MjLink Cannabis Business News and Press
On the heels of several recent studies showing cannabis compounds have the potential to prevent or fight COVID-19 infection, Flora Growth Corp. is pursuing approval to begin research on a patent-pending cannabinoid-based treatment in Colombia.
The company announced in a press release that it is seeking approval from INVIMA, the Colombian version of the FDA, to research “all the potential mechanisms of cannabinoids in preventing infection from the SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) virus.” The company added that Colombia recently passed legislation requiring insurance companies to cover cannabis prescriptions.
“We are honored to receive the advice and guidelines from INVIMA as we begin this exciting research process. The Flora Pharma division seeks to obtain evidence to support this product’s use against SARS-CoV-2 and bring to market an effective, cannabinoid-based product,” said Flora Growth President and CEO Luis Merchan.
Flora Growth plans to conduct studies through its research division, Flora Pharma, and formulate the product in its GMP-certified Colombian lab. Flora Growth also has a 250-acre all-outdoor grow operation in Bucaramanga, Colombia, to supply cannabis derivatives to its cosmetics, hemp textiles, and food and beverage business divisions.
“I have worked on various aspects of SARS-CoV-2 research for the last two years, with a focus on cannabinoid therapeutics more broadly,” said Dr. Annabelle Manalo-Morgan, scientist and head of Flora Pharma. “The intent of the study is to identify safe and efficacious cannabinoid products for use on SARS-CoV-2 thus allowing us to pursue the fastest path to market via a preventative immunomodulating product and to explore the possibility of use as a therapeutic. I believe the Flora team is best positioned to formulate, test, and ultimately bring to the market this kind of novel product offering.”
The Pennsylvania Department of Health’s Office of Medical Marijuana is banning vaporized medical cannabis products containing ingredients that have not been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), according to a local PAhomepage.com report.
The department recently completed a months-long review of vape products that resulted in a sprawling mandatory recall.
RELATED: Hundreds of Vape Products Recalled From Pennsylvania’s Medical Cannabis Market
State officials notified the state’s patients and caregivers of the recall Feb. 4.
“As you know, the Department recently conducted a statewide review of all vaporized medical marijuana products containing added ingredients,” the Department of Health wrote in the notice. “After finishing this review, the Department has determined that certain vaporized medical marijuana products containing some added ingredients have not been approved for inhalation by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
North Miami, Fla. – Feb. 7, 2022 — PRESS RELEASE — Cresco Labs Inc., a vertically integrated multistate operator and wholesaler of branded cannabis products, has announced the opening of a new Sunnyside dispensary located at 505 NE 125th St. in North Miami. Sunnyside North Miami is Cresco Labs’ first location in Miami-Dade County, 15th store in the state and 49th dispensary nationwide.
“We’re pleased to continue expanding our retail presence in south Florida with the opening of Sunnyside North Miami,” said Cris Rivera, Florida Regional President at Cresco Labs. “We aim to normalize the cannabis buying experience and ensure that every patient feels comfortable buying cannabis products through our bright, open, welcoming stores and knowledgeable wellness advisors. Following the opening of Sunnyside Clearwater last week, or North Miami store will offer the same approachable and welcoming store experience and provide a wide selection of premium branded products and convenient next-day delivery service.”
Sunnyside North Miami is located along a busy retail corridor near a Publix supermarket and CVS, and just a few blocks away from the I-95 Expressway and State Road 909—creating easy access for daily commuters. The medical cannabis dispensary will serve patients in Miami-Dade County with simple online ordering and convenient next-day delivery service.
Patients of the new store will have access one of the largest selections of cannabis products and accessories, including One Plant’s top selling, premium, hand-trimmed flower and solventless live rosin concentrates, as well as vape cartridges from High Supply and Good News brands, pre-rolls, tinctures, lighters, rolling papers and more.
The store is currently offering a 25% storewide discount. It will serve patients with a medical card issued by the state of Florida. Patients will have the option to place orders online through the Sunnyside.shop or utilize next-day delivery. Orders can also be placed both in-store or via phone at 877-395-1009. Patients also can visit Sunnyside North Miami to speak with wellness advisors for purchasing assistance. Regular store hours are Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
There may be an end in sight to a medical cannabis proposal in the South Carolina Senate, but lawmakers are talking about bringing a change of clothes to their anticipated late-night debates this week.
Floor discussion of the SC Compassionate Care Act, which offers a conservative approach to legalizing medical cannabis, first began on Jan. 26, but that discussion has extended several sessions and now enters its third week of consideration by chamber members, who are scheduled to reconvene on the matter Tuesday afternoon.
RELATED: South Carolina Senate Takes Up Medical Cannabis Debate
At the conclusion of floor debate last Thursday, Senate Majority Leader Shane Massey said he hopes to start taking up some of the nearly 40 amendments offered and steer toward a vote on the bill this week.
“Tuesday will almost certainly be a late day. Wednesday will likely be a late day, too,” he said. “So, just everybody be prepared for that. As the [late Sen. Hugh Leatherman] from Florence used to say, ‘You might want to bring an extra shirt.’”
Authored by Sen. Tom Davis, a Beaufort Republican who has advocated for a medical cannabis program in the state since he first started crafting legislation more than seven years ago, the SC Compassionate Care Act aims to enact one of the most tightly regulated programs in the country, he said Jan. 26. There are currently 37 states where medical cannabis is legalized.
SELMA, California, February 7, 2021 - PRESS RELEASE - Ethylene Control Inc. (ECI) is excited to add StayFresh products to its lineup. StayFresh destroys all forms of microbial life, including powdery mildew, molds and rots, viruses, and all forms of bacteria and their spores throughout your greenhouse, grow rooms, and store rooms. StayFresh is also used to remove odors and leaves no residue.
This new patented product works hand in hand with our SuperFresh media in our EC-3+ Clean Air Systems. Here is how it works: the StayFresh BIG BAG SUPER CHARGES our SuperFresh media that kills microbial life and removes ethylene gas. The StayFresh BIG BAG is placed on top of our media and takes the destroying power out into the room to eliminate microbial life and odors throughout your cold storage room.
We also have StayFresh HVAC/Coil MAINTENACE and WIPEOUT Shock treatment for HVAC/Coils.
The Chlorine Dioxide (CLO2) Stayfresh media enhances our Super Fresh media.
ECI’s STAYFRESH vs Ozone: This is a direct food intervention comparison, but it shows the important phenomena. STAYFRESH has a hundred-fold greater solubility than ozone. This means it transfers from the gas to the liquid phase (on surfaces of coils, bio-aerosols, and of course, fruits and veggies). STAYFRESH produces a dry gas which provides even greater selectivity in the way it works in the gas phase, meaning you do not experience the corrosion etc., that often goes with using ozone. And because you don’t have to use such high doses, this also provides you with greater worker safety.
ECI’s STAYFRESH vs UV Catalytic: Generally speaking, UV catalytic is limited in efficacy and only treats the air it sees. STAYFRESH is more unique for the same reason vs. ozone. Just a better, selective, oxidizer that can move. Working with your air movement and the Ethylene Control EC-3+ Clean Air system will release product throughout the room. There really is no comparison.
Pennsylvania lawmakers are taking the first step toward adult-use cannabis legalization, with the Senate Law & Justice Committee scheduling a Feb. 7 hearing to vet the issue, according to a local Go Erie report.
This is the first time a legislative committee in Pennsylvania’s General Assembly has considered adult-use cannabis legalization, the news outlet reported, although legislation to decriminalize or legalize cannabis has circulated in Harrisburg for years.
The Feb. 7 hearing will be the first in a series, according to Go Erie, and Law & Justice Committee Chairman Mike Regan has invited law enforcement and criminal justice representatives to provide testimony.
The committee plans to hold at least two more hearings to allow advocacy groups, as well as regulators and cannabis operators from states that have legalized adult-use, to weigh in on the issue, the news outlet reported.
The testimony presented during the hearings will ultimately help Regan and Rep. Amen Brown draft legislation to legalize adult-use cannabis in Pennsylvania, according to Go Erie.
Pending legislation in West Virginia would legalize adult-use cannabis in the state, according to a WCHS report.
Sens. Mike Caputo (D-Marion) and Mike Romano (D-Harrison) introduced Senate Bill 15 last month to legalize cannabis production, sales and consumption for adults 21 and older.
The legislation is currently held up in the Senate Judiciary Committee after being introduced at the beginning of this year’s legislative session, WCHS reported.
West Virginia legalized medical cannabis in 2017, and the state's first dispensary opened nearly four years later in November 2021.
Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves signed a medical cannabis legalization bill into law Feb. 2 and already, the State Department of Health is making plans to accept applications for patients, medical practitioners and businesses.
The department announced Feb. 4 that it plans to launch the licensing process by June, according to the Associated Press.
Mississippi’s medical cannabis law allows qualified patients with debilitating conditions such as cancer, AIDS and sickle cell diseases to purchase up to 3.5 grams of cannabis per day, up to 6 days a week.
MIAMI, Feb. 07, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- PRESS RELEASE -- Ayr Wellness Inc., a vertically integrated U.S. multi-state cannabis operator (MSO), today announced the opening of its 45th Florida dispensary, located in South Tampa.
“I’m proud to see our Florida team continue to thoughtfully expand our presence throughout the state, leading with the quality of the locations we are securing and the new stores that we’re building,” said Jon Sandelman, founder, chairman and CEO of Ayr. “Combined with recent improvements in selection in our stores – Origyn Extracts, Secret Orchard Sun Gems and fruit-forward vapes, Big Pete’s Cookies, and enhanced flower offerings – we feel better than ever about customer experience throughout our 45-store Florida footprint. We still have more to do to realize our full potential, but we’re very excited about progress so far.”
The new dispensary occupies over 3,000 square feet of prime retail space on Kennedy Boulevard, a well-traveled road in the area’s business district surrounded by restaurants and shopping areas. The store will have nine points of sale and feature Ayr’s full line of concentrates, edibles, gummies, vapes, and a selection of high-quality flower, including whole flower and pre-rolls.
In February 2021, Ayr purchased Florida-based Liberty Health Sciences, which included 31 dispensaries across the state. Since then, the company has opened 14 additional locations – bringing the current total to 45 stores.
Earlier this year, Ayr relocated its U.S. headquarters from New York City to Miami, underscoring the company’s commitment to the region. Florida has ~676,000 patients enrolled in its medical marijuana program as of Feb. 4, 2022, per Florida OMMU. Florida’s cannabis market ranks third in the nation by total cannabis sales, per BDSA, and generated over $1.2 billion in medical cannabis revenue in 2020. BDSA expects Florida’s cannabis market to generate $2.6 billion per year by 2026.
CHICAGO, Feb. 7, 2022 – PRESS RELEASE – GreenThumb Industries Inc., a leading national cannabis consumer packaged goodscompany and owner of Rise dispensaries, announced it will open two new retaillocations in Virginia: Rise Lynchburg on Feb. 8; and Rise Christiansburg on Feb.10.
Profits from the first day of sales will be donatedto local organizations for each store opening: Rise Lynchburg will donate to Shawn Moss Wellness and Growth Foundation (SWAGFoundation) and Rise Christiansburg will donate to Montgomery County Emergency Assistance Program (MCEAP).
“We are thrilled to expand our footprint to 75 storesacross the nation, while increasing our retail presence in Virginia,” said BenKovler, Green Thumb founder and CEO. “Since entering the state last summer, wehave had the opportunity to meet many patients and community members, and weare ready to introduce the Rise experience to more of our neighbors in thesetwo cities.
“We are also proud to support the Shawn Moss Wellnessand Growth Foundation, an organization that is making a huge impact incommunities affected by gun violence, and the MCEAP, which supports manyresidents and their path to restored self-sufficiency by providing access tofood and clothing.”
The SWAG Foundation provides resources like education,household items and community development to foster success in communitiesaffected by gun violence.
“Nonprofits are the boots on the ground in the black and browncommunities where resources are not as plentiful,” SWAG Foundation founderBrenda Moss said. “To partner with a company like Green Thumb that aligns withvision of The SWAG Foundation in making sure that black and brown communitieshave the same opportunities as others means a lot. Black and brown communitiesneed to know that ‘There is nothing you can't do.’”
Julia Jacobson, CEO of Aster Farms, founder her California-based cannabis cultivation in 2017, with the first harvest occurring in 2018. In the years since launching Aster Farms, Jacobson has seen the ups and downs of the California market, as well as the industry's continued growth not just in The Golden State, but across the U.S.
As 2022 unfolds, Jacobson offers her perspective on the current state of the market in California and the industry as a whole, while also explaining the importance of honoring legacy operators, sustainable farming practices, and more.
Zach Mentz: How did you end up in the cannabis industry? And is this something that you ever thought you'd be doing as a career?
Julia Jacobson: I never in a million years thought that I would be running a cannabis company one day. Never. Even though I have been a consumer for decades, I didn't think that I would be here.
My personal path began with my chronic migraines, which started in my mid-twenties and became completely debilitating. I was having trouble showing up for everything in my life and was ending up in the hospital on a regular basis. I had tried everything from every kind of prescription medication, acupuncture, chiropractic work, shots of lidocaine in my forehead–you name it. And I was really kind of desperate. And one of the times I was in the hospital, the ER doctor said, if you have access to cannabis and you feel comfortable with it, for people who prescription medication hasn't worked for migraines, I recommend you use cannabis.
Even though I had been a daily consumer for years, when I have a migraine, the last thing I think to do is to light up a joint. I tried, and it completely changed my life. So, for me, that was the moment when cannabis went from something that was just a fun part of my life to an important piece of my ability to show up and live my life. It became incredibly important and it helped me look at the plant and the industry and cannabis in a completely different way.
Following a months-long review of vape products sold by Pennsylvania’s licensed cannabis operators, the state’s Department of Health (DOH) has issued a sprawling mandatory recall.
The list includes hundreds of vape products from PurePenn, PennAlt Organics, Pennsylvania Medical Solutions, MLH Explorations, Insa, Ilera Healthcare, Holistic Farms, Hanging Gardens, GTI Pennsylvania, Goodblend Pennsylvania, Franklin Labs, Curaleaf PA, Cresco Yeltrah, CannTech PA, Agri-Kind, and AES Compassionate Care.
“After finishing this review, the Department has determined that certain vaporized medical marijuana products containing some added ingredients have not been approved for inhalation by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA),” according to the Feb. 4 memo. “Although some of these added ingredients may be considered safe in other non-inhaled products, patient safety is the top priority of the Medical Marijuana Program. Therefore, the Department has issued a mandatory recall for all affected vaporized products.”
The review in question was first announced to the public on Dec. 1. The DOH targeted vape products “state-wide” to gather information on whether “added ingredients” were present in those products—some of which were being sold on dispensary shelves. Back on Nov. 16, the DOH had sent a message to all licensed cannabis business owners, asking for them to submit all vape products containing added ingredients for review (even those that had already passed state testing).
No rationale was provided for the review, although communication from the DOH referenced additive regulations in other states—presumably referring to regulations that may allow certain additives outside of Pennsylvania.
In a follow-up message to business owners, sent from Sunny D. Podolak, Assistant Director and Chief Compliance Officer with the DOH’s Office of Medical Marijuana, on Dec. 13, the phrase “additives” was qualified as “artificial terpenes or flavorings.”
Maryland House lawmakers are laying the groundwork to legalize adult-use cannabis, but first they want to hear from voters in the November 2022 election.
Del. Luke Clippinger, a Democrat from Baltimore City who chairs the Judiciary Committee, introduced House Bill 837 on Feb. 3—legislation that would allow adults 21 and older to purchase and possess up to 1.5 ounces of cannabis and decriminalize the possession of up to 2.5 ounces as a civil offense rather than a misdemeanor.
Under current Maryland laws and penalties, possession of 10 grams to 50 pounds of cannabis is a misdemeanor punishable by up to 1 year of incarceration and a $1,000 fine, according to NORML.
The legislation also aims to ensure the automatic expungement of records for those who were previously found guilty of simple possession if it was the only charge in the case. Anyone currently held in a state prison or local jail for a cannabis conviction would be resentenced to end their term of incarceration, according to Clippinger.
H.B. 837 would serve as a companion bill to H.B. 1, the ballot question for November’s election, which Clippinger also drafted. A Maryland House hearing on H.B. 1 is set for Feb. 14.
NEW YORK, Feb. 3, 2022 – PRESS RELEASE – Columbia Care Inc., one of the largest and most experienced cultivators, manufacturers and providers of cannabis products in the U.S., announced Cannabist Williamstown, its first dispensary in West Virginia and 24th Cannabist nationwide, opened Feb 3. Cannabist Williamstown, located at 76 Thunder Road in Williamstown, is the first of five dispensaries that Columbia Care will open in the state this year.
“The level of demand and excitement for high-quality cannabis and best-in-class service in West Virginia is promising for such a nascent medical market. We’re here to be a leader and a resource for current and future patients, as we introduce them to the power of this incredible plant,” said Jesse Channon, chief growth officer of Columbia Care. “As the medical cannabis program continues to expand, we look forward to also serving as a wholesale partner to ensure that patient needs are met across the state with a variety of high quality options. We’re thankful to the local community for welcoming Cannabist and to the Department of Health and Human Resources for their continued support.”
Columbia Care began cultivation operations at its 40,000-square-foot facility in West Virginia in July 2021. The company holds five dispensary licenses to serve the growing number of registered medical cannabis patients across the state. Cannabist Williamstown staff held a series of educational events throughout the month of December. These events helped patients better understand the state’s medical cannabis program, including providing information on how to obtain a medical cannabis patient card and which products will be available, as well as connected prospective patients with registered medical practitioners.
Cannabist Williamstown will offer Columbia Care’s Seed & Strain brand in multiple forms, including whole flower and vape carts. The company’s other portfolio brands, such as Triple Seven and Classix, will be introduced in the coming months for patients and wholesale partners. Patients will also be able to use Columbia Care’s proprietary cannabis discovery tool, Forage, both in-store and online to help find strains and products to fit their needs.
The company is expecting to open three more Cannabist dispensaries in the spring with locations in Beckley, Morgantown and St. Albans, as well as a fifth location to follow later in 2022.
For more information on the company’s West Virginia locations, visit www.gocannabist.com/wv.
]]>LOS ANGELES, Feb. 4, 2022 – PRESS RELEASE – Amuse, the fastest growing cannabis delivery company in California, announced its partnership with Cookies, an international cannabis brand and retail powerhouse. Amuse will serve as the first and primary cannabis delivery partner in California for Cookies' locations, starting in Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Jose and Sacramento, with more coming in California throughout 2022.
"There is no replacement for the Cookies in-store experience, but we see great value in providing our customers the option to get their favorite products delivered to their home via Cookies' new online digital experience delivered by Amuse. We could not be more excited to offer this to our customers," said Berner, co-founder and CEO of Cookies.
Cookies' top-shelf products, including Lemonnade, Collins Ave, Run the Jewels, Grandiflora, Minntz and Runtz, are available through pickup or delivery at select Cookies' retail locations.
"We are proud to partner with Cookies to help them unlock last-mile delivery," said Alex Becker, co-president and chief revenue officer of Amuse. "As the industry continues to evolve, it's more important than ever for us to collaborate with like-minded organizations, like Cookies, that drive the industry forward."
Amuse and Cookies' focus on authentic, quality products will accelerate safe, convenient delivery of Cookies' premier cannabis products to consumers statewide. For more information, please visit Amuse.com and Cookies.co.
]]>In Missouri’s medical cannabis market, track-and-trace service provider Metrc will no longer levy tag fees on every plant grown by licensed operators in the state.
An appellate court handed down the ruling in late January, capping a lawsuit first filed by Metrc in 2019.
At issue was Metrc’s tag fee—a cost assessed against cannabis growers and other business owners to use the track-and-trace software mandated by state regulations. In other words, according to the lawsuit’s back-and-forth over the past few years, licensed cannabis businesses were forced to pay to use a service they were already being forced to use.
When the program was set up—and when Missouri originally decided to go with Metrc over competitor BioTrack THC—Metrc levied a $40 monthly charge for the software itself, and $0.45 for each plant tag and $0.25 cents for each package tag.
Those tag fees are now history.
Licensed businesses will continue to cover shipping and handling for those tags, however, and Metrc is setting new limits on the number of tags that may be ordered—limits meant to “match with the defined needs of each licensed business operating in Metrc.”
States that have already legalized medical and/or adult-use cannabis have taken two avenues: legislative action or voter-approved ballot measures.
Specifically, the first eight states to legalize adult-use cannabis did so through citizen-led petitions that put a question, measure or amendment before their voters on Election Day. Washington, D.C., was also in that boat via Initiative 71 in November 2014.
It wasn’t until January 2018 that Vermont became the first state to legalize adult-use cannabis through a legislature, which became official when Republican Gov. Phil Scott signed House Bill 511 (Act 86) into law.
Since then, five more states have legalized adult-use cannabis through their legislatures (Illinois, Connecticut, New Mexico, New York and Virginia) and four more have legalized adult-use cannabis though the election process (Michigan, Arizona, Montana and New Jersey).
Many more states have legalized medical programs, with Mississippi becoming the 37th state to do so without imposing strict restrictions, such as low-THC limits. And Mississippi has ridden both avenues to legalization: The voters passed an initiative in the November 2020 election, the state’s Supreme Court overturned it in May 2021, and state lawmakers passed legislation with bicameral veto-proof majorities in January 2022.
As the green reform wave continues to spread, nine states are amidst campaign efforts to put legalization or reform proposals before their voters in the November 2022 election.
The true point of having a voice is to offer a different perspective.
One general issue throughout the cannabis industry is minorities getting access to funds because most minorities don't have networks or even friends and family that can help them get started. I entered this space as an entrepreneur and, because I was an athlete, I have friends that have resources. The people that already have the resources also already have a head start.
However, there tends to be a higher barrier of entry for minorities.
Minorities also have to deal with a greater stigma surrounding cannabis, which affects minorities more powerfully than non-minorities. For minorities, there's a bigger taboo; like our parents thinking we're already at a disadvantage—‘don't do cannabis, it's going to ruin your life.’ For white families, they're just like, ‘it's just a phase.’ The stigma of cannabis consumption is heavier for minorities.
The cannabis space is great because it's new and there's room for additional innovation. For example, social equity is something we can build into policies and regulations as we move forward. We can say the war on drugs negatively affected minority communities in greater ways than others, and that's a conversation that we could have right now, but the question is: What are we going to do about it? To achieve social equity, we really have to think of how this industry can approach the equation differently.
Social equity comes down to education. The imbalance is really around educational opportunities. It's not enough to just offer people jobs; you need to offer them opportunities to educate themselves so they can make sure they're competent enough to succeed in those positions.
Los Angeles, CA - PRESS RELEASE - The Terpene Store has had its famous Skunkify product on the market for over four years and has decided to expand its Enhancers line to give customers more choices to precisely tune their flavor. Skunkify is a terpene enhancing solution that has an intense skunky aroma and flavor. The Skunkify product is one of The Terpene Store’s top selling products and is the inspiration for a whole new line of Enhancers.
The new Enhancers include Hazify, Kushify, Gasify, Milkify and Dankify. These products are designed to add those certain flavor notes that are essential to cannabis. These are highly concentrated and must be mixed with other terpenes before adding to the final product. A little goes a long way and each of these new Enhancers elevate existing terpene profiles. With the new Enhancer line, companies can upgrade their flavor for as little as one cent per product.
Oregon lawmakers are considering legislation that would allow state officials to pause cannabis cultivation licensing, but industry groups are asking legislators to expand this moratorium to include licensing for wholesalers, processors and retailers, according to a KGW8 report.
House Bill 4016 would give the Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission (OLCC) the authority to refuse to issue new cannabis cultivation licenses “based on the supply of and demand for marijuana,” KGW8 reported.
The OLCC had this power until this year under a 2019 law that was enacted in response to market oversupply conditions, according to the news outlet.
Now, the coalition of industry groups is asking lawmakers to reauthorize the moratorium and expand it to other license types due to oversaturation in the market.
Oregon’s 2022 legislative session kicked off this week
