MjLink Cannabis Business News and Press
Pennsylvania Sens. Judy Schwank and Sharif Street announced April 6 that they will soon introduce legislation that would ban the sale of delta-8 THC products.
In co-sponsor memorandum, they noted the lack of regulation surrounding delta-8 is problematic, as these products are sold at neighborhood gas stations and corner stores.
“What we are seeing right now is a completely unregulated market for these products, and they are becoming more popular with each passing day,” Schwank said. “I’m particularly concerned about underage teens using these products because we have no clue how they are manufactured. I’ve already heard about high school-age children in my district getting sick after using delta-8 THC, so they are finding ways to access it.”
She also noted that these products come in flavors that may be appealing to teenagers, the PA Senate reported.
Street also noted that consumers need to be aware of products they are purchasing that can cause ‘psychotropic effects,’ adding that it’s the government’s responsibility “to ensure safety and consumer protection.”
“This legislation fixes this problem and reminds us of the importance of a well-regulated and secure market for cannabis,” he says.
]]>BOCA RATON, Florida, April 8, 2022 - PRESS RELEASE - Jushi Holdings Inc., a vertically integrated, multi-state cannabis operator, announced that it has closed its previously announced agreement to acquire NuLeaf, Inc., a Nevada-based vertically integrated operator, for $53.6 million. NuLeaf operates two adult-use and medical retail dispensaries in Las Vegas and Lake Tahoe, in addition to a 27,000 square foot cultivation facility in Sparks and a 13,000 square foot processing facility in Reno. NuLeaf also owns a third licensed retail dispensary located directly on Las Vegas Boulevard, which is expected to become operational in Q2 2022, subject to regulatory approval and other conditions.
RELATED: Jushi Closes Acquisition of Apothecarium Dispensary in Las Vegas
The acquisition of NuLeaf, along with the recently closed Apothecarium Nevada acquisition, expands Jushi's retail footprint to four dispensaries in the Nevada cannabis market, three of which are located in the Las Vegas area. In addition, NuLeaf's facilities strengthen Jushi's cultivation and processing capabilities in the state, providing a strategic opportunity to expand Jushi's ability to supply its best-in-class suite of branded products across its newly acquired Nevada stores and into the wholesale market.
"We are excited to announce the closing of our third acquisition in Nevada, a milestone accomplishment for our team," said Jim Cacioppo, Jushi CEO, chairman, and founder. "The acquisition of NuLeaf sets the tone for our growth plans in the state as we continue to scale and strengthen our operations in this limited license market. With our newly established vertically integrated footprint in the state, we look to gain market share of our brands and further capitalize on the significant opportunity in this market, aided by NuLeaf's premier retail, cultivation and manufacturing assets. We look forward to the immediate revenue and EBITDA contribution this acquisition will bring as we fully integrate NuLeaf into our business."
]]>
New Zealand’s government is providing a $13-million grant to Puro, one of the country’s largest organic medical cannabis cultivators, to help accelerate the nascent industry.
The funding will help Puro develop production systems, support skills and training, explore contract growing and identify pathways to market, according to a company press release.
Puro Managing Director Tim Aldridge said in the release that “the grant is a gamechanger that will provide New Zealand patients with greater access to locally grown and manufactured medicine and pave the way for international export success.”
“Being one of New Zealand’s first medicinal cannabis companies has meant we’ve had to overcome some major challenges—it hasn’t been easy,” Aldridge said. “This program will see us create an organic production handbook that will be invaluable for Puro and our industry. The grant will also support Puro in developing post-harvesting processing technology and build the IP required to produce premium organic cannabis flower to meet increasing domestic and global demand.”
Puro was founded in 2018 and harvested its first medical cannabis crop last year, according to a government press release.
Montana’s adult-use cannabis sales neared $16 million for the month of March, the highest month of sales since they launched in January.
The state’s retailers sold $14,141,896.98 worth of adult-use cannabis products in January, $13,533,697.08 in February and $15,861,516.86 in March, according to data from the Montana Department of Revenue.
Montana has raked in an estimated $8,707,422.18 in tax revenue from adult-use sales to date.
A bill to legalize medical cannabis is headed to the South Carolina House floor after receiving committee approval April 7.
The House Medical, Military, Public and Municipal Affairs Committee, known as the 3M Committee, made minor changes to S. 150, the SC Compassionate Care Act, before advancing it in a 16-3 vote, according to The Herald Sun.
The legislation, sponsored by Sen. Tom Davis, R-Beaufort County, would allow patients with one of 12 qualifying conditions to access a two-week supply of medical cannabis in the form of oils, vaporizers, salves, topicals and patches with a recommendation from their doctor.
The South Carolina Senate passed the bill in early February after three weeks of debate, advancing it to the 3M committee, which has since held a hearing and heard hours of public testimony on the legislation.
The 3M Committee’s approval Thursday marks the farthest a medical cannabis legalization proposal has come during the eight years supporters have been pushing for policy reform, The Herald Sun reported.
The desire for cannabis consumption lounges in legal cannabis markets is rising.
For example, some Michigan cities are moving toward the consumption lounge trend. In Lansing, city officials recently granted conditional approvals for four businesses to open consumption lounges—many of which could come online this year.
And one of the state's first licensed cannabis consumption lounges, Hot Box Social, opened in Hazel Park about two weeks ago.
So, what do these consumption lounges look like? Cannabis Business Times caught up with Nowfal Akash, the chief information officer at Troy-based Trucenta, a vertically integrated cannabis business, which owns and operates Hot Box Social, to get the inside scoop.
Located at 23619 John R. Road in Hazel Park, Mich. (just outside Detroit), Hot Box Social hosts private events such as fundraisers and product launches where vendors can come in, rent the space, and invite people to try their cannabis products on-site, Akash tells Cannabis Business Times.
The venue has already hosted two fundraising events: one for a Warren councilwoman and another for a Hazel Park councilman, Akash says, adding that one was running for state representative, while the other was running for Congress.
As high taxes and plummeting wholesale prices threaten California’s licensed cannabis industry, cultivators must maximize efficiency and keep costs low to weather the storm.
Adelanto-based Yellow Dream Farm is doing just that using LED lighting, vertical farming and water recirculation.
The family-owned cultivation operation, located in Southern California near the Victor Valley area of the Mojave Desert, grows boutique-quality cannabis at scale with the goal of bringing luxury products to market at an affordable cost, a goal that CEO Jeffrey Garber hopes to achieve through efficient grow practices, despite California’s volatile market.
“From a legislation standpoint, there are definitely a variety of challenges that we’re facing,” he tells Cannabis Business Times. “There’s been a plea for tax reductions in the state and somehow that plea turned into raising taxes. The market is saturated with flower, and everyone agrees that this is probably one of the lowest prices per pound that California has ever seen. This goes back to the state issuing more cultivation licenses than the retailers can support, which drives the prices of product down, obviously, based on supply and demand.”
RELATED: California’s Cannabis Market: ‘A Recipe for Disaster’
It's no secret that cannabis dispensaries are cash-run operations, making them an attractive target for criminals.
And in recent months, there has seemingly been an increase in crimes targeting dispensaries across the U.S. For example, in February, there were 14 reported crimes at dispensaries in Los Angeles, Cali.--the highest reported number since 2018, Xtown.la reported.
And a recent crime at a Washington dispensary turned fatal when a male worker at the World of Weed in Tacoma was shot during an attempted robbery March 19, Cannabis Business Times reported.
RELATED: Two Teens Wanted in Fatal Washington Dispensary Shooting
"From the reporting that I've been seeing, there definitely appears to be an uptick in crime, in particular theft involving dispensaries, or at least there certainly appears to be more publicity of those that are occurring," says Michael Sampson, partner with Pittsburgh-based law firm Leech Tishman and member of the firm’s litigation practice group.
"This is a reminder to other dispensaries and others in the industry to take security and crime prevention and insurance coverage very seriously because it shows us and reminds us of the very real risks out there for the industry," he adds.
As city officials continue to weigh their options for participating in Mississippi’s forthcoming medical cannabis program, the state has struck a five-year deal with Tyler Technologies Inc. for its licensing process.
A Plano, Texas-based company, Tyler’s NIC Licensing Solution (NLS) is a government licensing platform designed specifically for the cannabis industry, according to the company’s press release announcing the deal.
That NLS platform features:
It also provides a single unified platform for all cannabis licensing needs within the state.
“We are excited to work with the Mississippi Department of Health and the Mississippi Department of Revenue to license Mississippi’s statewide medical cannabis program,” said Lee Tompkins, vice president of licensing for Tyler’s NIC Division. “Our licensing and cannabis-industry expertise, combined with our equally immense understanding of Mississippi state government, makes Tyler’s NIC team the most uniquely qualified provider for Mississippi’s cannabis licensing needs.”
Specifically, the Mississippi Department of Revenue is responsible for licensing medical cannabis dispensaries in the state. The department has until the first week of July (150 days from Gov. Tate Reeves’ signing of the Mississippi Medical Cannabis Act) to begin that licensing process.
Lansing, Mich., residents can purchase adult-use cannabis at more than a dozen dispensaries in their city. Soon, they’ll be able to consume it in a social setting outside their homes, too.
City officials granted conditional approvals for four businesses to open cannabis consumption lounges in each of four wards, the Lansing State Journal reported.
Those businesses and locations include:
Since learning Lansing was going to allow consumption lounges, the Edgewood Wellness team has focused on expanding its retail facility on Edgewood Boulevard to include a coffee shop, a “few” consumption lounges, event space and even an art gallery, co-owner Jeffrey Hank told Fox 47 News. When construction is complete, the Edgewood Wellness team will utilize 19,000 square feet of its business facility.
“A consumption lounge concept is pretty new in the United States,” Hank told the news outlet. “It’s inspired by the Amsterdam-style coffee shop, and we hope to bring it here. It’ll be one of the first places in Michigan that have not only a cannabis store, but a coffee shop type area where people can get a good beverage, but also sit and relax and hang out with friends or do some work for the day and sit in a little different environment.”
Meanwhile, Common Citizen, a brand of LIV Cannabis Co., recently opened its Lansing medical and adult-use retail facility on Martin Luther King Boulevard. The company plans to open its consumption lounge on the property adjacent to its retail facility in the fall, according to a LIV Cannabis press release.
New Mexico launched its adult-use cannabis market April 1 and recorded $1.96 million in sales during the first 24 hours, leaving Ultra Health, one of the state’s vertically integrated cannabis operators, wondering if supply will be able to keep up with demand in the early months of the program.
“We saw a lot of folks turn out to participate in this historic day in New Mexico and cannabis history,” Ultra Health Chief Marketing Officer Marissa Novel tells Cannabis Business Times. “And while it’s certainly a milestone to be celebrated, we are cautiously realistic about what will happen in the coming 12 and 24 months.”
Novel says the nascent market is “very volatile” and ultimately dependent upon the state’s cannabis operators having the production capacity to keep up with demand.
And, in a state where regulators have set production limits on cultivators, she says supply will likely become an issue—and soon.
“While we have all the hustle in the world, while we’re really excited, changes do need to be made on the regulatory level to realize the potential of cannabis legalization in New Mexico,” Novel says, adding that some operators may even run out of product before 4/20.
Louisianians are prohibited from possessing non-medical cannabis while in a vehicle and from driving under the influence of cannabis, but the state’s current law leaves a glaring loophole—there is no law that prohibits drivers and passengers from smoking cannabis in moving vehicles.
Lawmakers are now aiming to address the issue with House Bill 234, which Rep. Laurie Schlegel, R-Metairie, introduced in February to do just that, according to the Louisiana Illuminator.
The House approved the measure April 6 in a 66-31 vote, the news outlet reported.
A new law took effect Jan. 1 to allow Louisiana’s medical cannabis patients to access flower, highlighting the fact that smoking behind the wheel is not technically illegal in the state.
H.B. 234 would classify smoking cannabis in a moving vehicle a primary offense, allowing law enforcement to stop anyone suspected of a violation, the Louisiana Illuminator reported.
Like alcohol, adult-use cannabis is legalized for those 21 and older in Colorado.
But a pair of state lawmakers introduced legislation last month that they said was grounded in the state’s Marijuana Enforcement Division (MED) not doing enough to ensure cannabis isn’t sold to underage consumers.
In 2021, MED officials conducted 80 underage compliance checks in the state. At the same time, the state’s Liquor Enforcement Division conducted 2,400 underage compliance checks, CBS Denver reported.
In an effort to increase MED’s annual underage compliance checks, state Sens. Chris Hansen, D-Denver, and Kevin Priola, R-Henderson, authored legislation that would have required MED officials to conduct at least two compliance checks a year at each “medical and retail marijuana center.”
As of April 1, there are 414 medical cannabis and 655 “retail” cannabis dispensaries in Colorado, according to MED licensing data. Multiply those numbers by two, and MED would have been responsible for roughly 2,140 compliance checks a year under the legislation—more in line with the Liquor Enforcement Division.
However, the bill was postponed indefinitely on March 30 in a 6-1 vote by the Senate Committee on Health and Human Services.
Citing concerns over zoning and a lack of guidance from the state, officials from Horn Lake and Madison announced April 5 that their cities will opt out of participating in Mississippi’s medical cannabis program.
In Horn Lake, the state’s 10th largest city of roughly 27,500 people who reside just across the border from Memphis, Tenn., the board of aldermen voted, 7-0, to opt out but agreed to form a committee to work with state lawmakers on the possibility of opting in at a later date, The DeSoto Times-Tribune reported.
And in Madison, the state’s 14th largest city of roughly 25,500 people in the Jackson metropolitan area, council members unanimously opted out over what Mayor Mary Hawkins Butler called limitations on zoning authority, NBC-affiliate WLBT reported.
Hawkins Butler challenged the legality of citizen-led Initiative 65 leading up to the November 2020 election.
RELATED: Mississippi Mayor Challenges State’s Medical Cannabis Measure
Under the Mississippi Medical Cannabis Act, legislation Gov. Tate Reeves signed into law on Feb. 2, municipalities have 90 days, or until May 3, to decide whether to opt out of allowing medical cannabis businesses in their jurisdictions.
The Missouri House Public Safety Committee approved an adult-use cannabis legalization bill last week, but not before one lawmaker included a controversial amendment that could ultimately doom the legislation.
Rep. Nick Schroer, R-St. Charles County, amended House Bill 2704, the Cannabis Freedom Act, March 31 to bar transgender women from accessing no-interest loans for women- and minority-owned cannabis businesses, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
The amendment drew criticism from both sides of the aisle, the news outlet reported, but the legislation still cleared the House Public Safety Committee Thursday in a 5-4 vote.
Schroer voted no on the bill, however, citing last-minute changes that took place before the vote.
“He literally either was showboating and needed his sound bites in the committee or he was deliberately trying to kill that piece of legislation,” Rep. Ron Hicks, R-Defiance, the bill’s sponsor, told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
MINNEAPOLIS and WINNIPEG, Manitoba, April 06, 2022 - PRESS RELEASE - Manitoba Harvest, a hemp foods brand and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Tilray Brands, Inc., debuts their innovative Hemp+ Matcha and Hemp+ Supergreens powders exclusively at 300 plus Whole Foods Market locations nationwide, landing on shelves throughout April 2022.
"We are thrilled to be working with Whole Foods Market to launch our new Hemp+ powders, Matcha and Supergreens. Whole Foods seeks out the finest natural and organic foods available. This exclusive release is a testament to our product quality and hemp's increasing popularity," said Jared Simon, Manitoba Harvest president.
Manitoba Harvest's Hemp+ Matcha and Superfoods powders combine the power of hemp with complementary on-trend plant-based ingredients. Consumers can choose between the added benefits of Matcha-based caffeine or 8 Essential Vitamins & Minerals coming from Supergreens. Each serving contains 6 grams of plant-based protein and 2-3 grams of fiber from hemp.
"Whole Foods Market is excited to bring customers an expanded offering of innovative formats within our hemp seed segment that provides multiple benefits in one convenient product. Manitoba Harvest consistently provides well-positioned, quality products that we know will satisfy and delight our consumers," said Megan Causgrove, Global Category Merchant, Whole Foods Market.
For a limited time, Manitoba Harvest's Hemp+ Matcha will be exclusively available in 348 Whole Foods Market locations, while the Hemp+ Supergreens will be available for purchase in 382 stores across North America. After 90 days, both products will continue to be available at Whole Foods Market and other locations throughout the U.S. and Canada.
]]>New Mexico cannabis consumers will soon have designated areas across Albuquerque to partake in cannabis.
Right now, it's illegal for individuals to consume cannabis outside of their homes, but during an April 4 meeting, the Albuquerque City Council updated the city's "Clean Indoor Air Ordinance" to allow cannabis consumption lounges within the city.
Council approves O-21-83; updates the Albuquerque Clean Indoor Air Ordinance to comply with recent changes to cannabis law at the State level.
— Albuquerque City Council (@ABQCityCouncil) April 5, 2022"This does not make it legal to smoke in public; it is still illegal under state law. All we're doing is cleaning up this indoor air quality ordinance for the city of Albuquerque to make it actually focused on indoor air," city councilor Tammy Fiebelkorn said during the April 4 meeting.
The consumption lounges would need to get a conditional use permit from the city to operate. The facilities would also be required to have ventilation systems to ensure the general public could not inhale cannabis, KRQE News reported.
Michigan’s adult-use cannabis retail footprint is set to grow by more than 20% thanks to the state’s largest city opting in for participation.
Detroit City Council members voted, 8-1, April 5 to allow adult-use cannabis sales in their jurisdiction, a decision that comes more than three years after Michigan voters approved Proposition 1 in the November 2018 election.
Under the new ordinance, 100 retail licenses will be available, half of which will be reserved for social equity applicants, the Detroit Metro Times reported. That number represents a 21.7% increase from the 460 active adult-use retail licenses in the state as of Feb. 28, according to Michigan’s Marijuana Regulatory Agency (MRA).
In addition, the ordinance also paves the way to licenses for consumption lounges and microbusinesses.
“The goal has never been to simply have licensing within the city, but to create policy that works to address the inequities that so many Detroiters have experienced trying to pursue an opportunity in this industry,” the ordinance’s sponsor, Council President Pro Tem James Tate, said in a statement to the Metro Times.
The move comes nearly 10 months after U.S. District Judge Bernard Friedman issued a 19-page injunction blocking a previous attempt to license cannabis retailers in Detroit.
Cookies will make its debut in Hawaii through a partnership with Noa Botanicals, a medical cannabis dispensary on Oahu.
Noa Botanicals will open “Cookies Corners” – which the company describes as a “store-within-a-store” concept – at all three of its dispensaries on Oahu.
Cookies products will be available to all active patients in Hawaii’s medical cannabis program who hold a valid patient card starting Friday, April 8. Cookies products available will include four cultivars sold in both flower and cartridges, as well as Cookies hats, apparel and accessories.
RELATED: At Cookies, Brand Development and Equity Are Key To Growth
As part of the Cookies launch on April 8, Noa says the first 50 patients at its locations will receive a Cookies gift bag valued at $50.
ANN ARBOR, Michigan, April 6, 2022 - PRESS RELEASE - Gage Cannabis Co. will open Cookies Ann Arbor, a new flagship cannabis provisioning center in the heart of Ann Arbor, with a monumental grand opening celebration. Cookies, a lifestyle and cannabis brand in North America, will be located at 2460 W. Stadium Blvd., Ann Arbor.
Based in the Bay Area, Cookies' Co-Founder and CEO Berner is a prolific rapper and entrepreneur along with his partner, Jigga, a highly respected cannabis cultivator and breeder. Berner will be in Ann Arbor for the April 8 grand opening with his signature blue Cookies bus and a group of VIP friends.
"To me, Michigan is one of the biggest markets next to California," Berner said. "Not only is it a big market, [but] Michigan is a very educated market when it comes to herb and hash. Michigan smokers are spoiled just like us in Cali. I spent a lot of time in Ann Arbor on my off days during my music tour, and I love the vibe there. I look forward to bringing our customer journey and new flavors to one of my favorite towns."
The Cookies store will carry the entire family of Cookies products, including but not limited to the Cookies, Lemonnade, Runtz, PowerzzzUp, Minntz and Grandiflora lines. The store will be operated by Gage in an exclusive partnership with Cookies.
A special grand opening weekend will include music, a gaming trailer, food trucks, and special giveaways. Berner's signature blue Cookies bus will also be on site.
"Gage is excited for this next step in our flourishing partnership with Berner and his Cookies brand," said Gage's President Mike Finos. "Launching a Cookies store right next to the University of Michigan campus is sure to be another big hit. Ann Arbor is a sophisticated cannabis town, and they deserve the best brands."
