MjLink Cannabis Business News and Press

Hawthorne Gardening Company (HGC) is shifting its distribution model in Canada to serve its customers better and maximize operational efficiencies, according to Jennifer Pistillo, Hawthorne Canada sales director. The company is stepping away from its regional distribution model and is consolidating its distribution partners to work with two industry leaders who have developed strong relationships with retail and commercial growers. “We remain fully committed to the industry and the continued development of Hawthorne’s signature brands (Gavita, General Hydroponics, Botanicare, etc.),” Pistillo wrote in an email to Cannabis Business Times.

"This reorganization allows Hawthorne to adapt to the new market dynamics, align with strong distribution partners, and prepare for what it sees as the future Canadian market structure," Pistillo said.

Pistillo also noted that the company will continue to serve hydroponic retailers and commercial growers within the Canadian market, but in a different way:

The company is also finding ways to improve and use its resources to meet growers' needs, according to Pistillo. HGC is dedicating its sales team to focus on growers, "where custom sales and design is needed most," she noted. In addition, the design team "specializes in helping Canadian producers, especially those early in the design phase resulting in savings, increased yields, [and] energy efficiency."

"This reorganization enables Hawthorne to focus on developing, marketing, and supporting their leading signature Hawthorne brands, which spread across lighting, nutrients, growing environment, growing media, hardware, and more, and to continue providing the industry's best technical services support to growers,” Pistillo explained.

In addition to these changes, she noted, HGC is also "ramping up programs which enable proof of concept trials, custom design, and consultations with our team of technical sales agronomists and engineers across all categories."

Germany’s plans to legalize adult-use cannabis have been revealed after a blueprint for policy reform leaked to the RND newspaper group Oct. 19.

The government aims to decriminalize the purchase and possession of small amounts of cannabis, as well as legalize adult-use sales in licensed shops, according to a POLITICO report.

RELATED: Will Germany Legalize Cannabis Before the US?

Germany legalized medical cannabis in 2017, and the coalition that came to power last year unveiled plans for additional policy reform during its campaign.

RELATED: Germany’s New Coalition Supports Adult-Use Cannabis Legalization

Florida medical cannabis patients will be able to purchase cannabis at select Circle K locations starting in 2023.

Green Thumb Industries, a cannabis consumer packaged goods company and owner of RISE Dispensaries, announced that it has entered into a lease agreement with Canadian-based convenience store and gas station chain Circle K to expand its retail footprint in Florida.

Through the agreement, Green Thumb can lease space from Circle K locations in Florida–which currently operates roughly 600 locations in the state, according to a Green Thumb press release. The company plans to roll out “approximately ten ‘RISE Express’ branded dispensaries adjacent to Circle K stores,” next year, according to the release.

Green Thumb Founder, Chairman, and CEO Ben Kovler said opening RISE Express dispensaries at Circle K locations in Florida is a “game-changer.”

“The new RISE Express model is a huge step forward in making it easier and more efficient for patients to purchase high-quality cannabis as part of their everyday routine when stopping by their local convenience store,” he said.

The RISE Express locations will feature a variety of products for patients, including prerolls, edibles, flower, and more. The products will come from Green Thumb’s 28-acre cultivation facility in Ocala, which will be operational by the end of this year, according to the release.

MIAMI, Oct. 20, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- PRESS RELEASE -- Ayr Wellness Inc., a vertically integrated U.S. multi-state cannabis operator, announced the rollout of several brands from its national portfolio to the New Jersey market.

New Jersey cannabis consumers can now purchase products from brands including Lost in Translation (LIT) award-winning, premium whole flower; Kynd premium whole flower; Road Tripper whole flower; STIX pre-rolls; Entourage broad-spectrum, terpene-driven vape cartridges; Secret Orchard fruit-forward vape cartridges; and Wicked soft lozenges. All brands, with the exception of Kynd and Road Tripper, are currently available to both medical patients and adult-use consumers. Kynd and Road Tripper will debut on adult-use menus in the coming weeks.

“Since acquiring Garden State Dispensary, it has been Ayr’s mission to provide an elevated experience for all New Jersey patients and consumers. The introduction of our portfolio of high-quality brands to our menus marks a major milestone in carrying out that mission,” said Jonathan Sandelman, founder and CEO of Ayr Wellness. “We know that our customers have diverse wants and needs, and it’s important to us that we meet them wherever they are in their cannabis journey.”

The portfolio of brands is available at Ayr’s retail stores, operating as Garden State Dispensary, which are in prime locations throughout New Jersey, in the towns of Woodbridge, Union, and Eatontown, as well as in third party dispensaries throughout the state.

For more information about Ayr Wellness, please visit https://ayrwellness.com.

Adult-use cannabis legalization will have a chance at redemption in North Dakota Nov. 8, after a previous reform effort suffered a 20-point defeat in the state’s 2018 election. 

Two Canadian cannabis producers are joining forces: The Green Organic Dutchman (TGOD), a publicly traded operator based in Toronto, and BZAM Cannabis, a privately held operator based in Vancouver. The resulting business is expected to be the sixth largest cannabis cultivation company in Canada.

All told, the two businesses generated a total of $85.7 million “pro forma unaudited net revenue” for the past 12 months.

"This is an exciting day for both companies, for our employees, and for our consumers. We are bringing together two rapidly growing companies that share a passion for cultivation, innovation and brand development," TGOD CEO Sean Bovingdon said in a public statement. "Our highly complementary businesses in terms of production footprints, products and distribution networks create a Combined Entity with a leading branded product portfolio along with significant synergies across our operations."

Those synergies include cost-cutting efficiencies up and down the supply chain once the companies combine. For example, BZAM’s British Columbia facility will supply the combined company with THC distillate and extraction capabilities to build on the rising demand for such products under Canada’s ongoing “cannabis 2.0” market rollout. The company that emerges from this business combination is expected to place more than 400 SKUs on shelves across Canada.

An adult-use cannabis ballot measure’s destiny was in the hands of the Missouri Supreme Court, and, in rare form, the state’s top justices said it wasn’t for them to decide.

Reform advocates in Florida, Mississippi, Nebraska, Oklahoma and South Dakota have not been so lucky in recent years.

Organized by political action committee Legal Missouri 2022 (LM22), Amendment 3 is a constitutional proposal to fully reform cannabis laws in the Show-Me State. This ballot measure will appear on the Nov. 8 ballot and, if passed, will allow Missourians 21 and older to possess, consume, purchase and cultivate cannabis.

The proposal would also allow individuals convicted of nonviolent cannabis-related offenses to petition to be released from incarceration and/or have their records automatically expunged. The criminal justice reform aspect of the constitutional amendment would make Missouri the first state where voters took such a step, according to LM22. Current Missouri law requires those seeking to vacate their convictions to first petition the courts, an expensive and time-consuming process.

While the road to the ballot included the support of pro-reform group NORML, the American Civil Liberties Union, the NAACP and the Missouri Medical Cannabis Trade Association, among others, the initiative also garnered its share of opposition—notably from Jefferson City resident Joy Sweeney, who serves on the Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America.

Sweeney filed a lawsuit Aug. 19 in an attempt to remove the measure from the state ballot. The suit claimed LM22 did not gather enough valid signatures and that the group’s initiative deals with too many policy changes in violation of state law. The lawsuit was supported by Protect Our Kids, a political action committee formed by Luke Niforatos of prohibitionist group Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM).

STONEHAM, Massachusetts, Oct. 19, 2022 - PRESS RELEASE - Theory Wellness will open its fourth adult-use dispensary in Maine Oct. 21, in the heart of New England's premier shopping destination, the Kittery Outlets. The Kittery recreational dispensary is nestled between major national retail brands; the presence of a dispensary in this district demonstrates how far regulated cannabis has come on the East Coast.  

The Oct. 21 opening offers Theory a chance to give back to the Kittery community, as Theory is partnering with the local nonprofit Footprints food pantry by donating 10% of its opening week net profits. It's a consistent theme for the company, which has a track record of helping support local nonprofits across New England.  

"We aim to support the community with every new location; Kittery is no exception," says Thomas Winstanley, chief marketing officer of Theory Wellness. "While the dispensary itself is in the heart of a shopping district, we're now part of a larger community in Southern Maine. Footprints is tackling a serious issue around food insecurity, and we're excited to help."

In their respective markets, Theory has been an active supporter of nonprofits. While opening their Bangor dispensary, they partnered with the local farmer's market. At their Massachusetts dispensaries, they donated a mobile food pantry in Chicopee, and at their Great Barrington dispensary, they've been an annual contributor to the local farmers' market via Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Programs, and Women, Infants, and Children benefits.

The new location at 8 Dexter Lane is just minutes off I-95 on Route 1 and opens at 10 a.m. Oct. 21. The dispensary will be open seven days a week, featuring various cannabis and cannabis products from local Maine companies available for any 21+ customers. It will be Theory's fourth Maine dispensary, following locations in Waterville, Bangor, and South Portland.

WAKEFIELD, Massachusetts, Oct. 19, 2022 - PRESS RELEASE - Curaleaf Holdings, Inc.., an international provider of consumer products in cannabis, announced the opening of its Frederick dispensary, located at 5420 Urbana Pike Frederick, Md. The new dispensary opening follows the final license transfer of a Herbology retail location previously acquired in the Grassroots acquisition. Curaleaf Frederick opened its doors to patients at 9 a.m. Oct. 19.

Conveniently located near highways I-70, US-15, & US-270, Curaleaf Frederick is uniquely positioned to meet the diverse needs of Maryland's growing patient population. Patients can access a premium selection of vaporizers, edibles, concentrates and whole flower products, including Select Elite and Select Elite Live vapes, Grassroots full-spectrum and strain-specific RSO, Grassroots full-spectrum and strain specific RSO capsules, and Grassroots pre-packaged flower and concentrates. Patients can shop inside the brand-new building with guidance from Curaleaf's knowledgeable staff or pre-ordering and utilizing the location's curbside pickup service.

The Curaleaf team and Frederick Chamber of Commerce will kick off grand opening festivities with a ribbon cutting at 3 p.m. on Oct. 21. The celebration will continue from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Oct. 22, with an on-site DJ, games and prizes, live art activations, food trucks, and swag giveaways. Patients can enjoy a 25% discount at the new Frederick location for two weeks following the opening, and starting Oct. 22, they can enter to win $500 in Cura-credits at any Maryland location.

"We are thrilled to welcome patients and build community in our new Frederick dispensary," said Matt Darin, CEO of Curaleaf. "Our team in Maryland remains committed to providing a tailored, educational approach to meeting the diverse needs of patients at every stage of their cannabis journey. We are especially optimistic about the future of Maryland's cannabis market with the Marijuana Legalization Amendment on the ballot this November."

RELATED: 2022 Election Preview: Maryland Appears Poised to Legalize Cannabis

For more information regarding Curaleaf's product offerings and locations in Maryland, along with openings and hours of operation, please visit www.curaleaf.com/locations/maryland.

After the Oklahoma Supreme Court shot down a chance for voters to have their say on adult-use cannabis legalization in November, another opportunity has emerged. Gov. Kevin Stitt declared a special election will be set for March 7, 2023, at which point voters will finally confront State Question 820—a measure that would legalize cannabis for adults 21 and older. 

Read the full proclamation below.

The move cuts into the timelines set in the recent state Supreme Court ruling, which would have seen State Question 820 return to voters in November 2024. With Stitt’s executive powers, voters in one of the most bustling U.S. cannabis markets will have a shot at legalizing a new adult-use industry much sooner.

Not for nothing, the 2018 ballot measure that brought about Oklahoma’s medical cannabis market was also passed by voters during a special election. 

Once this high-profile midterm election passes, the group behind this ballot measure—Oklahomans for Sensible Marijuana Laws, also known around the state as Yes on 820—will continue to work to raise awareness of the March 7 vote.

"After all the delays caused by the new signature count process, we are excited to finally be on the ballot on March 7, 2023, so that Oklahomans can experience the benefits of the State Question without further delay,” Yes on 820 Campaign Director Michelle Tilley said in a public statement. “We are grateful the voices of over 164,000 Oklahomans who signed the petition and want to vote on legalizing recreational marijuana for adults in Oklahoma have been heard.”

We are three weeks from the election on Nov. 8, which may bring another wave of state-by-state cannabis legalization to the industry. Although President Joe Biden, on Oct. 6 , announced presidential pardons for those charged or convicted of federal, simple marijuana possession, the president’s proclamation is not legalization nor is it federal decriminalization of cannabis. The matter of cannabis reform remains largely in the hands of state officials—and voters.

Cannabis in America is no longer simply partisan along major political party lines. Some in politically red (Republican) states support marijuana legalization and many politically red states have legalized medical marijuana to include some recent additions to the medical-state-roster such as Mississippi voting in medical legalization in 2020) and Alabama whose governor signed medical legalization into law in 2021.

Politically blue states have legalized more quickly than politically red states. Most begin with baby steps, either with some sort of medical regime (a robust, exclusively-medical or those with severely limited access to cannabis). After a number of years, eventually these states become more permissive and expand access.

The two exceptions to this medical-to-recreational progression are South Dakota (which legalized both recreational and medical at the same time with ballot measures on the November 2020 ballot, even though the South Dakota Supreme Court the following year invalidated the adult-use measure) and the American inhabited territory of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands that legalized both by legislation signed by the territorial governor in 2018.

Some people residing in politically red states who support any degree of cannabis legalization are often stymied by the very people they elect or appoint to political and/or judicial positions. As Jessica Piper, a Democratic state representative nominee in Missouri told reporters of the Northwest Missouri news in August 2022, “I wish we could do it legislatively, . . . [that we did not] have to petition our government all the time, but we have to do that because we have a Republican supermajority who doesn’t listen to constituents.”

To date, there are three degrees of cannabis legalization in the U.S. These are the regions in which the following are (state or territorially) legal:

Mint Cannabis, a multistate cannabis operator with retail locations in Arizona and Michigan, has announced that it plans to offer 24-hour service in Arizona for those 21 and older. 

As a starting point, Mint began the around-the-clock operations Oct. 14 at its Tempe. Ariz., dispensary located at 5210 S. Priest Dr., where it is offering 24-hour service every weekend starting 7:00 a.m. Thursday to midnight Sunday, and “may expand the extended hours to additional days of the week based on demand,” according to a press release. 

Implementing 24-hour service allows the company “to better serve its most in-need individuals during overnight hours and customers who have different work shifts,” according to the release. 

Mint’s Tempe dispensary also offers a delivery service for medical patients within a 25-mile radius of the location and a drive-thru for customers, providing increased convenience and accessibility.

The company plans to open two additional retail locations in Phoenix by the end of the year and has plans to expand operations to Nevada, Missouri, Massachusetts, and Illinois.

Cookies, a lifestyle and cannabis brand, is opening a Cookies SF retail clothing store and future cannabis career training facility in New York to bring “industry and community awareness to the cultural capital of the world,” according to a press release.

The five-story clothing store–located at 958 6th Ave in Midtown Manhattan–will feature Cookies’ apparel and accessories, reserve merchandise specific to New York, and various CBD products. According to the release, the company also plans to use the “space as an education hub in partnership with local colleges.”

RELATED: At Cookies, Brand Development and Equity Are Key to Growth

Cookies U, which has locations in both California and New York and provides free training and education programs to social equity students, also anticipates partnering with local colleges to develop training programs related to cannabis, according to the release.

“This is a huge move for Cookies SF and solidifies us as one of the most recognized streetwear brands in the world. This location is iconic for so many reasons,” said Berner, Cookies co-founder and CEO. “We plan on doing some incredible things in this location and can’t thank our partners enough. We’ve hired some really cool employees and plan on bringing big vibes to the big apple on 10/30.”

RELATED: Cookies Partners With Cirona Labs on New Products

Alabama hemp growers, processors and universities can now apply for a license for the 2023 season.

The Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries (ADAI) announced that license applications are available online through the Kelly Registration System from 8:00 a.m. Oct. 11 to 5:00 p.m. Nov. 30.

“This is the department’s fifth year to administer the hemp program. It has always been our goal to manage the program in a fair and timely manner to benefit Alabama farmers and hemp producers and to develop industrial hemp as an alternative crop,” said Rick Pate, ADAI commissioner.

Each application requires a non-refundable application fee of $150, plus a service fee. For more information, click here.

COMMERCE, California, Oct. 18, 2022 - PRESS RELEASE - Beaker & Wrench, known industry-wide for the development of innovative distillation equipment, announces the launch of its Solvent Recovery System. This expansion to include solvent recovery equipment in its product line showcases its commitment to scientific innovation and meeting the needs of the cannabis extraction industry.

"We've mastered the distillation step with our 6'' and 12'' wiped-films," said Lilibel de la Puente, Beaker & Wrench president and founder. "It's always been our intention to cover the entire extraction process, supporting our customers every step of the way. That's why we're so excited that our Solvent Recovery System is now available on the market."

Beaker & Wrench's Solvent Recovery System is a self-regulating automated system rated class I div 2 environment - a continuous feed/recovery system of up to 450 liters (120 gallons) of ethanol per hour and

Legal cannabis could soon be a reality in Maryland.  

On Oct. 6, President Joe Biden rolled out a three-part plan to bring cannabis reform into his administration.

The news of the day led with Biden’s plan to pardon all individuals previously convicted by the federal government of simple possession of cannabis. The second part of Biden’s announcement urged all state governors to pardon state-level offenses of simple cannabis possession, as well.

It’s the third part of Biden’s plan that could have the most substantive effects on licensed cannabis operators: a request for the secretary of Health and Human Services and the U.S. attorney general to review the status of cannabis under the Controlled Substances Act.

Of course, cannabis is presently classified under Schedule I: the most prohibitive of the five classifications, each of which relates to the addictive nature and medical value of certain substances.

The Biden administration’s review of cannabis’s status could ultimately result in rescheduling the plant to another classification, descheduling the plant entirely—or nothing. Rescheduling cannabis would send it down a regulatory pathway much different than the current state-by-state structure; the U.S. Food and Drug Administration would inevitably be involved. Descheduling the plant would likely defer all regulations to the states, maintaining the current framework in a way.

We asked Leah Heise, senior adviser at Kearney, what to make of Biden’s forward-looking plan. There is much that remains unknown, but the entrance of the federal government’s executive branch signals a potentially dramatic shift in how the cannabis industry operates.

Leafly is partnering with Uber Eats Canada to offer cannabis delivery for consumers throughout the Toronto, Ontario, region.

Beginning today, Toronto cannabis consumers aged 19 and older can place orders from local licensed cannabis retailers to be delivered via Uber Eats. Through the Uber Eats app, consumers can select the “cannabis” category and search for licensed retailers in their delivery radius.

This partnership marks the first time a third-party delivery platform offers cannabis as part of its delivery services, according to a release from both companies.

“Leafly has been empowering the cannabis marketplace in Canada for more than four years, and we support more than 200 cannabis retailers in the GTA (Greater Toronto Area),” said Yoko Miyashita, CEO of Leafly. “We are thrilled to work with Uber Eats to help licensed retailers bring safe, legal cannabis to people across the city.”

Furthermore, this partnership will also help combat the illicit market–which accounts for the majority of cannabis sales in Ontario, according to the release–as well as impaired driving.

“We are partnering with industry leaders like Leafly to help retailers offer safe, convenient options for people in Toronto to purchase legal cannabis for delivery to their homes, which will help combat the illegal market and help reduce impaired driving,” said Lola Kassim, general manager of Uber Eats Canada. “Over the last few years, we have invested heavily in our delivery business and selection has expanded tremendously. Uber Eats has grown quickly to become a versatile platform usable by diverse businesses large and small.”

Charges against three former cannabis executives in Ontario could set a legal precedent for publicly traded cannabis companies that fail to comply with provincial regulations—notably securities offenses—in Canada.

Legal proceedings are expected to begin Oct. 17 in the Ontario Court of Justice involving CannTrust Holdings Inc.’s (now doing business as Phoena Holdings Inc.) former CEO Peter Aceto, as well as Eric Paul and Mark Litwin, the company’s former board chairman and vice chairman. They face charges of fraud and of permitting unlicensed activity in connection to thousands of kilograms of cannabis grown in 2018, The Canadian Press reported.

Ontario Securities Commission (OSC) officials claim that the three former executives did not disclose about 50% of the growing space at the company’s Pelham, Ontario, facility, which was not licensed by Health Canada, according to the news source. The commission’s filings claim the men used corporate disclosures to assert they were compliant with regulations.

OSC officials first filed the charges in June 2021, which has now led to the commission’s first legal proceeding involving a publicly traded cannabis company, The Canadian Press reported.

In addition to charges of fraud and abetting in noncompliant cannabis cultivation, Litwin and Paul were charged with insider trading, specifically in relation to allegedly trading CannTrust shares while possessing undisclosed information regarding the unlicensed cultivation in question.

Also, Aceto and Litwin were accused of making a false prospectus and a false preliminary prospectus that they signed off on to allegedly raise money in the U.S. The financial documents stated CannTrust was fully licensed and compliant with regulatory requirements, according to The Canadian Press.

APOPKA, Florida, Oct. 17, 2022 - PRESS RELEASE - Sanctuary Medicinals has rebranded its Florida operations to Sanctuary Cannabis. As such, Sanctuary Cannabis is proud to announce the opening of its fourteenth medical cannabis dispensary in Florida.

Located on Beach Blvd at its intersection with I-295, Sanctuary Jacksonville will host its Grand Opening celebration Oct. 15. As the first operational Sanctuary dispensary in Duval County, Jacksonville brings the number of Sanctuary locations in Florida to fourteen.

"Jacksonville has been a highly anticipated municipality for us both internally and externally," said Jason Sidman, CEO of Sanctuary Cannabis. "Our patient base has grown significantly in 2022, and we've definitely heard their demands for us to enter the Jacksonville area."

Sanctuary Jacksonville is the company's first foray into Duval County and its northernmost Florida location to date. As part of the company's continued northward push after a string of openings on the southeast coast, Sanctuary has plans to open a second Jacksonville location before the end of the year. The existing Sanctuary Jacksonville is located southeast of Southside Estates and just two miles north of the University of North Florida campus.

"We are excited to begin providing the patients of Jacksonville with quality medical cannabis," said Bill Dewar, chief operating officer. "Our Jacksonville opening is an important component of our expansion strategy as we strive to reach new patients in parts of the state where we didn't previously have physical locations."

Sanctuary Jacksonville will keep its usual hours of operation from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. All registered and first-time patients will receive a 50-percent discount. The company will also be providing food and entertainment for the celebration, beginning at 4:30 p.m. and concluding at 7:30 p.m.