Will Read: Normalizing Cannabis Through Smart Marketing

Between strict regulations that vary from state to state and the long-lasting remnants of anti-cannabis rhetoric and stigmas, cannabis marketing is an inherently tricky job. The challenge, however, has prompted experts like Will Read — whose company CannaPlanners is dedicated to helping cannabis entrepreneurs find success despite the odds stacked against them — to prioritize simple aspects of brand building, such as a professional and inclusive brand experience.

Will recently joined our podcast host TG Branfalt to discuss cannabis marketing strategies, the prospects for an adult-use cannabis market in Vermont and other New England states, Will’s advice for what makes a strong cannabis brand, and more!

Tune in via the media player below or scroll down for a full transcript of this week’s Ganjapreneur.com Podcast episode.


Listen to the podcast:


Read the transcript:

Commercial: At Ganjapreneur, we have heard from dozens of cannabis business owners who have encountered the issue of cannabias, which is when a mainstream business, whether a landlord, bank or some other provider of vital business services refuses to do business with them simply because of their association with cannabis. We have even heard stories of businesses being unable to provide health and life insurance for their employees because the insurance providers were too afraid to work with them. We believe that this fear is totally unreasonable and that cannabis business owners deserve access to the same services and resources that other businesses are afforded, that they should be able to hire consultation to help them follow the letter of the law in their business endeavors, and that they should be able to provide employee benefits without needing to compromise on the quality of coverage they can offer.

This is why we created the Ganjapreneur.com business service directory, a resource for cannabis professionals to find and connect with service providers who are cannabis friendly and who are actively seeking cannabis industry clients. If you are considering hiring a business consultant, lawyer, accountant, web designer, or any other ancillary service for your business, go to Ganjapreneur.com/businesses to browse hundreds of agencies, firms, and organizations who support cannabis legalization, and who want to help you grow your business.

With so many options to choose from in each service category, you will be able to browse company profiles and do research on multiple companies in advance so you can find the provider who is the best fit for your particular need. Our business service directory is intended to be a useful and well-maintained resource, which is why we individually vet each listing that is submitted. If you are a business service provider who wants to work with cannabis clients, you may be a good fit for our service directory. Go to Ganjapreneur.com/businesses to create your profile and start connecting with cannabis entrepreneurs today.

TG Branfalt: Hey there, I’m your host TG Branfalt and thank you for listening to the Ganjapreneur.com podcast, where we try to bring you actionable information and normalize cannabis through the stories of ganjapreneurs, activists, and industry stakeholders. Today I’m joined by Will Read, he’s the founder and president of CannaPlanners, a Vermont-based website and marketing company specializing in the needs of the cannabis industry and this is Will’s second time on the podcast. And so I guess that makes you a friend of the show.

Will Read: It’s my third time, but who’s counting.

TG Branfalt: We’re not going to talk about the lost ‘second episode.’

Will Read: Yeah the infamous last pizza tapes.

TG Branfalt: So, before we sort of get into this episode, man, just remind people about your background and how you ended up in the space.

Will Read: Sure. It’s great question. I think like a lot of guests I’ve been a casual participant in the cannabis community for almost my entire life, so I’ve always had a passion there. I started CannaPlanners in 2015 after coming out of an agency that was dedicated to sort of supporting a specific part of a specific industry, nothing to do with cannabis, but they were experts in marketing and creating digital experiences around this one part of an industry. So in Vermont, as legalization started to percolate in the early 2010s, I started to do a little more due diligence, a little bit of entrepreneurial research into kind of where I might fit into this thing. I think a lot of people are because there’s no book on this thing and there’s very few people saying, “Hey, come on in and let me show you how to be part of this industry.”

A lot of us have to figure it out on our own. I think we all do. So it was really doing a little due diligence. I took a trip out to Colorado to see what their legal market was looking like and the first thing that hit me was at the time, lack of experience, and this is everything from conceptual branding, packaging design, and especially in-store experience. I had a short career…well, not short. I was with Apple for about six years. So that Kool-Aid, I definitely drank that Kool-Aid about the importance of experience and even the psychology behind opening a package is far more important to the consumer than what’s actually in the package.

So going out to Colorado and now of course, everything everywhere kind of looks like an Apple store, but back then there was nothing but opportunity. So I started CannaPlanners and we started as a web agency — websites are the other biggest part of what we do. And that’s where we really started from, we developed a platform that we could sell affordably to cannabis companies, lots of mom and pop startups, lots of farmers, things like that in order to get them online quickly, right? And efficiently, and then quickly as we started building websites, the thing I immediately saw the need for was the actual creative, because people were still coming to us with subjectively or objectively, depending on your point of view, bad branding. So we started doing a lot of creative work and really helping companies that way. I don’t even know if I answered your question, but there was a bit of it.

TG Branfalt: Yeah. What do you sort of define in your estimation as bad branding?

Will Read: This is a great question. So I don’t want to be flippant in kind of the way I speak about it, but what I really mean is, so our mission, our superhero goal is normalization. We want this market to succeed. We want this industry to succeed and as I’m sure you know and as I’m sure any of your guests would attest or listeners would attest to, the market is still small, it’s very, very boutique. It’s only in a handful of states and of course we’re not even really talking about CBD yet, which is obviously in a boom. So all of these aspects and really the “normalization”, I think a lot of that can be accomplished. And really what I mean is the acceptance by older generations, by younger generations, just people who’ve been “brainwashed,” I’m using air quotes on Zoom, but brainwashed through the war on drugs, through rhetoric, whatever, to have a certain opinion about cannabis.

And traditionally, a lot of businesses have towed the line and really sort of marketed towards themselves towards the stoner culture and I appreciate that. I’m part of the stoner culture. I’m a stoner, but I’m also totally keenly aware of the potential that this industry has as it’s only touching a razor-thin margin of the entire potential marketplace.

So really what I’m saying is how can we move… When I say bad brands, really what I mean is, “How do we make brands more accessible?” That’s all I’m saying. When you see certain imagery and unfortunately it’s things like the cannabis leaf, it’s been stigmatized. The bright green cross, or even that neon green, a lot of these things have, again, we’re talking about psychology here, but they have a certain psychological effect that can do really one of two things, speak to one specific person and/or turn off the rest. Right? So we want to, our goal is just to really create professional, good-looking brands that can be applied to a cannabis space. And hopefully a little bit more broader of a consumer base.

TG Branfalt: Tell me a little bit more about how branding can help normalize cannabis. I mean, I understand what you’re getting at in terms of sort of this imagery, but sort take it a step further for me because this is really, really interesting.

Will Read: Sure. Yeah. So I think going back to my life at Apple, that unboxing. I can remember when iPad came out and for two weeks before iPad came out it was at a time when the Apple employee would actually unbox the thing for you and draw back the curtain. And there’s this whole allure around consumer products. And I think that’s something that cannabis has to some extent, but it needs even more just in terms of, again, bringing it to a more interesting place, not pigeonholing it or keeping it in line with the ways of the past. We’re just trying to break out of that.

So I think a specific logo for sure is important, but it translates to the whole thing of what we do. So for our retailers. It’s like, okay, we’ve built you this cool logo, and it’s on this awesome website that we’re maybe, excuse me, helping drive traffic to, but what are the rugs in the store? What kind of displays are you getting? How is this whole thing cohesive to an experience as opposed to just being a logo? You know what I mean?

TG Branfalt: Yeah. So since our last interview two years ago, you had started the company in 2015, as you said, our first real conversation was in 2018. You’ve been in the industry for a few years. It was still it was the year that Vermont legalized. And so we had talked quite a bit about that and the CBD and hemp market wasn’t as large as it is now.

Will Read: Oh, man. Yeah.

TG Branfalt: So tell me about how your business has grown since our last interview two years ago.

Will Read: Insanely. And really we’re just busy. Okay, so CBD has fundamentally changed our company. We’re now far more stable than maybe other startups that are kind of point are, luckily people are looking to start and especially during COVID, right?

TG Branfalt: Yeah.

Will Read: We can get into that too, but COVID has actually had a pretty positive impact on CannaPlanners. People are being entrepreneurial because they’ve lost their jobs and they’re stuck at home.

TG Branfalt: Wow.

Will Read: So it’s a big… Yeah. So since the last time we chatted at NECANN or whatever, around the time, yeah. So the CBD industry specific because we’re a Vermont company. So that’s where we started a lot of our clients, a good deal of our clients are in Vermont. A good deal of them are farmers who traded in the dairy cows for hemp fields. So it was about helping them kind of a brand and for people in Vermont, there’s a certain allure to the Vermontiness of kind of how we… So we do plenty of CBD products. We’ve designed, I think in the last… So in 2019, catch me at the end of 2020, which I guess is soon, but last year we probably built around 28 brands, several hundred product designs. I think we launched something like 40 websites.

TG Branfalt: Wow.

Will Read: This year we’re definitely on track to double all of that.

TG Branfalt: Seriously?

Will Read: Oh yeah.

TG Branfalt: That’s immense growth for a small company.

Will Read: I love it. And not for the competition, there’s a competitiveness to being an entrepreneur and having been through my share of 9-5’s and failed entrepreneurial ventures, it’s awesome when something hits and there’s a huge potential market out there that we’re not talking to. So right now our goal is we’re scaling up. So for us that means really new people, new talent, we’ve hired a new designer, we have a new vice president of marketing, we have new salespeople. So we’re trying to expand. Because we’re just a digital company, we have clients all over the place, but we really want to focus on some of these really growing like crazy markets, California, Colorado, all these places.

TG Branfalt: So in the time, since our last two years, as an entrepreneur, what have you learned since our last interview as someone who’s growing business in this industry?

Will Read: Yeah. The one thing, and I don’t even know if this is a good answer to your question, but I would say the most important thing I’ve learned is how and when to step outside of my comfort zone. So for entrepreneurs it’s really, and I guess like anything in life, but for entrepreneurs it’s really easy to get complacent and maybe not be so open to trying new ideas or even doing things like four years ago you would never have caught me on a podcast. Or not four years ago, I was definitely on a podcast four years ago, but prior to CannaPlanners, you wouldn’t catch me doing this. It’s way outside of my comfort zone. It’s not who I was.

So you have to kind of evolve and stepping outside of your comfort zone, getting in front of people, being able to do all this client work and then confidently look back at it when I’m talking to new people and say, “Hey, I’ve built this thing with a team of insanely amazing people who have a incredible level of expertise. How can we help you kind of be better?”

TG Branfalt: What do you look for when building these teams?

Will Read: You’re going to think I’m so lame with this answer. The answer is, “How cool are you?” Seriously, that’s it. If I can’t vibe 20%, you know what I’m saying? If it’s weird, it’s so important, and I’ll tell you why. That is such a lame answer, but it’s true. And the reason is because while I’ve told you how we’re dedicated to normalizing the industry and how I’ve told you about how we’re doing all these cool things, what we really want to do is give good customer service. That’s it. We have these sets of services that we do, but really what we want to do is provide good customer service. Well, you, but maybe you’re not going to be surprised at this, but your listeners might, customer service in the cannabis industry I would say is generally not so great.

You have some people who are doing it right, but because of where the industry is, it’s still very nascent. It’s still very new. People don’t have the same sort of business acumen as maybe other industries you’re accustomed to. There is an opportunity just to be a group of cool people who can empathize with business owners who are trying to do something that’s never been done before. So that’s it. I want to find cool people who understand the vision of what we’re trying to do and who are happy to empathize and relate to our clients. It’s the most important thing.

TG Branfalt: How are you preparing your company’s growth as the Northeast, where you’re based, is on the verge of really blowing up, right? Sales commence in Maine here pretty shortly.

Will Read: Couple days.

TG Branfalt: New Jersey is very likely going to legalize during the election, New York’s going to follow, Connecticut‘s been talking about it, Rhode Island.

Will Read: Yep.

TG Branfalt: I mean, you name it. How are you preparing for that growth?

Will Read: Well, this is another… You’re good at this, Tim. You always have good questions. This is a really good question. I think one of the things, and I’ll answer this as an entrepreneur, one of the things that really attracts me beyond all the stuff I’ve been talking about, one of the things that really attracts me to the cannabis industry specifically is it’s infancy. So we can only scale as quick as the industry does. So I’m happy to take… Not that we are taking it slow, but I’m happy to evolve with California and Colorado and from all these states that have already passed. There’s what? I don’t know what it is now, but 27 medical States and I don’t know, 12 or 13 recs, something like that, whatever it is. There’s 50 total States.

TG Branfalt: Yeah.

Will Read: So, and then a whole world that’s going to follow suit of whatever the United States does. At some point, maybe, I don’t know, we’re maybe losing our edge here, but so yeah. That really excites me. It’s we can scale responsibly as soon as Jersey hits, well, we’ll have a stronger Jersey outreach. Same with same with any of these States. So right now we’re going to focus on New England, or we are focusing on New England. Maine has been very active for us because, like you said, we’re basically two days away. We’ll see what happens. But two days away from the first rec store to open in Maine. There’s plenty more so, yeah.

TG Branfalt: So, I mean, I know that you’re not a company that touches the plant and you don’t have a lot of the challenges that those firms do have. I mean, even hemp businesses face a lot more challenges than sort of ancillary companies, but what are the challenges for you operating a digital marketing business in sort of the gray market that is Vermont. And I don’t want to call New York a gray market, but the hemp only in medical industry here, what are some of the challenges that you face with those?

Will Read: Totally. So any… And I’m using air quotes again here on Zoom, but any kind of let’s say non-cannabis business, just any other industry business has access to, I mean, you name it when it comes to marketing, you want to put a billboard up? Great. You want to buy TV? You want to be on the supe? Whatever. You want to advertise on Facebook and Google? Great. Even CannaPlanners, and it’s because the company’s called CannaPlanners, That’s the only red flag, we don’t touch a plant, but I can’t even advertise on Facebook.

TG Branfalt: Really?

Will Read: Really. Yeah. So I’m okay with that. I’m actually okay with that. But so the answer is there’s plenty of hurdles and that’s part of the excitement of an infant industry is we get to solve a lot of these problems. I would say one that I can speak to fairly recently was the entire CBD industry, retail, consumer market goods, was affected two years ago when the only viable non-high risk payment merchant cut the cord.

TG Branfalt: Yeah.

Will Read: So we took it upon ourselves to form a relationship with Square. This is when they started and quickly canceled their pilot program. So I booked a ticket to San Francisco and went out there and really tried to explain what was going on in this industry to whoever would listen. And not only that, but how CannaPlanners had a level of responsibility before Square in the vetting process. We want to work with reputable people who are doing meaningful work, and we’re only going to work with meaningful people who are doing reputable work.

So how do we iterate that to a big humongous company like square? Luckily for us, it was something they agreed to. So the marketing side of it, it has challenges. So, again, we’re taking it slow. We’re not doing Facebook ads. We can’t. And I don’t want to nefariously circumvent algorithms even, that’s not a standard of kind of doing business that we want to follow. If we’re going to do it, we’re going to do it right. So we focus on really content, building good content for our clients on top of the beautiful websites we build them using the awesome brands that we build for them when it happens.

TG Branfalt: This question might seem a little bit strange, but a lot of people might not know that in Vermont, you’re not actually allowed to, billboards are forbidden on the —

Will Read: It’s the only state without a McDonald’s in the capital city. Did you know that?

TG Branfalt: I did know that.

Will Read: Okay.

TG Branfalt: Do you think that sort of having to deal with that restriction, that long-standing restriction, maybe put you in a sort of unique position to sort of walk this forbidden sort of marketing line?

Will Read: Hmm. I haven’t really considered that. I would say probably, maybe it had a small influence, but probably if I’m being honest, the way that we have been scaling out CannaPlanners has really been a response to our clients. Not so much the things going on outside of our bubble. Of course we’re following regulation where it needs to, we are definitely setting a bar when it comes to that, in terms of what we expect of our clients. We want them to be transparent. We want them to be transparent straight up.

So, yeah. I think all of the things that we’ve done, even creative and then marketing, and then what we’re growing into now, which will be email marketing and social media management and all these other kind of viable digital marketing tactics, we’ll grow into them, but we’re really just responding to the client needs right now. And it’s slow in some cases. The strategies I mean, the strategies are slow.

TG Branfalt: Tell me about sort of building a company in a small Northeastern state, do you think that that is a benefit or a detriment, because people may see, “Oh, this is a small firm in Vermont. Why don’t we go with the big guy in California?” What do you think? Do you think it’s a detriment or?

Will Read: No, not at all. I would say it for-sure works for us. And I think more applicable to your question then where we are in the geography of the country is where we stand in the timing of the industry. So my competition, our competition, there’s agencies doing what we do to some extent or another. There’s not many. With that said, look outside the cannabis industry, there’s a million word press agencies and design, there’s all of these things. There’s a huge creative world out there. It’s all about digital marketing, everybody and their grandmother does… You know what I’m saying?

TG Branfalt: Yeah.

Will Read: So I think it’s about timing. And in some instances we’re also building a brand. I think if I were to be completely honest, being synonymous within this industry for the things that we do would be incredibly amazing.

TG Branfalt: And so you mentioned that you personally can’t market because of your name and these sort of issues.

Will Read: Yeah.

TG Branfalt: So what do you do to get your name out there?

Will Read: Totally. Well, we work with people like you. We work with the team at Ganjapreneur, for sure. It’s an amazing resource for us. We’ve done an incredible amount of outreach just through some very passive marketing through Ganjapreneur, it’s been great. So there are a couple of hubs like this that allow us to sort of put our name out there. Of course, we’re not at NECANN this year, we’re not at BizCon this year. We’re not at CannaCon, we’re not at any of these this year.

TG Branfalt: Yeah.

Will Read: So I think a large part of what we’re going into for ourselves is kind of practicing what we preach. And we’re starting to expand our content creation. We’ll be building out more video resources just to sort of engage directly with whatever our community, but also to have a lasting resource for other entrepreneurs who are looking for these types of things.

When I first started off, I was going to the old Ganjapreneur website and doing that whole thing and you go on Reddit and you know what I’m saying? You try to network, and this goes back to stepping outside of the comfort zone. You got to go meet new people. You got to, for sure. It’s the most important thing. So right now, we’re doing advertising through you guys. Most of our marketing dollars have kind of pushed back, have been drawn back in so that we can use them for sales outreach and doing more proactive sales outreach. But, yeah.

TG Branfalt: How big of a loss — and the events that you had mentioned they’ve been canceled because of the coronavirus, how big of a loss has that been? Because when I went to NECANN, and I had met you prior to NECANN anyway. I mean, it was massive.

Will Read: Yeah. Massive.

TG Branfalt: And it was full and it was bustling. I mean, how big of a loss has that been you think?

Will Read: Well, financially, those things are expensive, but it’s important to again, get out there and meet people and try to retain business. But for us in this industry, it’s more than that. We’ve got this burgeoning community of a lot of great people who are trying to do cool stuff. And that’s kind of what I miss is I’ve got a group of friends who I only see, it’s like fish shows or dead shows or whatever. You only got the group of friends that you see at those shows or at the trade shows or whatever. So that part I miss.

TG Branfalt: So when somebody gets in touch with you, what’s the most common question that you get on that first sort of outreach?

Will Read: Well, if it’s not, “How can we start building our brand?” We’ve been getting a lot of outreach regarding social media, paid social media and yeah. It leads to a larger conversation about those rules and regulations, those terms of services, that those kinds of companies enact, but also, “What are other companies doing? What are they doing in place of this? Can I talk to you about SEO? How’s your website? Do you even have a social media account? Do you have an Instagram account?” So a lot of these things, the industry is ripe with eager business people. And a lot of them are jumping in for the first time. Right? So there’s a lot of just basic consulting work that we get hit up for. Just, “How do I start a company?” I can’t help you there, but I can help you make it look awesome.

TG Branfalt: So what’s your advice for those really early-stage entrepreneurs who reach out to you with these sort of issues?

Will Read: Can’t stop, won’t stop. You’re going to run into your haters, you’re going to fail, you’re going to have days where you’re like, “What the hell am I doing?” And it’s about pushing through those days. And my perspective is purely in the cannabis industry, man. This is what I know. We’ve been doing this for a little while. And I-

TG Branfalt: Five years is a lifetime in this industry.

Will Read: Yeah, it feels like that. For sure. But I think that you have to have that mentality as an entrepreneur, but you have to especially have that mentality as a cannabis entrepreneur, because the odds are stacked against you. I don’t know if everybody has forgotten this, but cannabis is federally illegal.

TG Branfalt: Is it?

Will Read: Right. Did you know?

TG Branfalt: I seem to forget that quite frequently.

Will Read: Oh, yeah. On the regular, but that’s a big thing. This could come crashing down at any second and it’s about, excuse me, but not giving a fuck about that. You have to get beyond that and dig into the work because it is meaningful. This is happening. So can’t stop, won’t stop.

TG Branfalt: Man, we’ve known each other for a while and then it’s not like we speak on a very regular basis.

Will Read: Yeah, sure.

TG Branfalt: But you offer this sort of very forthcoming, very solid insight, that a lot of people they try to dance around sort of their strategies and that sort of thing.

Will Read: No.

TG Branfalt: And you’re just like, “Here it is, guy.”

Will Read: Yeah.

TG Branfalt: So I really appreciate that about you.

Will Read: Well, thank you. That’s a very nice thing for you to say. And I think that there’s value to me being direct. It’s not wasting time, it’s display. I mean, you’re looking at me and we’ve had this conversation a few times at this point, I’m still passionate. I love what I do. I’m excited to end this podcast so I can go back to work. Not really, but that’s the thing is I love what I do and I have experience in it. So I want people to understand that or part of just my directness or just my enthusiasm is that there’s a bit of a fluctuating formula that can be applied to this industry. And we got a good track record. Let’s go and crush it. Let’s go get it. It’s out there. Let’s make a thing.

TG Branfalt: So I am going to let you go and let you get back to your work, but before I do, man, tell the people how they can find out more about you and give the people what they want.

Will Read: Yeah. We’re on Myspace, we’re on Friendster. You can get my Tinder. No. You can find us on Instagram. We’re @CannaPlanners, CannaPlanners.com. Those are great places to find us and we’d love to hear from you, for sure.

TG Branfalt: Cool, man. Hey man, I really appreciate your time today and hopefully we’ll have another conversation in less than two years and there’ll be a bustling industry in Vermont and we can meet on the boat and just chief out. And even though they probably won’t allow that, because we’ll still be going.

Will Read: Oh, I’ve been doing that since the nineties.

TG Branfalt: Oh, man. That’s Will Read, he’s the founder and president of CannaPlanners, a Vermont-based website and marketing company that’s specializing in the needs of the cannabis industry. Man, thank you so much for being on the show and…

Will Read: My absolute pleasure. Thank you for having me.

TG Branfalt: You can find more episodes of the Ganjapreneur.com podcast in the podcast section of Ganjapreneur.com on Spotify and in the Apple iTunes store. On the Ganjapreneur.com website, you will find the latest cannabis news and cannabis jobs updated daily, along with transcripts of this podcast. You can also download the Ganjapreneur.com app in iTunes and Google play. This episode was engineered by Trim Media House. I’ve been your host, TG Branfalt. (Silence)

End


UN Commission Votes to Reschedule Cannabis

The United Nations Commission for Narcotic Drugs has voted to reclassify cannabis’ status under the 1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs and remove medical cannabis from Schedule IV, the New York Times reports.

The decision will not have an immediate impact on loosening international controls over cannabis criminalization, but the recognition could lead U.N. member states to reconsider how cannabis is classified under their own drug laws.

The move was favored by the U.S. and most European nations but was opposed by China, Egypt, Nigeria, Pakistan, and Russia.

A 2018 report by the International Drug Policy Consortium found that the U.N.’s “war on drugs” has not reduced the rates of drug use but has negatively affected human rights, health, security, and development around the world. Specifically, the report argues that the last decade of drug law enforcement led to heightened violence against police and civilians and the mass incarceration of otherwise innocent people.

A 2017 report from the U.N. International Narcotics Control Board pointed out that nations that have allowed cannabis legalization or relaxed cannabis laws – including the U.S., Uruguay, the Netherlands, Jamaica, and Canada – were in violation of international treaties. That same year the U.N. and World Health Organization called for reviewing the laws for drug possession or personal use.

Last year, the W.H.O. recommended that cannabis and THC be rescheduled from Schedule IV – akin to heroin – and added to Schedule I, while removing CBD from the schedule entirely.

End


Study: CBD Has No Impact on Driving

A study published in this month’s Journal of the American Medical Association suggests that CBD has no negative impacts on driving while moderate THC intoxication lasts about four hours. The study was led by the Lambert Initiative for Cannabinoid Therapeutics at the University of Sydney and conducted at Maastricht University in the Netherlands.

The first-of-its-kind research involved 26 participants inhaling vaporized cannabis containing different ratios of THC and CBD, then going for a 100-kilometre (~60 mile) drive under controlled conditions on public highways both 40 minutes and four hours later. CBD-rich cannabis did not impair driving while cannabis containing THC, or a THC/CBD mixture, caused mild impairment measurable at 40 minutes later but not after four hours.

Lead author Dr. Thomas Arkell said that “road safety is a primary concern” for lawmakers and stakeholders with regard to cannabis law reforms and the study results “should allow for evidence-based laws and regulation for people receiving medical cannabis.”

“With cannabis laws changing globally, jurisdictions are grappling with the issue of cannabis-impaired driving. These results provide much needed insights into the magnitude and duration of impairment caused by different types of cannabis and can help to guide road-safety policy not just in Australia but around the world.” – Arkell in a statement

The researchers employed a well-established scientific test that measures the standard deviation of vehicle position – an index of lane weaving, swerving, and overcorrecting – which increases under the influence of alcohol and drugs.

The study notes that while it “did not find statistically significant differences in driving performance during experimental on-road driving tests between CBD-dominant cannabis and placebo, the effect size may not have excluded clinically important impairment, and the doses tested may not necessarily represent common usage.”

End


Cannabis Excluded From San Francisco Apartment Smoking Ban

The San Francisco Board of Supervisors on Tuesday voted to ban tobacco smoking in apartment buildings of three of more units but did not extend the ban to cannabis, the San Francisco Chronicle reports. With the vote, the city is the largest in the country to prohibit tobacco-smoking in apartments.

Supervisor Rafael Mandelman authored the cannabis exemption amendment arguing that public cannabis use is illegal under state law and the ban would take away some citizens’ only legal place to smoke cannabis.

“Unlike tobacco smokers who could still leave their apartments to step out to the curb or smoke in other permitted outdoor smoking areas, cannabis users would have no such legal alternatives.” – Mandelman, during the meeting

Smoking cigarettes and cannabis is banned in common spaces such as stairwells and hallways under California law and many landlords completely prohibit tenants from smoking inside. The new city law makes it illegal for anyone living in a multi-unit building to smoke indoors. Similar laws are on the books in 63 other California cities.

Enforcing the law is up to the Department of Public Health, who will first try to help violators quit smoking but repeat offenders could be fined $1,000 per day. Violators may not be evicted under the ordinance.

The proposal needs to be approved a second time by the board – which passed the broad measure 10-1 and the cannabis exemption 8-3 – before moving to the mayor for final approval. The second vote is seen as a formality.

End


Illinois Launches Expungement Assistance Initiative

An initiative in Illinois dubbed the “New Leaf Illinois” aims to help people arrested for cannabis crimes get their records expunged, the Peoria Journal Star reports. The initiative is funded by the Illinois Equal Justice Foundation (IEJF), an organization that grew out of a 1999 law that distributes state funds to “legal aid” efforts by non-profits and initiatives. The group consists of 20 nonprofits who will pass out funds set aside by Illinois’ 2019 cannabis legalization law.

According to the report, low-level offenses were automatically expunged when the law was passed but a petition is required to expunge more serious cannabis offenses. Leslie Corbett, IEJF’s Executive Director, says the group started the New Leaf Initiative with $1.6 million with another $1.46 million on the way for grant programs. IEJF believes there are over 700,000 Illinoisans who qualify for both automatic and petitioned expungement.

IEJF board member Gray Matteo-Harris said during a news conference last week announcing the initiative,

“These individuals may have a criminal record that could make it harder for them to actually get a job, advance their education, or even be able to rent an apartment. If you look at the data, Black and brown people and economically disadvantaged communities were disproportionately penalized by past criminalization. The expungement process is one step toward repairing that harm for people who were previously arrested or prosecuted for something that is now legal for all of us.” — Gray Matteo-Harris, in a statement

After contacting NLI, Illinoisans accessing the program can expect to be paired with a professional who will help them complete the process. Expungements are carried out “manually,” one record at a time, by the Illinois State Patrol, who expect the process to take up to five years. These expungements are in addition to pardons began earlier this year by the Governor.

End


Fohse: LED Tech for Science-Based Cannabis Cultivation

Fohse was founded to bring the Future of Horticulture Science and Engineering to indoor cultivation through quality LED grow light systems. The company was incorporated in 2016 by CEO Brett Stevens, President Ben Arnet, and CTO Alex Gerard. Stevens and Arnet were investing in cultivation operations in Las Vegas and along the West Coast. At this time Gerard was in medical device R&D when he began developing his first LED prototype.

While working he identified large gaps between the LED technology used in horticulture and pioneering industries such as medicine. Gerard called Stevens and Arnet to pitch his LED idea, and the serendipitous call came right after the investor duo lost a $750,000 crop due to inadequate equipment. Two weeks later, they flew Gerard out and were soon building the first Fohse prototype by hand.

Once they had developed the product, the team began implementing test lighting in their cultivation spaces. These plants would outgrow their HPS lamps and would even grow towards the LEDs. Fohse started reworking and redesigning based on the results and eventually the flagship model A3i 1500-watt light was ready for market.

Photo credit: Fohse

The team’s success is largely due to their dedication to engineering the best possible product. Seasoned growers entering the commercial space are often more familiar HPS lights, which have a cheap onboarding price tag but rack up costs with yearly bulb replacements, exorbitant cooling costs, and inefficient electrical bills. The initial sticker price of LEDs can be a hurdle but there are overall benefits to making the switch. Fohse engineers products in-house to deliver the highest-quality tech possible. They looked at HPS lighting systems and realized that those setups had hit their development ceiling. The goal behind Fohse LED lights became maximizing what a cultivator could produce per square foot while bringing down overall operating costs. For that goal to be successful, a premium-level fixture is essential.

“Technology aside, it’s the results that are driving our immense success,” said Ben Arnet, President and Co-Founder. “Not just being a manufacturing partner but being a true hands-on lighting partner for our clients.”

Cultivation clients with Fohse lighting setups have seen a 40% decrease in fixtures needed to outfit the room, including HVAC systems. They also produce almost twice as much light as some competitors. Plants grow robust flowers if they’re provided the same amount of light energy provided by the sun. With the appropriate lighting plants can photosynthesize enough energy for high yields. Outdoor, summer sun puts out around 2000 Photosynthetic Photon Flux Density (PPFD) and most HPS lights don’t perform higher than 1000 PPFD. The Fohse flagship model, the A3i, can run upwards of 1500-1800 PPFD on average (getting as high as 2000) creating an artificial light that more closely resembles the sun.

Photo credit: Fohse

When onboarding a grow that has been using an HPS lighting setup, the team works side-by-side with the cultivation site to help them adjust the temperature, humidity, and anything else that helps regulate the system. This includes custom light-mapping in each grow to maximize space. In one test with a local Las Vegas client, a Fohse-engineered lighting system showed a 63% yield increase, according to the report from the cultivator. Flowers from these plants also showed a 125% THC increase and 159% increase in terpenes. The flowering phase was also 1-2 weeks shorter than plants grown with other lights.

Everyone at Fohse is dedicated to communicating with customers, solving any service fails and developing new products to serve their dedicated clients. On an install, Fohse works alongside the cultivator to build out their space. They send out a team of engineers to create custom light maps and plant physiologists to run stress tests and identify the perfect environment to maximize a specific crop. The team works cohesively to dial in every cultivation space and then provides the photons needed to increase yields.

“Fohse LED tech really allows you to run the plants more naturally and let them grow the way they want to,” said Arnet.

After the site is set up, Fohse checks in with weekly phone calls and requests photos of the plants to ensure the lighting systems are working. When a cultivation site is having an issue, the team sends experts on the same day to help correct the issue. This hands-on work alongside the growers helps to provide a more in-depth understanding of how the LED systems help plants hit peak photosynthetic rates. The Fohse team also collects data there to continue developing LED systems that shape the industry.

Photo credit: Fohse

After five years of serving commercial cultivators the brand released the Aries 640-watt light for home grows and it sold out in just three days. With that success, the home cultivation line will see prolific expansion but the team wasn’t sure how to provide the same levels of customer care at such a large scale. To ensure a hands-on experience, Fohse is partnering with respected hydro stores who will work directly with customers to support their transition to LEDs. The team is excited to get more lights into the hands of small growers and home cultivators so that they can become familiar with the technology, maximize their outputs, and maybe even expand into the commercial realm one day.

Fohse is looking to serve indoor growers outside of cannabis, as well. There is another huge opportunity for the market in greenhouse growers who don’t need such a high photon density. The team has been developing a model that is sensored to dim up and down depending on the cloud cover over the greenhouse. The Pleiades 340-watt works for floral grows, lettuce, tomatoes, microgreens, cabbage, and other large scale agriculture.

They’re also partnering with engineering firms who specialize in building houses with closed-loop systems that track every bit of data to continue providing real solutions to clients. The closed loop system also allows Fohse to utilize that data to consistently build better products.

Fohse is dedicated to maximizing their customers’ output. They accomplish their goals with a combination of expertly engineered products and exceptional customer service. The team is dedicated to the success of their clients because that shows the efficacy of their systems — and currently their clients only have stories about yield increases, lowered utilities, and positive experiences with the Fohse team. To get in touch with the team at Fohse, visit www.Fohse.com or call them at 1-888-FOHSE-77.

End


New Spectrum Labs, Only CBD Producer to Offer BioFulmate™

Reading, Pa. (December 1, 2020) – Cannabidiol oil, more commonly known as CBD oil, has become very popular for its potential to ease symptoms related to many health issues, such as acne, anxiety, depression, inflammation, pain relief, sleep disorders and many additional health-related issues. With a commitment to establishing top-notch CBD oil standards in the hemp industry, New Spectrum Labs has established a process that enables advanced, safe extraction to produce 100% full-spectrum hemp oil, free of any toxins.

New Spectrum Labs products use an advanced CO2 extraction process for superior safety and performance to provide the finest quality products available. This scientific process also pulls beneficial phytochemicals from the whole hemp plant while removing any toxins or other harmful compounds. The result is pure, 100% full-spectrum CBD oil that contains hundreds of beneficial compounds that work alone and in combination to produce an enhanced, “entourage” effect.

With 30 years of experience in the pharmaceuticals and food grade processing industries, New Spectrum Labs’ scientists utilize their expertise and understanding of natural essential oils and other natural materials to formulate the company’s wide variety of products to target specific health concerns.

“Our scientist rich industry experience enables us to deploy our knowledge of how specific compositions intertwine within the human bio-system to formulate more potent and higher-quality products,” said Ted Lavender, Co-Owner of New Spectrum Labs. “We bring particular ingredients together to create a synergetic product that enhances superior bio-absorption with New Spectrum’s BioFulmate™. Each essential oil and ingredient is carefully tested and considered for its chemical composition and potential therapeutic effects.”

The company uses CO2 sub-supercritical extraction to unlock nature’s best benefits to promote the highest level of health and wellbeing. This practice enables New Spectrum Labs to preserve as much natural and organic material as possible from the entire hemp plant.

New Spectrum Labs’ uses only its pure Full Spectrum Hemp Oil Extract that is judiciously isolated to obtain crucial cannabinoids, terpenes and other phytonutrients. The result is high-quality hemp oil rich in CBD and other antioxidants, which when combined with other beneficial parts of the hemp plant creates a powerful “Entourage Effect.”

New Spectrum Labs maintains the highest level of safety, quality management and regulatory compliance in the manufacturing of all products. Processing in New Spectrum Labs’ FDA registered facility assures quality, strength, and purity to meet or exceed customer’s expectations. New Spectrum Labs is certified as meeting or exceeding the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), Quality Management (ISO 9001), Food Safety Management Systems (FSSC 22000) and Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMP).

Currently marketed products include MIRACULO-37 – a deep hydration body lotion, a full spectrum hemp oil extract, a topical joint and muscle pain relief balm, a replenishing lip balm, and Enhanced Absorption BioFulmate™. New Spectrum Lab’s products are currently available through Good Stuff Dispensary, at goodstuffdispensary.com.

To learn more about New Spectrum Labs’ or the company’s current products, please visit NewSpectrumLabs.com.

About New Spectrum Labs
New Spectrum Labs is dedicated to providing the highest quality CBD products available. With more than 30 years of combined expertise in pharmaceuticals and food grade processing, the company develops several of the finest natural CBD products available. New Spectrum Labs uses advanced, safe, CO2 extraction to produce 100% full spectrum hemp oil, free of any toxins. The company’s products include Full Spectrum Hemp Oil Extract, Pain-Relieving Balm, Miraculo-37 (a skin recovery cream), Replenishing Lip Balm, and Bio-Fulmate™ (a nutritional supplement). The products are available online at goodstuffdispensary.com.

# # #

End


Thailand to Allow Cannabis & Hemp in Cosmetics, Food

Thailand’s government announced last week that it will allow the use of most parts of the cannabis and hemp plants in cosmetics and food, the Bangkok Post reports. The move removes cannabis and hemp leaves, branches, stems, trunks, bark, fiber, and roots from the government’s narcotic list but flower remains outlawed. Both CBD and THC extracts are limited at 0.2 percent under the reforms.

The rules – which still need final approval from the Food and Drug Administration and the public health minister – allow products from government organizations, medical and research organization, modern and traditional medical practitioners, universities, and community-based groups, for use in food and cosmetics, the report says.

Over the last year, Thailand has approved several cannabis-related reforms, including allowing health clinics to offer both cannabis and modern treatments, permitting hospitals to produce cannabis-based medicines, and approving a proposal to allow farmers, health professionals, and medical patients to cultivate, produce, and export cannabis and cannabis products. The nation also opened up cannabis cultivation to private companies following a five-year ban on the practice.

According to CTN News, Thailand is the first Southeast Asian country to legalize medical cannabis.

A 2019 Prohibition Partners report estimated that a medical cannabis market throughout Asia could be worth $5.8 billion by 2024. Medical cannabis is also legal in Pakistan and Uzbekistan while South Korea allows the use of CBD products for medical purposes.

End


Social Equity Applicants Favored for Massachusetts Cannabis Delivery Licenses

The Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission on Monday approved regulations for non-medical cannabis home delivery, including rules allowing social-equity applicants first crack at the licenses for three years, Statehouse News Service reports. However, current retail licensees contend that the regulations run afoul of the legalization law which, they say, only allows retailers to deliver to customers.

Aaron Goines, an activist and advisor to the Massachusetts Cannabis Association for Delivery who has been involved in shaping the delivery rules, told Statehouse News that, contrary to the retailers’ assertions, “that’s just not how the regulations are written.”

“Essentially, they want to own 100 percent of it or 80 percent or have as much control or influence over it as possible,” he said in the report.

In the letter to regulators on behalf of licensees, Howard Cooper, an attorney with Todd & Weld LLP, said that retail operators “will have no choice but to challenge the Commission’s Proposed Regulations in court if adopted.”

Under the rules, delivery companies would be allowed to buy products from wholesalers to resell to customers. Those so-called “warehouse” licenses are expected to begin being issued next year.

The draft regulations were approved by the CCC last month. The agency previously approved regulations for ‘courier’ delivery permits which allow drivers to pick up orders from a dispensary and deliver them to a customer for a fee. However, the state has yet to issue any final licenses to the 37 companies that have received courier certification.

End


Guam Regulators At Odds with Tourism Officials Over Cannabis Ads & Sales

Guam cannabis regulators are at odds with tourism officials over industry advertising and product sales in Tumon – one of the U.S. territory’s premier vacation hotspots – in an effort to protect its family-friendly image, the Guam Daily Post reports.

Guam legalized cannabis use and possession for adults 21-and-older in April 2019. Regulations allowing sales are still being devised.

Cannabis Control Board member Adrian Cruz said the district already has strip clubs, bars, and massage parlors and that tourism officials don’t complain about those businesses.

“You know the smell to me of hypocrisy is stronger than the waft of cannabis in the air. …  This pandemic really can show us that we need to diversify…If we don’t evolve, we will perish to our own demise and we have to compete with lots of places in our area with nice beaches and nice things to offer, that are all family-friendly.” – Cruz during a CCC meeting on Monday via the Daily Post

In a formal comment on the rules, GVB Chairman P. Sonny Ada noted that Guam’s main tourism markets are Japan and Korea and that both nations are very conservative on cannabis and punish citizens harshly for cannabis-related crimes. The agency wants public cannabis consumption banned and opposes “the advertising and sales of cannabis in the Tumon tourist district.”

“From beaches, parks, sidewalks, bus stops and even hotel rooms, we need to ensure that our visitors and local families are not exposed in any way to unwanted cannabis effects that may disturb their experience of our island destination,” Ada wrote in the comment.

Therese Arriola, a member of the CCC, the Guam Visitors Bureau, and director of the Behavioral Health and Wellness Center, said tourism officials simply wanted their position on the record.

End


New Jersey Prosecutors Told to ‘Seek Adjournment’ for Low-Level Cannabis Cases

New Jersey Attorney General Gurbir Grewal last week directed all prosecutors to hold off on trying low-level cannabis crimes as lawmakers work on the language of a legalization measure, the Philadelphia Inquirer reports.

“All New Jersey municipal, county, and state prosecutors are instructed to seek an adjournment, until at least Jan. 25, 2021. … “Fairness and justice require that we, as prosecutors, not move forward with charges that the Legislature may foreclose in the near future. We will provide more comprehensive guidance, including direction on handling of previously adjudicated matters, when the Legislature provides details of the framework for marijuana decriminalization and the legalization of adult-use cannabis.” – Grewal in the guidance via the Inquirer

The guidance does not include driving under the influence and stops short of prohibiting arrests. In a statement following voters’ approval of the measure on Election Day, Grewal indicated that “all of the State’s criminal laws relating to marijuana continue to apply, until, among other things, the Legislature enacts a law creating that regulatory framework.”

“It is important that residents accurately understand the current situation, so they do not inadvertently engage in criminal conduct relating to marijuana – conduct that may be legal in the future once the Legislature acts, but is not presently legal based on yesterday’s vote,” he said in the November 5 statement.

Lawmakers recently tabled the legalization legislation until December 7 as the Assembly and Senate have been unable to agree on how many adult-use dispensaries would be allowed to operate; the Senate appears to favor no limits, while the Assembly favors 37, the report says. Another legalization bill was rejected after an amendment to decriminalize psilocybin was attached to it.

The Legislature has until January 1 to create the framework for the industry before the amendment takes effect.

End


New York Nursery Suing Sheriff Over Destroyed Hemp Plants

A South Glens Falls, New York plant nursery is suing the Washington County sheriff after deputies destroyed more than 250 licensed industrial hemp research plants last October, the Daily Gazette reports. In the lawsuit, the plaintiffs claim Fourth Amendment violations – unlawful search and seizure – due process violations, negligence, and infliction of emotional distress.

Toadflax Nursery, Z&M Farm and Richard W. Morris Jr., the managing member of both entities, are named as plaintiffs in the lawsuit. Z&M is described as the owner of the property, the report says. Toadflax has been licensed by the state Agriculture Department to cultivate hemp since May 2019.

According to the lawsuit outlined by the Gazette, on Oct. 1, 2019, Washington County Sheriff’s deputies spotted a group of people and a vehicle leaving the property at about 9 p.m. The officers stopped the car and noticed a pile of plants laying on the side of the road. After about an hour of roadside interviews, the deputies began uprooting hemp plants in the field.

The lawsuit points out that the plants had the tags required by New York state law which include license and business information and the plant’s strain. The plaintiffs also note that the cultivators followed “sound practices” for growing the crop – including positioning them out of public view  – as hemp plants are sometimes mistaken for THC-rich cannabis and targeted by thieves.

The lawsuit names the county, Sheriff Jeffrey J. Murphy, and several department employees as defendants.

End


Virginia Considering Social Equity Options Ahead of Legalization

Following Gov. Ralph Northam’s announcement that he supports legalizing adult-use cannabis, Virginians are beginning to look at what to do with the expected budgetary windfall and social equity concerns are at the top of many Virginian’s minds.

The governor’s announcement came after the Joint Legislative Audit & Review Commission (JLARC) found that legalizing cannabis in Virginia could bring up to three-hundred million of tax revenue by the fifth year of sales. In addition, the report found that between 2010 and 2019, Black Virginians — at a rate of 6.3 per 1,000— were 3.5 times more likely to get arrested for cannabis possession than white Virginians. Such statistics also carry over to other cannabis crimes like distribution.

The JLARC report says social equity in Virginia should include community reinvestment, business assistance programs and foster entrepreneurship and job training in the cannabis industry. However, some Virginians want social equity to go further than what the report offers.

Lee J. Carter, a self-described “socialist” Virginia Delegate and prospective candidate for governor, told WRIC why the state’s social equity efforts are essential.

“Throughout history, there has always been a class of people, largely defined by race, put in an economic disadvantage. If we want an equal society, we have to act to bring those people where they would have been if those disadvantages didn’t exist.” — Carter, via WRIC

Del. Carter prefers an overarching reparations plan as opposed to plans that only focus on one aspect of social equity, such as education or job training. “This isn’t just a single thing, so the solution can’t be,” he told WRIC.

Chelsea Higgs Wise, executive director of Marijuana Justice and someone whose family has suffered under cannabis prohibition in Virginia, has similar views. “Our platform is really to be a line of defense between Black communities as we legalize marijuana,” Wise told The Washington Post. “I’ve been a child watching my family just having to struggle with housing, employment. My siblings and I are first-generation college students trying to do better for our own legacy and family legacy.

“It looks like legalization is more on the minds of people but I will tell you that folks are looking at marijuana legalization as a way to fill gaps within our budget rather than really working to divert the revenue of cannabis that will be coming back into the communities that truly deserve it,” she said.

 

End


How to Establish an SEO Strategy for Your Cannabis Dispensary

No matter how popular and essential cannabis is, succeeding as a cannabis operator is never easy. Because most traditional marketing options are not available to the cannabis industry, every cannabis business needs a comprehensive SEO (search engine optimization) strategy. In the era of Covid-19, digital marketing has become even more important — since search engines still drive most traffic on the internet, SEO will remain one of the major marketing trends in 2021. If you’re not already familiar, search engine optimization is the process of growing the quality and quantity of website traffic by increasing the visibility of a website/webpage on platforms like Google and Bing.

To get found online, every cannabis dispensary should have an SEO strategy at the top of their content creation plans; when implemented correctly, it will help your website rank above competitors for relevant local search phrases at all stages of the customer journey. It will also help to ensure that if people are searching for you specifically, your website will show up first on the list (and not your competitors).

Before you begin working on SEO, however, you will need to establish a website with a design that is modern, that works well on any screen size, and that has original content to describe your business and products. Google and other search engines are increasingly prioritizing website loading speed and mobile-friendliness, so be sure to work with a web developer who builds with these goals in mind.

5 must-haves for a cannabis dispensary SEO strategy

1. When it Comes to Backlinks, Think Quality, Not Quantity
One of the most common mistakes made in the name of search engine optimization is to purchase backlinks from other websites, or to sign up for free back-linking. Unfortunately, this approach can actually harm your search performance, because search engines care much more about the context and meaning of a backlink than they do about the number of backlinks pointing to a particular page. It’s much better to reach out selectively to organizations that you partner with to discuss a link trade, or to pursue other organic link-building strategies, like submitting articles to your local online news outlets or getting featured in a cannabis industry blog.

2. Your Website Content Should Be More Than a List of Products
The purpose of search engines is to help the searcher find the most valuable content related to their search. Search engines tend to reward sites that provide well-written, in-depth content to their readers. To this end, it can be beneficial to publish educational / informational articles about cannabis on your website in the form of a blog. In addition to helping with your search performance, this can also benefit your relationship with consumers by showing them that you are knowledgeable, approachable, and committed to providing great products.

3. Voice Search Optimization is Worth Considering
2021 could be the year of voice search, as consumers are steadily moving from texting/typing to audio/voice when they interact with their devices. Voice search optimization has already grown popular in recent years; people are speaking into their watches, interacting, and getting voice responses from their phones. According to Gartner (a global research and advisory firm), 32% of consumers want hands-free technology that would limit touching and allow them to multi-task. For your SEO strategy, it’s important to remember that voice searches will be different than the searches submitted by text in terms of how they are phrased. For example; typing into Google may look like this: “Dispensaries in Seattle WA.” A voice search may be more specific, like this: “What is the closest cannabis dispensary with high-CBD strains?” By including rich content and long-tail keywords in your website, you may be able to capture more of the voice search traffic in your area.

The advent of new technologies, such as smartwatches and voice search options, have made modern SEO strategies even more important for cannabis companies.

4. Page Experience Matters
User experience will be a major focus for Google in 2021. Page experience is a new ranking algorithm that is designed to judge web pages based on how visitors perceive the experience of interacting with the web page. For example, if Google thinks the website visitors will have a bad experience on the website pages, measured by a new set of metrics called Core Web Values, Google may not rank those pages as high as they might be now. To make sure that your website is up to Google’s new standards, make sure you work with a web developer who truly understands their recommendations and has a plan to implement them.

5. For An Enhanced Competitive Edge, Implement Structured Data
Structured data has been becoming more popular throughout the internet in recent years. The purpose of structured data is to help Google and other search engines better parse the content on websites, by labeling specific types of content (such as blog articles, product reviews, event listings, etc) with specific “meta” values that are only visible to search engines. If you already have invested in content and website optimization and you’re still trailing your local competitors in search results (or if you want to maintain your current position at the front of the pack), working with a specialist to implement structured data into your website can be a way to show Google that you’re willing to go the extra mile.

Final Thoughts

In the new world of digital marketing, your SEO strategy should evolve with the times. By tracking your progress over time you will be able to see what works and what doesn’t, and adapt your focus accordingly. To stay on the cutting edge, it is helpful to be obsessed with data — in addition to free platforms like Google Analytics and Google Search Console, you might want to look into other platforms that can help you understand your search footprint, audit your backlink profile, and identify opportunities for improvement.

End


South Dakota Police Officers Challenge Constitutionality of Legalization Measure

Two South Dakota law enforcement officers have filed a lawsuit challenging the voter-approved cannabis legalization initiative claiming the amendment violates the state constitution because the question encompassed more than one subject, the Argus Leader reports. Voters approved the limitation to ballot questions in 2018.

The lawsuit, brought by Pennington County Sheriff Kevin Thom and South Dakota Highway Patrol Superintendent Rick Miller, also argues that because the measure adds a new section to the constitution, it should be considered a revision and, therefore, can only be added through a state convention, which has not been done since statehood, the report says.

Republican Gov. Kristi Noem, who opposes legalization, said in a statement that she looks forward “to the court addressing the serious constitutional concerns” of the initiative. Noem approved funds for Miller’s legal fees last week, according to the Rapid City Journal. Thom’s fees are not being paid by the state.

In a statement, South Dakotan’s For Better Marijuana Laws – the group behind the measure – said they are “prepared to defend” the legal challenge, asserting that it was “carefully drafted, fully vetted, and approved by a strong majority of South Dakota voters this year.”

The measure was approved by 54 percent of voters earlier this month, including 59 percent of voters in Pennington County.

The advocates also contend that the lawsuit was “filed incorrectly under South Dakota law as a ‘contest’ to an election,” according to the Rapid City Journal report.

“However, the complaint has nothing to do with the manner in which the election was conducted and only relates to the text of Amendment A,” the group said.

This is the first voter-approved initiative in South Dakota to be challenged following the 2018 initiative question reforms.

End


Tim Fair: Vermont’s Path to an Adult-Use Cannabis Market

Vermont was the first state to legalize cannabis without relying on the ballot initiative process. The landmark bill, however, stopped short of establishing a regulated adult-use marketplace in the state, which has led to a lot of consumer confusion and resulted in a bustling cannabis gray market.

In this podcast interview, Vermont Cannabis Solutions founder Tim Fair joins our host TG Branfalt to discuss prospects for a future Vermont cannabis marketplace, the state of its medical cannabis and hemp CBD industries, the meddling of federal law enforcement agencies in local cannabis issues, and more.

You can listen to the interview below or through your favorite podcast platform, or scroll further down to read a full transcript of this week’s episode of the Ganjapreneur.com podcast.


Listen to the podcast:


Read the transcript:

Commercial: At Ganjapreneur, We have heard from dozens of cannabis business owners who have encountered the issue of canna-bias, which is when a mainstream business, whether a landlord, bank, or some other provider of vital business services refuses to do business with them simply because of their association with cannabis. We have even heard stories of businesses being unable to provide health and life insurance for their employees because the insurance providers were too afraid to work with them. We believe that this fear is totally unreasonable and that cannabis business owners deserve access to the same services and resources that other businesses are afforded, that they should be able to hire consultation to help them follow the letter of the law in their business endeavors, and that they should be able to provide employee benefits without needing to compromise on the quality of coverage they can offer. This is why we created the ganjapreneur.com business service directory, a resource for cannabis professionals to find and connect with service providers who are cannabis friendly and who are actively seeking cannabis industry clients.

If you are considering hiring a business consultant, lawyer, accountant, web designer, or any other ancillary service for your business, go to Ganjapreneur.com/businesses to browse hundreds of agencies, firms, and organizations who support cannabis legalization and who want to help you grow your business. With so many options to choose from in each service category, you will be able to browse company profiles and do research on multiple companies in advance. So you can find the provider who is the best fit for your particular need. Our business service directory is intended to be a useful and well-maintained resource, which is why we individually vet each listing that is submitted. If you are a business service provider who wants to work with cannabis clients, you may be a good fit for our service directory.

Go to Ganjapreneur.com/businesses to create your profile and start connecting with cannabis entrepreneurs today.

TG Branfalt: Hey, there, I’m your host TG Branfalt and thank you for listening to the ganjapreneur.com podcast, where we try to bring you actionable information and normalize cannabis through the stories of Ganjapreneurs, activists, and industry stakeholders. Today, I’m joined by Tim Fare. He’s a friend of mine, a friend of the show now. It’s his second appearance. He’s a Vermont based attorney and founder of Vermont Cannabis Solutions. He advises canna-businesses in the state and also defends individuals accused of cannabis-related criminal offenses. How you doing man?

Tim Fair: Doing great. TG, thanks so much for having me on.

TG Branfalt: No, it’s always a pleasure to see you. You’re still in Burlington, while I have absconded deeper into the mountains. So we don’t get to talk or see each other that much anymore, but it’s great to have you on. We have a lot to talk about there’s a lot going on in Vermont, and you’ve done a lot since legalization. The gray market legalization has occurred in Vermont, but before we get into all that sort of stuff, remind people about your background and how you ended up in the space.

Tim Fair: Well, I graduated from law school in 2012, went into criminal defense. And prior to that, kind of my previous incarnation, I was pretty strongly into advocacy for drug policy reform. This is something that has always been a passion of mine ever since college back when I was 18 years old and attempted unsuccessfully to form a chapter of NORML at my community college in Long Island. This is something that I’m just been passionate about. I felt that the United States drug policy has been wrong. Viewing drug use and addiction as a criminal behavior, as opposed to a health concern. This to me just never died. And once I have the opportunity to go to law school and graduate and become an attorney, this was something I’ve had a passion for. So after a few years of learning the ropes, I made the decision to transfer to an area that I felt I could actually have an impact in terms of a … drug policy.

TG Branfalt: So I think the last time that we spoke, legalization was either on the verge or had just passed, but there was no implemented recreational market as you know, and most of our listeners know. And so what is your role been post-legalization in Vermont as it relates to advising businesses?

Tim Fair: Well, you’re exactly right. We passed legalization in 2018 here in Vermont and we legalized our possession of up to an ounce. We legalized home grow of up to the six plants to mature for immature. However, what we didn’t do was legalize any sort of tax and regulated system. So it’s legal to possess. It’s legal to consume. It’s legal to grow a little bit. It is not legal to buy or sell cannabis anywhere here in the state of Vermont. So over the past two years, we have been focusing on kind of two prongs, A developing of our hemp and CBD industry, which we have a thriving industry here in Vermont, thanks to so really great regulation from our department of agriculture, who really supports the industry while at the same time, trying to move forward a tax regulated bill so we can get the commercial marketplace here and that’s posed, of course, its own unique challenges.

TG Branfalt: Well, so let me stop you right there real quick. Just yesterday it came up in a committee, am I correct? And there’s still a pretty big gap there between… What’s the holdup right now?

Tim Fair: Lots. COVID, for one, and we just still don’t have a reconciled bill. There’s still a lot of resistance within our legislature. The speaker of the house, Mitzi Johnson, who happens to be a Democrat has never been on board with cannabis. She doesn’t like it. She’s never liked it. She doesn’t try to hide that she doesn’t like it. And she has really been a roadblock in getting this moved in a quick fashion, but we are seeing movement, basically this conference committee, which the job of this committee is to reconcile the Senate version and the House version of our tax and reg bill, which have very, very different provisions in them, to come up with one final bill, which would then get submitted to the governor. This committee was formed on March 13th, our legislature shut down to COVID on March 15th.

So there was some questions if they would ever have a chance to convene. Yesterday, they convened for the first time. They spent about three hours kind of discussing where the Senate was, where the House was, determined that there were some very big gaps in what they wanted to see, but the movement of just the committee meeting and starting to just work. That was probably the most positive sign we’ve seen in awhile. Two weeks ago. I would’ve said this bill is dead in the water. Now I would say, it’s not dead. It’s still in the water, but we at least see some signs of life.

TG Branfalt: Did lawmakers say anything to the effect during that committee meeting that the state was facing any sort of financial deficits from COVID, which most States are, especially, smaller rural States? Is that part of the impetus or is it just sort of trying to finally let the horse out of the gate?

Tim Fair: I think a little bit of both. The problem is that the state received from their tax department, a estimation of revenue from this bill, which in my opinion, was massively underestimated.

TG Branfalt: What was that? What was that?

Tim Fair: Massively underestimated.

TG Branfalt: What was the figure?

Tim Fair: They anticipate that it’ll take four years before we see any sort of return on the initial investment to get the program started? And they’re saying the amounts will be in one to two million in tax revenue a year based on 20 to 30 million of sales a year.

TG Branfalt: Meanwhile, just to sort of cut you off real quick. Meanwhile, Massachusetts is raking money from New Yorkers, people from New Jersey. So you’d wager to guess that that same sort of influx of out-of-state customers would be coming to Vermont.

Tim Fair: They extrapolate it out from Oregon sales based on one year and then factored in the population change, and taking it to none of the considerations that Oregon and Vermont are very different places.

TG Branfalt: Well, Washington is right there. There’s legalization and…

Tim Fair: Right. But unfortunately a lot of the legislators are using that base. So they don’t yet believe that there’s going to be the income that we believe there will be from this. But there is a strong understanding that the status quo just simply can’t exist. Again, we have this kind of very, very, very loose legalization law that leaves all a lot to be interpreted, a lot that is just not addressed, not answered. They talk about you can have an ounce of flower or five grams of hashish, nothing about concentrates, nothing about that. So what does that mean? Hash? We’re guessing it is, but there’s just a lot that is very unclear, which has made moving forward with our industry very difficult for entrepreneurs and small businesses.

TG Branfalt: So let’s talk a little bit about some of the sort of strangeness of the setup that you guys have there, you described the cannabis laws earlier. So criminally, what charges have you been hired to defend? Well, you have possession of an ounce. You can grow six plants. So you know what charges are state, local law enforcement officials are bringing against people under this regime?

Tim Fair: So it really is interesting. I don’t want to get too much into the weeds, but Vermont has 14 counties. Each County has its own elected state’s attorney. So you have 14 separate States attorneys, who have an unbelievable amount of autonomy to pursue the agendas that they feel are most important. So in certain counties, such as Chittenden here in Burlington, we’re not seeing a whole lot of state prosecutions for cannabis. In other counties with different minded States attorneys we are. So in the last year, just since legalization, I’ve had to defend a husband and wife, husband is a medical marijuana patient and veteran, Navy veteran with diagnosed PTSD and a hemp cultivator who was charged with felony cultivation for cultivating three, what the state police call mature plants, one plant over their limit, which technically isn’t even a felony. Yet him, and his wife, who nothing at all to do with his grow operation, were both charged with felony counts.

We had a great resolution on that. We ended up after quite a bit of back and forth getting the state’s attorney’s office to drop those charges, but not without a lot of work to get put in to convince them to do so. We’ve seen CBD oil manufacturers being arrested when law enforcement believes that what they’re putting together is illegal. There’s a lot of, I’m not going to say it’s intentional, ignorance on the part of law enforcement, but there was a lack of really a full understanding of the differences between hemp and marijuana, CBD and THC. There’s still a huge learning curve. And a lot of this law enforcement will just go in, proverbial guns ablazing. And that’s what we’re still dealing with because in this lack of regulation, there are so many open questions that it makes it very difficult for anybody to be operating on the right side of the law because some simply don’t know what the right side of the law is in a lot of occasions.

TG Branfalt: Well, so in one of the cases that sort of a, I don’t want to say it drew sort of national attention, but it did — there was so many moving parts — and it involved federal law enforcement officials. Am I correct?

Tim Fair: Absolutely.

TG Branfalt: We were talking about the case of a guy named Big John, well-known in the community has a skate shop. I don’t know if he ran for mayor, but people really want him to be made with sort of some of the graffiti you’ve seen, stuff like that. So tell us about that case, how the feds got involved. And it’s a really interesting case. There’s a lot of moving parts and the resolution you got was… I mean, goddamn. So just walk us through that, man.

Tim Fair: Okay. There are a lot of moving parts and I think before we can just jump right into it and kind of need to set the stage a little bit and understand the context of which this happened. John has run Riding High, which is a local skate shop, for the last almost 20 years. He’s amazing, and he has worked with now two generations of kids learning to skate. This has been a passion of his, but John’s their pro skater. He took a nasty, nasty fall, suffered a pretty significant TBI about a decade back, recovered, came back, stuck with it. He’s a great guy, and he happens to be a very strong advocate for cannabis. He believes it’s a healing flower. He believes that it helped him recover from his accident.

And he believes in the positive aspects of cannabis. He makes no hint of how, which unfortunately has resulted in quite a few run ins with law enforcement over the years, where one occasion police came into investigate the reports of a grow as there’s they’re in what as big John do? Big John pulls out of joint lights it up. They’re like, “Big John, you can’t do that.” Like, “Why, it’s my healing medicine.” And John, he wears his heart on his sleeve. He’s an amazing guy. So unfortunately this has created quite a record building up on him. Now, flash forward to 2018, where here in Burlington, legalization has passed and there was an incident with a retailer, not Big John, but another retailer up on Church Street, which is the main tourist drag of Burlington, an open-air pedestrian walkway with shops, decided to start selling amongst other things, marijuana, edibles, allegedly some other substances as well out of his shop on Church Street, directly across from city hall.

And this went on for quite a few months and it pissed a lot of people off. The state didn’t seem to be interested in prosecuting, and we can talk about why that is, but lo and behold, the state did not. And eventually the feds just decided they’d had enough. This was blatant. This was well-known. There were lines right out the door. It was under aged children were having access, no ID. There were reports of firearms being involved, and this was a mess. I don’t think anybody should ever be arrested for marijuana. This was a lot harder than that. So after that there was kind of a shock amongst the town like, Oh my God, this was going on. And it was at that time that I do believe roughly that the feds also began investigating Big John. Now Big John’s shop, Riding High, completely different part of town, down on Battery Street.

The allegations were that he was selling some cannabis out of his store as well. The fact showed that there was ID, there was never any sales to minors. There was never any firearms involved. There was never any other type of substances involved, but the feds decided to begin an investigation and conducted a 16-month investigation into Big John.

TG Branfalt: That’s a hell of a use of federal funds.

Tim Fair: Six undercover buys. You know what the largest buyer was? $40. $40 worth of marijuana was their big bust, several $20 sales. I believe it was a $30 somewhere. After 16 months, 6-7 undercover sales. God only knows how much surveillance time. Yep. A raid a Big John’s house, his business, his property up in upstate New York, and him on his longtime partner, Samantha, were both arrested by federal agents and charged with multiple felonies for a case that honestly, even in 10 years, the feds should never be involved in this. Never.

TG Branfalt: This is DEA?

Tim Fair: This was Northern Vermont drug task force.

So a combination of DEA and local, deputized law enforcement. So yeah, that’s in the middle of an opiod epidemic, in the middle of some really serious issues. This is how the US attorney’s office in Vermont chose to utilize limited resources. And the reality is that unfortunately, we were able to keep Samantha, who was charged with both conspiracy and production, possession of edibles, she started a CBD edible company. There are a couple emails that they claimed were THC. We kept her out. John ended up having spent eight months in pre-trial detention. If it wasn’t for COVID, he may not have gotten out. His was represented by my old mentor, my former boss, Paul Balk, incredible defense attorney. The two of us worked together. I represented Samantha. He was able to get John released on a COVID concern. And when we finally went to sentencing, we were able to get probation for both Big John moving forward, and Samantha, no additional jail time for John, which was an incredible outcome.

I do wonder if not for COVID, that we would have gotten that resolution, but we did. And in a way we hope that after a 16 month investigation, after the tens, maybe hundreds of thousands of dollars spent on this investigation to end up with two probation sentences. Maybe this might show the US attorney’s office that their resources would be spent in a different area. But it really does show that at this point in time, anybody is fair game. And one of the things we’ve seen as a result of this kind of half legalization measure here in Vermont is an explosion of the black and gray markets. Some people going into business, trying to be on the right side of the law. And then some people go into business with no interest of being on the right side of the law, just taking advantage of the opportunities that they see and this half-assed legalization.

TG Branfalt: So with the big John Case, do you think that this would sort of have any impact on how officials may go forward with investigations and things because of the outcome that you were able to get? These guys doing probation, they didn’t get a bigger fish out of all this, right? The result isn’t really sending a message to other people, right? Probation for many people may be worth the risk. What do you think about that?

Tim Fair: Absolutely. That is the hope. If there’s any silver lining to this type of situation, if there’s any good that can come from the unbelievable disruption and impact on John and Samantha’s lives, the unnecessary, unwarranted intrusion and impact on their lives, which was significant and substantial. If any good can come of this, it’s a hope that the prosecutors, the powers that be will look and see and go, “Wow, we spent a lot of resources. We spent a lot of money a lot of time, and this is what the end result was. Did we prove our case? Yes. Did they plead guilty to selling some small amounts of marijuana to adults? Yes. Great. Was that worth it?” Interesting, going back about a decade, decade and a half, if you remember operation Pipe dreams, the FBI spent the single most ridiculous use of money over a million dollars to prosecute Tommy Chong.

TG Branfalt: Well, I was working in the paraphernalia industry when that happened, and the simple fact that it sort of led to nobody being able to say the word bong. It’s ridiculous.

Tim Fair: True, but it also led to a stopping of those type of prosecutions.

TG Branfalt: That’s true.

Tim Fair: Because the amount of resources that were spent for the result, putting Tommy Chung in jail for a while a month or two, and over a million dollars on that particular investigation. So in a parallel, we’re hoping that that will be kind of this, whether it was 50,000 whether it was 100,000, we don’t know how much they spent over 16 months. But with seven buys, with the overtime hours, with the surveillance, it was significant for what ultimately ends up being two probation sentences. The powers that be, hopefully a little bit of common sense would say, “You know what, maybe our resources are better spent somewhere else.” That’s the hope. We have yet to the wait and see what happens. One of the things, however, that the chief justice, the judge, in this case, who was the district of Vermont chief federal judge, one of the things she said was this type of behavior was not legal under state law.

So I don’t want to hear that, and it wasn’t legal under federal law, but she made a point of emphasizing the fact that sales of marijuana still are not legal in the state of Vermont as justification for the investigation and for the prosecution. So this is, again, if we could legalize, if we could establish a taxed and regulated system, now people have a very clear line. They know what they can do and know what they can’t do. And entrepreneurs and business people like John and Samantha would have a route to be able to apply, receive, and get an adult-use dispensary license.

TG Branfalt: Well, is this the biggest issue facing current Vermont, legal operators, right? People who are operating in the hemp and CBD industry. Is this gray market even though it doesn’t really impact them legally because they’re operating within the confines of both federal and state law, is this still the biggest issue facing current Vermont operators? Or is there sort of something else that may be more of a factor, I guess?

Tim Fair: For right now, there is a pretty big distinction between our hemp and CBD industries and the potential adult use industry, and the hemp and CBD industries have their own issues. Most of those on the federal level. And that is the USDA regulations coming out, being just simply unworkable, they had put forth that there needs to be a 0.3% total THC threshold for hemp, which would include THCA. And don’t want to get too much into the weeds on this, but basically putting forth a regulatory scheme that is unworkable for any hemp farmers.

TG Branfalt: Well, didn’t Vermont propose a 1% limit on THC to be considered industrial hemp?

Tim Fair: Yes. And that is under the pilot program are currently operating for this year. Unfortunately, the authorization for that pilot program runs up October 31st. So that will be good for this season. And for everything harvested this season. A big question, and a lot of concern is what happens next season? Will USDA change this or not? Because again, our authorization to act under our 2014 pilot program ends on the 31st. Vermont is a very strong advocate of the 1% total THC standard, which I think is still ridiculously low. However, it is workable. That can be met. A 0.3 on total, it’s ridiculous.

You’ll have to burn every crop. So that’s kind of the big thing right now on the implementation of these USDA regulations, sampling, lab results, not having a robust laboratory system yet, not having any clear standardization for testing. Do we test wet, do we test dry? What’s 0.3? There’s still a lot of open questions within the hemp and CBD realm. So those are kind of separate from our adult use. And frankly, it’s interesting because the hemp and the CBD are looking more at the federal side, the USDA, because there have been regulations at the federal level, while our adult use industry is looking solely at state law, obviously because we have seen no federal motion there.

TG Branfalt: How tough has the last couple of years been for you as an attorney having to figure all this shit out as it comes along?

Tim Fair: I love it. It’s interesting. It’s challenging. Learning this stuff is not the bad part. I love that. Especially at least with tax and reg here in Vermont, the challenges are significant in terms of A, we’ve got 60% approval, but that leaves about 40% who are still opposed. So we have a very strong prohibitionist contingent here in Vermont, more than most people would think. And there’s also internal conflict within the community about S.54 in particular and our tax and regulated bill. There are a lot of cultivators who are very against any sort of regulatory scheme in this bill as well, for some, for very valid reasons and others for some misinterpreted reasons. So it’s kind of fighting a two-front war. We’re trying to explain and deal with the prohibitionists while at the same time, almost having a civil war within the own cannabis community about whether or not tax and regulate as it’s currently proposed is going to be good for the state. So that’s …

TG Branfalt: Do you mind telling me where you stand on it? Do you want to…

Tim Fair: So, as you may or may not know, Vermont was the first to pass legalization, legislatively. Since then, Illinois did as well, different set up than we have here. We didn’t get to do it by ballot initiative. We don’t have the option for ballot initiative. So as a part of any legislative solution, any laws that get passed in a legislative fashion requires compromise. I understand that, I do, there are going to be provisions that we’re going to have to hold our noses and accept in order to get it across the finish line. At which point, once we establish a cannabis control board, now we can start petitioning to try to make the changes that we need to. That is what I do believe needs to happen if we’re ever going to get it over the finish line. However, there is a strong contingent that says, no, we can’t fix it later.

We need to fix it first and pass a better bill. In an ideal world, yes. Is that legislatively going to work? It’s simply not. We have 40% of prohibitionists and in order to get the votes needed again, this is the legislative process and it’s not always great. And sometimes the compromises are not what we would ideally make, but I’ve also been working on this for almost four years. We really started trying to get a taxed and regulated system moved in 2016 for decriminalization. It took from 2016 to now to get a bill. If this bill does not pass, as many people want to kill the bill, we are looking at potentially two, three, maybe four years before we get another one.

TG Branfalt: Well, so in this upcoming election, it’s sort of a big deal for cannabis advocates in Vermont because it appears that Lieutenant Governor David Zuckerman is poised to challenge Phil Scott, a Republican. And anyone who has met Zuckerman knows that he is supportive of legalized cannabis, and he’s an agriculture guy, right? So if this doesn’t pass, wouldn’t the potential election of Zuckerman sort of break that stalemate?

Tim Fair: Well, we have to remember, the executive branch, the governor, we had the legislative branch is passing the laws. Will there be a stronger push from the executive branch and the governor’s office to get something done if David gets elected? Absolutely. Would it be beneficial to getting this done quicker? Absolutely. That is an uphill climb, unfortunately. I know David very well. I would consider him a personal friend. We’ve been friends for quite some time. I’ve supported him in his elections. I’ve turned on phone banking for him when he was running for Lieutenant governor. He’s a great guy. He’s an organic farmer. He is just the right values. But the reality is that Phil Scott, who is a Republican, is a very centralized Republican. He has disavowed Trump, and he has about an 83%, I believe right now, approval rating in how he’s handled the COVID pandemic.

TG Branfalt: 83%?

Tim Fair: 83%, he’s done a good job.

David needs to frame this election properly if he has a chance. And that is yes, Phil Scott’s done a good job and he’s done what any rational sane governor would do, which is listen to the scientists and implement what his department of health is telling him is the safest bet. With Republicans these days, that is incredible in and of itself to run the sentence, but not as anything special as anything that any rational person would do and frame the election is looking into the future.

Okay. Yes, Phil Scott has done a good job. Now, what he has not done is propose or come up or plan for how we are going to recover from this pandemic and from the impact that it’s had. And if David can frame it like that, not looking at the present, but looking into the future, putting forth a strategic plan of which cannabis legalization tax and regularization would be a central part of, I think it has a chance. But of course with everything going on right now, nobody has ever seen anything like this before with what we see in Washington, combined with the pandemic, combined with a uncertainty about what the next 90 days is going to bring between now and the election. I think there’s a lot of variables. And it’s really hard to predict, I think, much harder than in previous elections.

TG Branfalt: How did the local CBD businesses fair during the pandemic that did you guys see a whole lot get sort of shut down or decide to close their doors for good? What’d you see on the ground?

Tim Fair: We have seen a handful of brick and mortar shops closed down for good. Three-month shut down was incredibly detrimental to a lot of businesses. Most of the CBD shops here in Vermont had just sprung up within the last year.

TG Branfalt: Were they considered essential businesses during the shutdown?

Tim Fair: No. So medical cannabis dispensaries were, but CBD stores were not. So there was the brick and mortar shut down. And even now that Vermont is pretty much moved along with our reopening, brick and mortar retail is still taking a huge hit. One of the biggest group of customers for retail here in Vermont are Canadians, a lot of Quebecois and Canadian tourists would come down here to spend quite a bit of money. I would estimate close to a billion dollars a year from Canadian tourists. And of course the border has been shut. So that’s a huge percentage of revenue that has just been completely shut off, has not yet returned. And a lot of people are very skeptical about returning into a brick and mortar shops. So retail in general is taking a huge hit and especially some of the newer CBD stores too have taken a pretty big hit. The people who are doing alright are the ones manufacturing products and doing online sales. Those have seen, if anything an increase.

TG Branfalt: We’ve covered quite a bit of ground here, man. And like we’ve sort of talked about, the last couple of years, you’ve been learning all these new rules, regulations, laws, helping both businesses and individuals in criminal cases, advising businesses, and defending individuals. So right now when it comes to entrepreneurs, what’s your advice for them when it comes to sort of navigating an entirely new set of rules and operations?

Tim Fair: A, have a game plan, a solid game plan. Know why you’re getting into the industry, know what you want to accomplish and then be willing to pivot on a dime. Those are kind of the main rules right now. The successful businesses we’ve seen have had a good understanding of the regulatory framework, know what they can and cannot do and have operated within that framework. Though, businesses we’ve seen that have not been that successful are the ones, well, we’re just going to wing it and see what happens.

Certain cases, I guess that would be a good plan. In this particular industry, it’s just not right now. And an understanding that there are still a lot of unknowns, understanding of the federal/state conflict, which has created a lot of problems for hemp, CBD, and medical and adult use just straight across the industry, understand 280E, understand the legislative process and that things may not work. These are understandings that if people have and people are willing to listen and learn and incorporate into their business plan. And that brings success. Anything else? People lost a lot of money last year like you know, the hemp industry here in Vermont because they didn’t plan.

TG Branfalt: Yeah. And it was sad to see because it was such a robust industry. Everyone was really, really excited about hemp. And then, even in upstate New York and then the bottom sort of fell out. A, Lack of processing and demand and that sort of thing. And that’s a conversation for another time. So where can people find out more about you more about Vermont Cannabis Solutions, get in touch with you?

Tim Fair: Well, my partner, Andrew Subin, and I will be presenting it in NECANN, New England online cannabis conference, coming up next month, which we’re very excited about. You can find us at www.vermontcannabissolutions.com. And other than that, give us a call. 802-504-weed. We love talking about this all day.

TG Branfalt: Wait, wait, wait. What’d you say the number was?

Tim Fair: Our number. 802-540-weed, 9333. I know. We were really excited when they got us that number too, we didn’t ask for it.

TG Branfalt: You definitely asked for it.

Tim Fair: We didn’t. The customer service guy comes in and he’s got this look on his face and he’s like, “You guys are either going to love this or hate this. But I got you 540-weed.” It was amazing.

TG Branfalt: We should have led with that. One day, I think you’re going to have a Saul Goodman type commercial. It’s just going to be, 802, weed. It’d be fantastic.

Tim Fair: First of all, like we want to stay away from the pot leaves and the whole Bob Marley thing and try to be professional. And then he comes in, and we just could not. We’re like, “All right, we love it. It’s just inevitable.”

TG Branfalt: No, you could have a very straight-laced commercial. And then at the end to be like, “Oh, by the way, our number is weed.”

Tim Fair: I love it.

TG Branfalt: I’m going to produce this for you.

Tim Fair: We’ll be waiting.

TG Branfalt: This is Tim Fair. He’s a Vermont-based attorney, founder of Vermont Cannabis Solutions. They advise canna-businesses in the state of Vermont, and he also defends individuals accused of cannabis-related criminal offenses, super swell guy. Dude, it’s nice to have you on again. And hopefully, it’s not another year.

Tim Fair: TG, great to see you. And hopefully we’ll be able to meet and see in person before too, too long.

TG Branfalt: Thanks man.

Tim Fair: Thanks a lot, brother. Have a good one.

TG Branfalt: You can find more episodes of the ganjapreneur.com podcast in the podcast section of Ganjapreneur.com on Spotify and in the Apple iTunes store. On the Ganjapreneur.com website, you’ll find the latest cannabis news and cannabis jobs updated daily, along with transcripts of this podcast, you can also download the Ganjapreneur.com app in iTunes and Google Play. This episode was engineered by Trim Media House. I’ve been your host TG Branfalt.

End


U.S. House Schedules Cannabis Legalization Vote for Next Week

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) said the House of Representatives will vote next week on the Marijuana Opportunity, Reinvestment, and Expungement (MORE) Act, Marijuana Moment reports. The legalization bill seeks to end cannabis prohibition by removing the plant from the list of federally controlled substances, expunge prior cannabis convictions, and establish a tax on sales that would fund reinvestments into the communities most negatively affected by the drug war.

The legislation will likely appear in the House Rules Committee early in the week ahead of receiving a full-floor vote.

“This floor vote represents the first congressional roll call ever on the question of ending federal marijuana criminalization. By advancing the MORE Act, the House of Representatives sends an unmistakable signal that America is ready to close the book [on] marijuana prohibition and end the senseless oppression and fear that this failed policy wreaks on otherwise law-abiding citizens.” — NORML Political Director Justin Strekal, via Marijuana Moment

Beyond expungement and the community reinvestment fund, other social justice elements of the MORE Act include protecting immigrants from being denied citizenship over cannabis and providing pathways for currently incarcerated cannabis prisoners to apply for resentencing.

The MORE Act was scheduled for consideration in September but Democratic leadership delayed that vote to focus on reaching an agreement with the GOP over the federal coronavirus stimulus relief package.

68 percent of Americans currently support legalizing cannabis for adult use, including a strong majority of Democratic and Independent voters and a slight minority of Republicans, according to the latest Gallup poll.

End


Weedmaps Is Official Sponsor of Mike Tyson/Roy Jones Jr. Fight

Weedmaps has partnered with Triller to be the official sponsor for the November 28 bout between Roy Jones Jr. and Mike Tyson. The company’s branding will be displayed throughout the event, including in the ring, on the screen during the broadcast, in the locker room, and in the press room.

Juanjo Feijoo, Weedmaps chief marketing officer, said the firm is “ecstatic” to be sponsoring the fight.

“We recognize this is a huge moment for the broader industry and through this sponsorship, we’re hoping to introduce a new audience to Weedmaps as well as bring attention to some of the important conversations happening around cannabis today. This is just one of many steps we are proactively taking to break down stigmas, promote social equity, and encourage all to join us in the fight for change.” – Feijoo in a press release

Tyson, who owns his own cannabis company, Tyson Holistic Holdings, described the partnership as “particularly close to [his] heart.”

“It feels great to return to the ring after 15 years and I’m thrilled that Weedmaps is the title sponsor of this remarkable moment in my career,” he said in a statement. “This is a significant moment for the cannabis industry, and I am committed to doing my part to fight for change.”

Bobby Sarnevesht, executive chairman of Triller, said the partnership with Weedmaps “helps fight the stigma surrounding the cannabis industry.”

The partnership will also see Weedmaps release “an exclusive piece of content” narrated by Nas “that takes viewers through powerful events in the nation’s history, celebrating those who stood up to fight for change in systemic racism, cannabis legalization and more.”

The charity event will be held at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. Tyson and Jones Jr. will undergo voluntary anti-doping testing before and after the event, but that testing will not include cannabis.

End


Court Upholds Unemployment Benefits for Fired Cannabis Patient

A Pennsylvania Appeals Court has confirmed an order allowing a medical cannabis patient access to unemployment benefits after he was fired for failing a drug test, according to a JD Supra report.

Following his termination as a customer service representative for the Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority, the employee filed for unemployment benefits but was denied due to the failed drug test. The Authority said the employee was fired for violating its drug policy and that they were right to deny his unemployment claim because cannabis is illegal under federal law.

During the employee’s appeal of the decision, the Unemployment Compensation Board of Review (UCBR) determined that the Authority’s policy allowed positive drug tests to be excused if the employee had a lawful prescription for the medication and if the employer did not intend for that policy to exclude cannabis than it should have said as much.

While medical cannabis recommendations are not, technically, prescriptions the employee held a valid, state-issued, medical cannabis identification card.

The Appeals Court affirmed that ruling, determining that unemployment compensation laws require only compliance with the employer’s drug policy – not federal law – and that the Authority’s drug policy was ambiguous when it came to medical cannabis.

The court notes that given its “disposition of the case based on the language of Employer’s Drug Policy, it does not reach the issue of whether the UCBR erred by requiring [the] Employer to satisfy an additional burden of proving that claimant knowingly or intentionally violated Employer’s Drug Policy.”

End


Subversive Capital Buys Caliva & Left Coast, Launches The Parent Company

Subversive Capital Acquisition Corp. have formed TPCO Holding Corp. – The Parent Company – and are acquiring Caliva and Left Coast Ventures as part of their goal to “to redefine the industry with a mission to both consolidate the California cannabis market and create an impactful global company.”

The deal includes $36.5 million in equity commitments from new and existing shareholders, including Fireman Capital Partners, Tuatara Capital, Subversive Capital, and Roc Nation artists including Rihanna, Yo Gotti, and Meek Mill.

Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter, who launched cannabis brand Monogram last month and founded Roc Nation in 2008, will join the company as its chief visionary officer.

“Although we know we can’t fully redeem the injustices created by the ‘war on drugs’, we can help shape a brighter and inclusive future. The brands we build will pave a new path forward for a legacy rooted in equity, access, and justice. We’re creating something people can trust and we’re investing in our future, our people, and our communities.” – Jay-Z in a statement

Caliva CEO Steve Allan will serve as CEO; Left Coast Ventures President Brett Cummings was named chief financial officer; and Caliva President Dennis O’Malley will serve as chief operating officer, the company said.

Its expected board of directors includes Roc Nation CEO Desiree Perez; former Yahoo and Autodesk CEO Carol Bartz; Tuatara Capital Partner Al Foreman; La Jolla Group CEO Daniel Neukomm; NetApp and Barracuda Director Jeffry Allen; SCAC CEO Leland Hensch; and SCAC Chairman and Founder Michael Auerbach.

The deal to acquire Caliva and Left Coast is expected to close in January. The firm expects combined pro forma revenues of the two companies to reach $185 million this year and $334 million in 2021.

The Parent Company will become Roc Nation’s “Official Cannabis Partner” which will see the company provide “special access and rights with respect to Roc Nation’s roster of artists and athletes and Roc Nation will promote The Parent Company’s brand portfolio and provide various services.”

End


California Court Bans Cannabis Billboards Statewide

A San Luis Obispo County Superior Court judge ruled on Friday that the California Bureau of Cannabis Control (BCC) overstepped its authority last year by allowing billboards advertising cannabis along freeways, the Los Angeles Times reports.

A ban on billboards was included in the state’s legalization law but the BCC last year adopted a regulation allowing such advertisements. Judge Ginger E. Garrett concluded the agency, and outgoing Director Lori Ajax, “exceeded their authority in promulgating the advertisement placement regulation.” The ruling bars billboards along California’s 4,315 miles of interstate highways.

Garrett ruled that because the billboard ban was included in the voter-approved legalization law, it could not be amended by the BCC through adopting a regulation.

The lawsuit was brought by Matthew Farmer, a San Luis Obispo father who voted for Prop. 64 because he didn’t think adults should be jailed for cannabis use. One of his two attorneys, Stewart Jenkins, said Farmer became concerned when cannabis ads started appearing along the 101 Freeway traveled by his family.

Alex Traverso, BCC spokesman, told the Times that the agency is “still reviewing the ruling, and it remains to be seen what the next steps will be.” The BCC could appeal the decision.

The agency said it had adopted rules prohibiting billboards within a 15-mile radius from a state border on a highway, which officials said in court documents “satisfies the intent” of Prop. 64 while still allowing licensees the “opportunity to advertise and market along Interstate and State Highways if they satisfy the identified radius limitations.”

The ruling came the same day Ajax announced her retirement after five years as head of the BCC.

End


First-Month Cannabis Sales in Maine Reach $1.4M

Adult-use cannabis sales in Maine reached $1.4 million in their first month, averaging about $66 per transaction, the Portland Press Herald reports. The inaugural month was limited by supply shortages and in-store purchase limits.

Since recreational sales commenced October 9, six dispensaries have been licensed, reporting 21,194 sales worth $1,409,442 through November 8, according to Maine Office of Marijuana Policy (OMP) figures outlined by the Press Herald. The state received about $141,000 in tax revenues from the sales.

Flower accounted for about 76 percent of sales, with an average price of $16.67 per gram. Concentrates comprised 14 percent of sales while edibles – which were is short supply – made up the final 10 percent of sales.

Mark Humphries, owner of Northland Botanicals, said his average sale was about $70 until two weeks ago when he got his first delivery of edibles. He said edibles now make up about half of his sales and his average sale is closer to $90.

The report notes that, based on first-day sales in the state of nearly $100,000, sales were on pace to hit $2.9 million during the first month but supply shortages limited some shops’ hours and the coronavirus pandemic has led to many job losses in the state.

Erik Gundersen, director of the OMP, told the Press Herald that retailers showed a “commitment” to “enact COVID protocols to ensure a safe launch.”

“While it is easy to focus solely on the numbers, it is important to note that the Office of Marijuana Policy’s primary objective is maintaining the high standard of public health and safety we have set for the adult-use program.” – Gunderson via the Press Herald

Maine had the slowest recreational cannabis market rollout of any state that has approved the reforms – almost four years – due to legislative rewrites, vetoes by the former Republican governor, and the pandemic.

End


Fort Worth, Texas Police No Longer Enforcing Low-Level Possession Laws

Police in Fort Worth, Texas are no longer enforcing low-level cannabis possession laws due to testing issues following the legalization of hemp in the state last year, NBCDFW reports.

Fort Worth police Captain Mark Barthen indicated officers have “only been seizing” cannabis and “not issuing citations in lieu of arrest like other jurisdictions.”

The policy change is the latest for a Texas municipality as nine of 10 district attorneys representing the state’s most populous counties indicated a shift away from prosecuting low-level possession in the wake of the hemp law reforms.

In June, San Marcos’ first-in-the-state cite-and-release law took effect, requiring police to issue citations instead of arrests for low-level possession cases. El Paso lawmakers also passed a cite-and-release law which took effect in September.

Last January, the Austin City Council approved a resolution barring the city’s police from using funds on laboratory testing to distinguish hemp from THC-rich cannabis in low-level possession cases – effectively ending arrests and fines for possession. The city still allows funds to be used for testing in felony cannabis cases.

In February, the state Department of Public Safety (DPS) said state labs would no longer conduct THC testing in misdemeanor possession cases, which includes possession up to 4 ounces and delivery or sale up to 7 grams. In a letter to DPS clients, Director Steve McCraw said there were more than 80,000 misdemeanor cannabis arrests made per year in Texas.

From June 10, 2019 – when Texas legalized hemp – to January 5, 2020, cannabis possession cases filed in Texas fell 66 percent.

Earlier this month, Democratic Senator-elect Roland Gutierrez pre-filed a bill to legalize adult-use cannabis in the state.

End


CDC: Fewer Teens Being Admitted for Cannabis Addiction

Numerous studies show that cannabis use disorder (CUD) treatment has not risen in the US despite the spread of legalization, according to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report investigating the effect cannabis laws have had on teen admission rates for CUD.

When looking at 12- to 17-year-old admission rates at publicly funded substance abuse treatment centers in the U.S. between 2008 and 2017, researchers found that in states with legal adult-use cannabis — although they had higher admission rates overall — the total number of admissions for cannabis fell sharply. During the study period, the mean admission rate fell from nearly 60 per 10,000 to 31 per 10,000, a reduction of nearly half. Seven of the eight states that had adult-use cannabis during the study period also saw the largest decline in admissions.

“To our knowledge, this map is the first to illustrate state-level trends in adolescent treatment admissions for marijuana, and the trends depicted can inform public health responses to changing marijuana laws. Possible causes for the overall decline, and variations among states, in admissions trends include changes in attitudes toward marijuana, as well as differences among states in marijuana use and incidence of CUD, as well as in socioeconomic status, treatment availability, and health insurance.” — Jeremy Mennis, PhD, author of the CDC report

Due to the perceived lack of harm, greater societal acceptance of cannabis, and increased adult use — which all intersect with lower rates of cannabis substance abuse admissions — Mennis believes such trends highlight the need to “stay vigilant” in the prevention of teen cannabis use disorder.

According to the study, medical cannabis legalization appears to have no impact on teen admission rates for CUD.

End