.

Before elected president, Joe Biden reaffirmed his position that “No one should be in jail because of cannabis use,” during his campaign trail in 2020.

Nearly a year and a half after he took office, those seeking justice for cannabis-related convictions as a $24-billion state-legal industry unfolded in 2021 began to wonder if his comments were just for show—Biden did not use his clemency powers once.

But the president turned a page on April 26, announcing that he is granting clemency to 78 individuals. Biden will pardon three people “who have demonstrated their commitment to rehabilitation” and are striving to be contributing members of society. Also, he is commuting the sentences of 75 people who are serving long sentences for non-violent drug offenses.

Many of the 75 people Biden plans to pardon would have received lower sentences if they were charged with the same offenses today, he said in a White House statement.

“America is a nation of laws and second chances, redemption, and rehabilitation,” Biden said in the statement. “Elected officials on both sides of the aisle, faith leaders, civil rights advocates, and law enforcement leaders agree that our criminal justice system can and should reflect these core values that enable safer and stronger communities. During Second Chance Month, I am using my authority under the Constitution to uphold those values by pardoning and commuting the sentences of fellow Americans.”

Among the three people Biden is pardoning is Dexter Eugene Jackson, a 52-year-old of Athens, Ga., who was convicted in 2002 for using his business to facilitate the distribution of cannabis. Jackson was not personally involved in trafficking but allowed distributors to use his pool hall to enable cannabis transactions. He pled guilty to the charge and accepted full responsibility, according to the White House’s clemency recipient list.

April 25, 2022 - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. - PRESS RELEASE - Ethos Cannabis, a multi-state vertically integrated operator headquartered in Philadelphia, has officially announced the opening of its third medical dispensary in the Pittsburgh, Penn., area. This location is in Harmarville, at 5 Alpha Drive East, and will open from Thursday, April 28.

Ethos is one of nine Clinical Registrant (CR) licensees in Pennsylvania that is conducting research related to medical cannabis. Ethos collaborates in its research efforts with Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University, one of the country’s leading medical schools, and is certified by the Pennsylvania DOH as an Academic Clinical Research Center (ACRC). This new location in Harmarville represents Ethos’ sixth clinical registrant dispensary in the state and the third in the Pittsburgh area.

“We are excited to be opening another dispensary in Western Pennsylvania as part of our clinical research program partnership,” said David Clapper, chief executive officer of Ethos. “Not only will this new facility allow us to further expand medical marijuana research, but it will also open the door for new patients to experience the welcoming and educational atmosphere Ethos has come to be associated with.”

Ethos Cannabis’ two other locations in Western Pennsylvania are Pittsburgh South in Pleasant Hills—at 560 Clairton Blvd, Suite A—and Pittsburgh West at North Fayette—at 470 Home Dr.

Las Vegas, NV, April 26, 2022 — PRESS RELEASE — Unfilled jobs in the food-service and hospitality industries are making it difficult for cannabis companies to retain entry-level employees, prompting some cultivators to change how they operate to gain a competitive advantage in the labor market.

Safari Flower Co.—a licensed cannabis producer in Ontario’s Niagara region—is combating the so-called “Great Resignation” with automated processing equipment from Mobius, a cannabis automation and technology firm.

Implementing their new automation equipment enabled Safari to reduce the amount of time spent on trimming by approximately 75% and improve working conditions for the processing team. The net result has been a smaller and happier workforce with the ability to apply compensation programs based on meeting production efficiencies.

“The impact of technology and automation on our labor force has been very well-recognized as a retention strategy,” said Brigitte Simons, Safari’s chief executive officer.

Before bringing automation to their processing operations, Safari would require two 8-hour shifts to buck and trim each harvest. The procedure involved separating the flowers from the stalks by hand and trimming each cannabis flower with scissors—a task that led to boredom, repetitive strain injuries, and high staff turnover.

TORONTO, April 26, 2022 - PRESS RELEASE – Humble & Fume Inc., a North American distributor of cannabis and cannabis accessories, announced that further to the company's press release on Nov. 15, 2021, it has formed HC Solutions Holdings Inc., a joint venture with Green Acre Capital Distribution Corp. (Green Acre), for distribution of cannabis throughout the United States. The joint venture focuses on accelerating Humble's expansion into cannabis distribution operations in California.

After forming the joint venture, Green Acre completed a $2 million investment directly in the partnership. Green Acre has funded its acquisition through an option agreement with Johnson Brothers, a wine, spirits and beer distributor in the United States. 

"The additional $2 million investment by Johnson Brothers, funded through their Green Acre option agreement, demonstrates continued support for our U.S. expansion strategy. Humble is excited to launch in the California market, delivering something new to the cannabis brands in that area," Humble CEO Joel Toguri said in a press release. "We are actively executing on our growth strategy. As our business evolves and expands, we continue to be hyper focused on sustainable profit generation and positive cash flow to deliver long-term shareholder value."

With nearly $3 billion in adult-use cannabis excise tax revenue accrued in 2021, business is certainly booming. To underscore the point, cannabis excise tax revenue eclipsed alcohol excise tax revenue last year, according to the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy.  

Seven of the 11 states that oversaw legal adult-use sales in 2021 helped account for that measure with particular clarity. In California, Illinois, Massachusetts, Washington, Colorado, Arizona and Nevada, cannabis tax revenue outpaced alcohol tax revenue.

In California, for instance, cannabis excise tax revenue equaled $832 million, with alcohol coming in at $415 million. And in Colorado, cannabis sales brought in $396 million in excise taxes last year. Alcohol delivered just $53 million.

“While Colorado represents a relatively extreme case, low alcohol tax rates are the norm across much of the country as their real value has been eroded substantially by years of inflation and policy inaction,” according to institute authors Carl Davis and Mike Hegeman.

Cannabis is clearly showing its capacity for growth.

Pair the tax takeaways with this statistical projection from BDSA: “Global cannabis sales will surpass $61 billion in 2026.” 

When eight workers at Root 66’s South Grand medical cannabis dispensary in St. Louis unanimously voted to unionize earlier this month, they were a couple of team members short in in their effort.

RELATED: Workers Vote to Unionize at Medical Dispensary in St. Louis

That’s because Em Holmead and Joanna Njama were fired in March, alleging that their union leadership was the root cause of losing their jobs, Riverfront Times reported. They started their team’s unionization campaign in early January.

Roughly a month after Holmead and Njama were fired, Root 66 employees voted April 4 to authorize the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 655 to begin bargaining on their behalf for a union contract, according to a news release from the union chapter.

The Root 66 workers are employed by GF Wellness S. Grand LLC, according to National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) documentation for the union election.

Holmead and Njama told Riverfront Times that Root 66 management claimed they violated company policy by viewing security camera footage. Neither worker denied viewing the security cameras, which they said was something they and other employees always had access to.

Missouri-based cannabis operator Illicit Gardens has partnered with Last Prisoner Project to launch the Freedoms Campaign, where the two organizations will fight for cannabis criminal justice reform at both the local and national legislative levels.

The Freedoms Campaign will provide financial support to individuals imprisoned under cannabis possession charges and will feature eight cannabis “prisoners of war” throughout the year-long campaign, in reference to the U.S.’ war on drugs. The campaign will share stories and perspectives from each of the eight

cannabis prisoners.

RELATED: Missouri Group Reaches Signature Requirement to Place Adult-Use Cannabis Legalization Measure on the 2022 Ballot

“We believe Missouri and the United States as a whole have reached an important tipping point in our collective consciousness around cannabis reform,” said Adam Diltz, CEO at Illicit Gardens. “The Freedoms Campaign drives forward our mission to free the more than 40,000 cannabis prisoners convicted of an activity that’s no longer a crime.”

Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission (OLCC) officials have ceased issuing new cannabis licenses to those who submitted applications after Jan. 1, 2022, saying their hands are tied in the matter.

The license moratorium comes as Oregon’s cannabis market has experienced exponential growth, which has led to a crowded marketplace, according to OLCC officials.

Legislation that went into effect earlier this month leaves leeway for OLCC officials to restart licensing at some point in the future, based upon market supply, but language in a subsequent subsection specifically directs the commission to discontinue processing applications submitted after Jan. 1.

Passed by the Oregon Legislature in March, House Bill 4016 authorizes OLCC officials to, based on supply and demand for cannabis, refuse to issue initial cannabis production, processing, wholesale and retail licenses for an amount of time the commission determines necessary.

Specifically, the four-page bill states the OLCC may refuse to issue the licenses. Later on, the bill also states the commission shall inactivate an application for a license that was received after Jan. 1, 2022.

Gov. Kate Brown signed the bill into law April 4.

Lowell Farms and Zippo Manufacturing Co. have entered into a non-binding letter of intent to expand each company’s product presence throughout licensed cannabis dispensaries in California.

The 18-month collaboration between Salinas, Calif.-based Lowell Farms and Zippo makes Lowell the exclusive distributor of Zippo products throughout California dispensaries. The companies will partner on new Zippo lighter designs, including customizable options for dispensaries, such as an exclusive Lowell Farms-branded lighter.

Lowell will process and administer all orders from its Monterey County, Calif., headquarters.

RELATED: A View From The Golden State: Q&A With Lowell Farms Chairman George Allen

“To its congregation of loyal patrons, Zippo is much more than a lighter. It’s a lifestyle choice and a personal statement. Together, we are going to further integrate that statement, that lifestyle choice, within the cannabis community,” said George Allen, chairman of the board at Lowell Farms. “This is one of the most exciting partnerships we’ve ever formed and we look forward to introducing this celebrated brand, and all-new lines of Zippo products, to our California consumers.”

A South Carolina lawmaker has introduced legislation to pardon inmates convicted of simple cannabis possession each year on April 20.

House Bill 7614, introduced by Rep. JA Moore, D-Berkeley County, would designate April 20 as “420 Day” and require the Department of Probation, Parole and Pardon to each year pardon 20% of incarcerated South Carolinians who are serving time for cannabis possession, according to a WCIV report.

“Possession of marijuana is a nonviolent offense, and it’s a crime that has been enforced unjustly since its inception,” Moore told the news outlet. “We need to force a conversation on this issue, and that is the intention of my bill.”

Currently, the possession of 28 grams of cannabis or less is a misdemeanor offense punishable by up to a 30-day jail sentence for a first offense, WCIV reported. Subsequent offenses, also classified as misdemeanors, are punishable by up to one year of imprisonment and fines of up to $1,000.

South Carolina lawmakers are also considering a medical cannabis legalization bill this year; S. 150, the SC Compassionate Care Act, cleared the House Medical, Military, Public and Municipal Affairs Committee earlier this month and can now be considered on the House floor. The South Carolina Senate approved the legislation in early February.

Michigan’s adult-use retailers participated in their third 4/20 last week, and initial sales data for the day showed that the state’s most popular products—flower and vape cartridges—soared off the shelves.

Customers purchased 4,619 pounds cannabis flower, representing a 141.6% increase from the 1,912 pounds sold in 2021, according to Andrew Brisbo, executive director of the state’s Cannabis Regulatory Agency (CRA).

Continuing an upward sales trend, the 1,912 pounds sold last year was a 344.7% increase from the 430 pounds sold in 2020, Brisbo announced.

“Consumers purchased more than $15.5 million of marijuana product from [Michigan] retailers yesterday,” Brisbo said April 21 on social media. “Overall sales continue to increase despite significant price decreases year over year.”

RELATED: Michigan Cannabis Flower Price Dips $171 Per Ounce in One Year

Reigning king among retail products in Michigan’s adult-use market, flower sales accounted for $652.2 million in 2021, or roughly 49.7% of the state’s $1.31-billion market, according to CRA monthly data reports. Overall, Michigan sold 186,128 pounds of adult-use cannabis flower last year.