A recent study by the Resource Innovation Institute (RII) found that indoor cannabis cultivation facilities that utilize LED lighting systems were, on average, more energy-efficient and more productive than facilities using non-LED lights.

The non-profit organization analyzed data from 84 indoor cultivators who submitted energy use and production data to the group’s Cannabis PowerScore tool, a benchmarking platform that gathers confidential facility information about energy use, production output and cultivation methods, and provides operators with ranking relative to other respondents. (RII uses the aggregate PowerScore data to inform governments, utilities and the supply chain on how to support cultivators in achieving greater efficiency.)

RII looked at the average of all the operator’s electric facility efficiency and electric production efficiency. Average electric facility efficiency is a metric RII uses to calculate energy efficiency by measuring energy use relative to an operation’s flowering canopy size. Kilowatt-hour per square foot (kWh/sq. ft.) and electric kiloBtu per square foot (kBtu/sq. ft.) are both used to determine electric facility efficiency. A lower figure indicates better average electric facility efficiency.

Average electric production efficiency is the metric that measures energy use against yield in grams (g/kWh and g/electric kBtu). A higher average electric production efficiency figure indicates better energy productivity.

In its analysis, RII found that indoor operations using LED lighting for flowering growth stages achieve 34% better average electric facility efficiencies and 80% better average electric production efficiencies than indoor facilities using double-ended (DE) HPS lighting for the flowering growth stage. Facilities using LED lighting systems averaged 606 kBtu/sq. ft. compared to an average of 882 kBtu/sq. ft. for non-LED systems. Additionally, LED facilities’ average productivity was 0.44g/kBtu compared to an average of 0.24g/kBtu for non-LED facilities.

“These findings demonstrate the ability of LED technology to drive energy and production efficiency in horticultural operations,” said Derek Smith, RII’s executive director, in a press release. “It should be noted that the range of performance across the facilities we studied is broad, meaning there is a large variability among users.” He added to Cannabis Business Times, “We know cultivator education and training is essential to [the] achievement of energy savings, and we also know that cultivators have different objectives as it relates to quality and therefore different patterns of energy use.”

PITTSBURGH (October 27, 2020) — PRESS RELEASE — According to a 2018 report by Arcview Market Research and BDS Analytics, retail sales of cannabis concentrates are expected to reach $8 billion by 2022, surpassing traditional flower sales. In addition, a 2019 report by the same group anticipates U.S. sales of CBD products to reach $20 billion by 2024. To help cannabis manufacturers meet this rapidly growing demand, Green Mill Supercritical has introduced the Parallel Pro, designed with increased capacity in mind but without forfeiting the control and precision required to produce the highest-quality oils.

“Our customers are working in a constantly changing market, where legislation, changing preferences, increasing adoption rates and newly opening markets impact demand and the bottom line every day,” said Wes Reynolds, CEO of Green Mill Supercritical. “We developed the Parallel Pro with this challenge in mind by creating a machine that allows for increased capacity to scale as a manufacturer’s market grows, and pivot when it changes.”

Competitor designs that increase capacity through the cheap and easy approach of upsizing extraction components end up sacrificing precision, control and efficiency, according to Reynolds. The Parallel Pro provides maximum control over pressure, temperature and flow rate during supercritical CO₂ extractions, allowing customers to achieve the highest-quality oils. At the same time, the Parallel Pro enables producers to increase yields in roughly the same amount of time required for much smaller yields with other machines.

“Most companies increase throughput by building larger and larger components—extraction and collection vessels, pump, heat exchanger and more. You make everything bigger to increase production,” Reynolds said. “But when you do that, you require more time and electricity per pound of biomass processed. The Parallel Pro requires just a slightly larger footprint than our workhorse SFE Pro, but doubles all the things it does so well, at a very attractive price point.”

The Parallel Pro offers the following sought-after features:

The development process resulted in a machine that maintains the attention to detail that Green Mill Supercritical has become recognized for across the industry: A fit and finish featuring laboratory-grade equipment. And it is just the latest in a series of innovations currently in development as part of Green Mill’s core commitment to continuous improvement.

NEW YORK, Oct. 26, 2020 /PRNewswire/ --  PRESS RELEASE -- Thrive Agritech, Inc., a provider of LED horticulture lighting, has announced that it has received orders from Native Roots Cannabis Co. for more than 1,500 of its high-performance LED light fixtures. Thrive Agritech's Infinity 2.0 LED lights were installed in multi-tier vegetative cannabis racks throughout Native Roots' Denver facility.

According to Jason MacDonald, director of cultivation at Native Roots, "After rigorous testing and analysis, we chose Thrive Agritech for several reasons. The lights provided outstanding plant growth, morphology, quality and yield. Our annual energy savings is estimated to be over 1.8 million kWh. Native Roots is committed to implementing sustainable business solutions that enhance our cultivation methods, provide cost savings, and reduce our environmental impact." MacDonald stated other reasons for buying Thrive Agritech lights including ease of installation, seamless end-to-end connections, and water and dust resistance (IP66) that make the lights simple to clean and maintain.

Thrive Agritech CEO Brian Bennett added, "We are excited with the results our technology is providing to Native Roots, from a plant growth, cost savings and sustainability perspective. Not only did the generous rebate help make the project a reality for Native Roots, but they will be seeing much smaller electric bills every month thanks to the efficiency of our lights. We look forward to supporting Native Roots with our leading-edge LED technology for years to come."

DETROIT, Oct. 27, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- PRESS RELEASE -- Precision Extraction Solutions, a cannabis and hemp extraction technology company, has announced a strategic partnership with Pressure Safety Inspectors (PSI). Through the partnership with PSI, Precision is launching a safety and certification program that will streamline compliance when buying Precision extractors.

Extraction facility businesses need to follow complex fire code compliance for all of the processing equipment that they purchase. Precision's extraction product line comes standard with a Technical Report certification from PSI that satisfies 2018 IFC INTERNATIONAL FIRE CODE and 2018 NFPA 1 FIRE CODE for all 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia. Precision and PSI will also offer a Field Verification Voucher aimed at streamlining local site inspection requirements once equipment is reassembled and ready for final inspection.

"Safety is our top priority. We're thrilled to partner with PSI to meet the highest standards of safety in the U.S. and internationally," said Michael Lewis, VP of Business Development at Precision Extraction Solutions. "All of Precision's equipment is now pre-approved and ready for professional engineers to field verify in order for extraction facilities to get their equipment operational faster."

Extraction equipment needs to be calibrated correctly for both pressure and temperature. When reviewing an extraction system, PSI examines the product's specifications, parts list and drawings, and checks whether the system's mechanics are sound. Having equipment pre-approved as it leaves the manufacturing floor saves companies purchasing Precision equipment both time and money.

"When we do a field test, we're looking at each vessel, each piping component, each valve, each chiller, each heater and making sure it's appropriate for the process and is safe," said Chris Witherell, PE, CEO of PSI. "We've long respected the engineering and innovation of Precision extractors, and we're proud to partner with them on this first-of-its-kind certification program."

PHOENIX, October 27, 2020 – PRESS RELEASE – 4Front Ventures Corp. has announced that it has entered into definitive purchase and sale agreements with an affiliate of Innovative Industrial Properties, Inc., (IIPR) providing for the sale and leaseback of 4Front’s cultivation and production facilities in Tumwater, Wash., and Georgetown, Mass.

The all cash sale price of US$30 million will be used by the company to pay down the outstanding senior secured debt obligation to affiliates of Gotham Green Partners, and for other general corporate purposes. The transaction is subject to various closing conditions, including standard property/title inspections and appraisals and is scheduled to close in early December.

"Entering this sale-leaseback transaction marks a significant milestone in our stated strategy to further strengthen our balance sheet, providing us greater flexibility to fund our growth initiatives.  The successful closing of this transaction positions us well as we enter 2021, with our laser focus on profitable growth within our core markets of Massachusetts, Illinois, California, Washington and Michigan,” said Leo Gontmakher, CEO of 4Front.

In accordance with the terms of the transaction, 4Front will occupy the Tumwater, Wash., and Georgetown, Mass., facilities pursuant to 20-year lease agreements, with two 5-year extensions exercisable at 4Front’s discretion. 4Front anticipates no disruption to its operations as a result of the transaction.

CHICAGO – October 28, 2020 — PRESS RELEASE — Cresco Labs, one of the largest vertically integrated multistate cannabis operators in the United States, has announced the launch of a 1.0 g Liquid Live Resin (LLR) vape cartridge in its Cresco brand portfolio. Illinois and California are the first markets to carry the Company’s newest LLR offering. Cresco Labs’ LLR is unique and differentiated from other live resin products in market today because the company uses an extraction process that flash-freezes whole flower at peak freshness, preserving premium flavor, cannabinoids and quality.

“In Illinois and California, we’re focused on providing more consumer choice within our brand portfolio to drive continued wholesale growth and deliver high quality products our customers want most,” said Greg Butler, chief commercial officer at Cresco Labs. “Our Liquid Live Resin line of products from our Cresco brand provides our customers with both the confidence and assurance that they are consuming trusted and reliable cannabis products with nothing added or taken away from a single, pure cannabis strain. We capture the original full-spectrum effect of fresh flower, and we’re excited to deliver a larger form vape offering to meet the rising popularity of this option among our customers in Illinois and California.”

Cresco Labs’ LLR extraction method starts with a single, premium cannabis strain, harvested and extracted at the peak of freshness. The cannabis oil is never separated or reconstituted, which means there are no cuts, fillers, added terpenes or non-cannabis ingredients. To deliver the best cannabis experience possible, Cresco Labs extracts the naturally occurring, full-spectrum benefits of the fresh flower, because the company believes in preserving the integrity of the original strain.

In Illinois and California, the Cresco brand’s suite of LLR products includes .5 g and 1.0 g vape cartridges. The line also features live resin concentrates, as well as premium flower, popcorn, shake and pre-rolls.

Illinois cannabis sales have increased month-over-month, with nearly $67 million in total cannabis retail sales in September. California total sales in September were $360 million. Cresco’s 1.0 g LLR vape offering is the latest product to enter Cresco Labs’ Illinois and California markets this year, following the initial debut of Mindy’s Edibles gummies; High Supply popcorn and shake, disposable vape pens and pre-rolls; and Good News pre-rolled shorties, gummy edibles and disposable vape pens.

TORONTO, Oct. 28, 2020 /CNW/ - PRESS RELEASE - Liberty Health Sciences Inc., has announced that Victor Mancebo has resigned from the Board of Directors and his role as chief executive officer, effective Dec. 31, 2020.

"We are grateful for Victor's leadership and contributions to Liberty," said Chairman William R. Pfeiffer. "As a board member and an officer of the company, Victor was instrumental in building Liberty into the company that it is today with a network of dispensaries spanning the state of Florida. We thank Victor for those efforts and wish him the very best on all his future endeavors."

George J. Gremse, a member of the Board of Directors, has been appointed as interim CEO during the process of identifying a permanent CEO. Gremse has held senior management positions in both Fortune 500 companies and start-ups. He holds a degree in agriculture from Cornell University and an MBA from Baruch College of the City University of New York. Mancebo will work with Gremse to ensure a smooth transition.

During the two-day NORML 2020 Conference, which celebrated the organization’s 50th year, activists discussed Oct. 23 their adult-use ballot measures being put in front of voters in four states this election year: Arizona, Montana, New Jersey and South Dakota.

Leaders behind these state campaigns spoke about distinctive campaign challenges and recapped their efforts with volunteer and paid canvassing and voter education.

Arizona – Proposition 207

In addition to collecting signatures with masks, gloves and melting pens in the desert heat, Smart and Safe Arizona, the group behind the state’s 2020 adult-use legalization ballot measure, was busy in 2020 fending off a challenge in court by a campaign funded by the Center for Arizona Policy, according to the Arizona Republic.

“They challenged a couple different parts of our initiative, like they challenged the definition of marijuana,” said Alejandro Chavez, political director at Smart and Safe Arizona. “They didn't want it to include edibles and other parts. But because we … followed so much of what medical had already laid out for us, that argument had already been made and determined in another case. They [also] tried to challenge something around [DUIs].”

In August, a Maricopa County Superior Court judge ruled in favor of Smart and Safe Arizona, and when Arizonans for Health and Public Safety appealed the ruling the next week, the Phoenix New Times reported, the Arizona Supreme Court confirmed the Maricopa County judge’s decision.

The director of Missouri’s medical cannabis program believes voters could legalize adult-use cannabis in the state as early as 2022, according to a local FOX 2 Now report.

Lyndall Fraker, director of the section of medical marijuana within the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS), told the news outlet that he believes medical cannabis legalization was a step toward adult-use in the state.

“Absolutely, I think that was the intent of the drafters,” he said. “We’ve already heard that they are going to try and work and get it on the ballot, but I don’t think the legislature will do it; I think it will have to be a petition. It’s going to be on the ballot in 2022, I’m very confident in that, but I don’t know what that language will look like.”

Missouri voters approved medical cannabis in 2018, and the state’s first dispensaries opened their doors to patients earlier this month.

Four dispensaries will be operating in the state by early next week, FOX 2 Now reported, and Fraker told the news outlet that he hopes to have 96 operational dispensaries by the end of the year.

Bill and Dustin Freas know what it takes to build and operate a successful cannabis business, and the father-and-son team plan to apply lessons learned from other markets to their latest venture, Harvest Care Medical, which recently became one of 10 companies to win a medical cannabis cultivation license in West Virginia.

The Freases first entered the cannabis space six or seven years ago, when they launched Grow West, a medical cannabis cultivation and dispensary operation in Dustin’s hometown of Cumberland, Md.

“It was a real gamechanger for our post-industrial, Rust Belt community,” Dustin, Harvest Care Medical’s chief development officer, tells Cannabis Business Times and Cannabis Dispensary. “We were very successful here with our family and our partners at Grow West.”

The Freases have since secured cultivation licenses in additional states, as well, including Connecticut, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, Missouri and Virginia. When West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice signed the state’s medical cannabis legislation into law in 2017, Bill and Dustin embarked on a nearly four-year journey to build their latest operation in Bill’s home state.

The cultivation license allows Harvest Care Medical to build out two grow facilities, and the company plans to locate these operations in Harrison County, right outside of Bridgeport, and in Kearneysville, which is located in Jefferson County.

Due in part to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic and its attendant stay-at-home encouragement, delivery has become a hot-button issue in the cannabis industry. Tracking with consumer sales trends in other commercial spaces (food, home goods), cannabis has become a category that many consumers now connect to the idea of delivery.

But it’s not yet a staple of the fragmented cannabis industry in the U.S., where differing state regulations set up an irregular business-to-consumer relationship across state lines.

The following states allow cannabis delivery under a specific regulatory regime, either via a retail license or a specific delivery license: Arizona, California, Colorado, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island and Vermont.

Massachusetts, as one example, is just now on the cusp of implementing its new delivery regulations.

“The reason that we’re doing that is because we really, through this license, the entire purpose of the limited delivery license was to try to create a pathway that included lower barriers to entry and by providing for this waiver, we really want to foster those lower barriers and create opportunities as a priority with this license,” Cannabis Control Commissioner Britte McBride said. 

Other states, such as Alaska and Washington, have generally allowed a gray-market approach to cannabis delivery services—loose regulatory language that greenlights the delivery of cannabis “gifts.” And in Pennsylvania, for instance, a delivery structure was implemented quickly to accommodate the fallout from the pandemic.

This is part one of a two-part interview. Part two will be published next week.

Last Prisoner Project (LPP), the nonprofit group dedicated to helping ensure the freedom of all 40,000 cannabis prisoners in the U.S., as well as inmates serving cannabis sentences around the world, is one year old.

Cannabis Business Times and Cannabis Dispensary recently spoke with Sarah Gersten, executive director and general counsel LPP, about some of the facts and statistics that drive the organization’s work and how it has navigated an eventful year.

Patrick Williams: The Last Prisoner Project just sent out its “Year One at a Glance” report, which highlights the work that the organization has been doing over the past year. It explains how, among other things, LPP and the law firm Goodwin successfully secured the compassionate release of Philong Chuong. Who is Philong, and what are the next steps for him?

Sarah Gersten: Philong is a 57-year-old father of two. He actually came here as a refugee during the Vietnam War. And he really was an incredible father, really a benefit to his community. He was living in Oakland, California, and all of his friends, family members, neighbors, had really positive things to say about him. But unfortunately, he was sentenced to 87 months in federal prison in 2015 for a nonviolent marijuana offense.

So, at this point in 2020, he's been incarcerated for five years. … He's, like anyone that's incarcerated now during this pandemic, really at risk of contracting COVID, and because of his age, it [could be] really serious for him, Philong's release efforts are part of a broader effort that Last Prisoner Project, along with Goodwin and a few other law firms initiated bonds to COVID. This is really a pivot for us this year. To date, our release efforts had been focused on securing release through executive clemency, and with COVID, we really saw an opportunity to grant compassionate release, particularly for individuals like Philong, who either were older or had preexisting conditions. So, over the summer, he was part of several compassionate-release motions we filed, and he was actually the first [judicial] opinion either way that we got [on compassionate release]. And And obviously his compassionate release motion was granted. Last month, he was released and returned home to his family.

Fifteen percent of seniors report having used cannabis products within the past three years, primarily for therapeutic purposes, according to data published in the Journal of the American Geriatric Society.

Investigators affiliated with the University of California at San Diego surveyed 568 respondents at a geriatric clinic in southern California. All of the study’s participants were at least 65 years of age, and 73% of respondents were older than 75.

Fifteen percent of those surveyed reported consuming either cannabis or CBD within the past three years; over half of those who responded affirmatively reported using cannabis products either daily or weekly. Seventy-eight percent of consumers described their use as medical, primarily to mitigate pain, improve sleep or to reduce anxiety. Some three-fifths of users in the survey acknowledged initiating their use of cannabis products as older adults. Fewer than half of all elderly consumers reported ever having spoken to their health care provider about their cannabis use.

Commenting on the findings, NORML Deputy Director Paul Armentano said, “It is not surprising that a rising percentage of seniors consider cannabis to a viable therapeutic option in their later years. Many seniors struggle with pain, anxiety, restless sleep and other conditions for which cannabis products may help mitigate. Moreover, many seniors are well aware of the litany of serious adverse side-effects associated with available prescription drugs, like opioids or sleep aids, and they perceive medical cannabis to be a practical and potentially safer alternative.”

Several recent studies have similarly reported that marijuana use is growing in popularity among older adults. Other studies – such as those here, here, here, and here – have determined that medical cannabis use by seniors is relatively safe and effective at mitigating pain and improving self-reported quality of life.

The New Jersey Assembly Appropriations Committee approved legislation Oct. 26 that would require workers’ compensation and personal injury protection (PIP) auto insurance benefits to cover medical cannabis in certain situations, according to an NJ.com report.

A1708 was approved by the Assembly Committee on Financial Institutions earlier this year, and advanced out of the Appropriations Committee Monday in a 7-4 vote, the news outlet reported.

Under the legislation, a patient enrolled in New Jersey’s medical cannabis program could have their costs covered unless the federal government steps in to enforce prohibition, according to NJ.com.

Earlier this year, an appeals court ruled that a New Jersey company must cover an employee’s medical cannabis costs, setting a precedent for workers’ compensation to cover medical cannabis costs in the state.

A1708 must pass the full Assembly, as well as the Senate, which has not yet taken up the legislation, before it can go to Gov. Phil Murphy.

A recent KELOLAND Media Group/Argus Leader poll has revealed that the majority of South Dakotans support the medical and adult-use cannabis legalization measures that will appear on the state’s ballot next week.

RELATED: South Dakota Becomes First State to Place Medical and Adult-Use Cannabis Initiatives on Same Ballot

The poll asked voters if they would vote for Initiated Measure 26 to legalize medical cannabis if the election were held today, and 74% said they would vote yes, 23% said they would vote no and 3% said they were still undecided.

Fifty-one percent of voters said they would vote yes on Amendment A to legalize adult-use cannabis if the election were held today, while 44% said they would vote no and 5% said they were still undecided.

Michigan’s legal cannabis industry is one of the country’s youngest, with adult-use dispensaries open only since December 2019. And while business is healthy—in July, the state reported earning $200 million in revenue in less than seven months—Michigan faces several challenges. Three-fourths of its municipalities have opted out of the state-approved recreational program, and at over $400 on average for an ounce of retail flower, cannabis is much more expensive than other parts of the country.

And like those other parts of the cannabis industry, Michigan’s market also faces a diversity problem. In a survey sent out by the state, only 4% of license holders were Black, despite a 14% statewide population (though only 19% of the cannabis business surveys were returned). 

Fortunately for the marginalized communities hurt most by prohibition, there are forces working to help create a fair industry in Michigan, where cannabis sales are expected to reach $1 billion annually by 2021.  

Michigan’s Uphill Equity Battle

With around 80% of the population, Detroit is the largest Black-majority city in the country and home to important American cultural contributions. Unfortunately for aspiring green entrepreneurs in the Motor City, Detroit is one of the more than 1,400 Michigan municipalities that has opted out of adult-use recreational sales. Reports this week suggest the city wants to change that, but it still has a long road to a mature industry.  

Then there’s the licensing process itself: Currently, the state requires prospective adult-use dispensaries to have a medical license. That provision will change, but not until March 1, 2021. Marijuana-related business fees are exponentially higher in Michigan, as well: In Massachusetts, a cannabis microbusiness needs to pay $300 for an initial application license. In Michigan, the cost for a microbusiness application is $6,000. 

LOS ANGELES (October 26, 2020) – PRESS RELEASE – Viola, a cannabis producer and retailer founded by NBA veteran Al Harrington, has announced its official entry into Washington State. As states continue to legalize cannabis, Viola is breaking ground with expanded territory into the Pacific Northwest, furthering the mission to grow its portfolio across the United States. A peek concentrate market, Washington kicks off the brand’s expansion in the west as the largest Black-owned MSO in the United States, doubling down and bringing six premium concentrate strains to state residents.

Strains of Viola premium flower that will be made available across the state include:

“We are excited to get entrenched in the Washington market as we take over the Pacific Northwest and continue out east and across the United States,” said Harrington. “This is just the beginning of our expansion plan for Viola as we hit the ground running toward the end of the year and into 2021.”

Viola’s entry into Washington state comes at a time of exciting expansion for the brand with Harrington leading the charge as the number one Black license holder in the United States. Viola product will now be available at various dispensaries in the state including: the recently launched Shawn Kemp’s Cannabis owned by NBA veteran Shawn Kemp.

Earlier this month, Viola along with its portfolio partner Village, was awarded a Stage One pre-approval licence from the Maryland Medical Cannabis Commission (MMCC). It also launched its official incubator program with Gold Standard Farms for aspiring cannabis entrepreneurs and businesses and released a social justice limited edition strain with fellow Black-owned cannabis company, Ball Family Farms. The brand was also selected as one of three growers as MMCC works to address disparities in the medical cannabis industry.

TORONTO, Oct. 26, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- PRESS RELEASE -- WeedMD Inc., a federally-licensed producer and distributor of medical-grade cannabis, has announced it has commenced shipping its Color Cannabis-branded 510 vaporizer cartridges to Canada’s largest retail distributor, the Ontario Cannabis Store (OCS). Color vapes landed in the “Top 5” status when compared to over 30 available vape brands during its first week of availability, according to OCS-provided data.

RELATED: WeedMD's Bold Pivot in Canada's Evolving Market

WeedMD’s legacy cultivars Pedro Sweet Sativa and Ghost Train Haze, are produced at the company’s state-of-the-art extraction hub utilizing WeedMD’s own terpene-rich biomass. Additional strain-specific offerings, such as Mango Haze and Black Sugar Rose, are scheduled to follow soon.

“The initial success of our Color vapes in Canada’s largest retail market is a significant milestone for our team and reflects the increased brand recognition and strong consumer interest in our quality-derived products,” said Stephen Ng, chief commercial officer. “Our terpene-rich products under Color and Saturday are garnering national appeal as we prepare to launch a broader portfolio of products from our best-in-class cultivation and production platform.”

In addition to Color vapes, WeedMD recently launched a new cultivar, ‘Black Sugar Rose,’ coming this fall, as well as strain-specific pre-roll products, nitrogen-infused packaging and a brand partnership with PAX Labs Inc. for its PAX ERA and ERA PRO line of strain-specific vapes. The company also announced it is the exclusive Canadian supplier and distributor of acclaimed U.S.-based wellness house Mary’s Medicinals, with topicals production slated to commence at WeedMD’s extraction hub in Aylmer, Ontario later this year.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Oct. 26, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- PRESS RELEASE -- Rubicon Organics Inc., a licensed producer focused on cultivating and selling organic certified and premium cannabis, has announced that it has signed a cannabis 2.0 product distribution agreement with Canada House Wellness Group Inc., through Canada House’s wholly-owned subsidiary of Abba Medix Corp. In connection with the agreement, Canada House will distribute Rubicon Organics’ line of concentrate products to Canada House’s provincial distributors while the company waits to receive from Health Canada its authorization for sale of extracts, topicals and edibles.

“With our route to market established for cannabis 2.0 products, we are excited to begin executing on our innovation pipeline. In the coming months, we will be launching our new premium concentrate brand along with a diverse portfolio of products. These products will highlight the terpene-rich profile that our organic and sustainably cultivated Simply Bare flower has become known for,” said Jesse McConnell, chief executive officer. “We are delighted to be partnering with Canada House to accelerate our time to market whilst we wait for Health Canada to issue our extract, edible and topical sales license that we submitted for in early September."

Detroit officials plan to propose an ordinance that would allow adult-use cannabis sales in the city, according to the Detroit Free Press.

Councilman James Tate and Mayor Mike Duggan will share details of the proposal at a press conference at 1 p.m. on Oct. 26, the news outlet reported.

An announcement from the councilman and mayor’s office indicated that 10 types of cannabis business licenses will be offered under the plan, with at least half of the licenses issued to “legacy Detroiters,” who will also receive discounts on application fees and city real estate, according to the Detroit Free Press.

In addition, residents who have been disproportionately affected by the War on Drugs will also have unique opportunities to participate in the adult-use market under the proposal, the news outlet reported.

“In the past when licenses for marijuana businesses become available, they tend to go to non-residents, rather than those who live in this community,” Duggan told the Detroit Free Press. “What Councilman Tate has crafted here in partnership with our law department ensures that longtime Detroit residents will have the opportunity to build real wealth as part of this lucrative new industry.”