MjLink Cannabis Business News and Press

After being deemed essential businesses in many states, cannabis companies have been busier than ever amid the COVID-19 pandemic, and product manufacturers like Platinum are no exception.

Co-founder George Sadler says it’s business as usual for the California-based company, which produces vapes and edibles for sale in California, Michigan and Oklahoma.

In early March, Platinum foresaw potential supply shortages for its vape cartridge hardware and batteries, which are produced in China. The company secured a large volume of these items from a United States-based supplier to avoid interruptions in the supply chain, which has proven to be a large advantage, Sadler tells Cannabis Business Times.

“That was probably the most critical point for us, was the fact that we got into that early enough and were able to do that,” he says. “Other than that, our packaging is made right here in the U.S., [so] we don’t have the issue with that. As far as product goes, there aren’t any change because in the cannabis space, everybody’s still up and running. We haven’t seen any slowdown in any flower or trim or anything else.”

As long as the company’s cultivation partners continue to operate, Sadler does not anticipate any product shortages.

OHIO: The State of Ohio Board of Pharmacy today published updated patient & caregiver numbers for February 2020. These numbers include: 102,200 Recommendations 88,306 Registered patients 6,545 Patients with Veteran Status 6,018 Patients with Indigent Status 506 Patients with a Terminal Diagnosis 64,932 Unique patients who purchased medical marijuana (as reported to OARRS by licensed Read the full article...

When medication is consumed it must reach the intended site of action, but what is the degree and rate at which it is absorbed by the human body?

NNE spotlights a vital concept in pharmacology: bioavailability.

Speaking to Christian Carlsen, Business Director of NNE and Morten Allesoe, Principal Consultant at NNE, Medical Cannabis Network gains an insight into the importance of achieving cannabinoid bioavailability, along with understanding ways new therapeutic medications can be developed and monitored to provide effective medication to the patient.

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Shakera Halim ~ HealthEuropa.eu ~ 

While most of the Netherlands struggles through the coronavirus lockdown, marijuana smokers received the welcome news that “coffee shops” selling the drug have reopened for takeaway orders.

All businesses selling cannabis and hashish were ordered to shut, along with sex clubs and saunas, when the Dutch government imposed on March 15 measures to curb the COVID-19 epidemic.

A limited reopening has been allowed to avoid black market drug deals and ensure supplies of medicinal cannabis.

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Hilde Verweij ~ Reuters.com ~ 

After nearly 4 years of what some researchers saw as foot dragging, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has announced it will evaluate 37 applications to grow marijuana for medical research and proposed new rules for the prospective growers that outline how the cannabis-growing program would work.

“The release of this framework is absolutely monumental and is the biggest, the most meaningful, and material progress made in federal cannabis policy in decades,” says George Hodgin, CEO of the Biopharmaceutical Research Company, one of the applicants. 

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Greg Miller ~ ScienceMag.org ~ 

CANADA: Tilray, a global pioneer in cannabis production, research, cultivation and distribution, announced that the Board of Directors of Tilray unanimously approved the pro rata release of 11 million shares of Class 2 common stock held by the former equity holders of Privateer Holdings, Inc. The shares are being released from lock-up agreements entered into Read the full article...

Vertically integrated operator Bask Inc. recently moved its cultivation operations to the new Massachusetts Cannabis Center (MCC), a high-tech cultivation and processing facility in Freetown, Mass. Bask entered into a 15-year joint venture with MCC’s owner, AmeriCann Inc., to cultivate and process cannabis in a 30,000-square foot building on the 52-acre site. MCC will eventually encompass 987,000 square feet of cannabis cultivation and processing infrastructure for the medical and adult-use cannabis marketplace. Americann, a developer of cannabis cultivation, processing and product manufacturing facilities, hopes to have up to 12 tenants when the project is completed.

Keough

Cannabis Business Times recently touched base with Americann President and CEO Tim Keogh to discuss how COVID-19 has impacted start-up plans. CBT will feature Americann and Bask in the upcoming May issue.

When did Bask move into the facility?

Bask began operations at the end of February, so their first harvest was Feb. 28.

So, Bask started operations right around the time coronavirus was becoming an issue in the U.S.?

It’s obviously progressed very rapidly. I think at the time we were aware of it, but it wasn’t front of mind the way that it is now, when we’re in the midst of a stay-at-home advisory. Before moving plants in, we went through a deep sterilization with a professional cleaning company. We use integrated pest management, so our people use gloves, hand sanitizer—everything is wiped down with hand sanitizer before it goes into the facility—and we’ve been doing this before the whole coronavirus pandemic as a way to protect the plants.

As cannabis sales soar and a growing number of states declare dispensaries essential amid a growing pandemic, consumers are increasingly turning to medical marijuana and hemp for their health benefits. But in some states, those products may not be as beneficial as they seem.

At a time when public health is in the limelight, the team at North Coast Testing Laboratory LLC, based in Streetsboro, Ohio, is advocating for more stringent microbial testing requirements from states to prevent people from getting sick from harmful yeast and mold on marijuana products.

North Coast Testing became one of the first medical marijuana testing facilities approved in the state in 2018, and it has since also received a hemp testing license. Its three facilities across the state are ISO 17025 accredited, and it is also registered with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).

The lab conducts cannabis microbial contamination tests for yeast and mold levels using two different methods—but the one method mandated in Ohio, as well as in most states around the country, they argue, is inferior. And in the face of a growing public health crisis, both the testing method and regulations need an overhaul, says Dave Moorhead, the president of North Coast Testing, along with other company leaders.

“The frustration lies in, are we putting patients at risk right now using this technology?” says Joe Moorhead, the head of customer relations for North Coast Testing and Dave Moorhead’s son. “We need to be able to utilize the technology that’s now available so we can really know the products going out are safe.”

10,000 Colonies and Aging Technology

Medical marijuana products in Ohio are currently tested for total yeast and mold counts using a method called agar plating. With this method, which is considered the gold standard in Ohio and many other states, scientists spread a sample of marijuana onto an agar plate that encourages the growth of yeast and mold microbes. After letting the sample sit for a few days, the microbial colonies grow large enough for scientists to physically count.

TORONTO, March 30, 2020 /CNW/ - PRESS RELEASE - The Green Organic Dutchman Holdings Ltd. (TGOD), a producer of premium certified organic cannabis, has announced that it has received Health Canada's approval for the licensing of the final component of its Ancaster site, the processing facility.

The license amendment includes approval of a state-of-the-art production facility designed to support processing activity including dedicated spaces for packaging of flower, oils, pre-rolls and several Cannabis 2.0 products.

This final phase of expansion at Ancaster enables TGOD to reduce its reliance on third parties, accelerating its supply chain timelines for product launches. Receiving the license amendment for this large facility also enhances TGOD's quality assurance capabilities and marks a key milestone in eliminating bottlenecks in its production ramp up.

The license amendment is valid until Aug. 16, 2022 and is subject to customary terms and conditions.

"Receiving this license amendment was a key element of our 2020 operating plan. We made significant investments in this state-of-the-art facility, and now that it is fully licensed, Ancaster can finalize the ramp up of its production capacity," commented Brian Athaide, CEO of TGOD. "The processing facility reduces our reliance on third parties for packaging, secured storage, and for our next wave of 2.0 product launches.  Beyond the successful launch of our TGOD Infusers, we are planning to launch a series of differentiated consumer packaged goods, including organic teas and vapes in Q2, as well as edibles, beverages and topicals later this year."

The National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA) has released a request for information, inviting comments from “the scientific community and other interested parties,” to help establish a standard dose for tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the primary psychoactive constituent in cannabis, to improve cannabis research, according to a report from Cannabis News Wire.

In the notice published March 23, NIDA acknowledges the complexity of the plant and how effects vary between individuals, methods of consumption and phytochemical ratios, but emphasizes the critical necessity of establishing and implementing a “standard unit dose” for “rigorous cannabis research.” The notice cites published commentary by NIDA director Dr. Nora Valkow on the subject:

“These complexities hardly negate the value of having a standardized measure of THC, irrespective of product type. In fact, having and using such a standard is a prerequisite for comparing the effects of various cannabis products on THC bioavailability, pharmacokinetics and pharmacological effects, which is knowledge fundamental to studies pertaining to medical use of cannabis.”

NIDA and the National Institutes of Health (NIH), its parent organization, seek comments on any of the following topics:

5 milligrams as a standard THC dose irrespective of route of consumptionChallenges and benefits to conducting research using a standard unit dose of THC including:Comparability across studies, including accurate data collection and publication of methods and resultsComparability with legacy datasets and surveillance measures (e.g., MTF, NSDUH, YRBS)Benefits and limitations of a standard unit dose that does not depend on route of administration and/or other cannabinoid constituentsImplementation in human laboratory and/or clinical studiesImplementation in observational and/or epidemiological studiesLabeling requirements for cannabis productsEducation of users to acquire accurate dataAny other topic the respondent feels is relevant for NIDA to consider in establishing a standard unit dose of THC.

Submit a response:

Responses to this request for information must be submitted electronically via: [email protected] and received by May 1, 2020.

Direct inquiries to:

Marijuana businesses and advocates are urging Governor Charlie Baker and state legislators to declare recreational marijuana shops "essential," allowing them to remain open during the coronavirus pandemic.

Last week Governor Charlie Baker ordered all non-essential businesses to close or operate remotely.

Liquor stores and medical marijuana dispensaries were deemed essential, while adult-use recreational marijuana facilities were not.

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Tori Bedford ~ WGBH.org ~ 

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed an executive order March 28 that extends the deadline for cannabis infuser, craft grower and transporter license applications from March 30 to April 30, according to a Chicago Sun-Times report.

Earlier this month, Pritzker announced that the deadline would be extended from March 16 to March 30 due to coronavirus concerns.

Now, all applications must be submitted by certified mail by April 30, and licenses will ultimately be awarded by July 1, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. The state will issue 40 craft grower licenses, 40 licenses for infusers to manufacture cannabis products and an unspecified number of transporter licenses to allow companies to deliver cannabis on behalf of cultivators, dispensaries and community colleges that have cannabis training programs, the news outlet reported.

The Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission (CCC) has indicated that the state’s medical cannabis dispensaries—called Medical Marijuana Treatment Centers (MTCs)—will be able to provide curbside pickup to patients and caregivers during the coronavirus outbreak, according to a MassLive.com report.

Last week, Gov. Charlie Baker deemed medical cannabis businesses essential, allowing them to remain open as the state responds to the pandemic.

RELATED: Massachusetts Reinforces Support for the Medical Necessity Model

MCTs must conduct sales electronically or over the phone as of noon on March 28, MassLive.com reported, and dispensary employees can dispense medical cannabis products in the facility’s parking lot or at the entrance of the dispensary.

MCTs that wish to provide curbside pickup services must submit a standard operating procedure to the CCC that includes an updated facility layout identifying the designated curbside pickup areas, as well as traffic queuing plans and signage to direct patients to the areas, according to MassLive.com. Municipalities must also be notified of dispensaries’ plans to conduct curbside sales, the news outlet reported.

As part of its coronavirus response, the Ohio Medical Marijuana Control Program (MMCP) has issued new guidance to help patients maintain access to medical cannabis.

Medical cannabis dispensaries are considered essential and can remain open under the state’s March 22 stay at home order.

The Ohio Board of Pharmacy has announced a temporary expansion of caregiver registration to allow patients to have up to three caregivers. Patients can add a caregiver by submitting an application directly to the Board of Pharmacy.

Due to the closure of Ohio’s BMV locations, the Board of Pharmacy has also adopted new photo identification requirements that allow patients to use an expired method of identification under certain conditions to purchase medical cannabis. Minor patients under the age of 18 may use a birth certificate as an acceptable form of identification.

In addition, the Board of Pharmacy will now allow patients and caregivers to place phone orders with the state’s medical cannabis dispensaries in an effort to protect patients, caregivers and dispensary employees.

A new study found that CBD could act as a “helper compound” with traditional antibiotics to more effectively treat staph infections.

Diseases caused by bacteria were the leading cause of death for Americans until antibiotics came along.

The simple invention of penicillin in 1928 by Sir Alexander Fleming led to millions of lives being saved, with other antibiotics stopping similar untimely deaths.

Click here to read the complete article

Brendan Bures ~ TheFreshToast.com ~ 

Industrial hemp and CBD oil are now legal in South Dakota after a yearlong standoff between Gov. Kristi Noem and legislators.

Noem signed House Bill 1008 into law on Friday, and it goes goes into effect immediately.

The bill includes $3.5 million in funding to set up the state's industrial hemp program, though funding is subject to change as Noem has called for a special session in June to address the budget in the wake of the coronavirus. 

Click here to read the complete article

Lisa Kaczke ~ Sioux Falls Argus Leader ~

LOS ANGELES, March 27, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- PRESS RELEASE -- Hightimes Holding Corp., the owner of High Times, has announced the signing of an LOI to acquire the California-based cannabis holding company Humboldt Heritage Inc. and its subsidiaries Humboldt Sun Growers Guild and Grateful Eight LLC.

This announcement comes just before the culmination of High Times Regulation A+ campaign, which has recruited over 26,000 shareholders before listing on the public markets.

This acquisition provides High Times with cannabis growing, processing and product manufacturing capabilities direct from the most coveted cannabis community in the world, Humboldt County. Coupled with High Times' recent retail acquisitions, the resulting company will become one of the state’s largest vertically-integrated operators, and provide exclusive access to 18 unique Northern California-based brands including True Humboldt and leading cannagar producer Cuba Libre.

“High Times mission is to connect consumers to cannabis--not only the best access and experience, but by making the best products available to our consumers across the country, and eventually the world,” Adam Levin, Hightimes Holding Corp.’s executive chairman, said. “This addition adds 200+ of the best cannabis-producing farms in the world, and the rest of the capabilities we’ll need to grow into the future as a larger High Times family!”

"This allows our cultivators' and their artisan brands unprecedented exposure to consumers as High Times reaches millions of people all over the world. The farmers in Humboldt Country have been leading parallel missions to High Times over the past 45 years," said Barry Nachshon, CEO of Humboldt Heritage Inc. "Knowing that we will be part of the High Times family, as well as a key manufacturing and supply chain partner as the company enters the retail and delivery markets in California is very exciting for our team."

Like many other states, California has deemed the cannabis industry an “essential” business that can remain operational during the state’s stay at home order aimed at slowing the spread of COVID-19. For Graham Farrar, the founder and CEO of Glass House Farms, a vertically integrated cannabis operator based in Santa Barbara, Calif., this means cannabis businesses must step up to help those in need during this difficult and uncertain time.

“This is a time when we need everybody,” he told Cannabis Business Times. “If you’ve got a shovel, you need to get digging.”

The way Farrar sees it, the industry gets to be the light in an otherwise bleak time, and this is a great opportunity for cannabis businesses to shatter old stereotypes and stigmas while giving back.

“Sometimes you need help—and there have been a lot of people who have helped us along the way—and sometimes you get to be the helper,” he said. “We’re happy to return the favor to society and show how we can help out.”

Glass House Farms donated 1,000 lab gowns to Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital.

Glass House Farms recently donated 1,000 lab gowns to Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital, which needed masks, gowns and other personal protective equipment. Glass House Farms operates 500,000 square feet of pesticide-free greenhouse space, so the company has a large inventory of gowns that are used as part of the company’s strict biosecurity protocols.

This week, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) issued a notice of proposed rulemaking to amend its regulations to comply with the requirements of the Controlled Substances Act in an effort to approve pending cannabis cultivation applications and allow entities to move forward with cultivation for research purposes. Elsewhere, states including Pennsylvania, Nevada and Oregon issued new rules to help cannabis businesses navigate the COVID-19 outbreak.

Here, we’ve rounded up the 10 headlines you need to know before this week is over.

Federal: Delivery services have seen increased sales during the COVID-19 outbreak, with TILT Holdings and its fully owned subsidiary Blackbird reporting a 400% increase in delivery sales over the past week. Blackbird technology powers cannabis delivery services in California and Nevada, where the states’ governors have deemed the industry “essential” and open for business, and much of the market has quickly flipped over to delivery and pickup orders. Read moreThe DEA has issued a notice of proposed rulemaking to amend its regulations to comply with the requirements of the Controlled Substances Act in an effort to approve pending cannabis cultivation applications and allow entities to move forward with cultivation for research purposes. The notice signals that the DEA is starting a formal investigation—called a 303 investigation—to vet the 35 entities that have applied for a cultivation license to grow cannabis for research, and public comment on the proposed rules will be accepted through May 22. Read morePennsylvania: The Pennsylvania Department of Health has announced the suspension of certain statutory and regulatory provisions in order to implement a series of changes to allow patients enrolled in the state’s medical cannabis program to continue receiving medication during the COVID-19 pandemic. These changes will be effective as long as Pennsylvania’s Proclamation of Disaster Emergency remains in effect. Read moreNevada: Under an emergency declaration issued by Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak in the wake of the nationwide coronavirus outbreak, all medical and adult-use cannabis dispensaries must close their storefronts to the public, although deliveries will still be allowed. Nevada’s cannabis cultivation facilities, production facilities, distributors and testing labs will be permitted to continue their operations, but must adhere to strict social distancing guidelines. Read moreOregon: The Oregon Liquor Control Commission (OLCC) has approved a temporary rule that supports social distancing to promote prevention of the spread of the COVID-19 virus by allowing licensed marijuana retailers to conduct limited transactions outside their licensed premises. The action will permit retail licensees to take orders and deliver product from the retail store to a person who is outside of the store and within 150 feet of the retailer’s licensed premises. Read moreMaine: The Office of Marijuana Policy released a memo March 24 indicating that while medical cannabis dispensaries are considered essential businesses under the state’s coronavirus policies, the launch of Maine’s adult-use cannabis market, which was slated for June, will likely be delayed due to the pandemic. The announcement is the latest in a series of delays for the adult-use market, which voters legalized in 2016. Read moreKentucky: In a lawsuit over breach of contract, a Kentucky hemp farming company is arguing that its agreement with an Oregon hemp processing company should be terminated because of the novel coronavirus. Third Wave Farms, headquartered in Mount Vernon, Ky., signed a contract with Canby, Ore.-based Pure Valley Solutions in May 2019 to act as a broker for Pure Valley’s winterized CBD oil, but the contract quickly crumbled on both sides. Read moreUtah: Qualified patients can now access medical cannabis with recommendation letters from their medical cannabis providers after a new law took effect March 25. The change in law is part of House Bill 425, which lawmakers passed in the latest legislative session and which Gov. Gary Herbert signed into law. Read moreCanada: The Alberta Cannabis Council is calling on the Canadian government to provide the cannabis industry access to relief funds. The letter, signed by 74 industry members, calls for the “equal and fair access to significant supports for all cannabis companies working to keep employees employed, including access to wage subsidies as announced on March 18, 2020 by the Prime Minister and Finance Minister.” Read moreInternational: The Colombian government issued a new regulation that establishes the regulatory framework to commercialize master cannabis preparations for Colombian medicinal cannabis, a market estimated to comprise some 5 million patients. On March 2, the Ministry of Health issued Resolution 315, which not only opens up the Colombian market for medicinal cannabis but also allows the transformation of dry cannabis flower into derivative products for companies that set up industries at free trade zones. Read more

With conventions on hold nationwide NECANN and its partners are creating online networking and education programs MASSACHUSETTS: The New England Cannabis Convention today announced it has launched a free series of Cannabis and Hemp virtual seminars in partnership with NECANN Boston convention exhibitors and sponsors. The weekly series of free webinars, virtual meetings, instructional videos Read the full article...