MjLink Cannabis Business News and Press
Political action committee Kind Idaho is working to gather signatures to place The Idaho Medical Marijuana Act before voters in 2024.
Kind Idaho, the group behind the medical cannabis legalization measure, must collect at least 74,000 signatures by April 2024 for the initiative to qualify for the 2024 ballot.
The 2024 initiative would allow patients to possess up to 4 ounces of cannabis, place a 4% excise tax on gross receipts for products sold by dispensaries, and require dispensaries to be 1,000 feet from private or public schools, Cannabis Business Times reported.
Joe Evans, Kind Idaho treasurer, told KTVB7 the group is working to ensure it makes cannabis available in Idaho while educating patients on responsible use.
“When it comes to patient advocacy, seeing medical marijuana, which is a successful, nonlethal pain management program that is nearly impossible to overdose on, is one of those options that many are looking for simply because they don’t want to have to carry around the significant number of prescriptions, pain management, oxycodone, you know, opiates,” Evans told the news outlet.
Idaho is one of 12 states that have yet to legalize cannabis for medical use despite previous efforts to put a medical cannabis initiative before voters.
Regulators in Arkansas have revoked a medical cannabis cultivation license following a court ruling earlier this month.
Arkansas Medical Marijuana Commission Director Doralee Chandler revoked the license, which belonged to Fort Smith-based River Valley Relief, in a procedural action Nov. 28, according to a local KUAR report. The action comes after Pulaski County Circuit Court Judge Herb Wright issued a ruling Nov. 3 that upholds a claim by 2600 Holdings that regulators granted the license in error in July 2020, the news outlet reported.
2600 Holdings filed the lawsuit in January 2021, asking the court to disqualify River Valley Relief and instead grant the license to 2600 or offer another form of relief under the Arkansas Administrative Procedures Act, according to KUAR.
2600 argued that the Medical Marijuana Commission unlawfully issued the cultivation license to Storm Nolan, River Valley Relief’s owner, during the state’s second round of cultivation licensing, the news outlet reported.
Minnesota’s list of qualifying conditions for medical cannabis will soon grow to 19.
Patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) will be able to access the state’s licensed industry beginning Aug. 1, 2023, the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) announced Nov. 30. A full list of the state’s qualifying conditions can be viewed here.
“We are adding the new qualifying conditions to allow patients more therapy options for conditions that can be debilitating,” Minnesota Commissioner of Health Jan Malcolm said in a news release.
IBS is a disorder characterized by abdominal pain or discomfort, and irregular bowel movements that can result in diarrhea, constipation or bloating, according to MDH. And OCD is characterized by recurring, intrusive thoughts that often cause significant emotional distress and anxiety that can lead to behaviors that an affected person feels compelled to perform to reduce that distress.
“Research has shown that people who suffer from these conditions can see benefits from using medical cannabis to treat their symptoms,” the release states.
While MDH approved IBS and OCD as qualifying conditions through the state’s formal petition process, department officials rejected petitions to add gastroparesis and opioid-use disorder.
The U.S. House of Representatives has passed the Secure and Fair Enforcement (SAFE) Banking Act seven times, while the Senate has yet to take up the bill, which would allow federally regulated financial institutions to work with state-legal cannabis businesses.
Now, the Independent Community Bankers Association (ICBA), along with 44 affiliated state associations, are calling for Senate action on the legislation.
The associations submitted a letter to Senate leaders Nov. 28 to urge them to calendar the legislation for a floor vote before the year is out.
“On behalf of the Independent Community Bankers of America (ICBA), the undersigned state banking associations, and the thousands of community banks we represent, we write to ask you to schedule floor consideration of the SAFE Banking Act before year-end 2022 as a stand-alone bill or an amendment to another bill,” association members wrote in the letter. “This legislation enjoys strong, bipartisan support, would resolve a conflict between state and federal law, and addresses a critical public safety concern. We urge its enactment without further delay.”
RELATED: US Senator Urges Senate to Approve SAFE Banking Act During Banking Hearing
Los Angeles, CA - November 30, 2022 - Gregory Fink has been named chief financial officer of Shryne Group, Inc. As CFO, Fink is responsible for streamlining operations to maximize profitability as Shryne Group continues to build one of America’s leading cannabis companies.
Fink joins Shryne Group after more than 30 years in finance across various industries. He most recently served as the chief financial officer, treasurer, and chief accounting officer of comScore, Inc. At comScore, he provided the executive leadership team and board of directors with key financial strategy, improvements in profitability, and building business partnerships with leading global banks. Additionally, he helped lead the reestablishment of SEC compliance and relisting with the Nasdaq stock exchange.
"Shryne Group is one of the most exciting companies in the fast-maturing cannabis industry," said Fink. “Providing a strategic view as well as financial and operational discipline to the organization will allow the company to accelerate its growth further while maintaining financial stability, governance and compliance.”
Prior to comScore, Inc., Fink served as the SVP - controller and chief accounting officer of Fannie Mae, where he was responsible for the majority of the corporate finance and accounting operations, overseeing more than 600 individuals. Before Fannie Mae, he revamped MCI Communication’s financial reporting and technical accounting department leading up to its acquisition by Verizon. Fink was also previously at Deloitte and is a CPA.
]]>Editor’s note: Cannabis Business Times’ November cover story examined the prevalence and problems of lab shopping and potency inflation in the cannabis industry. As part of that coverage, CBT asked Florida-based ACS Laboratory, which tests the state’s medical cannabis and has hemp clients in 48 states, more about what cannabis potency testing involves. Here, Roger Brown, founder and president of ACS Laboratory, delves into the process of how the company tests cannabis for THC potency.
If you work for a cannabis or hemp testing lab, refer to your state’s testing regulations to ensure compliance.
Figure 1. Step 1: Flower is ground and placed in a sterile cup for weighing and prep. Step 2: Sample is weighed and placed in a glass vial.
Figure 1
Figure 2. Step 3: Solution is added, and the vial is sealed. Then the sample vial goes to a grinder for flower or a vortexer for derivatives.
A grinder is specifically designed for vigorous up and down shaking to facilitate even distribution of the material.
It’s nearly 2023, and by now, almost everyone you know is well-versed in digital communication and socialization platforms – be it video conferencing, social media, or the related.
And as ‘Metaverse’ becomes an increasingly common part of our cultural lexicon, Highsman is planting its flag in the virtual reality landscape by creating Highsman House.
Highsman House is a community-focused virtual consumption lounge that features a dispensary and merchandise shop, a full-sized football field, a swimming pool, games, and more. The platform is accessible through Oculus or a computer and was designed in partnership with Rocket City, a technology company focused on Metaverse and NFT experiences.
The purpose of Highsman House, according to Highsman Chief Marketing Officer Lane Radbill, is to utilize modern technology to foster a cannabis community while educating consumers and building brand awareness. Visitors are even welcome to participate in virtual smoke sessions with other community members, including Highsman Founder and President Ricky Williams and other company executives.
RELATED: From Heisman Winner to Highsman Owner
Highsman, which launched operations in 2021, started building its Highsman House at the beginning of this year and hosted its first virtual community event, a Monday Night Football watch party, in September.
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently invited agriculture producers across the U.S. to respond to the 2022 Census of Agriculture by Feb. 6, 2023.
The Census of Agriculture is a survey collected every five years by the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) that “highlights land use and ownership, producer characteristics, production practices, income and expenditures,” and other topics, according to a press release.
Between census years, NASS looks at emerging trends and changes in the agriculture industry and updates the questionnaire based on its findings. With the last Census of Agriculture taking place in 2017, this is the first year the USDA NASS will be including hemp production data—as industrial hemp was federally legalized under the 2018 Farm Bill.
NASS also revised the survey to include questions regarding precision agriculture, hair sheep, and updates to internet access, according to the release.
“The 2022 Census of Agriculture is a powerful voice for American agriculture. The information gathered through the ag census influences policy decisions that will have a tremendous impact on ag producers and their communities for years to come,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. “I strongly encourage all farmers, no matter how large or small their operation, to promptly complete and return their ag census. This is your opportunity to share your voice, uplift the value and showcase the uniqueness of American agriculture.”
Farmers can complete the 2022 Census of Agriculture at agcounts.usda.gov.
]]>Green Wednesday cannabis sales rivaled the likes of 4/20 and the Friday preceding July 4, as U.S. customers stocked up on non-inhalable products ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday, according to cannabis data and research company Headset.
The day before Thanksgiving, known as Green Wednesday in the cannabis industry, featured a 48% sales increase compared to the three previous Wednesdays in November for retailers in California, Colorado, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nevada, Oregon and Washington, Headset reported Nov. 28. That uptick makes Green Wednesday the third-highest grossing day of cannabis sales so far in 2022, bested only by April 20 and Friday, July 1.
Headset’s three-day analysis also revealed that Thanksgiving Day sales fell 65% compared to a normal Thursday while Black Friday sales increased 1% compared to a typical Friday—the busiest day of the week for most cannabis dispensaries.
RELATED: 5 Tips to Capitalize on Friday Sales at Your Dispensary
Overall, inhalable product categories experienced the most significant dips during the three-day holiday stretch, including concentrates (-11.4%), flower (-10.8%) and prerolls (-6.4%), according to Headset. More discrete product categories like topicals (15.3%), beverages (13.2%) and edibles (6.1%) experienced the largest sales growth during the holiday stretch.
While Headset’s data came from a seven-state analysis, figures directly from the Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission (CCC) revealed an even greater uptick for Green Wednesday, when licensed adult-use retailers in the commonwealth recorded nearly $7 million in sales. That benchmark represents an 85% increase compared to a typical Wednesday from five weeks of data Cannabis Business Times collected from May 30 to July 3 of this year—when the average Wednesday brought in nearly $3.8 million in sales.
High Tide, a Canadian-based retail-focused cannabis company with brick-and-mortar and global e-commerce assets, has monetized its membership-based loyalty program at its Canna Cabana retail locations, launching “Cabana Elite.”
High Tide operates in the Canadian cannabis retail market through its flagship retail brand, Canna Cabana, which has over 140 locations across five provinces. The company has become known for its discount club retail model, modeled after wholesaler Costco’s membership-based program.
Cannabis Business Times spoke with Raj Grover, founder, president and CEO of High Tide, in early November to discuss the company’s differentiated retail approach and how it has contributed to its success.
RELATED: How High Tide Became the ‘Costco of Cannabis’
The Cabana Club loyalty program launched last October and has over 860,000 members, who account for 90% of the daily transactions at Canna Cabana retail stores. Essentially, loyalty members have access to a member price, versus a market price, at Canna Cabana dispensary locations and online. The member and market prices typically vary within a $10 range.
Now, the company has taken its membership program further, launching Cabana Elite, a paid membership for consumers priced at $5 per month.
Advocates in Ohio are renewing their push to get an adult-use cannabis legalization measure before voters after a lawsuit suspended their 2022 campaign.
The initiative, backed by the Coalition to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol, has been cleared for signature gathering, and the campaign has about eight weeks to collect roughly 130,000 signatures to qualify the initiated statute for the November 2023 ballot, according to a Cleveland.com report.
“We expect that we’ll be able to do it,” Tom Haren, an attorney working on the campaign, told the news outlet. “We’ll have staff get ready. Our intention is to give Ohio voters an opportunity to weigh in if the General Assembly continues to ignore them.”
The proposal would allow adults 21 and older to purchase and consume cannabis, and would create a new state agency, the Division of Cannabis Control, to regulate cannabis in the state.
The initiated statute would levy a 10% sales tax on adult-use cannabis, and the resulting tax revenue would be distributed among several entities, including municipalities that host cannabis businesses, a substance abuse and addiction fund, and a social equity fund to support communities that have been adversely affected by prohibition.
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker announced Nov. 28 that he appointed Erin Johnson to serve as the state’s next cannabis regulation oversight officer (CROO), a top regulatory position that has remained vacant for six months.
Johnson, who spent 2 1/2 years as chief of staff for the Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice, where she drafted and reviewed legislation that impacts juvenile justice and served as a liaison for the governor’s office, succeeds Danielle Perry, who left the CROO role in May 2022 as the state faced ongoing legal battles to issue 185 cannabis retail licenses.
RELATED: Judge Ends Court Order, Allows Illinois to Issue 185 New Cannabis Dispensary Licenses
Before Johnson began her work with juvenile justice, she spent 2 1/2 years as associate general counsel and chief diversity officer under former Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner, whom Pritzker defeated in the 2018 election.
“Erin Johnson’s commitment to equity will serve Illinois well as she takes the reins as the state’s cannabis regulation oversight officer,” Pritzker said in a press release. He added that Johnson “has the experience, education, and expertise to thrive in this role while advancing cannabis equity throughout Illinois. I can think of no better person than Erin to serve as our cannabis regulation oversight officer and I wish her all the best in this new position.”
The Cannabis Regulation Oversight Office is part of the state’s Department of Financial and Professional Regulation and works with other state agencies as the regulatory authority for Illinois’ licensed industry. Johnson will oversee the office to help ensure the state’s social equity goals are met through expungements, community reinvestment and diversification of the cannabis industry.
CHICAGO and VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Nov. 29, 2022 – PRESS RELEASE – Good Green, a cannabis flower brand owned by Green Thumb Industries Inc., announced the third group of nonprofit organizations to receive unrestricted funding as part of its grant program.
“Just over a year ago, Good Green was launched with the goal of creating opportunity within Black and Brown communities that have been disproportionately impacted by the war on drugs,” said Green Thumb founder, Chairman and CEO Ben Kovler. “Since then, the grant program has funded a spectrum of meaningful, mission-driven initiatives to foster change and help repair cannabis-related injustices. We are honored to support four additional organizations in their efforts to rectify the wrongs of cannabis prohibition and uplift those negatively affected.”
First launched in the fall of 2021, Good Green offers high-quality and affordable flower products. The brand aims to reinvest cannabis dollars back into communities disproportionately affected by the war on drugs by awarding grants to nonprofit organizations working in one or more of Good Green’s core pillars: expungement, education and employment. The four organizations will receive unrestricted grants of $50,000 to advance their missions. Good Green’s third round of beneficiaries includes nonprofit organizations based in New Jersey, Illinois and Virginia:
The Petey Greene Program (New Jersey): The Petey Greene Program (PGP) supports the academic goals of incarcerated and formerly incarcerated individuals through high-quality volunteer tutoring programs, while educating volunteers on the injustice manifest in the United States’ carceral system. Since its founding in 2008, the PGP has supported more than 16,000 system-impacted learners, most of whom were pursuing their GED or high school diploma.“Despite the significant need, the Petey Greene Program is one of just a handful of organizations that focuses on the academic achievement of incarcerated and formerly incarcerated students at the pre-collegiate level. With the generous support of Good Green, our team will have the resources to tutor exponentially more people as they strive to reach their educational goals.” – Chiara Benetollo, Director of Program Development
Minority Cannabis Academy (New Jersey): Minority Cannabis Academy is a workforce development program that offers comprehensive cannabis education to disenfranchised communities that have been disproportionately impacted by the war on drugs. The organization’s program courses are instructor-led by subject matter experts and free of charge to students. Minority Cannabis Academy also provides job placement for students upon completion of the eight-week course.
“Good Green’s grant gives our team the opportunity to hire new educators, secure a facility for our upcoming cohort, purchase learning materials and much more as we educate the next generation of cannabis industry leaders. We are grateful for Good Green’s belief in our mission and look forward to serving the Jersey City community and beyond.” – Brendon Robinson, President
CEIC Corp (DBA Cannabis Equity IL Coalition) (Illinois): The Coalition is a community-led organization providing support services for individuals returning from incarceration to clear their criminal records and access wraparound services. The Coalition advocates for the expansion of automatic expungement and other policy solutions to end the war on drugs and support community members in the reentry process.
“For those with cannabis offenses, expungement and record sealing are essential means to creating a fresh start in life and rejoining the community. We would like to express our appreciation for the Good Green team, as their funding will allow us to connect individuals to these necessary legal services while offering reentry programs such as housing, food assistance, ID services and more.” – Douglas Kelly, Executive Director
Nolef Turns Inc. (Virginia): Nolef Turns Inc. strives to decrease the prison population by supporting and empowering those most affected by crime, trauma and incarceration. The organization provides direct service for individuals with court and justice involvement, participates in advocacy and trains those directly impacted by mass incarceration.
“Nolef Turns Inc. exists to build a network of resources for individuals to help them thrive post-conviction, fighting against an unjust judicial system to help end mass incarceration. The Good Green Grant Program will be crucial in building up that network and fostering positive change in the lives of those affected by incarceration.” – Sheba Williams, Executive Director
Good Green is committed to bringing responsible consumers and change-making organizations together to create real, lasting progress against the war on drugs. The brand’s current product offerings, including indica, sativa and hybrid flower, are available in Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Nevada, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Virginia.
]]>Cannabis laws throughout the United States are ever-changing and complex. On the federal level, cannabis remains a Schedule 1 substance, meaning it has no medical use whatsoever, although President Joe Biden recently urged his administration to reexamine how cannabis is classified. The prospects for federal decriminalization of cannabis remain somewhat dim, but even if that were to occur, the regulation of cannabis would still be largely governed by state and municipal law.
At present, less than half of the states where there is some cannabis allowed also permit adult use. All those states, and quite a few others (around 40 in total currently, some of which have highly limited programs), allow for medical marijuana, although the definition of what constitutes a qualifying medical condition varies greatly from state to state. Moreover, the amount of THC that is allowable in a single product also varies between states.
In many states that allow some form of legal cannabis, some municipalities can then also pass their own cannabis laws (see the discussion of Rhode Island below). As such, states require businesses to have both state and municipal licenses. Some states have as many as 12 licenses cannabis businesses can receive.
With so much complexity in cannabis law, here is an overview of how recent legislation moving through states could impact the cannabis landscape at both the local and federal levels. (Note that this list is not comprehensive.)
State-by-State Legislation
-California is one of the most favorable environments for cannabis. Last year, California had over $5.2 billion in sales, according to the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration, making licenses in the state highly prized. However, growing cannabis in California continues to be expensive. Recently passed legislation now requires that operators seeking a license in the state must fill out extensive forms and obtain an environmental impact report to show they’re in compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), which requires state agencies to consider what changes in the physical environment may occur as a result of the activities being licensed. In addition, current provisional license holders must demonstrate efforts they’re making to be in compliance with CEQA. The state legislature has appropriated $100 million in grants to assist growers in offsetting some of the costs that will come with these applications, but cultivation in the state remains expensive.
Like Illinois, California also has pending legislation (Assembly Bill 2188) that would not allow an employer to terminate an employee for use of cannabis outside of the workplace.
MIAMI, Florida, Nov. 28, 2022 - PRESS RELEASE - Ayr Wellness Inc., a vertically integrated U.S. multi-state cannabis operator, has began adult-use sales alongside its established medical sales at its Somerville, Mass., retail location.
Located at 240 Elm St in Somerville, Sira Naturals is located within the bustling Davis Square–home to many of the community’s favorite restaurants and shops and just minutes from Tufts and Harvard universities. The dispensary is located in one of the most densely populated areas of Boston and is easily accessed via the Davis Square Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority stop. Ayr’s retail footprint in Massachusetts now includes AYR Back Bay serving adult-use consumers; AYR Watertown and Sira Naturals Somerville, which serve both medical patients and adult-use consumers; and Sira Naturals Needham serving medical patients.
“We are excited to add adult-use sales to our Somerville location, introducing our portfolio of high-quality branded products to more cannabis consumers, as we continue to serve our loyal medical patients at this location,” said Jonathan Sandelman, founder and CEO of Ayr. “We are grateful to our neighbors in Somerville, who have been phenomenal partners from the first day Sira Naturals opened to serve medical patients in 2017. We look forward to further strengthening our place in the community and being a force for good in Somerville.”
Sira Naturals and Ayr Wellness have been dedicated to enacting positive change in the Somerville community. As a member of the Medical Marijuana Community Benefits Association (CBA), the company collaboratively developed prevention, diversion and mental health policy and programs for children and young adults. As a founding member of CulivatED, the company strengthened its commitment to social justice in Somerville by focusing on equity for those most disproportionately harmed by cannabis prohibition. Through these memberships and other community initiatives, Ayr remains committed to the tradition of social justice and community service as a Force for Good within the Somerville community and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
“We are grateful to the City of Somerville for creating an adult use cannabis program grounded in social justice and equity – concepts that underlie Ayr’s voluntary community partnerships with the Community Action Agency of Somerville (CAAS) and UFCW local 1445," Sandelman said. “Community is the most important aspect of our business, as it defines who we are as a company. Now, as we welcome adult-use consumers to our Somerville location, we look forward to creating even stronger ties to the local community."
]]>Ireland has become the latest European country to consider legislation to legalize some form of adult-use cannabis.
RELATED: German Health Minister Presents Cannabis Legalization Plans to Government Officials
The Irish Parliament, called the Oireachtas, plans to take up a bill introduced by Gino Kenny, a member parliament from the People Before Profit party, according to a Forbes report.
The legislation would allow adults 18 and older to possess up to 7 grams of cannabis or 2.5 grams of cannabis resin for personal use, the news outlet reported. Viewed largely as a decriminalization bill, the legislation would not tee up commercial cannabis cultivation or sales, according to Forbes, nor would it allow the cultivation of cannabis for personal use.
“The bill is quite moderate,” Kenny said during the debate in the lower house of the Irish Parliament, called the Dáil Éireann, according to Forbes. “It amends existing legislation that dates back 42 years. Forty-two years is a very long time. I believe the existing legislation is out of date and out of time. We need a different narrative around drug reform.”
A random drawing to determine the winners of 20 cannabis consumption lounge licenses in Nevada will be held at 2 p.m. Pacific Time on Nov. 30 at the state’s Cannabis Compliance Board (CCB) offices in Las Vegas. The event can be viewed via livestream.
The new licenses—10 of which are reserved for social equity applicants—will be awarded to those who plan to operate a consumption lounge independent from an existing retail facility. Overall, 30 social equity and 49 nonsocial equity applicants submitted the proper paperwork for the licenses during a 10-day window last month, according to CCB.
In addition, another 20 applications were completed for a retail license type, allowing for established dispensaries to have a consumption lounge attached or adjacent to their current facility. State officials did not cap the number of lounge licenses for retailers, so those submissions are not subject to a lottery.
| License Application Type | Completed Applications |
| Retail Cannabis Consumption Lounge | 20 |
| Independent Lounge (Nonsocial Equity) | 49 |
| Independent Lounge (Social Equity) | 30 |
| Total | 99 |
The 79 total applicants for the 20 independent licenses will be selected from a computerized system provided by New Jersey-based Smartplay International Inc. Auditing and consulting firm Henry and Horne will oversee the event.
“Those selected to receive a prospective license will receive a letter from the CCB, upon which applicants will move into a ‘prospective licensee’ status and will have 120 days to provide the documentation and information required for the CCB’s suitability investigation,” according to a press release from the board.
The CCB provides a checklist on its website for prospective license holders.
The Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority (OMMA) is currently accepting public feedback on its proposed medical cannabis rules, which would permanently incorporate the emergency rules that the industry has been operating under.
Regulators launched a month-long public comment period Nov. 15, with a public hearing scheduled Dec. 15 in Oklahoma City.
“This is the opportunity for medical marijuana licensees and all Oklahomans to make their voices heard in our rulemaking process,” OMMA Executive Director Adria Berry said in a public statement. “We take the public input process seriously and look forward to hearing feedback from around the state.”
OMMA officials submitted the proposed permanent rules to Oklahoma Secretary of State Brian Bingman Oct. 25, and regulators will consider the feedback received during the public comment period and public hearing as it submits rule documents to the Oklahoma Legislature for consideration during the 2023 legislative session.
The permanent rules would take effect later next year, upon approval by the Legislature and the governor.
The New Jersey Cannabis Trade Association (NJCTA) named Todd Johnson as its executive director.
In his new role, Johnson will oversee managing internal communication among member organizations, according to a release, as well as external communication efforts with government officials, policymakers and other industry stakeholders. He previously served as NJCTA’s treasurer since 2020.
“When this opportunity presented itself, I knew my passion for the industry and my professional experience equipped me with the tools needed to effectively carry out the association’s mission,” Johnson said. “I look forward to working with our members to promote all that is good about New Jersey’s medical and recreational cannabis industry while we address issues and find solutions to challenges that affect our industry and operators.”
Johnson also previously served as an NJCTA Trustee on behalf of association member Justice Cannabis Co., a multi-state operator, where he was executive vice president and head of New Jersey operations for the company. In addition, he is also a co-founder of Community Greenhouse, a New Jersey cannabis company which was recently awarded a conditional retail license, according to the release.
Johnson is a graduate of the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania with a bachelor’s degree in economics.
Colorado officials issued a health and safety advisory Nov. 23 to warn consumers of adult-use cannabis potentially contaminated with mold.
The Colorado Department of Revenue (DOR) and the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) identified potentially unsafe levels of yeast and mold in adult-use flower produced by Beddor Claude LLC, doing business as Chronic Therapy, according to the advisory.
A DOR investigation revealed levels of contaminants above Colorado’s acceptable limits for total yeast and mold in harvest batches produced by Wheat Ridge, Colo.-based Beddor Claude, license 402R-00217, between Sept. 23 and Oct. 11, 2022.
All affected cannabis products have a label that includes the license number of the business that cultivated the cannabis and the harvest batch number assigned to it.
The affected Retail Marijuana Cultivation License is 403R-00287 and the harvest batch number is Silver Mountain 9.14.22.
Potentially contaminated, untested harvest batch numbers can be found below.
