MjLink Cannabis Business News and Press

Virginia lawmakers have sent a cannabis decriminalization bill to Gov. Ralph Northam, who has vowed to sign the proposal into law this year.

The Senate passed S.B. 2 in a 27-12 vote, while the House voted 57-33 to approve it, according to a local WSET report.

The legislation reduces the penalty for simple cannabis possession of up to one ounce to a $50 fine or five hours of community service, the news outlet reported.

Under current Virginia law, those convicted of cannabis possession could serve a 30-day jail sentence and a fine of up to $500 for a first offense, according to WSET.

The Virginia House and Senate passed similar decriminalization bills last month, but the legislative chambers had to reconcile the minor differences between their proposals before sending legislation to Northam.

The Los Angeles Department of Cannabis Regulation (DCR) is looking into ways to speed up its licensing process after the third phase of licensing for the city’s Social Equity Program stalled last year when a computer glitch affected the application process, according to a Los Angeles Daily News report.

The Social Equity Program, which aims to give low-income residents and people formerly incarcerated for cannabis-related crimes a chance to operate cannabis dispensaries in the city, is set to resume after an audit of the licensing process is completed, the news outlet reported.

Los Angeles launched its third licensing round for the Social Equity Program last fall to issue 100 additional retail licenses. The city received roughly 800 total applications, but a technical glitch caused some applicants to gain early access to the system, which prompted Los Angeles City Council President Herb Wesson to call for the suspension of the licensing process.

The DCR announced in November that the agency would pursue a third-party audit of the process, and that it would not issue final cannabis dispensary licenses until the review is completed.

RELATED: Industry Group Speaks Out Against Social Equity Cannabis Licensing Redo in Los Angeles

An amendment that imposes a 10% THC limit on medical cannabis products for patients under the age of 21 has passed the Florida House in a voice vote, according to the Miami Herald.

The THC cap would not apply to those with terminal illnesses, the news outlet reported.

Rep. Ray Rodrigues filed the proposal as an amendment to H.B. 713, a Department of Health legislative package.

Florida House Speaker Jose Oliva announced last month that he would like to pass legislation this year to limit the potency of medical cannabis products in the state, although the Senate has shown little interest in the issue; a proposal was introduced and then withdrawn in that chamber earlier during this year’s session after it failed to garner enough support, the Miami Herald reported.

This is the second year that a THC cap has been discussed in the legislature; the House considered a proposal last year that would have capped the THC level in whole-flower products at 10%, although the Senate ultimately rejected that measure.

TORONTO, March 3, 2020 /CNW/ - PRESS RELEASE - SLANG Worldwide Inc., a global cannabis consumer packaged goods company with a robust portfolio of popular brands, has announced that it has entered into an acquisition agreement dated March 2, 2020 to acquire Cultivate Brands Corp.

Cultivate is a privately-owned company with a portfolio of brands and other intellectual property which are complementary to SLANG's portfolio. Its assets include extraction equipment and other machinery which SLANG intends to use within its network, cash of approximately CAD $4.5 million, and a strategic investment in a company within the supply chain. Cultivate is not currently consuming any cash in its operations.

The acquisition is expected to further strengthen SLANG's position in Oregon, which the company has identified as a core market for growth in 2020, due to its status as one of the most mature recreational markets in the United States. SLANG's O.penVAPE Craft RESERVE and Bakked Dabaratus products are strong performers in the state, and the company recently announced a strategic partnership in Oregon with Cookies, a third-party brand that the company expects to launch in Q2 2020. The Oregon market had retail sales of $810M USD during 2019 and grew 27% year over year as of December 2019 (per BDS Analytics).

The acquisition is structured as an all-stock transaction in which SLANG will issue a non-material amount of common shares in exchange for all the issued and outstanding shares of Cultivate. The majority of the SLANG Shares issued pursuant to the acquisition will be subject to a lock-up period with rolling expiration dates.

"We are pleased to execute a deal that contributes brands, IP, equipment, and capital to the already robust SLANG portfolio and balance sheet," said SLANG CEO Peter Miller. "The acquisition of Cultivate will provide a unique opportunity to generate value in several ways including new production assets, supply chain efficiencies and potential new products. This acquisition is consistent with our disciplined growth strategy and our focus on capital efficiency."

HERZLIYA, Israel - March 5, 2020 – PRESS RELEASE – InterCure has announced that wholly owned subsidiary, Canndoc, has entered into a strategic partnership agreement with Super-Pharm, Israel's largest drugstore chain. Under the term of the agreement, Super-Pharm commits to acquiring 10 tons of Canndoc's GMP medical cannabis products during a three-year period. Canndoc's products will be securely transferred from its manufacturing facilities array to Super-Pharm’s distribution center, who will be responsible for the distribution to its 41 medical cannabis authorized pharmacies.

“We are looking to provide our patients with the best service and highest quality to meet the growing demands for medical cannabis products,” said Super-Pharm Chief Executive Officer Nitzan Lavi. “I welcome the strategic partnership with Canndoc which will enable us to increase our GMP standard medical cannabis inventory.” 

“We are honored to partner with Super-Pharm, Israel's leading drugstore chain,” said Canndoc’s chief executive officer, Alon Granot. “The collaboration between Super-Pharm and Canndoc supports the growing medical cannabis patients community in Israel with access to our first-in-class medical cannabis products through the nationwide drugstore chain of Super-Pharm. This is another significant milestone in Canndoc's growth strategy. "

Moshe Gavrilov, who recently joined the Board of Canndoc after 18 years in senior management positions at Teva Pharmaceutical industries, said, “This is a significant achievement which positions Canndoc as the leading company in the growing GMP standard medical cannabis.”

As part of the partnership, Canndoc will provide Super-Pharm and its pharmacists with professional and clinical expertise gained throughout its 12 years of development and treatment thousands of patients with medical cannabis. Canndoc will begin supplying its products to Super-Pharm immediately.

VANCOUVER, Feb. 26, 2020 /CNW/ - PRESS RELEASE - Harvest One Cannabis Inc. has announced that it has entered into definitive agreements to sell its interest in Burb Cannabis Corp., a cannabis retailer located in British Columbia, as well as its interest in the 398-acre site in Lillooet, British Columbia.

Pursuant to the Burb Transaction, Harvest One has sold its 19.9% equity stake in Burb back to the founders of Burb and has forgiven a shareholder loan with a face value of $250,000 in exchange for total cash consideration of $1,512,600. In addition, Burb and Harvest One have concurrently agreed to terminate Harvest One's option to purchase a majority equity interest in Burb as well as outstanding warrants in the capital of Burb held by Harvest One. The Burb Transaction closed on Feb. 25, 2020.  Upon the closing of the Burb Transaction, Grant Froese, CEO of Harvest One, has resigned from the Board of Directors of Burb.

Pursuant to the Lillooet Transaction, Harvest One has entered into a contract to sell the Lillooet Property for cash consideration of $770,000. The transaction is scheduled to close on March 31, 2020.

"The sales of our equity interest in Burb and the Lillooet Property are part of our ongoing review of non-core assets, which we initiated as part of a broader enhanced strategic plan announced in November 2019," said Froese. "Cash proceeds from these transactions will have an immediate positive impact on our financial position and will support our continued branding and distribution efforts related to Cannabis 2.0."

PRESS RELEASE - The list for pesticides that can be used on cannabis without being a violation of the Pesticide Applicators' Act has been updated. Please note the following products have been added:

Cueva Fungicide Concentrate, SLN CO-200001 (hemp only)

Cueva Fungicide Concentrate is Colorado’s first “Special Local Need” registration for hemp. The Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) Section 24(c) allows states to register additional uses of a federally registered pesticide. These additional uses are for distribution and use within a particular state to meet a "special local need" (SLN).

Applicators using Cueva Fungicide Concentrate under this SLN registration must have both the product label and the SLN label in their possession when applying to hemp. A copy of the SLN label can be obtained from CDA’s website here.

This product cannot be used on marijuana.

To view the updated list, click here for a pdf or click here for an Excel form. For questions regarding this change, contact Laura Quakenbush at (303) 869-9060 or email [email protected].

Three Senate committees have approved a draft bill in Mexico that would create a legal, regulated market for medical, adult-use and industrial cannabis, according to a Mexico News Daily report.

Twenty-six senators voted in favor of the legislation at a joint meeting of the Justice, Health and Legislative Committees, while seven senators voted against it and eight abstained, the news outlet reported.

The bill would make changes to Mexico’s Federal Health Law and federal criminal code to legalize up to 28 grams of cannabis for personal use by adults, and would allow patients to grow up to 20 plants for medical use with permission from the Mexican Cannabis Institute, a new government department that has not yet launched, according to Mexico News Daily.

Under the legislation, cannabis possession would not be a drug trafficking offense until it involves more than 200 grams, the news outlet reported, and, in the first five years of legalization, 40% of the available cannabis production licenses will be awarded to applicants who live in communities impacted by drug trafficking.

The bill will be debated in another meeting of the three Senate committees, Mexico Daily News reported, as well as in a plenary session of the upper house. A vote is expected as soon as next week, according to the news outlet, and then, to become law, the legislation would have to be ratified by the lower house and promulgated by President López Obrador.

OHIO:On November 17, 2019, the Ohio Medical Marijuana Control Program (MMCP) issued an updated mandatory product recall for three products (Pineapple Express, Blue Boi Z7, and Afghani #1). The original recall was issued on November 15, 2019. The Ohio Department of Commerce mandated that samples of the recalled products be submitted for additional laboratory testing, and subsequently found that Read the full article...

Research teams from eight Pennsylvania medical schools are preparing medical marijuana studies in collaboration with cannabis producers.

Penn State researcher Kent Vrana said the program is unique, because research is funded by the medical marijuana industry.

“This is what has gotten me so excited: The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is finding a way to support quality research without using tax dollars,” said Vrana, who is chairman of the department of pharmacology at Penn State College of Medicine in Hershey.

Click here to read the complete article

Randy Griffith ~ Tribune-Democrat ~ 

About a dozen people gathered around a table in a St. Louis conference room Saturday morning, pulling out notebooks and settling in for a four-hour crash course on growing medical marijuana.

Instructor Zachery Post gave a PowerPoint presentation in the Cortex Innovation District. He explained basic cannabis terminology and how things like temperature and lighting have different effects on the plant.

He’s the president of Elite Home Growers Academy, and he started giving workshops like these last year. 

Click here to read the complete article

Corinne Ruff ~ St. Louis Public Radio ~

Banking associations from 49 states and Puerto Rico sent a letter to the chairman and ranking member of the Senate Banking Committee on Friday, imploring them to advance a bill protecting financial institutions that service state-legal marijuana businesses.

In the letter to Sens. Mike Crapo (R-ID) and Sherrod Brown (D-OH), the groups stressed that they are not taking a stance on the broader question of cannabis legalization but support House-passed legislation preventing federal regulators from penalizing banks solely because they work with marijuana companies.

They urged a markup of the Secure and Fair Enforcement (SAFE) Banking Act, was was approved along largely bipartisan lines in the House last year.

Click here to read the complete article

Kyle Jaeger ~ MarijuanaMoment.net ~ 

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, March 09, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- PRESS RELEASE -- Emerald Health Therapeutics, Inc. has signed a letter of intent under which Sigma Analytical Services Inc., a full-service GMP-compliant testing laboratory for cannabis, hemp and derived products, may acquire Emerald’s Avalite cannabis analytical testing operation. The companies also intend to establish a preferred partner relationship. Terms of the deal have been agreed to in principle and will be announced upon completion. Execution of definitive agreements is subject to due diligence and board approval of both companies and is expected to occur on or before April 19, 2020. Completion of the transaction will be subject to a number of conditions including settlement of final documentation and receipt of applicable regulatory and third-party approvals.

“We are very pleased to expand our testing services in Western Canada. We see many benefits in being physically close to our clients (licensed producers and processors) and building true partnerships with them to enhance the quality of products. This is the main reason why we also started expanding to Colombia in 2019,” said Dr. Kaveh Kahen, president and CEO of Sigma. “We believe having a complete analytical and microbiology testing lab for cannabis in BC would give us the opportunity to establish similar partnerships with the thriving craft cannabis sector, as well as large producers, in British Columbia and Alberta.”

Riaz Bandali, president and chief executive officer of Emerald, said, "We believe the analytical marketplace has excellent growth dynamics based on the positive global trend to legalize cannabis. However, it is necessary to have a critical mass of scientific expertise and scale. In our view, the best growth opportunity for our Avalite operation is to integrate it with a dedicated analytical services company. We are very pleased with the opportunity to move forward with a constructive relationship with Sigma and its group of experts in this segment."

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, March 03, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- PRESS RELEASE -- Emerald Health Therapeutics, Inc. has entered into a settlement agreement with Village Farms International, Inc. and Pure Sunfarms Corp. regarding disputes between the parties. On completion of the settlement, the arbitration process involving the parties will be discontinued.

“We are pleased to have reached a comprehensive settlement agreement that resolves all disputes among the parties," said Riaz Bandali, president and chief executive officer of Emerald. "The settlement agreement allows Emerald, PSF and Village Farms to put their previous disputes aside and work together toward building on the tremendous performance of PSF to date.”

Pursuant to the settlement agreement, the supply agreements entered into between Emerald and PSF dated Dec. 21, 2018, which was for the 40% supply provision by PSF to Emerald in 2019, at a guaranteed price for 2019, and March 29, 2019, which was for the 25% supply provision by PSF, at a guaranteed price adjusted on a semi-annual basis to Emerald from 2020 to the end of 2022, respectively, will both be terminated effective as of Dec. 31, 2019, and Emerald will be released from all previous, current, and future obligations, liabilities and payments thereunder. The termination of the supply agreements removes the uncertainty regarding the potential obligation of Emerald to make any payments to PSF under the terms of those agreements and provides Emerald with full flexibility regarding future access to, and supply of, wholesale cannabis.

In exchange, Emerald will forfeit all amounts due from PSF pursuant to a shareholder’s loan of $13 million plus accrued interest of $1.1 million that Emerald previously advanced to PSF, and it will issue a promissory note to PSF in the amount of $952,237.

Emerald will cancel 5,940,000 of its common shares of PSF (currently held in escrow), fully resolving all issues in the arbitration process related to Emerald’s decision to offset a $5.94 million payment against its shareholder loan in November 2019 regarding Delta 2. Emerald has also agreed to transfer 2.5% of its PSF equity to Village Farms.

March 3, 2020 – New York, NY –  PRESS RELEASE – The Board of Directors of the Drug Policy Alliance (DPA) has selected the acclaimed drug policy reform activist Kassandra Frederique as its next executive director. Frederique, who is now the organization’s Managing Director of Policy Advocacy and Campaigns, will assume the role in September after completing projects to which she is committed to in her current position.

“We could not be more excited that a leader with Kassandra’s strategic vision, integrity, and passion will take the reins at DPA,” said Board Chair Derek Hodel. “By any measure, Kassandra is a force to reckon with – she has significantly influenced drug policy reform in New York, and has helped to shape the national drug policy conversation. She will be a terrific executive director.”

“There is a lot at stake in this moment, and to be afforded the chance to lead the Drug Policy Alliance is a responsibility I do not take lightly,” said Frederique. “I’m looking forward to drawing on the rich tapestry of ideas represented by DPA and the drug policy reform movement to build humane and compassionate solutions. I am humbled by this opportunity and am excited to do my part to shape the next chapter in drug policy, one of the most important issues at the intersection of autonomy and justice.”

As executive director, Frederique will be at the helm of the nation’s leading organization fighting to end the war on drugs and replace it with policies grounded in science, compassion, health and human rights. DPA has played a critical role in promoting sentencing reform, marijuana legalization that repairs the harms of prohibition, harm reduction measures such as naloxone access and supervised consumption sites, and decriminalizing simple drug possession.

Frederique will succeed Maria McFarland Sanchez-Moreno, who announced in January that she will step down as executive director on March 6 to join Human Rights Watch. Richard Burns, who most recently served as interim executive director at Lambda Legal and has extensive experience leading organizations through transition, will take on the interim role until Frederique takes the helm in September.

GREENWICH, CT, and DENVER, March 9, 2020 /CNW/ - PRESS RELEASE - BR Brands LLC, a house of brands within the legal cannabis sector, and Dixie Brands Inc., one of the cannabis industry's most recognized consumer packaged goods companies, have signed an exclusive, binding term sheet to merge. Under the terms of the deal, BR Brands will combine operations with Dixie by assuming the publicly traded platform via a reverse takeover. This transaction, expected to be completed by the third quarter of this year, will create one of the cannabis industry's most comprehensive established house of brands.

BR Brands is the owner of Mary's Brands, a portfolio of cannabis products that includes the acclaimed medical and topical brand Mary's Medicinals. BR Brands' portfolio also includes three California-based brands: Defonce, Beezle and Rebel Coast. With an ecosystem of operating assets and an infrastructure that currently spans 11 states and Puerto Rico, BR Brands is a market leader in geographic reach and product diversity.

"BR Brands and its affiliates have had a long-standing relationship with Dixie, rooted in a deep respect for its platform and product portfolio," said Andrew Schweibold, chairman of BR Brands. "BR Brands was established to unite premium and emerging cannabis brands under one umbrella, offering unparalleled access to top-tier operating talent and capital expertise. With the consummation of this transaction, the resulting entity is poised to build upon our product portfolio, develop best-in-class IP and expand our geographic footprint, all while remaining laser-focused on continuing to meet the needs of our consumers."

Dixie Brands has been involved in the infused-cannabis industry since the launch of its THC-infused Elixir in 2010. Recognizing early that the future of the cannabis industry lay in embracing CPG principles, the company focused on developing industry leading product development, production, distribution and marketing capabilities, leading to the creation of one of the industry's broadest 'house of brands.' The portfolio includes established brands such as Dixie, Synergy, AcesoHemp, Therabis and a strategic partnership with Herbal Enterprises, LLC, an affiliate of the AriZona brand.

"The challenges of the current cannabis related capital markets have guided Dixie to look for a strategic partner in order to solidify a platform we can leverage for long-term, stable growth for our shareholders. This strategic combination brings two of the most trusted and iconic brands together on one of the broadest manufacturing and distribution platforms in the industry," said Chuck Smith, president and CEO of Dixie. "We are very pleased with the fundamentals of the deal as they will strengthen our balance sheet by decreasing debt, improving our cash position, and providing opportunities to enhance revenue growth and capture greater margin."

LOS ALAMOS, NM, March 9, 2020 / - PRESS RELEASE - Trait Biosciences Inc., a leading biotechnology research organization providing innovative technology to the hemp and cannabis industry, has announced the promotion of Dr. Rebecca White to the role of Chief Technology Officer. She previously served as Chief Operating Officer of Trait Biosciences.

White will be responsible for the continued development of Trait Biosciences’ technology roadmap, harnessing her extensive experience in product commercialization strategy and leading a team of world-renowned scientists and technologists.

“By promoting Dr. White to Trait’s Chief Technology Officer, we proudly recognize the scientific acumen and ability to develop technologies and clinical research she demonstrated as Chief Operating Officer,” said Peter McDonough, Trait's chief executive officer. “Dr. White’s unique combination of research expertise and executive leadership capabilities make her supremely qualified to move our groundbreaking water-soluble cannabinoid technology into the market’s most reliable and predictable formulations of CBD- and THC-infused consumer products.”

“I am excited to be involved in developing such a robust suite of technology platforms for the hemp and cannabis industry,” said White. “Trait is positioned for commercial success and I’m thrilled to lead such a remarkable team.”

White is the first Chief Technology Officer for Trait Biosciences. She has more than a decade of experience within bioscience-based industries, successfully pioneering efforts to commercialize algae as an agricultural crop. As a scientist with a strong business and communications background, her experience in both commercialization of novel plant-based products and technology transfer from lab to field make her uniquely suited to lead Trait Biosciences operations teams. White has a Ph.D. in Microbiology from Texas A&M University and received her Honors B.Sc. degree from the University of North Texas.

Organic cultivation is a hotly contested topic even beyond the cannabis industry. Look no further than the lawsuit brought forth by the Center for Food Safety and farmers from Maine to California, which aims to bar hydroponic cultivators from using the term “organic” on their products.

While the organic label currently only is reserved for hemp farmers (as cannabis with more than 0.3% THC remains on the Schedule I list), the Denver-based Cannabis Certification Council (CCC) is looking to capitalize on the term’s recognition by preparing to launch its own “Organically-Grown” certification.

The “Organically-Grown” standard is an extension of the group’s “What’s In Your Weed?” campaign, which aims to educate consumers on how cannabis is cultivated and how their purchasing decisions impact the environment and their personal safety. Ben Gelt, board chair and co-founder of the CCC, says there is a huge gap in consumer understanding of what it takes to be certified organic.

“One of my favorite little factoids comes from a study done by a woman at Lewis and Clark University in Portland where she went into the retail environment to understand consumer expectations and attitudes. And she found that 55 percent of consumers in Portland, Ore., thought that all marijuana was natural or organic because it's a plant.”

Gelt believes the “Organically-Grown” certification will help cultivators and retailers sell their products at a premium, as opposed to other certifications currently available that might not have the same consumer recognition.

“As far as I can tell, the challenge has been for all of the seals and all of the standards across the board in cannabis is that not one of them, not one has been able to create a market premium,” Gelt tells Cannabis Business Times. “We think that ‘Organically-Grown’ will differ. The biggest differentiation will be that … we'll have a clear market value very quickly because people understand what that term means. We're not going to have to spend a fortune on budtender education or on public education to have people understand it.”

This week, Cresco Labs co-founder Joe Caltabiano announced that he had resigned from his role as the company’s president, effective immediately, in a decision he says he had been considering and discussing with the Cresco team for a few weeks. Elsewhere, in Utah, the state’s first medical cannabis dispensary opened, signaling the official launch of the market.

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

Federal: Cresco Labs co-founder Joe Caltabiano announced March 2 that he had resigned from his role as president effective immediately, a decision that he says he had been considering and discussing with the Cresco team for a few weeks. Caltabiano co-founded the Chicago-based multi-state operator in 2013, and said it is time for him to “step back and look at some opportunities that I’ve always wanted to pursue,” as his skillsets no longer align with Cresco’s future needs. Read moreMinnesota: Regulators have asked lawmakers to establish a state cannabis office to oversee the state’s medical cannabis, hemp and CBD industries, as well as, potentially, an adult-use market. Officials from the state’s Pharmacy Board and departments of Agriculture, Health and Public Safety have asked for a centralized body, called the Office of Cannabis Management, to regulate the industry and prepare the state for the potential legalization of adult-use cannabis in the future. Read moreUtah: Gov. Gary Herbert signed legislation that fine-tunes the state’s medical cannabis law, just days before the state launched its first medical cannabis sales. S.B. 121, sponsored by Sen. Evan Vickers, contains several amendments to the state’s Medical Cannabis Act, which the legislature approved in December 2018 to make changes to Utah’s voter-approved medical cannabis ballot initiative. Read moreUtah’s first medical cannabis dispensary, Dragonfly Wellness, opened in Salt Lake City March 2, as the state launched a slow rollout of its medical cannabis program. The state’s second dispensary is expected to open this month, with seven more opening by June. Read moreNew Jersey: Senate President Stephen Sweeney has appointed social worker Krista Nash as the first official member of the state’s Cannabis Regulatory Commission, a panel charged with regulating the New Jersey’s cannabis industry. The commission still needs four additional members before it can become operational; Gov. Phil Murphy must appoint three members and State Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin must appoint one under New Jersey’s expanded medical cannabis law. Read moreMaine: The legislative committee that oversees the Maine’s adult-use cannabis market approved a bill that would allow the Office of Marijuana Policy to create an adult-use cannabis delivery license. Lawmakers banned the sale of adult-use cannabis through vending machines, drive-thrus, online platforms and delivery services during their rewrite of the 2016 voter-approved initiative that legalized adult-use cannabis in the state, but the committee vote could signal a shift on the issue. Read moreTennessee: Lawmakers plan to introduce a new medical cannabis legalization bill, called the Clinical Cannabis Authorization and Research Act. The legislation, which will be introduced through amendments by Sen. Steve Dickerson and Rep. Bryan Terry, would allow cannabis oils, tinctures, lotions and capsules, but not smokable cannabis, vapes or edibles. Read moreMichigan: The Marijuana Regulatory Agency announced a plan to phase out caregiver-sourced cannabis in its medical cannabis dispensaries. Effective immediately, licensed cannabis businesses may no longer purchase cannabis concentrates, cartridges or other infused products from caregivers in the state, although the final day for caregiver-sourced cannabis flower transfers will be Sept. 30. Read moreFlorida: Rep. Ray Rodrigues has filed legislation that would impose a 10% THC cap on medical cannabis products for patients under the age of 21. Rodrigues introduced his bill the day after similar legislation stalled in the Senate, in the form of an amendment to H.B. 713, a Department of Health legislative package. Read moreCanada: Health Canada, the country’s department of health, is starting a committee to research how cannabis and related products can, or should, be used without a prescription or a doctor’s oversight. The committee’s formation is part of an initiative to form cannabis-related regulations that began in Canada in 2018. Read more

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) recently acknowledged in a report that state-level marijuana legalization reduces instances of illegal interstate trafficking.

In its performance budget submission to Congress for fiscal year 2021, DEA gave an overview of its enforcement efforts and made predictions about future trends.

Buried within the document is a subtle admission that giving consumers legal access to cannabis means that demand for marijuana products sourced from the illegal market decreases.

Click here to read the complete article

Kyle Jaeger ~ MarijuanaMoment.net ~