MjLink Cannabis Business News and Press
New Hampshire lawmakers have introduced legislation to legalize adult-use cannabis.
The bill, sponsored by Rep. Tim Egan, would legalize the possession of up to an ounce of cannabis for personal use, as well as the home cultivation of up to three mature plants, according to a WCAX report.
“At the end of the day, if it does become a business—and it should—states like New Hampshire, who have struggled to find revenue for education or mental health care, can say, in our taxation of cannabis, a percentage for that is going to go for these issues,” Egan told the news outlet.
Legalization has bipartisan support in the Legislature due to the economic benefits of a commercial cannabis market, Egan added, and a study by the University of New Hampshire has revealed that 75% of residents support adult-use legalization, WCAX reported.
Republican Gov. Chris Sununu has historically opposed legalization.
More than half the hemp fields in Jackson County, in southern Oregon, are actually cannabis crops—rich with THC and unlicensed in the eyes of the state. This is a problem, one major node in what Jackson County has declared as a statement of emergency, and it’s captured the attention of the industry more broadly.
We’ve got the link below, but a recent community hearing brought stakeholders together to assess best moves forward.
“Cases are prioritized by fire, life, safety issues, egregious violations, violations that are blatant criminal activity,” supervisor Alicia Brown said of the litany of complaints landing at the county’s feet.
And while the overarching, overwhelming nature of this illicit market development is particularly egregious in Jackson County, it’s not unique to the southwest corner of Oregon. It’s a source of tension for any state wrangling the history of cannabis cultivation into a regulated landscape—and more states are joining the conversation with each passing year.
We’ve rounded up some of the key cannabis headlines from the week right here.
The New York State Department of Labor recently issued guidance prohibiting New York employers from drug screening most workers for cannabis. Assistant Editor Andriana Ruscitto has the story. Read more Austin-based Hometown Hero sued the state of Texas over its announcement that delta-8 THC products are illegal under Texas law. A judge has since shot down that lawsuit. Read more Tilray is making moves in Europe. Read more Nevada’s Cannabis Compliance Board has extended the deadline for dispensaries to exercise their licenses in order to give operators time to wait out local moratoriums that are keeping their businesses in limbo. Read more Senior Digital Editor Melissa Schiller turns to Montana, which is preparing for the start of adult-use sales in January. Read moreAnd elsewhere on the web, here are the stories we’ve been reading this week:
New York Times: “As most other major economies liberalize their laws on marijuana amid growing evidence of its medical benefits, Japan has doubled down on its hard-line position toward the drug, ramping up arrests and increasing efforts to battle the influx of marijuana-friendly information from abroad with public awareness campaigns and tougher laws.” Read more This Is Reno: The city of Reno, Nev., is considering on-site consumption lounges. Currently, the city has eight dispensaries up and running. Read more Vermont Public Radio: “In about one year — by October 2022 — Vermont's retail cannabis market is scheduled to go into place, and the state's Cannabis Control Board has already made some key decisions that will shape Vermont’s legal marijuana marketplace.” Read morePolitico: “California’s cannabis market is booming nearly five years after voters legalized recreational weed. But there’s a catch: the vast majority of pot sales are still underground.” Read more Oregon Public Broadcasting: Oregon state and Jackson county officials at a recent community forum cited wage and water theft, and physical and sexual intimidation as just a few of the problems at illegal cannabis operations this summer. This is the latest in a long-running effort to combat a sprawling illicit market in southern Oregon. Read more ]]>The cannabis industry’s lack of banking access has created public safety concerns and social equity challenges in the rapidly growing marketplace.
That was the main takeaway from an Oct. 28 virtual briefing titled “UNSAFE Banking & Cannabis,” which was hosted by the U.S. Cannabis Council (USCC).
During the hour-long webinar, which was moderated by USCC CEO Steven Hawkins, several cannabis entrepreneurs and a security expert shared firsthand accounts of how a lack of banking services has impacted them.
Alphonso “Tucky” Blunt, CEO of Blunts + Moore in Oakland, Calif., shared details of robberies at his dispensaries and the public safety risks of the cash-only cannabis industry.
Precious Osagie-Erese, co-founder and chief operating officer of cannabis delivery and logistics company Roll Up Life, based in New Jersey, described her limited options to raise capital and the pressure to accept predatory deals in the industry.
Editor’s note: This article explores the state of the adult-use cannabis industry in Maine from the perspectives of a long-time medical operator transitioning to the new market, an out-of-state investor who co-founded former MSO Grassroots, and a select board member from a small, conservative town where voters will help decide their opt-in fate in next week’s election.
The $9.7 million in adult-use cannabis sales Maine banked in September might come in the shadows of current retail behemoths like California, Michigan and Illinois.
Through the first half of 2021, California averaged more than $430 million per month in taxable cannabis sales, while Michigan recorded $124.9 million in adult-use sales in September and Illinois tallied $121.7 million last month. But those are the three most populated states currently up and running with adult-use sales.
Not only is Maine still finding its footing—its adult-use sales launched Oct. 9, 2020—but it’s the second-smallest state by population to roll out adult-use retail. Only Alaska has a smaller in-state customer base.
South Dakota’s Marijuana Interim Study Committee has recommended that the state Legislature legalize, regulate and tax adult-use cannabis as the South Dakota Supreme Court continues deliberating on the constitutionality of a voter-approved legalization measure.
Amendment A passed with a 54.2% majority, but has been challenged in a lawsuit alleging that the measure violates South Dakota’s one-subject rule and does not simply amend the state constitution, but instead revises it. The revision would require a constitutional convention to be called by a three-fourths vote of members from both chambers of the state Legislature.
A circuit judge ruled Amendment A unconstitutional before the case landed in the Supreme Court.
Meanwhile, the Marijuana Interim Study Committee has been studying cannabis legalization, with the Adult-Use Marijuana Study Subcommittee voting Oct. 19 to recommend adult-use cannabis legislation.
The full committee adopted the recommendation Oct. 27, according to the Argus Leader, thus sending the adult-use legalization proposal to the South Dakota Legislature for consideration.
Nevada’s Cannabis Compliance Board has extended the deadline for dispensaries to exercise their licenses in order to give operators time to wait out local moratoriums that are keeping their businesses in limbo.
Entrepreneurs were up against a February 2022 deadline to get their retail operations up and running, but regulators have given them an extra year, until February 2023, to wait out their municipalities’ bans on cannabis businesses, according to a Nevada Current report.
The Cannabis Compliance Board voted unanimously Oct. 26 to extend the deadline, the news outlet reported, effectively delaying the final inspections for Essence Henderson LLC, Essence Tropicana LLC, Pure Tonic Concentrates LLC, Green Therapeutics LLC and HH Sub One LLC, which are all in the crosshairs of local moratoriums.
The move has been applauded by Clark County Commissioner Tick Segerbloom, who told the Nevada Current that licensees should have more time to wait out local moratoriums “or be allowed to transfer to another jurisdiction."
South Dakota lawmakers have approved the latest version of medical cannabis rules, paving the way for regulations to take effect before the Department of Health starts processing patient and caregiver applications next month, according to a KELO report.
The Legislature’s Rules Review Committee signed off on the regulations in a unanimous vote Oct. 26, the news outlet reported.
The rules will implement Initiated Measure 26, a medical cannabis legalization proposal that voters approved in the 2020 election.
The measure requires the Department of Health to begin issuing medical cannabis ID cards by Nov. 18, according to KELO.
The Legislature’s Rules Review Committee approved the majority of the regulations for South Dakota’s forthcoming medical cannabis program last month, but rejected six of the proposed rules, KELO reported.
A Texas judge has denied a CBD retailer’s request to block the state’s ban on delta-8 THC.
Austin-based Sky Marketing Corp., which does business as Hometown Hero, filed a lawsuit in Travis County district court last week to bar the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) from taking “enforcement action” against the sale of low-THC hemp products, arguing that the products are legal under both state and federal law.
RELATED: CBD Retailer Sues Texas Over Delta-8 THC Ban
Earlier this month, DSHS added a statement to its website to clarify that delta-8 THC is illegal under H.B. 1325, legislation signed into law by Gov. Greg Abbott in 2019 to legalize the cultivation of hemp that contains less than 0.3% delta-9 THC. Since the law did not specifically address delta-8, many manufacturers and retailers assumed the compound was legal until DSHS issued its statement earlier this month.
“Texas Health and Safety Code Chapter 443 (HSC 443), established by House Bill 1325 (86th Legislature), allows Consumable Hemp Products in Texas that do not exceed 0.3% Delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC),” the statement reads. “All other forms of THC, including Delta-8 in any concentration and Delta-9 exceeding 0.3%, are considered Schedule I controlled substances.”
Cannabis cultivation is a multi-variable equation; you cannot simply change X and expect Y without impacting Z (or A, B and C, for that matter). Very few agricultural products are as picky or delicate when it comes to optimal growing conditions for the highest quality product. While lighting is a massively important variable, it is far from the only one.
If you are considering lighting changes, especially in your prime cultivation space where product is destined for sale, it is best to make slow, incremental changes with R&D-dedicated plants and closely observe the results.
In GreenSeal’s lighting research trials, we’ve seen small changes in lighting variables lead to some pretty dramatic changes—both positive and negative—in yield, cannabinoid and terpene content, nutrient deficiencies, humidity and more. While some results become apparent overnight, others take a full harvest cycle or multiple cycles to confirm. As frustrating as it may be to wait to observe results, it is far better than growing a batch of unsellable flower.
]]>Cannabis policy reform is gaining momentum.
NEW YORK, Oct. 26, 2021 – PRESS RELEASE – Tilray Inc., a global pioneer in medical cannabis research, cultivation, production and distribution, announced it has been selected by the Luxembourg Ministry of Health as a supplier of Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) certified medical cannabis products for the country’s medical cannabis program.
Following this selection, Tilray will supply a variety of its pharmaceutical-grade medical cannabis products, including extracts and dried flower with different degrees of THC and CBD for patients with varying medical conditions. These prescription-based medical cannabis products will be administered to qualifying patients in Luxembourg under the supervision of physicians.
RELATED: Luxembourg to Legalize Adult-Use Cannabis
Tilray Chairman and CEO Irwin D. Simon said, “We believe that Tilray’s growth potential in the European Union represents a $1 billion opportunity, and today’s announcement affirms that we are turning potential into performance. With today’s validation from the Luxembourg Ministry of Health, Tilray now offers branded medical cannabis in 20 countries around the world—a testament to our high standards and status as a trusted partner to patients in need. We’re proud to be building this unrivaled global platform and will continue to advocate for patient access in Europe and countries around the world.”
Denise Faltischek, head of international and chief strategy officer, added, “Tilray’s mission includes an unwavering conviction that patients around the world should have access to safe, high-quality, cannabinoid-based medicine. We’re proud to expand this effort to Luxembourg and provide patients in need with pharmaceutical-grade medical cannabis products. We are committed to being a trusted partner, and we will continue to leverage our strong medical platform to increase access to the highest-quality medical cannabis for patients worldwide.”
Tilray operates two state-of-the-art GMP-certified cannabis cultivation facilities in Europe located in Cantanhede, Portugal, and Neumunster, Germany. The EU campus in Portugal is a multifaceted production facility that includes the cultivation, extraction, processing and packaging of medical cannabis. It also serves as a hub supporting Tilray's clinical research and product development efforts across Europe.
WAKEFIELD, Mass., Oct. 26, 2021 – PRESS RELEASE – Curaleaf Holdings Inc., a leading international provider of consumer products in cannabis, announced that its initial batches of New York whole flower have cleared testing by third-party labs and that sales of three initial strains will begin Oct. 26 in the company's Newburgh location and Oct. 27 in Curaleaf's Carle Place, Forest Hills and Plattsburgh dispensaries.
"Our patients have been waiting a long time for this day and we couldn't be happier to be able to deliver whole flower product to all four of our New York locations in the next day or so and to the majority of our wholesale partners within the month," Curaleaf CEO Joe Bayern said. "Fortunately, we have been preparing for this moment and we are more than ready with plenty of product for all our New York locations. We are grateful to Gov. Hochul and the OCM [Office of Cannabis Management] for moving this forward so quickly, and we look forward to robust sales and happy customers. We appreciate the patience and loyalty of all our patients as we worked toward this milestone."
RELATED: New York Cannabis Control Board Dishes Out Whole Flower at First Meeting
Prior to this month, cannabis was only available to New York patients in ground form, a source of frustration for many patients who prefer the plant's medicinal applications in its purest and most natural format.
Curaleaf whole flower will also be available to the majority of the company's wholesale partners in the state by the end of the month, ensuring that the company maintains its position as the New York market leader and its product will be available throughout the state.
]]>Can THC be taken as a daily vitamin, as part of a consumer’s daily routine?
For Zeno, a company that recently unveiled a 0.4 mg THC tablet, the answer is yes.
The company launched its product in August, and recently announced that it will be sold in Sweet Flower dispensaries in California.
Here, Zeno co-founder Jeronimo De Miguel shares more about the product, the recent retail partnership with Sweet Flower, microdosing trends and more.
Melissa Schiller: Can you give me some background on Zeno and its product?
Jeronimo De Miguel: We just launched a little over two months ago, in early August, and that was mostly through [a] D2C or direct-to-consumer offering, through a platform called Grassdoor, which is a delivery platform here in California. By design, we wanted to be able to [reach] consumers who are not necessarily shopping at dispensaries, and that just goes hand-in-hand with the type of product that we put in the market.
Interest in New Mexico’s medical cannabis program has continued to thrive, despite Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham signing legislation to legalize adult-use cannabis in early April.
According to the Santa Fe New Mexican, the New Mexico Department of Health has processed almost 15,000 applications for medical cannabis patients since the Cannabis Regulation Act went into effect in June.
Medical program director Dominick Zurlo told lawmakers that the program had received several concerns about decreasing patient enrollment since the state legalized cannabis; however, the Santa Fe New Mexican reported the opposite.
The news outlet reported that the state’s medical program has experienced nearly a 72% growth since 2019, gaining roughly 52,000 patients between September 2019 and September 2021. There are now almost 125,000 medical cannabis patients enrolled in the program, with patients residing in every county of the state.
Zurlo expressed that the growth in enrollment shows a need for medical cannabis, according to the news outlet. “This shows that the medical program is serving and continuing to improve access to other patients within New Mexico who can utilize the beneficial effects of cannabis on their qualifying conditions," he said.
And Chris Kukulski, a New Mexico medical cannabis patient, told the news outlet that he is not surprised that enrollment has increased drastically, as he thinks the stigma of cannabis use is becoming less prevalent.
LAS VEGAS, Oct. 26, 2021 – PRESS RELEASE – MJ Holdings Inc., one of the largest sun-grown cannabis cultivators in Nevada, announced that its board of directors has appointed Roger Bloss to CEO, effective immediately. Bloss has served in the position of interim CEO for the last year.
Bloss’ innovative leadership style has landed him a trailblazer reputation. He brings over four decades of well-rounded experience from a lifetime in the hospitality space into the cannabis industry. Bloss served in pertinent senior leadership roles of nationally known hotel companies and franchisors before founding what became Vantage Hospitality Group Inc. in 1996. Under his direction, Bloss advanced Vantage’s growth from one hotel to more than 1,200 franchisees in less than 20 years, as the company achieved the status as a top 10 global hotel firm. In 2006, Vantage ranked on Inc. Magazine’s prestigious Inc. 500/5000 List of Fastest Growing Companies eight times in a row, making Vantage the only hotel company to do so in the history of Inc 500/5000.
“I am thrilled to continue my journey with MJ Holdings, taking what I’ve learned in the hospitality and entertainment industry, combined with my personal cannabis and health and wellness experience, and applying this knowledge and experience in my leadership role with MJ. I am so grateful for the opportunity,” Bloss said.
In his role as CEO, Bloss is also determined to shape the landscape of the cannabis industry in new and innovative ways. For example, Bloss looks forward to the development of a plan to create a first of its kind cannabis wellness, education and exploration campus to include a resort style hospitality option within the overall facility.
MJ Holdings founder and Board Chairman Paris Balaouras said, “I am so excited to have Roger in the position of chief executive officer. Roger and I work incredibly well as a team, and I’m confident in our ability to create an efficient operation this industry deserves. With Roger’s substantial experience in hospitality and entertainment, we will be able to take MJ Holdings to higher places and help move the industry forward in innovative ways.”
The Massachusetts Cannabis Control Board (CCB) recently gained five new members appointed by State Treasurer Deborah B. Goldberg.
The 25-member board provides the Cannabis Control Commission (CCC) with recommendations regarding the regulation and taxation of cannabis in the state. The board is comprised of individuals who are experts in cannabis cultivation, sciences and toxicology, retail, product manufacturing, and legal services, WWLP news reported.
The new CCB members appointed by Goldberg are listed in the article as follows:
Amanda Rostiano, principal of Rostiano Strategies, a cannabis consulting firm. Rostiano is known for her expertise in cannabis product manufacturing.Alan Balsam Ph.D., MPH, adjunct associate professor at Tufts Medical School and Boston University School of Public Health. Balsam is an expert in cannabis laboratory sciences and toxicology.Marion McNabb, DrPH, MPH, president of Cannabis Center of Excellence, a Massachusetts-based nonprofit organization that conducts citizen-science-focused population studies and programs. McNabb was appointed for her knowledge in cannabis retail.Michael Dundas, chair of the Cannabis Industry Subcommittee and head of Navigaire Advisors, a business and government consultancy. Dundas is also the former co-founder and chief executive officer of one of Massachusetts's largest medical cannabis companies. He is an expert in cannabis cultivation.Laury Lucien, CEO of Major Bloom, LLC, a Massachusetts-based dispensary. Lucien is also a Massachusetts cannabis attorney and was appointed for her expertise in providing legal services to cannabis businesses."I am pleased to appoint these members to the Massachusetts Cannabis Advisory Board," Goldberg said. "I am confident they will have a meaningful impact on the regulation of the cannabis industry across our state."
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A CBD retailer in Austin has sued Texas over its ban on delta-8 THC.
Sky Marketing Corp., which does business as Hometown Hero, filed a lawsuit in Travis County district court last week to block the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) from taking “enforcement action” against the sale of low-THC hemp products that the store owner argues are legal under both state and federal law, according to the San Antonio Current.
Earlier this month, DSHS added a statement to its website declaring that delta-8 THC is illegal under Texas law.
“Texas Health and Safety Code Chapter 443 (HSC 443), established by House Bill 1325 (86th Legislature), allows Consumable Hemp Products in Texas that do not exceed 0.3% Delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC),” the statement reads. “All other forms of THC, including Delta-8 in any concentration and Delta-9 exceeding 0.3%, are considered Schedule I controlled substances.”
Montana regulators have a lot of work to do ahead of Jan. 1, 2022, the first day of adult-use cannabis sales in the state.
The Montana Department of Revenue is preparing its rules to regulate the adult-use cannabis market, and the agency released its first package of proposed regulations last week, according to a KTVH report.
“The deadlines are aggressive,” Kristan Barbour, administrator of the Department of Revenue’s Cannabis Control Division, told the news outlet. “Really, the rules are our biggest challenge.”
The first set of draft rules, released Oct. 22, include 15 sections that lay out the business licensing process and fees, establish cannabis labeling requirements, and set policies for “exit packaging,” the packaging that cannabis products must be placed in when sold to consumers at dispensaries.
RELATED: Montana Revises Proposed Advertising Regulations for Medical Cannabis Businesses
Arkansans have purchased more than 60,000 pounds of medical cannabis and have spent a total of $428 million at the state’s dispensaries since the first one opened in 2019, according to the Baxter Bulletin.
The state’s patients spent $30 million on 4,768 pounds of medical cannabis last month alone, the news outlet reported.
Arkansas has generated $49.9 million in revenue through a 6.5% state sales tax and a 4% privilege tax on medical cannabis products, with the state collecting $25 million of that revenue since Jan. 1, 2021, according to the Baxter Bulletin.
There are currently 37 dispensaries operating in Arkansas, the news outlet reported, and the state has reported 78,425 active medical cannabis patient cards, which is a decrease of 995 cardholders from numbers reported last month.
NEW YORK, Oct. 25, 2021 – PRESS RELEASE – Columbia Care Inc., one of the largest and most experienced cultivators, manufacturers and providers of cannabis products in the U.S., announced that it is the first licensed organization to offer whole flower to New York’s medical cannabis community. Whole flower will be available for purchase Oct. 26 at its Rochester dispensary and available on Oct. 27 in its other dispensaries across the state.
RELATED: New York Cannabis Control Board Dishes Out Whole Flower at First Meeting
In anticipation of the state’s Office of Cannabis Management’s Cannabis Control Board’s decision to expand medical cannabis products to include whole flower, the company amplified its cultivation and production efforts earlier this year. Through its existing indoor cultivation and production facility in Rochester, and upcoming harvest from its Long Island greenhouse facility, which recently began cultivation operations, the company will offer several high-quality, iconic whole flower strain options, beginning with Sour Kush.
“We are New York’s home team, so it shouldn’t come as a surprise that Columbia Care continues to be on the leading edge of the state’s cannabis program—from opening the first medical dispensary in New York State and New York City, to being the first to bring a critical, natural medicine in its most highly demanded and cost-effective form, whole flower, to New Yorkers,” Columbia Care CEO Nicholas Vita said. “This is a meaningful moment to us, and we are grateful to our team for their dedication to the New York market as well as to the state’s leadership and the Office of Cannabis Management for moving this program forward. This is the next step in the evolution of New York’s legal cannabis market, and we are committed to leading its continued forward progress.”
As one of 10 existing registered organizations in the state, Columbia Care intends to add an additional four medical dispensaries in New York, for a total of eight dispensaries in the state, three of which will be co-located with adult-use dispensaries, pending regulatory approval. The company will also offer flower in the coming months from its suite of brands including Seed & Strain, Classix and Triple Seven, pending regulatory approval.
For more information, visit www.col-care.com.
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