MjLink Cannabis Business News and Press

NORWOOD, Massachusetts, Oct. 5, 2022 - PRESS RELEASE - MariMed Inc., a multi-state cannabis operator, announced the opening of its first dispensary in Maryland. Operated by the company’s wholly-owned subsidiary, Kind Therapeutics USA, the 5,000-square foot, Panacea Wellness-branded dispensary features MariMed’s portfolio of award-winning brands, including Nature’s Heritage craft flower and concentrates, Betty’s Eddies all-natural fruit chews, and Bubby’s Baked soft baked goods. The dispensary is located at 2061 Generals Highway in Annapolis. 

A grand opening celebration for medical patients and local officials will be held at the dispensary Oct. 18. The event will kick off at 9:30 a.m. with a ribbon-cutting ceremony featuring remarks from Maryland State Senator Sarah Elfreth (D-Anne Arundel County), Maryland State Senator Brian Feldman (D-Montgomery County), Anne Arundel County Executive Steuart Pittman (D), Annapolis Mayor Gavin Buckley (D), MariMed President Jon Levine, and the company’s Maryland General Manager Jeff Jones.

“We are proud to serve patients in the Annapolis region with our premium product offerings delivered by our highly trained team," Levine said. "The recent expansion of our state-of-the-art production kitchen in Hagerstown enables us to offer our full portfolio of quality products at a time when the state’s medical cannabis patients are looking for new and innovative offerings. We are particularly optimistic about the future of our business in Maryland as an adult-use referendum is expected to pass in November 2022.”

In addition to Panacea Wellness Annapolis, under state regulations, MariMed can own up to three additional dispensaries in Maryland. MariMed also owns or manages dispensaries in Illinois, Massachusetts, and Delaware, with additional sites under development in Illinois, Massachusetts, and Ohio. The company continues to review accretive acquisitions in other legal cannabis states.

With the opening of the dispensary in Annapolis, MariMed is a fully vertical cannabis operator in Maryland. The company operates a 90,000-square-foot cultivation and production facility in Hagerstown. MariMed’s branded cannabis products are distributed to virtually all the approximately 100 dispensaries in the Maryland medical cannabis program.

LEAMINGTON, Ontario and CANTANHEDE, Portugal, Oct. 5, 2022 -PRESS RELEASE - Tilray Brands, Inc., a global cannabis company inspiring and empowering the worldwide community to live their very best life, announced that it has successfully relaunched its EU GMP-produced medical cannabis oral solution in Ireland under the country’s Medical Cannabis Access Program (MCAP). Tilray’s approved product has also recently received reimbursement approval, which gives patients cost reimbursement and ensures more eligible patients can access quality medical cannabis under Ireland’s MCAP.

Denise Faltischek, Tilray Brands’ chief strategy officer and head of international business, said, “We are extremely proud to relaunch in Ireland with an expanded footprint. The MCAP reimbursement approval is a tremendous step in providing patients with greater access to Tilray’s high-quality medical cannabis products that address their needs. We remain dedicated to do our part to increase access for patients in need around the world.”

Patients in Ireland may now access Tilray’s full-spectrum medical cannabis oil solution through the MCAP. Tilray intends to supply Irish patients with its full suite of medical cannabis products when local regulations allow.

Tilray Medical provides EU-GMP-certified medical cannabis products in 22 countries with a comprehensive portfolio of THC and CBD products. Each medical cannabis product that Tilray offers has been selected to ensure patients can receive both the highest product quality as well as consistency when it comes to the supply of their medicinal cannabis products.

PORTLAND, Oregon, Oct. 05, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- PRESS RELEASE -- The Arizona cannabis market is about to get a little sweeter! Grön, the women-led producer of delicious, handcrafted cannabis-infused edibles, today announced the launch of Pips - candy-coated chocolate pieces infused with full-spectrum cannabis extract - to the Arizona cannabis market. The beautifully delicious Pips are made with Fair Trade Certified chocolate, high-quality cannabis, and are available in four distinct flavors. The initial launch of Pips will be exclusive to Verano-owned and operated Zen Leaf dispensaries and The Flower Shop, a woman-led dispensary brand, with additional retailers coming online soon.

Pips are bite-sized chocolate pieces covered in a colorful, crunchy candy coating all around a crispy center – creating an irresistible snack-worthy edible. Infused with 5mg THC per Pip and available in a variety of cannabinoid ratios with 20 Pips per bag totaling 100mg THC, the versatile edibles can serve as a microdose edible or as an infused alternative to your favorite candy.

“Pips represent more than just a line of edibles, they showcase our commitment to innovation with truly unique forms and flavors. Our team is thrilled to launch Pips, as it supports our mission to bring purpose-driven cannabinoid ratios to the Arizona community,” said Christine Smith, founder and CEO of Grön. “We’d love to thank our partners at Verano for their continued support of our expansion efforts in Arizona. As a woman-led brand, we’re excited to partner with The Flower Shop, a woman-led cannabis dispensary, and continue to amplify the voices of strong women within our industry.”

Grön initially launched in the Arizona cannabis market in late 2021 with their Sugar-Coated Pearls, and has since become one of the leading edibles brands in the state. The launch of Pips completes Grön’s selection of edibles in Arizona, which includes their best-selling Sugar-Coated Pearls, MEGA Pearls, and Fair Trade chocolate.

Pips Giveaway

SAN DIEGO and TORONTO, Oct. 4, 2022 - PRESS RELEASE - StateHouse Holdings Inc., a California-focused, vertically integrated cannabis enterprise, announced that it has entered into a strategic partnership with Nabis, one of California's largest cannabis distributors, under which the company is outsourcing all of its cannabis distribution.

Under the terms of the partnership, Nabis has assumed all of StateHouse's distribution obligations effective yesterday. Nabis has one of the leading cannabis wholesale platforms in California and is one of the largest cannabis distributors in the state. It is the ideal partner to ensure broad and efficient distribution of StateHouse's products. 

Outsourcing distribution also enables the company to focus more on optimizing its retail and wholesale operations in California to expand margins and market share further.

"We are very pleased to enter this strategic partnership with Nabis, a strong and reliable distribution partner that has extensive reach across California," said Ed Schmults, chief executive officer at StateHouse.

A judge dismissed a pair of lawsuits in August that challenged Detroit’s adult-use cannabis ordinance, but last week, a prospective cannabis business owner and a medical cannabis company in the city filed new litigation claiming that the ordinance gives unfair preference to longtime Detroit residents.

Arden Kassab and PharmaCo filed the lawsuit Sept. 28 in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, asks the court to invalidate the ordinance and block the city from accepting applications for dispensary, microbusiness and consumption lounge licenses, according to the Detroit Free Press.

Michigan launched adult-use cannabis sales in December 2019, and Detroit City Council approved a revised adult-use ordinance in April 2022, nearly 10 months after U.S. district judge blocked the city’s previous attempt to license adult-use cannabis businesses.

The original ordinance would have allowed entrepreneurs to obtain “Detroit Legacy” status when applying for adult-use licenses, providing licensing preference to applicants who have lived in the city for a certain number of years. The legacy provision would have also given an advantage to those with low incomes, as well as those with past cannabis-related convictions.

Detroit’s revised ordinance outlines plans to issue half of the available licenses to social equity applicants, which are defined as longtime Detroit residents and individuals who live in communities where cannabis-related convictions are greater than the state average. However, it provides separate processes for residents and non-residents to receive licenses to ensure that the two types of applicants do not compete against each other in the licensing process.

BOCA RATON, Florida, Oct. 4, 2022 - PRESS RELEASE - Jushi Holdings Inc., vertically integrated, multi-state cannabis operator, announced that it has appointed Bill Wafford to its board of directors, effective immediately. In addition to his appointment as independent director, Wafford will serve as chair of the audit committee.

Wafford is a highly skilled leader with over 25 years of finance and management consulting experience. Throughout his career, he has led all aspects of finance, strategy, and execution within several Fortune 500 public and private companies in the retail industry. His deep breadth of experience spans various functions, including accounting, corporate venture capital, M&A, and real estate, in addition to corporate strategy, investor relations, internal audit functions, and procurement and supply chain management.

"We are thrilled to welcome [Wafford] and advance our commitment to robust governance through the expansion of our board," said Jim Cacioppo, Jushi CEO, founder and chairman. "[Wafford's] impressive background and strong financial acumen will provide valuable perspectives as we enhance board oversight and strengthen the company's financial reporting, particularly with our new status as a U.S. reporting issuer. We look forward to [Wafford's] contributions as we look to achieve accelerated profitability through the remainder of the year."

Wafford added, "I would like to thank [Cacioppo] and the board for welcoming me at such an exciting period in the evolution of Jushi. I look forward to working with the company's highly skilled directors and contributing both my expertise and insights to drive sustained growth and value for our shareholders as this dynamic industry rapidly matures."

Wafford currently serves as chief financial officer of Everlane, a digitally native apparel, footwear and accessories brand that is leading the fashion industry toward a more environmentally conscious, sustainable future. Before Everlane, he served as chief financial officer of JCPenney, one of the largest retail department chains in the U.S., The Vitamin Shoppe, a specialty retailer of nutritional products, and Thrasio, a global consumer goods company. Wafford also previously served as a partner of the advisory practice group at KPMG after holding various executive finance roles with Walgreens Boots Alliance, Target, Archstone Consulting, and Bank of America.

The company also announced that it has bolstered its senior leadership team with the promotion of Tobi Lebowitz to chief legal officer and corporate secretary. Lebowitz joined the company in 2019 and was part of the core team which brought Jushi public shortly thereafter. Since then, she has played an instrumental role in the execution of various initiatives across the business, including strategic M&A, business development, and high-stakes litigation. Lebowitz previously held the role of executive vice president and co-head of legal affairs.

While the cannabis industry is currently dealing with price corrections from a post-pandemic sales boom, a recent report from cannabis data and research company Headset shows that sales in legacy markets are actually up compared to pre-COVID. 

New Mexico regulators have uncovered 31 noncompliant cannabis businesses, although the state has not cited any adult-use operators since recreational sales launched in April, according to a local KRQE report.

The Cannabis Control Division (CCD) has conducted roughly 100 inspections since April to verify compliance with waste control, fire safety and security requirements, the news outlet reported.

“The whole idea is we’re going from an unregulated new industry to a regulated industry,” CCD Director Andrew Vallejos told KRQE, adding, “It’s a new industry and we’re working with the licensees to get them in compliance.”

The CCD, which currently has eight compliance officers tasked with inspecting the 478 adult-use cannabis licensees in the state, is in the process of hiring two additional officers, the news outlet reported.

DENVER, Colorado, Oct. 4, 2022 - PRESS RELEASE - Schwazze., a vertically integrated, multi-state cannabis company with assets in Colorado and New Mexico, announced the grand opening of its adult-use dispensary, R.Greenleaf, located in Clovis, N.M. The new store, located at 2009 Ross Street in Clovis, officially opened its doors for business Oct. 1. Regular store operating hours are 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday through Saturday.

This store opening continues the company's deliberate expansion throughout New Mexico and comes on the heels of the Sept. 24 store opening in Ruidoso. This brings R.Greenleaf's number of New Mexico retail dispensaries to 12. All locations serve the needs of medical patients as well as recreational adult-use consumers.

"Schwazze is excited to add our second new retail dispensary in New Mexico within the last week and since adult recreational cannabis was legalized in New Mexico on April 1st," said Steve Pear, New Mexico Division president for Schwazze. "We are honored to bring our support to the Clovis community. R.Greenleaf offers a wide variety of quality products and is serviced by top-notch, knowledgeable staff."

Grand opening product specials and promotions are already in full swing with multiple flower pack offers, pre-rolls, gummies, chocolates and distillate vaporizer cartridges. Bundled kits, deals and cannabis product starter packs will be offered to provide patients and recreational customers with a variety of product forms and consumption methods based on individual needs and preferences.

A grand opening celebration will be held 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 15. Swag bags will be available to the first 75 shoppers, with one lucky customer receiving a 50% discount coupon. Music will accompany a food truck offering free burritos and tacos to the first 75 customers making a purchase.

Nevada’s cannabis sales took a minor dip in fiscal 2022, but the state’s licensed industry still generated more than $152 million in wholesale and retail excise taxes, most of which will go into the State Education Fund (SEF).

Overall, adult-use and medical cannabis dispensaries combined to ring in more than $965 million in taxable sales for the 12-month period ending June 30, the Nevada Cannabis Compliance Board (CCB) and state Department of Taxation announced Sept. 30. That statewide total represents a 3.8% decrease from the $1-plus billion in sales from fiscal 2021.

In large thanks to the tourism appeal in Las Vegas, Clark County accounted for $754 million in cannabis sales for fiscal 2022, representing more than 78% of the total sales for the state. The city’s forthcoming cannabis lounge industry will only grow that appeal, with CCB officials set to open a two-week licensing window for lounges on Oct. 14.

RELATED: Cannabis Lounges Likely to Broaden Las Vegas Tourism Appeal

Of fiscal 2022 tax revenue, the entirety of the $89.3 million generated from the 10% cannabis excise tax on adult-use retail sales will go into the SEF school funding, a directive that came from Senate Bill 545, which Gov. Steve Sisolak signed into law in 2019. Previously, that revenue went toward the state’s rainy day fund.

Another roughly $58 million of industry revenue from fiscal 2022 also will go into the school funding. That revenue is from the $63 million generated from the state’s 15% cannabis excise tax on wholesale (both adult-use and medical), along with civil penalties, licensing and other fees collected through the regulated industry. The remaining $5-plus million went toward operating costs for the CCB.

October 4, 2022 – PRESS RELEASE – Canapa by Paxiom is proud to announce that its Pre-CheQ Analyzer from WeighPack Systems has been awarded the NTEP Certificate of Conformance from the National Conference on Weights and Measures.

After rigorous, repetitive testing of the Pre-CheQ and its electro-magnetic force restoration (EMFR) weigh cell technology, the NCWM issued this prestigious certificate within their Accuracy Class II, used for laboratory weighing of products ranging from cannabis to precious metals.

Engineered to accurately weigh product to 0.001g, the Pre-CheQ weighs product after the weigh filling stage to ensure weight accuracy just prior to product packaging. If the products falls above or below the target weight, it is sent to an accumulation bin for reuse. This type of precise measurement closer to the final container is preferred over other systems that use less accurate strain gauge load cells to weigh individual weigh buckets prior to product dispensing.

Designed to check weigh products directly above the package prior to filling, the Pre-CheQ Analyzer, and its ultra-precise EMFR weigh cell technology, is perfectly suited to weigh cannabis flower, gummies, capsules and other products with seamless integration into bagging and container filling systems.

This compact, modular check weigher also features stainless-steel frame construction, toolless removable re-accumulation and real-time reporting with data export to both USB and seed-to-sale software.

In many ways, this year has been a favorable one for hemp harvests in Holtwood, Penn., says Steve Groff, owner of Cedar Meadow Farm.

He hasn’t run into any issues with weather, which can not only delay harvest, but also damage crops and breed disease. But inevitably, harvesting hemp for three different end uses comes with its challenges.

Groff is a third-generation farmer who has grown a variety of crops, from tomatoes to row crops. He uses regenerative techniques on his farm, including cover crops and no-till practices (which led to him writing a book, “The Future-Proof Farm”). This year, Groff planted less than an acre of hemp for CBD, 5 acres for fiber and, for his first time growing the hemp trio, 2 acres for grain.

With decades of experience farming, Groff has learned how to get creative with his processes while using equipment that’s easily available to him. When it comes to harvesting hemp, “I don’t have any special formula–I just do what works for me,” Groff says.

Harvesting CBD

Since he began growing hemp for CBD in 2019, Groff has pivoted his focus from growing many plants–at one point, 20 acres’ worth–to scaling down and creating and honing his Cedar Meadow Farm CBD brand instead, which includes CBD topicals, tinctures (for both humans and pets) and more.

Highsman and Ball Family Farms have partnered for an exclusive cultivar release, Ricky Baker.

The cultivar name, like all of Ball Family Farms’ cultivars, stems from a movie character – this reference being 1991 film “Boyz N The Hood.” Ricky Baker was pheno-hunted by Highsman founder and president Ricky Williams and features limonene and linalool as part of its terpene profile.

The collaborative cultivar will be available in retail stores across California beginning Saturday, Oct. 8.

“We are thrilled to be one of the few brands that Ball Family Farms has joined forces with,” Williams said. “Chris [Ball] is a pioneer in the cannabis space, overcoming obstacles and transitioning to a truly grassroots legal operation. We are proud to collaborate on a product that gives back to those persecuted for cannabis-related offenses and leads the next generation of Black cannabis entrepreneurs.”

RELATED: From Heisman Winner to Highsman Owner

The majority of those who offered their perspectives on medical cannabis in Kentucky support legalization, according to a summary of feedback gathered by the state’s Medical Cannabis Advisory Committee.

Gov. Andy Beshear released the summary Sept. 30 after committee members traveled the state and heard Kentuckians’ views on the issue.

“Polling suggests 90% of Kentucky adults support legalizing medical cannabis,” Beshear said in a public statement. “Our team traveled the state to talk directly to Kentuckians, and they found our people do indeed overwhelmingly support it. I appreciate the work of those who participated, and I am taking this information into consideration as I analyze what steps I can take to legalize medical cannabis for those suffering from chronic, debilitating medical conditions.”

The Kentucky House approved legislation in March to allow doctors to prescribe medical cannabis by Jan. 1, 2023, for a specified list of qualifying conditions. The proposal, Republican Rep. Jason Nemes’ House Bill 136, ultimately stalled in the Senate, prompting Beshear to consider an executive order to legalize medical cannabis.

RELATED: Kentucky Governor Takes Issue With Senate Inaction on Medical Cannabis

CHICAGO, Sept. 30, 2022 –PRESS RELEASE – Verano Holdings Corp., aleading multistate cannabis company, announced the launch of its second annualcampaign supporting the Lynn Sage Breast Cancer Foundation for Breast CancerAwareness Month. Starting Oct. 1, Verano began a fundraising campaign acrossthe company’s flagship retail brands, Zen Leaf and MÜV dispensaries, located inConnecticut, Illinois, Florida, Maryland, Michigan and New Jersey. The campaignwill continue through the end of October.

As part of the dispensary-led punchcard campaign, cannabis customers will have the opportunity to both enjoy theirfavorite medical and adult-use cannabis products and support the fundraisingcampaign. The company will facilitate a donation to Lynn Sage Breast CancerFoundation upon each customer’s punch card being completed, and customers willreceive exclusive rewards with each purchase.

“We are thrilled to once againpartner with Verano during October and Breast Cancer Awareness Month,” saidMeredith Soren Freese, chair of Lynn Sage Breast Cancer Foundation. “We arelucky to call Verano a partner and friend as we work together as part of ourPurchase 4 Pink campaign to advance research and education because hours in thelab and the brightest minds mean longer, healthier lives.”

“We are proud to partner with LynnSage Breast Cancer Foundation for the second year in a row and continuehighlighting their important work in research, education and prevention,” Veranofounder and CEO George Archos said. “Our team members, patients and customerswere proud to unite in support of a successful campaign in 2021, and lookforward to joining together once again to advance the fight against breastcancer throughout October.”

Verano’s partnership with Lynn SageBreast Cancer Foundation began in October 2021 with the inaugural launch of itsdispensary punch card program in support of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Theresults exceeded expectations, with 7,000 dispensary visitors participating. Tolearn more about the Lynn Sage Breast Cancer Foundation, visit www.lynnsage.org.

Git Skoglund, a Swedish textile researcher, journalist and Cannabis Business Times columnist, has published a new book exploring hemp weaving and textiles.

“Cannabis Textiles: In Hemp Garden Cultures” explores both traditional and manually manufactured hemp textiles production from seed to shelf. The book also shares ways to distinguish hemp fibers and fabrics from textiles made of similar plants, such as hop, flax and cotton.

RELATED: Hemp Denim Jeans Are Making a Comeback in France

Skoglund pulled from extensive historical research, lab studies, as well as her travels to Europe and Asia to author the book.

Robert C. Clarke, an ethnobotanist, plant breeder, textile collector, co-founder of BioAgronomics Group and CBT columnist, edited “Cannabis Textiles.”   

Missouri prosecutors have come out against Amendment 3, an adult-use cannabis legalization measure that will go before voters in the November election.

The Missouri Association of Prosecuting Attorneys have issued a position paper on the proposed constitutional amendment, calling it “nothing more than thirty pages of mischief,” according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

The prosecutors claim in the position paper that if someone were charged or convicted of killing someone while driving under the influence of cannabis, “Amendment 3 attempts to prohibit our courts from stopping that driver’s continuing use of marijuana,” the news outlet reported.

The association went on to say that legalization should not be enshrined in the Missouri Constitution, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, and that it is “bad government.”

“Think how often you have heard about a law that had a problem and had to be fixed or changed—it happens all the time,” the prosecutors said, according to the news outlet. “If any part of the law is invalid or does not do what it was supposed to do, our Legislature is powerless to fix it except to send the amendment back for an expensive statewide election.”

Cannabis businesses operating in unincorporated areas of San Luis Obispo County, Calif., will soon have to adhere to a new tax compliance program.

The county’s Board of Supervisors approved changes to the program Sept. 13, according to a press release, including a new required fee that will take effect Oct. 14.

The changes require every county cannabis business licensee to pay a Cannabis Tax Compliance fee of $3,918 upon license issuance, and each year when the license is renewed, according to the release.

The new fee is in addition to the required annual business license fee, which is currently $44 per new license and $34 per license renewal.

The Board of Supervisors also voted Sept. 13 to eliminate the California Cannabis Authority (CCA) fee, according to the press release, and cost recovery for the CCA is now included in the Cannabis Tax Compliance fee.

Michigan regulators are warning the state’s cannabis licensees of an increased number of scams targeting their businesses.

The Cannabis Regulatory Agency (CRA) issued a Sept. 30 advisory bulletin notifying businesses that fraudulent activity against licensees increased in August and September.

The incidents have the following similarities, according to the CRA’s announcement:

Regulators advise licensees to have their staff verify the validity of calls and texts with a manager or owner before processing the order, as well as verify the address for delivery.

The bulletin also reminds licensees that regulations require cannabis businesses to notify the CRA and local law enforcement within 24 hours of becoming aware of the theft or loss of any product or criminal activity.

Former Ascend Wellness Holdings’ (AWH) CEO Abner Kurtin released a statement saying charges have been dropped against him after he was arrested Sept. 6 on a misdemeanor battery charge in Southern Florida.

RELATED: Ascend Wellness CEO Arrested, Charged With Domestic Battery

Abner released a public statement Sept. 30 regarding the charges: “Today, the charges against me were dismissed by the City of Miami Beach. My partner and I were involved in a verbal argument that was never physical at any point. I have apologized to her privately for my verbal actions, and we both moved on with our relationship in a positive manner.”

According to Miami Dade’s Clerk of Courts, a hearing was scheduled at 9:45 a.m. Sept. 30. Cannabis Business Times was not able to verify the information with the Miami Dade Clerk of Courts, as results of the hearing were not immediately available.

"I want to thank the Miami Beach police who acted appropriately at the time and did their job as police officers. Domestic violence is a problem in our society and should not be tolerated. Florida has put in place among the strictest mandatory arrest laws in the country to allow time to protect victims and diligence the circumstances. I thank the police officers again for their unwavering commitment to upholding the law and protecting the lives of many.