MjLink Cannabis Business News and Press

In the March 2019 Cannabis Business Times cover story, Dr. Andrea Small-Howard, co-founder and chief science officer of GB Sciences, said, “My personal mission is to take cannabis-based therapies to the U.S. FDA.”

Just over two years later, Small-Howard, who was promoted to president of the Las-Vegas company in June, is close to her goal.

GB Sciences has completed animal studies on a treatment for Parkinson’s disease and is finalizing another animal trial of a slow-release, cannabis-based pain medication that Small-Howard calls a “game-changer” for people suffering from chronic pain. The next step is to get FDA approval on human trials, which Small-Howard hopes will be in 2022 for the Parkinson’s formulation and shortly thereafter for the pain management drug.

RELATED: Clinical Cannabis: How GB Sciences is Redefining the Industry Through Research

She also co-invented a “drug discovery platform” using artificial intelligence (AI) that is programmed to identify novel, plant-based formulations to treat multiple symptoms of conditions. The company is using the proprietary technology, known as “Phytomedical Analytics for Research Optimization at Scale,” or PhAROS, to expedite plant-based medicines that contain a combination of active ingredients and get them to market sooner. 

"The PhAROS platform is a new version of the software that we developed earlier when we were exclusively studying cannabis-derived mixtures," Small-Howard said. 

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., Senate Finance Committee Chairman Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., hinted earlier this year that some sort of “comprehensive” cannabis reform legislation was coming. The country had a newly inaugurated president, although his stance on cannabis wasn’t the most promising. But still, just by looking at the wave of state-by-state legalization unfolding in late 2020 and early 2021, it certainly seemed like momentum was (and is) on the side of cannabis.

Then, this past week, the senators unveiled their proposal. The Cannabis Administration and Opportunity Act builds on earlier attempts at wholesale reform (The Marijuana Justice Act, The MORE Act) by combining a hands-off, back-to-the-states policy on regulation with a high-stakes insistence on diversity and social equity across this industry. It will be imperative, the senators suggested, for any legislation coming out of Congress to deal with the problems of the war on drugs head-on.

It remains to be seen whether the senatorial trio’s colleagues will get the message.

That said, we’ve rounded up some of the key cannabis headlines from the week right here.

The Cannabis Administration and Opportunity Act has arrived in Washington, D.C. What now? Read more “More than 400 law enforcement personnel from city, county, state and federal agencies seized $1.2 billion of illegal cannabis harvests and plants in Southern California during a 10-day eradication operation resulting in 131 arrests last month.” Associate Editor Tony Lange has the story. Read more Senior Digital Editor Melissa Schiller reports on the opening of Planet 13’s Santa Ana, Calif., dispensary. Read more Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s office announced July 15 that a series of lotteries to award the licenses are planned for later this month and August. Read more U.S. Sen. Jacky Rosen has led a group of her colleagues to submit a letter to a Senate Appropriations subcommittee requesting that cannabis businesses gain access to Small Business Administration loans. Read more 

And elsewhere on the web, here are the stories we’ve been reading this week:

CBS4Local: Las Crusces, N.M., residents “will have multiple opportunities to weigh in on how the City of Las Cruces will manage land use and zoning related to cannabis growers and retailers now that the New Mexico Legislature has legalized cannabis for recreational use.” Read more OPB: “Sen. Ron Wyden looks to Oregon’s cannabis industry to lead the way in showing the rest of the nation what ‘cannabis common sense’ looks like. Read more 
NBC News: “Women are turning to cannabis in droves, constituting 59 percent of new cannabis users in 2020, according to research conducted by Brightfield Group, a cannabis market research company.” Read more WKBW: “The city of Jamestown is launching a new initiative aimed at bringing the commercial cannabis business into the city and it could generate millions of dollars in tax revenues.” Read more Santa Monica Mirror: CPC Compassion Inc plans to open the first medical cannabis dispensary in Santa Monica in December 2021 if approved by the Planning Commission. Read more ]]>

Many factors affect plant growth and development when it comes to cultivation, such as nutrition, soil, lighting, water, temperature and humidity.

There are certain steps growers can take when monitoring plants' nutrition, pH balance and water intake to get better results, says Ian Bateman, who works in professional technical services at Hawthorne Gardening Company's Horticulture Division.

For optimal growth, plants must have all 14 plant essential nutrients in appropriate quantities to support balanced healthy growth; however, growers should not think of nutrients in isolation, Bateman says. Instead, he encourages growers to consider nutrients as interrelated "building materials" that work hand-in-hand with other inputs that help run the “machinery” of a plant. 

If a plant lacks essential nutrients, growers can utilize fertilizer to restore what's missing, but over- or underfeeding can cause damage or even kill plants, he says.

Here, Bateman describes how to use fertilizer to improve plant health, as well as determining when and what to feed them.

Flex Fertilizer Levels

SANTA BARBARA, Calif., July 13, 2021 – PRESS RELEASE – HERBL, California’s largest cannabis supply chain company, announced its exclusive distribution partnership with Henry’s Original, a vertically integrated craft cannabis brand. HERBL will aid Henry’s Original in scaling its current collection of products, including craft flower and pre-rolls throughout California.

Henry’s Original was launched by co-founders Jamie Warm and Joshua Keats, two farmers who have cultivated cannabis in the Emerald Triangle for over two decades each. Henry’s Original grows its own flower across multiple farms in Mendocino County to bring small-batch, craft cannabis to the California market. All Henry’s Original flower is sun-grown using sustainable, organic methods and is Clean Green Certified.

With this partnership, the HERBL catalog will now feature a full line of Henry’s Original craft and value-priced flower and pre-rolls in a variety of convenient offerings. This includes flower available in eighths, half ounce and 1-gram jars as well as eighths and half-ounce mylar pouches. Pre-rolls come in 1-gram singles and 2-gram multipacks with four half gram pre-rolls.  

“Henry’s Original’s handcrafted and premium-quality products will be met with high demand as more conscious consumers gravitate toward sustainable brands,” HERBL founder and CEO Mike Beaudry said. “Henry’s Original is a welcome addition to our portfolio of unique and thoughtfully cultivated brands, and we are excited to offer products that honor Mendocino County’s strong cannabis heritage.”

“This partnership with HERBL is a tremendous opportunity to put a spotlight on Mendocino County, which has played an instrumental role in the American cannabis story,” Henry’s Original co-CEO Joshua Keats said. “Our team is dedicated to showcasing the region’s exceptional flower to the wider legal market.”

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After lawsuits and lengthy delays, Illinois is finally set to award 185 new cannabis dispensary licenses.

Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s office announced July 15 that a series of lotteries to award the licenses are planned for later this month and August, the Chicago Sun-Times reported. State officials have also notified the preliminary winners of 213 cultivation, infuser and transporter licenses, which were awarded to social equity applicants, according to the news outlet.

Seventy-five retail licenses were initially announced in May 2020, and 110 new licenses were created this past spring.

The 110 new licenses will be doled out first in two lotteries on July 29 and Aug. 5 that will award 55 licenses in each round, the Chicago Sun-Times reported. The July 29 lottery will be for social equity applicants who previously received 85% of a total of 250 points on the state’s scoring scale, and the Aug. 5 lottery will be for applicants who qualify for “Social Equity Justice Involved” status, which gives licensing priority to those who live in an area disproportionately impacted by the war on drugs or who have past arrests for cannabis-related offenses.

A third and final lottery will be held Aug. 19 to award the original 75 dispensary licenses, according to the Chicago Sun-Times.

The Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission received its final appointments this week, and the 14-member board is now fully staffed and ready to oversee the state’s forthcoming medical cannabis program.

State Health Officer Dr. Scott Harris has appointed Dr. Jerzy P. Szaflarski, professor and director of the UAB Epilepsy Center in the Department of Neurology, according to an AL.com report. Szaflarski was also a member of a study panel that recommended medical cannabis legalization in 2019, the news outlet reported, and was a lead investigator in a UAB study on using CBD oil to treat seizure disorders.

In addition, Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) Secretary Hal Taylor has appointed Dion Robinson, an ALEA special agent senior, to the board. Robinson has worked in the State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) since 2018, and also works with the U.S. Marshals’ Gulf Coast Regional Fugitive Task Force as an SBI special agent.

These final two appointments follow 12 others by Gov. Kay Ivey, Lt. Gov. Will Ainsworth, House Speaker Mac McCutcheon, Senate President Pro Tem Greg Reed, Agriculture Commissioner Rick Pate and Attorney General Steve Marshall. Those appointments were:

Dr. William Saliski Jr., a pulmonologist from Montgomery;Sam Blakemore, a pharmacist at Children’s of Alabama hospital in Birmingham;Dwight Gamble, a bank executive from Headland;Dr. Angela Martin, a pediatrician from Anniston;Dr. Eric Jensen, a biochemist from Brownsboro;Loree Skelton, a healthcare lawyer from Birmingham;Rex Vaughn, a farmer in Madison County and north region vice president for the Alabama Farmers Federation;Charles Price, a retired circuit judge from Montgomery;Dr. Steven Stokes, a radiation oncologist from Dothan;Taylor Hatchet, operator of Boozer Farms in Chilton County; andJames Harwell, former executive director of the Alabama Nursery and Landscape Association and president of Green Thumb Nursery in Montgomery.

Marshall also appointed Katherine Robertson, chief counsel for the attorney general’s office, for a non-voting advisory position.

Two Democratic Ohio state representatives have introduced a bill to legalize adult-use cannabis in the state, marking the first time that the legislature will consider the issue, according to Cincinnati.com.

The legislation, introduced by Reps. Casey Weinstein and Terrence Upchurch, would not only legalize the personal and commercial cultivation of cannabis, as well as its sale, but it would also seal the records of those convicted of past low-level, cannabis-related crimes, the news outlet reported.

The bill would allow adults 21 and older to buy and possess up to 5 ounces of cannabis, as well as grow up to 12 mature plants for personal use. Ohio’s medical cannabis program would remain intact, and licensed operators in the medical market could pursue adult-use licenses under the legislation.

The bill calls on the Ohio Department of Commerce to oversee the adult-use cannabis industry, according to Cincinnati.com, and a 10% excise tax would be placed on sales, in addition to a state and local sales tax. The tax revenue generated would fund education, road and bridge repair, and local governments, and for the first two years, up to $20 million of the annual tax revenue would flow to research for treating veterans and preventing veteran suicide.

Weinstein and Upchurch have also included a social equity component in the legislation, Cincinnati.com reported, to encourage disadvantaged entrepreneurs to participate in the adult-use market.

Over the past 25 years, NationalLink has expanded their product and service offering in providing comprehensive cash management solutions, adding smart safes, cash recyclers and cash handling equipment to their product line. Sam explains, “We responded to customer demand for expanded services in reliable, secure and efficient cash logistics solutions.”

NationalLink serves a diverse B2B marketplace including: banks, financial institutions, credit unions, hotels, malls, convenience stores, gas stations, hospitals, universities, entertainment centers, and cannabis businesses across the nation.

As it stands, the Cannabis Administration and Opportunity Act does not have enough votes to pass the Senate. That’s part of the reason why a final version of the legislation to end cannabis prohibition has yet to be formally filed in Congress.

In unveiling a preliminary draft of the federal cannabis bill on July 14, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y.; Senate Finance Committee Chairman Ron Wyden, D-Ore.; and Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J.—the sponsors—are hoping to receive feedback from industry stakeholders between now and Sept. 1 as they fight to gain broader support among their colleagues in the upper chamber.

“This is going to be a process,” Schumer said during a joint press conference with Wyden and Booker on Wednesday, shortly after releasing their 163-page legislation.

RELATED: Senate Trio Unveils Federal Cannabis Legalization Draft With Provisions to Deschedule, Tax and Regulate

“This is a draft bill,” Schumer said. “We intend to show it to all of the stakeholders. We don’t have the votes necessary at this point. But we have a large majority of our caucus for it. We’re going to show it to the others and say, ‘Well, what don’t you like? What do you like?’ And we’ll see if we can get the support. We’re going to put our muscle behind it, our effort behind it, and we are going to get this done ASAP.”

Stakeholders aren’t shying away. By and large, early comments have been cautiously supportive—with much of the reaction underscoring the importance of social equity provisions in the proposal. 

The Monterey County District Attorney’s Office and law enforcement agencies seized more than 7,000 pounds of illegal cannabis plants and nearly 300 pounds of processed illegal cannabis over the last 8 days. 

RELATED: Law Enforcement Seizes $1.2 Billion of Cannabis in Southern California

Following law enforcement seizing $1.2 billion of illegal cannabis in Southern California, Monterey County buckled down on enforcement operations, targeting unlicensed grows, KION news reported.

The District Attorney’s Office said it’s in the process of screening and testing the cannabis that was seized to determine if it contains harmful toxins, pesticides and heavy metals, according to KION news.

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CORONA, Calif., July 14, 2021 – PRESS RELEASE – Advanced Container Technologies Inc. announced its customizable packaging solutions provide the foundation that allows cannabis and cannabidiol (CBD) companies to create beautiful brands at an affordable price.

The company offers a variety of packaging solutions, including complaint odor-proof vacuum sealable storage and exit bags, and the patented Medtainer—an air-tight, moisture-proof container manufactured with FDA-approved medical grade plastics, and a unique built-in grinder.

Some of the company’s most popular products are its packaging solutions for pre-rolls.

Jim Belushi, a film and television actor who recently started a cannabis business, said that at Belushi’s Farm in Southern Oregon, pre-rolls make up about 35% of the company’s revenue.

“Since the pandemic, our joint sales have jumped almost 22% since this time last year,” Belushi said. He added that the company rolled a quarter of a million joints in 2020.

Doug Heldoorn, CEO of Advanced Container Technologies, said the company is now providing customized pre-roll packaging to cannabis and CBD businesses throughout the nation.

The Democrats’ majority in the U.S. Senate isn’t getting any younger this Congress, but a trio of proponents behind cannabis reform have remained gradual in kickstarting their efforts. Their pace picked up July 14.  

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed multiple cannabis-related bills into law July 13, including one that aims to regulate the sale of delta-8 THC in the state.

The cannabis compound has been loosely regulated in the state thus far, MLive.com reported, with gas stations, online vendors and other retailers selling delta-8 THC products without the licensing, testing and other regulations that govern Michigan’s legal cannabis market.

Under the new law, however, businesses will not be able to sell delta-8 products without proper licensing from the Michigan Marijuana Regulatory Agency, and products must be tracked and tested like any other cannabis product. The new law also bars businesses without state cannabis licenses from producing and selling any other potentially intoxicating cannabis compounds, MLive.com reported.

As previously reported by Hemp Grower, 15 states have issued outright bans on delta-8 THC, while six additional states have pending legislation to regulate the cannabinoid.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed legislation July 12 to create the Department of Cannabis Control (DCC), which will consolidate the state’s three cannabis regulatory agencies into one.

Assembly Bill 141 creates a standalone cannabis regulatory body, which was proposed in Newsom’s 2021-2022 state budget. The change is intended to “improve access to licensure, simplify regulatory oversight and support California businesses,” according to a press release announcing Newsom’s signing of the bill.

“California has led the nation in progressive cannabis policies, beginning 25 years ago as the first state in the nation to legalize medicinal use of cannabis,” Newsom said in a public statement. “We’ve taken another significant step forward to fulfill the opportunities of legalization and better serve all Californians. We will continue building upon our efforts to foster a diverse and inclusive industry, protect consumer and public safety, safeguard our environment and advance economic opportunity for small businesses.”

Newsom has appointed Nicole Elliot as director of the DCC, which is a consolidation of three cannabis regulatory programs within the Department of Consumer Affairs’ Bureau of Cannabis Control, the Department of Food and Agriculture’s CalCannabis Cultivation Licensing Division, and the Department of Public Health’s Manufactured Cannabis Safety Branch.

“The state’s consolidation effort delivers on the commitment made by the Newsom Administration to listen to and work with California’s legal cannabis industry to streamline participation in the legal market by offering a central point of contact for licensed operators,” said Lourdes Castro Ramirez, agency secretary of the BCSH Agency, which houses the DCC. “One of the key missions of our agency is to build strong, equitable, and vibrant communities. This action takes bold steps in that direction.”

U.S. Sen. Jacky Rosen (D-NV) has led a group of her colleagues to submit a letter to a Senate Appropriations subcommittee requesting that cannabis businesses gain access to Small Business Administration (SBA) loans.

The letter, dated June 22, is addressed to Sens. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), the Chairman and Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Committee’s Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government. Sens. Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Bernie Sanders (D-VT), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Cory Booker, (D-NJ), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Ed Markey (D-MA), Robert Menendez (D-NJ) and Raphael Warnock (D-GA) cosigned the letter, which asks that businesses legally operating in states with regulated cannabis markets receive access to the 7(a) Loan Guarantee Program, Disaster Assistance Program, Microloan Program and 504/Certified Development Company Loan Program.

Rosen and her colleagues ask the Senate Appropriations Committee to include language in the 2022 Financial Services and General Government Related Agencies Appropriations Bill that would grant cannabis businesses access to these SBA loans, which remain off limits to the cannabis industry.

“In 2020, states collected an estimated $3 billion in tax revenue from legal cannabis sales,” the senators wrote. “However, SBA’s current policy excludes small businesses with ‘direct’ or ‘indirect’ products or services that aid the use, growth, enhancement, or other development of cannabis from SBA-backed financing. Consequently, small businesses in states with some form of legal cannabis must choose between remaining eligible for SBA programs and participating in or doing business with a rapidly-growing and legal industry.”

The letter goes on to say that “SBA programs would be especially helpful to cannabis small businesses because they would fill gaps left by the private sector and help mitigate the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Access to these SBA programs could ensure that small businesses—including those led by our minority, women, and veteran entrepreneurs—support job creation and recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.”

With Virginia becoming the first adult-use cannabis domino to fall in the South, the race is now on among neighboring states to follow suit and end prohibition. South Carolina gubernatorial candidate Joe Cunningham hopes his state is the next.

The former one-term Democratic congressman, who represented South Carolina’s coastal 1st District from 2019-2021 in the U.S. House, narrowly lost his re-election bid to Republican state representative Nancy Mace, 50.6% to 49.4%, in the November election.

During his two years in Washington, D.C., Cunningham joined bipartisan bills the second most often compared to other House Democrats, and was the fifth most politically right compared to House Democrats, according to GovTrack.us.

Cunningham, 39, is now seeking his party’s nomination to challenge South Carolina Republican Gov. Henry McMaster, 74, in the November 2022 election.

South Carolina Democratic gubernatorial candidate Joe Cunningham presents his proposal to end cannabis prohibition in a July 12 press conference. 

While Cunningham announced his run for governor in April and has since announced his support of cannabis legalization, he formally released his plan to end cannabis prohibition in the state during a press conference July 12 in Charleston. That plan calls for the full legalization of medical and adult-use cannabis for adults 21 years and older, as well as for the expungement of cannabis-relation convictions.

“There are countless reasons to provide our citizens with a safe and legal marijuana option,” Cunningham said. “Legalizing marijuana would free up our law enforcement to focus on more serious crimes and more effectively tackle our state’s record-high murder rate. It would be a game-changer for people in South Carolina with debilitating health conditions. And it would generate tens of millions in tax revenue to finally provide critical funding for our state.” 

Cannabis has now become easier to access with new delivery app, 'Eaze.'

On June 7, Apple released several changes to its App Store Review Guidelines, clearing up existing policies, adding new specifications for app makers, and altering rules about what available apps for download can do, according to Apple Insider (AI).

Included in the changes was a loosening of restrictions regarding in-app purchases from a cannabis dispensary and licensed and legal pharmacies, AI reported.

One month after Apple released its new policies, 'Eaze' launched in the App Store--the first app in the U.S where consumers can purchase and get cannabis delivered directly to them.

"Eaze has always been about using the latest developments in technology to make shopping for legal cannabis more accessible," said Eaze CEO Rogelio Choy. "It's hard to overstate how important this is to our company and the industry."

The app utilizes geofencing to locate where purchases are made to ensure it's in areas where cannabis is legal. According to AI, consumers must be 21 years and older to purchase from the app and should be prepared to show several forms of identification throughout the purchase and delivery process. 

CALGARY, Alberta, July 6, 2021 – PRESS RELEASE – High Tide Inc., a retail-focused cannabis corporation enhanced by the manufacturing and distribution of consumption accessories, is pleased to announce that it has completed the acquisition of DHC Supply LLC operating as Daily High Club.

The acquisition was completed pursuant to the terms of the merger agreement previously announced by the company on June 25, 2021, pursuant to which High Tide USA Inc., a Nevada corporation and a wholly owned U.S. subsidiary of the company, has acquired 100% of the issued and outstanding shares of Daily High Club.

Pursuant to the terms of the acquisition, the total consideration to Daily High Club shareholders for all the issued and outstanding securities of Daily High Club is: 839,820 common shares of High Tide valued at U.S.$6.75 million on the basis of a deemed price per High Tide share of CAD$9.92, being equal to the volume weighted average price per High Tide share on the TSX Venture Exchange for the 10 consecutive trading days preceding the closing of the transaction; and U.S.$3.25 million in cash (collectively with the share consideration).

In connection with the closing, Daily High Club CEO Harrison Baum has joined the High Tide team as director of digital marketing to oversee all social media initiatives for High Tide globally.

The High Tide shares issued pursuant to the share consideration are subject to a statutory hold period of four months and one day. In addition, the High Tide shares having a value of 25% of the consideration will be held in escrow to insure certain indemnification obligations if claims arise.

Furthermore, High Tide granted 13,333 stock options to Baum, exercisable at CAD$9.39 per High Tide share for a period of three years.

Missouri Gov. Mike Parson vetoed a bill July 9 that would have provided tax relief legislation for medical cannabis businesses.

S.B. 226 would have allowed the state’s licensed medical cannabis businesses to deduct business expenses on their state income taxes. Specifically, businesses would have been able “to claim an income tax deduction in an amount equal to any expenditures otherwise allowable as a federal income tax deduction, but that are disallowed for federal purposes because cannabis is a controlled substance under federal law,” according to the legislation.

Parson did not specifically mention the cannabis provisions in his letter announcing the veto, according to The Missouri Independent, but indicated that he rejected the bill due to a section that would have provided tax relief for businesses affected by city-wide or county-wide public health restrictions.

Tennessee Rep. Bruce Griffey (R-District 75) introduced legislation July 7 that would place an adult-use cannabis legalization measure on the state’s 2022 ballot.

H.B. 1634 would require county election commissions to place three non-binding questions related to cannabis legalization before voters in the November 2022 election. The Secretary of State would then compile the results of the questions, which are referred to in the legislation as a “public policy opinion poll,” and send the results to the legislature, which would not be obligated to implement an adult-use cannabis program.

According to WBIR, the three questions are:

Should the State of Tennessee legalize medical marijuana?Should the State of Tennessee decriminalize possession of less than one ounce (1 oz.) of marijuana?Should the State of Tennessee legalize and regulate commercial sales of recreational-use marijuana?

The Tennessee legislature has considered medical cannabis bills in the past, although none have been passed into law to date.