MjLink Cannabis Business News and Press

WASHINGTON, March 18, 2022 – PRESS RELEASE – Reps. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., and Barbara Lee, D-Calif., released the following statements after the introduction of their bipartisan resolution instructing the United Nations to deschedule cannabis from Schedule I of the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs of 1961, and treat cannabis as a commodity similar to other agricultural commodities: 

“Many countries would deschedule cannabis and reevaluate how cannabis is classified if the U.N. did so. Cannabis has been shown to be effective in the treatment of numerous medical conditions such as epilepsy, PTSD, cancer pain relief, nausea, and chronic and terminal illnesses. Descheduling at the U.N. would support global research into how cannabis can treat a wide range of ailments and conditions,” Rep. Nancy Mace said. 

“Scientific research has shown that cannabis has wide-ranging positive effects on chronic illness treatment. The classification of cannabis as a Schedule I drug is outdated, out of touch, and should be addressed not only in the United States, but around the world. The United States should be leading the way on cannabis reform on the global stage, and descheduling at the United Nations would be a great start,” Rep. Barbara Lee said.

California Sen. Scott Wiener has introduced legislation to help the state’s struggling cannabis industry, which has been burdened by high taxes that have resulted in commercial prices that cannot compete with the state’s still-thriving illicit market.

RELATED: ‘Surviving is Thriving’ in California’s Cannabis Market

Senate Bill 1336 establishes a carryforward tax credit for licensed cannabis dispensaries equal to the amount of the following business expenses, according to an announcement from Wiener’s office:

Sponsored by the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Western States Council, S.B. 1336 “recognizes the difficulties that commercial cannabis retailers face, and provides a hand to a unique and important part of California’s economy,” according to Wiener’s announcement.

"UFCW members were the leading force behind the push for Proposition 64 in 2016 because we knew that a legal cannabis industry in California would provide workers with high road jobs that provided living wages, good benefits and an opportunity to save for their future," Amber Baur, executive director for the UFCW Western States Council, said in a public statement. “S.B. 1336 aligns with that long-held vision by ensuring legal cannabis employers invest in their workers and provide safety for consumers and communities. We are proud to sponsor S.B. 1336 because we know California can continue to lead the nation's cannabis industry into the future and support struggling businesses.”

Minnesota’s seed-to-sale tracking system for its medical cannabis industry will be provided by Metrc, a Florida-based company that has become somewhat synonymous with regulatory compliance in many state markets.

Metrc’s system offers a radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag model, where each individual plant and product is traceable through patented RFID technology, allowing for data tracking for each plant, inventory control and cultivation management. The system helps ensure accurate reporting of sales as well as product safety for consumers.

The company’s agreement with Minnesota is its 19th government contract nationwide, it announced March 17.

Deploying an accurate inventory management system also helps to combat the illicit market, according to Metrc.

“As the Minnesota Medical Cannabis Program continues to evolve, we are excited to bring 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,” Metrc CEO Jeff Wells said in a statement. “Metrc is eager to work side-by-side with the Department of Health and partner with existing operators within the state to create an effective and well-regulated medical marketplace that Minnesota’s regulators, patients and operators can truly trust.”

The announcement comes on the heels of a new law allowing patients enrolled in Minnesota’s medical cannabis program to access flower, which went into effect March 1. Before, the state’s dispensaries could only sell medical cannabis in pill, oil and topical form.

Arizona Speaker of the House Russell “Rusty” Bowers made an unsuccessful push this year to establish a new regulatory body to oversee the state’s cannabis market, which is currently governed by the Department of Health Services.

Bowers, a Republican from Mesa, introduced House Bill 2828 Jan. 10 to create a new department to assume all “authority, powers, duties, and responsibilities of the Department of Health Services relating to the regulation of marijuana,” according to Phoenix New Times.

Bowers intended the legislation to take effect next year, the news outlet reported, but it missed a March 10 deadline for a first reading, which has blocked the bill from being assigned to a committee.

In addition, the last day for the Arizona House to consider any bill was Feb. 18, Phoenix New Times reported. The legislation would now require special permission from the Rules Committee in order to advance.

Bowers has been a vocal opponent of adult-use cannabis legalization, according to Phoenix New Times. He opposed Proposition 205, a failed 2016 ballot initiative that aimed to legalize adult-use cannabis, as well as Prop. 207, which passed in 2020 to legalize adult-use cannabis in the state.

The ball is back in the Senate’s court for medical cannabis in Kentucky.

House lawmakers cruised to passage of legislation that aims to make Kentucky the 38th state to legalize medical cannabis during a 59-34 vote on March 17.

The legislation, House Bill 136, would allow doctors to prescribe medical cannabis to patients by Jan. 1, 2023, for six qualifying conditions: cancer, chronic pain, epilepsy/seizure disorder, multiple sclerosis, chronic nausea or cyclical vomiting syndrome, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), according to the bill’s text.

The proposal would prohibit smoking as a form of use, and home cultivation would not be allowed.

In particular, PTSD was added as a floor amendment by Democratic Rep. Rachel Roberts, who was one of three Kentucky lawmakers who introduced an adult-use cannabis proposal last month.

RELATED: Kentucky Lawmakers Introduce Adult-Use Bill: LETT’s Grow

Kema Ogden became Nevada’s first Black female dispensary owner in 2014 when she co-founded Global Harmony LLC, the parent company of Top Notch The Health Center (Top Notch THC), in her hometown of Las Vegas.

Through guiding the company to receive medical and adult-use retail licenses, as well as a cultivation license, Ogden has learned a lot about operating a cannabis business, which she says is full of surprises.

“So much is surprising in this industry,” Ogden tells Cannabis Business Times. “I was a business owner before, … and it’s unlike any business you could imagine. And that’s why I feel like, even though you might have business experience, it doesn’t necessarily equate to you being successful at this because it’s so different.”

Ogden, who also serves as Board Secretary for Washington, D.C.-based Doctors for Cannabis Regulation and is on the Nevada Cannabis Compliance Board’s Cannabis Advisory Commission, owned a gym and operated a nonprofit in the health and wellness space before her foray into the cannabis industry.

When Nevada legalized medical cannabis through a voter-approved initiative in 2000, Ogden’s passion for health and wellness inspired her to learn as much about cannabis and its medical benefits as she could.

Cannabis flower produced and sold by one of Colorado’s largest vertically integrated retailers was recalled for potential unsafe levels of total yeast and mold.

The recalled cultivar, Gelato Cake, was sold as a pre-weighed half ounce at LivWell Enlightened Health dispensaries across the state between the approximate dates of Dec. 30, 2021, and Jan. 20, 2022, according to a health and safety advisory issued March 11 by Colorado’s Marijuana Enforcement Division (MED) and Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.

The harvest batch number for the recalled product is: GELCAK#1F35B10/18/21.0252

“Consumers who have these affected products in their possession should destroy them or return them to the retail store from which they were purchased for proper disposal,” the advisory reads. “Consumers who experience adverse health effects from consuming the product should seek medical attention immediately and report the event to the Marijuana Enforcement Division by submitting a MED Reporting Form.

LivWell has 21 dispensaries throughout Colorado, 19 of which offer adult-use cannabis, Westword reported.

A LivWell executive said an investigation leading to the recall stemmed from a customer’s inquiry, according to the news outlet.

Brittney Griner, a U.S. national team basketball player, will be detained in Russia until May, according to an NBC News report.

Griner, a center for the Phoenix Mercury, has played in Russia for the last seven off seasons, the news outlet reported. She was taken into custody last month for allegedly carrying cannabis vape cartridges in her luggage at the Sheremetyevo airport, near Moscow.

RELATED: Top US Basketball Player Detained in Russia for Cannabis

“The court granted the petition of the investigation and extended the term of detention of U.S. citizen [Griner] until May 19,” TASS, a Russian state-owned news agency, reported, citing the Khimiki Court of the Moscow Region.

Griner’s alleged offense could carry a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, according to NBC.

Jushi is now a vertically integrated operator in Nevada, thanks to the closing of its acquisition of The Apothecarium, a Las Vegas dispensary. This marks the fourth state in which Jushi has consolidated a vertically integrated business. 

The dispensary buy will be paired with Jushi’s earlier acquisition of Franklin Bioscience NV, which holds cultivation, processing and distribution licenses.

“We are excited to add Apothecarium Nevada to our growing retail network, marking our first Nevada dispensary, located off the iconic Las Vegas strip,” CEO Jim Cacioppo said in a public statement. “This acquisition, along with the previously announced NuLeaf, Inc. acquisition, which is expected to close early second quarter of 2022, represents a major step forward in executing our strategic growth plans in Nevada. We look forward to unlocking strategic retail and wholesale opportunities in this market, including expanding access to our in-house, high-quality brands and products with our newly cemented vertically integrated model.”

Jushi’s Q4 and full-year 2021 financial results will be shared via conference call on March 24. 

There was no shortage of interest for participating in New Jersey’s forthcoming adult-use cannabis retail market when state regulators began accepting a second round of applications earlier this week.

The state’s Cannabis Regulatory Commission (CRC) opened the dispensary license application process for Class 5 retailers at 9 a.m. March 15. By 4 p.m. that day, the commission had received 172 applications, NJ.com reported.

According to CRC’s website, Class 5 license types authorize retailers to purchase adult-use cannabis from licensed cultivators, manufacturers or wholesalers, and to sell those items to consumers in a retail store.

The license applications for Class 5 retailers will be accepted and reviewed on a rolling basis until indicated otherwise, according to CRC.

“Social equity businesses, diversely-owned businesses, impact zone businesses, and applications that receive bonus points will be afforded priority review, scoring, and approval,” the website states.

In addition, CRC has not established a limit on the number of cannabis business licenses available statewide. However, under current law, the number of adult-use cultivator licenses is limited to 37 until Feb. 22, 2023.

Black and female workers are represented in Nevada’s legal cannabis industry but not nearly at the same rates as white males for higher-level positions, according to a recent study.

In the state’s cannabis workforce as a whole, 52% of workers identified as white, 22% as Hispanic, Latino or of Spanish origin, and 12% as Black, according to a demographic survey completed in January 2022 by Nevada’s Cannabis Compliance Board (CCB).

In addition, 55% identified as male, 39% identified as female and the remaining 6% preferred not to respond or did not identify with either gender.

The survey was sent to 15,936 agent registration card holders—those who legally work in the state cannabis industry—as of Jan. 1, 2022, with a 42% response rate of 6,690 surveys submitted, according to CCB.

While overall race and gender demographics didn’t steer too far from the state’s broader population, the survey results showed major gaps for workers holding executive-level positions.

Among six position categories in the survey—owner/manager, board of directors, executive board member, officer, employee, consultant—the largest gender and race gaps were associated with those who identified as members of a board of directors.

An Illinois judge has lifted an injunction that has barred state officials from issuing 60 craft grow licenses in the state’s adult-use cannabis program.

On March 14, Sangamon County Judge Gail Noll restored the applications of 11 unsuccessful applicants who had sued the state to challenge its decision to disqualify them, according to the Chicago Tribune.

The Illinois Department of Agriculture awarded the first round of craft grow licenses last summer, and state law required the department to issue the 60 additional craft grow licenses by Dec. 21, 2021.

The UK Department of Health and Social Care has announced that medical cannabis trials will begin “as soon as possible,” according to The Independent.

The government’s National Institute for Health Research will oversee the study, which will evaluate the effects of cannabis on patients with epilepsy, the news outlet reported.

Specialist doctors in the UK have been able to legally prescribe cannabis-derived medicinal products since 2018, but only as a last resort, according to The Independent.

RELATED:  Cannabis Advocates Encouraged by Policy Reform in the UK: Country Profile

Patients undergoing chemotherapy, as well as those suffering from epilepsy and multiple sclerosis, have argued that medical cannabis should be more easily accessible, the news outlet reported, while the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), a commissioning body of the NHS, says there is “insufficient evidence” to recommend the full use of cannabis, although it may be considered by doctors if it is “clinically appropriate in an individual case.”

Pay a fine now or risk losing your cannabis license.

That’s the dilemma Oklahoma cannabis business recently faced when robbers masquerading as state regulators showed up at operations in Hughes and Seminole counties earlier this week.

Specifically, on March 13 at a Hughes County cultivation business, a group of six imposters arrived with one person claiming to be a state regulator with the “Oklahoma Marijuana Board,” which does not exist. That person demanded on-site payments for a code violation while others in the group posed as law enforcement agents, The Oklahoman reported.

The criminal party had a counterfeit search warrant on hand, donned fabricated badges and patches, and stole cell phones and medical cannabis from the property, the newspaper reported.

Mark Woodward, a spokesman for the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Control, told the news outlet it’s not the first time an illegal raid involving regulator and law enforcement imposters has occurred.

“In the past they’ve showed up at either a grow or a dispensary and claimed to be with the state of Oklahoma, saying there were violations and demanded money on-site to pay the fine for the violation or be shut down,” said Woodward, who confirmed his agency wasn’t conducting any operation in the south central counties where businesses reported the cases.

Earlier this week, the team at Tyson 2.0 announced the launch of Mike Bites—ear-shaped gummies meant to evoke Mike Tyson’s infamous 1997 match against Evander Holyfield. Weighing in at 10 milligrams of THC each (with, naturally, a bite mark along the ear’s upper curve), the gummies took off as a viral headline that underscores the fast pace and grand aspirations of this new cannabis brand. 

“We took some preorders, and, prior to it even hitting the market, we sold out of product,” CEO Adam Wilks said of the new line. “We're blessed and thankful that the demand is beyond what we could have imagined. That’s the biggest issue: keeping up with demand.”

In cannabis, with its fragmented U.S. markets stitched together by social media hype and cultural touchstones, a viral hit is a powerful milestone for any team trying to break into the crowded business arena. Tyson 2.0 operates right now in California, Colorado, Nevada, Massachusetts and Michigan—with more states and consumer demand to come. The splashy appeal of Mike Bites paves the way for future launches.

The team works with Columbia Care on the cultivation and retail side of the business. What attracted the team to Columbia Care was not just that multistate corporation’s chief growth officer, Jesse Channon, a friend of the Tyson 2.0 crew, but also a commitment to brand-building as a pillar of expansion. It’s not just a matter of the land race to enter new markets, but rather Columbia Care has demonstrated to the Tyson 2.0 team an intentional desire to develop recognizable brands across state lines.

“We believe that this is a key to what a lot of brands have not yet done,” Tyson 2.0 board chairman and co-founder Chad Bronstein said. “When you look at celebrity brands and other brands, it's hard to get mass distribution. … A lot of the MSOs, they didn't really necessarily care about celebrities because they were selling out of product already. So, we had to really figure out how to get that multistate distribution and cultivation and get into retail.”

RELATED: Beyond the Show: Jesse Channon 

LEAMINGTON,Ontario, March 17, 2022 – PRESS RELEASE – Tilray Brands Inc., a leadingglobal cannabis-lifestyle and consumer packaged goods company focused oninspiring and empowering the worldwide community to live their very best life, announcedthat its medical cannabis division, Tilray Medical, has expanded its medicalcannabis offering and launched the first EU GMP-certified medical cannabis oilproducts in Malta. Tilray’s EU-GMP medical cannabis products are now availablein pharmacies across Malta, providing patients with safe and reliable access tohigh-quality medical cannabis.

DeniseFaltischek, Tilray’s chief strategy officer and head of international business,said, “Demand for medical cannabis in Malta is growing rapidly and we areincredibly proud to service patients with the high-quality medical cannabisproducts they rely on and in the formats they prefer.”

InMalta, patients may obtain prescriptions for medical cannabis and a medicalcannabis card through family doctors. Medical cannabis cards are issued byMalta’s superintendent of Public Health.

Tilrayhas a pioneering track record as a company committed to making EUGMP-certified, pharmaceutical-grade medical cannabis products available topatients in need around the world and was the first to successfully exportmedical cannabis from North America and import medical cannabis products intothe EU in 2016.

LAS VEGAS, NV – March 17, 2022 - Cannabis Business Times, the leading B2B publication dedicated to the cultivator/grower segment of the cannabis industry, and Cannabis Conference, the industry’s highest quality educational event and expo for professionals at plant-touching cannabis businesses, announced today that nominations for the 2022 Cannabis Leadership Awards are now open.  

With the support of FOHSE – Future of Horticultural Science + Engineering, the Cannabis Leadership Awards will recognize cannabis industry professionals who exemplify the leadership qualities needed to inspire and empower those around them and who work toward the betterment of the entire industry.

Cannabis Leadership Awards recipients will have made significant contributions to the cannabis industry, such as:

Cannabis Leadership Awards recipients will be recognized at a special awards reception at the Cannabis Conference 2022 (Aug. 23-25 at the Paris Las Vegas Hotel & Casino) and featured in Cannabis Business Times magazine.

“The cannabis industry is full of people who are passionate about the cannabis plant’s potential, and the Cannabis Leadership Awards is an opportunity to spotlight inspiring professionals working to make the world a better place through cannabis and their roles in the industry,” Noelle Skodzinski, editorial director for Cannabis Business Times and Cannabis Conference said. “The criteria we use to select the winners extend beyond corporate achievements. We’re searching for people who’ve truly made a significant and positive impact on their teams, the communities in which they operate, and the cannabis industry as a whole.”

James Bradley, Chief Marketing Officer, FOHSE – Future of Horticultural Science + Engineering, added, “As the cannabis industry solidifies its foothold in regions around the world, I believe it's crucial to laude those who are truly raising the bar. The industry continues to face an uphill battle with some of the cultural stigmas surrounding it, which is a big reason why FOHSE has partnered with Cannabis Business Times and their annual Cannabis Leadership Awards ceremony. This is a prime opportunity to elevate the best of the best as a beacon for all entrepreneurs, as well as to show the world how the industry is maturing.”

Illinois must license at least 50 new adult-use cannabis dispensaries by the end of this year, and after previous licensing blunders, regulators are working to simplify the cannabis retail licensing process.

The Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) is filing new rules to streamline the applications in an effort to remove barriers for social equity applicants and expand opportunities for the communities most impacted by prohibition, according to a local KHQA report.

The 50 additional adult-use retailers are required under Illinois’ Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act (CRTA), which passed in 2019 to legalize adult-use cannabis in the state. IDFPR plans to issue 55 conditional licenses across the existing 17 BLS regions detailed in the law, KHQA reported.

Under the IDFPR’s proposed rules, qualified social equity applicants can apply for the licenses online with certain basic information, such as the name of the organization, a list of principal officers and contact information, as well as a $250 fee, according to the news outlet.

The application window is expected to open during late summer or early fall of this year, KHQA reported, depending on when the rules are finalized.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla., March 16, 2022 – PRESS RELEASES – Trulieve Cannabis Corp., a leading and top-performing cannabis company in the United States, launched its nationwide Supplier Diversity Initiative. The initiative provides education and professional development resources, while creating mutually beneficial business relationships with a supplier base reflective of the customers and communities Trulieve serves.

Suppliers nationwide are encouraged to register with Trulieve's supplier database. Through the company's comprehensive Supplier Diversity Initiative, Trulieve will consider all varieties of products and services from marketing and software, to cleaning supplies, training, construction and other ancillary services that support Trulieve's day-to-day operations.

"Trulieve's Supplier Diversity Initiative showcases how cannabis leaders can positively impact local business communities while promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion throughout the cannabis industry," Trulieve CEO Kim Rivers said "As Trulieve broadens its services and operations, we look forward to establishing new professional relationships with diverse business owners who wish to be active participants in this rapidly growing sector."

As corporate members of the National Minority Supplier Development Council, Women's Business Enterprise National Council, Small Business Administration, Veterans in Business Network, National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce, and Disability Inclusion, Trulieve is actively seeking partnerships with diverse suppliers by participating with these certifying organizations and attending council events.

In November 2021, Trulieve published its inaugural Environment, Social, and Governance (ESG) Report establishing several long-term Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives. The Supplier Diversity Initiative is the latest extension of Trulieve's commitment to creating a more inclusive and accessible cannabis industry aligned with the company's ethics and governance standards. Since entering Georgia, Trulieve has already allocated a significant portion of its supplier contracts to local minority, woman and veteran-owned companies—well above the state's recommended 20% diversity threshold. 

For more information on Trulieve's Supplier Diversity Program or to register as a supplier, please visit trulieve.quantumsds.com or email [email protected].

California’s Sonoma County is cutting taxes for local cannabis farmers in an effort to aid the industry, which is struggling to survive under county and state tax policies.

RELATED: ‘Surviving is Thriving’ in California’s Cannabis Market

The Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a measure March 15 to slash local cannabis growers’ taxes by 45%, retroactive to July 2021 and effective through June 2023, according to The Press Democrat.

During this time, county officials will study the benefits and costs of taxing cultivators by gross receipts rather than square footage, the news outlet reported.

“If we don’t take action, we are killing permitted businesses in this county,” James Gore, chair of the board, told The Press Democrat.