LOS ANGELES, June 30, 2021 – PRESS RELEASE – Nugg Club, a cannabis subscription box featuring full-sized products curated by experts and personalized to each customer, announced that its service is now offering members a more affordable box option.

The new box option starts at $49 and will contain at least two to four full-size products, depending on a subscriber's preferences. This affordable price point allows Nugg Club to introduce a wider range of consumers to the same benefits of curation, discovery, delight and price savings that Nugg Club subscribers enjoy. It also benefits existing subscribers who might prefer to self-select more of their monthly products by purchasing them a la carte from the add-ons menu, instead of having Nugg Club's curators choose for them.

Like the original box, products inside each member's box are specifically chosen for them by expert curators based on their tastes, and selections for each box improve based on customer feedback. Subscribers are able to switch between Nugg Club box tiers at any time, offering consumers greater control over their subscription service while continuing to discover new products at wholesale prices.

“You just can't beat the combination of expert curation, personalized discovery and prices at 30 percent to 60 percent below retail,” Nugg Club co-founder Alex Milligan said. "Our current subscribers love the subscription model, and with the option to choose your price point, we are excited to bring Nugg Club to even more consumers in southern California."

The more affordable box tier is initially available everywhere in So Cal that Nugg Club delivers. All deliveries are contactless and properly sanitized in accordance with state social distancing and safety guidelines. Nugg Club serves all of Los Angeles and Orange County, certain parts of the Inland Empire, and recently expanded its service to Oakland, Richmond, Emeryville, and Berkeley.

Three years after their product launch and over 15 years since the idea came about, Amy and Dave Nudelman have secured a patent for their tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) infused chewing gum, Joygum.

Amy is the owner of Joygum, and her husband, Dave, works as a consultant for her.

The product is currently sold in about 225 stores in Colorado and is available in two of the largest dispensary chains in the state: The Green Solution and LivWell, Amy says.

Joygum comes in seven flavors, with three sugar-free options and varying CBD and THC ratios. 

Each flavor comes in a 10-piece package or ten servings. Lemon Mint, Watermelon Spearmint, Bubba Gum and Strawberry Kiwi (sugar-free) are infused with 10 mg of THC per serving. Blue Raspberry Lime is infused with 5 mg of THC and 5 mg of CBD per serving. Mango (sugar-free) is infused with 5 mg of THC per serving and Peppermint, also sugar-free, is infused with 10 mg of CBD and 1 mg of THC per serving. 

"The active ingredient is released within the first five minutes of chewing it and lasts about [two hours]," she says. "You can keep chewing it like a normal piece of gum. I'd say the flavor profile lasts about 15 minutes."

DENVER,June 29, 2021 – PRESS RELEASE – Holland & Hart announced that it haslaunched a cannabis industry group with the arrival of partner Rachel Gillette, who willlead the firm’s new multidisciplinary team. Gillette joins Holland & Hart with a team of threelawyers from the Denver office of GreenspoonMarder.

Gilletteis one of the country’s first lawyers to dedicate her practice to cannabis lawand is nationally ranked as a Band 1cannabis lawyer in Chambers USA.

“Rachelis a pioneer in the field of cannabis law, and few lawyers can match her levelof expertise,” said Chris Balch, Holland & Hart partner and firm chair.“This new industry group is a strategic opportunity for the firm and ourclients, and we were determined to recruit a team with a significant presence.Rachel is the best of the best and we’re thrilled to welcome her and the teamto the firm.”

Advisingstartups, established cannabis operations, investors, and entities providinggoods and services at all points along the supply chain, Gillette is a sought-afterstrategic adviser. She brings more than a decade of experience helping clientsnavigate complex regulatory, financial and operational challenges to capitalizeon emerging business opportunities. She draws on experience interfacing withregulators and taxing authorities in multiple jurisdictions to counsel clientshow to obtain licenses and permits, and guides clients through tax audits,challenges and adjustments at the local, state and federal levels.  

“Asthe legal cannabis industry matures, businesses have increasingly sophisticatedlegal needs—particularly in corporate, tax and intellectual property—that arebest served by full-service law firms,” Gillette said. “My clients and mypractice needed the support of a firm like Holland & Hart, which hastop-notch lawyers across synergistic practice areas, a national client base andoffices in key geographic locations.”

Gillettehas deep roots in the cannabis industry. She previously served as executivedirector of the Colorado chapter of the National Organization for the Reform ofMarijuana Laws (NORML), and is a founding member of Women Grow and the NationalCannabis Bar Association (now, the International Cannabis Bar Association).

Cannabis was meant to burn—but not like this. 

A heat dome trapped over the Pacific Northwest has broiled much of the region, with record-setting triple-digit temperatures being felt from Whistler, British Columbia, all the way to Northern California. Cannabis cultivators in the area are hard-pressed to keep operations going as they try to protect both their crops and their teams from the potentially deadly heat.

“We are roasting both in Ellensburg and Seattle,” Jade Stefano, co-founder and CEO of Washington-based Puffin Farm, told Cannabis Business Times in a June 28 email. Stefano reported temperatures of 105 degrees Fahrenheit, with a weekly high of 112 degrees expected in the coming days.

Per The Washington Post, a heat dome is a pocket “of slow-moving hot air under higher pressure that blocks new weather systems from moving in.”

Stefano, who operates both an indoor extraction facility in Seattle and greenhouse operation in Ellensburg, added that conditions weren’t much improved in the greenhouse—even with shade cloths and swamp coolers, the structures remain above 80 degrees. While that is an improvement on the outdoor temperature, it remains elevated for ideal cannabis cultivation (which typically is set in the mid-to-high-70s).

Alex Cooley, co-founder of Solstice, which cultivates indoors, outdoors and in greenhouses in Seattle, Ephrata and Trinidad, Washington, said the company has moved shifts up earlier in the day, with some starting at 4 a.m. In addition, he noted they have increased irrigation frequency but decreased volume, and water right before the lights go out.

When Ben Telford showed up for work June 23 at the Greenleaf Compassionate Care Center in Portsmouth, R.I., he was shocked to learn that his employment was terminated.

In April, Greenleaf Portsmouth employees became the first cannabis dispensary workers in the state to unionize after a 21-1 vote to join the United Food and Commercial Workers Union (UFCW) Local 328. The organized Greenleaf team includes budtenders, keyholders, online team members and delivery associates.

Employed by Greenleaf since May 2020, Telford was a keyholder at the Portsmouth medical cannabis retail facility in Portsmouth, where his responsibilities included opening and closing the store, cash management and day-to-day operations, as well as performing other duties in the absence of management. He was also a member of Greenleaf’s union bargaining committee, a role he retains.

“I was definitely shocked,” Telford said of his termination. “I’m a hard worker, both on the job, at the site, and then off the job as far as the effort to unionize and get our team together and get a contract negotiated.”

While his termination came as a surprise, Telford said he had thought about the possibility.

“I’ve been a very loud voice for myself and for others on the team that worked there,” he said. “But the reason I was given the day I was terminated … was that my services were no longer required. And when I asked for further explanation, I was told that there was none needed to be given at the time, so I gathered my belongings and left for the afternoon and said goodbye to everybody.”

In the second episode of Cannabis Conference’s new podcast series Beyond the Show, Jesce Horton, founder of the Oregon-based cannabis cultivation company LOWD, joins Digital Editor Eric Sandy to talk about his journey in the cannabis industry. As a business owner in one of the most competitive cannabis markets in the U.S., Horton is finely in-tune with the ins and outs of what connoisseur cannabis consumers look for in their products.

When it comes to niche marketing, Horton emphasizes the importance of expressing the culture that you come from in your products and marketing tactics. Although the cannabis industry is quickly shifting to be centered around new consumers, Horton founded LOWD on the principle of marketing to members of the original cannabis community. Environmental sustainability and innovation are also key factors that Horton makes sure to carry over into his product marketing.

Horton also touches on the main points he will discuss during his session “How Cultivators have Succeeded Carving out their Small-Batch Niche” at Cannabis Conference 2021, including:

Beyond the Show airs every Friday on Spotify, Google Play, iTunes, and CannabisBusinessTimes.com.

And to hear even more from Horton about what it takes to effectively reach your target niche market, register for Cannabis Conference 2021 (Aug. 24-26, 2021, at Paris Las Vegas Hotel & Casino). His session, “How Cultivators Have Succeeded Carving Out Their Small-Batch Niche” will be held Aug. 26 from 11:25 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. PT. Regular registration rates expire July 31, 2021.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, June 29, 2021 – PRESS RELEASE – New Leaf Ventures Inc., a management and investment organization dedicated to evaluating, investing and accelerating advanced stage operations in the North American cannabis sector, wishes to advise that its wholly owned subsidiary, New Leaf USA Inc., is pleased to announce it has entered into a letter of intent to obtain exclusive licensing rights within Washington State with Denver-based GCH Inc., developers of renowned cannabis brand “WILLIE'S RESERVE.”

The announcement encompasses exclusive rights to source, manufacture, distribute and market the entire lineup of Willie's Reserve and Harvest products in Washington State.

Co-founded by renowned singer-songwriter and cannabis pioneer Willie Nelson in 2015, GCH USA created the iconic Willies Reserve brand which has become widely recognized for its commitment to the celebration of what is possible when enthusiasts and experts join forces to collaborate. WILLIE'S RESERVE embraces the natural diversity of the plant, the range of cultivation methods, and the spectrum of effects cannabis creates.

"Exclusive distribution rights for Willies Reserve in our region is truly momentous for us," said Robert Colwell, CEO of New Leaf USA and director of New Leaf Ventures. "We know there are many consumers who are already dedicated fans of these products, and we are committed to introducing it to the rest of Washington as quickly as possible. The whole story: the founder, the principles behind the sourcing and manufacture, as well as the dedication and commitment to a superior product makes for a wonderful sales and marketing opportunity. Having a quality nationally recognized brand join our existing product mix will undoubtedly interest other brand distributors looking for partnership opportunities. We are a growing team that understands consumer interest in our marketplace and look forward to embracing other creative and strategic growth initiatives in Washington and beyond."

Former NFL quarterback and Super Bowl champion Charlie Batch has joined the advisory board of Hemp Synergistics, providing the perspective of a professional athlete to a Pennsylvania-based company working with cannabinoid formulations for a variety of commercial products.

Batch spent the bulk of his NFL career with the Pittsburgh Steelers, so he chose to keep his search close to home.

“When I transitioned [out of the NFL], I didn't necessarily have all the resources that you have as an active player,” Batch said. He was left with more basic pain medication like Tylenol, and quickly came to realize that his physical career had left him with specific and nuanced health needs. He wasn’t training as a football player anymore, but he was working to maintain a healthy lifestyle amid pain and inflammation incurred from years on the field.

In an effort to better understand that sort of pain management, Batch looked to CBD products. It was a trial-and-error process to figure out what would work for him.

“Quite frankly, it probably was about three months before I really got the balance that I felt,” he said. “At one point it may have been too little because I was nervous and not really understanding how my body was going to react, and then maybe it may have been too much to where I possibly was sluggish in the morning. The four areas that I [was interested in treating were] pain, inflammation, anxiety and sleep. That was it. I needed something with that combination.”

He dialed in his understanding of cannabinoid formulations and found the chemical ensemble helpful. He learned ratios, and he learned about the endocannabinoid system—how individual reactions to these compounds tend to vary from person to person. He learned, too, that it would be important to know the source of these formulations. What sort of companies were making these products?

Cannabis Conference, the leading industry event for plant-touching businesses, has launched a new podcast series featuring Cannabis Conference speakers titled Beyond the Show, airing every Friday on Spotify, Google Play, iTunes, and CannabisBusinessTimes.com.

This can’t-miss series provides listeners an idea of what they can expect at Cannabis Conference 2021 (Aug. 24-26 at Paris Las Vegas Hotel & Casino). Each week, Cannabis Business Times’ Digital Editor Eric Sandy chats with one of the conference’s 65+ featured speakers about how plant-touching entrepreneurs and executives are navigating the business in an ever-changing environment. Tune in to learn about everything from launching an adult-use or medical dispensary to environmental disaster preparedness.

Michelle Hackett – President of Riverview Farms

In the Beyond the Show premiere episode, President of Riverview Farms (RVF) Michelle Hackett speaks about her experience in the cannabis industry. RVF is a fully integrated cannabis company in Salinas, Calif., that is female-minority-owned and made up of 75% minority women.

Hackett’s family has extensive history in the agricultural industry. Greenhouses have been in her family for more than 20 years and are what sparked the idea of getting into growing cannabis. Her father, Mike Hackett, opened RVF in 2016 and Michelle Hackett joined him in 2017 running the company’s sales division. During her tenure at RVF, Hackett has fostered connections with some of the biggest brands, distributors and retail outlets in the state. She says the best choice she and her family have ever made is “doing it all on their own.”

Hackett highlights the main points she will speak about during the session “Facility Design – Greenhouse” at Cannabis Conference 2021. In the episode, she touches on:

Cannabis is more potent but fewer young people view it as harmful. Those two points of interests are underlined in a 2021 World Drug Report released June 24 by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), which suggested a worldwide ban on cannabis advertising.

The percentage of delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the main psychoactive component in cannabis, rose from about 4% to 16% in the U.S. between 1995-2019, and from about 6% to 11% in Europe between 2002–2019, according to UNODC findings outlined in the five-booklet report.

According to the report, delta-9 is responsible for the development of mental health disorders in long-term, heavy users of cannabis, yet the percentage of adolescents perceiving cannabis as harmful has decreased by as much as 40% during the same period—the latter finding is supported by surveys of schoolchildren and young adults in the U.S. and Europe, according to the UNODC.

“Lower perception of drug use risks has been linked to higher rates of drug use, and the findings of UNODC’s 2021 World Drug Report highlight the need to close the gap between perception and reality to educate young people and safeguard public health,” UNODC Executive Director Ghada Waly said in a statement.

The UNODC did not cite where it derived its conclusion regarding mental health disorders being linked to cannabis use in the section of the report it was mentioned. Cannabis Business Times reached out to UNODC for a comment, seeking clarity of a study or scientific entity supporting that claim, but has not yet received a response.

A team of researchers writing in the July 28, 2007, edition of the British peer-reviewed general medical journal The Lancet stated that consuming cannabis could boost one’s risk of a psychotic illness later in life by 40% or more.

OTTAWA, June 28, 2021 – PRESS RELEASE – HEXO Corp. announced closing of the previously disclosed transaction to purchase its first U.S. production facility through a wholly owned U.S. subsidiary. The 50,000-square-foot facility in Fort Collins, Colo., will provide U.S. consumer packaged goods (CPG) companies and consumers access to the Powered by HEXO technology and products.

“The Colorado facility will allow us to successfully execute on our U.S. strategy, which includes supplying high-quality Powered by HEXO technology and leveraging our intellectual property portfolio across the United States,” HEXO CEO and co-founder Sebastien St-Louis said. “The facility will also provide us with the necessary infrastructure to continue expanding our joint-venture with Molson Coors to create Truss CBD-infused beverages, while also creating the necessary capacity to support future, non-beverage CPG partnerships.”

RELATED: HEXO Corp. Announces C$925M Acquisition Agreement With Redecan

The Colorado production facility, HEXO’s first in the U.S., is zoned for production of a full range of cannabis products and offers a variety of operational capabilities. The site is located along primary shipping routes and will be retrofitted to support Powered by HEXO initiatives across the country, in compliance with all applicable laws and regulations.

Powered by HEXO is the trusted solution for leading CPG companies to safely enter the cannabinoid market, combining HEXO’s expertise in cannabis with CPG partners’ expertise in their industries to co-develop best-in-class cannabinoid-infused products.

With a stroke of his pen last week, Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont finally brought to fruition a goal that activists have been chasing for years: legalizing cannabis statewide. The newly signed bill allows adults to carry up to an ounce and a half and store up to five ounces at home or in their car’s trunk or glove box. 

Advocates for cannabis equity are satisfied with the final legislation, but the road to get there was a bumpy one. And while the passing of legalization in Connecticut is a significant victory, there’s still a long way to go toward ensuring the state creates a fair industry. 

Industry lobbyists closely involved in the state’s legislative process talked to Cannabis Business Times and Cannabis Dispensary about the bill’s winding path to becoming law and the debate between the legislature and Lamont over the definition of equity.

How We Got Here

Despite Connecticut passing decriminalization in 2011 and establishing a medical program in 2012, efforts to pass adult-use legalization had stalled in recent years. In 2018, a legalization bill passed a House committee vote but failed to advance further. The next year saw another legalization bill and even more debate, but lawmakers ultimately failed to drum up enough votes – despite the support of Lamont, then the newly seated governor.

In 2020, Lamont proposed a legalization framework that was gaining legislative support until the coronavirus pandemic forced the session to end early. This year, with tri-state neighbor New York passing legalization in March and the effects of COVID-19 lessened by vaccine rollouts, cannabis advocates were confident they’d finally make it across the finish line.

CHICAGO, June 25, 2021 – PRESS RELEASE – Joshua Joseph, one of the former co-founders of Grassroots Cannabis—which sold to Curaleaf for $850 million in July 2020—has officially returned to the cannabis industry. Joseph, along with a partner, recently entered the Maine cannabis market with an investment made to Silver Therapeutics of Maine, which includes three dispensaries and one grow and processing facility. They anticipate the openings of the three dispensaries in 2021 and are on the search for a state-allowed fourth dispensary location.

RELATED: Meet the New Curaleaf, the Largest Cannabis Company in the World, Following the Acquisition of Grassroots Cannabis

Joseph will bring his expertise to Silver Therapeutics while sitting on the company's board, assisting in roll-up strategies, sourcing tuck-in acquisitions and capital raising across the country.

While spending the last year remaining focused on Frontline Real Estate Partners, which he is the majority shareholder in, and while also solidifying his Nashville, Tenn.-based family office, Big Plan Holdings, Joseph has spent considerable time investing in and advising multiple cannabis and cannabidiol (CBD) companies nationwide, including a women-owned luxury beauty and lifestyle subscription box, 3rd Eye Hi.

"After taking some time to grow our family company, it is incredibly exciting to be returning to the cannabis industry,” said Joseph, founder of Big Plan Holdings. “We are thrilled to become part of the growing cannabis communities in Maine and are looking forward to additional strategic market entry points. Our goal is to find our next new location as soon as possible."

To further capitalize on the rapidly growing cannabis industry, a wholly owned subsidiary of Big Plan Holdings acquired a single-tenant property located in Macomb, Ill., that features a long-term lease with Windy City Cannabis. Joseph also invested $6.5 million in multistate cannabis operator Ascend Wellness Holdings.

ST. LOUIS, June 24, 2021 – PRESS RELEASE – U.S. District Judge Stephen Bough of the Western District of Missouri granted the compassionate release motion of cannabis offender Eric Scott McCauley of Columbia, Mo. McCauley was sentenced in 2012 to 23 years in prison for cannabis and money-laundering felonies.

In his order, Bough stated, “Upon review of the record, the court finds further incarceration is not needed to reflect the seriousness of [the] defendant’s crimes, promote respect for the law or provide just punishment for his offenses. [The] defendant has already spent over 12 years in prison. Although the nature and circumstances of [the] defendant’s crimes were serious, the court agrees with [the] defendant that ‘the 12 and a half years [he] has spent in prison is long enough to reflect the seriousness of his offenses, promote respect for the law and provide just punishment for his offense.’”

In response to the ruling, McCauley’s attorney, Barry Grissom, said, “The First Step Act of 2018 allowed for federal judges to take a second look at unduly harsh sentences of individuals like Mr. McCauley and determine if extraordinary and compelling reasons justify reconsideration of continued incarceration. We are grateful that Judge Bough saw fit to order the release of my client after more than a decade served.”

McCauley’s release was supported by Mission Green, a cannabis-offender release, expungement and clemency campaign spearheaded by non-profit The Weldon Project.

Weldon Angelos, a presidential pardon recipient and founder of The Weldon Project, has been advocating for McCauley and others who are serving time for cannabis offenses, in hopes of getting the necessary attention and action from the Biden administration.   

RELATED: New Coalition Launches to End Cannabis Prohibition, Bridge Across Ideological, Party Lines

On June 21, U.S. DistrictJudge Nanette K. Laughrey ruled against Missouri's residency rules and removedthe state requirement that medical cannabis businesses must be majority-ownedby individuals who have lived in the state for a minimum of one year.

Laughrey said that theresidency requirement violated the U.S. Constitution’s Dormant Commerce Clause,which refers to the prohibition implied in the Commerce Clause "againststates passing legislation that discriminates against or excessively burdensinterstate commerce," according to Cornell Law School.

According to Law360, Laughrey ruledthat it was unclear how Missouri's residency policy fulfilled its goal ofkeeping medical cannabis from being trafficked out of the state. She added thatfor the one-year residency requirement to pass, the state must prove it wastailored to advance a legitimate local interest; however, she said the MissouriDepartment of Health and Senior Services (MDHSS) and the state's cannabisregulator did not meet that requirement.

Laughrey said the court didnot accept the MDHSS claims that the residency requirement would ease the need to secure an application's out-of-state records just because that applicant lived in Missouri for one year, Law360 reported.And the court added that if the department had a legit interest in keepingmedical cannabis from being interstate trafficked or diverted into the illicit market,there are other ways to do that besides discriminating against out-of-state businessowners.

"It is no easier for aperson who has lived in Missouri for less than a year to drive from Missouri toKansas with medical marijuana in their trunk than it is for a person who haslived in Missouri for a year and a day," Laughrey wrote in her decision."And it is no more difficult for a long-time Missouri resident to smugglemarijuana out of the medical system and into the recreational market than it isfor anyone else."

Essentially, the court orderprevents the state from improperly burdening interstate commerce and similarpolicies in city and state-regulated cannabis industries, according to Law360.

While delta-8 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) continues to be a hot topic in the cannabis industry, the conversation surrounding the cannabinoid has shifted to state talks of regulation.

As previously reported by Hemp Grower, 15 states have already issued bans on delta-8, while six additional states have pending legislation on the cannabinoid and other related THC isomers. 

RELATED: More States Take Action Against Delta-8 THC

Ohio is the next state to follow in the footsteps of those regulating delta-8, as the Ohio Department of Commerce released a set of regulations on delta-8 in medical cannabis products on June 15.

Before the release, the content of delta-8 in medical cannabis products did not have to be accurately depicted on the label. Now, under the new guidance, the exact amount of delta-8 must be listed on the product label, and "Delta-8 THC" must be entirely written on the packaging; "Delta-8" or "D8" are not permitted.

Cultivators, processors and testing laboratories must now test for delta-8 or any related THC isomers and analogs and report the results to the department's inventory tracking system, the guidance states.

WAKEFIELD, Mass., June 24, 2021 – PRESS RELEASE – Curaleaf Holdings Inc., a leading international provider of consumer products in cannabis, announced the opening of Curaleaf Edgewater Park, the company’s second dispensary in New Jersey and 107th dispensary nationwide. 

In addition, Curaleaf announced that its second New Jersey cultivation facility, located in Winslow, completed its first harvest and is now fully operational. The new site has tripled the company’s cultivation capabilities to serve both the existing New Jersey medical market and the forthcoming adult-use market.  

“We are thrilled to grow alongside New Jersey’s flourishing medical community and expand access to best-in-class cannabis products to patients in Edgewater Park,” Curaleaf CEO Joe Bayern said. “We continue to work closely with state leadership and regulators to create a successful and sustainable adult-use market, and our expansion positions us to meet the market’s increasing needs while creating hundreds of new jobs in the state.”

Curaleaf Edgewater Park is a 7,640-square-foot dispensary conveniently located off the Burlington Pike at 4237 Route 130 South and is open to all patients with a valid medical card. Curaleaf has been serving New Jersey’s medical community since the opening of its Bellmawr dispensary in 2015, and the company anticipates opening a third dispensary in Central New Jersey later this summer. Patients will have expanded access to Curaleaf’s diverse line of award-winning product offerings including branded flower, vapes and ingestible products. 

On June 25, Curaleaf will hold an opening day ceremony featuring a ribbon cutting, swag bags for the first 500 patients, and raffles for a store credit and gift basket. New patients will have access to an exclusive 20% discount on first purchases through July 6. In addition, Curaleaf Edgewater Park is making a $5,000 contribution to Ladies in Transit Holistic Community Development Corporation, which provides families and individuals with programs and services to transition from hardship to economic stability. 

“We are committed to both serving our patients and being a good member of our local communities,” Curaleaf Northeast Regional President Patrik Jonsson said. “We’re proud to open our new location in Edgewater, and we look forward to making an impact in the community through Curaleaf's Rooted in Good program.”

Proposals surrounding adult-use cannabis legalization are queued up in Pennsylvania, but legislation has yet to be formally introduced in either chamber of the state Legislature.

State Reps. Jake Wheatley and Dan Frankel, both Democrats, teamed up in a June 21 memorandum to all House members announcing their proposed legislation, “The Cannabis Regulatory Control Act,” which aims to legalize the possession of up to 1 ounce of cannabis or 5 grams of concentrate for personal use for adults 21 years and older in the commonwealth.

Their initiative comes on the heels of a bipartisan proposal by state Sens. Dan Laughlin, R-Erie, and Sharif Street, D-Philadelphia, who announced in February their plan to sponsor adult-use legislation in the upper chamber. Four months later, they have yet to formally introduce a bill.

RELATED: Pennsylvania State Senators Team Up to Introduce Bipartisan Adult-Use Cannabis Legislation

Wheatley and Frankel said in their June 21 memo that the House bill they intend to sponsor would build on Pennsylvania’s current medical cannabis infrastructure, creating a legal and regulatory framework structured to control the cultivation, processing, transportation, distribution, delivery and sale of cannabis and cannabis products.

The framework would include a legislatively appointed seven-member Cannabis Regulatory Control Board (CRCB) to serve as the primary overseer of the industry. The board would work to adopt a schedule for the review, approval and issuance of licenses for cultivators, processors, microbusinesses, retailers and transporters.

While Pride month parades, community festivals and other celebrations have been underway all month long, many more events are set for this weekend before June winds down.

Dispensaries across the country have been commemorating the month to honor and recognize the LGBTQ+ community with special events and promotions, but there are other ways the cannabis industry promotes inclusion behind the scenes all year long. However, there is also still more work to do. 

In this special guest interview, Cannabis Business Times and Cannabis Dispensary asked three cannabis industry leaders from the LGBTQ+ community to share insights on how the industry can better support LGBTQ+ employees and customers, improve equity and elevate diverse perspectives and ideas. Excerpts from the conversation with Ian Hackett, chief marketing officer and head of compliance for Napa Valley Fumé, Clifton Lambert, director of human resources with Jushi Holdings Inc., and Niki Mohrlant, senior director of operations for Jushi's Beyond/Hello dispensaries, are below. 

Q: What has your experience been working in the cannabis industry?

Clifton Lambert, director of human resources, Jushi: “It's been overall positive. When you come into cannabis, you have to have a very different mindset. The people in this industry are really passionate about what we're doing and understand how important cannabis is to the LGBTQ+ community. Being a part of the LGBT+ community myself, you do feel that you're not always recognized the way you want to be. But cannabis just kind of opens up that door because of the connection between cannabis and that community. I've been able to be more myself with Jushi than many other places. People embrace it. And I think that we set the tone from the get-go to let people know that we welcome all kinds and encourage you to be yourself. We want you to feel comfortable here.” 

Niki Mohrlant, senior director of operations, Jushi: “To Clifton’s point, I would say it is super accepting. But also I think at this point in my own career, there's this point of getting in positions where you can be the voice in the room and elevate others. And I think that because cannabis has just such a wide range of different people from all different sorts of backgrounds, for me, it's just been this unique place to say, ‘Hey, you know, if we're designing a dispensary, have we thought about genderless bathrooms?’ I don't need to be the gay person in the room. I need to be the person who's thinking without making assumptions. I've always been welcome to be that person who says, ‘Hey, it, it may not be broken, but we need to fix it.’ And we need to think about who is receiving this, what that journey is, whether it's our customers or team members or our partners within the organization, what are the optics? How do we make decisions? How do we make considerations for every group and everybody all the time? And sometimes it’s hard. But the one thing that I try to encourage not only my peer group, but anybody around me is like, if you have something to say, you should say it. Then when people have ideas, saving space for them to be heard. And the cannabis industry is ripe for that.”

Louisiana medical cannabis patients will now have access to smokable cannabis products, as Gov. John Bel Edwards signed House Bill 391 into law on June 22.

This move follows Edwards signing a legislation to decriminalize cannabis on June 15. 

RELATED: Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards Signs Cannabis Decriminalization Bill Into Law

Under the previous legislation, medical cannabis patients could not access whole-plant flower, and smoking was prohibited; however, patients could vaporize cannabis preparations using a “metered-dose inhaler.” A “meter-dose inhaler” is a device that is typically self-administered by the patient and delivers a specific amount of medication to the lungs, according to the bill text. 

The new measure permits physicians to recommend medical cannabis to patients in raw or crude form (or flower) and limit dispensing of certain forms of medical cannabis. It establishes medical cannabis rules and regulations for the Louisiana Board of Pharmacy, the bill text states.

Under the new legislation, pharmacies can dispense up to two and a half ounces of raw or crude cannabis every 14 days for therapeutic use to patients 21 years and older.