Eric Kaufman: Helping Cannabis Companies Secure Financial Services

4/10/2020

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We caught up with Eric recently to hear how Dama Financial helps cannabis companies access banking services, his take on the challenges that face the cannabis industry during the COVID-19 pandemic, and more. Check out the full interview below!

Ganjapreneur: How does Dama Financial serve cannabis businesses? What type of cannabis business does Dama work with?

Eric Kaufman: Dama Financial works with licensed cannabis businesses from cultivators, to manufacturers, to distributors, to dispensaries to delivery depots, and everything in between.  Dama collaborates with the cannabis industry and cannabis-related businesses by providing access to compliant and transparent FDIC-Insured banking. We partner with banks across the US that have made the risk-based decision to bank cannabis. Understanding that they either don’t have the intellectual capital in-house or the wherewithal or desire to manage it themselves, the banks partner with Dama to literally run their cannabis program on their behalf. As Dama Financial is a compliance-first organization, its services for its bank partners includes all compliance on the bank’s behalf, procuring of CRB customers, onboarding the cannabis-related businesses, all ongoing customer service, as well as the development of products. The Premier Business Bank Accounts we manage include access to armored car cash pick up, a 1% interest earning account, the ability to pay employees and bills online via ACH, check or wire, and invoice approved vendors.

Do you think that cannabis retailers were prepared for the sudden surge in demand stemming from shelter-in-place orders due to COVID-19? How is Dama Financial contributing to their success and safety?

I don’t think anyone was prepared for COVID-19, one way or the other. When more and more COVID-19 cases were reported, I think cannabis retailers, like all industries and businesses, were understandably worried. They were happy to see the immediate surge in demand, but concerned that their businesses would be shut down due to ‘shelter in place’ restrictions. And some have, which is unfortunate and for them we have tremendous empathy. But, in states like CA and NY, where cannabis businesses are considered ‘essential businesses,’ retail sales are booming. As such, Dama is seeing increased demand for Paytender.

Paytender is our merchant processing and digital consumer wallet that allows customers to pay with their phones via a linked bank account or a debit card. To accommodate the surge in sales, retailers wanted to make their checkout processes more seamless by offering cash-alternative payment options. Not only is cash inconvenient, it’s inherently dirty. Given current concerns about COVID-19 transmissions, it’s a natural adjustment to move away from paper money, which can reportedly carry the virus for up to 17 days.

Additionally, many dispensaries have closed their in-store operations but ramped up delivery and curbside pickup.  Paytender works online and at delivery, which other payment methods do not. States like CO never allowed curbside or delivery before, but now with the new safety regulations, they quickly adapted and are looking to Paytender for help in getting them up and running. With Paytender, Dama provides same-day access to funds and does not require rolling reserves. With same-day settlement, Dama allows retailers immediate access to their funds, which is even better than cash as the funds are banked transparently and compliantly and available for immediate use. In addition to solving logistical problems, Paytender also helps keep the customers and employees safer by implementing contactless payments. No need to transfer money or cards from hand to hand, as it is scan-and-go payments.

What do you think cannabis retailers will learn from the rise in demand resulting from COVID-19?

I think they’ll learn how important transparency really is.  Many retailers use workaround solutions, which work until they get shut down. One such solution is accepting credit cards. No credit card company allows cannabis transactions, as it’s against their terms and conditions and such activity will trigger account shutdowns. And, we know from experience that if a retailer does not accept some form of electronic payment then sales drop off by roughly 30%. As such, enabling some form of sustainable and compliant electronic payment solution is integral to a retailer’s long term success. Retailers will also realize the value of having software that can easily function in multiple environments. COVID-19 changed consumer’s purchasing behavior. Many of the successful dispensaries quickly offered curbside pickups or delivery to offer contactless purchasing methods. It’s important choose software that doesn’t constrain you to selling in one place. Paytender can accommodate payments in-store, online, at delivery or curbside pickup.

How do you think COVID-19 will change consumer behavior in the future?

I have to assume consumers will be like myself, uneasy to touch dirty public surfaces, and try to carry as little cash as possible. I think consumers will prefer to purchase cannabis at delivery, through curbside pickup, or drive-through instead of in-store. Overall, contactless payments are not only going to become the new normal, but the expectation, no different than the Starbuck’s app or Apple Pay.

There are many difficulties that come with not being able to use banking services as a cannabis business. For those who are unitiated, can you describe some of the risks and challenges that are faced by cannabis businesses in the current climate?

Any licensed business that is compliant can get a bank account through Dama. But, it definitely is a heavy lift to get approved, because of the fact that we are a compliance first organization. Often, those that don’t want a bank account have been burned so many times that they don’t believe it to be possible. We’ve heard many horror stories of accounts getting shut down and funds suddenly held.  But not having a bank account will hinder businesses in the long run. First, having a lot of cash on hand is dirty, inconvenient, unsafe, and expensive. Having a bank account managed by Dama Financial gets you access to armored car cash pickup, which reduces public safety risk, reduces the possibility of theft, improves employee safety, and with funds available next business day you have quick access to your money. Secondly, having the tools from online banking allows for businesses to scale. To be able to invoice vendors, pay bills and employees, and accept payments online is the future of cannabis, and allows higher acceptance to expand vendors and customers. Finally, online banking and contactless payment services are what is expected from every other industry outside of cannabis. Why shouldn’t cannabis be able to operate the same? Customers and partners have come to expect that normalcy, which will allow business to flourish.

What was your career prior to your position at Dama, and how has your past experience helped accelerate the growth and development of Dama?

Prior to Dama I spent roughly 20 years as a sports agent representing mostly NFL players and coaches. Over the years I was incredibly fortunate to have collaborated with professional athletes and coaches including Pete Carroll, Willie McGinest, Adam Vinatieri, and Laila Ali, among others.  As a recovering sports agent, I also worked at Bernstein as a financial advisor with a focus on sports and entertainment clients. Sandwiched between my sports career I went to business school at Thunderbird School of Global Management and upon graduation I went to work for Euronet Worldwide, which was co-founded by one of Dama Financial’s co-founders.  With a career filled with sales experience in an incredibly competitive industry, coupled with payments and banking industry knowledge, I feel I was well prepared and positioned to play a part in developing and executing Dama’s go-to-market strategy and success. In sales, we’re always competing, as each day, each month and each year are clean slates. It’s the ultimate “what have you done for me lately” role. However, I believe our charge is greater than simply selling a service or a product. We are creating the comprehensive critical financial architecture to empower the cannabis industry to operate as if it were a non-cannabis related industry. We’re providing access to solutions which CRBs desperately need. And, we continue to evolve by creating new products and services by listening to our customers and the industry at large and build solutions for their financial needs, which is both exciting and invigorating.

Thank you, Eric, for taking the time to share your thoughts! You can learn more about Dama Financial at DamaFinancial.com.

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Survey Finds Consumers Split on Stocking Up Cannabis During Pandemic

4/10/2020

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An AmericanMarijuana.org survey found cannabis consumers split on whether they stocked up on cannabis products amid the novel coronavirus pandemic, with 51 percent saying they did not stock up compared to 49 percent who did.

Among those who did stock up, 55 percent said it was to help calm them during the “pandemic chaos,” 23 percent said they stocked up out of fear of both the virus and cannabis scarcity, while the remainder said they “didn’t care” about the pandemic they “just wanted to chill out with some weed.” For those who didn’t stock up, 36 percent said they weren’t worried about a potential cannabis shortage, 35 percent said they were prioritizing toilet paper, face masks, and hand sanitizers, and 29 percent said there was no need to stock up on anything.

Two-thirds of respondents surveyed said they had not used more cannabis since the start of the outbreak and more than half (54 percent) said that everything would be “alright” at the end of the pandemic. Just 6 percent said they “didn’t care” about the pandemic, while 40 percent said they were “worried sick.”

The survey also found that food, face masks, hand sanitizers, and toilet paper were all more important than cannabis amid the pandemic; however, 28 percent of those surveyed said they would rather have cannabis than facemasks. Another 5 percent said they would rather have cannabis than food.

The study was conducted on March 24 and included 990 cannabis consumers.

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Study Confirms Effectiveness of Cannabis ‘Tolerance Breaks’

4/09/2020

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Researchers have uncovered evidence confirming the perceived tolerance effect of continued cannabis use, the PsyPost reports. The double-blind study — named “Reduced responsiveness of the reward system is associated with tolerance to cannabis impairment in chronic users” and published in the Addiction Biology journal — used brain imaging scans to measure the substance’s effect on 12 frequent and 12 occasional cannabis users.

Study co-author Natasha L. Mason said in the report there is “a growing body of evidence” that cannabis’ effects are less prominent in regular cannabis users.

“Although this development of tolerance is quite well established,” she said, “the neurobiological mechanisms underlying it are not.”

“These neurobiological mechanisms are important to elucidate, both in the context of therapeutic use of cannabis-based medications (e.g. deciding on dose in long-term treatment), as well as in the context of public health and safety of cannabis use when performing day-to-day operations (e.g. developing traffic laws).” — Mason, via PsyPost

For occasional users, the researchers noted that cannabis use altered the brain’s reward system circuitry. Chronic cannabis users, meanwhile, did not show specific brain changes or “any cognitive impairment.”

“Cannabis tolerance is not a final, permanent state that is achieved after chronic cannabis use, but rather a temporary state of decreased sensitivity to cannabis exposure that dynamically fluctuates across the spectrum of a full-to-no experience of cannabis effects, depending on the pattern of cannabis use,” Mason told PsyPost.

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Massachusetts Gov. Sued Over Dispensary Closures

4/09/2020

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Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker (R) is being sued over his decision to shut down the state’s recreational cannabis sales as part of his coronavirus response. The lawsuit is filed on behalf of five dispensaries and a medical cannabis patient. It seeks a preliminary injunction on the order which would re-open that state’s 43 recreational dispensaries.

“If it continues, this mandatory closure will cause profound and irreparable damage to the nascent adult-use marijuana industry; will deprive Massachusetts residents of safe access to regulated marijuana; and, will make it very difficult or impossible (e.g.,in Nantucket) for certain medical-marijuana users to obtain marijuana legally,” the complaint says.

Baker ordered recreational cannabis shops to close on March 24 as part of a statewide stay-at-home order but he included medical cannabis as “essential services,” which allowed dispensaries to remain open. The governor said recreational sales had to stop, however, because they would potentially draw people from neighboring states where cannabis is not legal and promote the spread of the virus.

“Many of the states around us, in fact I think all of them, have not legalized recreational marijuana. Making those sites available to anybody from the northeast would cut completely against the entire strategy we’re trying to pursue here in Massachusetts to keep people safe. And that’s why they’re nonessential businesses.” – Baker during a press conference via Patch, April 8, 2020

The lawsuit says that Massachusetts‘ recreational cannabis industry employs more than 8,000 people and generates some $13 million in weekly sales. If the injunction is denied, the stores will remain closed until May 4 – the end-date for the stay-at-home order.

The lawsuit argues the closures are a violation of the commerce and equal protection clauses “because, for purposes of combating the outbreak of COVID-19, there is no legitimate or rational basis to distinguish between adult-use and medical marijuana establishments; between adult-use marijuana establishments and liquor stores; between those who frequent such stores; or, between medical marijuana users who frequent adult-use marijuana establishments, and medical marijuana users who only frequent medical marijuana dispensaries.”

In a letter to Baker’s chief legal counsel, Kevin Conroy and Jesse Alderman, attorneys from Foley Hoag LLP – who are not involved in the suit – suggested that the challenge to the commerce clause would be dismissed because cannabis is federally prohibited and that even if that challenge was possible, the U.S. Supreme Court has held that temporary measures, including those taken during a public health emergency, do not violate the clause, according to a Law360 report.

Cannabis Control Commission member Shaleen Title has suggested that recreational shops could re-open to in-state residents only, but Baker voiced concerns about the legality of such a move and industry attorneys told Law360 that plan would be a potential “disaster” for businesses.

From March 23 – the day the stay-at-home order was issued –  to April 1, the CCC received more than 1,300 new medical cannabis patient registrations, the Berkshire Eagle reports. The agency also announced on Tuesday that they would allow nonmedical growers to transfer their crops to the medical supply chain.

Baker’s office said they do not comment on pending litigation.

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Iowa Regulators Say Licensing New Dispensaries Will Take ‘A Year or More’

4/09/2020

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The Iowa dispensaries that shut down without notice last week are closed for good and state regulators anticipate it will take a year or more to get two more online to replace them, Iowa Public Radio reports.

Owen Parker, manager of the Office of Medical CBD for the Iowa Department of Public Health, told IPR that there are no management agreements in the state that allow license transfers and that officials would start from “scratch” to issue new licenses. He said the process would begin soon.

“And then we will award the license to somebody which then is when they would move forward with their buildout. So from beginning to end you can’t really put an exact timetable on it.  It’s easy to say a year or more in all reality.” – Parker to IPR

According to the report, Have A Heart Compassionate Care, the operator of the shuttered dispensaries in Council Bluffs and Davenport, ignored the rules of its contract which required the company to give six months’ notice in the event of closure. The two dispensaries represented 40 percent of the state’s total.

MedPharm Iowa – the company that operates the only cultivation site in the state and other dispensaries – had tried to buy the two Have a Heart dispensaries last year but was rebuffed by the Iowa Department of Health, the Quad City Times reports. Lucas Nelson, general manager of MedPharm, indicated the company would “likely” apply for the vacant licenses.

Harvest Health & Recreation Inc., who through a subsidiary provided support services to Have a Heart, told the Times that the company elected to cease its operations after determining the venture was no longer economically feasible. Harvest Health said their subsidiary is terminating its support services agreement with the company following the closures.

Iowa patients now have only three medical cannabis dispensaries operating throughout the state.

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Report: Oceania Cannabis Market Worth $1.55B by 2024

4/09/2020

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According to a Prohibition Partners analysis, the cannabis market in Oceania – which includes New Zealand, Australia, Guam and other surrounding islands – could be worth $1.55 billion by 2024 with medical cannabis sales comprising nearly 40 percent of the market.

The cannabis market intelligence and strategic consultancy firm suggests that Australia would account for 79 percent of the region’s overall market by 2014 due to its larger population and higher household disposable income than New Zealand and the region’s islands.

The report anticipates that over the next five years the region would see a falling reliance on imported cannabis products and the shift to domestic production would lead to a sizeable increase in domestic revenue generated by legalized cannabis.

“The most transformative legislative change is emanating from the Australia Central Territory, Guam, New Zealand and the Northern Mariana Islands – while Australia is committing to further cannabis science research on a federal level.” – Prohibition Partners, The Oceania Cannabis Report: Second Edition

In a statement, Prohibition Partners’ Group Managing Director Stephen Murphy noted that there are now more than 30 publicly listed cannabis companies on the Australian Stock Exchange and that the region is taking steps toward broad legalization.

Murphy points out that Australia was “rocked” by wildfires at the start of 2020 and that the industry “could come to play a major role in helping counteract the economic impact of these wildfire.” He added that since the coronavirus outbreak, Australia’s cannabis stocks have “seen a double-digit fall” but “at present there appears to be no significant disruption to the industry’s production and supply lines.”

The Australian Capital Territory last year passed cannabis law reforms, including removing penalties and fines for low-level possession and allowing residents 18-and-older  to grow up to four plants per household and possess up to 50 grams of “dry” cannabis and 150 grams of “wet” cannabis. Adult cannabis use was legalized in Guam last April while medical cannabis has been legal on the island since 2015. In 2018, New Zealand amended its drug laws to allow broader access to medical cannabis and voters will decide whether to legalize recreational cannabis in November.

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Does CBD Help Promote Homeostasis?

4/09/2020

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The Importance of Homeostasis (The Milieu Interieur)

The importance of maintaining your milieu interieur, what is now referred to as homeostasis, was pointed out in the 19th century by Claude Bernard. It was his view that all living organisms, from plants to humans, to insects must maintain a specific internal environment in order to survive, function and thrive. Modern research now supports this perspective and establishes homeostasis as a critical element of health and wellness.

What is Homeostasis?

In simple terms, homeostasis is your body’s ability to maintain internal balance when confronted with external stress. Just like a car uses internal signals to make sure that it doesn’t overheat or run out of gas, your body uses internal signals to make sure your not too hot, too cold, or running out of fuel. When these signals are functioning optimally, so are you.

In the absence of homeostasis, your body is unable to overcome challenges and prevent damage from occurring: resulting in what we recognize as inflammatory disease. However, when your body is in a state of equilibrium, or homeostasis, it is able to properly mitigate the challenges that arise.

Homeostasis & The Endocannabinoid System

The endocannabinoid system, or ECS, plays a significant role in helping your body maintain homeostasis. Via cannabinoid receptors (CB1 in the central nervous system and CB2 in the peripheral nervous system), the ECS helps to regulate bodily functions such as immunity, mood, appetite, sleep, memory, digestion and inflammation.

Are you too hot or too cold? Do you need energy or rest? Are your hormones levels where they should be? If something is off-balance, the ECS jumps in to mitigate it.

How CBD supports the Endocannabinoid System

Recent research shows that CBD may support the biological activity of the endocannabinoid system by supporting cannabinoids signaling and their interaction with cannabinoid receptors. Depending on the concentration, CBD can activate, antagonize or inhibit cannabinoid receptors (CB1 and CB2). This is significant because CB2 activation can reduce oxidative stress and inflammation – internal conditions that can negatively impact cell function and survival.

Homeostasis & CBD

While our bodies naturally produce a compound similar to CBD called endocannabinoids, supplementing your natural reserves with CBD may help to keep your endocannabinoid system functioning optimally. Just as you would take an iron supplement if you were iron deficient, you can take a CBD supplement to boost your natural reserves of endocannabinoids.

How To Take CBD

There are multiple ways to consume CBD. Because our bodies absorb and process CBD in different ways, it’s mostly a matter of personal preference.

Sublingual (Tinctures & Oils):

CBD Tinctures & CBD Oils come with measured droppers and thus allow for a very consistent dose. While CBD tinctures are generally alcohol-based, CBD Oils are generally oil-based as their name suggests. To use either an oil or a tincture, you simply squeeze the desired amount under your tongue. For optimal absorption, try to hold the liquid under your tongue for 60 seconds. While both tinctures and oils can also be used topically, CBD oil is generally easier to apply and less irritating. 

Topical (roll-ons or balms):

To use a CBD topically, apply the rollerball or balm on the desired area of application. Used topically, CBD operates as a local anti-inflammatory, rather than being absorbed into the bloodstream. Many topical products contain additional therapeutic oils that work together for an optimal soothing experience.

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Charlotte Figi, Inspiration for ‘Charlotte’s Web’ Strain, Dies from COVID-Like Symptoms

4/08/2020

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Editor’s note: A previous version of this article stated that Charlotte Figi had passed away from coronavirus complications. She was treated for coronavirus-like symptoms in a hospital ward for coronavirus patients, but she ultimately tested negative for the virus.

Charlotte Figi, the child who inspired the medical cannabis strain “Charlotte’s Web,” has died from coronavirus-like complications. She was 13-years-old.

Figi suffered throughout her life from Dravet Syndrome, which caused her to have grand mal seizures. Her parents sought the help of the Stanley Brothers, who would eventually create the low-THC Charlotte’s Web strain in 2011 to help treat her seizures. Figi’s illness and success story would be re-told throughout state legislatures during debates on medical cannabis legalization and in academic literature. Figi was also featured in a 2013 CNN documentary about medical cannabis.

The teenager’s death was announced last night on the Facebook page of her mother, Paige Figi, by a family friend.

The suggestion that her death could have been caused by COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, was posted to the Realm of Caring Facebook page. The Realm of Caring is a charitable organization started by Paige Figi.

“Some journeys are long and bland and others are short and poignant and meant to revolutionize the world. Such was the path chosen by this little girl with a catastrophic form of epilepsy called Dravet Syndrome. Charlotte’s mom, Paige, helped pave the path for thousands of sick children with little hope for a future. A life that created a revolutionary movement in legitimizing cannabis as a therapeutic option. Your work is done Charlotte, the world is changed, and you can now rest knowing that you leave the world a better place.” – the Realm of Caring Facebook update, April 8, 2020

The Stanley family also posted a tribute to Figi on their website, describing her as “divine.”

“She grew, cultivated by a community, protected by love, demanding that the world witness her suffering so that they might find a solution,” the post says. “She rose every day, awakening others with her courage, and with that smile that infected your spirit at the cellular level.”

“Charlotte, then, became everyone’s daughter or sister or friend and enlivened empathy and love from anyone who had the privilege of hearing her story, as millions did. Her story built communities, her need built hope, and her legacy will continue to build harmony.” – The Stanley family

As of Tuesday, Colorado had reported 5,429 coronavirus cases and 179 deaths, according to state Department of Public Health and Environment data.

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Cannabis-Adjacent Businesses Ineligible for Federal Coronavirus Loans

4/08/2020

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Cannabis-adjacent businesses will be ineligible for loan assistance under the $2 trillion stimulus plan approved by federal lawmakers and signed into law by President Trump last month, Marijuana Moment reports.

The plan, called The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, aims in part to assist American companies with 500 or fewer employees via a Paycheck Protection Program. The federal Small Business Administration (SBA) already confirmed, however, that cannabis businesses will not receive federal financial assistance because the industry remains federally prohibited. Additionally, under SBA rules, ancillary firms that work directly with or help to benefit federally illegal operations cannot receive loans from the administration, meaning these businesses will also be omitted from the coronavirus relief stimulus plan.

The type of businesses that fall under SBA’s category of “indirect marijuana businesses” include: “businesses that provide testing services, or sell or install grow lights, hydroponic or other specialized equipment, to one or more Direct Marijuana Businesses; and businesses that advise or counsel Direct Marijuana Businesses on the specific legal, financial/accounting, policy, regulatory or other issues associated with establishing, promoting, or operating a Direct Marijuana Business.”

The rule essentially sections off the entire cannabis space, including ancillary companies who have cropped up to support the budding industry, from receiving any of the federal government’s coronavirus loan assistance.

Josh Kappel, a founding partner at Colorado’s Vicente Sederberg, a cannabis industry law firm, called the restrictions “egregious” and “incredibly unfair.”

“These companies pay Social Security and Medicare taxes, unemployment taxes, and, of course, federal corporate taxes. In every way, they deserve to be treated like any other business when it comes to these emergency loans.” — Kappel, in a statement to Marijuana Moment

Hemp industry operators will have access to the federal assistance because the industry has been federally legalized.

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Oregon Sets Cannabis Sales Record In March

4/08/2020

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March cannabis sales in Oregon set a new monthly record with $84.5 million – a 37 percent increase from the same time last year, Willamette Week reports. The previous record, set in July 2019, was just about $80 million.

The record-breaking month comes amid the state’s coronavirus response, which includes a stay-at-home order issued on March 23. On average, sales per cannabis retailer were about $135,000 – a 30 percent increase from March 2019.

According to the report, flower comprised more than half of total sales, while concentrates and extracts accounted for the second-highest market share.

Matt VanSickle, an Oregon Liquor Control Commission spokesperson said the sales appeared to be “stocking up type of activity” adding that “the next two weeks returned to slightly below their early March sales levels.”

VanSickle told KOIN that February’s sales were also 20 percent higher from February 2019 and that there was a 21 percent increase in March’s sales over February’s.

Despite the record-breaking month, Bridge City Collective owner Dave Alport told the Bend Bulletin that while the “average purchase is higher, the impact on sales is negligible.” He also said his payroll and cleaning costs have gone up after hiring delivery drivers and implemented enhanced sanitation practices.

“From what I can gather, there’s no increase in consumption tied to the pandemic or people staying home. But people’s shopping and spending habits have changed.” – Alport to the Bulletin

Tyson Haworth, owner of Oregon’s Finest, told the Bulletin that his sales have dipped since the stay-at-home order but he has hopes that the 4/20 “season” will help the company see pre-pandemic levels.

Oregon Gov. Kate Brown’s stay-at-home order does not have an end date.

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Organigram Temporarily Lays Off 45% of Workforce

4/08/2020

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Canadian licensed cannabis company Organigram Holdings Inc. is temporarily laying off about 45 percent of its workforce as part of its coronavirus response. The company said the move is an attempt to “help boost COVID-19 containment efforts representing approximately 400 employees.”

CEO Greg Engel said in a statement that the company’s “priority right now is to make sound strategic decisions that are in the best interests” of the company’s employees “which will contribute to the long-term sustainability of the company.”

“This is a new and evolving situation demanding strong leadership and smart decision-making across all industries and sectors. We continue to monitor this rapidly changing situation and will make the decisions necessary to ensure the safest environment for our employees as well as insulating our business as best we can under the circumstances.” – Engel in a statement

The company had alluded to the cuts last month and said “the majority” of the layoffs were voluntary. They indicated that affected employees would receive lump-sum payments “to help bridge the gap to available government programs.” Additionally, the company said it will absorb the paid health, dental, and short-term disability premiums for all of its employees.

Organigram said they expect to reduce their cultivation, harvest, production, and packaging operations but plan to “supplement with inventories on hand to meet anticipated demand.”

“Specifically, the company will be focused on leveraging automated and the most efficient lines of production and will deprioritize lower value products requiring higher manual labor,” Organigram said in a press release.

The firm said it had already taken coronavirus mitigation actions at its facilities and offices as recommended by Health Canada, including work-from-home policies, the establishment of an Emergency Response Team, restrictions on work-related travel, social distancing, and enhanced sanitation practices.

Last week Canopy Growth announced temporary layoffs of 200 employees amid the outbreak, but also said they were re-opening some of the stores they shuttered last month. Canopy CEO Jordan Sinclair told Bloomberg that the temporary layoffs were retail employees and that the stores would operate under a “click and collect model” and reduced hours.

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DEA Deschedules Cannabis-Based CBD Medication

4/07/2020

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The Drug Enforcement Administration has given up its influence over Epidiolex, the cannabis-based CBD epilepsy medication from UK-based GW Pharmaceuticals.

Epidiolex is currently the only FDA-approved CBD medication; it was approved in 2018 to treat cases of severe epilepsy and DEA had originally scheduled the drug as a Schedule V substance, the lowest restriction possible under the Controlled Substances Act (CSA).

“This notification from DEA fully establishes that EPIDIOLEX, the only CBD medicine approved by FDA, is no longer a controlled substance under the federal Controlled Substances Act. We would like to thank DEA for confirming the non-controlled status of this medicine.” — Justin Gover, CEO of GW Pharmaceuticals, in a press release

The scheduling shift removes many of the barriers to access Epidiolex. Patients, for example, will still require a doctor’s prescription to access the drug but the prescription will now last up to a year and patients will be allowed to change pharmacies and still have access to their medication.

Early reports on the drug suggested that a year’s worth of the CBD-based medication would cost about $32,500.

While Epidiolex has been removed entirely from the CSA, the cannabis plant itself hypocritically remains a Schedule I substance, which designates an extremely dangerous substance with no accepted medical value.

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Cannabis Industry Feeling Effects of Coronavirus Financial Fallout

4/07/2020

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The financial effects of the coronavirus pandemic on cannabis companies are beginning to manifest as two licensed Canadian firms filed for bankruptcy protection amid the pandemic and the industry saw just two capital raises in the week that ended March 27, Bloomberg News reports.

According to Viridian Capital Advisors data outlined by Bloomberg, the two capital raises were worth just $5.6 million – the lowest level of activity this year. Over the same period last year, there were 17 capital raises in the cannabis space totaling $169 million.

Last week, Canadian firms CannTrust Holdings Inc. and James E. Wagner Cultivation Corp. both filed for bankruptcy protection. CannTrust’s filing can’t necessarily be linked directly to the global pandemic, though, as the company has been beleaguered by violations since last summer, which ultimately culminated in their license suspension in September. The New York Stock Exchange subsequently said it would de-list the firm.

“The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic have exacerbated what were already difficult circumstances making it even more challenging for CannTrust to attract new financing or a strategic partner.” — CannTrust in a statement

James E. Wagner Cultivation announced a deal last Wednesday that will see it undergo a “consensual restructuring” and pursue creditor protection with cannabis industry lender Trichome Financial Corp. Under the terms of the deal, Trichome will provide JWC with a debtor-in-possession loan of up to $2.8 million during the restructuring and Trichome will submit a “stalking-horse” bid.

Moreover, well-capitalized Cronos Group Inc. delayed its fourth-quarter results and restated three previous quarters due to the way it reported bulk resin purchases, according to Bloomberg. Those resin purchases also led to an investigation by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

Hexo Corp., which is also considered well-capitalized, missed its quarterly filing deadline, announced $266 million of writedowns and impairment charges when it did report, and its revived debt covenants require the firm to raise $40 million in equity by the end of the month, the Bloomberg report says.

In Canada, cannabis companies are eligible for government-backed loans made available as part of the pandemic response. In the U.S., hemp companies can apply for government assistance but not medical or recreational businesses since the cannabis plant remains federally prohibited.

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High Times Suspends Publication of DOPE and Culture Magazine

4/07/2020

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Hightimes Holding Corp. announced on Monday that the company will suspend the publication of DOPE and Culture magazines due to the COVID-19 outbreak. The novel coronavirus has caused a mass shut down of in-store dispensary shopping as many states move to curbside pickup and online ordering only. DOPE and Culture are primarily print publications that are distributed to dispensaries monthly and, without waiting rooms full of patients and adult-use customers to read or pick up their latest issues, High Times has chosen to shut down both magazines for the time being.

In a statement to Marijuana Moment, Hightimes Holding Corp. Executive Chairman Adam Levin said the publications were on pause amid the pandemic.

“We furloughed the print publishing staff of Dope and Culture till the virus passes. Since both mags are distributed through walk up distribution methods (retailers, pharmacies, etc), we made the decision to suspend publishing till then.” — Levin, via Marijuana Moment

With stay-at-home orders in place and the possibility that the virus could persist for some time, High Times also laid off six workers from the canonical cannabis magazines. Among those furloughed was 18-year employee and long-time editor for High Times Danny Danko, confirmed by his own announcement on Twitter.

This follows a less graceful downsizing at the Seattle DOPE offices when the majority of the magazine’s employees were abruptly fired. This time, however, the company says their plan is to return all furloughed employees once the outbreak has been contained and the world returns to the new normal.

In the last year, High Times announced it would shift to becoming a plant-touching business with plans to open flagship retail dispensaries in Los Angeles and Las Vegas. Despite having disclosed financial hardships with the release of each quarterly statement, the corporation persists and recently acquired the cultivation firm Humboldt Heritage.

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California Officials Urge Santa Clara to Allow In-Person Cannabis Sales

4/07/2020

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San Jose, California and state lawmakers are urging Santa Clara County public health officials to allow in-person recreational cannabis sales after they were shut down last week in favor of delivery-only options, the Mercury News reports.

In a letter to county Public Health Officer Sara Cody, San Jose council members Pam Foley, Magdalena Carrasco, and Maya Esparza requested that the agency “reconsider only allowing medicinal cannabis to be purchased within a store, curbside, or by delivery.”

“Today, a resident can walk out of a grocery store with a bottle of Tylenol, but that same person is unable to pull up curbside for pain relief from CBD oil. These individuals in need of relief should not be denied safe access to cannabis during this critical time.” – Foley, Carrasco, and Esparza in the letter, via the News

State lawmakers Assemblyman Ash Kalra and Senator Jim Beall also wrote a letter to county officials, pointing out that the order “has unintentionally led to confusion and places additional requirements on already thinly deployed law enforcement and licensing enforcement personnel.”

Santa Clara County Counsel James Williams told the News that the order aligns with the county’s overall goal of reducing the gathering of groups.

“Of note, many letters note the large numbers of people who may be seeking in-person access to dispensaries,” Williams said in an email to the News. “Even for essential services, everyone is strongly urged to stay at home as much as possible and to reduce and consolidate trips in order to minimize contacts to the greatest degree possible.”

Kalra and Beall echoed the sentiments of San Jose Police Department Cannabis Division Manager Wendy Sollazzi that shutting down in-person recreational cannabis sales would just move consumers into the illicit market.

Williams argues that the order doesn’t require medical cannabis customers to, necessarily, have a medical cannabis card but that some law enforcement agencies are choosing to use the card “as a proxy” for whether the person is seeking cannabis for medical purposes.

Santa Clara County’s stay-at-home order is in effect until May 3.

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Delaware Approves Emergency Dispensary Delivery Rules

4/07/2020

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Delaware medical cannabis dispensaries will soon be able to deliver to patients amid the coronavirus outbreak as regulators are crafting emergency rules to allow the service.

The Delaware chapter of NORML broke the news last week and licensed provider Columbia Care said they would be the first in the state to offer the service to patients and designated caregivers who are registered with the company and live within a 30-mile radius from the dispensary.

Columbia Care said the company is following U.S. Centers for Disease Control guidelines to protect patients and staff to limit the spread of the virus, including sanitation of the stores and equipment, a heightened focus on staff hygiene and the use of protective gear, and a requirement that staff displaying or reporting symptoms must stay home.

NORML said the changes were needed as some patients may not drive and many don’t have an authorized caregiver to pick up their medicine for them.

“Ordering online with pick up options isn’t enough when a vast majority of patients are now homebound with little resources to facilitate those services. Medical patients are the most at risk and we should be doing everything we can to ensure their safety.” – Delaware NORML blog post, April 3, 2020

The state Department of Health and Social Services is also accepting patient and caregiver applications by mail during the pandemic.

According to Delaware Emergency Management Agency data, the state has reported 783 confirmed coronavirus cases and 15 deaths.

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Profile: Ram Dass, Medicinal Psychedelics Pioneer

4/06/2020

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On December 22, 2019, Baba Ram Dass passed away peacefully at his garden home in Maui. Today — April 6, 2020 — marks the 89th anniversary of his birth, and as a father of the American psychedelic revolution, we want to honor him to celebrate.

The spiritual teacher first became Baba Ram Dass in the late ‘60s after a search for more led him to India. Then Richard Alpert Ram Dass embarked on a journey with Bhagawan Das through the temples of India. It was in the last temple where they traveled that he met Neem Karoli Baba, or Maharajji, the enlightened man who gave him his name.

Ram Dass means “servant of Lord Rama.” In the Hindu religion, Lord Rama is the seventh incarnation of Vishnu, a god of purity and marital devotion. However impactful this particular meeting was for him going forward, his whole life played a part in the lessons he taught. In his life, Ram Dass says he had three parts. He was an overachiever, he played a huge role in the psychedelic revolution of the 1960s, and finally, he became an Ashtangi; each part was essential in creating the Ram Dass cherished by the world.

Early Days

The psychologist was born Richard Alpert in Newton, Massachusetts. In his spare time, young Alpert was an amateur cellist and didn’t think much of the Jewish religion he was born into. His self-described achiever addiction inspired him to attend medical school at Tufts University. Soon he shifted his studies to focus on psychology, eventually earning his PhD. from Stanford University on the topic.

While studying at Stanford, Alpert developed severe anxiety, which would manifest physically as stomach cramps, diarrhea, and a severe rash between his fingers. During this time he committed himself to five years of psychoanalysis focused on the causes of his homosexuality. At Stanford Alpert learned from mentor David McClelland, and eventually accepted a tenure-track position working underneath him across the country at Harvard University. Before leaving, his psychiatrist informed him that because of his homosexuality he was too sick to function in modern society. But still, he persisted.

At Harvard, McClelland was the head of the Center for Research and Personality with Dr. Alpert serving as his deputy. It was in this research position that Alpert first met Dr. Timothy Leary. On a whirlwind trip to South America, Leary was fated to have his first experience with psilocybin and would bring it with him back to the States. A few months later, back in Massachusetts, Alpert walked from his childhood home over to Leary’s house to ‘turn on’ for the very first time.

The Age of Expanded Consciousness

This first experience with any psychedelic was pivotal for the young doctor: he described seeing the various social ‘masks’ he wore, like scholar and playboy, separate from him. He claimed he learned more in those few hours than he had in a lifetime of scholarly endeavors. This fact alone changed his world forever.

By this point, both Harvard Doctors were focused only on researching the therapeutic potential of psychedelic drugs. They were granted permission to research using graduate students, but rumors flew and the dean caught wind that their studies weren’t blind nor were they conducted only with graduate students. By 1963, both Leary and Alpert had been let go from Harvard.

Alpert, Leary, and their followers began living in houses rented out by Leary until their owners returned from academic leave. They conducted group LSD studies with the goal of cultivating divinity in every person. Their findings were published in the Psychedelic Review. This work culminated in the publishing of a 1964 book written by both Alpert and Leary alongside Ralph Metzger entitled The Psychedelic Experience. In 1966 Alpert co-authored LSD with Sidney Cohen and Lawrence Schiller.

The Psychedelic Experience, published 1966.

But the age of free hallucinogenics was destined to end sooner or later, and things became much more complicated in 1966 with the passing of the Staggers-Dodd Bill which made LSD illegal nationwide. By the end of 1967, Leary was on his own trip, and Alpert wanted to search for how this innate knowledge could be accessed without psychotropic medicines.

Pursuit of Enlightenment

According to a 1976 ‘Gonzo-style’ Rolling Stone article, Alpert’s final test was to take 400 micrograms of LSD every four hours for three weeks, and after finally coming down he remained unchanged. The Harvard-professor-turned-black-market-psychedelic-dealer knew that there had to be more. He set out to India on an opulent vacation, spending three weeks parading around the Southeastern Asian country in a Land Rover. This luxury halted when he met Maharajji, who gave Alpert his first task: present the guru with the Land Rover as a gift.

In Be Here Now Ram Dass describes how he felt after this meeting, “I cried and I cried and I cried… I felt like I was home. Like the journey was over. Like I had finished.”

After his initial meeting with Maharajji, Ram Dass spent another seven months at the temple. He rose at 4 am daily to work on meditating and deep breathing exercises, practicing raja yoga, reading Hindu texts, eating strictly vegetarian, and abstaining from all sex. He arrived home to Massachusetts barefoot and blissed out in his yoga whites. From that moment forward, Ram Dass could not function within society as it existed, and people noticed. His energy somehow was both enigmatic and transparent which prescribed him a magnetic quality. People were drawn to him, to his understanding, to his main mission: presence and love.

The Legacy of Ram Dass

From this point, his day to day is history, recorded in his many lectures, published books, and television appearances. Baba Ram Dass became a beacon of love for people all over the world, and though he was a fallible human like the rest of us, he was beloved.

Ram Dass left behind a reminder to be loving. His mantra may have continued to evolve from the original psychedelic publishing of Be Here Now, but it always centered around being present and living truthfully in love. That legacy will continue to permeate society as we continue to walk through our own challenges.

For anyone interested in learning more about the teachings of Ram Dass a body of his work — including text, videos, and more — can be found on his website, The Love Serve Remember Foundation. 

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First Prisoner Killed By Coronavirus Was Nonviolent Drug Offender

4/06/2020

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The first federal prisoner in the U.S. to die from coronavirus was locked up on nonviolent drug charges, NBC News reports.

Patrick Jones, a 49-year-old inmate in a low-security penitentiary in Oakdale, Louisiana, was serving his 13th year of a 27-year prison sentence when he contracted the coronavirus and died. Jones was sentenced in 2009 on drug charges after police found 9 grams of crack and 21 grams of cocaine in his Temple, Texas home.

In the months before his death, Jones penned a letter to U.S. District Judge Alan Albright requesting a sentence reduction. “I feel that my conviction and sentence was also a punishment that my child has had to endure also and there are no words for how remorseful I am,” Jones wrote. “Years of ‘I am sorry’ don’t seem to justify the absence of a father or the chance of having purpose in life by raising my child.”

His request was denied on February 22 and he died from coronavirus twenty-two days later.

“He spent the last 12 years contesting a sentence that ultimately killed him. Ironically, it seems it is his death that might finally bring his case some attention.” — Alison Looman, a New York lawyer who had represented Jones

Jones was the first prisoner coronavirus casualty in the U.S. but there have been — and will be — others. The Oakdale prison where he was located has been the hardest hit in the country: at least five inmates there have perished from the disease, and there are so many prisoners suffering symptoms of the virus that officials have stopped testing presumed cases.

On Friday, U.S. Attorney General William Barr ordered the expansion of early release practices for federal prisoners in response to the virus’ rapid spread through the U.S. prison system.

Want to help? Cannabis activists at the Last Prisoner Project have been advocating for the early release of elderly and low-risk prisoners amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Visit the LPP resource page now to sign a petition for the emergency release of prisoners, donate to the emergency COVID-19 relief fund, and find resources for contacting your local and state officials.

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Cannabis Industry Spent $11M on Federal Lobbying in 2019

4/06/2020

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Cannabis companies spent almost $11 million in federal lobbying efforts last year, according to a Cannabis Wire report. The spending is nearly three times what the industry spent in 2018.

Greenwich Biosciences, Curaleaf, Parallel, and the Cannabis Trade Federation each spent more than $1 million on lobbying the federal government in 2019. Greenwich — the U.S. subsidiary of U.K.-based GW Pharmaceuticals, makers of the cannabis-based pharmaceutical Epidiolex — spent $1.9 million lobbying Congress, the White House, the Food and Drug Administration, and the Department of Health and Human Services.

The Cannabis Trade Federation spent $1.7 million on more than 20 cannabis-related bills – including the SAFE Banking Act, which was approved by the House last September. Other measures the organization lobbied for did not receive votes in either legislative chamber.

Massachusetts-based Curaleaf’s lobbying spending totaled $1.4 million and Parallel spent $1.04 million, the report says. Other companies and organizations that spent money on lobbying include the National Cannabis Industry Association, the National Cannabis Roundtable, Canopy Growth, Acreage Holdings, and Trulieve. Collectively, cannabis companies also gave more than $200,000 to federal candidates; Oregon Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D) raised nearly $30,000 from the industry.

Former TILT Holdings CEO Alex Coleman donated $64,400 to the Republican National Committee. Native Roots Chief Strategies Officer Jonathan Boord, and Lightshade dispensaries owner Steve Brooks, each donated $2,800 to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s committee.

Former Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Corey Booker raised about $12,000 from industry executives – mostly from iAnthus – for his presidential campaign.

In 2014, the cannabis industry spent just $80,000 on lobbying efforts, which increased to $300,000 in 2015, to $430,000 in 2016, and to $1.62 million in 2017.

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Canadian Cannabis Firms Can Access Federal Coronavirus Response Loans

4/06/2020

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Canada’s cannabis companies will have access to $40 billion in new credit from the Business Development Bank of Canada that’s being made available amid the financial fallout from the coronavirus pandemic, the Canadian Press reports. Previously, cannabis firms were told that the bank does not “do business” with the industry.

Michael Denham, BDC president and CEO, told the Press that “any legal business is eligible to be part of the program” and that the bank would formally announce the clarifications today. The bar industry will also be eligible for the credit lines.

Applicants must go through their own banks to access the BDC program. The BDC is a federal corporation with a loan portfolio of about $35 billion; the new credit will be in addition to that. Denham told the Press that institutions seeking the loans would have to show that they would have been able to handle the loan they are seeking before the coronavirus impacted their business. The bank has lowered its interest rates, waived fees, and increased the amount of risk it is willing to take with its loans amid the catastrophe.

“My advice to all entrepreneurs: Understand the programs, talk to your bank, see what’s right for you, and take advantage.”- Denham to the Press

There are more than 300 cannabis businesses licensed throughout Canada and the industry has contributed about $8 billion for the nation’s gross domestic product, according to George Smitherman, president and CEO of the Cannabis Council of Canada.

Last month, after it was reported that cannabis companies would be shut out of BDC assistance, bank spokesperson Jean Philippe Nadeau said the firm was “evaluating the situation as it evolves.” According to Denham, the BDC received as many applications that normally come in in a full year via its online financing platform since the start of the crisis in mid-March.

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Massachusetts Allows Telehealth Medical Cannabis Recommendations

4/06/2020

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Prospective medical cannabis patients in Massachusetts can use telehealth services to receive a program recommendation, according to a Mondaq report. The new, emergency rules come after the state imposed a stay-at-home order and closed non-essential businesses amid the coronavirus pandemic.

In order to provide telehealth services, medical providers must submit a waiver request form to the Cannabis Control Commission and receive the agency’s approval. Initially, the agency was only allowing telehealth options for medical cannabis recertification.

Additionally, the CCC is urging medical cannabis dispensaries to promote their delivery services and “remind patients of the ability to acquire up to a 60-day supply” of medical cannabis.

“The Commission urges licensees to consider, evaluate, and appropriately publicize protocols relative to agent interactions with patients and customers. Relevant procedures include how establishments manage lines and queues, the utilization of mobile or order-ahead features that may reduce the risk of exposure, considering appointment-only operations, and the increased frequency of cleaning and sterilization efforts.” – Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission, bulletin, March 13, 2020

Massachusetts is the only state with cannabis legalization that has ordered the closure of adult-use cannabis shops amid a statewide stay-at-home order. Republican Gov. Charlie Baker has refused to reopen the shops, saying he is concerned about the possibility of people from outside of the state coming into the state to buy cannabis products. Medical cannabis sales are still permitted and the state has imposed safety measures on those “essential” businesses, including increased social distancing and enhanced sanitation practices.

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Senate Democrats Call for Federal Loan Assistance for Cannabis Industry

4/03/2020

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Eleven Democratic U.S. senators are calling on the Small Business Administration to open up loans and other financial assistance to state-legal cannabis companies. The letter asks the agency to make cannabusinesses eligible for relief being offered to businesses throughout the county that are impacted by the coronavirus fallout.

“States collected an estimated $1.3 billion in tax revenue from legal cannabis sales in 2018. However, SBA’s current policy excludes small businesses with ‘direct’ or ‘indirect’ products or services that aid the use, growth, enhancement, or other development of cannabis from SBA-backed financing. Consequently, small businesses in states with some form of legal cannabis must choose between remaining eligible for SBA loan programs, or doing business with a rapidly-growing and legal industry.” — U.S. Senators in the letter

The letter says that the SBA loans would be “especially helpful to cannabis small businesses because they would fill gaps” left by financial institutions who the senators describe as “reluctant” to serve the industry due to federal cannabis prohibition.

“Access to these SBA loan programs could ensure that small businesses – especially those led by our minority, women, and veteran entrepreneurs – can raise money for their ventures and support job creation,” the letter says.

The signatories include Senators Michael Bennet (D-CO), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Kamala Harris (D-CA), Edward Markey (D-MA), Robert Menendez (D-NJ), Jeffrey Merkley (D-OR), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Bernie Sanders (I/D-VT), and Ron Wyden (D-OR).

The letter is addressed to Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Richard Shelby (R-AL) and Vice Chair Patrick Leahy (D-VT), and Financial Services and General Government Financial Services Chairman John Kennedy (R-LA) and Vice-Chair Chris Coons (D-DE).

Under the CARES Act passed earlier this week, state-compliant hemp businesses can access funds available under the stimulus package but cannabis companies are not eligible.

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USDA Approves Georgia & South Carolina Hemp Plans

4/03/2020

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The U.S. Department of Agriculture approved hemp programs for South Carolina and Georgia this week, bringing the total of approved plans by the agency to 14.

Georgia‘s program had been placed on hold by the USDA last year but the federal agency signed off on the plan after state lawmakers approved $200,000 to regulate the program for the coming season and approved additional funding for the next fiscal year, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports. Following the approval, the Georgia Department of Agriculture immediately received 57 cultivation license and five processing license requests.

Georgia will allow in-state CBD production; currently, CBD products are legally available but all products come from out-of-state.

Hemp farmers in the state will pay $50 per acre – up to $5,000 – annually, while processors will pay an initial $25,000 fee and another $10,000 annually. Julie McPeake, a state Agriculture Department spokeswoman, told the AJC that the department is about 20 days behind in issuing licenses because the agency is stretched thin helping farmers respond to the fallout from the coronavirus.

In South Carolina, the hemp farming application period for the upcoming season has already closed but the state Agriculture Department is accepting applications for next year throughout the rest of 2020, the agency said in a press release, noting that 350 people applied to farm hemp this season.

“The State Plan, authorized by the South Carolina General Assembly and the 2018 federal Farm Bill, will end an era of regulatory flux for South Carolina’s hemp industry, bringing the state’s three-year-old Hemp Farming Program into line with other states and establishing more permanent regulations.” – South Carolina Department of Agriculture, in a press release

Under the federally-approved rules, the state program now includes new laboratory testing methods and “stricter adherence to the 0.3 percent THC threshold” that delineates hemp from THC-rich cannabis. The rules also mandate that the state Agriculture Department must sample every hemp field prior to harvest.

In all, 17 states are still operating under their 2014 pilot hemp programs, and six state programs are still pending USDA review. Connecticut and Tennessee are listed as having submitted a plan to the agency that required resubmission. Other states not pending review are currently drafting plans, according to agency data. Regulators have also approved 14 tribal hemp production plans and list another 16 as under review.

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Last Prisoner Project Launches “Roll It Up” Donation Program for Dispensaries

4/03/2020

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The Last Prisoner Project (LPP), a cannabis advocacy group fighting to free all prisoners who are incarcerated on cannabis charges, has launched its new “Roll It Up for Freedom” program for dispensaries. The fundraising push encourages cannabis buyers at participating dispensaries to round up their purchases to the nearest dollar as a donation to LPP, who will use the money in their push to set cannabis prisoners free and help them rebuild their lives after incarceration.

There are currently more than 40,000 prisoners locked up in the U.S. on cannabis charges. LPP has been scrambling to pressure lawmakers and government officials in anticipation of the immediate and potentially lethal danger for prisoners posed by the novel coronavirus.

LPP founder Steve DeAngelo described the program in a video statement posted to LinkedIn:

“Delivery, brick-and-mortar, it doesn’t matter — if you retail cannabis, this message is for you. … It’s really a matter of life and death now. We need to do everything we can to take care of [cannabis prisoners] and get them home.” — Steve DeAngelo, in a statement

“Last Prisoner Project has been working around the clock to provide assistance to cannabis prisoners during the COVID-19 crisis,” said LPP’s Managing Director Mary Bailey. “The Roll It Up program will bring in much-needed donations so that we can continue to assist prisoners with their release and help them to rebuild their lives.”

Want to help? Dispensaries and other cannabis retailers who want to participate in the Roll It Up for Freedom program should contact LPP’s Managing Director Mary Bailey at mary@lastprisonerproject.org. You can also go to the Last Prisoner Project resource page now to sign a petition for the emergency release of prisoners or find resources for contacting your local and state officials.

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