Israel Eyeing Cannabis Legalization by End of 2021

11/13/2020

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A legal memo on cannabis legalization from an Israeli inter-ministerial committee is set to be drafted into a bill that could come to the Knesset floor for a vote before the year’s end. The measure is expected to be approved by lawmakers in about nine months, the Jerusalem Post reports.

According to the memo, legalization would likely occur in the fourth quarter of 2021.

The memo – which has been under consideration by the committee for four months – will be re-written into legislation under the supervision of Blue and White MK Michal Cotler-Wunsh, chairwoman of the Knesset’s Special Committee on Drug and Alcohol Use.

“I see great importance that these two bills [for decriminalization and legalization] be put forth as a single bill, which will be a responsible, holistic step for Israel without compromise. I am committed to leading, advancing and supervising the application of these recommendations for reform, while doing the preparations required in the memo on time.” – Cotler-Wunsh to the Post

The memo includes budgetary provisions for product and data tracking, law enforcement, mental health and addiction treatment, policies to prevent youth cannabis use, and the establishment of a social and community action fund paid for with cannabis-derived taxes, the report says.

While the memo sets the legal purchase and consumption age at 21, it does not set possession limits and does not permit home cultivation.

Likud MK Sharren Haskel, who wrote the decriminalization bill, said the recommendations “are righting an injustice” of the previous cannabis legalization committee.

“These recommendations confirm what I and many in the public have already known for years: that the current policy has failed and we must change and repair it,” she said.

The reforms are supported by Blue and White leader and alternate Prime Minister Benny Gantz, who included legalization in his campaign platform.

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Argentina Legalizes Medical Cannabis Cultivation for Patients

11/13/2020

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Argentinian President Alberto Fernández on Thursday issued a decree allowing home cannabis cultivation by patients, requiring insurance providers to cover medical cannabis costs, and permitting pharmacies to sell cannabis-derived oils and topicals, the New York Times reports.

Argentina legalized medical cannabis in 2017 but advocates say the law was so strict that it made medical cannabis inaccessible to patients. Under the new rules, individual cultivation licenses will be based on patients’ medical needs. Those who grow without a license will still face a penalty between four and 15 years in jail. The law does permit third parties to cultivate for patients who are unable to do so themselves.

Argentina’s health minister, Ginés González García said the reforms replace the nation’s illicit market “with quality control that is key in all medical products, particularly those that are given to children.”

Valeria Salech, the head of a pro-medical cannabis organization Mamá Cultiva, said advocates have been pushing for home cultivation since the passage of the 2017 law. She added that patients have been illegally growing cannabis despite the ban.

“We’re no longer going to be criminalized for seeking a better quality of life for ourselves and our loved ones.” – Salech to the Times

In July, Argentinian officials announced they would be moving toward medical cannabis reforms.

According to the report, lawmakers are not considering broad legalization.

In 2017, neighboring Uruguay legalized cannabis for adult-use, becoming the first nation to approve the reforms. That same year Colombia legalized the cultivation, processing, and distribution of medical cannabis.

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New Genetics Test Predicts If Cannabis Will Be THC or CBD-Rich

11/12/2020

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University of Minnesota researchers have validated a genetic test that can predict whether a cannabis plant will produce mostly CBD or THC – a tool that could help prevent farmers from cultivating hemp that violates federal and state laws.

The team studied three different cannabis varieties – from industrial hemp growers, samples from the National Institute on Drug Abuse, and wild cannabis (or ditch weed) – comparing genetic markers with the ratio of THC versus CBD. The team then verified that genetics were a good predictor of the ratio.

George Weiblen, who is a professor in the College of Biological Sciences and the science director & curator of plants at the Bell Museum whose laboratory led the study, said he hopes the technique “can assist in new seed certification for the hemp industry.”

“For hemp to take off in Minnesota and elsewhere, there must be ways to assure growers they won’t have to destroy their crops at the end of the season.” – Weiblen in a statement

In the paper, published in the American Journal of Botany, the researchers argue that basing the definition of hemp on THC alone doesn’t match the biology and, instead, propose THC and CBD ratios.

The researchers also noted that finding THC-rich ditch weed plants is very rare, a 1 in 100 chance.

“The presence of more than one of the three cannabinoid classes in feral, industrial, and clinical populations renders the dichotomy between ‘hemp’ and ‘marijuana’ meaningless from a botanical perspective,” the study states. “The dichotomy between ‘hemp’ and ‘marijuana’ perpetuates culturally biased and pejorative assumptions about C. sativa that have hindered scientific investigation for nearly a century.”

The researchers argue that “a decolonized definition recognizing THC‐type, CBD‐type, intermediate‐type, and CBG‐type plants would be more accurate botanically and perhaps more practical as the use and regulation of C. sativa continues to expand and diversify.”

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FBI and Navajo Police Raid Hemp Farm on Tribal Land

11/12/2020

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The Federal Bureau of Investigation joined the Navajo Nation Police and over a dozen other law enforcement agencies in a raid on the hemp operation owned by Dineh Benally, the Navajo Times reports. The raid, dubbed “Operation Navajo Gold,” came following reports of THC-rich cannabis production, interstate drug trafficking, and violations of labor and child labor laws.

“This operation is a testament to the unified partnership we have with our local, county, state, and federal law enforcement agencies. Although we cannot provide the community with additional information, we want the public to know that NPD and multiple law enforcement agencies have been working together to address this.” — Navajo Police Chief Phillip Francisco, in the report

Benally is the former president of the San Juan River Board and last month the Navajo Nation Council passed an amendment to outlaw hemp production primarily due to his suspected illegal activities.

Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez said that Benally and his unnamed investors “sought to take advantage of what they believed to be a jurisdictional gap on the Navajo Nation that would allow them to operate outside the law.” In September, a Navajo Nation court granted a temporary restraining order and injunction against Benally and his companies from continuing their hemp operations. Following that order, tribal officials inspected the farm and “discovered that a significant portion of the crop being grown appeared to be marijuana,” the Navajo Department of Justice said in a press release. Additionally, the agency said a significant number of foreign workers were being employed at the farm.

The Navajo Justice Department said Benally started the hemp operation last year and it now has over 1,000 greenhouses, spanning more than 400 acres. The land is leased from Navajo farmers who formerly used it to cultivate corn. Last month, the Navajo Nation sued the 33 farmers who leased the land to Benally for his operations. According to the Navajo Times, the tribe contends that the farmers “possess or control Navajo lands that are being used to illegally grow, produce, manufacture, transport, or sell industrial hemp and/or marijuana” and the actions are “irreparably injuring and contaminating the Nation’s lands, waters, and other natural resources.”

The FBI confirmed to KOLD13 News that it had executed search warrants “in the area of Shiprock, (New Mexico).”

The investigation includes nine federal agencies, along with state, tribal, and local agencies from at least three states.

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Cannabis Industry Worker Permits Delayed in Nevada

11/12/2020

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Nevada cannabis regulators have extended the expiration dates for industry employment identification cards as they try and catch up with a backlog, the Reno Gazette Journal reports. Expiration dates for permanent cards have been extended for 90 days and temporary cards through January 31.

Despite the backlog and subsequent extension, some businesses are being fined by the Cannabis Compliance Board over expired worker permits. Last month, the agency levied a $90,000 fine on Nevada Medical Group after inspectors discovered that six employees were working under expired cards. The company could also lose its license over the expired IDs.

Officials say the backlog is due to the pandemic, a delay in federal background checks, and an influx of applications as workers try to get cards under the old system, which costs $75 for a license that lasts for a year. In July, the agency changed it to a two-year, $150 license.

The board has been sending temporary cards as PDFs, originally good for about 45 days until the recent extension. The agency is receiving about 60 ID applications per day.

Tyler Klimas, executive director of the board, explained that the agency is not fining people with expired cards if they have submitted an application since their card’s expiration and that the board would hold inspectors accountable if they are imposing unnecessary fines amid the backlog. He indicated about 2,900 industry workers are currently using temporary cards and there are about 10,000 to 12,000 active cards in the state.

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Michigan’s First Tribal-Owned Cannabis Business Begins Operations

11/12/2020

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Michigan’s first tribal-owned cannabis business has opened on the Upper Peninsula (UP). Owned by Bay Mills Indian Community, Northern Lights Cannabis Company aims to provide jobs and opportunities for the local area, said Bay Mills Chairman Bryan Newland.

“We have always been looking for ways to expand career opportunities for our people here and generate additional revenues for our tribal community. In particular with Northern Light Cannabis Company, the decades-long war on drugs has had a particularly harmful impact on communities of color. Now we’ve seen here with the legalization of cannabis in Michigan that a lot of the people who are benefiting from this industry are wealthy investors. What sets us apart is we’re a community-owned cannabis company and the benefits flow right back into our local community in the Eastern UP.” — Newland, in an interview with WJMN

The new 110-acre area will be a vertically integrated seed-to-sale facility. It’s expected to take up to a year to bring product to market. Phase two will involve building retail stores around Chippewa County and near the Bay Mills Resort and Casino, according to a WPBN/WGTU report.

Newland told WJMN that he hopes the increased number of jobs will attract tribal members back home who have left for other jobs or to pursue higher education.

“So that means having a wide range of job opportunities for our people,” he said. “Whether it’s gaming and hospitality, health care, higher education, administration, or now the cannabis industry.

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Hemp Clothing Firm CanvaLoop Launches Kickstarter for Hemp-Based Jeans

11/11/2020

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Hemp-based clothing company CanvaLoop announced the launch of its Kickstarter campaign this week for SLOW Jeans, the company’s debut clothing line featuring jeans made from Himalayan hemp. As a company, CanvaLoop’s focus is on the triple bottom line of environmental sustainability, functional worthiness, and social inclusivity.

“Belonging to a family business that has been in synthetic textiles for over 40 years, I have witnessed first hand the impact of fashion on the environment,” said CanvaLoop founder and CEO Shreyans Kokra, who first started looking at making sustainable fashion material from hemp in 2016.

SLOW hemp jeans colors
SLOW jeans will be available in three colors: black, sky blue, and indigo.

SLOW Jeans help reduce waste by using the fiber from Himalayan hemp plants, which has grown naturally without human interference for millennia and which utilizes significantly less water than cotton. In fact, by using hemp-based denim, the company found it can save up to 3,500 liters of water per pair of jeans. SLOW Jeans are also up to four times more durable than normal denim jeans.

“When I discovered hemp, I realized about its potential to replace mainstream textile materials as a much more sustainable alternative. The next challenge was to build adequate technology that could convert the hard bark of the plant to super-soft fiber fit for making modern apparel. Once we achieved that through 100% green processing and developed the fiber, we asked ourselves — ‘What is it that we love as much as hemp?’ That’s when SLOW Jeans came into the picture.” — Shreyans Kokra, in a statement

SLOW Jeans are initially available in three classic colors: Black, Indigo, and Sky. Click here to learn more and pledge your support.

About CanvaLoop
CanvaLoop is an alternative fibres and material science company. They make textile fibres from agri-waste or plants like hemp and banana. Their fibres are eco-friendly, ethically produced and functionally superior. Their mission is to mainstream sustainability by creating alternative fibres.

Read more about CanvaLoop at www.CanvaLoop.com or by visiting their Kickstarter.

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Lonny the Street Lawyer: Sharing the Gift of Cannabis in DC

11/11/2020

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When Washington DC voters opted to legalize cannabis, the city’s push for a local regulated industry was immediately stifled by federal lawmakers. Since then, local regulators have continued to be blocked from establishing a regulated, legal market. Legalization is still the law of the land, however, and some plucky entrepreneurs have jumped into the District’s cannabis market regardless of lacking regulations.

In this Q&A, Lonny the Street Lawyer discusses Washington DC’s cannabis gifting market, his strategy of selling coupons for legal services (which are accompanied by gifts of cannabis), the growing success of Street Lawyer Services, his advocacy work toward cannabis conviction expungements, and more!

Ganjapreneur: What is Initiative 71, and how has it shaped the development of DC’s cannabis industry?

Lonny Bramzon: That was a voter ballot initiative and it passed by 65% of the voters in 2015 that legalized cannabis in the District of Columbia. It made it legal to possess, legal to grow, legal to gift. So when that happened, everything opened up and there started to be pop up parties and dinners that were I-71 compliant weed everywhere — gifting weed, possessing weed, consuming edibles, people cooking up meals and charging people to get in for donations, and all kinds of things. So basically, a whole underground economy opened up and even got as far as brick and mortar stores. I-71 heralded in what is happening now ushered in the proliferation of DC weed culture.

After establishing your legal career, how did you get started in cannabis?

Well, I was a criminal defense attorney and represented a lot of people who had drug cases — and a lot of people with weed cases, especially distribution cases. So that was pretty common in my docket. I mean, I represented a little bit of everything — but a lot of weed dealers. Ironically enough, I was also a cannabis consumer. I saw a lot of guys go to jail for the same stuff that I was consuming myself. I saw that it was legal in DC and an opportunity presented itself. I understood the culture of DC. I understood cannabis, I consumed it. I represented many people — and I was involved in the cannabis culture from so many different angles so it was a pretty seamless transition. Fast forward to today, the basis for my cannabis gifting shop is a marketing office for my legal services — the marketing office promotes my legal services which also gifts cannabis as a promotional product. Two worlds collide.

Is the Street Lawyer Services coupon system different from other gifting stores in DC? How does the coupon system benefit visitors?

A visitor enters the shop and in efforts to market our legal services, they can purchase a coupon. A coupon is redeemable for legal services of the Law Office of Lonny Bramzon and one of his associates. The coupons are purchased for 50% of their value — that’s the hook. You can buy a $100 coupon for $50 or a $120 coupon for $60. If somebody has a case upcoming in court and they know they need a lawyer, it’s rational for them to just walk in knowing they can purchase a coupon for legal services. If you know you’re going to spend $150 on a case, why not get $300 worth of legal coupons for $150? You save money. So, look, I don’t really keep up with what other people are doing. My understanding is they’re selling lighters or stickers or something like that — but people seem to like the coupon system. It seems to be more useful than what other people are doing.

Who frequents the store, and what contributes to the culture at SLS?

You won’t see a place with a more eclectic crowd. The Street Lawyer Services crowd is the most diverse crowd you’ll ever see — from old to young, rich to poor, urban to rural. People from North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, New York, New Jersey — everywhere. All kinds of folks come in because they love the vibe. It’s like you’re part of something when you walk in the shop — and we got the SLS women who are vibing, doing their thing. The quality of the gifts are very high which draws the crowd — but it’s the vibe too.

How do the SLS Women add value to the visitor experience, and what advice can they offer?

The SLS girls are the budtenders, brand ambassadors, music-playing, TikTok-dancing people creating the real family vibe of Street Lawyer Services. Not only do they know so much about cannabis, but they make anyone feel welcome when they walk into the shop — whether if you’re a regular to the shop or brand new to cannabis, they make everyone feel at home.

How do you use your criminal law background to fight for cannabis legalization, and what types of advocacy work does SLS engage in?

So we’re focusing on expungements and how to further expungements of criminal convictions associated with cannabis. There’s been a widespread movement to expunge possession cases in most legislative bodies. Our focus is going to be on felony cases because that’s what is affecting people who are looking for jobs and looking to move into certain housing. You know, if you have a conviction for distribution of cannabis years ago or anytime, that’s a felony. So in most jurisdictions, you can’t even get housing — that needs to be the focus because it’s the felony convictions that are really impacting the lives of people. That’s where our focus has to be. Here’s the thing, people have served years and decades in jail for cannabis for what people are doing legally now. You can’t give them their time back — but you can clear their record so they can live a better life moving forward.

Thanks, Lonny, for taking the time to answer our questions! Learn more about Lonny the Street Lawyer at StreetLawyerServicesDC.com or follow him on Instagram @LonnyTheStreetLawyer or @StreetLawyerServicesGifts_.

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U.S. House to Vote on MORE Act Next Month

11/11/2020

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The U.S. House is set to vote on a bill to decriminalize cannabis federally after delaying the vote in September to focus on a coronavirus relief package, Politico reports. In a letter to colleagues, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer did not provide an exact date for the vote, which would occur during a lame-duck session.

“The House will vote on the MORE Act to decriminalize cannabis and expunge convictions for non-violent cannabis offenses that have prevented many Americans from getting jobs, applying for credit and loans, and accessing opportunities that make it possible to get ahead in our economy.” – Hoyer in the letter via Politico

The House is scheduled to hold session on December 1-4 and 7-10.

Cannabis Caucus Co-chair Rep. Barbara Lee (D-Calif.) cited the Election Day success of cannabis-related ballot initiatives in New Jersey, South Dakota, Montana, Arizona, and Mississippi as evidence “it’s more important than ever for Congress to catch up.”

“We’re going to continue building momentum so that Congress takes action to end the failed prohibition of cannabis before the year is out,” she said to Politico. “Too much is at stake for communities of color.”

A Gallup poll published November 9 found its highest level of support for cannabis legalization among Americans – 69 percent – since the pollster first asked the question in 1969.

In a tweet on Monday, Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) also pointed to the success of four states legalizing adult cannabis use during the election. He said that “it’s past time to end the federal prohibition on marijuana and work to undo the harms done by the War on Drugs, particularly in Black and brown communities.”

In September 2019, the chamber passed the SAFE Banking Act – a bill to normalize financial services to cannabusinesses – but the measure has not been brought up for a vote in the Senate. During the lame duck session the Senate will still be controlled by Republicans; however, that could change in 2021 as two Georgia seats are headed to runoffs.

The passage of the SAFE Banking Act marked the first time either chamber of Congress passed stand-alone cannabis reform legislation.

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Longest-Serving Cannabis Prisoner Richard DeLisi Will Be Released

11/11/2020

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71-year-old Richard DeLisi will be released from the South Bay Correctional Facility in Florida after serving 31 years of a 90-year prison sentence for nonviolent cannabis convictions, The Last Prisoner Project (LPP) reports.

DeLisi’s release comes on the heels of advocacy efforts and supplements to his clemency applications by LPP and pro bono attorneys Chiara Juster, Elizabeth Buchanan, and Michael Minardi. The push for clemency was bolstered this year by the threat of COVID-19, which poses a particularly deadly threat to incarcerated people who — due to inadequate facilities and supplies — are incapable of safe social distancing.

DeLisi began his 90-year sentence on December 5, 1989. During his time in prison, his son, wife, and both parents passed away. He will be released in time for Christmas with his remaining children and grandchildren, which will be the first time in over 30 years that he gets to spend the holidays with family.

“It feels amazingly wonderful to know that I will be home with my family and loved ones very soon. I am grateful to everyone who has been there and helped me along in these long years. If I could go back to 1988 I would tell my former self to put more value in the time I spend with my family. … I am so excited to hug my children and grandchildren. I have missed so many important moments with them and I can’t wait to get out there and create precious memories with everyone. I am so thrilled that this dark chapter of my life is finally over.” — Richard DeLisi, in a statement

Lead Attorney Chiara Juster was also overjoyed by the news. “We participated in decarcerating someone who couldn’t deserve it more,” Juster said. “The fact that dear Richard is the longest serving non-violent cannabis offender currently incarcerated in our country is truly a sick indictment of our nation.”

DeLisi’s official release date will be issued by the Florida Department of Corrections on November 16, 2020.

LPP is fielding donations from people who wish to help with DeLisi’s reentrance to society.

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Texas Senator-Elect Files Cannabis Legalization & Medical Expansions Bill

11/11/2020

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Texas Senator-elect Roland Gutierrez (D) has pre-filed a bill to legalize recreational cannabis use in the state and expand its medical cannabis program, CW39 reports. In a tweet, the lawmaker from San Antonio said the measure would create 30,000 new jobs in the state and produce $3.2 billion in new revenue.

The measure sets personal possession limits at 2.4 ounces, allows personal cultivation up to 12 plants per household, and sets the legal purchase age at 21.

“There is going to be a budget shortfall to affect all Texans next legislative session, however, I look forward to working with my colleagues to offer a real solution. Our state’s economic future is uncertain and in order to best serve our state, we have to look at cannabis legalization as a solution and not keep going back to the taxpayers and raise their taxes.” – Gutierrez to WOAI

State Comptroller Glenn Hegar has projected a nearly $4.6 billion deficit when the 2021 State Legislature convenes in January, according to a KTSA News report.

Neither Gov. Greg Abbott nor Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick – both Republicans – support legalization and medical cannabis expansion proposals. In May, Texas lawmakers approved a measure to add seven new conditions to the program’s qualifying conditions list and remove a requirement for patients to have two doctors’ recommendations before accessing the program; however, the bill did not remove the restrictive 0.5 percent THC cap on medical cannabis products.

“I really believe that it’s a few people inside the bubble that have opinions that are based on myths, and quite frankly, they’re not based on science,” Gutierrez told KTSA.

An April 2019 Emerson College poll found 38 percent of Texans supported full legalization, while 35 percent only supported legalization for medical purposes.

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Tennessee Poised to Make Cannabis Policy Progress

11/11/2020

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Tennessee state Sen. Janice Bowling (R) said she will introduce a medical cannabis legalization bill in the upcoming January legislative session. Bowling said it’s time to join other states in passing medical cannabis, WREG.com reports.

The bill would allow the sale and cultivation of cannabis around the state; some qualifying conditions would include cancer, glaucoma, and PTSD.

“We’re up to 43 states that have legalized it and many of the states around us have legalized it. We are being foolish in the worst sense of the word. Just incredibly foolish and incredibly lacking in responsiveness to what is now readily available for people to know that this is a safe medicine solution.” — Sen. Janice Bowling, in a statement

Like other states in the Deep South, Tennessee has seen some cannabis policy progress in recent years. Both medical cannabis and adult-use bills were introduced in the Tennessee legislature this year. The medical cannabis bill introduced by Sen. Steve Dickerson (R) passed the Senate Health and Welfare committee, despite efforts by opponents to introduce “poison pills” to the legislation, Marijuana Moment reported.

This year, Democratic Sen. Raumesh Akbari also introduced an adult-use cannabis bill, while Democratic state Rep. Rick Staples introduced a decriminalization bill that would put the “legalization” question to a local referendum.

Outgoing Sen. Steve Dickerson (R), meanwhile, wrote in a September 2020 opinion piece for the Tennessean: “I have spent over 20 years practicing anesthesiology and interventional pain management and over that time have utilized methods of treatment for the worst pain imaginable. Some methods work. Some do not. And, most of them have significant risk and side-effects. That is why I have been a longtime advocate to end our state’s outdated prohibition on medical cannabis. It is past time for Tennessee to move away from the unwarranted fear of medical cannabis and bring this smart, safe, and regulated medical treatment to our state’s sickest patients.”

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Muscogee Nation Approves Medical Cannabis Reforms

11/11/2020

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The Muscogee (Creek) Nation has approved legislation exempting medical cannabis patients from possession of a controlled substance charges as long as they are in compliance under Oklahoma law, the Muskogee Phoenix reports.

Principal Chief David Hill called the reform “an excellent example of the Nation exercising its sovereignty to amend its criminal law to address public safety issues in the Mvskoke Reservation.”

“Furthermore, this is a pro-business action by the [Mvskoke Reservation Preservation Commission] and commitment to individuals and entities licensed in medical marijuana endeavors throughout the reservation.” – Hill to the Phoenix

The Commission plans to continue analyzing the medical cannabis issue to possibly allow sales on the reservation, including its authority to tax and regulate medical cannabis, and whether economic development activities exist for the tribe.

In May, the Red Lake Nation in Minnesota approved a medical cannabis program that goes beyond the state’s rules by allowing flower. Kevin Jones, a cannabis advocate who organized the Chippewa Cannabis Party, said following the vote that it the stage for the tribe to go “full recreational,” despite Minnesota not allowing adult-use sales.

In July, Lume Cannabis Company announced they had received an adult-use license for the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians in Chippewa County, Michigan. Joel Schultz, Sault Tribe economic development executive director, said the deal will help the tribe “diversify economic development to enhance revenues to expand services to Sault Tribe members.” Lume also has a partnership with the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians for retail shops in Petoskey and Mackinaw City, which does not allow retail cannabis sales but has no control over tribal lands.

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More Americans Than Ever Support Legalizing Cannabis

11/10/2020

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68 percent of Americans support legalizing cannabis for adults, according to the latest Gallup poll. It is the highest recorded level of support for legalization since the pollster first started asking about the issue in 1969.

While cannabis legalization is particularly popular among younger generations, a majority of respondents from every age group including people 65+ supported legalization.

Additionally, an overwhelming majority of Democrats (83%) and independents (72%) prefer legalization to the status quo.

But, while support for legalizing has grown slightly overall, it was not across all demographics: support among self-described conservatives and regular (weekly) church-goers was just under 50%. Even among Republicans — who supported legalization with slim majorities from 2017-2019 — support had fallen below the majority threshold to 48%.

The latest poll was conducted from September 30 to October 15.

“In national polls and at the ballot box, the American public has spoken loudly and clearly. The overwhelming majority of Americans favor ending the failed policies of marijuana prohibition and replacing it with a policy of legalization, regulation, taxation, and public education. Elected officials — at both the state and federal level — ought to be listening.” — Erik Altieri, Executive Director of NORML, in a press release

In November, voters in New Jersey, South Dakota, Arizona, and Montana approved ballot initiatives to legalize adult-use cannabis. Ballot initiatives to legalize medical cannabis were also passed in South Dakota and Mississippi.

Before the election, the following U.S. states and jurisdictions had legalized adult-use cannabis: Alaska, Washington, Oregon, California, Nevada, Colorado, Illinois, Michigan, Maine, Massachusetts, Vermont, and Washington DC.

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Sean Worsley Released From Prison

11/10/2020

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Sean Worsley, the 34-year-old disabled Iraqi War veteran and Purple Heart recipient who had been jailed in Alabama for felony cannabis possession, has been released from prison, Al.com reports. Last month Worsley had been granted parole.

Worsley had served 10 months in prison stemming from a 2016 cannabis arrest, despite Worsley obtaining it through Arizona’s medical cannabis program, where he is a patient. An Alabama circuit court judge sentenced him to five years in late September citing previous convictions and failure to comply with “any condition of bond or probation,” noting that Worsley had twice returned to Arizona when he had been previously released while awaiting his court dates.

“I’m overjoyed really, relieved,” Worsley told Al.com. “I’m still taking it all in.”

Alabama state Sen. Cam Ward (R), who had pushed to get Worsley released, called the pardon “the right decision to make, particularly during a pandemic.”

“There are several people who should be in prison, but some people who shouldn’t be in the system. He’s one of them. If there was ever a case of someone society has let down, someone, a veteran, who couldn’t get the mental health and treatment he needed, it was him. We discarded him and that’s not justice to me.” – Ward to Al.com

Worsley will remain in Alabama and has received a job from Blox LLC, a manufacturing, design, and construction company, who had included their employment offer for him in a previous community supervision agreement that had been considered – but rejected – by the sentencing judge.

Worsley said he was “excited and eager to get started” at the firm.

A GoFundMe had been set up by his wife, Eboni, to help pay for legal fees. The campaign raised more than $108,000 on an $80,000 goal.

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CBD Company Falsely Using David Attenborough’s Name and Likeness

11/10/2020

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A CBD company is using Sir David Attenborough’s name and likeness to promote its company and products while scamming people in the process, The Mirror reports. The David Attenborough CBD Oil products carry the namesake of the beloved 94-year-old “Planet Earth” and “Blue Planet” host but he has nothing to do with the products or the marketing campaign.

“These are not genuine endorsements and Sir David has had no involvement whatsoever with these products. The companies do not have permission to use Sir David’s name or image. He wishes to extend his sympathies to anyone that has been adversely affected by these companies and their actions.” – Attenborough’s spokesperson via the Mirror

The product, via Facebook, also links to a fake article on Medium.com that attributes quotes to Attenborough which are also fabricated. Attenborough’s spokesperson added that he doesn’t have a Facebook account and “there are many false accounts on Facebook claiming to be his.”

“This is being reported to Facebook and Sir David would encourage anyone who spots these fraudulent adverts also to report them to Facebook,” the spokesperson told the Mirror.

As of Monday afternoon, the page in question was not available on the social media site. The Medium article remains on the site.

The page also includes fake quotes attributed to Ed Sheeran, Rowan Atkinson, and Dame Helen Mirren.

This is hardly the first time that a CBD company has used a fake celebrity endorsement for its product. In July, actor Clint Eastwood sued 20 CBD companies for using his name, likeness, and quotes to promote their products. His lawyers told Fox News that the actor “does not have and never has had” any partnership with any CBD company. One of the defendants alleged to have used Eastwood’s name and likeness without permission blamed a publisher for fraudulently using the actor’s endorsement.

The false endorsements for Attenborough and Eastwood include the claim “Big Pharma in Outrage,” which could link both cases to the same fraudsters.

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Police Confiscate 15,000 Cannabis Plants In SF Bay Area

11/10/2020

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Union City, California authorities reported seizing over fifteen thousand cannabis plants last week. With an estimated street value of $27.5 million, the plants were found in 20 grow rooms around the San Francisco Bay area.

Acting on an anonymous tip, law enforcement also confiscated $22,000 in cash, grow equipment, and a bank account with over two hundred in fifty thousand dollars, according to San Francisco CBS 4. No more details on the arrests were available.

California has struggled to bring the illicit market under control since adult-use cannabis passed in 2016. According to a 2018 Marijuana Business Daily report, one in five Californians said they had purchased cannabis on the unregulated market within the previous three months. 84 percent of those said they were likely to buy from the illicit market in the future. The authors surmised only a five percent drop in cannabis taxes in California would bring in an additional 23 percent more legal cannabis customers. Experts believe high cannabis taxes, so-called “cannabis deserts,” and the low number of retail licensees contributed to the high number of Californians not participating in legal cannabis.

According to the Union City website, the City Council passed a resolution in November 2017 allowing three licenses each in the categories of cultivation, manufacturing, distribution, testing, and medical dispensaries. Today, the city has two commercial cannabis licensees who hold permits for cultivation, manufacturing, and distribution/retail.

In 2018, Union City passed Measure DD, placing a $12 per sq/ft tax on cannabis cultivation businesses and a 6% tax on gross receipts for “other” businesses. In January 2020, the state raised cannabis taxes across the board. These increases in taxes raise prices for consumers, making it harder for the legal market to compete with the well-established illicit market, industry leaders say.

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Aphria Agrees to Buy SweetWater Brewing Co. in $300M Deal

11/10/2020

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Canadian cannabis company Aphria Inc. is set to acquire Atlanta, Georgia’s SweetWater Brewing Co. for about $300 million. SweetWater is known for terpene-infused, alcoholic seltzers and its 420 brand.

For the year ended December 31, 2019, SweetWater generated net revenue of $66.6 million and adjusted EBITDA $22.1 million. According to the Brewers Association, the company’s production volume increased at twice the growth rate of the U.S. craft beer market at 7 percent year-over-year to nearly 261,000 barrels.

Irwin D. Simon, Aphria’s chairman and CEO, said the deal allows the company to establish and grow its U.S. presence through SweetWater’s “robust, profitable platform of craft brewing innovation, manufacturing, marketing, and distribution expertise.”

“At the same time, we will build brand awareness for our adult-use cannabis brands, Broken Coast, Good Supply, Riff and Solei, through our participation in the growing $29 billion craft brew market in the U.S. ahead of potential future state or federal cannabis legalization.” – Simon in a statement

Freddy Bensch, SweetWater’s CEO and founder, said the company’s 420 brand and annual SweetWater 420 Fest, “complement Aphria’s cannabis business and create mutual opportunities for accelerated expansion into other cannabis- and beverage-related products in the U.S. and Canada.”

“We will leverage our growing beverage offering and build an even stronger, more diversified company with a continued focus on authentic and distinctive brands using some of the freshest, most flavorful ingredients to create innovative and high-quality beverages including beers, seltzers, spirits and non-alcoholic beverages that our loyal and growing consumer base has come to expect from SweetWater,” he said in a press release.

Aphria expects the acquisition to be immediately accretive to EBITDA and diluted earnings per share, it said.

SweetWater beverages are currently available in approximately 29,000 retail locations and in more than 10,000 restaurants and bars. SweetWater 420 Extra Pale Ale and IPA are served on all Delta flights totaling more than 50 countries across six continents.

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Massachusetts Surpasses $1 Billion In Cannabis Sales

11/09/2020

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Massachusetts has surpassed one billion dollars in adult-use cannabis sales, according to the Boston Business Journal.

The Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission reported $1,000,521,905 in sales exactly four years after the state passed legal cannabis in 2016 and only two years after the first retail shops opened in the state in 2018.

“This sales milestone represents licensees’ ability to successfully support a safe, accessible and effective adult-use industry, and I am pleased the resulting tax benefits will have a significant impact on communities throughout the commonwealth. These numbers also speak to commission licensing and enforcement staff working around the clock to make sure these businesses and their products comply with all of our regulations, especially the health and safety provisions.” — Commission Chairman Steven J. Hoffman, in a statement

Hoffman said the state still has social equity goals to meet but he is encouraged by the work the state has done this year on the issue.

According to the Journal, Massachusetts will have collected some $200 million in taxes from its adult-use cannabis windfall. The tax revenue stems from a 6.25% sales tax, a 10.75 excise tax, and a maximum 3% tax at the local level.

The data also shows the state’s adult-use cannabis industry has 5,863 employees, according to the report. In early 2020, Leafly reported Massachusetts to be a leading state for cannabis employment.

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Shawn Kemp’s Cannabis Retracts Announcement About Black Ownership

11/09/2020

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Former National Basketball Association All-Star Shawn Kemp holds just a 5 percent stake in the dispensary which bears his name despite a press release from the company indicating the dispensary was the first Black-owned cannabis retailer in Seattle, Washington, MJBizDaily reports.

Ganjapreneur used information from that press release in an October 23 report.

Note: activists who disputed the store’s ownership claims raised the issue with our editors and we were in the process of verifying these claims when the company posted a statement to its website.

“Our PR team released a statement last week with the headline ‘Seattle’s First Black-Owned Dispensary, Shawn Kemp’s Cannabis, to open this month’ this statement should not have been released. As a result, it has caused great distraction to this store’s intention and the grand opening of Shawn Kemp’s Cannabis, a partnership between NBA All-Star Shawn Kemp and cannabis veterans Matt Schoenlein and Ramsey Hamide of Main Street Marijuana.” – Shawn Kemp’s Cannabis in a statement

Brian Smith, spokesperson for the Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board, told MJBizDaily, though, that “Kemp is the first person in Seattle to identify as ‘black or African-American’ among retail store owners in Seattle.”

KD Hall, a spokesperson for Shawn Kemp’s Cannabis, indicated in the report that the business plans to open four more shops and Kemp’s ownership stake would increase with those new stores.

“We began with this structured deal for the incubator location, knowing that Matt Schoenlein and Mr. Kemp plan to open five total cannabis stores in the next two years,” the company’s mea culpa states. “As we expand the venture, our intent has always been to partner with Mr. Kemp, his team, and the community to ensure people of color owned and Black-majority-owned cannabis stores.”

Shawn Kemp’s Cannabis dispensary license is a takeover from an existing license and is not part of the city or state social equity program, Paula Sardinas, a lobbyist for Washington’s Commission on African American Affairs, told MJBizDaily.

The company said that Schoenlein and Hamide “invested in creating a store that can serve as a social equity incubator, to train people of color and women to become successful cannabis store owners.”

Kemp was drafted by the Seattle Supersonics in 1989 and played for the team until 1997.

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CBD Company Fundraising for UK Child’s Cannabis Medicine as NHS Denials Continue

11/09/2020

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United Kingdom-based CBD company Green Active is donating some profits to a Scottish boy suffering from Doose Syndrome, a severe form of epilepsy, as the National Health Service continues denying to cover the costs of cannabis-based medications, the Daily Record reports.

Eight-year-old Murray Gray was diagnosed with the disease in 2017 and had up to 12 seizures a day, eventually ending up in a vegetative state in the hospital. His mother, Karen, said he has been seizure-free for 15 months after he started taking Bedrolite and Bedica – which are approved for use in the UK – but the regimen runs £1,400 per month and the NHS refuses to write a prescription which would provide it to the family for free.

Jo Devall, co-owner of Green Active with his partner Melissa Lopes Correa, said he learned about the boy via Twitter and his story “resonated” with him. All sales using the code FORMURRAY will be donated to Gray’s family and customers who use that code will also get 10 percent off.

“…I just wished I could do something to help. Then it occurred to me that I could provide something to this family. It fits with who we are as people and the way we live our lives.” – Devall to the Record

He explained that funding the boy’s medicine wouldn’t bankrupt the company because they will still take their operating costs “but all the profit after that will go to Murray.”

Karen called the plan “absolutely brilliant” even though neither she nor GreenActive knew exactly how much the campaign might raise. She criticized the NHS inaction since Bedrolite and Bedica were added to the service two years ago.

“We should have a prescription for this rather than having to rely on our friends, family and the kindness of companies to pay for it,” she said.

According to pro-medical cannabis group End Our Pain, the NHS has issued just three prescriptions for medical cannabis oil since it was legalized for use on the national health care plan two years ago.

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Aurora Reports Small Revenue Increase In Q1 2021 Report

11/09/2020

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Canadian cannabis company Aurora reported a slight increase in 2021 Q1 revenue over the fourth quarter of last year, from $67.5 million to $67.8 million, but the company reported an adjusted EBITDA loss of $57.9 million in the quarter which, it said, “includes restructuring payments such as contract and employee termination costs of $47.4 million.”

As of November 6, Aurora’s cash balance was about $250 million, according to figures outlined in a press release.

“Excluding these impacts,” the company said, “Adjusted EBITDA loss, as defined under the term credit facility, is $10.5 million. Aurora was in full compliance with its September 30, 2020 term debt covenants.” The company said its goal remains “to achieve positive Adjusted EBITDA in Q2 2021.”

CEO Miguel Martin described the Q1 results as “transitional” but “highlighting successes across a number of diverse profit pools,” including leading Canada’s medical market by revenue, a 40 percent revenue growth increase in international medical cannabis business, and the company’s Reliva CBD products number one Nielsen ranking in the U.S.

“While we are not satisfied with our past performance in the growing Canadian consumer business, we have a sense of urgency in the execution of our tactical plan to grow profitable market share. Our efforts are directed at delivering the highest quality products, refocusing on our leading premium and ultra-premium brands, better allocating our sales and marketing spend, and executing key account partnerships at both the province and retail levels.” – Martin in a statement

The company reported a 3 percent decrease in consumer cannabis revenues (to $34.3 million) from last quarter but a $3.6 million increase in consumer cannabis extract net revenue driven by vapes, edibles, and concentrates, led by a $1.1 million increase in U.S. CBD sales. The company’s medical cannabis net revenues increased 4 percent (to $33.5 million), which was “primarily attributable to a strong performance in the international medical business, which grew 41 percent quarter over quarter,” the company said.

Selling, General and Administrative — including research and development — was $46.9 million in Q1 2021, down $19.6 million, the company said, attributing the decline to the firm’s Business Transformation Plan. The company also reported a $3.2 million decline in capital expenditures from $16.4 million in Q4 2020 to $13.2 million in Q1 2021.

“Aurora continues to execute its announced plan for reducing production and complexity through the closure of five cultivation facilities,” the company said, noting that three facilities are now fully closed.

The firm indicated it remains Canada’s leading medical cannabis company by net revenues.

Note: All figures in Canadian dollars.

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FBI Raids Offices and Homes of California Officials in Cannabis Corruption Probe

11/06/2020

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The Federal Bureau of Investigation last week raided the offices and homes of officials in California as part of a cannabis-related corruption inquiry, the Southern California News Group reports. Search warrants were executed at the office of Baldwin Park City Attorney Robert Tafoya, and the homes of Compton Councilman Isaac Galvan and San Bernardino County Planning Commissioner Gabriel Chavez.

FBI spokeswoman Laura Eimiller confirmed the searches to the News Group but did not outline specifics about the action because the warrants are sealed. She indicated that there were no arrests made as part of the probe.

Chavez said he was “mystified as anyone else” by the raid during which agents only seized his laptop. Later, he said, he turned in his cell phone to the FBI’s West Covina field office.

According to a Los Angeles Times report, the investigation stems from a sworn declaration by a former Baldwin Park Police officer – who helps oversee the industry in the city – alleging that three cannabis operators had reported “questionable business practices, which included paying as much as $250,000 cash in a brown paper bag to city officials.”

Mark Werksman, an attorney representing Tafoya, declined to provide details but, in a statement, said the city attorney “shares the federal government’s interest in rooting out corruption in the cannabis industry and prosecuting political corruption of any kind.”

Baldwin Park officials came under fire in 2017 for granting an exclusive permit to Rukli Inc. to distribute cannabis produced in the city. A lawsuit challenging that permit was denied by a judge, according to the Times.

 

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New York Gov. Predicts Legalization Next Session as State ‘Desperate for Funding’

11/06/2020

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New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) on Thursday said the upcoming legislative year is “ripe” for passing adult-use cannabis laws “because the state is desperate for funding,” according to a North Country Public Radio report.

“Even with Biden, even with the stimulus, we’re still going to need funding. I think we’re going to get there this year.” – Cuomo to NCPR

Former Vice President Joe Biden, the Democratic presidential nominee, has not formally won the presidency as of Friday morning.

Cuomo’s comments come just days after New Jersey voters approved a legalization ballot initiative and less than a month after Vermont lawmakers approved legislation to allow a taxed and regulated cannabis marketplace. Cannabis sales in neighboring Massachusetts launched in 2018 along with sales in Canada. The green wall is closing in on the state and paired with the budget shortfalls pressure is on lawmakers and Cuomo to, finally, pass the reforms.

After years of opposition, the Democratic governor changed his tune in 2018 following a Health Department report supporting the move; however, the State Senate was controlled by Republicans who would not back the reforms. Last year, Democrats took control of the chamber, giving them control of both the Senate and House, but lawmakers couldn’t come to agreements on how the funds would be earmarked and the session ended without a deal.

The Legislature appeared poised this year to approve a legalization measure – Cuomo had included it in his executive budget – but that push was derailed by the coronavirus pandemic as lawmakers refocused their efforts on other issues.

The state estimates legal cannabis tax revenues could reach $700 million annually but is projecting $59 billion in revenue shortfalls through 2022 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

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