Federal Appeals Court Dismisses ‘Right-To-Try’ Psilocybin Lawsuit by Cancer Patients

2/01/2022

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The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit has dismissed a lawsuit by cancer patients seeking to use psilocybin to treat end-of-life depression and anxiety, Marijuana Moment reports. The lawsuit was filed against the DEA by three Seattle-based patients and their doctor, Dr. Sunil Aggarwal of the Advanced Integrative Medical Sciences (AIMS) Institute, after the agency denied their written request to distribute a synthetic form of psilocybin.

The request had been filed under state and federal right-to-try laws, which allow patients with a terminal illness to access experimental therapies that have completed Phase 1 testing but have not yet been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

The three-judge panel on Monday dismissed the case on procedural grounds and said that, because DEA‘s denial was in the form of an informal letter, the court lacked jurisdiction over the matter.

“In short, AIMS’s issue is not with the DEA’s letter, but with the [Controlled Substances Act]’s criminalization of psilocybin use, subject to narrow exemptions. An advice letter recognizing that Congress has not yet made an exception to the CSA to allow for the legal use of psilocybin for therapeutic purposes is not an agency decision.” — Judicial opinion excerpt

The plaintiffs argue that DEA’s position leaves no path forward for accessing psilocybin as an end-of-life treatment.

Attorney Kathryn Tucker, who represents AIMS and other plaintiffs, told Marijuana Moment the team will continue to push for the patients’ right to try psilocybin through other means, starting with a petition to the DEA for rescheduling and waiver request. This should at least push the agency to issue a formal decision, which could then be reviewed in court.

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New York Expands Medical Cannabis Program Eligibility

2/01/2022

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New York has a new medical cannabis patient certification and registration process that should make the program significantly more inclusive, according to a Rochester First report.

Under the changes, New Yorkers can now be registered for the state’s medical cannabis program by a practitioner for any condition they see fit. Additionally, New York’s Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) expanded the types of medical practitioners who can make recommendations for the program to include dentists, podiatrists, and midwives. Previously, New York’s medical cannabis program had been restricted to patients with severe conditions such as epilepsy and cancer.

Patients, doctors, and medical cannabis operators praised the decision.

“I think it’s great that they have taken the control of this substance away from the government and give it to the practitioners who are trained to know how to dispense any drug and to treat anything.” — Dr. James Saperstone, via Rochester First

Vireo Health, a multi-state medical cannabis operator with businesses in New York, said in a statement: “Yesterday’s decision to allow doctors to recommend medical marijuana to patients for any condition they see fit is a common sense advancement that will help the program reach countless new patients.”

Other recent OCM changes to the program have included waiving new cannabis patient registration fees, increasing the amount of medical cannabis available to patients from a 30-day to a 60-day supply, and allowing for the sale of whole flower cannabis products under the program.

New York first legalized medical cannabis in 2014 under a highly restrictive program; more recently, The Empire State approved adult-use cannabis legalization in March 2021. Recreational cannabis business licenses are not expected in the state until at least 2023.

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Hemp Licensees Set to Launch In Idaho

2/01/2022

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Idaho — which was the very last U.S. state to legalize industrial hemp — has issued eight hemp producer and handler licenses, the Kokomo Perspective reports.

Chanel Tewalt, deputy director of the Idaho Department of Agriculture, said 60 applications have been started with the state and officials have approved three handler licenses, four producer licenses, and one handler and producer license.

Under Idaho’s hemp program, which was passed in the 2021 session and approved by the U.S. Department of Agriculture in October, handlers can process seeds and other hemp products, while producers can grow hemp and market seeds, according to the report.

“Idaho took a very methodical and diligent approach, really investigating and understanding what it would mean to open this industry to growers in the state and really go in with our eyes wide open.” — Braden Jensen, Deputy Government Affairs Director for the Idaho Farm Bureau, via the Perspective

Lawmakers included an emergency clause that put the law into effect immediately following its passage. Tewalt said this led to a “busy summer” and the expedited process would not have been possible without the help of law enforcement, who have authority to stop hemp shipments to check for THC compliance (under 0.3%).

“We’ll pull samples from every single lot that is grown, and our sample size is determined on how big the lot is, the acreage,” Tewalt said. “The hemp can’t go anywhere. It cannot leave their farm until they receive an acceptable lab result.” Hemp lot’s that test over 0.3% can be mixed with other hemp to create a compliant mix, the piece notes.

The first hemp license awarded in Idaho was to Hempitecture Inc, a processor that creates hemp “wool” to be used for insulation.

“We view industrial hemp as an economic opportunity for Idaho, and we envision a future where industrial hemp can come from 10 miles from our facility versus 10 hours away,” remarked Mattie Mead, founder of Hempitecture Inc.

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SAFE Banking Act Revived for Domestic Spending Bill

1/31/2022

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The SAFE Banking Act, a bipartisan proposal to give the cannabis industry access to traditional banking services, was revived last week as a new attachment to a domestic spending bill.

Colorado Rep. Ed Perlmutter (D), the original sponsor of the SAFE Banking Act, announced in a press release on Friday that the cannabis banking bill was now part of the America COMPETES (Creating Opportunities to Meaningfully Promote Excellence in Technology) Act of 2022.

“The SAFE Banking Act is the best opportunity to enact some type of federal cannabis reform this year and will serve as the first of many steps to help ensure cannabis businesses are treated the same as any other legal, legitimate business.” — Rep. Perlmutter, in a statement

The SAFE Banking Act, which was stripped from a national defense bill at the close of last year, has repeatedly passed the full House chamber only to fail in the Senate, even after Democrats took control of both chambers of the Legislature.

The America COMPETES Act of 2022 contains provisions to boost U.S. manufacturing of semiconductors and competition with China, including a $52 billion cash infusion. The proposal is the House’s response to a $250 billion spending bill passed by the Senate last year and its passage would trigger a reconciliation process between the two bills, during which the SAFE Banking Language could very well be removed once more.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), who is sponsoring his own federal cannabis bill and — much to the frustration of some advocates and industry stakeholders — opposes the passage of incremental reforms like the SAFE Banking Act, said on Friday he would be open to advancing the banking language if it included certain equity provisions, Marijuana Moment reports.

Rep. Perlmutter announced earlier this month that he will not be running for re-election.

Congressional Democrats, meanwhile, have pledged to take action on federal cannabis reforms sometime this spring.

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Lawsuit: Cannabis Cash Illegally Seized by FBI and California Sheriffs

1/31/2022

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A lawsuit by an armored car company accuses the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and San Bernardino County Sheriff’s department of illegally seizing cash it was transporting for licensed cannabis companies in California, the Los Angeles Times reports. Empyreal Logistics alleges the sheriff’s department seized more than $1.1 million in cash over two stops and the FBI is trying to confiscate the cash, claiming it is tied to federal drug or money laundering crimes, but the agency has specified no unlawful conduct and hasn’t charged anyone with a crime.

Dan Alban, a senior attorney at the Institute for Justice, a group that fights forfeiture excesses in the U.S. and is representing Empyreal in its lawsuit, called the case “among the more egregious” the organization has ever seen adding that the seizures are a “very cynical attempt to exploit the differences between federal and state law.”

During the first stop on a Mojave Desert freeway in November, the driver of an armored car was carrying $712,000 in cash from licensed cannabis companies when San Bernadino Sheriff’s deputies pulled him over, interrogated him, seized the cash, and turned it over to the FBI. A few weeks later, the same department stopped the same driver in Rancho Cucamonga and seized another $350,000 that was being transported for state-approved cannabusinesses.

Empyreal contends that it follows policies outlined by the U.S. Treasury Department and that the cash it transports comes from businesses that are in good standing under California law. California’s law also includes protections for banks serving licensed cannabis industry operators.

San Bernardino County Sheriff Shannon Dicus argues that more than 80% of cannabis sold in the state is cultivated illegally but did not provide evidence that the cash was linked to any illegal operations.

“My deputies are professional, and I am confident we will prevail,” Dicus told the Times.

Video footage from the van captured the deputies counting the cash from the $350,000 seizure and voicing disappointment that it wasn’t more.

In the lawsuit, Empyreal describes the stops as “highway robberies” by government agents seeking to bolster their budgets with forfeiture cash.

The case is in U.S. District Court in Riverside, California.

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Ohio Lawmakers Must Consider Cannabis Legalization Bill

1/31/2022

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Ohio lawmakers must consider a proposal to legalize cannabis for adult use after advocates successfully submitted enough signatures as part of the state’s initiated statute process, the Columbus Dispatch reports. The Legislature has four months to pass the bill, or an amended version, and if they fail to do so, the campaign – the Coalition to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol — can collect another 132,887 valid signatures to put the issue to voters.

In a statement, campaign spokesman Tom Haren said the group is “ready and eager to work” with lawmakers to pass the reforms, which would allow individuals 21-and-older to buy and possess up to 2.5 ounces of cannabis, 15 grams of concentrates, and grow up to six plants per adult, with no more than 12 per household. The proposal includes a 10% tax, with the revenues earmarked for administrative costs, addiction treatment programs, municipalities with dispensaries, and a social equity and jobs program.

“We are also fully prepared to collect additional signatures and take this issue directly to voters on November 8, 2022, if legislators fail to act.” — Haren, in a statement, via the Dispatch

In a 2015 legalization effort, Ohio voters rejected a cannabis legalization initiative over concerns that the law would create a monopoly in the state.

The bill faces an uphill battle with the state’s Republican-controlled Legislature and Gov. Mike DeWine (R) who, in an interview earlier this month, reiterated his opposition to the reforms. The governor said his two main objections to cannabis legalization are that it would result in more children consuming infused edibles and that there would be an increase in traffic accidents caused by people driving under the influence of cannabis.

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Vermont House Committee Considers Sweeping Drug Law Reforms

1/31/2022

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Vermont’s House Judiciary Committee is considering three drug reform bills, including one that would decriminalize possession of personal amounts of controlled substances, VT Digger reports. The bill to make low-level possession a civil offense carrying a $50 fine — and allowing offenders to be screened for a substance abuse disorder and waive the fee — carries more than 40 sponsors, making it the most supported piece of drug decriminalization legislation in the country, Kassandra Frederique, executive director of the Drug Policy Alliance, told Digger.

The bill would create a Drug Use Standard Advisory Board, which would include harm reduction, substance use disorder, and treatment and drug law experts, as well as three consumer representatives “who have lived experience in drug use and consumption practices,” the report says. The board would be tasked with determining what constitutes a personal use supply of each decriminalized drug.

Another bill being considered by the committee would decriminalize psychedelic fungi and cacti, while a third bill would reduce many felony drug charges to misdemeanors.

Andrew Seaman, the Vermont medical director for Better Life Partners, an addiction treatment organization, told Digger that Vermont is “probably one of the best candidates” for launching such a program “without additional resources,” pointing to the state’s success in treating substance abuse disorders with its hub and spoke program.

“The Hub & Spoke system is a statewide partnership of clinicians and treatment centers that provide medication-assisted therapy to Vermonters who are addicted to opioids,” according to the Vermont Department of Health website outlining the program. “The Hub (treatment facility) & Spoke (physician-led team) ensures that each patient’s care is effective and coordinated, and is supported by the nurses and counselors who work to connect each person with community-based support services.”

There are currently nine Hub treatment facilities throughout the Green Mountain State, according to the Health Department.

All three bills are still awaiting a committee vote.

Only one state, Oregon, has decriminalized low-level drug possession; however, those reforms were approved by voters and not the Legislature.

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Costa Rica President Vetoes Medical Cannabis and Hemp Bill

1/28/2022

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Costa Rican President Carlos Alvarado on Thursday partially vetoed a bill to legalize medical cannabis and industrial hemp, citing “technical criteria” such as personal use and cultivation, the Tico Times reports.

“I want to say categorically that I support medical cannabis. This is to alleviate people with various diseases, and I even have close and very dear people who need it. And I also support industrial hemp because it will help agricultural production and economic revival. Let’s make this very clear: I agree with all these objectives, and I want to be able to sign this law.” – Alvarado, in a statement, via the Times

Alvarado indicated that the personal use and consumption provisions included in the bill could undermine the “legitimate” objectives of the bill and put public health and safety at risk, the report says.

Lawmakers had passed the legislation in October despite Alvarado’s known opposition to some of the bill’s details. The bill is also opposed by the Bishops of Costa Rica, who said in a statement the day prior to Alvarado’s veto that the law includes provisions that involve risks to public health and safety, and inconsistencies.

“There are no guarantees that such crops can contribute to promoting the distribution of wealth in rural areas [since] no measures are foreseen that will bring sufficient benefits to smallholders received to change the type of cultivation,” the bishops said in a statement. “Furthermore, monocultures are involved in environmental degradation … [and it will also be] extremely difficult to control illegal cannabis plantations”

The veto comes as Costa Rica is set to hold its elections on February 6, which means the bill will not be reconsidered by the Legislature until after the election, which the Times notes “one might think is not a coincidence.”

Alvarado, whose term ends in May, said that he trusts lawmakers would accept his proposed changes to the law and that it would “be in force soon,” according to a Reuters report.

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‘The Don’ Portable E-Rig Review

1/28/2022

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The Don is the latest dabbing device offered by The Kind Pen, a New Jersey-based personal vaporizer company known for high-tech dab pens, dry herb vapes, e-rigs, and more.

I was excited to try out The Don because it’s the first portable dabbing rig I’ve tried that has adjustable temperature settings so you can fine-tune your experience depending on the specific wax or concentrate you’re putting in. The available temperatures range from 320 to up to 800 degrees Fahrenheit, which affords the user a significant amount of control over their dabbing experience.

Physically, The Don feels like an intelligently compact electronic dabbing rig — the device fits comfortably in one hand with an ergonomic shape that makes it easy to carry and take pulls from. The mouthpiece feels sturdy but can still be twisted around on itself to fit better in one’s pocket and improve overall portability. When holding The Don in your hand, the power button and temperature control buttons are easy to press with your thumb and index finger, respectively. The dab rig has a small water compartment for cooler hits and utilizes a coilless atomizer to prevent overheating or burned product, while an attached carb cap further helps to facilitate a smooth dabbing experience.

The Don’s product description page suggests that the e-rig “lasts for days” and this reviewer can happily attest to that fact. Located underneath the temperature controls, The Don has a battery life indicator that makes it easy to monitor your charge. At the time of this writing, it’s been about a week since I first plugged in the e-rig to charge and the battery is still going strong at well over 50% charged (note: your mileage may vary — I have only used the rig about a dozen times since then and battery life would certainly be changed by more heavy use).

Lastly — and as is probably the case with any dab rig — the most difficult part for me was the cleaning process. But thankfully, The Kind Pen considered cleanliness and maintenance during The Don’s design process and have manufactured their latest e-rig to be easily disassembled, meaning you can detach and clean each piece individually. The product comes with a specially designed tool for removing the cup/banger for cleaning purposes.

Overall, The Don makes for a delightful addition to any dab rig collection and would be a smart investment for dabbers who desire a truly portable dabbing solution. Visit the product page at TheKindPen.com to learn more and/or make a purchase.

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New Jersey Adult-Use Sales Unlikely to Start in February

1/28/2022

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New Jersey’s top cannabis regulator signaled that adult-use sales in the state are unlikely to begin next month, NJ.com reports. Jeff Brown, the executive director of the state Cannabis Regulatory Commission (CRC) told NJ.com that there “is still a lot to be done” before sales can commence and that the February 22 self-imposed deadline “is not concrete,” adding that “there is no firm commitment” on when sales would begin.

Brown said that “one of the biggest deficiencies” regulators are seeing is the lack of municipal approval for cannabis industry operations. A report from last August found as many as half of New Jersey towns and cities had opted out of allowing cannabis businesses within their borders, and the following month regulators missed a statutory deadline to begin accepting industry applications.

Brown told NJ.com that the agency is “going to keep pushing to move as fast as we can” to launch legal sales to adults but “that requires approval and industry readiness, and the readiness is uneven.”

“That’s an issue, and supply continues to be issue. It’s the priority of the CRC to get recreational sales started as soon as we can, but we have to do it in a way that’s compliant with the law. We need the industry to get there.” — Brown to NJ.com

There is no way to enforce the February deadline and there is no penalty for missing it, the report says.

Patrik Jonsson, regional president of the northeast for Curaleaf, which already holds a medical cannabis license in the state, told NJ.com that the company could “do pretty much whatever the state wants” within 48 hours and begin selling to adults.

“We have product, the people, and the facilities,” he said in the report. “There are a few minor things we need to be clarified around the product. But we are very much ready for turning it on as soon as the state lets us.”

New Jersey Senate President Nicholas Scutari told NJ.com that he was “disappointed” that the CRC wouldn’t meet the February target but in remarks during a New Jersey CannaBusiness Association luncheon last month he said he knew the process is “complicated.”

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Delaware House Committee Approves Cannabis Legalization Bill

1/28/2022

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An adult-use cannabis bill passed out of the Delaware House Health and Human Development Committee on a mostly-party line vote, the Associated Press reports. Just one Republican voted with Democrats to move the proposal out of its first House committee.

Expected to move on to the Appropriations Committee next, the legislation would permit the possession of one ounce of cannabis for those over 21 but would not allow home cultivation. The bill would set up a manufacturing and distribution system and a 15% tax on retail sales, the report says.

State Rep. Ed Osienski (D) said the bill, “will create good-paying jobs for Delawareans while striking a blow against the criminal element which profits from the thriving illegal market” in the state.

Looking to nullify concerns around three previous versions of his bill, Osienski added a comprehensive business plan to cannabis license scoring and the creation of a “marijuana Justice Fund” that will be used to reinvest in communities most affected by the war on drugs. He also dropped a requirement that union labor be used in the building and operation of cannabis facilities. However, the bill includes an agreement where unions would not disrupt cannabis business operations with strikes or picketing but would be allowed to organize workers within a business.

Despite the changes, Democratic Gov. John Carney’s administration has concerns that lower license fees for adult-use businesses – when compared to medical cannabis licenses — will attract operators from the medical cannabis sector which could possibly have an adverse impact on patients.

Agriculture officials have other concerns, including security for outdoor grows and questions about agency jurisdiction when it comes to crop production. Republicans in the Legislature also have concerns, with state Rep. Charles Postles (R), raising questions about teen access and brain development.

“Why would we want to saddle our kids and our grandkids and limit their potential, their lifelong earnings even, by exposing them to this harmful drug that would impair their brain development?” Postles said.

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Connecticut to Start Accepting Adult-Use Cannabis Applications in February

1/28/2022

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The Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection (DCP) is set to begin accepting some adult-use cannabis license applications next month, starting first with would-be cultivators and retailers seeking social equity licenses. Social-equity applicants pursuing packaging and transport licenses will be able to submit their applications beginning in March.

Application periods for the first round of licenses will be open for 90 days, and according to the DCP, licenses will be split evenly between social equity applicants and general applicants. The state will use a lottery process for most industry licenses, except for social equity cultivators, current medical cannabis operators, and those issued for its social equity micro-cultivator program.

In a press release, DCP Commissioner Michelle H. Seagull described the initial number of licenses as “not a cap but a starting point for “opening the adult-use cannabis market in an effective, measured and thoughtful way.”

DCP Drug Control Director Rod Marriott cautioned applicants to “prioritize submitting the best application they can” rather than trying to be first to submit their application, noting that “there is no advantage for applicants who submit their lottery applications first.”

The agency will hold two lotteries for each license type: a social equity lottery and a general lottery. Applicants selected in the social equity lottery are subject to review by the Social Equity Council to confirm their social equity status. To qualify as a social equity applicant in Connecticut, at least 65% of the ownership or control of the business must be held by individuals who meet the income and residency requirements for a social equity applicant outlined in the law. The state-approved those social equity rules on January 5.

“This work by the Social Equity Council is a critical step in the licensure process for the emerging Adult-Use cannabis market in Connecticut and will be instrumental in ensuring the equity goals established in the law are met,” Seagull said in a statement.

Last September, Seagull indicated that while regulators had suggested adult-use sales would begin by the end of this year, she warned that officials “have to see how things play out in the next few months.”

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Amazon Endorses GOP-Backed Legalization Bill

1/27/2022

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Amazon has endorsed a Republican-sponsored federal cannabis legalization bill, the New York Post reports.

First introduced by Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC), the legislation seeks to remove cannabis as a Schedule I narcotic, leaving cannabis policy to the states while imposing a 3% federal sales tax on cannabis transactions which would be spent on law enforcement and help military veteran groups. Under the proposal, cannabis would remain illegal for people under 21.

On Twitter, Amazon wrote that it was “pleased to endorse” Mace’s bill.

“Like so many in this country, we believe it’s time to reform the nation’s cannabis policy, and Amazon is committed to helping lead the effort,” Amazon said via Twitter.

Mace, a freshman House member from South Carolina and a Trump campaign staffer in 2016, said Amazon contacted her after she introduced her bill. She said they indicated “right off the bat” their intention was not to sell cannabis on their platform, but that they were looking at it from a “workers perspective,” noting federal prohibition has an effect on their workforce.

“Every state is different and every state should be able to dictate their cannabis laws,” Mace said to the Post. “This bill would get the federal government out of the way.”

She said that she believes Republicans should have a “seat at the table” as cannabis legalization moves through Congress and she expects some Democrats who have supported cannabis legalization in the past to back the legislation, predicting that Amazon’s endorsement would bring other large corporations like Wal-Mart or FedEx to the negotiations, the Post reports.

“With Amazon coming out in support, we’ll see more businesses doing the same,” the congresswoman said.

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Minnesota Governor Calls for Cannabis Legalization in Budget

1/27/2022

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Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D) is calling on lawmakers to approve adult-use cannabis reforms and has included $25 million in his supplemental budget to create a Cannabis Management Office to oversee the program, FOX 9 reports.

“Prohibiting the use of cannabis in Minnesota hasn’t worked. The Governor and Lieutenant Governor know that Minnesota needs modernized solutions to harness the benefits of legalizing cannabis, including expanding our economy, creating jobs across the state, allowing law enforcement to focus on violent crime, and regulating the industry in order to keep our kids safe.” – Gov. Walz’s Executive Budget

On Wednesday, Republican Senate Majority Leader Jeremy Miller told FOX 9 that he didn’t “see a path” to passing legalization legislation in the chamber.

The Democratic-led House last year passed the reforms, but they were never taken up by the Senate.

Leili Fatehi, the campaign manager for Minnesotans for Responsible Marijuana Regulation, told FOX 9 that the majority of Minnesotans support the reforms and that the final hurdle is in the Senate.

“We trust that [voters] will hold accountable those legislators that stand in its way,” Fatehi said in the interview.

Ryan Hamilton, who launched Minnesotans Against Marijuana Legalization, said that the organization is against “a for-profit drug industry that’s pedaling a highly addictive highly potent substance,” contending that legalization has negative impacts on “road safety” and “the impact on adolescent brain development.”

“It’s chemically manipulated and used for profit and addiction,” he said.

The governor is calling for a provision in the law to allow for the expungement of prior non-violent cannabis offenses and state taxes and his budget factors in cannabis tax revenue in 2024 and 2025.

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Analysis Finds 5,100% Difference Between Cheapest and Most Expensive CBD Products

1/27/2022

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A new analysis from Leafreport found a 5,100% difference between the cheapest and most expensive CBD products on the market but found a 1.96% price decrease per milligram of CBD since last April.

The report shows the cheapest CBD category is CBD isolate, which Leafreport found was 19% cheaper on average compared to April 2021, while capsules have increased the most over the same period — by 2.55%.

Laura Fuentes, chief officer of science and innovation at Green Roads CBD, told Leafreport that when the pricing of the top industry players is considered, “the pricing gap isn’t that big because most follow the same production process and have similar costs.”

“The gap starts showing when companies who fly under the radar and don’t follow generally accepted manufacturing procedures turn up with lower prices – consumers should be wary of pricing that seems too good to be true.” — Fuentes to Leafreport

According to Leafreport, the most expensive CBD brand on the market is Kushly, while Industrial Hemp Farms had the most affordable products. The analysis suggests “a massive chasm” separating the most expensive and cheapest CBD products.

The report found that the average price for gummies, capsules, and full and broad-spectrum tinctures was $0.09 per milligram, while the average price for topicals was $0.20 per milligram. Isolates carried an average price of $0.02 per milligram while isolate tinctures cost $0.08 per milligram. According to the report, the average price per milligram of CBD for liquids and vapes ran $0.12 per milligram, and edibles cost $0.17 per milligram.

Edibles designed for pets tracked by Leafreport averaged $0.21 per milligram of CBD, while tinctures designed for pets cost $0.12 per milligram. The difference between product pricing was 1,483% for pet edibles, and 858% for pet tinctures, the report says.

The widest product price gap was in the topicals category, where the price gap per milligram was 11,142%, with a $0.015 per milligram lowest price point and a $1.68625 peak.

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Jim Belushi Calls for Release of Cannabis Prisoners on ‘Late Night with Seth Meyers’

1/27/2022

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Actor and cannabis entrepreneur Jim Belushi appeared on NBC’s “Late Nate with Seth Meyers” last night for an interview about cannabis farming, advocacy efforts, and the launch of the second season of “Growing Belushi,” a Discovery show about Belushi’s cannabis farm in southern Oregon.

During the interview, Belushi said that while he doesn’t get stoned, he microdoses with cannabis edibles and his own flower during evenings to help get to sleep. At one point, Meyers asked Belushi if he could share any advice for people considering becoming a professional cannabis grower — “Don’t do it,” Belushi answered. “They make it seem like a gold rush, but it is not. This is farming, Seth. I am a farmer, I am in the soil.”

“The farmer man has a tough life, let me tell you. But it’s fun, I love it,” he said.

Belushi also highlighted the importance of cannabis advocacy efforts and discussed his partnership with The Last Prisoner Project, an organization that works to get cannabis prisoners released from prison and provides re-entry assistance to formerly incarcerated cannabis prisoners.

“They (the cannabis prisoners) were the pioneers for the cannabis industry. They’re the ones that took the arrows, they’re the ones that went to jail for nonviolent cannabis crimes. Whether they had an ounce or three pounds on them, they were trying to make a living for their family. When they get thrown into prison, it collapses that family, creates more trauma. There are 40,000 men and women incarcerated right now for nonviolent cannabis crimes.” — Jim Belushi, via “Late Night with Seth Meyers”

The interview marked the second time Belushi has come on Meyer’s show to discuss his new life as a cannabis farmer. New episodes of the second season of “Growing Belushi” air Wednesday nights on Discovery.

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Mississippi Medical Cannabis Bill Advances to Governor

1/27/2022

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The Mississippi Legislature has approved a medical cannabis bill moving on to Republican Gov. Tate Reeves, who has not indicated whether he would sign the version approved by lawmakers, The Hill reports. Reeves had threatened to veto previous versions of the legislation over daily limits for patients he felt were too high – the version sent to his desk includes a three-ounce monthly cap and daily purchasing limits of 3.5 grams of flower and one gram of concentrate.

The bill imposes a 7% sales tax and 5% excise tax on medical cannabis sales in the state.

In an interview with WLOX on Wednesday, Reeves did not say whether he would sign or veto the bill or allow it to become law without his signature but said that his team has been working with the Legislature for nearly six months on the proposal and that he would make his decision by “early next week.”

“I’m very pleased that we got to see so much progress made in improving the bill over the last six months. We worked hard to reduce the overall amount of marijuana in the bill, and to the legislature’s credit, they made a lot of progress there. It initially started at 5 ounces, it’s down to 3, so a 40% decline in the total amount of marijuana any individual can get in one year. They also ensured to protect young people if you’re under 25 you’ll need a physician that approves the allowance of a marijuana card.” – Reeves to WLOX

Jax James, NORML State Policies Manager, described the bill’s passage as “arguably bittersweet for Mississippi’s patients.”

While these steps forward are a welcome development, they are also long overdue,” James told The Hill. “The overwhelming majority of voters decided in favor of this policy change over a year ago, and for the past 14 months the will of the people has been denied as a result of the actions of the state Supreme Court and the Governor.”

Mississippi voters approved medical cannabis reforms in 2020 – with 71% of voter support – but the state’s highest court threw out the initiative after determining that the ballot initiative process was outdated.

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Hempcrete Insulation Submitted for U.S. Building Codes

1/26/2022

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The U.S. Hemp Building Foundation, the non-profit arm of the U.S. Hemp Building Association (USHBA), earlier this month submitted hempcrete insulation for certification in U.S. building codes, HempBuildMag reports. The hemp and lime material was submitted as an appendix in the International Residential Codes.

In an interview with HempBuildMag, USHBA President Jacob Waddell said the submission documents “will show a pathway for using hempcrete as a building material.”

“The goal is to allow you to build with hempcrete without needing an alternative material variance.” — Waddell to HempBuildMag

International Residential Codes experts are expected to evaluate the paperwork in March and again in September, the report says. If approved and included in the International Residential Codes, it would “allow for hempcrete to be accessible to the standard person to construct with it,” Waddell told HempBuildMag. Under current U.S. codes, builders, engineers, and architects must get approval to use hempcrete on a project-by-project basis, although the material is commonly used in the United Kingdom and France and has been approved for use for 30 years in Europe, according to HempBuildMag.

The certification process opens the door to apply for hempcrete certification in the International Building Codes for commercial buildings in 2024 when the next application process begins, USHBA president Waddell said in the HempBuildMag interview.

“Submitting to the IRC is just the first step in a very long process to get hempcrete where we’re able to use it more readily,” he said.

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North Dakota Legalization Campaign Falls Short of Signature Requirement

1/26/2022

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The North Dakota campaign to legalize cannabis for adult use in the state failed to collect enough signatures to put the question on midterm ballots, falling 11,664 signatures short on last Saturday’s deadline, the Bismarck Tribune reports. The group had to collect 31,164 signatures in a one-year time limit but only collected 19,500.

Dustin Peyer, a member of the group spearheading the campaign, said that organizers are now forming committees to propose two future initiatives — including another aimed at broad legalization and another related to the quality and accessibility of medical cannabis, which is legal in the state.

“We grew support across the state through a network of small businesses. The biggest obstacle is those who are pushing the hardest are disabled, parents, business owners, or have generally a lot going on in their life.” — Peyer to the Tribune

The 2020 campaign to enact the reforms in North Dakota had also failed amid the coronavirus pandemic which hindered the group’s signature-gathering campaign.

State lawmakers also rejected cannabis reform bills, including one that was passed by the House but killed by the Senate and another that would have put the issue to voters during this year’s midterm elections.

North Dakota voters approved medical cannabis legalization in 2016 but opposed adult-use legalization in 2018.

The proposal would have legalized cannabis possession and use for individuals 21-and-older while allowing the Legislature to license and regulate the industry. It would have allowed home cultivation of up to 12 plants and banned public use.

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Ohio House Committee Approves Autism Medical Cannabis Bill

1/26/2022

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The Ohio House Health Committee on Tuesday passed a bipartisan bill that would add autism spectrum disorder to the state’s medical cannabis qualifying conditions list, Cleveland.com reports. The legislation moves next to the House Rules and Reference Committee which will decide whether to bring the bill to the floor for a vote.

The proposal includes 16 co-sponsors from both parties. In 2020 and 2021, the State Medical Board rejected applications to add the condition as a qualifying condition to access medical cannabis in the state. Seventeen other states include the condition on their qualifying conditions list.

Raymond Chandler III, a 36-year-old who is on the spectrum, testified to the committee Tuesday that as a child, he had to take as many as 14 psychotropic pills to treat his autism. He said he currently uses medical cannabis for unrelated chronic pain but it also helps his autism.

“I ask you, does pumping a kid full of pills in this way sound like medicine to you? Because, it sounds a lot like abuse to me. It certainly felt like abuse to me when I was the 10-year-old getting pumped full of pills. Of the countless pills I was fed as a child, I never once believed or felt that it helped me.” — Chandler III to Cleveland.com

Carrie Beebe Taylor, who has twin sons who are on the spectrum and have severe learning disabilities and speech delays, testified that parents and children in states that allow medical cannabis for autism have “incredible breakthroughs,” while “Ohio families are left behind.”

The only person to testify against the proposal was Dr. Anup Patel, a board-certified neurologist at Nationwide Children’s Hospital who along with his colleagues also submitted a letter to the State Medical Board when they were considering the petition to add autism.

In that letter, the physicians state that research on cannabis for children doesn’t meet the “gold standard” of medical research.

“The development of pharmacological agents typically involves several rigorous steps, including several pre-clinical, clinical and post-clinical studies across multiple phases before consideration by the FDA for approval in clinical use,” the letter states. “While we strongly support research and development of pharmaceutical cannabinoids and THC products for the treatment of chronic debilitating conditions, interpreting current research as indicative of clinical effectiveness and safety of cannabis in treating conditions such as autism and anxiety disorders are concerning and raises several medical, ethical and legal questions.”

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Nebraska Medical Cannabis Bill Has ‘Poison Pill’ Provisions

1/26/2022

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Nebraska medical cannabis activists say a bill introduced by Republican Sen. Mike Groene is a “poison pill” meant to reduce the likelihood that broader medical cannabis reforms will pass in November, Marijuana Moment reports. The bill would allow patients to purchase cannabis oils, pills, and up to 2.5 ounces of flower at dispensaries. Smoking or vaping cannabis would be prohibited along with making edibles, leaving patients few choices for consumption methods.

Despite these limitations, the real elephant in the room is that the cultivation of cannabis for commercial or personal reasons would remain illegal, making it impossible for dispensaries to stock their shelves with medical cannabis products. Under the proposal, only patients with stage four cancer, uncontrollable seizures, severe muscle spasms caused by multiple sclerosis or muscular dystrophy, or a terminal illness with less than a one-year life expectancy would make the list of qualifying conditions, the report says.

“This appears to be a political stunt,” Jared Moffat, state campaigns manager at the Marijuana Policy Project, said in a press release. “Opponents of medical cannabis know there is a viable campaign to put medical cannabis on the ballot, and they know Nebraskans will overwhelmingly support that effort.”

The legislation looks to be supported by the Nebraska chapter of the prohibitionist group Smart Approaches to Marijuana — more evidence “that this proposal is not a good faith effort to find some middle ground,” Moffat said in a statement.

Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana have been collecting signatures for a pair of initiatives they hope to put on the 2022 ballot. They have until July to collect 87,000 signatures. This latest effort comes on the heels of a 2020 state Supreme Court ruling which invalidated the ballot measure on the grounds that the initiative covered more than one topic.

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How to Respond to Negative Comments on Social Media

1/26/2022

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Social media’s power is undeniable. From social justice movements to reuniting lost family members, good can come from the masses by being part of social media communities.

The flip side is that this power can result in moments of negativity and animosity. Harnessing the good and fending off the bad can be a challenge for brands using social media.

A simple glance at major cannabis organizations is enough to see the inflammatory comments about cannabis legalization, poor customer service, those who use cannabis, and so on.

The trouble comes from the business perspective. Brands committed to transparency and open communication want to protect their reputation by responding to ALL comments they receive on social media, whether they are positive and negative. But how do they respond to negative comments without appearing defensive or saying something that sparks even more frustration?

Here are some principles to keep in mind when responding:

Respond promptly

When it comes to negative comments, your main goal as a business will be to make the individual commenting feel heard. Be sure you are responding to comments in a timely manner. This is why it’s important to monitor your social media presence regularly. The last thing a disgruntled user wants is to be ignored after expressing their grievances.

Do your best to reply to social media comments and reviews, positive or negative, within a day or two.

Apologize sincerely when necessary

If someone has a negative experience with your brand, be prepared to apologize sincerely. Acknowledge that you have failed this customer, apologize, and explain how you plan to do better next time and/or prevent this from happening again.

Know that sometimes, you’re going to have to give a little. When you back up a thoughtful response with a discount, freebie, etc., you don’t just tell them you understand — you show them.

Make sure if you do this, it is appropriate for their unique situation and not a bandaid to appease them. For instance, if they received the wrong product, send them the right one for free rather than discounting their next purchase.

Personalize your reply

Responses to negative comments should never be copied and pasted. Templates are a useful tool for your team, but it will become easy to identify when you are replying to unhappy comments with the same message.

Remain sincere and authentic by taking the extra time to personalize your message. This can include finding the user’s name, using their words in your reply, or giving a unique explanation to their comment.

Another way to make it personal is to sign your name and role at the end of your response, so they see that a real human is making an effort to reach out to them and not just hide behind a company page.

You can use humor

Although you should use caution, most brands have the best success when they can handle negative comments with humor and in a way that turns them into a positive experience, like Wendy’s. You will find this approach is most popular on Twitter but we encourage you to consider staying professional yet light-hearted to humanize your brand.

Take it offline ASAP

Take your conversations offline or in private as soon as possible. This can mean replying to a negative comment with, “Thanks for letting us know. We’ve DM’d you to continue the conversation,” or including contact information in your response.

After you’ve covered your bases by making a polite public response, move the conversation to private messages, email, or phone conversations where you can understand more about the customer’s unhappiness and try to make it right.

Always remember that people can take screenshots or make more posts about your business, so be sure to carry yourself professionally at all times.

This is your page

It is especially important to keep in mind when receiving comments on controversial topics. Be prepared for negative comments and don’t backpedal. Depending on your brand awareness, you can take a more bold approach like Ben & Jerry’s often does. However, for most companies, we recommend simply re-stating your position and not indulging these users or getting into arguments online.

When not to respond to negative comments

We all know there are internet ‘trolls’ out there or people who spam posts with negative comments because of a grievance. In these cases, it is fine to block the account or delete/report inappropriate comments.

Other situations in which you will not want to engage commenters are cases of profanity, spam, random attacks that don’t make sense, aggression, cultural slurs, racial bias, harassment, threats, etc. In these cases, you have the right to exercise your right to delete items that you feel should not be on your social media page.

Managing your cannabis social media

Community management for cannabis brands is no easy task, but negative comments do not have to impact your brand reputation or your bottom line. It is important to make sure that someone monitors your page, whether internal or outsourced, and that you promptly respond to the comments. Negative comments do not have to be a serious problem if managed correctly.

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NECANN 2022 B2B Cannabis Convention Schedule Is Its Largest Ever

1/25/2022

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NECANN’s 2022 cannabis convention schedule will be the largest ever presented, with B2B events in Massachusetts, Oklahoma, Illinois, Vermont, New York, New Jersey, and Maine.

NECANN has been developing engaging conventions for the cannabis industry since 2014, expanding market opportunities for businesses, entrepreneurs, investors, educators, patients, advocates, and consumers. We feel our approach of creating unique conventions focused on the current state and potential of each local market we come to is a superior alternative to the generic national canna-convention franchises that pop up everywhere. Rather than focusing on what the cannabis industry can do for us, NECANN takes a collaborative approach with the local industries and communities for our conventions, which has resulted in consistently high returns for exhibitors, sponsors, attendees, and the local cannabis market as a whole, allowing everyone to benefit and grow.

“We’re very excited to be back in full swing, and looking forward to connecting cannabis industry businesses to more new customers in all of our markets in 2022, including our first conventions in Tulsa and Albany,” said NECANN Founder and President, Marc Shepard. “With new markets opening up every year this is a great time to be in the cannabis industry, and we’ll be expanding to even more new states in 2023.”

If you’d like to see what NECANN conventions looks like, click on one of the links below for a short highlight reel:

NECANN Boston
NECANN New Jersey

To learn more about joining the NECANN community as an exhibitor, sponsor, speaker, or attendee, please visit us at NECANN.com.

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Kieryn Wang: Cannabis Marketing For An Inclusive Future

1/25/2022

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For an industry founded on the oppression of U.S. citizens, particularly people of color, the cannabis space has a significant diversity issue. And while some states have attempted to address the issue with equity licensing and other considerations, these regulations have largely failed the communities they were designed to help, resulting in a vacancy of progressive movement in the space — but some entrepreneurs have stepped up to fill that void.

We recently interviewed Kieryn Wang, the founder and owner of ALMOSTCONSULTING, to discuss what drew her to the cannabis space, her push against the industry’s typically male-focused marketing strategies, and her marketing tips for an industry that has been pushed to the fringes of mainstream media. This interview also covers InclusiveBase — a project in partnership with Cannaclusive which includes a database for consumers of cannabis businesses owned by women, people of color, and other disadvantaged populations — and Kieryn’s biggest piece of advice for the modern cannabis entrepreneur.

Scroll down to read the full interview!

Ganjapreneur: Why did you establish ALMOSTCONSULTING and what were your goals when you started consulting?

Kieryn Wang: I wanted to support people and brands that aligned with my own values and goals since at the time I was working at a company that did not align at all. I saw that many in the cannabis space were struggling to navigate the restrictions around marketing, especially in the digital world, and I knew I could help with that. So I left my job and began consulting with companies that actually felt good to work with. My primary objective has always been and will always be to uplift businesses owned by people of color and to bring more awareness and spending dollars to those businesses. We need more of this, in all industries but especially in cannabis.

When did you start collaborating with Cannaclusive to build InclusiveBase? What did/do you contribute to this project and why is it important?

I created the PoC Cannabis Business Directory back in April of 2019 to help those looking to shop with BIPOC-owned businesses to find those businesses. A few months later, Cannaclusive reached out to me about combining our databases and collaborating on one collective list called Inclusivebase. By November of 2019, we launched with the new and more robust directory that included businesses they’ve been internally gathering for years and the businesses from the PoC Cannabis Business Directory. Since then, we’ve continued to clean the list, vet the businesses being submitted, and grow the directory so that more people can support BIPOC-owned cannabis businesses. It’s important in any industry to support BIPOC-owned businesses, but especially in cannabis where Black and brown communities are the most affected by the harmful and failed War on Drugs. Yet white owners are making the most money in cannabis right now and that should not be happening, especially while looking at the demographics of the population currently still unfairly incarcerated for cannabis offenses. Understanding this context is hugely important for those entering the cannabis space. (Looking at a lot of you that will be reading this…)

InclusiveBase is a monumental tool for anyone who wants to shop consciously, are you working towards uplifting and directing sales to businesses owned by people of color in any other ways?

We share the directory as much as we can with our audiences and communities, in our newsletters, in special content series, and more. Many people don’t know where to start when it comes to shopping for cannabis or CBD or finding cannabis businesses to collaborate with so this is a great place to start. We definitely have talked about and tried to set up a platform for people to filter through these businesses more easily and shop the sites, but that hasn’t logistically come together yet. We’ve also had larger platforms like Weedmaps reach out to us about integrating this info into their platforms, but those conversations have also petered out. Either way, we are here to continue to grow this directory and share it with more people so that more consumers are shopping from BIPOC-owned businesses and more awareness is being brought to these companies and their owners.

When is the right time for a company to seek out a marketing consultant?

Anytime is the right time. The earlier the better, because you will have more lead time. You will have better systems in place to build a solid foundation rather than having to redo work that you sloppily and hastily put together the first time. It’s never too early to solidify your marketing strategy and it’s also never too late. People who ask, “why am I not making any money” usually have not dedicated the right amount of time or budget to marketing. How will people buy if they don’t know you or anything about your product? How is it relevant to their lives? How will it bring value to the way they live? The first step is to figure out how you’re going to educate your customers on all of these things, whether through your site, your social or your email newsletter (hint: the answer will eventually be all of the above, but you have to start somewhere).

What kind of market share does a brand lose when they disregard the femme consumer?

That’s a great question. Of which I don’t have the exact number, but what I will tell you is they control trillions of dollars in consumer spending globally. So if you’re ignoring this crucial market, you’re ignoring a huge chunk of potential consumers. It’s time to listen to what they want and need. And actually listen, okay? Not impose what you think they want.

Why do you think that so many cannabis marketing programs have catered their strategy towards the male consumer?

They think it’s easier. They don’t have a proper understanding of the actual demographic of cannabis consumers. They’re lazy and they want to use easy tropes to sell weed. Newsflash, you don’t need to sexualize women to promote cannabis. Again, listen don’t impose.

Can a brand with a male-centric product and strategy market to women without a complete rebrand or new product?

Sure, they can. But it all boils down to how. Are you going to be condescending about how you approach it? Then, get lost. No one wants your product like that. Or are you going to LISTEN and provide the information that is being sought out? Again, how do you provide value in their everyday lives? What will your product do for them? What is it they want and need? Have you listened or are you assuming? Be careful in your how. It will make all the difference.

What did women learn at the first Women’s Wealth & Wellness Summit? What kind of programming can they expect in the next event?

At the first WWW Summit in 2020, we covered myriad of topics including salary negotiation, saving/budgeting, team management/leadership, and virtual networking. Then, we rounded out the day with at-desk exercises and massages, digital painting, yoga, breathwork, and learning about human design. The next WWW Summit will cover wealth and wellness again with a focus on investing, global career options, manifestation, decolonizing relationships, and much more. I’m excited to share the lineup soon!

What other topics do you cover in marketing workshops? Who is the ideal audience for these educational events?

In other workshops, I cover marketing 101 in cannabis as well as email marketing 101 and email segmentation. This knowledge is applicable to any industry, but I definitely come from a lens through cannabis since there are more restrictions and we have to be more creative with our strategies. I’m also building out more topics like how to gather and synthesize your analytics and how to plan a marketing calendar, so stay tuned for that.

Why do you always recommend that cannabis businesses build an email list? Are there any sectors in cannabis that wouldn’t benefit from having an email list?

Every business benefits from having an email list. There is no situation where you would not benefit from building and maintaining an email list. Especially in cannabis, because social media is so volatile and any platform can take away your account without so much as a warning. Then, your audience is lost and how would you be able to communicate with them? This was a huge issue in 2021 when we had at least 3 separate incidents of technical difficulties that shut down Facebook and Instagram for at least a business day each time. Those who had built their email lists were able to email their customers and let them know what was going on and how they could place orders. Those who depended on their Instagram accounts were out of luck. The question I always ask is, “if Facebook or Instagram shut down, how would you talk to your customers?” If you don’t have an answer to that question, you better find some backups ASAP. And (for cannabis folks especially) what if Instagram or TikTok or Twitter decides to take your account away? How will you market your product then? You don’t own your content on social media. Be careful and protect your assets. Make sure you have a site that you’re directing people to. Make sure that you’re collecting emails and communicating with them consistently. Emails land in inboxes, they get tracked for opens and clicks. With social media, you don’t have nearly as much control or guarantee that people see what you send.

What is the biggest marketing challenge that cannabis businesses face? What is your advice to tackle this challenge?

The biggest challenge is certainly not being able to openly talk about products and sales, especially on social media platforms. Cannabis is still considered federally illegal, so corporations (like Facebook and Google) don’t like to risk being cannabis-friendly. So we have to be careful about how we talk about cannabis and cannabis-related goods and services. The language needs to be more vague. The imagery needs to be more strategic. It seems like everywhere we go, we need to tiptoe around the rules and regulations so we don’t risk our businesses getting flagged and our accounts shut down. My advice? Find ways to reach your audience outside of those spaces. Of course the pandemic is not making in-person events any easier, but first you need to create those community spaces that your customers and audience feel comfortable sharing and spending time in. Remember, we’re trying to provide value in their lives with our products and services. Are you educating your consumers? Are you connecting them with other individuals and organizations that are aligned with your business? How are you going beyond the everyday posting and the sales calls-to-action? Give them a look into what you value and who you are. Your customers want to know who they are giving their money to. Consumers want transparency. This is your goal: to deliver it.

Thanks so much, Kieryn, for answering our questions today! You can learn more about Kieryn Wang and ALMOSTCONSULTING through the company’s website.

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