MjLink Cannabis Business News and Press
PHOENIX, Sept. 13, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- PRESS RELEASE -- Item 9 Labs, a cannabis product brand, is adding a new permanent mainstay to its extensive product line-up. Following the success of its limited edition infused half-gram prerolls, the brand is launching 1 gram concentrate infused prerolls at participating dispensaries.
Item 9 Labs has been testing limited edition releases of seven half-gram infused prerolls in the Phoenix and Tucson markets as the trending industry category continues to maintain consistent triple digit growth throughout the state. The first limited-edition release in October 2021, Mummy Fingers, a crumble-infused preroll, sold out in 24 hours and inspired an entire line over the next year, including Badder Up!, Sugar Daze and the most recent Cosmic Crumble. Each release is receiving rave reviews from retail partners and consumers alike.
"We are utilizing our wide range of concentrates to propel our intentionally grown flower into different experiences for our consumers and patients to enjoy by expanding their palate and introducing them to new synergistic terpene profiles," said the brand's lab director, Eric Eisele.
With increasing consumer demand and Item 9 Labs products sold in over 60 percent of Arizona dispensaries, Item 9 Labs is a top 10 brand in the market and one of the leaders in the category. The brand's 1 gram infused prerolls are crafted with award-winning flower and live resin sugar, live resin badder or crumble concentrates which are grown and extracted in-house. Each infused preroll is individually packaged and made with ultra-thin, unrefined French paper to ensure a superior cannabis experience.
"Creating the perfect infused preroll product is an extensive, yet extremely rewarding process. We strive to stay ahead of the curve and feel inspired when refining our procedures," said Chris Wolven, chief operating officer of Item 9 Labs. "The launch of our new permanent mainstay is a testament to the brand's dedication for innovation and commitment to delivering masterfully-crafted cannabis products that our consumers can truly smell, taste and feel the difference."
The Item 9 Labs infused prerolls offer a harmonious blend of intentionally grown flower and premium concentrates for a consistent cannabis experience in every draw. Through thorough research and development, the brand's expert extraction and cultivation teams created a proprietary process that preserves the integrity of each infused preroll through even distribution of concentrate powder throughout award-winning flower.
In an ongoing effort to address California’s obstacle-heavy cannabis landscape, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Sept. 18 that he signed 10 bills to help expand the legal market and address the ever-lasting impacts of prohibition.
Also, the governor directed state officials to expedite health and safety policy reforms, to prioritize university funding of research related to cannabis potency, and to redouble efforts on tackling barriers to access.
Despite state legalization and the subsequent Medicinal and Adult Use Cannabis Regulation and Safety Act (MAUCRSA) in California, local opposition, rigid bureaucracy and federal prohibition remain as the highest hurdles preventing further progress in the licensed industry, according to the governor’s office.
“For too many Californians, the promise of cannabis legalization remains out of reach,” Newsom said in a press release Sunday. “These [signed] measures build on the important strides our state has made toward this goal, but much work remains to build an equitable, safe and sustainable legal cannabis industry. I look forward to partnering with the Legislature and policymakers to fully realize cannabis legalization in communities across California.”
Following are abbreviated breakdowns for each of the 10 bills Newsom signed on Sept. 18:
SB 1326, by Sen. Anna Caballero, D-Merced (Cannabis: interstate agreements): This bill authorizes the governor to enter into an agreement with another state or states authorizing medicinal or adult-use commercial cannabis activity, or both, between foreign licensees, who are licensed under the laws of the other state or states, and entities operating with a state license pursuant to MAUCRSA, provided that the commercial cannabis activities are lawful and subject to licensure under the laws of the other state or states.
AB 1706, by Rep. Mia Bonta, D-Oakland (Cannabis crimes: resentencing): This bill will, if a sentence was not challenged by July 1, 2020, require the court to issue an order recalling or dismissing the sentence, dismissing and sealing, or redesignating the conviction no later than March 1, 2023, and will require the court to update its records accordingly and to notify the Department of Justice.
AB 1646, by Rep. Phillip Chen, R-Yorba Linda (Cannabis packaging: beverages): This bill authorizes cannabis beverages to be packaged in containers of any material (as opposed to only glass) that are clear or any color.
AB 1885, by Rep. Ash Kalra, D-San Jose (Cannabis and cannabis products: animals: veterinary medicine): This bill expands MAUCRSA to include the control and regulation of the cultivation, distribution, transport, storage, manufacturing, processing and sale of cannabis products intended for use on, or consumption by, animals, excluding livestock and food animals from the definition of “animal,” and specifies that cannabis concentrate and edible products are not considered processed pet foods as defined under the Pure Pet Food Act of 1969.
AB 1894, by Rep. Luz Rivas, D-Arleta (Integrated cannabis vaporizer: packaging, labeling, advertisement, and marketing): This bill will, commencing July 1, 2024, require the advertisement and marketing of a cannabis cartridge and an integrated cannabis vaporizer to prominently display a specified message to properly dispose of a cannabis cartridge and an integrated cannabis vaporizer as hazardous waste, and would also prohibit the package, label, advertisement and marketing from indicating that the cannabis cartridge or integrated cannabis vaporizer is disposable or implying that it may be thrown in the trash or recycling streams.
AB 2210, by Rep. Bill Quirk, D-Hayward (Cannabis: state temporary event licenses: venues licensed by the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control: unsold inventory): This bill prohibits the Department of Cannabis Control (DCC) from denying an application for a state temporary event license solely on the basis that there is a license issued pursuant to the Alcoholic Beverage Control Act for the proposed premises of the event.
AB 2188, by Rep. Bill Quirk, D-Hayward (Discrimination in employment: use of cannabis): This bill, on and after Jan. 1, 2024, will make it unlawful for an employer to discriminate against a person in hiring, termination, or any term or condition of employment, or otherwise penalize a person, if the discrimination is based upon the person’s use of cannabis off the job and away from the workplace, except for preemployment drug screening or upon an employer-required drug screening test that has found the person to have non-psychoactive cannabis metabolites in their hair, blood, urine, or other bodily fluids.
AB 2568, by Rep. Ken Cooley, D-Rancho Cordova (Cannabis: insurance providers): This bill provides it is not a crime solely for individuals and firms to provide insurance and related services to persons licensed to engage in commercial cannabis activity.
AB 2925, by Rep. Jim Cooper, D-Elk Grove (California Cannabis Tax Fund: spending reports): This bill requires the State Department of Health Care Services, on or before July 10, 2023, to provide to the Legislature a spending report of funds from the Youth Education, Prevention, Early Intervention and Treatment Account for the 2021–22 and 2022–23 fiscal years. The bill requires the department, on or before July 10, 2024, and annually thereafter, to provide that spending report for the prior fiscal year.
In addition to signing those 10 bills, Newsom directed the California Department of Public Health to “convene subject matter experts to survey current scientific research and policy mechanisms to address the growing emergence of high-potency cannabis and hemp products.”
A judge ruled last week that the Nevada Board of Pharmacy must remove cannabis from the state’s list of Schedule I substances.
Clark County District Judge Joe Hardy’s Sept. 14 ruling, which comes more than 20 years after Nevada voters approved medical cannabis legalization, stems from a lawsuit filed by the ACLU of Nevada, according to the Nevada Current.
The ACLU sued on behalf of Antoinette Poole, who was convicted of possession of a controlled substance for possessing cannabis, the news outlet reported. The ACLU argued in the case that Nevadans continue to be arrested for cannabis possession due to the Board of Pharmacy maintaining cannabis as a Schedule I substance.
The Board of Pharmacy argued that since the federal government lists cannabis as a Schedule I drug, the state should, as well, according to the Nevada Current.
Hardy ruled that listing cannabis as a Schedule I drug conflicts with the state Constitution, which states that cannabis has medical uses, the news outlet reported.
The Pennsylvania Cannabis Coalition (PCC) announced last week that the trade organization has released a candidate survey to gauge elected officials’ stance on cannabis policy ahead of the November election.
The questionnaire, sent to state and senate elected official incumbents and candidates, will focus on “current issues facing the cannabis industry and evaluate support for Pennsylvania’s medical marijuana program and the legalization of cannabis for adult use," according to the PCC’s press release.
The survey results will ultimately help inform trade organizations’ candidate endorsements before voters head to the polls Nov. 8.
“This is the first time that the PCC will be engaging directly with candidates in this manner, and we don’t take the practice lightly,” PCC Executive Director Meredith Buettner said in a public statement. “The cannabis industry has a vast network of supporters, which are becoming increasingly vocal. Our organization strives to engage with and continually educate that network—ensuring that when they get to the polls, they know which candidates will help enhance the state’s medical marijuana program and which will support potential adult-use legislation.”
The PCC will publish an endorsed candidate list on its website once the survey results have been compiled, according to the group’s announcement.
NORWOOD, Mass., Sept. 13, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- PRESS RELEASE -- MariMed, Inc, a multi-state cannabis operator focused on improving lives every day, today announced an agreement with 42 Degrees, a Michigan licensed cannabis producer and distributer, to manufacture and distribute MariMed’s award-winning brands and products in the state. 42 Degrees currently wholesales products into 340 dispensaries, representing approximately 75% of the operating dispensaries in Michigan. The agreement provides initially for the manufacture, sales, and distribution of MariMed’s Betty’s Eddies full-spectrum fruit chews into the adult-use market. The intention longer-term is to roll out other brands in MariMed’s portfolio, including Bubby’s Baked soft and chewy baked goods and Vibations: High + Energy powder energy drink mix.
The licensing deal is aligned with the company’s strategic growth plan to distribute its brands in legal cannabis states across the country. The company anticipates Betty’s Eddies will be available in the Michigan retail market in early 2023.
“We are thrilled to partner with 42 Degrees for the production and distribution of our award-winning Betty’s Eddies branded products in the Michigan adult-use cannabis market,” said Ryan Crandall, chief revenue officer for MariMed. “Michigan is one of the largest cannabis markets in the country and we could not be more pleased to introduce our brands to these great cannabis consumers within the state.”
According to the Michigan’s Cannabis Regulatory Agency, Michigan reported approximately $1.8 billion in total legal cannabis sales in 2021, which was up about 80% versus 2020. With a population of over 10 million and $1.8 billion in legal cannabis sales, Michigan is one of the largest, fastest-growing cannabis markets in the U.S. The adult-use cannabis market in Michigan is projected to grow to $2.1 billion dollars in 2025 according to Cowen Research.
NORTHAMPTON, Mass. – Sept. 12, 2022 – PRESS RELEASE – The Source+, a popular, award-winning cannabis company founded in Nevada, recently opened its first East Coast dispensary in Northampton. Located at 58 Pleasant St., just south of Bridge Street, The Source+ offers a diverse, expertly curated selection of products and a back patio for socializing.
“We’re thrilled to have been so warmly welcomed by the local community with the opening of The Source+ in Northampton,” said Steve Haffer, CEO of The Source+. “In addition to offering an exceptional collection of cannabis products, we look forward to creating relationships with our neighbors at our gatherings and educational events on our patio.”
The Source+’s first dispensary outside of Nevada is a modern, welcoming showroom that offers nearly 40 strains of cannabis and displays a wide selection of brands, including a variety of edibles, concentrates, tinctures and other popular cannabis products. A first for The Source+, the Northampton 500-square-foot patio offers comfortable seating and lawn games and will host live entertainment from local performers and more. To continue efforts in decreasing the stigma that surrounds cannabis, The Source+ hosts regular educational events that take place on the patio for customers to learn about the industry, cultivation and other segments of the plant.
As a community-driven business, The Source+ has prioritized giving back since its inception, supporting local partners by donating more than $700,000 to nonprofit organizations in Nevada and nationally, including Opportunity Village, Candlelighters Childhood Cancer Foundation of Nevada, The Nevada Homeless Alliance, Mondays Dark and more. Since the opening of its Northampton location, The Source+ has made donations to Homework House, Massachusetts Military Support Foundation LGBTQIA+ nonprofit, Venture Out Project.
The Source+ Northampton is open from noon to 7 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and from noon to 9 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. More information is available by calling The Source+ at 413-842-4000, as well as on the website and on Instagram.
WAKEFIELD, Massachusetts, September 19, 2022 - PRESS RELEASE - Curaleaf Holdings, Inc., an international provider of consumer products in cannabis, announced the opening of its Allentown dispensary, located at 1801 Airport Rd, Allentown, Pa. 18109. Curaleaf Allentown is the company's sixth new location to open within the Keystone State this year, expanding its retail presence to 18 locations in Pennsylvania and 137 nationwide.
Curaleaf Allentown offers a curated selection of products across the company's brand portfolio, including Grassroots, Select and Curaleaf. Patients can choose from a wide array of products, including Select Elite, Select Elite Live, Grassroots full-spectrum and strain-specific RSO, Grassroots full-spectrum and strain-specific RSO capsules, Grassroots pre-packaged flower, Curaleaf pre-packaged flower and Grassroots concentrates.
The new dispensary celebrated its soft opening on Sept. 17 and is scheduled for an official grand opening event on Sept. 29. Curaleaf has commemorated its latest retail opening by making a $5,000 donation to the Urban Affairs Coalition, a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving quality of life and building wealth in marginalized communities.
"We are excited to deepen our roots in the Keystone State with the opening of Curaleaf Allentown, our first dispensary in Lehigh County," said Matt Darin, CEO of Curaleaf. "Pennsylvania has welcomed six new Curaleaf locations this year, and we remain committed to expanding access to high-quality medical marijuana products for the state's growing body of medical patients."
In addition to Curaleaf Allentown, the company serves patients in Altoona, Bradford, Brookville, City Avenue, DuBois, Erie, Gettysburg, Greensburg, Harrisburg, Horsham, King of Prussia, Lancaster, Lebanon, Morton, Philadelphia, State College, and Wayne.
For more information regarding Curaleaf's product offerings in Pennsylvania, along with openings and hours of operation, please visit www.curaleaf.com/locations/pennsylvania.
]]>Sunday Goods, an Arizona-based cultivator and retailer, is partnering with NORML’s Arizona chapter on two expungement clinics in November.
The free clinics will be hosted at Sunday Goods’ Tempe location on Nov. 12 and Nov. 19 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m..
In order to qualify for expungement under Proposition 207, low-level cannabis offenses can be cleared if they meet the following criteria: possessing, consuming, or transporting 2.5 ounces or less of cannabis; possessing, consuming, or transporting 12.5 grams or less of concentrates; possessing, transporting, cultivating, or processing six or fewer cannabis plants; and/or possessing, using, or transporting cannabis paraphernalia.
“At Arizona NORML, our goal is simple: to reform marijuana laws by any legitimate means,” said Jon Udell, acting co-director for Arizona NORML. “We also strive to educate the public and mitigate the collateral consequences of our government’s long-running war on cannabis consumers. Expungement clinics like these are an essential means to ensure that all Arizonans can move on from the unjust consequences of past charges, even if they cannot afford to hire a lawyer. And we simply can’t host these important clinics without valuable partners such as Sunday Goods.”
Food trucks will also be available on site at the expungement clinics.
“We could not be prouder to partner with Arizona NORML in hosting these crucial clinics for all Arizonans who were unjustly arrested or convicted on low-level marijuana offenses,” said Matt Daley, vice president of marketing for Sunday Goods. “We welcome to everyone to visit our Tempe location and work with the staff of NORML to clear their records.”
WAKEFIELD, Mass., Sept. 19, 2022 – PRESS RELEASE – Curaleaf Holdings Inc., a leading international provider ofconsumer products in cannabis, announced the completion of its agreement toacquire a 55% stake in Four 20 Pharma GmbH, a fully EU-GMP & GDP licensedGerman producer and distributor of medical cannabis.
BorisJordan, executive chairman of Curaleaf, said, “We are pleased to complete thetransaction with Four 20 Pharma, and I am personally thrilled to welcomeTorsten and Thomas to the Curaleaf family. Our early focus on Europe has givenCuraleaf a formidable strategic asset and strong foundation in one of theindustry’s critical global markets. Curaleaf is the only U.S. MSO uniquelypositioned to capitalize on the opportunity.”
Withthe close of the transaction, Curaleaf has solidified a strategic pathway toacquire complete control of Four 20 Pharma after two years of the commencementof adult-use reform in Germany, which is slated to begin in early 2024.
MilesWorne, president of Curaleaf International, said, “Four 20 Pharma is an idealasset to accelerate our growth in Germany as the country readies for itsconversion from medical cannabis to adult use. Curaleaf International continuesto build our platform in eight markets, and this deal further underscores ouraspiration to be a major player in the European market and the global industryleader.”
]]>The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced the first pool of grant recipients Sept. 14 for its Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities program, and two of the selected projects focus on the research and development of hemp as a climate-smart commodity.
The USDA announced in February the funding opportunity allows the organization to “finance pilot projects that create market opportunities for U.S. agricultural and forestry products that use climate-smart practices and include innovative, cost-effective ways to measure and verify greenhouse gas benefits.”
The organization announced Sept. 14 that it’s investing up to $2.8 billion for the first round of 70 selected projects—two of which are focused on hemp research and development and will receive a combined total of $21 million.
The USDA granted $15 million to support the “Industrial Hemp for Fiber and Grain” research project led by Iconoclast Industries, LLC.
The project is expected to take place across Florida, New York, Tennessee, Virginia and Wisconsin and is designed to “expand climate-smart markets and remedy lack of available data on environmentally beneficial practices for hemp production by providing open-accessible data and training and enabling monetization of climate-smart practices through a pilot designation in a digital marketplace,” according to the website.
The project will also establish a workforce to engage with and financially support underserved producers as they start to implement and learn climate-smart practices, according to the website. Other project partners include the University of Florida, University of Georgia, INDHemp, Global Hemp Association, 357 Hemp Logistics and more.
The 10-day protest period ended Sept. 15 for Oklahoma’s adult-use cannabis ballot measure, State Question 820, which received four challenges that campaign organizers are calling “frivolous” in their pursuit for reform.
The challenges dispute the sincerity of the measure’s title as well as the validity of signatures that Oklahomans for Sensible Marijuana Laws (OSML), dubbed the “Yes on 820 Campaign,” submitted July 5 to Secretary of State Brian Bingman’s office.
RELATED: 6 States That Could Legalize Cannabis Through 2022 Ballot Measures
Now, it’s up to the state’s Supreme Court justices to determine whether the challenges hold the legal substance needed to sway a determination for S.Q. 820’s appearance on the November 2022 statewide ballot.
“We remain confident that State Question 820 has enough time, valid signatures, and support to be printed on the November ballot,” Campaign Director Michelle Tilley said in a Sept. 15 press release. “We believe the court will act quickly to dismiss these half-baked challenges aimed at thwarting Oklahomans’ right to vote on State Question 820 this November. I would also remind our challengers that Oklahomans do not take kindly to folks trying to take away our rights, and the state has severe penalties for filing lawsuits that waste everyone’s time.”
One of the challenges was brought forth by state residents John Stotts, Karma Robinson and Mary Chris Barth. Stotts served on the Pottawatomie County Farm Bureau board of directors for more than 30 years; Barth serves on the Beaver County Farm Bureau’s board of directors; and Robinson, of Oklahoma County, has connections to the State Chamber of Oklahoma, the Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs, and to past political campaigns for former Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin and current U.S. Sen. James Inhofe—both Republicans.
AUSTIN, Texas (Sept. 14, 2022)—Texas Original, Texas’ leading medical cannabis provider, announced its first product specifically designed to help qualifying patients who suffer from insomnia, night terrors or restlessness as a result of various medical conditions. The Sweet Dreams sleep gummy will be available to the company’s state-leading patient network in October.
Sweet Dreams is the first Texas Original product to incorporate cannabinol (CBN), a minor cannabinoid known for its sedative properties. It is also Texas Original’s first gummy containing terpenes—active chemical compounds that provide therapeutic effects for patients. Months in the making, the Texas Original product team performed multiple rounds of development trials to ensure the gummy’s effects and efficacy meet the highest levels of quality and consistency patients expect from the company’s exemplary gummy products. The Texas-inspired dewberry-flavored gummies will be available in 30-count packages formulated with 5 mg of CBN, 10 mg of THC and targeted rest terpenes in each gummy.
“Sleep is the bedrock of our health. But for many, sleep is often disrupted or damaged by the effects of PTSD, cancer and other debilitating conditions,” said Morris Denton, CEO of Texas Original. “We want to make sure every patient who struggles with sleep has several high-quality, trusted medical cannabis options to rely on. Hundreds of our patients have told us they are sleeping better than ever due to the power of medical cannabis. We encourage all patients who struggle with sleep to talk to their doctors about the Sweet Dreams gummy.”
Like all Texas Original gummy products, Sweet Dreams gummies are crafted with nanoemulsion technology for a faster onset time to induce quicker symptom relief. Patients can expect to feel the initial treatment effects as soon as 15 minutes after consumption—which is up to eight times faster than alternative CBN products in Texas. Texas Original gummies are also vegan and use natural food coloring and dyes.
“Our medical cannabis is expertly cultivated, meticulously extracted and rigorously tested to ensure every product we package is of the highest quality and efficacy,” said Kelly Roland, president of Texas Original. “One of the most important tenets of our production process is consistency. Patients suffering from sleep-related symptoms can count on our products to be the same week after week—to make sure that every night’s sleep is a good night’s sleep. Our fast-acting Sweet Dreams formulation incorporates CBN and targeted rest terpenes, along with THC, to help accomplish that goal.”
With 12 pickup sites and two full-time retail locations throughout the state—the largest distribution network of any provider—Texas Original’s Sweet Dreams gummies will be conveniently available to patients on a daily or weekly basis. To learn whether you or a loved one qualifies for medical cannabis in Texas, visit www.texasoriginal.com/patients.
]]>Cannabis consumption lounges are one step closer to becoming a reality in Nevada.
The Nevada Cannabis Control Board (CCB) announced Sept. 14 that it will accept applications for consumption lounges beginning at 8 a.m. Oct. 14 and ending at 5 p.m. Oct. 27. Applications must be submitted in the Accela Cannabis Customer Portal.
CCB officials approved regulations governing consumption lounges in June, roughly one year after Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak signed legislation to legalize consumption lounges.
RELATED: Cannabis Lounges Likely to Broaden Las Vegas Tourism Appeal
A “yes” to consumption lounges is a decision that was in limbo in Nevada for years, as lounges “showed promise as part of a Las Vegas ordinance back in 2017 and again in 2019, but due to setbacks and political debates from the rival gaming industry, the legislation never became a reality,” Cannabis Business Times previously reported.
]]>LANSING, Mich.,Sept. 15, 2022 – PRESS RELEASE – Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announcedthe appointment of Brian Hanna as acting executive director of the CannabisRegulatory Agency (CRA). Effective Sept. 19, Hanna will join the CRA, bringingextensive experience to fill this vital role within the Whitmer-GilchristAdministration.
“I am thrilled towelcome Brian Hanna as the new acting executive director of the CannabisRegulatory Agency, where he will continue putting Michiganders first, growingour economy and creating jobs,” Whitmer said. “The state of Michigan and theCRA are at the forefront of the nation’s hemp and marijuana industry, settingthe standard for stimulating business growth and preserving secure consumeraccess to cannabis. A win for the industry is a win for Michiganders becauseits tax revenue allows us to invest back into our schools, roads, and otheressential services that make a real difference in our communities. I amconfident Brian will serve as an excellent leader as the CRA continuesestablishing Michigan as the national model for cannabis regulations.”
Hanna’sprevious service in the Marijuana Regulatory Agency, now CRA, under formerExecutive Director Andrew Brisbo will ensure he continues the mission andongoing work of the agency. Hanna spent five years with the CRA as the managerof field operations, inspections and investigations. He has a law enforcementand military background, having previously worked as a criminal intelligencemanager and analyst with MSP and as a deputy sheriff for Kalamazoo County.
He alsoserved as a captain in the United States Army Reserve with a combat deploymentto Afghanistan from 2010-2011. Hanna holds a Bachelor of Arts in CriminalJustice from Western Michigan University and an associate degree in lawenforcement from Kalamazoo Valley Community College.
“Iam excited to return to the Cannabis Regulatory Agency and am grateful for thisopportunity,” Hanna said. “I look forward to reconnecting with stakeholders toensure we have a clear and concise regulatory framework for oversight of thisindustry to promote continued growth in Michigan. I also look forward toworking with the administration and our legislative partners wherever possibleto continue providing safe products to consumers. I’m honored that Gov. Whitmerhas appointed me to lead this important agency and look forward to getting towork.”
A legal battle over a cannabis cultivation facility worth more than $30 million in Shelton, Wash., alleges an acquiring company’s former directors stole the property and business in a breach of fiduciary duties, conversion and unjust enrichment.
The lawsuit was filed Sept. 13 by boutique litigation law firm Dovel & Luner in the Superior Court of Mason County on behalf of Agrios Global and its wholly owned subsidiary, Timberland Bay Properties.
Founded in 2017 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Agrios leases and manages properties and equipment to eco-sustainable agronomy and provides services to support all aspects of aeroponic cultivation in the cannabis sector. Timberland is its limited liability subsidiary in Washington.
The lawsuit names former Agrios directors and Timberland officers James Foster and Christopher Kennedy as defendants in the case, which stems from Agrios’ 2018 acquisition of the Shelton facility for roughly $20 million. The title to the facility was held in Timberland’s name.
Foster was the board chairman at Agrios, while Kennedy was the CEO.
Foster previously owned the Shelton facility before Agrios acquired it in 2018. That transaction allowed Foster to invest in Agrios without providing cash in exchange for approximately 26% of the shares in the publicly traded company.
The Vermont Cannabis Control Board (CCB) issued its first round of cannabis retail licenses Sept. 14 to businesses in Rutland, Middlebury and Burlington.
The CCB awarded the retail licenses to Mountain Girl Cannabis in Rutland and FLORA Cannabis in Middlebury and granted one integrated license to CeresMED medical cannabis dispensary in Burlington. Mountain Girl Cannabis was the first social equity applicant to receive a retail license.
The integrated license allows CeresMED to engage in “all activities allowed under all current adult-use licenses,” including cultivation, manufacturing, testing and distribution.
RELATED: Vermont Licenses 7 More Adult-Use Cannabis Businesses
In April, CeresMED stated if it was awarded a license, it would plan to open an adult-use storefront by October—right on the mark for when adult-use sales are expected to launch Oct. 1.
While the CCB released the retail licenses two weeks ahead of schedule, it noted that it recognizes not everyone may be able to engage in the market this year due to it missing its initial May 1 deadline to begin issuing licenses.
Cookies has partnered with New York-based Cirona Labs to reformulate its on-the-shelf cannabis products.
Cirona Labs, with its focus on emulsion chemistry and food science, will work with Cookies to develop new products and expand the company’s footprint in hemp-derived cannabinoids, according to a release.
“Cirona Labs has demonstrated best-in-class technology for infusing cannabinoids into all types of products,” said Parker Berling, president of Cookies. “We’ve been impressed by its scientific approach to innovation in our industry and we know our customers will be impressed by the taste and efficacy of its creations.”
Cookies plans to launch a range of infused products later this fall, including beverages, capsules, tinctures and topicals. The products will each contain a variety of cannabinoids and terpenes supported by Cirona’s research and development of emulsions and powders.
“Cookies built a loyal fanbase because of its high-quality flower product. This same fanbase is just as discerning when it comes to new methods of consumption that utilize the latest infusion technology,” said Hunter Friedland, founder and CEO of Cirona Labs. “This project has been an exciting challenge for our team, as we were tasked with developing custom emulsions for several different formats. This partnership validates the need for precise water-soluble ingredients backed by science.”
CLACKAMAS, Ore., Sept. 15, 2022 – PRESS RELEASE – Wyld, a best-selling cannabis edibles brand in the U.S., launched its product offerings in Oklahoma. The Sooner State becomes the eighth state in the U.S. to offer Wyld products, joining Oregon, California, Colorado, Nevada, Arizona, Michigan and Washington.
Patients have access to Wyld’s expansive product offerings at a growing number of medical cannabis dispensaries across Oklahoma. Wyld’s 100-milligram-per-container lineup offers sativa-, indica- and hybrid-enhanced edibles in the following flavors: raspberry, huckleberry, marionberry, pomegranate, pear, elderberry, sour apple and sour cherry. In addition, the high-dose lineup supplies sativa-enhanced raspberry and indica-enhanced marionberry edibles as 1,000-milligram-per-container products. Strawberry 20:1 CBD:THC + hybrid enhanced and Peach 2:1 + hybrid enhanced edibles will also be available as 100-milligram-per-container products in the future.
“Oklahoma is the first state in the south-central region to welcome Wyld products. The state’s medical cannabis program gives us lots of opportunities for growth,” Wyld CEO Aaron Morris, said. “As the demand for edibles continues to advance across the country, Wyld plans to be in three more markets by the beginning of 2023. We know that people want high quality, consistent edibles, and we’re the ones to bring that.”
The company’s expansion into Oklahoma follows the launch of Wyld Sours earlier this year. Wyld’s sour gummy offerings are available in Oregon, California, Colorado, Nevada, Arizona, Michigan and Washington. Additionally, Wyld has become a Climate Neutral Certified cannabis company. For more information regarding Wyld’s product offerings, availability and sustainability initiatives, visit www.wyldcanna.com/.
]]>Small cannabis producers may be able to ship and sell products within and across state lines under a new congressional bill introduced by Representative Jared Huffman (CA-02).
The measure, known as the Small and Homestead Independent Producers (SHIP) Act, is targeted to support small cannabis cultivators and manufacturers by allowing them to ship products directly to consumers and “provide them the certainty to sustain their businesses under a larger federal legalization law,” according to a release.
“Too often, the federal government falls behind, and the gears of Congress work too slowly to keep up with the pace of a changing economy,” Huffman said. “Under my bill, folks in our state will be able to ship their products straight to consumers when the antiquated federal prohibition on cannabis is finally repealed. As large, commercial cannabis operations squeeze out local producers from the market, this legislation is critical for farmers to survive and expand their small businesses. We cannot leave our smallest family farmers behind under full legalization.”
According to the bill text, a “small cultivator of marijuana’’ is defined as someone who grows 22,000 square feet or less of cannabis in a greenhouse, one acre or less using outdoor cultivation, or 5,000 square feet or less using indoor cultivation. A "small manufacturer of a marijuana product’’ is an individual who produces manufactured cannabis products and earns less than $5 million of annual gross revenue.
The measure would take effect once cannabis is removed from the Control Substances Act and once prior cannabis convictions are expunged, according to the bill text.
Ross Gordon, policy director of Humboldt County Growers Alliance (HCGA) and policy chair of Origins Council, said direct-to-consumer shipping is an essential tool “that enables a diversified market to survive and thrive.” He added, “The SHIP Act moves the conversation beyond the question of who can get a license to cultivate cannabis and addresses the practical reality of building an equitable and accessible market for small cannabis producers.”
Michigan’s adult-use cannabis market presented a win-win for retailers and shoppers alike in August. For cultivators and wholesalers? Maybe not so much.
Not only did last month feature a record of $189.4 million in adult-use sales statewide, but customer wallets benefitted from an all-time low price of $116.84 per ounce on average for dried flower, according to data released Sept. 14 from the state’s Cannabis Regulatory Agency (CRA).
Through the first eight months of 2022, licensed adult-use retailers recorded $1.25 billion in statewide sales, representing a 56% increase from the same eight-month period last year.
An uptick in demand has been the main driver of that sales growth. For instance, in August 2022, licensed retailers sold more than 49,000 pounds of dried flower to adult-use customers statewide, representing a 186% increase from the 17,150 pounds sold in August 2021.
So, despite the average price per ounce at retail dropping more than 47% from August 2021 to August 2022, overall sales figures have increased by nearly 51% because more products are being moved across the counter and into the bags of those 21 and older.
But with prices dipping to record lows, smaller growers told state regulators during the CRA’s quarterly meeting Sept. 14 in Lansing that they worry larger operators are in a “race to the bottom,” which is making it more and more difficult to compete for certain industry players, MLive.com reported.
