Washington Social Equity Program Off to a Bumpy Start

10/16/2020

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During the 2020 legislative session, the Washington State legislature passed HB 2870, making Washington the latest state behind Massachusetts, Illinois, and California to endeavor to create social equity provisions for the cannabis industry. The legislation was inspired by cannabis social equity movements from around the country and seeks to rectify the devastating effects that the “war on drugs” has had on communities of color, particularly African Americans.

Unfortunately, like other states, Washington is finding it difficult to dismantle institutional racism with the cannabis plant.

The social equity task force

Under the new law, Washington must establish a “Social Equity in Cannabis Task Force” (SECTF), which will make recommendations to the governor, before the state can implement any social equity provisions.

Slightly delayed by the coronavirus — Gov. Jay Inslee announced the SECTF members in July — the task force will hold their first public meeting on October 26, 2020. The task force is made up of members of the Washington State House and Senate, members of African American, Latin and Native American Communities, cannabis retail licensees, and representatives from several executive branch agencies, including the Department of Commerce who will oversee a 1.1 million dollar program designed to assist applicants in attaining a retail cannabis license.

According to government sources, the task force’s goal will be to, “…make recommendations to promote business ownership among individuals who have resided in disproportionately impacted areas of high poverty, to remedy the harms resulting from the enforcement of cannabis-related laws. The Task Force will work to center the voices of those who belong to communities that have been most impacted by enforcement of cannabis-related laws.” 

Although the COVID-19 crisis has delayed the task force meeting, the LCB recently held three (down from the initially proposed five) virtual “community meetings” in order to explain regulators’ role in the social equity program and to hear from individuals looking to obtain a social equity license. Scheduled for late September and early October, the three meetings highlighted current regulations and LCB responsibilities. At the second meeting, some attendees expressed concerns about the SECTF.

Aaron Barfield, founder of Black Excellence in Cannabis said in an email after the meeting, “The task force has no authority, only the power to make recommendations to the LCB. The LCB pushed forward the legislation that created the task force because it allows them to appear to be working on solving the problem they created without significantly changing the status quo.”

“There is serious concern that the social equity licenses will not go to the industry pioneers who have been fighting for inclusion, but to rewarding opportunists who supported the LCB legislation.” — Aaron Barfield, founder of Black Excellence in Cannabis, in an email

The dismantled medical cannabis system

Other concerns center on the narrow applicant criteria. According to LCB officials at the community meeting, “applicants must live in a disproportionately affected area” —  a term yet to be defined by the SECTF — or an applicant or an applicant’s family member must have been arrested for a cannabis crime.

At the community meeting, Barfield and other applicants said they already had successful cannabis businesses prior to 2015 but have been left out of the new system. One applicant at the meeting, who went by “Sammy,” said, “The LCB should fix the problems they have already created before starting a new program.” 

Barfield agrees. “The licensing issue has been extremely stressful and financially disastrous for many Blacks,” he said. “We went from running successful enterprises as medical cannabis providers to having our businesses hijacked and being told we had to run through an LCB obstacle course to get them back. An obstacle course that the LCB made impossible for us.” 

Barfield is referring to the 2015 merger of Washington’s state’s longstanding medical cannabis program and the adult-use cannabis system created under the state’s successful legalization initiative I-502. At the end of that process, the LCB withdrew nearly two thousand retail cannabis licenses. Several attendees at the meeting said many of these applicants were members of communities of color.

“Ultimately, we’d like to see cannabis taken out of the hands of the LCB as they’ve destroyed their credibility and proven incapable of regulating in an honest and fair manner. Cannabis should be regulated by the Dept of Health and the Dept of Agriculture and licenses should be much more widely available.”

Lacking producer/processor considerations

Others at the “community meeting” were concerned the new program only addresses retailers, not producers or processors. Dr. Darlene J. Conley Ph.D., a Black Tier 1 producer in Tacoma, WA who is still fighting to open her cannabis business, said at the meeting that, “Many African Americans have experience in growing and processing cannabis, not only retail.” In a communication after the meeting, Dr. Conley said she doesn’t think adding producers and processors to the social equity program would affect current licensees as many are only small producers like hers. She believes the LCB, similar to the retail social equity program, could make licenses available that were either revoked or never used.

In a letter to Gov. Inslee commenting on HB 2870, Dr. Conley explained why she believes communities of color were left out of the process. 

“Many African Americans and LatinX developed highly specialized skills learning to grow marijuana, but were not able to enter the legal market because of a number of factors linked to institutionalized racism in the economic and criminal justice system. Virtually all of the top growers and processors in the industry learned their craft when marijuana was illegal. However, because African Americans were disproportionately targeted for surveillance and arrest in their communities, they were ineligible to apply for licenses once the industry was legalized.” — Dr. Darlene J. Conley, in a letter to Gov. Inslee

Multiple studies corroborate Dr. Conley’s statement, including a study by the Multnomah County Health Department in Portland and the Oregon Public Health Division. The study published in “Substance Use & Misuse” in 2019 looked at cannabis arrests between 2012 (legalization) and 2015, showing that overall cannabis arrests have gone down in Washington for both Black people and white people since legalization. However, since the retail market opened in 2014, cannabis arrest rates for African Americans have doubled and African Americans went from being arrested 2.5 times more than their white counterparts to being arrested 5 times more.

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Why Choose Cannabis with High THC Content?

10/16/2020

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If you’re hoping to experience the psychoactive effects of cannabis, then THC-rich cannabis is the smart choice for you. THC, or tetrahydrocannabinol, is the primary cannabinoid that makes people feel high after consuming cannabis. The chemical is metabolized and enters your bloodstream, binding to cannabinoid receptors in your brain and Central Nervous System to produce a euphoric effect. In some ways, THC is considered the plant-based equivalent of the neurotransmitter called anandamide, which impacts feelings of bliss, memory, pain, appetite, and more.

Why do people want high THC content?

Many cannabis patients use THC-rich cannabis for its positive medicinal effects. They consume it for relief from various health problems, such as chronic pain. It’s also helpful for bringing back lost appetites and maintaining healthy body weight. Other consumers use THC-rich cannabis to beat insomnia, or they might appreciate its anti-inflammatory effects — many elder patients, in fact, consume cannabis to help alleviate their arthritis symptoms. People also argue that THC acts as an antioxidant that protects the skin. Moreover, THC is sometimes even used to combat seizure disorders such as epilepsy.

Be careful with potent strains

High-grade marijuana has been known to carry some paradoxical effects, and each person can experience the effects of THC differently. Anecdotal evidence suggests that THC can elicit opposite effects at high doses versus low doses — for example, when someone treats their anxiety with a low dose of THC to help them relax, it works. On the other hand, high THC concentrations can trigger panic attacks in some consumers and semi-frequently results in paranoia. Some people have even reported that high doses of THC can lead to depression.

The same notion of THC having potentially paradoxical effects has been noted in the human vascular system, as well: while low THC content cannabis has been shown to increase blood flow, high THC content cannabis can lead to vasoconstriction and decrease blood flow. Lastly, while THC is frequently used to help treat nausea in cancer patients who are undergoing chemotherapy, there are rare cases where patients consuming high THC content cannabis can’t stop vomiting and experience intense abdominal pain. This health condition is called cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome and, currently, the only known way of dealing with it is stopping all cannabis use — this is especially unfortunate for patients who rely on cannabis for relief from other conditions.

Doctors and scientists believe that some people are more vulnerable than others to any potential negative effects of THC-rich cannabis. Adolescents and young adults in particular are susceptible because their brains are still developing. Studies have suggested that cannabis use among adolescents affects memory and executive functions that are important for mental flexibility and the ability to alter our behavior.

Notably, most major studies into the medicinal properties of cannabis have involved low doses of THC due to the low-quality nature of the marijuana crops approved by the federal government for research purposes. Therefore, if you choose highly potent cannabis products in the legal market, know that you may face unexpected or unwelcome effects.

The only way to identify a cannabis product as being rich with THC is through lab testing or personal consumption.

Top THC-rich strains

The following is a list of some of the most popular cannabis strains that tend to be particularly high in THC content.

Cookies Gelato
Cookies Gelato is frequently one of the most potent cannabis strains with THC levels of around 28%. It combines the sugary sensations of cookies and gelato and sports a sweet aroma. This hybrid strain can bring about a euphoric rush with a relaxing touch. Cookies Gelato is not for novice smokers, however, but for those with a bit of tolerance.

Royal Gorilla
Royal Gorilla is a knockout strain known to reach 26% THC content. This balanced hybrid produces an incredibly euphoric high and comes with mouth-watering citrus flavors with pine tones. Royal Gorilla provides a beautiful, euphoric, couch-locking experience and can be suitable for therapeutic use.

Bruce Banner
Bruce Banner is a heavy-duty hybrid with an average THC content of 23%. It won the Denver Cannabis Cup in 2013 and was rated the strongest strain by High Times in 2014. Since then, Bruce Banner has carved itself out quite the reputation. This strain delivers a dizzying euphoria that anchors your body in deep relaxation.

Green Gelato
Green Gelato is a must-try for any cannabis fan with a sweet tooth. It has a sweet flavor with a mix of fruity tones, sharp mint, spicy kush, and warm cookie flavor. Green Gelato gives a strong high that chills your body out because of its average THC content of about 27%.

Hulkberry
Hulkberry is one of the most impressive hybrids with THC content frequently surpassing 27%. This 65% Sativa-dominant strain is heavily advised for experienced smokers. Hulkberry keeps the high focus only in the brain and gives a clear and energetic feeling. Additionally, Hulkberry has a delicious fruity taste.

Triple G
Triple G is an Indica-dominant strain that can make you fly away. It contains 26–28% THC and can be used to treat insomnia, chronic pain, or appetite loss. Triple G can calm the nerves, relieve psychological stress, and allow the mind to rest from the thoughts that keep us up at night. If you decide to try Triple G, pay attention to the taste of berries, candy, and chocolate.

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San Francisco Dispensary Employees Ratify Union Contract

10/16/2020

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Workers at San Francisco, California dispensary Stiiizy Mission have ratified a contract with the United Food and Commercial Workers Union. The deal includes a salary increase that averages $3 an hour over the three-year life of the contract, a pathway to full-time work, and employer-provided health insurance and retirement accounts.

The workers approved the contract unanimously.

Kat Gonzalez, a budtender at Stiiizy Mission, described the process as “long” but “worth it in the end.”

“It feels good to know we have a team like UFCW 5 behind us to protect our rights as workers and help us advance in our careers within the cannabis industry. Every position is important in cannabis and being a part of the union ensures that budtenders are the backbone of the cannabis industry. We are not disposable, and our jobs deserve protection; it feels great to have that recognized.” – Gonzalez in a statement

According to the press release, UFCW 5 represents hundreds of cannabis industry workers throughout the Bay Area. In California, cannabis businesses over a certain size must enter labor peace agreements.

The UFCW has also recently reached agreements with cannabis workers in Massachusetts and Illinois. The union says it represents more than 10,000 industry employees nationwide.

According to the UFCW website, the union represents workers at major cannabis brands, including Wonderland, The Joint, Mr. Nice Guy, NRX, Modern Buds, Long Beach Green Room, McKesson, Have a Heart, and Garden State Dispensaries.

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Washington DC Bill Would Let Cannabis Convicts Work In Medical Industry

10/15/2020

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The Washington, DC City Council is considering a bill to allow individuals with felony or misdemeanor cannabis offenses to work in the District’s medical cannabis industry, the DCist reports. The measure would repeal a section of the District’s 1999 medical cannabis law, which prohibits those with cannabis-related convictions from serving as an employee, director, agent, or member of a medical cannabis business.

The bill also proposes a program to provide incentives for industry applicants that are 51 percent-owned by formerly incarcerated returning citizens. That program would waive industry application fees and offer technical assistance for such businesses applying for a license, according to the bill text.

At-Large Councilmember Robert White, who co-introduced the bill, said on Twitter that “there is no reason why those who’ve paid their debt to society should be locked out of this industry any longer.”

In 2014, DC voted to legalize cannabis for adult use, but Congress has ultimately blocked attempts to implement adult-use sales in the District. Returning citizens are allowed to grow their own cannabis and possess cannabis under that measure.

Adam Eidinger, of DC Marijuana Justice who helped introduce the legalization measure, said the organization has “generally been asking for rights for returning citizens to be in the industry.”

“People who have served their time should be able to work in this industry, regardless of whether they’ve had a past drug conviction, or really, any other conviction.” – Eidinger to DCist

Last May, Mayor Muriel Bowser introduced a bill to allow recreational use dispensaries. That measure remains under city council review. The medical cannabis industry reform bill was referred to the Committee on Business and Economic Development.

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Connecticut Aligns State Hemp Program with Federal Rules

10/15/2020

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Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont (D) on Tuesday signed a bill aligning the state’s hemp rules with the federal government’s, the Hartford Courant reports. The measure expands the state’s pilot program, under which there already about 170 hemp-based businesses in the state with farmers cultivating about 500 acres of the crop.

The bill requires the state Agriculture Department to prepare a permanent hemp plan for federal approval, extends the licensing period for producers and manufacturers from two to three years, increases license fees for some industry sectors, outlines more stringent testing requirements, and expands the types of information exempt under the Freedom of Information Act to include hemp location and a producer’s testing results.

During the signing ceremony at a refurbished tobacco factory in Suffield – now a hemp cultivation site – state Agricultural Commissioner Bryan Hurlburt called hemp “the future of Connecticut agriculture,” according to a Journal Inquirer report.

“I’m very proud that the governor made hemp one of his priority issues last year and made sure that in the small call of a special session that we included it to make sure that we still have the opportunity for businesses like this to be successful in the state.” – Hulburt, during the ceremony, via the Courant

Lamont remarked that “CBD is remarkable for the variety of different uses it has.”

“We continue to evolve, and that is what hemp is about,” he said. “Farming is a big piece of our past, and it’s a big piece of our future.”

During the ceremony, U.S. Rep. Joseph D. Courtney (D), called industrial hemp “a tremendous opportunity for eastern Connecticut farming families.”

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University of Cincinnati Offering Cannabis Studies Certificate Program

10/15/2020

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Ohio’s University of Cincinnati is launching a cannabis studies certificate which includes history, culture, society, and regulatory topics, the News Record reports.

Sue Trusty, a horticulture program professor in the College of Design, Art, Architecture, Art and Planning (DAAP), had already been teaching Introduction to Hemp and Medical Cannabis when school officials approached her about expanding the offerings to a certificate program.

“It really was these other UC professors saying, ‘I have a class that if you were to offer this as a certificate, that would work,’” she said in the report. “That was the stimulus to put this certificate together.”

She explained that false information on the Internet was a driving force behind launching the program. Trusty’s class already includes UC professors from a variety of departments serving as guest speakers.

“Because it is illegal, a lot of the information on it is just garbage and faux. There is not a lot of research-based information. The government and universities have avoided doing that kind of research because it’s illegal.” – Trusty to the News Record

The two-year program includes five 3-credit courses, according to the university website, including Trusty’s hemp and medical cannabis course, a hands-on Hops and Hemp Field Experience course, and three courses chosen “from a menu of possible classes based on the student’s interest or job preference.”

“For example, a student who is interested in cultivation will focus on the horticulture and biology classes,” the program description states. “One who would work at a dispensary will be most interested in the classes related to public health, substance abuse, and public policy. A student interested in cannabis processing would be likely to choose plant chemistry classes as well as those dealing with the effects of cannabis on the body.”

Last year, the Cincinnati City Council voted to decriminalize cannabis possession up to 100 grams within the city limits. Medical cannabis is legal in the state.

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California Allows Regional Designation for Cannabis Marketing

10/14/2020

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Under a new California law, cannabis brands grown in the “sun and soil” of a city or county can be labeled with a regional designation, the Sacramento Bee reports. The law allows products to carry an “appellation of origin” label similar to those featured on the state’s wines.

California is the first state in the nation to apply a “terroir” law to cannabis and the law will likely help California‘s small, craft, cannabusiness protect their brands.

State Sen. Mike McGuire (D) said he wrote the law because smaller cannabis farms needed an edge to compete with big companies. Brands grown in the sun and soil of Humboldt County or the Emerald Triangle might be more appealing, and farmers could ask higher prices for products carrying the appellation of origin designation, not unlike in the wine industry, he said.

“World class cannabis comes from the Emerald Triangle. … You know you’re buying quality wine if you’re purchasing wine from Sonoma (County) and Napa (County). And the same thing can be said for cannabis.” – McGuire to the Bee

Drew Barber, owner of Humboldt County-based East Mill Creek Farms, explained that “terroir is ultimately the fingerprint of a product.”

“The idea is that if you can have that fingerprint of place on the product, then you can really have something that is expressing your unique farm to the world in the best way,” he said in the report.

According to the bill text, the law “prohibits the name of a California county, including any similar name that is likely to mislead consumers as to the kind of cannabis contained in the product, from being used, as specified, unless 100 percent of the cannabis contained in the product was produced in that county.”

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Supreme Court Won’t Hear Cannabis Case Challenging Federal Prohibition

10/14/2020

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The U.S. Supreme Court has declined to hear the case challenging the constitutionality of federal prohibition and the Drug Enforcement Agency’s Schedule I classification. The decision likely marks the end of the road for the case.

Previous rulings by a U.S. District Court and Second Circuit Court of Appeals had previously dismissed the case, ruling that the plaintiffs – comprised of medical cannabis patients – had not first sought administrative relief such as petitioning the DEA to reclassify cannabis. The case had argued that those mechanisms are “illusory.”

When Attorneys Michael Hiller and Joseph Bondy asked the nation’s highest court to hear the case in August, they said the previous rulings directed plaintiffs “to proceed with an administrative review process doomed to failure.”

Sebastien Cotte, whose son Jagger was a plaintiff in the case, told Marijuana Moment – which first reported the denial – that while the court’s decision is “not surprising … it is still very disappointing.” However, he added that the case was “groundbreaking” because a federal judge said, on the record, “that it is undeniable that cannabis has medical properties.”

NORML Legal Counsel Keith Stroup agreed about the “unsurprising” outcome.

“This result is not altogether surprising. Courts have rarely provided relief to those of us who believe that marijuana prohibition violates our civil and Constitutional liberties. It is Congress that imposed the federal prohibition of marijuana and ultimately it is up to Congress to repeal this destructive and discriminatory policy.” – Stroup in a statement

A Federal District Court in Sacramento, California considered similar arguments in 2014 but ultimately made the same ruling that plaintiff’s needed to seek relief via administrative mechanisms and that they had not shown Congress acted irrationally when classifying cannabis as a Schedule I drug.

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Rwanda Approves Medical Cannabis Cultivation and Export Guidelines

10/14/2020

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Rwanda officials on Monday approved guidelines for medical cannabis cultivation, processing, and export, the New Times reports. The rules do not decriminalize or legalize cannabis for any other purpose.

Minister of Health Dr. Daniel Ngamije explained that the decision “does not give room for those who abuse” cannabis.

“The law that punishes drug abuse is in place and it will continue to be applied as usual,” he said in the report.

The Rwanda Development Board reiterated in a statement that “medical cannabis produced in Rwanda will be solely for export markets,” adding that it plans to introduce a special export tax for cannabis products.

Aloysie Manishimwe, a Rwandan researcher in medicinal plants, told the New Times that while she supports the reforms, the government needs to have strong protections in place to ensure the crops are not diverted into the illegal marketplace.

“Already drug abuse, specifically cannabis is rampant among young people in Rwanda. The task will be upon the government to have strong law enforcement.” – Manishimwe to the New Times

According to a United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime report, more than 10,000 tons of cannabis is produced in Africa annually.

Cannabis industry operations are allowed in several countries on the continent, including Ghana, Lesotho, Malawi, Morocco, South Africa, Swaziland, and Zambia. Many of those programs include cultivation and export for medical purposes.

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Michigan Gov. Signs Expungement Bills

10/13/2020

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Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D) yesterday signed bipartisan criminal record expungement bills aimed at clearing records of crimes legal under the state’s 2018 voter-approved legalization initiative, Fox 47 News reports. The reforms include provisions for expunging certain felonies and misdemeanors.

During a signing ceremony, Whitmer said it was “a historic day in Michigan.”

“These bipartisan bills are a game-changer for people who are seeking opportunities for employment, housing, and more, and they will help ensure a clean slate for hundreds of thousands of Michiganders. This is also an opportunity to grow our workforce and expand access to job training and education for so many people. I am proud to sign these bills today alongside Lieutenant Governor Gilchrist and many of the bipartisan leaders who worked on them.” – Whitmer, during an Oct 11 signing ceremony, via Fox 47

The provisions under House Bills 4980-4985 and 5120 include:

  • An automatic process for expunging eligible misdemeanors after seven years and eligible non-assaultive felonies after 10 years.
  • Expanding the number, and revises the types, of felonies and misdemeanors eligible to be set aside by application.
  • Revises eligibility waiting periods.
  • Treat multiple felonies or misdemeanor offenses arising from the same transaction as a single conviction, provided the offenses happened within 24 hours of one another, are not assaultive crimes, or involving possession or use of a dangerous weapon, or is a crime that carries a penalty of 10 or more years in prison.
  • Expands expungement eligibility to some traffic offenses.
  • Allows a person to petition to set aside one or more cannabis offenses if the offense would not have been a crime if committed after Dec. 6, 2018.

Republican House Speaker Lee Chatfield said, “far too many people enter the criminal justice system and end up cut off from those opportunities and are pushed toward a cruel cycle of poverty and crime.”

“That’s not right, and it creates bad outcomes for all of us,” Chatfield said during the bills’ signing. “These bills are an important step to righting that wrong and helping good people who’ve paid their debt get back on their feet. I am glad we were able to find common ground on this important issue and deliver reform that will help people statewide.”

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Study: Medical Cannabis Does Not Create Cognitive Decline in Seniors

10/13/2020

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Senior citizens who use medical cannabis to treat chronic pain do not show evidence of cognitive decline, according to a study from Israel’s Haifa University School of Public Health outlined by the Jerusalem Post.

The study included 125 cannabis users aged 50-and-older – 63 with and 62 without government permission to use cannabis – whose psychomotor reaction, attention, new learning, and working memory was tested while both under the influence of cannabis and sober.

“These results suggest that use of whole plant [medical cannabis] does not have a widespread impact on cognition in older chronic pain patients. Considering the increasing use of [medical cannabis] in older populations, this study could be a first step towards a better risk–benefit assessment of [medical cannabis] treatment in this population. Future studies are urgently needed to further clarify the implications of late‐life cannabis use for brain health.” – Medical Cannabis and Cognitive Performance in Middle to Old Adults Treated for Chronic Pain, Sept. 22, 2020, Drug and Alcohol Review

Dr. Sharon Sznitman and Dr. Galit Weinstein, two of the researchers who conducted the study, noted that while “previous studies have shown that medical cannabis can have long-term effects on the brain when consumed at a young age,” those effects “are not necessarily the same effect when consumed in old age.”

The researchers said their findings “may reduce concerns among physicians who deal with chronic pain and among patients suffering from it regarding the possible effects of cannabis on brain function.”

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Mississippi Gives Patient Access to FDA-Approved Cannabis Medicines

10/13/2020

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Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves (R) has signed into law a bill allowing patients to obtain Food and Drug Administration-approved cannabis-derived medications, Marijuana Moment reports.

In a tweet, Reeves said he remains opposed to efforts making cannabis “mainstream.”

“That said – helping people with safe treatments should not be off the table,” he wrote, adding that the measure will help “kids like Brady and Brianna with a rare form of epilepsy to get FDA-approved treatment.”

The tweet featured photos of the children.

The bill’s signing comes less than a month before Mississippi voters will decide whether to legalize medical cannabis in the state – and with two competing measures to choose from.

One, I65, is the product of a campaign led by Mississippians for Compassionate Care. The activists collected more than 105,000 signatures from each of the state’s five congressional districts in order to put the constitutional amendment to voters. The proposal outlines 20 “debilitating conditions” that would qualify a patient for the program.

The other, I65A, would require state lawmakers to enact a comprehensive medical cannabis program. That plan, according to Ballotpedia, would only medical cannabis access for terminally ill patients, require pharmaceutical-grade cannabis products, and leave tax rates, possession limits, and other details to the legislature.

The question on ballots will appear as a two-step process. Voters who choose ‘either measure’ want either I65 or I65A to pass and allow medical cannabis use by qualified patients. The voter must then choose their preferred version.

Voting ‘neither measure’ signals the voter is against both but can then proceed to the second question to choose their preferred version in the event the ‘either’ option gets more votes.

Jamie Grantham, communications director for Mississippians for Compassionate Care, told Marijuana Moment that she was “glad” the bill will help Brady and Brianna but I65 “will help thousands of families across the state.”

An FM3 Research poll from September found 81 percent of Mississippi likely voters support the reforms, including 89 percent of Democrats, 82 percent of independents, and 76 percent of Republicans.

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Alyssa Russell: Indoor Hemp-Derived CBD

10/13/2020

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Hemp-derived CBD is legal in the state of Tennessee and urban hubs like Nashville have become home to a handful of CBD shops where visitors have access to CBD oil, flower, pre-rolls, and tasty edibles. In 2019, hemp farming grew 1100% according to the Department of Agriculture, including many small scale hemp farms looking to breed and grow plants for optimal CBD.

Alyssa Russell and Chad Cheadle were inspired by the positive role cannabinoids played in their own lives to open a CBD dispensary and cultivate hemp themselves, and that is how Clara Jane came to be. The California natives moved to Nashville in 2016 and found that cannabinoids were helpful when searching for comfort and relief. Clara Jane is a cozy, comfortable space that was built to be a cornerstone of the community around cannabinoid medicine but, for now, they are delivering in Nashville and shipping nationwide.

What inspired you and Chad Cheadle, co-owner and head grower, to start Clara Jane?

We were inspired to start Clara Jane for numerous reasons but when it comes down to it, we are in the business of helping people and wanted to share our passion for alternative methods of healing. In Tennessee, there is still a large need for education on cannabis. Our personal stories of how cannabinoids have supported us was our motivation and stories of those who are supported by the products we grow are what keep us motivated

When did CBD stores first start popping up in Nashville? When was Clara Jane founded and how many people work there?

Although the 2016 Farm Bill had been around CBD stores only started normalizing in early 2018. We originally opened in 2018 in a pop-up location under the name 615 CBD in Pleasant View, TN. Being part of a small community and helping people find an alternative approach to their own personal mountains made it apparent to us how fulfilling this work is!

In March 2019, we opened our doors in Nashville as Clara Jane Hemp Dispensary where we’re able to provide a comfortable retail space to our customers as well as an indoor grow operation.  Most of the business is run by Chad and myself, just the two of us! But as we all know, nothing can be done alone and community is so important to success on a personal level and a business level. We also have a small crew of retail associates, trim partners, and a network of other growers and CBD Pros helping us out/mentoring us.

How long did it take to set up the indoor hemp operation? How many rooms and plants are in your cultivation site?

We’ve been increasing the grow operation in stages, starting really small and just about doubling the number of plants we grow each harvest. Just this week we harvested 60 plants in three different strains with 60 more ready to go into flower. Our indoor grown premium CBD and CBG flower is hand trimmed, slow cured, and organically grown. We have one big room at this time and are using tents for cloning, vegging and drying – we’re planning to build out rooms later this year. Much of our cultivation goes to flower sales.

What vetting process does Clara Jane have in place for outside CBD products that are sold in the store?

Because quality products are so important to us, we thoroughly vet every product that we bring to the sales floor. We insist that all products have legitimate 3rd party COA’s and only choose products with a unique story behind them, and that speak to us personally. We’re looking for clean ingredients, (no artificial colors/flavors, etc no additives and only want what is necessary in the products!  A variety of Full-Spectrum and THC free products is really important to us so all customers have options to choose from. Additionally, a majority of the products we sell come from women-run businesses across the country.

Which category of products is most popular? Why do people seek these products?

Aside from flower, our second most sought out products are edibles! We carry a variety of gummies, chocolates, honey, mints and even marshmallows. People love their edibles so we’re sure to hunt down super clean products so our community can purchase edibles without all the extra additives.

Clara Jane is community-focused and driven by your customers, can you share any first-hand CBD success stories from your customers?

One of our most recent stories that just makes me so happy is about a customer who really struggled to sleep more than 1.5 hours at a time. They could get by taking their sleeping pills but we’re looking for a more natural approach without the side effects. We got them on a regimen of cbg & cbd and they’re not sleeping al the way through the night, well-rested. Sleep is so important and impacts so many areas of our lives so knowing that we were able to help this person, it’s also going to impact those around them, is so satisfying!

We get tons of customers who are from Recreational and/ or medical states that come in and are able to pick up products that support them and their ailments so they can enjoy their time in Nashville.

What type of licensing and regulations are in place for CBD stores in Nashville? Does the state require any licensing to sell or grow Hemp CBD?

In Tennessee we’re required to have a Hemp Growers License for cultivation and a resale licenses for selling. We’re required by the state to contact the Tennessee Department of Agriculture 30 days before harvest for an inspection of the plants and are required to collect labs on the flower to maintain compliance.

Do you rent or own the grow and retail space? Did you meet any complications working with sellers/landlords/real estate agents due to the hemp stigma?

We lease the building where our retail and grow op are located. We did have a hard time finding the right space that could accommodate our grow and retail. A few companies we were ready to sign with came back and decided not to move forward due to the high risk. Same has happened with banking! But we really lucked out with our space. The real estate agent who leased our space is a huge advocate for the industry!

Have the neighboring businesses and establishments been welcoming of Clara Jane?

The neighborhood we are located in is up and coming so there aren’t a ton of immediate neighboring businesses. The few businesses in the area are super supportive and we do our best to support them as well! We have a few doctors and therapists in the city who encourage their patients to come see us when they’re looking for an alternative approach to supporting their well being.

What type of advertising do you invest in for Clara Jane? Do you suffer from the same shadowbanning and inability to advertise on social media like adult-use cannabis shops?

CBD companies face some of the same obstacles that dispensaries in legal states do. We’re prohibited from most traditional digital advertising like google ads and FB. So far we’ve mostly relied on print advertising and are looking into radio. We also have attended a multitude of marker’s markets and Pop-Up’s around the city!

What advice would you give to someone interested in entering the CBD market?

For people interested in entering the CBD industry I would say you have to be so passionate! There is room for everyone in this space but we also have seen so many more hemp growers pop up in the last year that did not go into their grow with a place to sell their product. It leaves the market a bit saturated. One of my favorite things has been developing relationships with other people in the industry who share the same passion and display their unique touch with the world. This state is so small, population-wise, and everyone knows someone who knows someone that grows hemp. It’s crazy! Both of us are from the SF Bay Area and Chad spent a lot of time in Sonoma county. In Sonoma county, everyone knows someone whose a vintner or is making wine themselves. Yet the entire population of the state of Tennessee Is the same population as the Bay Area. Hopefully, that gives some perspective!

Clara Jane has continued to ship nationwide and deliver locally during the COVID-19 pandemic, maintaining cleaning and safety protocols. Check out the Clara Jane store to see what products are available. Thank you, Alyssa, for taking the time to answer our questions.

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Maine’s First-Day Cannabis Sales Reach Nearly $100K

10/12/2020

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Maine cannabis sales reached nearly $100,000 on opening day but retailers faced product shortages and customers paid high prices – a story familiar to the rollout of most cannabis markets.

Nearly four years after voters approved the reforms, recreational cannabis sales began last Friday at dispensaries in South Portland, Bangor, Auburn, Stratton, and Northport. The Office of Marijuana Policy said those shops reported $94,000 in sales, which amounts to $9,000 in sales taxes for the state, WPFO reports.

Green Cures Owner Tanya Rollins told WGME that the business sold $7,000 in product from 7 a.m. to noon. She said business could have been better but was hampered on day one due to there being just one testing facility to serve the entire state.

Theory Wellness of Maine CEO Brandon Pollock said the company had limited how much customers could purchase on the first day. Under the voter-approved law, recreational use customers can purchase up to 2.5 ounces of a combination of cannabis and concentrates, but no more than 5 grams of concentrates.

“People have been waiting their entire lives for the repeal of prohibition, and we get to witness it here today.” – Pollock to WGME

Maine officials are expecting $6 million in sales tax revenues from the space – set at 10 percent – in the first partial year of sales along with $6.8 million in excise taxes, which only apply to growers on flower and seeds.

Rollins said she did not expect the state will reach those figures as growers and testing will have to catch up after the strong opening weekend.

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New Jersey Voters Overwhelmingly Support Legalization

10/12/2020

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New Jersey voters support cannabis legalization in the state by a two-to-one margin, according to an Farleigh Dickson University poll released October 9. The survey of registered and likely voters found 61 percent said they would vote yes on next month’s legalization ballot question, with 29 percent opposed.

Krista Jenkins, the FDU poll director and professor of politics and government at Fairleigh Dickinson University, noted that in 2018 the university poll found just 42 percent of New Jersians supported taxing and regulating cannabis in the state.

“Public opinion on this issue has evolved considerably. Just a few years ago, in 2018, we asked about recreational marijuana legalization and found support that was well beneath a majority, let alone anything that approached the support we’re seeing today.” – Jenkins in a statement

The legalization question garnered majority support from Democrats (77 percent), independents (57 percent), and Republicans (52 percent). The reforms were also backed by a majority of respondents from all age groups, with 77 percent of voters 18-34 saying they planned to vote ‘yes,’ along with 63 percent of voters 45-54, and 51 percent aged 55 and older.

Support for the reforms included majorities from those with just a high school diploma or less (64 percent), voters with some college education (59 percent), and college graduates (61 percent). Sixty-four percent of white people along with 58 percent of non-white people polled backed the reforms.

Support for the question also included majorities from the northern (60 percent), central (63 percent), and southern (61 percent) parts of the state.

The question – approved for ballots by state lawmakers as New Jersey does not have a petition process – would amend the state’s constitution to allow recreational cannabis use and sales for adults 21 and older.

The poll shows support slightly below one in August, which found 66 percent support for legalization, and another from July which found 68 percent support. Both of those polls were commissioned by the law firm Brach Eichler.

The FDU survey was conducted on both landlines and cell phones between September 30 through Oct. 5, 2020 with a random sample of 846 New Jersey adults, 18 or older, including 736 registered voters and 582 likely voters.

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Poll: Most Canadians Prefer Not to Discuss Cannabis Use With Parents

10/12/2020

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Just 39 percent of Canadians said they are comfortable discussing their cannabis consumption with their parents, according to a survey commissioned by cannabis brand FIGR conducted by Maru/Blue outlined by the Toronto Sun. Just 14 percent of those surveyed said they were comfortable talking about their use with their grandparents.

The survey found that while 36 percent of respondents would consume cannabis during holidays or special occasions – when family is usually present – nearly all of those (35 percent) said they would do it secretly or discreetly.

Marta Clark, FIGR’s marketing director, said the survey results show “the sigma remains” attached to cannabis.

“I think we just have to put it in perspective. We had almost a century of prohibition. We had with media, with movies, we definitely had this, quote, unquote, war on drugs, for a very long time and cannabis is still fairly illegal in the U.S. – it varies state by state. … So we are seeing (attitudes) open up to cannabis consumption but it’s going to take time. We’re only two years in.” – Clark to the Sun

A vast majority – 88 percent – of those surveyed said they were comfortable discussing their cannabis use with friends, while 68 percent said they were comfortable discussing their use with their significant other, and 60 percent comfortable broaching the topic with their siblings. Just 18 percent said they would talk about their cannabis use with their boss.

Harvey Carroll, president of FIGR, said that in a company-commissioned survey last year, 59 percent of respondents indicated they believed cannabis was more socially acceptable post-legalization.

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New Colorado Rules Require Cannabis Vapor Testing

10/12/2020

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Colorado regulators released new rules on Friday that require the testing of vapor from cannabis oil and/or concentrate products. Under the new regulations, companies must test the vapor emissions from their products — which is what consumers are actually inhaling — in addition to the oil itself.

The new rules, which take effect starting January 1, 2021, are aimed at reinforcing consumer safety guidelines in light of last year’s outbreak of the vaping-related lung disease dubbed EVALI by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The announcement by Colorado regulators was commended by industry representatives in the state and cannabis vapor companies from around the country.

“We applaud the collaborative efforts between industry stakeholders and our regulatory bodies. Emissions testing of vaporizer cartridges maintains Colorado as a leader in cannabis testing. Such forward-thinking policy continues to protect the safety of patients and consumers. Our membership is eager to implement the new testing standards, and further drive quality throughout the supply chain.” — Kevin Gallagher, Executive Director and Founder of the Colorado Cannabis Manufacturers Association

The change is “a common-sense evolution,” according to Echo Rufer, PhD, DABT, Head of Biocompatibility and Toxicology for California-based PAX Labs. “We’re pleased to see Colorado continue to adopt industry-leading cannabis policy, grounded in research and science,” Rufer said.

A study published recently in the Journal of the American Heart Association showed that EVALI could be caused by the metals used to create certain e-cigarette and vaporizer products.

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California and Federal Officials Destroy 1.1M Cannabis Plants

10/09/2020

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Over the last 13 weeks, state and federal law enforcement agencies have eradicated more than 1.1 million unregulated cannabis plants in California equaling 20.5 tons at 455 cultivation sites, the Associated Press reports. The campaign led to 140 arrests and the seizure of 174 weapons, Attorney General Xavier Becerra said.

The enforcement action was part of the Justice Department’s Campaign Against Marijuana Planting (CAMP), which has been conducted annually since 1983. Officials said this year’s action was hampered by wildfires – which have devastated legal cannabis farms – and the coronavirus pandemic but the effort topped last year’s total of about 1 million plants. The largest eradication was of 293,000 plants found in Riverside County east of Los Angeles.

“I think it’s safe to say that 2020 was CAMP’s toughest and most challenging season yet in its almost 40-year history. … I bet most people would have ventured a guess that all of the top counties would have been in Northern California but … Riverside was by far the largest.” – Becerra to the AP

Officials said the action has evolved from keeping cannabis off the streets to protecting the environment and, now, protecting the state’s legal industry which is highly taxed and faces competition from the unregulated market.

The state also uses tax warrants in its enforcement against illegal cannabis operators. In July, the Department of Tax and Fee Administration said it had seized nearly $1 million in illicit cannabis products and $100,000 in cash – which would be applied to tax liabilities – during an action with the California Highway Patrol.

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Adult-Use Cannabis Sales Launch In Maine

10/09/2020

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Adult-use cannabis sales begin today in Maine nearly four years after voters in the state approved the reforms. Recreational use customers can purchase up to 2.5 ounces of a combination of cannabis and concentrates, but no more than 5 grams of concentrates.

According to WGME, state budget experts predict adult-use sales will reach more than $250 million in Maine by 2025. The state is estimating $6 million in sales tax revenues from the space – set at 10 percent –  in the first partial year of sales along with $6.8 million in excise taxes, which only apply to growers on flower and seeds.

Currently, the state has licensed just five dispensaries for recreational sales in Bangor, Northport, Newry, and two in South Portland, the report says.

Thomas Winstanley of Theory Wellness, one of the license-holders in South Portland, said the company wants “to define what the future of cannabis can look like” and “help reverse the stigma” associated with cannabis.

While there are currently no testing requirements for the state’s medical cannabis products, adult-use products must be tested for potency and contaminants.

Kaspar Heinrici, of South Portland-based SeaWeed Co., said customers can “expect prices to be a little bit higher” due to testing costs and taxes.

Despite being legalized in 2016, the rollout of the adult-use program was delayed first by former Republican Gov. Paul LePage, who twice vetoed industry implementation bills, and then by the coronavirus pandemic.

New England now has two states with recreational cannabis sales – Maine and Massachusetts – while Vermont just legalized sales, which are not expected until 2022, after approving adult use and possession in 2018.

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Washington Suspends Producer’s License for Shipping Out-of-State

10/09/2020

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The Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board (LCB) on Wednesday suspended the license of Riverside-based producer El Rey De La Kush for allegedly diverting cannabis products out-of-state.

The LCB said that on September 16 it had been notified by the Wenatchee Police Department about a package mailed from the city via United Parcel Service (UPS) containing 4.3 pounds of cannabis. The WPD investigation at the residence uncovered 620 pounds of cannabis with traceability tags associated with El Rey De La Kush.

During the investigation, Brandi Clardy – who is listed as “other” on El Rey De La Kush’s operator license – admitted to removing cannabis from the licensed premises and distributing it to Texas where cannabis remains outlawed, the LCB said. Clardy has been operating the business since July 2020 following the death of primary licensee Juan Penaloza.

“The blatant disregard to follow the laws established by the state of Washington for a safe and regulated marijuana market warrant the emergency suspension pending cancellation of this license.” – WSLCB in a press release

Out-of-state diversion is one of the agency’s three highest priorities for industry enforcement, along with “preventing the criminal element from entering the system” and preventing cannabis access to minors.

The LCB described emergency suspensions as “an extraordinary exercise of the state’s power,” noting that this is only the second emergency suspension issued by the board this year.

The license will remain suspended for 180 days and the agency said they will seek “permanent revocation.”

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Vermont Legalizes Adult-Use Cannabis Sales

10/08/2020

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Vermont is the 11th state to allow recreational cannabis sales to adults after Republican Gov. Phil Scott allowed the tax-and-regulate bill to become law without his signature. Vermont lawmakers legalized adult-use cannabis possession in 2018 but did not include sales mechanisms.

In a letter to Senate Secretary John Bloomer, Scott said the measure addresses conditions he had laid out, which prevented his veto of the reforms. Those conditions included municipal control over whether to allow recreational sales, cannabis use education and prevention programs and funding, and a plan for highway safety.

The bill requires 30 percent of cannabis excise taxes to be used for education and prevention efforts, up to $10 million annually, and portions of the tax to be used for afterschool and summer learning programs. The bill includes a 14 percent excise tax and a 6 percent sales tax on cannabis purchases.

The measure does not include provisions for mandatory roadside saliva testing for suspected intoxicated drivers, which Scott had supported, but it does allow testimony from Drug Recognition Experts and saliva test results, if performed, to be admissible in court.

In his letter, Scott voiced concerns about the impact of the bill on “communities historically most negatively affected by cannabis enforcement,” saying they “were not meaningfully incorporated” into the bill. Scott said during a debate last week that he might veto the measure after getting feedback from social justice groups who contend the bill does not do enough to address social equity. The measure does include some priority licensing for social equity applicants.

“Of primary concern is the licensing construct which will disproportionately benefit Vermont’s existing medical dispensaries by giving them sole access to integrated licenses and an unfair head start on market access. This creates an inequitable playing held both for our smaller minority and women-owned business applicants, and other small Vermont growers and entrepreneurs.” – Scott in the Oct. 7 letter

Tim Fair, attorney and founder of Vermont Cannabis Solutions, described the bill as “imperfect, but a great start.”

“What’s really exciting is how accessible the industry will be for the average Vermonter,” he told Ganjapreneur in a text message. “Anyone who wants to be part of it will have their chance.”

Scott did sign a measure that provides for automatic expungement of previous low-level cannabis crimes, including possession under an ounce. It also permits adults to grow one extra mature and one extra immature cannabis plant.

While Vermont was the first state to legalize cannabis for adults via the legislative process, it is the second state – behind Illinois – to legalize adult-use cannabis sales, which are expected to begin in the state in October 2022.

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Pabst Blue Ribbon Cannabis Seltzers Launch in California

10/08/2020

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A Pabst Blue Ribbon-branded cannabis-infused seltzer has launched in California by former Pabst Brewing employees, CNN Business reports. The alcohol company has no financial stake in the cannabis company – Pabst Labs – did not receive any money for the licensing, and will not receive any proceeds from the beverage sales.

Seamus Gallagher, Pabst Blue Ribbon’s senior brand manager, told CNN that the company’s community has been requesting that they do something in the cannabis space but the firm can’t produce cannabis-infused beverages in-house “until the legal landscape changes.”

The deal will allow Pabst Brewing to test a branded product in the emerging cannabis industry without much risk, Britt Bulla, senior strategy director at global branding firm Siegel+Gale, told CNN.

“This is the birth of a new category. I think this is the time when these brands are going to be forming out exactly how we’re going to be enjoying cannabis over time.” – Bulla to CNN Business

Pabst Labs was founded two years ago and initially sold seltzers in about a dozen dispensaries. The company said it planned to distribute the product to about 30 dispensaries by the end of the month.

“No other brands in the category can really claim a 175-year history,” Mark Faicol, Pabst Labs’ brand manager, told CNN Business.

While Pabst Brewing is dipping its toes into the cannabis sector with the agreement, other alcohol companies and brewers have already entered the space. Constellation Brands Inc., which distributes Svedka vodka and Corona beer, owns a 38.6 percent stake in Canadian cannabis company Canopy Growth Corp. In April, Molson Coors Brewing Company announced a partnership with Canada-based Hexo – Truss CBD USA – for CBD-infused beverages in Colorado. In 2018, Keith Villa, developer of Blue Moon Belgian Wheat, announced plans for a THC-infused non-alcoholic brew. In 2017, Vermont-based Long Trail Brewing Company announced a small-batch beer using CBD-infused honey, while California’s Lagunitas Brewing Company unveiled its Supercritical IPA which was infused with cannabis terpenes but neither THC nor CBD. Lagunitas, a Heineken subsidiary also launched its THC- and CBD-infused Hifi Hops sparking beverage in 2018.

In 2018, Anheuser-Busch InBev, the world’s largest beer company, announced a partnership with Canadian cannabis company Tilray for cannabis-infused beverage research.

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cannabis testing labs

Embattled Oklahoma Cannabis Testing Lab Surrenders License

10/08/2020

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The embattled Oklahoma cannabis testing firm F.A.S.T. Labs has surrendered its license amid an ongoing investigation by the Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority (OMMA) due to claims the laboratory had falsified test results, Tulsa World reports. Since the company relinquished its license it will not have to pay any fines associated with the allegations.

In a September 23 surrender form, F.A.S.T. said that it would give up its license because “Disputes among members of closely held management company made continued operations undesirable.” In August, the OMMA indicated it intended to revoke the company’s license over alleged misconduct.

In addition to claims that the company falsified results, F.A.S.T. was sued in August for wrongful termination by an Arkansas resident who ultimately “played a crucial role in exposing Defendants’ illegal activities to law enforcement authorities,” according to the complaint outlined by the World.

The investigation into F.A.S.T. Labs and its owner-operator Kyle Felling included claims that the firm passed some samples that regulators say contained unsafe levels of lead, mold, and bacteria. Regulators accuse Felling specifically of manipulating test results on about 40 separate occasions, some of which included products that failed testing due to lead, staphylococcus aureus, mold, or salmonella. The OMMA alleges that Felling signed off on the tests despite being in Arkansas – where the company is based – at the time of the testing.

The surrender form states that F.A.S.T. must either liquidate or dispose of any medical cannabis still in its possession in 30 days. The company is still operating in Arkansas.

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Jen Jackson: Navigating the Corporate-to-Cannabis Transition

10/07/2020

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It takes a lot of courage to found your first company — especially if you are leaving behind a comfortable and respected corporate IT position — but that didn’t stop Jen Jackson, Founder and CEO of Be Jubie.

In a recent podcast interview, Jen joined our host TG Branfalt to talk about why she founded Be Jubie, what it means to her to be an entrepreneur, and why she chose the tenets of wellness, restoration, and social justice to guide her company. This conversation also covers why Jen chose the CBD space for her first startup venture, how she navigates the stigma against the cannabis plant as a parent, the need for social equity programs in legal cannabis markets, Maryland’s current medical cannabis landscape, and more!

You can listen to the latest Ganjaprenuer.com podcast episode through the media player below or via your favorite podcast app. Scroll down to read along with a full transcript.

Listen to the podcast:

Read the transcript:

Commercial: This episode of the Ganjapreneur Podcast is brought to you by CannaPlanners. CannaPlanners is on a mission to normalize the emerging cannabis industry through beautiful design and professional web and marketing solutions. Whether you’re looking to create a new cannabis brand, improve your packaging design, or get your company online, CannaPlanners has the perfect solution. Your website is the window into your cannabis company. Make sure that you look awesome, that your messaging is on point, and that traffic converts to customers through CEO. From CBD companies to dispensaries and everything in between, CannaPlanners has you covered. Visit them online today at CannaPlanners.com for a free web demo. That’s CannaPlanners.com.

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 my guest is Jen Jackson. She’s the founder and CEO of Be Jubie, a Baltimore-based CBD company emphasizing restoration, general wellness, and social justice. How are you doing this afternoon, Jen?

Jen Jackson: I’m well, TG. How are you?

TG Branfalt: I’m good. I’m good. We have a lot to talk about. You’re only the second guest that I’ve had on from Maryland, and it’s a very sort of interesting state in many regards with the cannabis industry and the last couple of years there’s been a lot going on in that state. But before we get into any of that, tell me about yourself. What’s your background, and how’d you end up in the cannabis space?

Jen Jackson: Sure. So my relationship with cannabis started early on as a child. So I’m an ’80s baby. I’m an old head, and I grew up in the DARE era. So if anyone’s familiar with that, literally policeman would come to my elementary and middle school and basically scare us and tell us not to use drugs and talk about drug abuse. And I think for me that actually stuck with me. Definitely growing up felt like if I’m anywhere near coke, I’ll die immediately. So I don’t think the program really worked, but in some ways it was effective for me.

But luckily, I grew up with parents that consumed cannabis. So although I never saw them, they were very open about it, and they thought that it was a safe plant. And my father would always say, “Listen, Jen, if it was legal, it’d be sitting right here at the dinner table before this beer.” So I grew up without the stigma or being like scared of the plant. So the first time that I consumed, I was about 15 or 16. Didn’t know what I was doing. Didn’t get high. And then I went to college. And so at 18 was when I really started to consume on a more regular basis. I would consider myself more of a social smoker. But it’s been a part of me basically throughout my whole life. So here we are.

TG Branfalt: I just want to talk briefly about I’m also an ’80s baby. Grew up with DARE. I mean, I was always, how do we call it, counterculture to begin with.

Jen Jackson: Yeah.

TG Branfalt: So what they were telling me, I was like, “You’re full of shit.” But a lot of people our age, I mean, I grew up very open… My mother was very open about her cannabis use. I smoked with her for the first time when I was 14, 15 years old.

Jen Jackson: Oh wow. Okay.

TG Branfalt: And so what about the people around you growing up at that time, were they too living in these sort of cannabis-friendly households? Or was it very unique to you?

Jen Jackson: That was unique for me. So yeah, my girlfriends or my male friends, whoever, that wasn’t something that we necessarily shared. I feel like my parents are just two hippies. Those were the cards that I got dealt. Luckily I’m grateful for that. Like you said, kind of just counterculture, and that wasn’t necessarily the norm. I mean, a lot of my friends, they were raised in the church, and in the church, cannabis is not something you do or talk about or really even engage in. It’s a drug. It’s a bad thing. And that’s common in Black culture. So this whole space is very interesting because of the dynamics and the history and the war on drugs and what it’s done to our community and all of that. But then also how that’s affected us and how we feel comfortable with consumption and what that means with the church and all that. So it’s very complicated.

TG Branfalt: So what did you do prior to launching your company?

Jen Jackson: So I had a very corporate job. I wanted to be an educator. I wanted to be a teacher. And so I ended up moving to Baltimore because you couldn’t… The school programs here are pretty bad. So they were paying people to get their education. And in return, you would have to teach for three years. So I ended up landing a job at this higher ed corporation and just kind of moving my way up. So I ended up not graduating from college. But I moved my way up, got to a six figure position in IT, and I managed a software development team for a lot of years. And so when I decided to leave corporate, it may seem random, but if you knew me, you knew that all of it made sense. Like when you see the headline “Corporate to Cannabis,” it doesn’t really make sense. But when you know me personally, and even coworkers that knew me, you always have that counterculture at work too where it’s like, “We’re all going to go smoke together.”

TG Branfalt: So, I mean, there had to be a lot of education. Going back to deprogramming from DARE and the education perhaps from your parents, it seems to me that you had to sort of self-educate yourself. Self-educate yourself …. what role did that play in not just starting the business but dealing with customers who may not be as knowledgeable as yourself?

Jen Jackson: So I’ve always valued that. I think that that’s an opportunity to educate and that helps with I think normalizing cannabis. So for me, I’m typically a risk adverse person. This is the first business I’ve ever tried to create or run.

TG Branfalt: Congratulations.

Jen Jackson: Thank you. I’ve always admired entrepreneurs and their hustle and their grind. But I’m like, “I’m okay with my stable job and my 401K.” That scares me. But for me, my experience is that I was coming to a place in my career where I was starting to… I’ve always just been very humble and just happy to be where I am. I don’t have my degree. I can’t believe I’m a senior manager in IT. I can’t believe I’m making six figures. It’s just humble, humble, humble. But I finally got to a point where I’m like, “I’m realizing my worth, and my title and my compensations aren’t really aligning.” So I kind of got to a point where this is a part in my career where I need to either step away and move on and find a role at another corporation, or now that I’ve become wise to CBD, my mother put me onto CBD by the way.

TG Branfalt: Wow.

Jen Jackson: I’m like, “This is an opportunity.” I started to just research, research and fell in love. All these years I’ve been smoking, I had no idea what the science was. I didn’t know really, at a high level, but I really didn’t know the history behind the plant. So just doing all of that just fueled so much passion, and I’m like, “This is what the hell I want to do.” So I didn’t answer your question.

The self-education part. Sorry. The self-education part is huge. There are so many roadblocks that you have to deal with in the CBD industry. I dealt with payment processor issues. I had to learn which technology platform is going to actually accept that I’m selling CBD and not shut me down. So there are different things that you have to learn as a CBD brand on top of someone like me not having ever run a business. How do you run a business? What are profit margins, marketing, pricing models, and all that stuff? So all of that was self-taught, and I’m still learning. I’m still learning how to manage all that and what all that means.

TG Branfalt: So what were some of these initial challenges? I mean, you leave a six-figure career to establish a cannabis business. Talk to me about that sort of transition and those challenges, aside from maybe the learning curve.

Jen Jackson: Yeah. I mean, ultimately it’s a big deal to leave a six figure job and just be like, “I’m going to start from scratch,” at 38 years old. I’m 39 now. I’ll be 40 in February. I’m a middle-aged Black woman like, “I’m just going to start over.” And the first thing that I had to consider personally was my husband and my two children. What did that mean? I could have certainly continued and we’d be living a very decent life with both of our incomes and been okay with that. But I think that for me, I just became so passionate because cannabis had just been a part of my life. I knew that this is what I wanted to do. I just didn’t know when it made sense to move and transition away from corporate. So the thought process about that just was about my family and having conversations with myself and having conversations with my husband. And I decided that I am lucky to have maybe another 40 to 50 years here on Earth. I’m starting the second half of my life. And I just want to not live in fear and not live in regret. And if I try this and it fails, I just get another nine to five. If it doesn’t, then I have an example for my children of just trying to start something.

I wasn’t raised as an entrepreneur. You go to school. You get a nice job, and you live your life. And I just feel like why not try it and see what happens and be an example for my boys.

TG Branfalt: Forgive me if this is a bit personal, and you don’t have to answer this question. But one of the things that’s always interested me because of my relationship with my mother who’s very open about cannabis, do you foster that same sort of relationship with your children?

Jen Jackson: I do. So that’s an interesting conversation. How do I answer this? So I’m open about it. They are clear that mommy’s in the cannabis industry. Because they’re eight and five, they don’t necessarily know the hang ups and what that means. They don’t view it as a drug because that’s not how I talk about it. So I’m open about what I do. And I don’t actually smoke in front of them. But as they get older, I definitely plan to explain to them what it is and how it works and just educate them. But I think when you’re raising two Black boys, you have to be very mindful about cannabis and their consumption and what you should and should not be doing, where you should and should not be consuming and how if you get caught by the police, all of that. So it gets a little complicated. And so I’m mindful of that. So I’m not all loud, “Hey!” Just me and my husband are passing a J like that’s how we get down. But we definitely do want to be open and honest about what mommy’s job is.

TG Branfalt: Thank you for answering that question again. I want to go back to the business. What’s been the most rewarding part about starting your own business, specifically in this industry?

Jen Jackson: So the most rewarding part for sure has been connecting with people. People really have a lot of shit. Excuse me, I probably shouldn’t have swore. But they have a lot of-

TG Branfalt: It’s fucking fine.

Jen Jackson: Awesome. They have a lot of their plate, and they’re dealing with a lot. And they oftentimes feel comfortable being open with me. Not that I’m a psychologist or psychiatrist or either, but I like that people feel comfortable digging into those things with me and that I’m providing them with something that’s actually improving their quality of life. So that is extremely rewarding.

The other part that’s been rewarding for me so far is that this has been probably the most empowered I’ve ever felt. Just taking the step and doing it, doing this podcast is totally outside of my… I was terrified. But just pushing through those personal fears and conquering them. I feel extremely empowered, and that is a big part of why I decided to do this. I don’t think that I would be challenged this way quite honestly in another corporate job.

TG Branfalt: So one of the things that really drew me to want to interview you was your mission, which I said at the top that you emphasize restoration, general wellness, and social justice. In a space that talks a lot about doing that but in my estimation has fallen short in many regards. So tell me about that mission and this sort of journey to putting that into a neat little box if you will and how you work actively to meet those goals.

Jen Jackson: Right. So the reason why I’m here is also to improve the wellness of my community. I think that like we talked about earlier, there is definitely a big part of my community that is anti-cannabis. And so trying to navigate that and helping educate them, different people about what cannabis is and how it works with your body, and getting them to kind of come to the other side is huge.

So the three core tenants of Be Jubie is just improving the wellness of our community, and I do that through the sale of my products and also through giveaways.

Normalizing cannabis, so I do that through education, our blog posts, conversations that I just have with people. I also have a campaign right now on Instagram Normalize Cannabis Through Me where I think it’s really important for people to see functional human beings, like you and me. They’re doctors, lawyers, entrepreneurs, professionals, creatives, parents. I mean, all of these people are consuming and they’re highly functional and just trying to do away with the narrative of the “stoner” mentality. That’s important for people to see people like us and say, “Oh, okay. It’s okay to come out,” or, “It’s okay to consume.” And these aren’t bad people. We’re not monsters. The whatever people think about people that smoke. Just trying to normalize it is really a big deal. So that’s a core tenant.

And then social justice. I feel like it’s my moral duty to try and absolve all of the wrong. Obviously the war on drugs is pretty much the war on Black people in our communities and our families. Then we have this legal industry where predominantly white men are making billions of dollars on our backs. Then we have people who are in jail still to this day for this safe plant while the government just recently considered cannabis as essential, essential medicine. These people need to be released. I mean, it’s crazy. So it’s like all these things definitely are things that I want to try and help right the wrong. I hope that makes sense.

And what we’re doing right now so far is we are donating monthly to two advocacy groups. I realized coming into this, TG, that I was all about that. I want to get people out of jail. I want to make sure that the money that’s coming in is going back to the communities. And I felt honestly very overwhelmed because at the same time I’m raising these kids, I’m trying to figure out how to run a business and be successful there, but my heart is really in this third tenant. And I find myself at a CannaGather session in Baltimore. And I don’t know if you know who Leo Bridgewater is.

TG Branfalt: I am not familiar, no.

Jen Jackson: Okay. Well, he was speaking, and I had just a quick interaction with him. And I told him, I said, “I just don’t know where to start. I’m not an activist. I don’t go to Annapolis and deal with legislative things. I don’t even know where to start.” And he just said to me, “You make your business successful. Leave that up to us and other advocacy groups, and then at some point we’ll converge.” And I took that to mean focus on your business. Get that up and running. Be successful there and then you can send us, support us. Support people that are already doing the work. And so for me that’s where I’m starting.

So I’d like to become more involved, but I just at this point, that’s what I’m doing. So we’re where I’m contributing monthly to two different advocacy groups.

TG Branfalt: I’ve never spent any time in Baltimore. I only know of the city what I read of the city. And something that sort of sticks in my memory is Freddie Gray from a few years ago. I don’t want to speak towards race relations in Baltimore. That’s not my place. I don’t know that much about it. But you, a Black woman, opens up a cannabis business in Baltimore. Did you face any sort of blowback or was there anyone knocking down your door, just trying to prevent this from happening? Did you face any sort of backlash in that regard?

Jen Jackson: Honestly, not really. There were some odd conversations at work because it’s like you’re transitioning away. You give your two weeks notice, and people are like, “Oh, Jen, where are you going? What are you doing?” I’m like, “I’m starting a cannabis business.” And there was an awkward silence and then congratulations. So outside of that weirdness, not really. I mean, when I first started, I was very purposeful about aligning myself with different businesses here in the city. So not really worrying and focusing too much about my online presence. I was trying to establish a presence here in the city and doing like pop-ups and vending at different events. And I was purposeful about the different people that I actually wanted to work with and establishments. So they were always very cool and open-armed and supported. I haven’t gotten a lot of backlash to be honest with you and especially with just with my own family and friends. It’s like they kind of roll with me and they’re supporting me. It’s one of those, “Oh my gosh, I can’t believe you’re doing it, but congratulations. This makes the most sense. I know you’re going to be great.” Everyone’s been very supportive I have to say so far.

TG Branfalt: So when Maryland’s medical cannabis industry launched, it came under immediate fire for not having a social equity portion attached to it immediately. The push for that was led by Cheryl Glenn, former delegate, who was ultimately convicted earlier this month for taking bribes associated with not just the cannabis industry, also alcohol industry and opioid industry. So I want to ask you two questions here. Does the conviction of Glenn in your opinion taint her advocacy for the social equity part of the program, and what’s your take on social equity programs in general? I’ve interviewed several people, people of color who most of them overwhelmingly are supportive, and then you have a couple who say, “We want to win these licenses on our own merits.” So if you can address both of those.

Jen Jackson: Yeah, sure. So I think when it comes to Cheryl Glenn it’s a very unfortunate situation. I can’t speak to what was in her heart and what she really believed or what she didn’t believe and what she was fighting for. But I believe that what she was fighting for is a necessity. It’s necessary. We need it. We need more people to continue to fight for it, and we need this. I believe that we need social equity programs. I think that in general, the social equity programs are an acknowledgement that things aren’t fair. And I think each state is just trying to figure it out. And there’s still a lot of work left to do. I think each state is sort of looking at the other states trying to capture lessons learned from that and maybe make theirs better in some way, but we know all states are kind of doing their own things. And we know that there are gaps and things that aren’t quite working with all of them.

So my opinion is that with Cheryl Glenn, I think that’s a really unfortunate situation because it may have tainted the mission that she had, but the mission itself is very much still needed. And I think with social equity programs in general, I think we need them. If nothing gets put in place and the entire country is legalized tomorrow, we’re just simply going to have a monopoly of quite honestly white men that are going to take over and make billions of dollars. And there’s going to be no opportunity for people of color to get, and that’s just the reality. And so I think if we don’t have measures put in place that allow us to get our step in, our… What am I saying? That allow us to get our foot in the door, we’re not going to get our foot in the door. I mean, that’s just the reality. That’s been our reality forever.

So we have to have measures put in place for sure in order for us to have some sort of leg up in this industry.

TG Branfalt: I mean, to your point, I think it was a month or two ago a report came out about Maryland’s cannabis industry that found that less than 1% of cannabis businesses owned in Maryland are owned by Black women. Is that apparent to you as a Black female business owner?

Jen Jackson: I mean, I hadn’t heard of that report, but I’m also not surprised by those numbers. I think there are a couple of things going on. I think that this industry in general is starting to persist throughout communities and realizing that there’s money to be made here. People’s reasons for getting involved are very different it could be because I want to make money. It could be because I want to make money and I feel like… I mean, I kind of had a chip on my shoulder. I came into this like, “I belong here. This is where I should be.” And I want to encourage other Black men and women to get involved as well.

I’m not surprised at that number for a lot of reasons because we don’t have the resources to get it started. So that makes sense. But then also it’s just realizing that this is a legitimate industry where money can be made, and now that that’s sort of solidified, I’m hopeful. And I feel like through my efforts, I’m actually partnering with two other great women that are in the industry to create an agency that the goal is to create a one-stop shop to help people get all set up in this industry. We’re starting with the CBD side, but hopefully that’ll grow into other markets in the industry. But we need to be involved. We need to be here. We deserve to be here. And we need to help. We don’t have the money. We don’t have the generational wealth and that’s just the reality.

TG Branfalt: So what …

Jen Jackson: … followed if we don’t have measures put in place.

TG Branfalt: What are some steps that brands and companies can take to ensure a more equitable industry where they might not have strong legal mandates in place?

Jen Jackson: I feel like I’m being a Debbie Downer, but I don’t know that I have the confidence in these companies to actually do the things that they should be doing …

TG Branfalt: You’re not a Debbie Downer, you’re being an honest human being right now.

Jen Jackson: Yeah. I mean, I kind of am of the mindset right now that I’m just not really expecting a lot from these companies, and that I just am focusing on getting Be Jubie where it needs to be and encouraging and guiding other people in the industry or people who are interested in getting in the industry and doing whatever I can to help them get there. So it’s like let’s build our own space in this industry. That’s where I’m focused on. I can’t focus on these existing companies that could really honestly care less.

TG Branfalt: Do you think that part of the reason that… I mean, you said the generational wealth, and that’s definitely a large part of it. Do you think maybe there is a part of it that there’s a fear of, “I’m a Black person opening up a cannabis business. The cops are coming for me.”

Jen Jackson: Yeah. I don’t know who I had this conversation with the other day. But I have this Normalize Cannabis Through Me campaign on social media, and like I said, the idea is to just show the faces of people that are just like you and I but also they consume, whether it’s cannabis or CBD. And then I thought about how that might… It’s not reckless because part of it is like, “We’re here for cannabis, and it’s okay. The plant is safe.” But also we know that as Black men and women, we’re still getting locked up, even in decrim states. We’re getting locked up if we have cannabis on us that is approved. We have the medical card. It’s like Sean Worsley and how he got caught up. It’s like our lives are still being thrown away.

So there is a part of me that has to acknowledge that as much as I want to just go so hard for this industry and get all these Black people involved in this industry, we definitely have to navigate it in a different way. And we have to consider things that non-Black people have to consider. And that is being nervous about people coming for you or attacking you or locking you up.

TG Branfalt: I mean, and expungement is also something that absolutely needs to occur.

Jen Jackson: Absolutely. Mm-hmm (affirmative).

TG Branfalt: Because as I see it, if you have a criminal record and you go to try to get a job, they’re going to see that criminal record.

Jen Jackson: Yup.

TG Branfalt: What advice would you have for people that were in your position who had a steady job, making a lot of money, who decided to take the plunge? What’s the one piece of advice that was shared with you that was helpful to you, or what piece of advice do you tell others who you want to inspire?

Jen Jackson: My position on this, again, is I’m a middle-aged woman, and I’ve lived a lot of my life not having the best confidence or kind of letting fear get in the way of things and stopping me from taking certain steps. And I’ve just gotten to a point where I’m like, “I’m not living my life like that anymore.” And I’m saying all that to say it doesn’t mean you just stop what you’re doing and jump out there and just start a new business. Everyone’s not going to be an entrepreneur and that’s okay. But I do want to, if nothing else, inspire people to just live their best life. Whatever it is, if it’s starting a diet and just sticking with it. I don’t know. Whatever is going to make you happy, especially once you get up in age, it’s like you got to start being a little bit selfish in figuring out what a meaningful and purposeful life means for you because it goes by so fast. It sounds corny, but that’s really what drove me to really make the step.

And I would say that in my case I probably transitioned away from corporate a little bit prematurely. I didn’t even have a website up. I had already gone to Colorado. I had met with the manufacturer. I had already gotten my logo, my brand identity together, but I wasn’t selling anything yet. I didn’t even have a website. So I would say you have to look at your personal situation. But don’t give up, keep pushing for it, and just try your best to walk in your purpose. And I can tell you from my own experience that I feel like that’s exactly what I’m doing, and I haven’t been happier. I may not be rich, but I’m happy. I’m genuinely happy. Doors are just opening up out of nowhere. I can’t even explain how all these things are coming together just organically.

So if you’re wanting to do it, figure it out and do it. You have one life to live. Get it done. So that’s my-

TG Branfalt: I really, really have enjoyed this conversation with you. I mean, you’re so open, you’re so honest, and you’re so positive.

Jen Jackson: Oh, thank you.

TG Branfalt: Which is a delight to have. Where can people find out more about you, more about Be Jubie?

Jen Jackson: Sure. So you guys can follow us on Instagram, Be Jubie, that’s our handle. B-E-J-U-B-I-E. You can purchase from us at bejubie.com. And also, I’ve done a Q&A feature with Ganjapreneur. So if you go to Ganjapreneur and just search for Be Jubie, we’ll come right up, and you can learn more about us there too.

TG Branfalt: Jen Jackson, she’s a founder and CEO of Be Jubie, a Baltimore, Maryland based CBD company emphasizing restoration, general wellness, and social justice. Thank you so, so much for taking the time to be on the show, and I really look forward to seeing how your company grows and hopefully we can have another conversation in the future.

Jen Jackson: Thank you so much for having me. This is a great opportunity. I had a lot of fun. Thank you.

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.

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