MjLink Cannabis Business News and Press
The big cannabis news out of Europe this year has been Germany planning to legalize for adult use, but Spain and Switzerland are making recent waves by improving access to medical cannabis. A recent European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) report estimated 22.2 million adults in the European Union (7% of the population) had consumed cannabis in the last year. Notably, almost every European Union country has legislated medical cannabis and has or is working on a regulatory framework for medical cannabis use. EU member announcements of positive regulatory changes for cannabis keep a continual lit fire under individual countries’ health agencies and politicians to do what is suitable for their population.
Cannabis Smoke Signals Show Loosening European Laws
Some countries like Germany have made access easier for patients. In their 2019 cannabis reform, Germany gave the freedom to doctors to choose the proper usages of cannabis for their patients. The reform had a positive effect, and the total patient count is nearing 200,000 for 2022, with an estimated 800,000 total medical candidates who could still benefit from cannabis therapies. Of course, the expected adult-use access has garnered all the recent news and will dwarf the medical numbers. But most feel the EU will regulate access as a narcotic with similar quality standards, which will not follow the U.S.-style adult-use markets.
Conversely, countries like the UK still make it difficult for patients to access cannabis. The UK laws require the General Practitioner (GP) to try at least two different therapies, and cannabis becomes a prescription of last resort should those therapies fail. The general indications for usage are epilepsy, cancer, multiple sclerosis, and clinically studied indications. An estimated 60% of EU patients use cannabis for various pain symptoms, so the exclusion of pain as an indication is holding back the access that is much needed. At an estimated 15,000 patients in the UK, there is much to be done to improve access for the country’s patients. And that goes for other European countries still restricting access for patients with widely accepted indications like pain, gastrointestinal issues and psychological indications.
Switzerland and Spain Increasingly Prioritize Patients
Switzerland has followed Germany’s lead and has given doctors the freedom to prescribe cannabis to their patients. No longer will doctors need to seek approval from the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) before prescribing cannabis to patients. Still, Switzerland only allows therapies high in CBD with less than 1% THC. The city of Zurich, Switzerland, has started a pilot for adult-use cannabis by beginning a trial with 10 social clubs, where they will monitor via the University of Zurich the effects of such an adult-use program on the members and community. More cities in Switzerland are also looking to implement adult use-style social clubs, which further broaden the discussions of Switzerland’s overall plans for cannabis.
Switzerland has been clear they are seeking proper regulation to protect the population by opening access to combat the unregulated market cannabis consumers are forced to go to. With a population of roughly 8.7 million, these decisive steps continue an upward trend toward legalization in Switzerland.
NEW YORK and TORONTO, July 22, 2022 /CNW/ - TerrAscend Corp. ("TerrAscend" or the "Company") (CSE: TER) (OTCQX: TRSSF), a leading North American cannabis operator, today announced with Cookies, a globally recognized cannabis and lifestyle brand, the opening of New Jersey's first-ever "Cookies Corner" at The Apothecarium location in Maplewood. Additional Cookies Corners are scheduled to launch in Lodi and Phillipsburg in the near future. All three retail spaces will offer exclusive Cookies products and accessories through an immersive, branded shopping experience.
TerrAscend first announced its licensing agreement with Cookies in August 2021, allowing the Company to cultivate and manufacture Cookies products in New Jersey. In March 2022, TerrAscend completed the acquisition of Gage, a leading vertically-integrated operator in Michigan, which extended its exclusive licensing agreement with Cookies until 2026.
Cookies is a globally renowned brand known for its game-changing genetics and a diverse selection of over 70 cannabis cultivars and 2,000 products. Cookies Corners is a modern retail experience enabling customers to fully immerse themselves with the unique Cookies brand. Features available at the Cookies Corners include bud bars, branded wall displays, branded merchandise and soon-to-launch vapes and pre-rolls.
"New Jersey rec is off to a strong start, and we are thrilled to add the exclusive Cookies Corners shopping experience to our dispensaries, " said Jason Wild, executive chairman of TerrAscend. "The addition of Cookies Corners demonstrates our commitment to offering New Jersey consumers an elevated cannabis retail experience."
"We are incredibly excited to be opening up our Cookies Corner in the Maplewood Apothecarium. New Jersey has really shown up for Cookies products since they have been in market, and I can't wait to show customers our in-store Cookies experience," said Berner, Co-Founder and CEO of Cookies.
To celebrate the openings of Cookies Corners, the Company will host a series of upcoming events at its Maplewood, Lodi and Phillipsburg Apothecarium locations. For more information about product availability and store hours, please visit The Apothecarium website.
BOCA RATON, Florida, July 25, 2022 - PRESS RELEASE - Jushi Holdings Inc., a vertically integrated, multi-state cannabis operator, announced the opening of its third medical cannabis dispensary in Virginia and 34th retail location nationwide. Providing an unparalleled in-store and digital retail experience via beyond-hello.com, Beyond Hello Alexandria will begin serving medical cannabis patients and registered agents at 10:00 a.m. Wednesday, July 27.
Located at 5902 Richmond Hwy. (Rt. 1) and directly off the Capital Beltway (I-495), the new 9,600 square-foot store features 14 traditional and nine express patient checkouts and over 50 parking spots with easy in-and-out access to improve patient accessibility. Jushi designed Beyond Hello Alexandria to serve a growing patient population while offering convenient transaction processing through the company's online reservation platform – beyond-hello.com.
Housed in the former Great American Steak & Buffet building, Beyond Hello Alexandria will broaden patient access to Jushi's suite of high-quality medical cannabis brands, including The Bank, The Lab, Sèchè, and Tasteology.
"We're thrilled to open up our new dispensary in Alexandria – a town famous for its nationally recognized landmarks, rich history, vibrant arts, pristine waterfront and charming restaurants and boutiques," said Jim Cacioppo, CEO, chairman and founder of Jushi. "Beyond Hello Alexandria captures the best of our thinking and combines our digital and physical retail experiences with the flexibility and convenience of our express checkout services. In addition, Beyond Hello Alexandria is strategically positioned near the 'Beltway' with easy highway access, and is conveniently located within a 15-minute drive to approximately 400,000 people."
Cacioppo continued, "In the coming months, we look forward to furthering our mission to improve patient access to top-quality medical cannabis products in Northern Virginia. As previously reported, we are on track to open our much-anticipated Fairfax and Arlington locations by the end of the year. These two new locations, along with our dispensaries in Manassas, Sterling and Alexandria, position us to safely and securely meet growing demand while supporting the company's long-term growth."
Joining the company's Beyond Hello Manassas and Beyond Hello Sterling locations, Beyond Hello Alexandria will serve patients and registered agents Monday through Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. and Sunday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Illinois officials have finally awarded long-awaited adult-use cannabis dispensary licenses to the applicants selected in a series of licensing lotteries that were held last summer.
Gov. JB Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) issued 149 conditional licenses July 22 to business that qualify as Social Equity Applicants as defined in the state’s Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act, according to a press release from the governor’s office.
A full list of the awardees can be found here.
Forty-one percent of the awardees are majority Black-owned businesses, 7% are majority white-owned and 4% are majority Latino-owned, while 38% of the awardees did not disclose the ethnicity of their owners, according to the release.
“Illinois is leading the way in addressing the War on Drugs as no state has before, and dispensary ownership that reflects our state’s diversity is a product of that commitment,” Pritzker said in a public statement. “These licenses represent a significant step toward accountability for the decades of injustice preceding cannabis legalization. Illinois will continue to deliver on the promises of putting equity at the forefront of this process.”
A study published in the JAMA Network Open July 20 discovered that most topical CBD products are inaccurately labeled and make therapeutic claims which are not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
From March to June, John Hopkins Medicine studied 105 topical CBD products (lotions, creams, and patches) from online and brick-and-mortar stores. “Forty-five products from 29 companies were purchased from 7 different stores in [Baltimore, Md., in July and August 2020], and 60 products from 39 companies were purchased online,” according to the study.
According to a press release from Hopkins Medicine, the “products were tested using a technology called gas chromatography-mass spectrometry to identify the actual amount of CBD and THC they contained.”
Of the 105 products, 89 advertised the total amount of CBD in milligrams on the label, 16 contained less CBD than marketed, 52 had more CBD, and only 21 were adequately labeled, according to the study.
“Misleading labels can result in people using poorly regulated and expensive CBD products instead of FDA-approved products that are established as safe and effective for a given health condition,” Tory Spindle, Ph.D., assistant professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and the study’s lead author said in the release.
According to the study, products purchased in-store averaged 21% more CBD than advertised, and online products averaged 10% more.
Lawmakers have introduced a new cannabis research bill in Congress that could receive a House vote as soon as this week.
The Medical Marijuana and Cannabidiol Research Expansion Act, introduced by U.S. Reps. Earl Blumenauer, D-Ore., and Andy Harris, R-Md., largely mirrors the Senate’s Cannabidiol and Marihuana Research Expansion Act, which Sens. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, and Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, filed in March, according to a Benzinga report.
The U.S. Senate passed the Cannabidiol and Marihuana Research Expansion Act March 24, and the new version of the proposal in the House builds on a separate cannabis research bill in that chamber called the Medical Marijuana Research Act, which the House approved in April.
The Medical Marijuana and Cannabidiol Research Expansion Act would expand scientific research on cannabis, although it does not include a provision previously included in the Medical Marijuana Research Act that would have allowed researchers to access cannabis from state-legal dispensaries for their studies, Benzinga reported.
The legislation would ease the process for researchers to apply for approval to study cannabis, according to the news outlet, and would require the U.S. attorney general to either approve a cannabis research application or request additional information from the applicant.
Parked outside Green Sage in Oakland, Calif., are nine diesel generators supplying energy to the cultivation facility. According to a lawsuit filed by neighbors, the generators are spiking the area with air pollution. With a local population comprising mostly Black and Latino residents, the suit frames this conflict as environmental racism, demanding the diesel generators be shut down.
The East Oakland neighbors, backed by the Environmental Policy Project, claim that this diesel engine exhaust problem has been transpiring for the past two years—24 hours a day, seven days a week.
“[Green Sage’s] unpermitted, semi-truck size generators have emitted tons of cancer-causing diesel particulate matter and other pollutants that are inhaled deeply into the lungs of residents of the facility’s live/workspace,” according to the lawsuit. “Residents of the densely populated community of color located just east of the facility’s generators are also exposed to the facility’s pollution. The generators’ emissions are not mitigated by any pollution limits or control technology because Defendant failed to obtain air quality permits before operating the generators.”
Read the full civil complaint below.
Alistair Monroe, board member of the Environmental Policy Project and a neighbor of Green Sage’s cultivation facility, wrote in a July 11 court filing that black soot is now visible along the external walls of the building.
“The fumes from the generators permeate my and other residents’ homes,” Monroe wrote. “The fumes are so powerful that they cause me and the other residents to become nauseous and otherwise physically ill. I am also concerned about other short-term and long-term health risks I am suffering as a result of breathing in these toxic fumes.”
The North American corporate cannabis sector has seen better days. Pandemic-galvanized sales surges are now mostly in the rearview mirror, and markets in large U.S. states and Canada have matured at a rapid clip. Despite the introduction of a new decriminalization bill, a lack of meaningful federal movement makes it feel like the industry is stuck at a crossroads.
As we move into the second half of the year, let’s look at how things have gone for major U.S. and Canadian cannabis companies in 2022 and what we can expect going forward. For expert insight, Cannabis Business Times spoke to senior cannabis banking executives and advocacy groups.
Revenue & Profits Slow, Stocks Get Slaughtered
Quarterly earnings reports and press releases showed a consistent theme: While revenues remain healthy and new markets continue to expand, growth is slowing down. Some companies are even experiencing downward trends in sales and revenue.
Canopy Growth, one of Canada’s biggest producers, reported net revenue of $112 million in fiscal Q4 2022, a 25% decrease compared to Q4 2021’s $148.4 million. For the 2022 fiscal year, Canopy’s revenue dropped 5% compared to 2021. Its recreational and medical sales numbers are both down double-digit percentages from last year. In investor presentations released earlier this year, Canopy blamed these dips on factors like “lower production output, price compression in the Canadian recreational business” and “higher third-party shipping, distribution and warehouse costs.”
American cannabis companies haven’t been spared from slowdowns. Massachusetts-based MSO Curaleaf drew more than $1 billion in revenue for the first time in 2021, good for 93% growth year-over-year. But in Q1 2022, the company reported quarter-over-quarter losses in revenue, profit and EBITDA.
Curaleaf raised $425 million in a December 2021 private placement of senior secured notes, but as of March 31, 2022 had $243 million in cash against $584 million in debt. Both figures are regressions from 2021’s $315 million in cash against $340 million in debt.
It took more than a year for Sen. Chuck Schumer and two of his Democratic colleagues to formally file a federal cannabis legalization bill, yet the majority leader indicated he still doesn’t have the support to pass it.
The Cannabis Administration and Opportunity Act (CAOA)—which Schumer formally filed July 21, along with Sens. Ron Wyden, Ore., and Cory Booker, N.J.— is a 296-page bill that aims to remove cannabis from the Controlled Substances Act; federally tax and regulate the plant; and empower states to create their own cannabis laws.
RELATED: Schumer and Company File Federal Cannabis Legalization Bill
The legislation is 133 pages longer than the discussion draft of the bill that Schumer and company first unveiled in July 2021. The current version of the bill—as filed this week—comes after the Senate trio considered more than 1,800 public comments and worked with the chairs of 10-plus Senate committees to put forth a proposal they hope gains traction.
Yet Schumer did not offer any assurances that the legislation is as popular among his Senate colleagues as cannabis legalization is among the American public when he addressed the upper chamber following the bill’s introduction on Thursday.
Although, he did say he’s aiming to “get something done this year.” That comment comes as 68% of Americans support full cannabis legalization, according to a recent Gallup Poll.
With a mission in mind, CBD and wellness company Burnt Meadow Hemp is working to create a farm-to-table experience for consumers.
Sitting on 250 acres in Fowler, Colo., Burnt Meadow Hemp is a “full functioning farm,” says Sulee Clay, CEO of Burnt Meadow Hemp and chair of the corporate group and managing partner at Mckennon Shelton & Henn LLP law firm in Washington D.C. The company grows a blend of CBD- and CBG-dominant varieties on roughly 55 irrigated acres, Clay says, adding that it also produces other crops, like alfalfa.
“We grow for extraction, but for our product purposes, we do infusion method, whole plant, trying to be as close to what is coming out of the ground as possible in terms of our ingredients,” she says.
The company grew 40 acres of hemp in its first growing season in 2018 and had a successful harvest that year, Clay says. However, the following two years were challenging, as the farm got almost completely wiped out from weather-related disasters.
“Right when we were about to harvest 10-foot tall plants, the first year, we got a ton of ice. Everything froze; it went down to 3 degrees for three days,” she says. “The second year, a bunch of heavy snow was dumped on everything, and everything got demolished. That was quite a setback. … As much hard work as it is to actually farm hemp, especially if you don’t have very large equipment, we started thinking, ‘Is this really the best use of our time?’”
From there, Clay says the company pivoted its focus to product development and created a line of CBD wellness products.
Indonesia’s Constitutional Court has rejected a judicial review of the country’s narcotics law that could have opened the door to medical cannabis legalization.
Three mothers of children with cerebral palsy joined forces with civil society organizations in 2020 to file the judicial review, according to a Reuters report.
The plaintiffs said medical cannabis could be used to treat the children’s symptoms, and argued that not being allowed to use narcotics for medical reasons violates citizens’ constitutional rights to obtain health services and benefit from advancements in science and technology, the news outlet reported.
The court issued a ruling July 20 that said there is insufficient research to justify the judicial review, Reuters reported. The judges added, however, that Indonesia’s government should “immediately” conduct research on the therapeutic use of narcotics, according to the news outlet.
Indonesia’s parliament has indicated that it will undertake a comprehensive study on the benefits of medical cannabis, Reuters reported, but in the meantime, the Southeast Asian nation has one of the world’s most stringent anti-drug laws; the possession or trafficking of large quantities of narcotics is punishable by life imprisonment or death, according to Reuters.
It’s no secret that the cannabis industry moves fast and is ever-evolving.
Market trends or products that are popular today may go out of style tomorrow. In this Q&A, Jesce Horton, founder of LOWD, a cannabis production company in Portland, Ore., shares what businesses should consider when looking to implement a marketing trend in an ever-changing landscape.
Editor’s note: Jesce Horton will speak at Cannabis Conference from 1:30 p.m. to 2:20 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 24, on the “How to Use Today’s Marketing Trends To Boost Your Bottom Line” session alongside Angela Pih, Vice President of Marketing for Harborside, Jonathan Spadafora, President of Veritas Fine Cannabis, and Ashley Fields, Vice President of Marketing and Communications for CANN. In this session, experts will provide their top lessons learned, share regulatory considerations and explain how to evaluate the success of any marketing campaign. Visit www.CannabisConference.com for more information and to register.
Andriana Ruscitto: What should business owners consider when deciding whether to jump on a marketing trend?
Jesce Horton: I think they should consider how fast the industry moves. For example, if someone is selecting strains based on what’s moving and what’s hot right now, they definitely want to strongly consider the longevity of that trend or strain, whatever it may be, because implementing these strains or strategies can take months [or] even over a year. By the time you’re able to do that, the industry has [already] moved on to something else.
AR: How can executives successfully incorporate marketing trends?
Michigan’s Cannabis Regulatory Agency (CRA) announced July 21 the winning bidders for $20 million in annual funding available through the state’s Veteran Marijuana Research (VMR) grant program.
Wayne State University, a four-year public research institution in Detroit, was awarded the full amount requested for both of its proposals: roughly $9 million and $3.5 million. While the University of Michigan, in Ann Arbor, was award nearly $7.5 million of the $12 million it requested, according to CRA.
The funding will go toward clinical trials in treating the medical conditions of U.S. armed services veterans and preventing veteran suicide. The trials must be approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and sponsored by a nonprofit organization within an academic institution researching the efficacy of using cannabis as an alternative treatment for veterans.
The annual funding for the clinical trials was set forth in the Michigan Regulation and Taxation of Marijuana Act, the adult-use legalization initiative passed by voters in November 2018, which created a Marijuana Regulation fund in the state treasury that CRA officials are required to draw from to award the grants.
CRA officials received five proposals totaling more than $37 million for this year’s grants. When determining the amount to be award to each organization, a Joint Evaluation Committee (JEC) considered four main factors:
The JEC included voting members Andrew Brisbo, executive director of CRA/Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA); Robert Near, the deputy director of the Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency; and Catherine Reid, the medical adviser for the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services’ State Hospital Administration.
HELENA, Montana (July 21, 2022) – Wana Brands products are now available to medical and recreational marijuana patients in Montana with the launch of Wana Sour Gummies, the company’s classic vegan and gluten-free gummies enhanced with a proprietary blend of more than 30 terpenes. In partnership with all 26 locations of Bloom, Sweet Grass and Fat Hippie dispensaries, Wana Brands provides a wide range of gummies in various classes, ratios and doses to help meet the needs of Montana’s growing cannabis community.
Both Wana Brands and Bloom share a focus on providing consumers and patients best-in-class cannabis products in a wide variety of options and flavors. Now available in Watermelon Hybrid, Blueberry Indica, Mango Sativa, Strawberry Lemonade 1:1 CBD/THC and Blood Orange 20:1 CBD/THC, Wana Sour gummies offer Montana consumers a variety of consistent and potent options for wellness management and recreational enjoyment.
“Gummie edibles are a hugely popular product category, and we wanted to bring a high-quality, consistent edible product to Montanans all over the state by partnering with a dispensary they know and trust,” said Nancy Whiteman, CEO of Wana Brands. “Bloom offers a people-centered service approach and we are honored to partner with them across Montana. Together, we will bring five flavors of Wana’s Sour Gummies to Montana, and plan to expand gummie offerings in the future.”
Wana products available through Montana medical and recreational marijuana dispensaries include:
Wana Sour Gummies Watermelon (Hybrid): These refreshingly fruity gummies are infused with a terpene-enhanced hybrid blend to deliver a mild, balanced experience. 10mg THC per piece, 100mg THC per package (10 gummies)Wana Sour Gummies Blueberry (Indica): Infused with a terpene-enhanced indica distillate, these not-too-sweet, not-too-tart gummies can evoke feelings of relaxation and calm. 10mg THC per piece, 100mg THC per package (10 gummies)Wana Sour Gummies Mango (Sativa): Infused with a motivating sativa blend, these tropics-inspired gummies contain notes of refreshing sweetness, elevated by a tangy citrus burst. 10mg THC per piece, 100mg THC per package (10 gummies)Wana Sour Gummies Blood Orange (20:1 CBD/THC): These succulent blood orange gummies are infused with only 1mg of THC, which works within a person’s endocannabinoid system to unlock the full therapeutic benefits of 20mg CBD without producing intoxicating effects. 20mg CBD/1mg THC per piece, 200mg CBD / 10mg THC per package (10 gummies)Wana Sour Gummies Strawberry Lemonade (1:1 CBD/THC): Balancing bright citrus and lush strawberry, these gummies contain a 1:1 ratio of CBD and THC to promote balance and tranquility. 10mg CBD / 10mg THC per piece, 100mg CBD / 100mg THC per package (10 gummies)“Partnering with Wana Brands not only allows us to bring the best edibles in the nation to Montana, we are also continuing to fulfill our goal of providing a wide variety of premium cannabis products across all product categories,” said Adam Kunin, Chief Operating Officer of Bloom. “It is important for us to do right by our patients and customers, which is why we prioritized working with Wana. They are nationally renowned for both their products and community involvement, and like us, strive to make the world a better place.”
The Montana Department of Revenue allows adults over the age of 21 located in counties where the majority of voters supported Initiative 190 to possess and use up to one ounce of cannabis. Medical patients with 12 specific conditions can qualify for a state-issued certification card. Conditions include cancer, HIV, AIDS, PTSD, chronic pain, multiple sclerosis, glaucoma, among others.]]>Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer officially filed his long-awaited Cannabis Administration and Opportunity Act (CAOA) July 21, and while it remains to be seen whether the 296-page bill has the support it needs to become law, this sort of broad federal decriminalization measure would ultimately open up interstate commerce in the cannabis industry.
What does this mean for existing cannabis operators and business hopefuls in state-legal markets?
Jonathan Robbins, chair of the cannabis practice at Akerman LLP, says cannabis will likely be regulated like alcohol at the federal level, and that “refreshing is an understatement” to describe the impact of interstate commerce opportunities on the industry.
“It will be fantastic to be able to negotiate license agreements or distribution agreements where product can actually be sold across state lines,” he says. “If I represent a multistate operator and they want to do a distribution agreement [now] … with a big brand out West, you can’t just drop a pallet from California and ship it to Florida. Especially with edibles, it makes it so impossible because you … have to get the genetics from the operator, then you have to have a team come in and teach them how to cultivate it properly and … how to manufacture these edibles.”
But, according to Robbins and Robert DiPisa, co-chair of the Cannabis Law Group at Cole Schotz, a reasonable tax rate and a uniform approach to regulations are key to the long-term success of the industry when interstate commerce becomes a reality.
Gold Standard Farms is a family-owned, Tennessee-based hemp cultivator with nearly 100 years of history behind it.
While much of the company’s history is rooted in traditional agriculture, including soybean and corn production, Gold Standard Farms CEO Jarrel Howard has launched his family business forward into a new era with hemp cultivation.
After taking over as CEO in 2020, Howard introduced hemp cultivation to his family’s farm, adding a new crop to carry the company forward. Later that year, Gold Standard Farms became the initial strategic partner for Viola’s incubator program, which launched in October 2020.
Now, with Howard in his third year as CEO, he’s certain this was where he was meant to be all along.
“This was my purpose,” Howard says, “to be home and take care of the farm for as long as I can and make sure we get another 80 to 100 years out of it.”
Rick Zahnleuter has resigned as chief lawyer for New York’s Office of Cannabis Management (OCM).
According to Syracuse.com, NY Cannabis Insider was the first to report on the news via an email sent from OCM spokesperson Aaron Ghitelman, which read:
“The entire staff of the Office of Cannabis Management wants to thank Rick Zahnleuter for his work getting the office up and running. Rick came out of retirement to lend his expertise to our office as we launched New York’s cannabis industry. Thanks to Rick’s work, the Seeding Opportunity Initiative is in full motion with regulations finalized for the cannabis supply chain; for farmers, for production facilities, and for our first retail dispensaries. And thanks to all that work, we’re in a great place to bring on a new general counsel to shepherd our office and New York’s Cannabis Industry into the future. We deeply appreciate all Rick has done for our state.”
According to the news outlet, the OCM appointed Zahnleuter as general counsel in October 2021, after he retired from his role as general counsel from the New York State Department of Health in 2020.
New York is currently working on launching its adult-use program and the state’s Cannabis Control Board recently approved regulations that govern the state’s forthcoming adult-use market, as previously reported by Cannabis Business Times.
The regulations would “ensure that the first round of dispensary licenses go to applicants with past cannabis-related convictions,” CBT reported.
]]>Law enforcement has seized 165,219 illicit cannabis plants across three cities in Mendocino County, Cali.
Between July 11 and July 15, the County of Mendocino Marijuana Enforcement Team searched the cities of Covelo, Laytonville, and Willits and eradicated a total of 5,946 pounds of processed cannabis, according to KRCR.
Officials also found 12 weapons and 1,740 illicit cannabis plants grown on Round Valley Consolidated Indian Tribes' land.
According to the news outlet, officials detained several individuals from the investigation, most of whom are from foreign countries such as Mexico, Spain, Argentina, France, and Israel.
]]>LAKELAND, Fla., July 21, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --PRESS RELEASE-- Metrc, a provider of cannabis regulatory systems in the U.S., announced its new contract with the State of Rhode Island to support the State’s regulation of medical cannabis, the company’s 22nd government contract to date and fifth so far in 2022.
As the only track-and-trace company to have successfully taken over a government contract from another vendor, Metrc will replace the State’s current partner and implement its robust track-and-trace platform to help facilitate the Rhode Island Medical Cannabis Program’s data collection and regulatory oversight. Rhode Island is the third state in which Metrc is replacing the incumbent vendor. The company’s unique RFID tag model combined with a configured software-as-a-service (SaaS) system will enable licensed operators to easily view and track all information and activities impacting the status of a plant or the creation of cannabis-based products, including origin, testing results, handling, and chain-of-custody information. This seamless data tracking helps operators optimize inventory control, accurately report sales data, and improve cultivation management. And this same tracking information is accessible to state regulators, providing the ultimate transparency to ensure regulatory compliance, help combat the illicit market, and safeguard the health and well-being of Rhode Island medical marijuana patients.
“As the Rhode Island Medical Cannabis Program continues to grow, we are excited to support and enhance the program through our state-of-the-art track-and-trace platform, which will enable state regulators to conveniently and securely track, store, and retrieve millions of data points from operators around the state,” said Michael Johnson, CEO at Metrc. “Our team at Metrc is looking forward to working side-by-side with Rhode Island’s Office of Cannabis Regulation and both existing and new licensees within the state to establish a safe and well-regulated medical marketplace.”
Rhode Island was an early adopter of medical marijuana, legalizing the program in 2006. Since last October, the state has awarded six new medical marijuana licenses to business owners through a lottery, which increases the number of dispensaries from three to nine, significantly expanding access to the state’s thousands of medical patients.
Metrc now holds exclusive government contracts in every region of the U.S and has a particularly strong presence in the northeast, having contracts with Maine; Massachusetts; New Jersey; Maryland; Washington, D.C.; and now Rhode Island. While these areas have diverse regulatory frameworks, each jurisdiction shares the common goal of ensuring safe legal cannabis markets. Metrc continues to be the favored partner of regulators and businesses in serving their unique needs and goals; having prevailed over other track-and-trace competitors who were eager to replace the incumbent vendor in Rhode Island.
]]>Editor’s note: This is a developing story and will be updated periodically through the day on July 21.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer’s bill to federally legalized cannabis is finally here.
The New York Democrat, along with Senate Finance Committee Chairman Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., officially filed the Cannabis Administration and Opportunity Act (CAOA) July 21 in the upper chamber.
The 296-page bill expands upon a 163-page draft that the Senate trio originally unveiled more than a year ago, before industry organizations and stakeholders spent the better part of two months submitting their feedback.
While the final version of the legislation filed Thursday broadens the initial proposal, the nuts and bolts of the bill remain: remove cannabis from the list of controlled substances; tax and regulate cannabis at the federal level; and grant states the power to keep or administer their own oversight programs.
In addition, the legislation provides provisions to help repair the harms and injustices associated with the enforcement of prohibition policies that have led to disproportionately targeting Black people and communities.
