Republican voters in Louisiana districts where Donald Trump received more votes than President Biden overwhelmingly support the legalization of adult-use cannabis, according to polling data from JMC Analytics and Polling summarized by Exbulletin.
In the nine Republican-controlled districts surveyed, the vast majority of respondents supported legalizing cannabis for adult use. In districts 52, 53, 70, 78, 84, and 94, more than three-quarters agreed with legalizing cannabis and only eight percent were opposed to the policy. House Districts 28 and 47 also saw high support numbers, with over 64 percent saying they approve of legalization while only seven percent responded negatively.
Additionally, over half of those surveyed said they would be more likely to vote for candidates who wanted to reform cannabis laws, and “most” were opposed to making the possession of adult-use cannabis into a criminal offense, according to the report.
State Rep. Candace N. Newell (D), who has previously introduced a cannabis decriminalization bill in Louisiana’s House, said most of the opposition to legalization comes from law enforcement.
“The belief is that this would lead to increased crime and deaths on the road, but legalizing marijuana does not legalize impaired driving. It would still be illegal to drive under the influence of alcohol or marijuana.” — Newell, via Exbulletin
Last week, the Louisiana House sent a bill allowing for “smokable” medical cannabis to the Senate, one day after also advancing a bill to decriminalize cannabis and another to tax cannabis if/when adult-use cannabis passes the legislature.
Loyola law professor Mitch Crusto told WWL-TV that Louisiana is the only “deep South” state that has proposed fully legalizing adult-use cannabis. He said although the bill does not address expunging past cannabis crimes, it will serve as competition to cartels and criminals, and would make Louisiana safer.
Ohio has added arthritis, chronic migraines, and complex regional pain syndrome to the state’s medical cannabis qualifying list, the Cincinnati Enquirer reports. The decision was made by the State Medical Board of Ohio in February.
The board also last week advanced three more conditions for consideration by the full board at a future meeting: Huntington’s disease, spasticity or persistent muscle spasms, and terminal illness. The committee rejected petitions for panic disorder with agoraphobia, restless leg syndrome, and autism spectrum disorder, the report says.
In approving chronic migraines, the board drew a distinction between the condition and occasional migraines. Board member Dr. Amol Soin explained in February that the intention was not to add patients who have “a migraine once a year and it self-resolves.”
The board has not yet sent the list to the state’s physicians that are registered to recommend medical cannabis, but it will be shared in the monthly newsletter for those physicians, a board spokesperson told the Enquirer. As of May 7, there were 673 physicians registered to make program recommendations, according to the state data.
Last year, the state added cachexia to the qualifying condition list, while rejecting anxiety and autism spectrum disorder. Last month, the board approved a more-than-doubling of the state’s dispensaries from 60 to 130.
There are now 25 qualifying conditions on the state’s qualifying conditions list.
In all, there are 176,387 patients registered with the state program.
Controlled Environment and Data-Driven Results Equals Consistent Harvests and Increased Potency
Consistency is one of the most important markers of a successful cannabis harvest, but it’s a fickle factor that can seem impossible to control. As cultivators know all too well, Mother Nature often has her way: Even the slightest environmental or atmospheric change can trigger dramatically different phytocannabinoid and terpene yields, which can result in a tarnished brand reputation and disappointed customers.
For one Agrify client, cultivating reliable and consistent quality cannabis was key to growth and continued success in a competitive market. However, traditional grow room operations could not minimize the inconsistencies from harvest to harvest. This cultivator turned to our Vertical Farming Units (VFUs) and our fully integrated software platform, Agrify Insights, to standardize each harvest. Here’s why — and how — our solutions worked for them.
Why consistency matters in cannabis cultivation
Consumers have more options than ever before as more states legalize cannabis for medical or adult use. As the market matures, competition increases: With dozens of options at the dispensary, brands need to work harder to capture the hearts and minds of customers, whether they are adult-use consumers looking to relax or medical cannabis patients who rely on a specific brand or cultivar for healing. Consistency is key to that: Consumers expect the same product quality from every other product they buy — why not cannabis?
The same goes for a cultivator’s business partners. A cannabis company needs to know that their supplier is capable of producing a consistent and a reliable product. Without the same or similar phytocannabinoid and terpene profiles, a brand may risk its reputation as a quality purveyor of cannabis flower, losing customers to competitors who can produce that reliable experience with each session. Therefore, it’s in the cultivator’s best interest to recreate the same results time and again.
Photographs of Agrify VFU grown strain, Lemon Haze
Challenges cultivators face when trying to achieve consistency
First and foremost, cannabis is a plant, and variances are bound to occur as a plant grows. Changes relative to humidity, temperature, light, soil, water, and other factors impact the final product’s phytocannabinoid content and terpene content. Precisely which factor is the “secret ingredient” that gives a particular cultivar its THC content, scent, or terpene profile is a tough metric to track. Once the ideal conditions are discovered and optimized, they need to be put back into a grow operation’s procedures and standards. That can be impossible to achieve without software that offers granular insights into a grow operation.
Cultivators need the right tools to control atmospheric variability better.
Many traditional vertical racks and other grow equipment are open systems that do not protect the plants from risks at the grow room level. Without containing each harvest or using software to detect changes, growers cannot directly control environmental factors that shape the final product. These racks either need to be retrofitted with a third-party sensor system or carefully monitored individually. Both processes are prone to human error and still do not resolve the potential risks at play by being a part of a larger echochamber.
These factors only get more challenging to control as cultivation facilities scale up, expand, or make other changes to their standard operating procedures (SOPs). Cannabis is so sensitive to its growing conditions that even different rooms within the same facility can significantly change the harvest’s phytocannabinoid and terpene content.
The best option a cultivator has at their disposal is an enclosed integrated grow solution that can precisely control climate while tracking and analyzing data collected from each grow. That solution can be found through Agrify.
How Agrify Vertical Farming Units and Agrify Insights™ help ensure consistency
Agrify Vertical Farming Units (VFUs) and Agrify Insights operate as two sides of the same coin. These two robust solutions arrive at the facility already integrated, providing an unparalleled controlled environment that can be carefully monitored and adjusted for optimal results.
Agrify’s VFU units in action
Each Agrify Vertical Farming Unit features a fully enclosed and managed micro-climate, complete with grow lights and intercanopy lights; automated irrigation and CO2 delivery; built-in temperature controls; and motorized curtains for photoperiod control. This tightly controlled environment means that the cultivar’s compound profile will stay at the same or similar levels when each VFU is programmed to the same settings, no matter where in the facility they’re placed. A different cultivar can grow in each unit without interfering with other cultivars’ progress or outcome in nearby VFUs.
Agrify Insights grow room automation software allows cultivators to plan their operations from A to Z. This software tracks and analyzes the data needed — 800,000+ data points annually, per VFU — for reliable and consistent harvests. This information can then be applied back to future harvests, standardizing the results each time. Agrify Insights allows for a birds-eye view of all statistics, or get granular and dive deep into any number of environmental factors, including temperature, relative humidity, and irrigation plans.
Because Agrify Insights arrives fully integrated with each vertical farming unit, there are no sensors to outfit or additional products to purchase. All hardware and software needed to standardize and optimize each harvest is ready to go from the onset. Agrify works with our customers to help customize each facility’s grow plans that can be programmed right into the software, to achieve our client’s goals.
Agrify at work: Cultivar consistency by the numbers
Our client, a commercial cannabis cultivator in North America, needed a solution that would allow them to more efficiently and reliably produce the same or similar results for each cultivar in each harvest. By taking a more calculated approach to their cultivation processes, our client knew they could produce distinguished and distinct cannabis flower in a crowded legal cannabis market.
Agrify grow solutions provided the data and transparency needed to fine-tune their grow processes for the desired final product, while self-contained VFUs enabled precise environmental control, unlike any other solution they used. The company outfitted their entire operation with VFUs equipped with Agrify Insights, with the first harvest occurring in late 2020.
The results spoke for themselves: Each grow produced only slight differences between each harvest of the same cultivar. An analysis of 10 Lemon Haze harvests found just a .38% variation on phytocannabinoid content and a .02% variation on terpene content. Another cultivar, Candy Cane, yielded a .08% variation in total terpenes and just .67% variation in total phytocannabinoid content across 10 harvests. Before Agrify grow solutions were introduced into their facility, the variability in cannabinoid and terpene percentages prevented them from confidently producing branded products.
The overall yield was impressive, too. After implementing Agrify cannabis grow solutions, this cultivator achieved .717 pounds per square foot per year for the first time. The overall phytocannabinoid and terpene content were eye-opening: The cultivator measured a whopping 34% total phytocannabinoid content and more than 3.75% total terpenes. For comparison, high phytocannabinoid content is generally considered to be at around 21% or higher, while terpene content typically tops out around 2%.”
Cannabinoid and terpene results by strain
Agrify data figures
Conclusion
As the legal cannabis industry grows and new brands are introduced into the marketplace, yield consistency can help a cultivator stand out to customers and business partners alike. This Agrify client realized the only way to constantly produce the same results was to apply data back into a tightly controlled process, achievable through our VFUs and Agrify Insights software. Within just a few months, our clients saw the lab reports returned with remarkably similar phytocannabinoid and terpene percentages, proof that this careful planning, monitoring, and fine-tuning is just what’s needed for product quality and reliability each and every harvest.
The Drug Enforcement Administration informed companies on Friday that it was prepared to approve their applications to cultivate cannabis for research purposes, which would end the University of Mississippi’s half-century monopoly on growing research-grade cannabis, Marijuana Moment reported.
The DEA first announced it would be accepting applications for new federally licensed cannabis cultivators near the end of the Obama Administration — but, while the agency received many applications, no further action was taken under four years of the Trump Administration. The federal agency’s announcement last week appears to be the Biden Administration’s first official cannabis-related action, according to the report.
“DEA is nearing the end of its review of certain marijuana grower applications, thereby allowing it to soon register additional entities authorized to produce marijuana for research purposes,” the agency said in a statement on Friday.
“Pending final approval, DEA has determined, based on currently available information, that a number of manufacturers’ applications to cultivate marijuana for research needs in the United States appears to be consistent with applicable legal standards and relevant laws. DEA has, therefore, provided a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) to these manufacturers as the next step in the approval process.” — DEA, in a statement
The DEA did not release a full list of the companies they had contacted but several firms have since announced they were notified of their expected application approval.
Dr. Sue Sisley of the Scottsdale Research Institute — who has worked for years to investigate the efficacy of medical cannabis for treating PTSD in military veterans — was notified last week that their application was moving forward. Having sued the DEA in 2019 for erroneously hindering research efforts by refusing to license new cultivators, Dr. Sisley told the Wall Street Journal she was excited to have finally received word from the federal agency after five years of waiting. “We’ve been at this so long I can’t believe we’re finally here,” she said in the report.
Other groups who were notified by the DEA of their updated application status included Biopharmaceutical Research Company and Groff NA Hemplex LLC.
The Colorado Marijuana Enforcement Division (MED) has banned hemp-derived and synthetic forms of THC – including Delta-8 and Delta-10 – from licensed dispensaries in the state, Westword reports. In a letter to industry operators, regulators cited safety concerns while also banning the compound from food, dietary supplements, and cosmetics.
“Additionally, a complete profile of reactionary byproducts has not been established in association with the conversion or creation of delta-9, delta-8, delta-10-THC; therefore, insufficient evidence exists to determine whether or not any toxic or otherwise harmful substances are produced during these reactions and may remain in the regulated industrial hemp products ingested or applied/used by consumers.” – MED in the letter, May 14, 2021
The letter further clarified that the only solvents allowed in the cannabis extraction process are butane, propane, CO2, ethanol, isopropanol, acetone, heptane, ethyl acetate, and pentane; and using “acids, bases, catalysts, or other unapproved reagents to extract, isolate or convert cannabidiols, tetrahydrocannabinols, or other cannabinoids is not permitted.”
Neither Delta-8 THC nor Delta-10 THC is specifically outlawed by the federal Controlled Substances Act and the cannabinoids are essentially created by converting CBD into THC with acetic acid, according to Westword.
Several states, including those with legalized cannabis such as Alaska and Vermont, have banned Delta-8 and Delta-10. Washington state has implemented a temporary prohibition on the compound. Lawmakers in Illinois and Oregon are also considering their own bans.
The Mississippi Supreme Court on Friday tossed the voter-approved medical cannabis initiative because the state constitution requires signatures from five congressional districts to get on the ballot but the state only has four districts, the Associated Press reports. The justices effectively ruled the initiative void because the process is outdated.
“Whether with intent, by oversight, or for some other reason, the drafters of section 273(3) wrote a ballot-initiative process that cannot work in a world where Mississippi has fewer than five representatives in Congress. To work in today’s reality, it will need amending – something that lies beyond the power of the Supreme Court.” – Justice Josiah Coleman for the majority in the ruling
The initiative process was added to the Mississippi Constitution in the 1990s and requires petitioners to collect one-fifth of signatures from each congressional district. At the time the law was written, Mississippi had five congressional districts but following the 2000 Census the state dropped to four districts and initiative process language was never updated. The medical cannabis legalization campaign used guidance issued years ago from the state attorney general’s office and gathered signatures from the congressional districts used by the state in the 1990s.
In the dissent, which was backed by three of the nine justices, Justice James Maxwell opined that the secretary of state appropriately put the medical cannabis initiative on the ballot and that the majority opinion “correctly points out” that the high court cannot amend the constitution.
“Yet the majority does just that – stepping completely outside of Mississippi law – to employ an interpretation that not only amends but judicially kills Mississippi’s citizen initiative process,” he wrote.
Madison Mayor Mary Hawkins Butler, who filed the legal challenge, said the city was “pleased” with the decision as the court “followed the plain language of the Mississippi Constitution.
“…Unfortunately, the current voter initiative process is broken,” Butler said in a statement to the AP.
In 2011, voters approved two ballot initiatives – a voter ID law and a limit on eminent domain – but the Supreme Court decision does not mention them in the ruling.
The former mayor of Fall River, Massachusetts, Jasiel Correia, was convicted by a federal jury on Friday of extorting cannabis businesses and defrauding investors of more than $200,000, the New York Times reports. Correia, 29, was arrested in 2019 for extorting cannabis companies in exchange for non-opposition letters, which are required under state law in order for cannabusinesses to open in a municipality. He was initially indicted in 2018.
Correia solicited bribes ranging from $75,000 to $250,000 in cash, campaign contributions, and other payments from cannabis industry operators. He also bilked investors in his app, SnoOwl, out of at least $360,000, the report says.
Correia, who was elected in 2015 at 23-years-old, was convicted on charges of wire fraud, falsifying tax returns, and related counts of extortion. Last December, his former chief of staff, Genoveva Andrade, pleaded guilty to charges of extortion, bribery, and making false statements in connection with Correia’s scheme.
Nathaniel R. Mendell, acting U.S. attorney for the District of Massachusetts, described the verdict as “a fitting end to this saga.”
“He sold his office, and he sold out the people of Fall River,” Mendell said to the Times.
Correia indicated he would appeal.
“It’s not a great day but I’ve had other not great days and everybody here knows that that’s watched this unfold. But we’re gonna have a great day of vindication and eventually the real truth will come out. There were no facts that were brought forward, there was no overwhelming evidence. Unfortunately, there was a couple things that didn’t go our way that were technical today and that’s where we’ll be on grounds for appeal and we’ll win that appeal and I will be vindicated, and my future will be very long and great.” – Correia, to reporters, via WPRI
Correia was both removed from office and voted back in during a special election in March 2019. He ran for re-election that November and lost to Paul Coogan.
In a statement published by the Fall River Reporter following the conviction, Coogan said it was a “dark day” for the city but the “end of a long chapter” in its history.
“A chapter that does not at all reflect the true character of our City,” he said. “The verdict today confirmed that Jasiel Correia used the Mayor’s Office in Fall River for his own benefit. He made the unfortunate choice to use his official duties and powers to benefit himself, when he should have been acting in the best interest of our community.”
California is recognized worldwide as a leader in cannabis cultivation and a hotbed for cannabis culture. For many in the industry, that reputation comes with a responsibility to forward sustainable business practices and keeping a professional, community-minded focus.
In this Q&A, Eric Sklar — CEO and co-founder of the Lake County, California-based Napa Valley Fumé — discusses how his company pursues its sustainability goals through donations for tree planting/reforesting efforts, how they develop their terpene-rich and proprietary cannabis strains, as well as their strategies for fostering a healthy and well-balanced cannabis farm environment. Eric also discusses the sense of tension between Napa Valley’s cannabis and wine industries, how Napa Valley Fumé works to destigmatize the cannabis plant, and more.
Ganjapreneur: How has your experience with California Fish and Game influenced your work at Napa Valley Fumé?
Eric Sklar: I wouldn’t say my work with Fish and Game has necessarily influenced my work at Napa Valley Fumé but when California passed Prop 64, the State was left to write a lot of regulations and how they were actually carried out. We played a really big role at the state level–helping them improve and perfect the regulations as they’ve written them and revised them. It was and still is a massive effort. We worked with our partner extensively in Sacramento, lobbying and working on the regulations. And then, in the cities and county where we operate, Lake County, the city of Clearlake, we spent a lot of time partnering with them, trying to get the regulations in those places to be as sensible as they can. We wanted to be a properly regulated business, but, at the same time, you don’t want it to be over regulated to the point where it’s too difficult to run a business. Some have argued that in California the regulations are too onerous. But, in the cities where we operate, we try to help them by operating as professional, green businesses that create lots of great jobs and in turn, provides local tax revenue. They seem very willing to work with us to make things run more smoothly by fine tuning the regulations making it work for both sides.
Why did Napa Valley Fumé choose to establish an outdoor cultivation site in Lake County, California?
Lake County has some of the cleanest air in California, certified by the American Lung Association. And the county welcomed us with open arms. We were lucky enough to have access to an incredible property that had the right growing conditions. We met a team of very talented local farmers who looked at farming the way we do – it needs to be sustainable and produce high quality with consistency. The care our team puts into our gardens, while being responsible to the planet, helps us produce high-quality sun-grown cannabis that highlights the unique terpene profiles of each of our strains.
How did you develop your proprietary strains? What drives the focus when choosing genetics for the brand?
Our cultivation team has spent decades honing their craft. They have dedicated their time to propagate the perfect components of each strain that create consistent crops, with high yields, that have complex terpene profiles. Focusing on unique strains that have rich terpene profiles was key for us. The thought was to focus on strains that have deep terpene profiles and that highlight all of the positives that come from growing cannabis outdoors under the warm California sun.
How does sustainability play a role in Fume’s business operations and ultimate mission?
This is at the core of how we’ve built our company. For starters, growing outdoors curbs a significant amount of electricity as compared to growing indoors. Afterall, sunlight is free. We use solar for the electricity we do use and bring in a swarm of beneficial insects to help us avoid using chemicals or pesticides. We have an abundance of water on our property so we do not have to pipe in water minimizing our footprint to almost zero. Plus, you tend to have bigger yields with sun-grown cannabis as you can let the trees, yes, trees, grow big and tall. Now, something that is near and dear to my heart and is part of our company’s mission–Planting Trees for Future Generations. My Chief Marketing Officer, Ian Hackett, developed our Give Back program. Part of this program is our partnership with One Tree Planted—an amazing organization that is focused on reforestation efforts around the globe. We plant a tree for every product sold and we focus our donation dollars in the area impacted by the Tubbs fire of 2017 and the Kindcade fire of 2019 as our farm and many of our team members were affected by these fires and we want to help our local communities as much as we possibly can.
How does your partnership with One Tree Planted contribute to your goal of sustainability?
We are not only Planting Trees for Future Generations within our organization, we also want to support 3rdparty outfits looking to do the same. With One Tree Planted, we are literally able to work with them to help reforest areas affected by the northern California fires in 2017 and more recently.
What is the interplay between terpene expression and growing in sunlight? How does Napa Valley Fumé harness this to create premium cannabis products?
There are many points-of-view around indoor and sun-grown. Given how the industry was forced indoors under prohibition, there was a lot of advancement made with cloning, grow lights, water systems, nutrients, additives, etc. that coupled with genetics of the various strains, and a lot of brain power, has created some good cannabis that has never seen a ray of sunshine. Then there is the other side that honors the plant, grows it from seed, feeds it water, warm sunshine, and a lot of TLC. These trees grow up to 16’ tall in our gardens and have a span of about 8’. We grow these trees in rows but give each tree the space it needs to grow and spread out. This allows each branch and fan leaf to absorb every inch of sunlights and the flowers seem to multiply. The roots run deep with these trees and we let them wander. The colas are as big as your arm and the trichomes glisten in the sun. From my point of view, the result is a spectacular, sun-grown, sustainable product that has a rich terpene profile as a result of the natural, full-spectrum light that the plant gets from the sun during the day and a few moonbeams at night.
How do you foresee the notions of terroir and appellations being used to categorize cannabis brands as the industry grows, and how does the LAKE GRADE brand harness these ideas?
Terroir and appellation are becoming part of the cannabis industry lexicon just like they are in wine. The appellation of origin is designed to protect and market the unique traits of a certain place to consumers. But, the county of origin is very important and needs to be respected. There are some iconic locations where cannabis has traditionally been grown in California. We also believe that there are appellations that have not been established yet and that have distinct beneficial properties, such as Napa County. We’re proud to start having the ability to cultivate in a region known for its amazing agricultural products.
What are the quality control methods put in place when processing cured flower? What is the LAKE GRADE rule of thumb, and why is it important?
We harvest all of our trees by hand. The colas are rack dried and hand trimmed. We monitor the quality at each step in the harvest process through to trimming and then storage. All climate controlled with frequent quality checks. We have operating procedures documented so each team member is aware of what needs to happen along the way. We take great care with our plants when we are growing them and that care and attention doesn’t stop once the plants are harvested. To that, our trim team are experts at their craft. They listen to some really great music in the trim room and they are always cracking jokes and telling stories while they trim our beautiful cannabis. The trim team came up with the ‘Rule of Thumb’ as they love big nugs and there is a good reason for the name. When you have trees that grow up to 16’ tall they produce colas the size of your arm. From these colas we get big buds so their benchmark for the bud size that we pack into our LAKE GRADE 1/8ths, is that each bud should be the size of your thumbnail – it’s actually the size of an average human thumbnail but when you see some of our packing puckered around the 1/8ths, you know you are pulling out a nug that is more like the size of your entire thumb. As I said, they like big nugs!
Where can California consumers find LAKE GRADE flower?
You can order LAKE GRADE statewide in California through Eaze.com and you can find us in premium retail locations such as Doobie Nights in Santa Rosa and Sweet Flower in Los Angeles. We are onboarding retailers with care but based on the growing demand for our sun-grown flower and pre-rolls, we will be in a retailer near you soon.
Napa County has been a difficult place for cannabis operators to do business since California legalized adult use, largely due to the negative stigma that cannabis still carries. Why has this developed in Napa specifically?
Prop 64 gave a great deal of control over what kinds of cannabis businesses may operate in their jurisdictions, and since the passage of Prop 64, many City and County Leaders have blocked or resisted the development of cannabis businesses. In hindsight, too much control was given to local elected officials. In many of the places where the elected officials have been obstructionist, the local voters overwhelmingly supported Prop 64. Napa is among these. I think that in many cases the elected officials are risk averse and see doing nothing as the safest path. In Napa this is compounded by the opposition to cannabis by some, not all, of the more powerful members of the well established wine industry.
What issues do prominent wine industry leaders cite when they oppose increasing cannabis business in Napa Valley? Does a sustainable approach to cultivation help mitigate these objections?
Many vintners in the area are mainly conflicted between two different areas. One, the terpenes affecting grape flavor and drift from nearby cannabis grow operators. And two, the overall vibe that cannabis farms could bring into the mix. Thankfully, these misconceptions are just that. As mentioned, all plants omit terpenes when growing and have been coexisting as long as plants have been around. Farmers have worked side-by-side year after year without harm, so the cannabis plant would be no different. To answer the second objection, canna-tourism would bring a much younger and fruitful demographic to the wine region. With that will come more tourism revenue and an overall forward-looking solution to an aging industry.
How does Napa Valley Fumé’s mission help de-stigmatize cannabis businesses in this area?
Napa Valley Fumé is working closely with the Napa Valley Cannabis Association to educate the public and local leaders about the reality of cannabis while trying to put to rest the negative myths that are associated within the cannabis industry. The Napa Valley Cannabis Association has held in person educational events before COVID, and have transitioned to virtual events for the last year. We’ve featured experts to talk about how cannabis businesses operate in the current landscape and are working to destigmatize the negative impact they have on local communities. It’s been great to work with the Napa Valley Cannabis Association to show that where cannabis cultivators operate, they’ve actually enhanced the cities and counties that allow them.
Thanks, Eric, for answering our questions! Learn more about Napa Valley Fumé at FumeBrands.com.
Republican co-chairs of the Cannabis Caucus on Wednesday introduced a bill to remove cannabis from the federal Controlled Substances Act, issue rules for sales one year after enactment, allow financial institutions to serve cannabis companies in non-legal states, and direct the Department of Veterans Affairs to recommend cannabis.
The Common Sense Cannabis Reform for Veterans, Small Businesses and Medical Professionals Act, sponsored by Reps. Dave Joyce (OH) and Don Young (AK), would also require the National Institutes of Health to conduct studies on cannabis impairment and how cannabis can be used for pain management. Those studies, along with a report to Congress, would be required within two years of enactment.
In a statement, Steven W. Hawkins, interim president & CEO of the U.S. Cannabis Council, said it is “incredibly encouraging to see Republican leadership to end the federal prohibition and criminalization of cannabis.”
Young said that the feds’ “outdated cannabis policies have stood in the way of both individual liberty and a state’s 10th Amendment rights.”
Joyce described federal prohibition as “neither tenable nor the will of the American electorate.”
“My legislation answers the American people’s call for change and addresses our States’ need for clarity by creating an effective federal regulatory framework for cannabis that will help veterans, support small businesses and their workers, allow for critical research and tackle the opioid crisis, all while respecting the rights of States to make their own decisions regarding cannabis policies that are best for their constituents.” – Joyce in a press release
The legislation is also backed by the National Medicinal Cannabis Coalition and the National Cannabis Roundtable.
The measure was referred to the committees on Energy and Commerce, Judiciary, and Financial Services.
The Mississippi Court of Appeals on Tuesday upheld the life sentence of Allen Russell, who was convicted of a cannabis possession charge, due to the state’s habitual offender law, the Associated Press reports. Russell, 38, was sentenced to life in 2019 after a jury found him guilty of possessing more than 30 grams of cannabis.
In Mississippi, a life sentence without parole can be imposed if the individual has previously served at least one year in prison on two separate felonies, of which one must be a violent offense. Russell was convicted in 2004 for two home burglaries and for unlawful possession of a firearm the following year.
In Mississippi, burglary is considered a violent offense whether or not there was proof of violence at the time of the offense. When Russell was convicted in 2004, burglary was only considered a violent crime if there was proof of violence; the law was changed 10 years after Russell’s conviction.
Russell’s appeal had argued the life sentence was “cruel and unusual punishment and is grossly disproportionate” to his crime of cannabis possession. The Appeals Court disagreed, ruling the sentence is in accordance with the state’s habitual offender law.
“The purpose of the criminal justice system is to punish those who break the law, deter them from making similar mistakes, and give them the opportunity to become productive members of society. The fact that judges are not routinely given the ability to exercise discretion in sentencing all habitual offenders is completely at odds with this goal.” – Judge Latrice Westbrooks, in the majority opinion
Russell was arrested for cannabis possession in 2017. He was found with a total of 44 grams for which the usual penalty in the state is up to three years in prison, a $3,000 fine, or both.
Judge P.J. Wilson, in his dissenting opinion, cited a 1983 U.S. Supreme Court case, Solem v Helm, where the high court found that “a life without parole sentence for a recidivist criminal convicted of a relatively low-level felony violated the Eighth Amendment,” he wrote.
“In terms of the gravity of his present offense and the extent and seriousness of his criminal history, I cannot draw any material distinction between Allen Russell and the defendant in Solem,” Wilson opined. “Thus, I conclude that we are bound under Solem to vacate Russell’s life without parole sentence. Accordingly, I respectfully dissent.”
The Minnesota House on Thursday approved a measure to legalize cannabis for adult use; however the Republican-controlled Senate has no plans to take up the proposal before the session ends on Monday, MPR News reports. The lower chamber approved the bill 72-61.
Senate Majority Leader Paul Gazelka (R) told WCCO that the legislation is “up in smoke” in the Senate.
“Making legalized pot for fun, we just don’t think that’s a good idea,” he said in the report.
House Majority Leader Ryan Winkler, the bill’s author, said prior to the vote that cannabis prohibition has “failed Minnesotans, and it’s time for it to change.” The measure included automatic expungement provisions for cannabis-related misdemeanors.
“We have this bill before us today because Minnesotans have decided that it is time to legalize cannabis and right the wrongs of the criminal prohibition of cannabis that has failed Minnesota.” – Winkler, on the House floor, via MPR
Gazelka did leave the door open to expanding the state’s medical cannabis program and lowering criminal penalties for cannabis crimes.
This was the first time a cannabis legalization bill had ever made it to the floor of either chamber in Minnesota’s Legislature.
The reforms are supported by Gov. Tim Walz (D) who said in 2019 that he had directed all relevant state agencies to “put all of the building blocks in place” for legalization that would allow the state to implement the rules and regulations “the minute” the Legislature approved the reforms.
Denver officials announced on Wednesday they will be accepting licenses for new cannabis businesses as part of the city’s social equity program, but that some neighborhoods will be excluded because they are already oversaturated with cannabis licensees, according to The Denver Post.
It marks the first time since 2016 that Denver will accept new cannabis industry license applications. The city will only be issuing the licenses to delivery, hospitality, retail, and cultivation applicants who qualify as social equity applicants, according to the report.
Citing a high concentration of existing cannabis retail and cultivation location, the list will be updated annually and certain neighborhoods may be removed from consideration. Additionally, the city will not accept license applications located in neighborhoods with an already high concentration of cannabis businesses. New applicants will still be required to follow all zoning restrictions.
“Limiting density of marijuana businesses is a successful tactic Denver has taken to help prevent youth marijuana use. When it becomes commonplace for youth to see marijuana businesses, their perception of risk goes down and they are more likely to use marijuana.” — City spokesperson Eric Escudero, via The Denver Post
Denver‘s top neighborhoods for cannabis retail locations (which are therefore barred from approving any new shops) include:
Northeast Park Hill (11)
Baker (10)
Elyria Swansea (10)
Five Points (10)
Valverde (10)
Meanwhile, the top neighborhoods for cultivation/processing density are:
The Cannabis Marketing Summit is the premier annual event for marketers and communications professionals in the cannabis industry. Last year’s event attracted attendees from across North America representing prominent brands, retailers, and marketing agencies from all major markets. Surfside is this year’s Platinum Sponsor.
“Cannabis marketers have historically faced enormous challenges getting their brand message to market. The pandemic brought rapid change that presented additional challenges, but also numerous exciting opportunities that changed the landscape for communications professionals,” Lisa Buffo, Founder & CEO of Cannabis Marketing Association stated.
“With legalization moving at a breakneck pace, the CMS is the quintessential time to review these developments and chart the path forward for cannabis marketers.”
CMS will evaluate the current state of cannabis marketing and teach the practical tools, tactics, and data that produce effective strategies and campaigns for cannabis brands across the country.
There will be 12 sessions over 3 days — 3 networking sessions, 3 panels, 3 workshops, and a special CMA Members-Only track of workshops focused on marketing management. All sessions will be recorded for attendees to view at their leisure over the next 6 months.
Executives from Brightfield Group, Headset, Springbig, Fyllo, Baked Bros, The Clinic Colorado, Flowershop Media, Elev8 Cannabis, and KRMA Media Inc are a few of the presenters selected to speak.
Sessions include:
Cookies and IDFA Regulations: What Cannabis Marketers Need to Know Now
I Was Told There’d Be No Math: Examining Brand Loyalty Measures
Competitive Advantage Through Chemical Differentiation: Translating the
Register now to reserve your space and learn, play, and network with the cannabis industry’s top communications professionals this June 8-10!
About Cannabis Marketing Association Cannabis Marketing Association is a membership organization focused on education and best practices for industry marketers. CMA’s mission is to bring a positive perception to, and authentic understanding of, cannabis and its consumers around the world. CMA does this by supporting the professional growth of cannabis communications professionals by providing industry education, cultivating community, and establishing best practices.
Contact
Lisa Buffo
Cannabis Marketing Association
hello@marketingcannabis.org
The Trident by Hitoki sparks immediate interest in any cannabis connoisseur because, unlike any other smoking device on the market, the Trident is the first smoking device that uses laser combustion. Yeah — lasers, y’all.
The brand was started by two brothers, Joe and Jack Tran, who as kids used to play together with laser pointers to project animal prints onto the walls or ceilings. As adults, they have revisited this childhood appreciation for lasers by inventing a novel and healthy alternative to smoking cannabis with fire. What they created is a water-filtered 445 NM blue laser-powered bong that is so efficient that a single laser cycle can get one person quite high.
Features
Combining laser combustion with water filtration creates a clean, flavorful hit that is complemented by the groovy sight of blue lasers visible through the red paneled protective chamber. The device consists of a few different pieces that lock together before use. The cylindrical piece is weighty, consisting of a water chamber affixed to the area where the hose or mouthpiece is attached. Stacked on top of this is the red chamber that contains the lasers, directly under the electrical setup that powers the whole thing. The Trident is activated by an LED-lit button on top of the device and charges with a USB-C charger that comes included in the box. After one quick watch of the instructive YouTube video, it was easy to use.
How to Use The Trident by Hitoki:
Fully charge a new device with the provided charger before using it.
Unlock the inner locks and attach the hose adapter to the bottom chamber.
Twist the water reservoir open to fill with a small amount of water, don’t fill past the line at the bottom of the metal stem.
Unscrew the loading chamber from the top of the water chamber and pack with finely ground herb, use the flat end of the included dual-tool to lightly pack herb in.
Reconnect inner locks — if they aren’t connected, the laser won’t fire.
Insert the hose or mouthpiece into the hose connector.
Press the power button at the top of the unit 5 times to activate the device, then press the button three times to choose between the three heat settings.
Choose between holding the button or double-tap the button for a continuous 9-second beam, pull on the hose to fill the chamber while the laser fires.
Pull from the hose or attachment until the chamber is empty.
Vaping with The Trident
The Trident is a novel and useful piece of technology that is ideal for at-home use due to its weight and size. I wouldn’t recommend this as a portable piece, but it can be easily transported to a friend’s house in a backpack for a group sesh. The option to choose between a hookah-style hose and a mouthpiece also makes it versatile for single-use to group sessions. As far as consumption goes, the smoke is crisp and clear, solely featuring the flavor of the bud rather than the sometimes muddled flavor created by combustion. Also, it is pretty simple to use once you get a quick tutorial — even my tech-challenged husband figured it out on his own after I explained it only once.
Conclusion
This is the first time I’ve been impressed by a tabletop smoking device since first trying the Storz & Bickel Volcano in 2011, which is really saying something because the Volcano teeters on perfection. The fact that The Trident is slightly more portable and uses nifty lasers pushes it to a different level. I’d recommend The Trident by Hitoki to anyone who is looking for an alternative to traditional smoking methods, has interest in cool technology, or is in search of the clearest high.
A pair of former officials for Calexico, California were sentenced to two years in federal prison in San Diego for accepting a bribe from an undercover FBI agent, according to a U.S. Attorney’s Office press release.
The pair pled guilty in June 2020 on conspiracy to commit federal program bribery. The former officials — David Romero, a former Calexico, California city councilman and winning candidate for mayor, and Bruno Suarez-Soto, the former Commissioner of Economic Development for the small town east of San Diego — believed they were accepting $35,000 in exchange for a cannabis dispensary permit. Prosecutors with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California said the men “guaranteed” the agent the permit and admitted to accepting other bribes, bragging to the agent at one point, “This isn’t our first rodeo.”
According to charging documents, the two men assured the agent they would follow through, telling them they would not “disappear.”
“I can’t [disappear]. I’m Mayor Pro Tem. In July, I’ll be Mayor. If anything, I ran based on this platform, which is cannabis.” — David Romero, quoted in charging documents
Acting U.S. Attorney Randy Grossman said in the press release, “Public office is a public trust. Anyone who violates that trust by selling the government’s business to satisfy their own greed should face a reckoning. Citizens of this district deserve no less.”
In the plea, the men acknowledged they received a second cash payment of $17,000 in January 2020 and the money was intended to “influence” their duties as Calexico officials. They went on to admit the $35,000 payment was not their first bribe. Both men were interviewed after the second payment and warned making false statements was a crime and both lied repeatedly to agents about their involvement in the scheme, U.S. Attorneys revealed in the press release.
Malawi President Lazarus Chakwera said the nation needed to “diversify and grow other crops like cannabis” instead of tobacco, which he described as in “declining demand worldwide,” Reuters reports.
Tobacco is the “largest single crop contributor” to the nation’s gross domestic product, Chakwera said during his state of the nation speech. Cannabis was legalized for industrial and medical use in Malawi last year.
“I have directed (the) Ministry of Agriculture to begin a radical search for a basket of alternative crops so that by 2030, Malawi can do away with its reliance on tobacco, except in limited cases where there are pre-agreed quotas.” – Chakwera during his state of the nation speech via Reuters
On Wednesday another African nation, Zimbabwe, said it expected cannabis export earnings outpacing those of tobacco this year with an anticipated $1.25 billion in sales, according to a Bloomberg report.
The forecast by Zimbabwean officials comes as the nation abolished a rule requiring co-ownership between government and private investors in the cultivation of cannabis for medicinal use, as officials seek to encourage the cultivation of what the country sees becoming the biggest cash crop.
The agreement also allows investors to keep all their U.S. dollar proceeds from cannabis exports for two to four years, depending on whether the exported product processed or raw. Under the current regime, exporters are only allowed to retain 60% of their foreign exchange earnings due to chronic shortages.
Other nations in Africa that have passed cannabis law reforms include Zambia and Lesotho.
A Buffalo, New York firefighter terminated from his job earlier this year following a positive drug test for cannabis has filed a lawsuit against the city and the department, the Buffalo News reports. Scott Martin is a 12-year veteran with the department who served with the Air Force in Iraq and Afghanistan and is a registered patient in the state.
David C. Holland, who specializes in laws related to cannabis and is representing Martin in the lawsuit, said his client was “terminated wrongfully because the collective bargaining agreement hasn’t been updated.”
Medical cannabis has been legal in New York since 2014 and Holland said the fire department is “seven years behind.” In March, state lawmakers legalized cannabis for adult use.
Martin says he suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder and back pain from his military service, firefighting work, and time as an emergency medical technician.
In an interview with the News, Martin said he uses cannabis before he goes to bed.
“People think you have to do it all the time. You don’t. … It metabolizes and then I’m not high from it. I don’t need to be high when I’m at work. I’m focused when I’m at work.” – Martin to the News
Holland’s lawsuit argues that the conditions included in the state’s medical cannabis law should be considered disabilities, therefore firing him should be considered workplace discrimination. He is seeking reinstatement to his position, rank and seniority, back pay, and to be reassigned to Truck 14, 1st Platoon.
A GoFundMe set up to help the veteran has outraised its $10,000 goal as of Wednesday evening with $13,879.
Medical cannabis sales in Arkansas have surpassed $300 million since sales began in mid-2019, representing an average $885,000 in sales per day, according to Arkansas Medical Marijuana Commission figures outlined by KTLO.
In all, 45,286 pounds of medical cannabis has been sold in the state. Last month, dispensaries sold 2,517 pounds of cannabis reaching $18.5 million in sales.
In Arkansas, there are 32 dispensaries serving the states 76,553 active medical cannabis patients. The number of patients represents a 9,915 patient increase from April. Ultimately, the state will allow 33 dispensaries total.
Last year, amid stay-at-home orders in the state brought on by the coronavirus, the state saw a spike in medical cannabis purchases with Arkansas making the maximum 2.5-ounce purchase every two weeks. At that time, just 22 dispensaries were operational. As of May 7, 2020, the state had sold about $73 million worth of medical cannabis, which equates to about 11,000 pounds.
The Releaf Center, located in Bentonville, led all dispensaries in per-pound sales with 4,863 since they opened in August 2019. The next highest volume retailer was Green Springs Medical, in Hot Springs with opened in May 2019, with 4,007 pounds.
The daily average Arkansans are spending on medical cannabis purchases – $885,000 – is an increase of $5,000 compared to figures reported last month.
Two medical cannabis companies are suing the city of Miami, Florida over their refusal to allow dispensaries, the Miami Herald reports. The city has neither created zoning laws to restrict cannabis businesses nor outright banned them, instead relying on an internal legal opinion that argues the voter-approved reforms are moot because federal law schedules cannabis as a controlled substance with no medicinal value.
MRC44, one of the plaintiffs in the lawsuit, has been trying to open a dispensary in the city since 2019. Miami officials, citing the city attorney’s opinion, have denied the company a certificate of use for the project; however, the city zoning board has sided with the company in their appeal prompting city administrators to challenge the decision with the Miami City Commission, the report says.
MRC44 is joined in the lawsuit by another, unnamed firm and the companies claim they have the right to open anywhere in the city without municipal permits because of Miami’s lack of medical cannabis ordinances.
City Attorney Victoria Méndez, who wrote the legal opinion declaring federal law supersedes the state constitutional amendment, said the city would address the lawsuit in court after city commissioners instructed her to seek declaratory action from the judge to settle the issue of state versus federal law.
“I feel that there’s a discrepancy or a conflict between state and federal law, and I just want to ask a court of law to opine on that.” – Méndez to the commission via the Herald
Attorney Ian Bacheikov, who represents medical cannabis businesses on land use issues, told the Herald that state law requires that dispensaries are treated the “same way” pharmacies are treated but officials are “saying dispensaries are something else and they are not permitted.”
The Louisiana House has passed a measure to decriminalize cannabis possession up to 14 grams which would limit the fine to $100 and no jail time, the Lafayette Daily Advertiser reports. The bill passed the chamber 67-25 and moves next to the Senate.
Democratic Rep. Cedric Glover, the bill’s sponsor, described the measure as “common ground” and said he was inspired to introduce the measure following similar reforms in his hometown of Shreveport. Republican Rep. Alan Seabaugh, also from Shreveport, introduced the amendment which set the penalties outlined in the legislation.
The proposal does not change the penalties for cannabis distribution.
The chamber is also set to consider today a bill to legalize cannabis for adult use in the state. That debate has been twice delayed by the bill sponsor, Republican Rep. Richard Nelson, because he didn’t have the votes to pass the reforms.
A poll released in March from JMC Analytics and Polling found 67% of Louisianans support legalizing adult-use cannabis – a 13% increase from polling by the firm on the topic last year.
The poll found 60% of Republicans supported legalizing cannabis use and possession, along with 67% of Democrats and 79% of those registered with another party and independents. The majority of Democrats (66%) and Republicans (56%) also said they were more likely to support a candidate that backs broad legalization.
Earlier this month, the chamber approved a measure to allow smokable forms of medical cannabis. The JMC poll found A supermajority of respondents (75%) favored allowing smokable forms of cannabis in the state’s medical cannabis program.
Toronto, Canada-based Flora Growth Corp., which cultivates cannabis in Colombia, began trading yesterday on the U.S. Nasdaq Capital Market with an initial public offering of 3,333,333 shares at $5.00 per share. The IPO is expected to raise $16,666,665, the company said.
The company is trading under the “FLGC” symbol.
Flora’s cultivation business in Colombia is wholly outdoors, which costs just 6 cents per gram to operate, while indoor cultivation in North America runs about $1.25, CEO Luis Merchan said in an interview with CNN Business.
“We have robust cultivation facilities and we intend to use capital from the stock sale to expand our operations in the US, infrastructure in Colombia and sales team worldwide.” – Merchan to CNN
The firm reported $106,000 in revenue last year and is not yet profitable but Merchan said the firm would make money as a low-cost cannabis producer. He indicated the company is focused on edibles and personal care products rather than recreational-use products, such as pre-rolls. Flora has a partnership with 2014 Miss Universe and former Miss Colombia, Paulina Vega, to sell CBD-infused skincare products.
In their F-1 filing, Flora said it will “require the funding from this offering to begin to plant, grow and harvest our cannabis products on a commercial scale, to produce oil extracts, to access needed facilities and labor and to achieve large channel distribution of our products,”
Shares of the company fell 4.2% by the close of markets on Tuesday but gained 2.3% in pre-market trading. The IPO is expected to close on Thursday.
Boustead Securities, LLC acted as the sole underwriter for the offering with MKM Partners acting as co-manager.
The Better Business Bureau (BBB) is warning consumers of a CBD free trial scam which, in the end, bills customers hundreds of dollars. Companies utilizing the scheme offer customers free products – requiring only shipping and handling payment – but are then charged with a monthly subscription between $80 and $100.
The BBB said it has received dozens of reports on the scam via its Scam Tracker.
“You don’t find out until 3 weeks later that you have signed up for a subscription and you are charged $99. They will not refund your money. They say you had 14 days to cancel (when you call them to complain) but there is no description of that on the website.” – An unnamed customer via BBB Scam Tracker
BBB said that in some cases the products appear to be celebrity-endorsed; however, there have been several reports of CBD companies using the names and likenesses of celebrities without their knowledge. Last year, Clint Eastwood filed lawsuits against 20 CBD firms over their use of his image along with fabricated quotes. Last November, Sir David Attenborough’s spokesman told the Mirror that the beloved nature documentary host “has had no involvement whatsoever” with the products using his name and likeness.
The BBB specifically mentions reports naming products endorsed by ministers Joyce Meyer and Joel Osteen but it’s unclear whether they legitimately back the company perpetrating the scam.
The BBB suggests researching a company before signing up for anything, understating the terms after the free trial ends, remaining skeptical of celebrity endorsements, and reporting the losses to credit card companies.
Georgia’s legislature has sent a bill to Gov. Mike Kemp (R) that would license medical cannabis manufacturers and allow dispensaries to sell “low THC” oil (defined as oil containing less than five percent THC) — in Georgia, according to the Capitol Beat News Service.
Currently, the oil is legal in the state — in fact, the state has 19,000 registered medical cannabis patients — but there is no way to legally purchase the product. According to the report, if Governor Mike Kemp signs SB 195, Georgia will award six of 70 applicants licenses to manufacture the oil. Each licensee will be allowed five dispensary locations and will have 12 months to produce medical cannabis for patients. Additionally, the measure will give local governments more control over where cannabis businesses can be located. Currently, state law requires cannabis businesses to be at least 3,000 feet away from schools, churches, and activity centers.
Andrew Turnage, executive director of the Access to Medical Cannabis Commission in Georgia, told the News Service that he believes the oil could be in dispensaries in fewer than 12 months.
“We are cautiously optimistic that this could be a very good Christmas for THC oil patients in Georgia.” — Turnage, via Capitol Beat News Service
Critics believe that cannabis could serve as a gateway drug and that Georgians who do not really need the medicine will game the system to acquire the oil. But Turnage said there are plenty of guardrails to make sure only those who need medical cannabis will have access to the program. Furthermore, the law requires certain security measures for cannabis manufactures. Turnage also highlighted that the level of THC found in the oil is “marginal … compared to any street drug.”
“Anyone that’s looking to get high, this is probably going to be their last choice on the list,” he said.
Under current state law, the University of Georgia and Fort Valley State University can cultivate cannabis to study its medicinal benefits. However, neither school has applied for a license, the report reveals. The new bill will allow other schools to apply for licenses to study the oil produced by licensed manufacturers.
According to the report, Clark Atlanta University, Morehouse College, Emory University, and Augusta University have expressed interest in the program. “If the universities decide that they want to pursue their university licenses, we are very excited about the possibilities that exist for university research,” Turnage told the News Service.
The South Dakota Legislature’s Rules Review Committee on Monday determined that the state’s Law Enforcement Officers Standard and Training Commission can prohibit medical cannabis use by members of law enforcement and 911 dispatchers, KELO reports. The ruling comes despite a provision in the state’s medical cannabis law that prevents state boards and commissions from penalizing for cannabis use.
Republican Rep. Jon Hansen, who voted to accept the package with the committee’s three other GOP members, said allowing medical cannabis use by law enforcement could cause problems if an officer involved in a shooting were to test positive for cannabis.
Rep. Kevin Jensen, another Republican member of the committee, noted that it is illegal for a firearm dealer to sell a gun to someone who admits on the federal form to using cannabis or other controlled substances.
Last month, a federal bill was introduced that would allow individuals with medical cannabis IDs – and those in states where cannabis is legalized – access to firearms.
The package was opposed by Senate Democratic leader Troy Heinert and his colleague Rep. Ryan Cwach.
In November, South Dakotans voted to approve both medical and adult-use cannabis reforms; however, the latter is being challenged in the state’s Supreme Court, which heard arguments in the case late last month.
The plaintiffs in the case are two law enforcement officers who filed the challenge at the behest of Republican Gov. Kristi Noem. In February, a lower court invalidated the reforms ruling that the amendment violated state law by dealing with multiple issues.
