Florida state Sen. Janet Cruz and Rep. Adam Hattersley, both Democrats, have introduced companion bills to waive the cost of medical cannabis card registration, replacement, and renewals for Florida veterans.
Looking to other states with similar exemptions, the new bill proposed for the 2020 legislative session will waive the $75 card registration/renewal fee and the $15 for a lost card. Rep. Hattersley, a Navy veteran who served a tour in Iraq, said he has seen firsthand the physical and mental cost of military service.
“It’s not a huge burden, but any small thing that we can do to help veterans get the treatment they deserve, I think we need to do,” Hattersley told WUSF News.
“Providing free medical marijuana cards for service-disabled veterans is a benefit that I hope will encourage alternative treatments methods and help address the opioids crisis facing veterans.” — Sen. Cruz, in a statement
Medical cannabis advocates say cannabis can help with the myriad issues that veterans face, including PTSD and physical pain. Often, veterans rely on harmful pharmaceuticals to treat their conditions — cannabis, however, is a non-habit forming and safer alternative to opiates and other pharmaceuticals, advocates contend. Unfortunately, the VA does not currently allow doctors to recommend medical cannabis, so the costs for obtaining a card each year fall on veterans themselves.
Idaho Gov. Brad Little (R) has issued an executive order allowing hemp to be transported through the state. The action comes after at least two hemp transporters were arrested in the state. One case, opened by the Idaho State Police, remains active while the other, opened by Boise Police, is closed after lab testing identified the products as hemp and police returned them to sender.
The executive order does not allow hemp production in the state and requires the Idaho State Department of Agriculture, Idaho State Police, and Idaho Transportation Department to come up with temporary rules and work cooperatively to carry out the order. Little admitted that with the federal law changes to legalize hemp, the state’s law conflicted with federal law “with respect to interstate transportation of hemp.”
Little said that while he is “not opposed to a new crop such as hemp,” the government needs “to be sure the production and shipping of industrial hemp is not a front to smuggle illicit drugs into and around Idaho.”
“We expected new federal rules would eventually result in hemp lawfully traveling across state lines. My administration has prepared for this development, working with partners in law enforcement and other interested parties. As it turns out, the rules were published at a time when the Idaho Legislature could not quickly respond. My executive order is a stopgap measure to address the narrow issue of interstate transportation of hemp until the Idaho Legislature develops a permanent regulatory framework around hemp.” – Little, in a press release
In May, the U.S. Department of Agriculture released a memo explicitly allowing interstate hemp transport. Little’s executive order says that hemp can only be transported “on interstate highways and in the immediate vicinity of an interstate highway” and “no hemp shall be transported on any other roadway or highway other than an interstate highway or in the immediate vicinity of an interstate highway except in the case of a detour authorized by the Idaho Transportation Department.”
The executive order does not address the cases of individuals already facing legal action for hemp transportation.
Much confusion has arisen when it comes to hemp and CBD. Hemp oil and CBD oil are highly sought after, but due to poor marketing regulations, many believe that the two products are one and the same. Unfortunately for consumers, they are different products and their main ingredients are extracted using different start materials.
The Difference Between Hemp, CBD, and Cannabis
Though the federal U.S. government might disagree, the difference between these three terms is mostly semantic. Cannabis is the scientific name for the plant often referred to as marijuana, weed, pot, and the other fun monikers. It is a word that encompasses all of the terms we mentioned as well as hemp and CBD. This reality changes when it comes to the legality of cannabis-derived products, however.
Hemp is legalized by the federal government under the 2018 Farm Bill, it is also defined in this regulatory mandate. Strictly speaking, hemp is a derivative of the cannabis plant that tests with quantities of THC below 0.3%. The term also implies that crops are being grown for industrial use. Cannabidiol (CBD), on the other hand, is an isolated cannabinoid found alongside countless other compounds in the cannabis plant.
Hemp oil and CBD oil, however, are not the same. Hemp oil is made from the seeds of the hemp plant while CBD is extracted from mature, flowering stalks, leaves and flowers of the hemp or cannabis plant. Hemp oil contains absolutely no cannabinoids, like CBD, but instead is a staple in modern skincare products and some health foods.
How Is Hemp Oil Made?
There are many methods for extracting CBD oil; however, there is really just one method for hemp oil extraction. Generally, the plant’s seeds are cold-pressed until their nutrient-dense essential oils are released. These oils are then used on their own or in product production to contribute amino acids, fatty acids, and other vital system support to the body. Making CBD oil requires a much more involved method than hemp oil, typically utilizing CO2 and expensive machinery to manipulate flowering cannabis to isolate and remove CBD from the plant matter. The main difference between the two end products, as we mentioned above, is that hemp oil does not contain a supplemental amount of CBD.
Hemp Oil in Food
While hemp oil is not a good choice for someone hoping to take CBD supplementally, it has been used in nutrition and skincare for decades. One common use for hemp seeds and hemp oil is in food. Compared to other cooking oils hemp has a low cooking temperature, which means it isn’t ideal for frying. It has a bright, nutty flavor much like sunflower seeds or walnuts which makes it splendid in salad dressings and pesto. Hemp oil is also delicious drizzled on a freshly smashed avocado toast or over some zesty tabbouleh.
Hemp oil is found in many kitchens because research shows it could be a source of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. Research suggests that those with a diet high in healthy fats could improve insulin sensitivity and stabilize heart rhythm. Most diets get these fats from fish or eggs, which makes hemp oil a viable alternative for someone who doesn’t consume animal products.
High quantities of omega-3 and omega-6 are natural in hemp seed extract. These polyunsaturated fats may show extensive benefits when added to a daily diet. Omegas 3 and 6 are partially responsible for the health of cell membranes which is why they can be responsible for healthy skin & hair, heart health, anti-depression, and more. These fats are also a great source of dietary fiber, Vitamin A, and Vitamin E. Although it doesn’t contain CBD, THC, or any of their cannabinoid friends, hemp oil does have a valid place in the pantry.
Hemp Oil in Beauty Products
In the beauty industry, hemp is used in lotions, lip balms, body wash and more. This is because the nutrient-dense oil may be able to relieve stubborn inflammation-based skin ailments like acne, lichen planus, and eczema. On the basic level, hemp oil will hydrate the skin, which can moderate oil production, in turn cutting back on clogged pores and acne. But hemp oil also works at a structural level.
The omega-6 fatty acids contain high amounts of gamma-linolenic acid (GLA) which is a powerful anti-inflammatory. Linoleic and oleic acids are essential in anti-aging products, and also happen to be present in hemp seed oils, which is why they’re popular with those looking to preserve soft, lustrous skin into old age.
Hemp oil can be many things. It can be added to a healthy morning smoothie or it can be the lustrous additive in shampoo. But one thing that hemp oil is not, is CBD oil. Plainly put, the two products are completely different and lumping them into the same category cheapens both of them. That is why it’s essential to know the difference between hemp oil and CBD oil before purchasing new products.
There are many kinds of cannabis concentrates. They come in various colors and consistencies and go by many names. What ties them together, however, is that every concentrate was crafted with the goal of perfectly separating trichomes from the dried botanical matter of the cannabis plant.
Trichomes are a small mushroom-shaped outgrowth on a plant which contains the highest concentration of THC, CBD, and other valuable compounds. When a solvent, pressure, or temperature of dry or fresh cannabis flowers is altered the essential oils of the plant separate from the dry leaves and flowers.
For beginners who are interested in cannabis concentrates, it’s important to learn about a few of the methods and uses for them before buying. Sometimes, the names of concentrate products are differentiated by the method used for making them, but other times it’s a reference to the consistency of the concentrate.
Kief & Dry Sift
Kief is made when trichomes are removed from dried weed using pressure and grinding. The first method is to use a grinder with a kief catcher to grind flower or cannabis nugs before smoking or vaping them. The grinder method is typically for personal use — for a large scale cannabis farm, a pollen box can help speed up the kief workflow. The last way to make kief is with dry ice, a product that freezes the trichomes off of the plant.
Dry sift is a process that also separates trichome heads from the plant, but this is a more methodical approach. This type of hashish is made with a series of different sized screens and hand sifting that gently slice the trichomes off into the bucket below.
Once kief and dry sift are made they can be put on top of bowls or sprinkled into joints for extra potency. These cannabis concentrates can also be decarboxylated and added to culinary delights.
Macro shot of a kief-coated grinder.
Bubble Hash
Submitting cannabis flowers to water and agitation will create bubble hash, an artisanal concentrate. Like making kief, bubble hash can be made safely at home. To craft bubble hash, cannabis flowers must be submerged in water and then agitated. This can be done with a bucket and a spatula, a hand mixer commonly used to mix cake batter or a miniature washing machine made for camping or tiny living.
Bubble hash is made by placing the cannabis into buckets of ice-cold water and agitating it to knock the trichomes off of the flower. Then the water is separated from the now wet cannabis into variously sized micron bubble bags meant to slowly separate the hash from the water. At the end of the laborious process, there will be some bubble hash to scrape out of the final bag. Once finished, bubble hash can be used just like kief but is often more potent.
This crumbly concentrate product bubbles up when exposed to heat, hence the name.
Hydrocarbon Extract
This type of extract uses hydrocarbons as a solvent and requires expensive, safety-tested machinery. The process of extracting oil with hydrocarbons is dangerous outside of an industrial laboratory since the gasses are highly combustible. While butane, propane, and ethanol are the most prominent hydrocarbons, many extractors use a proprietary blend of various solvents.
Taking a closer look at some artisan-grade cannabis wax.
To explain the process in the simplest terms, these extracts are made by putting dry cannabis into a column and then adding the hydrocarbons before heat and/or pressure is applied. The process of closed-loop extraction, a hydrocarbon method in which butane is purged out within the collection pot, will manipulate the temperatures in order to separate the desirable cannabis oils from the solvents. This process can make products of many names — from shatter to budder, crumble to oil. Distillates can also be crafted with hydrocarbon extraction.
This is also the method for live resin extractions, but this high-end wax is differentiated by the start materials used. With shatters and crumbles, the cannabis its made from is already dried and cured, whereas live resin uses weed that is freshly plucked from the plant and sometimes flash-frozen before use.
Cannabis hydrocarbon extracts can come in many different forms.
Co2 Extract
Similar to the hydrocarbon process, CO2 extraction uses a solvent along with a blend of temperature and pressure to extract the compounds from the plant matter. It is often referred to as supercritical extraction because the solvent, CO2, is taken to a supercritical temperature and pressure to bring it to its fluid state. Once in this state, it is passed through the cannabis flower where it dissolves the trichome membrane and captures the oil.
The benefits of CO2 extraction as compared to other methods are widely debated in the extract community, but some prefer this solvent because of the ability to finely tune which cannabinoids or terpenes to isolate based on the temperature and pressure. Isolates and distillates can both be made with this process. There are some dab products made using this method, but it’s most widely used for edible oils and vape cartridges.
Cannabis vape cartridges are one of the most popular forms of cannabis concentrates.
Rosin
Making rosin is becoming a more popular method because the process doesn’t require a solvent, it’s made using a combination of heat and pressure. When rosin methods were still being developed, people made it at home one nugget of weed at a time with a hair straightener. Now there are industrial rosin presses that use the same basic idea, take two heated plates lined with parchment, and squish cannabis flowers until they release beautiful golden rosin. Once extracted it is generally used in a dab rig but can be smeared on papers for rolling infused joints as well.
Cannabis rosin is super-heated and squeezed at extreme pressures to create this uniquely flavorful concentrate.
Diamonds
This type of extract is rare and expensive, just like the stone it was named after. Diamonds are crafted using extraction methods that use pressure to make live resin with out the application of heat. Live resin is a product made using cannabis flowers that haven’t been dried or cured prior to extraction which keeps secondary compounds intact. To get diamonds in the extraction process the producer continues to apply pressure and then let them sit for up to 12 days until THCA diamonds form.
THCA Diamonds are generally made up of 99% pure THC and 1% terpenes and secondary compounds which is vastly different from the average cannabis flower which tests around 12-20% THC. Because the THC is in its acid form, it must be decarboxylated (heated) before inhaled to experience psychoactive effects, and vaporizing is the most popular way to use these cannabis products. Most top their concentrates with a few diamonds before dabbing.
Taking a closer look at a THCA diamond.
The Lore of 710
At one point bubble hash and kief were the only concentrates available at the dispensary. My first experience seeing wax sold in the Bay Area medical shops was in 2011 and we called the product ‘Jurassic Amber Glass.’ Soon after this beautiful product hit shelves, dabs became the most common way that the cannabis community I belonged to would consume. Within about a year, there were myriad concentrates available and a new consumer sector of ‘dabbers’ began to form. This new culture generated itself a new holiday, 710.
One July 10th in those first years of wax popularity, a fellow budtender told me about 710, claiming the date was chosen because if you flipped the numbers upside-down and backward it would spell ‘OIL.’ But who did it first? According to some in-depth research from The Leaf Online and Highly Educated, entrepreneur Taskrok is absolutely the first stoner to celebrate 7/10. He also released an album with producer Linus Stubbs featuring dabbing-focused tracks like “7:10” and “Boil that Oil.” Taskrok has been clear, however, that he doesn’t care for ownership of the holiday. Instead, he hopes that the community will enjoy a second stoned holiday in the calendar year.
Humboldt County, California officials are mulling a plan to offer tax incentives to small and older cannabis farms for meeting energy, infrastructure, and footprint standards, according to a Times-Standard report. The incentives amount to a reduction of 10 percent or $1,000 – whichever is greater – on tax payments, with a $5,000 cap.
The county’s old cannabis laws have “less stringent requirements,” according to a county document outlined by the Times-Standard, and the tax incentives would be available to farms licensed under the old standards but operate under the new rules.
“While the federal and state governments, and local utilities, offer tax incentives and rebates based on energy output, project cost or flat dollar amounts, staff is proposing that each incentive simply result in a reduction of a percentage of a cultivator’s tax bill. … This approach provides simplicity in terms of calculating and administering the benefit.” – Humboldt County staff report
The new rules set standards for renewable energy, road maintenance, and provide other incentives for farms smaller than 5,000 square feet.
Third District Supervisor Mike Wilson told the Times-Standard that he wanted sunset provisions on the energy and road incentives and that the small farm plan incentivizes “sprawl.”
Planning and Building Director John Ford argued that the proposal isn’t designed to encourage new permit applications but aims to promote environmental improvements at existing farms.
County staff are expected to bring a firm plan back to the Board of Supervisors. On Tuesday, the board also adjusted its billing process for cannabis cultivators that only force them to begin paying taxes once the plants are on the property.
New Jersey lawmakers on Monday introduced a resolution that would put cannabis legalization in the state to voters as a ballot question in 2020. In a joint statement, Senate President Steve Sweeney (D) and Senator Nicholas Scutari (D), chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, said legislative leaders attempted to pass the bill through the legislature but that “the votes just aren’t there.”
“This initiative will bring cannabis out of the underground so that it can be controlled to ensure a safe product, strictly regulated to limit use to adults and have sales subjected to the sales tax. We will have the Legislature vote on the plan during the current legislative session and expect the proposal to be on the ballot in 2020, when voter turnout will be maximized for the national election. We are confident it will be approved by the Senate, the Assembly and the voters.” – Sweeney and Scutari, in a press release
According to the statement, the legalization plan will include social justice measures that help “correct social and legal injustices that have had a discriminatory impact on communities of color.”
Legalization via the legislature seemed like a slam dunk in the state, where it has the support of key lawmakers and Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy. A legalization bill made its way through two legislative committees in the spring and had the 41 votes required to pass in the House but only had the support of 17 or 18 senators. The lack of support in the Senate forced lawmakers to table the bill.
In May, Sweeney said he planned on putting the issue to voters in the 2020 General Election but said that Murphy unilaterally expanding the state’s medical cannabis program hampered the governor’s ability to sway those who opposed legalization.
Regulators in Ontario, Canada are moving forward with a plan to allow private businesses to store and distribute cannabis, according to a Crown Corporation e-mail obtained by the Financial Post. Currently, only the province-run Ontario Cannabis Store can store, distribute, and sell cannabis in the province.
In the email, the OCS said that the decision comes in response to “feedback” from licensed producers and as so-called ‘alternative cannabis products’ – such as edibles and topicals – are expected to hit store shelves next month. A September survey by Lift & Co. and Ernst and Young suggested that the market would grow about 65 percent with the introduction of the products.
“The OCS is moving ahead with expanding its privately-operated third-party centralized distribution network and will introduce flow-through capabilities to the network over time to maximize choice for consumers.” – OCS, in an e-mail, via the Financial Post
Producers argued that the OCS monopoly has caused legal cannabis prices to be about 30 percent higher than their illegal counterparts and that the industry’s declining revenues are in part due to supply-chain problems. According to the report, the OCS lost $42 million over the last fiscal year due to high startup costs.
A person familiar with the situation described it as a “hybrid model” to the Post.
Ontario’s rules already allow the private sector to sell cannabis online. Only Saskatchewan currently allows private businesses to control the wholesale supply of cannabis to retailers.
In a historic decision on Monday, the Colorado Supreme Court voted unanimously in favor of allowing individuals on probation to use medical cannabis. Reversing the decision of two lower courts, the case centered around Alysha Walton and her 2017 guilty plea for alcohol DUI.
Although Walton has already completed the year of unsupervised probation and deferred sentence, the Court went ahead and issued the decision, reminding the lower courts that, if they restrict access to medical cannabis, the burden is on the prosecution to show medical cannabis will interfere with the goals of probation.
According to the justices, the state’s probation conditions statute “creates a presumption that a defendant may use medical marijuana while serving a sentence to probation unless a statutory exception applies.”
“The relevant exception here applies if the sentencing court finds, based on material evidence, that prohibiting this defendant’s otherwise-authorized medical marijuana use is necessary and appropriate to promote statutory sentencing goals.” — Excerpt from the Colorado Supreme Court decision
Despite a 2015 Colorado law assuring that individuals on probation can continue to use medical cannabis, and Walton having had a medical cannabis recommendation from the state, she was denied access by El Paso County Judge Karla Hansen because she did not produce a doctor at her sentencing hearing to confirm that medical cannabis was an appropriate treatment for Walton. The Supreme Court said this violated her rights under the State Constitution, setting a precedent for other patients in the state who receive probation.
Lively debates in the cannabis industry have been prominent since the inception of legalization. One of the more widespread arguments is about whether or not the industry and culture should use the word marijuana in marketing materials, branding, and social media. As that conversation unfolds many industry veterans are asking themselves, “what about the term ‘recreational’?”. Should we be applying that adjective to the plant at all? In this article let’s explore the deeper meaning of these words separately, then together, and decide for ourselves.
The term marijuana originates from Mexican Spanish and has been previously spelled “marihuana” and “mariguana.” Some etymologists derived that the term could originate from Chinese “ma ren hua” (麻仁花) which translates to “hemp seed flower.” Others suggest that perhaps the Spanish word for marjoram (oregano), “mejorana,” could be the origin. Early texts also refer to the plant as “mariguan,” “marihuma,” “marihuano,” and “marahuana.”
Where Did the Stigma Come In?
These are the origins, but when did the word become stigmatized? In an interview for NPR, historian and writer Isaac Campos stated that the word was first seen when English-language articles from Mexico started bein published in the states. Even after that, the word didn’t become commonly used in the United States until the 1930s in debates on the use of the drug.
Another tidbit Campos shares in this book, “Home Grown: Marijuana and Mexico’s War on Drugs”, is that cannabis was demonized far before US prohibition was set in place. In the Southernmost North American country, cannabis was often associated with lower-class Mexicans like prisoners or soldiers.
The word marijuana took on a negative context in the United States in a different way. In 1937, US Narcotics Commissioner Henry Anslinger testified before Congress in the hearings that would lead to federal prohibition. His testimony included a racist letter from a small town editor which blamed their Spanish-speaking citizens for the introduction of cannabis to their community. Around this same time, Anslinger began playing to white Protestant voters by campaigning against people of color using the cannabis plant as a tool to demonize them.
In speeches and testimonies during this time, he played to white fear, spreading false claims and terrible stories about cannabis effects. He would tell large crowds about an act of immense violence committed by a Black, Latinx, or Hindu persons while they were under the influence of marijuana, spreading falsities about these communities and the plant simultaneously. It is this racist re-appropriation from Anslinger that has caused some to call for a full renunciation of the word.
Water droplets cling to the top of a green cannabis leaf. Photo credit: Esteban Lopez
So… Should We Say Marijuana?
In his book “Home Grown: Marijuana and the Origins of Mexico’s War on Drugs” Campos states very plainly that erasing the word marijuana from the lexicon equates to erasing a Mexican contribution from cannabis culture. Just because Anslinger attempted to use the word and it’s Latinx origin to push a racist agenda doesn’t mean that the culture should renounce it altogether. Marijuana is a word that originates in Mexican culture and as such, it was a contribution of Mexican immigrants to the cannabis culture in the states. Despite the history, the word should remain safe to use.
Recreational vs. Adult-Use
State by state, year by year, cannabis prohibition in the United States is being lifted. With this, each state and county are implementing their own laws and regulations to manage their legal cannabis industries. In these laws, the verbiage that is used will become canon in that state’s marijuana culture and industry. Over time, the separation between medical legality and full legalization has split states into two categories, a split that requires semantic differentiation. In this situation, some states are opting for using the term “recreational” cannabis while others are going with “adult-use.”
When a state does fully legalize cannabis, often times the medical program that already exists in the state is swallowed by the regulatory body managing the new cannabis industry. With this shift, many patients lose their trusted dispensary providers, end up having to find new products that work for them, and often pay much more for already un-insured prescriptions due to the business’s newly implemented licensing fees.
Many business owners and budtenders who have shifted from medical cannabis dispensaries to state-legalized dispensaries have seen this happen, and some believe that a simple change of semantics could change this disappointing tide. Using the term recreational cannabis stabilizes many stigmas already associated with cannabis users, but it also excludes these patients from the industry.
In response, some states have opted for using the term “adult-use” rather than “recreational.” The phrase “adult-use” includes both those who are interested in smoking a joint to get the giggles with friends and patients who find relief from chronic pain or other ailments by using cannabis products.
Dissecting modern language and understanding not only where a word comes from but also the impact that it can have on society is imperative. This method of self-reflection, at least in the cannabis industry, allows us to build a blossoming national industry on a foundation of respect and empathy. Collectively understanding that the word marijuana was used negatively in the past is important, but removing it from our lexicon is not inclusive. Similarly, using terms like recreational for a state’s entire cannabis industry is not inclusive of patients. When deciding which words to use, going with the most inclusive rarely steers people wrong.
The House Judiciary Committee made history today when lawmakers there voted 24-10 in bipartisan favor of a bill that would end the federal prohibition of cannabis. The bill, H.R. 3884, is expected to advance for consideration on the House floor.
The Marijuana Opportunity, Reinvestment, and Expungement (MORE) Act would end federal cannabis prohibition by removing the plant entirely from the Controlled Substances Act. The bill — first introduced in July by New York Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D) — would also impose a five percent federal cannabis sales tax (to be reinvested in the communities most disadvantaged by prohibition), legalize veteran access to medical cannabis, expunge the records of federal cannabis convictions, and provide incentives for states to enact their own cannabis expungement policies.
“These steps are long overdue. For far too long we’ve treated marijuana as a criminal justice problem instead of a matter of personal choice and public health. Arresting, prosecuting, and incarcerating people at the federal level is unwise and unjust.” — Chairman Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), in his opening statement
Conservative arguments against the bill said the MORE Act was moving too quickly and should be subjected to further review, but pro-reform lawmakers argued that further delays would only lead to more harm against U.S. citizens.
The bill could very well be received favorably in the House, which is Democrat-controlled and already approved one piece of sweeping cannabis legislation this year. The Senate, however, is expected to be a much more significant obstacle in the path to federal legalization.
NORML Political Director Justin Strekal lauded lawmakers’ advancement of the MORE Act, which he said will provide “pathways for opportunity and ownership in the emerging industry for those who have suffered the most.”
“In 2018 alone, over 663,000 Americans were arrested for marijuana-related crimes, a three-year high,” Strekal said in a press release. “Now that Chairman Nadler has moved the MORE Act through committee, it is time for the full House to vote and have every member of Congress show their constituents which side of history they stand on.”
Earlier this year, representatives in the House approved the STATES Act — which would specifically open up the banking system for state-legal cannabis businesses — in a 321-103 bipartisan vote. It was the first piece of stand-alone cannabis legislation to be advanced by federal lawmakers.
The CannaCon Northwest trade conference is returning to Tacoma, Washington on January 10-11, 2020 for another high-quality weekend of cannabis business networking and education.
Cannabis remains one of the fastest-growing industries of the last decade, but regulatory restrictions make doing business in this industry far more complicated than others. Year after year, however, CannaCon has established itself as the go-to cannabis trade conference, so come join an exciting collection of exhibitors and attendees at the Greater Tacoma Convention Center for the return of CannaCon’s flagship B2B cannabis event, which celebrates innovation and business disruptions in the cannabis space.
CannaCon Northwest is focusing this year on the technology and cultivation innovations making waves in the Washington and Oregon adult-use markets, including new advancements in climate control and plant genetics.
“We feel Washington and Oregon are at a point now to really be industry leaders in terms of new technology and efficient farming,” said CannaCon’s Director of Marketing, Angela Grelle.
Each year, the event sports a host of unique and educational seminars that balance out a weekend of networking on the exhibition floor. Seminars for this year will include:
Will Your Small Business Survive Interstate Commerce?
Smart Tax Planning and Accounting Strategies for Your Budding Business
Cannabis Business Operations: The Basics Of What You Absolutely Need To Know If You’re Going To Operate In This Industry
Beyond Security Compliance to Market Differentiator
Sell Joy! How to Write Compliant Claims and Messaging for Your Cannabis Brand
The Future of Cannabis Marketing & Advertising Technology
Modern Website Musts to Establish Credibility with Customers & Compete Online
Government Relations – Writing Your Own Future
The conference will also reserve space dedicated specifically for I-502 cannabis professionals to conduct business networking; these professional mixers will take place from 2:00-3:00 pm on both Friday and Saturday. Light snacks will be provided and there will be a Cannabis Alliance representative on-site to discuss policy issues, so keep your eyes peeled for the location announcement as the event draws near!
CannaCon Northwest tickets are now available at discounted prices. 2-day tickets, including access to both the seminars as well as the exposition floor, are currently available at $150, while a single day pass is $100. Cheaper tickets that only grant access to the exhibition floor are also available for people who want to laser-focus on the event’s B2B cannabis networking opportunities.
Visit CannaCon.org to buy tickets, become an exhibitor, or learn more about this and other CannaCon conferences.
Medmen Enterprises is cutting more than 190 jobs, the Chicago Tribune reports. The layoffs come about a month after the firm terminated a $682 million merger with PharmaCann.
The first cuts affected 80 corporate employees as the company looks to break even next year. It’s part of a five-part plan that includes selling some assets, consolidating its corporate offices in Los Angeles, California, and slow opening some locations. Medmen lost $79 million during the 12 months that ended on July 29.
Zeeshan Hyder, chief financial officer, said the firm reassessed their business and “realized that the best way for us to generate long-term value is by narrowing our scope and focusing only on our core markets where we have operating leverage and economies of scale.”
Morningstar analyst Kristoffer Inton told the Tribune that cannabis dispensaries are, “a tough business.”
“You are trying to purchase weed and try to sell it,” he said in the report. “It’s kind of a cost-plus kind of business.”
“We don’t see anyone else doing cost-cutting. That isn’t usually a good sign. If I saw any one (of the publicly traded cannabis companies) trying to save on costs, it would be shocking to me.” – Inton to the Tribune
Currently, Medmen operates 32 dispensaries in nine states, including one of the 14 Illinois dispensaries that were approved for “same-site” adult-use cannabis sales at their location in Chicago.
American Marijuana is seeking a cannabis product reviewer who could earn up to $36,000 a year. Applicants must be 18-years-old live in a U.S. state with legalized medical cannabis or Canada, be “physically fit and healthy” and have “extensive knowledge” of cannabis.
“The applicant will then test the products in person and write about their experience with the product from unboxing to everything they’ll be doing with the product. It has to also be noted that the applicant will be required to record their experience in film.” – American Marijuana, Nov. 19, 2019, “Cannabis Product Reviewer Wanted: Smoke Weed and Get Paid Up to $36,000 a Year”
According to the company, the job pays 3,000 a month along with free cannabis products for use with the reviews. Applicants must include a bio and/or resume, a 60-second introduction video talking about their passion for cannabis (or a headshot), links to existing social media accounts, and at least six slang terms for cannabis.
“This job is 100% for real and it’s an important job that includes more than just getting paid to smoke weed,” the company says in the post.
In the U.S., medical cannabis is currently legal in Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Delaware, Florida Hawaii, Illinois, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Washington D.C., and West Virginia.
Brooklyn, New York’s district attorney will reportedly drop the felony drug charges against the recipient of 106 pounds of hemp arrested earlier this month, according to NBC New York. Ronen Levy was arrested after FedEx tipped off police about the shipment, which was sent from Vermont and tested under legal THC limits.
The shipment was destined for Green Angel CBD – which is owned by Ronen’s brother Oren – but police intercepted the package, arrested Ronen, and lauded the bust on Twitter. At the time of his arrest, Ronen called the cop “hungry” who had thought “he had the bust of the day.”
At the time of the arrest, police were shown paperwork from the farm that cultivated the crop that showed THC content of 0.14 percent – about half of the 0.3 percent federal and state thresholds but a field test performed by police was positive for cannabis.
“We got information about a large package of drugs. We got it in here,” New York City Police Department Chief Terence Monahan said at the time of the bust. “We field tested it as marijuana, called the individual in. He was placed under arrest.”
A FedEx spokesperson told NBC New York that the plants shouldn’t have been shipped through the carrier because hemp is on the company’s prohibited items list. In June, the U.S. Postal Service changed its policies to allow hemp shipping, so long as the products comply with local laws and compliance records are maintained. UPS will also ship hemp products so long as they are not in flower form or originate “from any location that sells marijuana or marijuana products.”
It’s unclear whether law enforcement will return the confiscated products to Levy.
For our latest written Q&A session, we checked in with Tina for a discussion about cannabis branding and how cannabis operators can use their company’s ethos to do more than just represent their brand.
In this interview, Tina shares the strategy behind Old Pal‘s specific focus on “shareable” cannabis, discusses how cannabis brands can help affect cannabis policy shifts at the local and state levels, and discusses how her advocacy with NORML and her role as a cannabis company’s brand manager coincide and can complement each other as the industry matures.
Read the interview:
Ganjapreneur: What strategies do you use to make the Old Pal brand stand out from other cannabis companies?
Tina Ulman: Accessible, affordable, and abundant, Old Pal’s vision is simple: “It’s just weed, man.” And while our ethos is simple, it is a position in the market that not many other brands are taking or executing well. The culture we are building around Old Pal sets us apart from other brands. We put a lot of focus on our training and education programs to convey this to our dispensary partners. And we offer experiences for our consumers to feel the Old Pal difference. Through brand trainings and continued conversations with our dispensary partners, I ensure every team member selling Old Pal understands our brand values and vision. Our dispensary partners are incredibly valuable to us as they are often one of the first touch points consumers have with our brand. Focusing on brand and product education at this level establishes consistent messaging for our consumers and continues to push our unique position in the market. On the consumer side, we also have an active events and experiential program. Whether it’s sponsoring a food truck at a dispensary, teaching people how to roll joints or simply creating an inviting environment to enjoy our products at events, we want to bring people together. We want consumers to experience the brand and build community, not just smoke another cannabis product.
Could you explain Old Pal’s focus on “shareable” cannabis? What does that phrase mean, both to consumers and for the brand?
Old Pal is an ode to simpler times, when weed was just weed and joints were passed around to old pals and new ones. When neighbors knew each other by name and community meant something. Using the language of “shareable” and leaning into the nostalgic feeling of the design, we are communicating our belief in community and taking care of one another. Our accessible price points reaffirm that our products are meant to be enjoyed by all, creating a community of openness and support. And we hope our fans feel compelled to spread the love of Old Pal within their communities as well.
Which marketing strategies have you used to emphasize Old Pal’s “old-fashioned” cannabis experience? What has resonated best with your audience?
The most notable nostalgic experience we’ve shared with fans of Old Pal is our 1948 Chevy school bus turned into a rolling hangout machine. We affectionately refer to the bus as The Cosmic Collider. With The Cosmic Collider, we are able to offer a relaxed, good-vibe hang out space for people to enjoy weed and each other’s company. At the core of all our events and experiences, we focus on creating an inviting, inclusive atmosphere for all to roll up a J and pass it around with old pals and new pals alike. Check out photos of the Cosmic Collider online, here!
What can cannabis operators do to propagate a better business environment and smarter regulations?
Cannabis owners and operators have an opportunity to support bills that address decriminalizing, desheduling, and social justice just as much as they support industry specific bills such as the Safe Banking Act. Currently, there are 63 cannabis bills at the federal level that could impact the lives of consumers, prisoners, veterans, patients and the future of the industry. Brands can use their voice and influence to help push the passing of these bills in the right direction. Brands also have the opportunity to educate their teams on the current state of cannabis policy, how they can participate in democracy and voice their opinion to their legislatures, as well as vote for candidates that support marijuana reform. We feel the social responsibility of pushing this industry in the right direction through reform and policy is an obligation of everyone involved in the cannabis space.
How has your advocacy work with NORML affected your strategies for building a stronger cannabis brand?
NORML’s mission to shift public opinion towards legalizing the responsible use of cannabis by adults and assure consumers have access to quality flower that is safe, convenient and affordable parallels Old Pal’s ethos. Our shareable flower is accessible, affordable and abundant. We respect the pioneers and advocates before us and want to be a cultural changing machine, not just another cannabis product. I hold the same values, so it has been a privilege to represent a brand and an organization whose values align with mine and most cannabis consumers today. My strategies are not just to sell cannabis to dispensaries, but to also partner with them, educate their teams, and be a resource for them and their customers.
Do you feel like Old Pal’s ethos — and the spirit of other cannabis companies, as well — can help to encourage smarter legislation/regulations? Why or why not?
The hope is that, as more and more brands on the market are promoting responsible use and reverence for the plant, state and national policy makers will take note and realize that there is more to this plant that just getting obnoxiously high. Not everyone who uses cannabis nor brands are focused solely on getting ripped. Responsible marketing of responsible use will hopefully open eyes of those making laws and regulations that this isn’t as scary as a space as many tend to think.
What’s the biggest obstacle you have come up against while growing the Old Pal brand? How have you addressed and/or overcome it?
The biggest obstacle I’ve faced in my role has been educating industry employees and consumers that high THC is not always a leading product attribute. Not everyone who smokes weed is looking for a skyrocketing high. Yet, many brands lean into new grow technologies increasing THC strength or strain crosses to produce high potency flower. But at Old Pal, we believe a lot of people smoke cannabis, for different reasons. We’ve created a brand and products that are accessible to all types of cannabis users, from the everyday smoker to the occasional social smoker. Through our brand trainings, sales materials, and marketing, we continue to drive this message to help shift perceptions about the importance of THC percentages and show the wide array of cannabis users out there.
Do you anticipate any major cannabis policy/regulatory shifts in Nevada’s near future, and what change would you most like to see?
I absolutely anticipate changes in policy/regulation in Nevada when the legislature meets again in 2021. Myself and my team members from NORML are already working on legislation for patient rights, parental rights and consumer rights. In 2017, Nevandans asked in Question 2 on the ballot that cannabis be treated like alcohol and it still is not. Our policy makers still have not established proper social use venue legislation. We live in a state where cannabis is legal yet you can only smoke it in your own home. Nevada desperately needs social use venues so consumers can smoke and are not subject to criminal charges. I would also like to see a reasonable patient home grow of 12 plants, expungement of all cannabis charges, and better business ethics and policies so all may have a fair opportunity.
What do you think makes Nevada’s adult-use marketplace stand out from the rest of the country’s post-prohibition states?
Our opportunity to lead the country when it comes to tourism and the role cannabis plays in it stands out from the rest of the country. Year over year, Vegas revenue has been down in food, beverage, gaming, lodging and events. Consumers’ likes and interests change, and we have an opportunity to listen to the people and adapt. A tourist coming to Vegas might want to enjoy a preroll while they play blackjack, not everyone wants a drink these days. The life of the mega clubs with $5,000 tables is coming to an end. People want to relax, smoke weed, listen to live music and enjoy life. Las Vegas can offer that and it will impact our economy tremendously when they do.
What has been your proudest moment so far from your work in the cannabis space?
Bringing my community together to want better, and do better, without a doubt has been the proudest moment. The unification of the cannabis space especially with my fellow leaders has been so impactful in creating a place where we can learn what is happening in cannabis policy and how we can have a say in it. When I joined NORML in October of 2018, there were 20 people attending the meeting — now, we have over 120 people at the meetings, standing room only in the back. I wanted to help create a space where people can learn, come together, and meet like-minded people who believe in the power of cannabis and want to act on it. I believe if you are blessed to be making a living in cannabis you have a social obligation to be bettering the world with it, not making it worse and being overtaken by greed. My second proudest moment would be meeting and speaking to Presidential Candidate Tulsi Gabbard in Washington DC. She has my vote!
What advice would you offer to new cannabis business owners, or to someone who is thinking about starting a business in the cannabis space?
I would tell them to enter this industry for the right reason and not just money. You don’t have to consume to be a part of the cannabis revolution that is occurring right now, but the plant, its advocates, and its users need to be respected. There is immense potential for what this plant has to offer humanity from medicinal use for physical and mental health challenges, to building communities and opening minds. There are a lot of people working to right the wrongs of our past and the negative position many have taken on this plant, and they need to be celebrated and supported to continue pushing this industry in the right direction. The power of this work and the plant is not something to be taken lightly.
Thanks so much, Tina, for answering our questions and sharing your thoughts on cannabis branding, culture, and the political responsibilities of operators in this space. To learn more about Old Pal’s unique cannabis vision, check out OldPal.com!
San Jose, CA, November 19, 2019 — Zuna, a leading provider of integrated solutions for cannabis cultivation, today announced the launch of its new suite of products, called RADIX. RADIX is powered by the next wave of technological innovation, including Artificial Intelligence (AI), Augmented Reality (AR), machine learning and Internet of Things (IoT). It’s the first SaaS platform of its kind to utilize this technology in order to offer a comprehensive enterprise cultivation management solution for vertically integrated cannabis companies.
In addition to Zuna’s powerful technology, the company is redefining service in the cannabis industry with the introduction of its Platinum Maintenance and Support. Platinum Support comes standard with all RADIX products and it’s available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year.
“Based on feedback we’ve received from cannabis companies, we’ve learned that staying on top of state compliance regulations is what keeps them up at night,” said Vidyadhar Handragal, CEO of Zuna. “We differentiate the Company on both compliant technology and our extremely responsive support service model.”
Zuna’s suite of products includes the following: RADIX CannPOS (Point-of-Sale), CannERP (Enterprise Resource Planning), RADIX Remote (sensor technology), and RADIX Health (an application for managing plant health). In combination, the RADIX suite of specialized solutions reduces the pain points of seed-to-sale companies.
With the introduction of the RADIX product line, Zuna offers an easy to use platform that simplifies decision making, supports more efficient, safer and more environmentally friendly operations, and enables increased profitability. In addition to offering these as a suite of products, Zuna will also sell them standalone.
For more information about Zuna or its RADIX line of products, please contact sales@zunaco.com.
About Zuna, Inc.
Headquartered in San Jose, California, Zuna provides enterprise cultivation management solutions for the cannabis and agriculture industries. Fueled by AI, Zuna’s RADIX product suite includes next-generation remote plant monitoring sensors and compliant cloud-based Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) and POS platforms for automating operations within vertically-integrated companies. More about Zuna’s products can be found online at www.zunaco.com
Contact
Kristopher Le
Zuna, Inc.
408.899.4041
https://www.zunaco.com
The House Judiciary Committee is expected to vote on the Marijuana Opportunity, Reinvestment, and Expungement (MORE) Act tomorrow. The measure would remove cannabis from the federal Controlled Substances Act, allow Veterans Administration physicians to recommend cannabis for veterans in states with legalized access, and incentivize states to implement expungement policies.
The plan was first reported by Tom Angell for Forbes.
Effectively, the measure would allow sales nationwide and includes language that would establish a 5 percent tax that would be deposited into an “Opportunity Trust Fund” in the Treasury Department. Those funds would be divvied between the Attorney General’s office for legal aid and the Small Business Administration for equity and job training programs.
In the House of Representatives, the measure includes 55 Democratic co-sponsors – from both legal and non-legal states – but no Republicans. It was introduced in July by Judiciary Committee Chairman Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-NY).
In the GOP-controlled Senate, the bill is sponsored by Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA), who is also seeking the Democratic nomination for president. Other presidential hopefuls Sens. Elizabeth (D-MA) and Corey Booker (D-NJ) are two of only 5 total co-sponsors – all Democrats – on the measure in the Senate.
NORML Political Director Justin Strekal thanked Nadler in a statement, adding that “never in history have we been closer to ending the failed policy of marijuana criminalization and providing pathways to opportunity for our brothers and sisters who have suffered under its oppressive reign.”
“The MORE Act is the most comprehensive marijuana policy reform bill ever introduced in Congress and is backed by a broad coalition of civil rights, criminal justice, drug policy, and immigration groups. Those who oppose this legislation moving forward are defenders of a failed status-quo that ruins the lives of otherwise law-abiding adults on a daily basis, overwhelmingly enforced against the poor and communities of color.” – Strekal, in a statement
Last month, a Gallup poll found that two-thirds of Americans support cannabis legalization – the same level of support from a poll last year; Republican support in both polls topped 50 percent.
If the measure were moved to the full chamber, it would mark the first time cannabis de-scheduling legislation would be considered by a chamber of Congress. In September, the House passed the SAFE Banking Act 321-103; that bill marked the first time stand-alone cannabis legislation was considered by the full House.
Total cannabis job opportunities in the U.S. rose 79 percent from 2018 to 2019 with an estimated 211,000 full-time employees in the space this year, according to a Vangst report outlined by Forbes. The analysis suggests that there will be 414,000 new jobs in the cannabis industry by 2021.
According to the report, high-demand positions include budtenders, brand ambassadors, cultivation technicians and directors, delivery drivers, and trimmers. Additionally, Vangst estimates that “on-demand talent” – freelancers and seasonal employees – will comprise about 40 percent of the average company’s workforce by 2020.
From January 1, 2017 to January 1, 2018, Vangst saw a 690 percent increase in cannabis industry job postings on the platform, with a 16.1 percent salary increase over that same time span.
The report covers four main types of cannabis-specific jobs including cultivation, lab testing and cannabinoid extraction, manufacturing, and sales.
In August, Statistics Canada reported that the nation – which federally legalized cannabis last year – saw a near-quadruple increase in cannabis industry jobs from the previous year from 2,630 to 9,200. In 2017, Canada’s cannabis space accounted for just 1,438 jobs.
A report by Leafly and Whitney Economics released in May found that the U.S. cannabis industry added more than 64,000 jobs in 2018, a growth rate of 44 percent. In 2017, the increase in cannabis jobs in the U.S. was at just 21 percent.
A proposal for Thailand’s medical cannabis program would allow citizens to cultivate six cannabis plants and sell them back to the government who would process it for medical cannabis products, according to a Forbes report. Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said the reforms “allow the medical use of marijuana freely.”
“We have high confidence that marijuana will be among the major agricultural products for Thai households. We are speeding up the law changes. But there is a process to it.” – Charnvirakul, via Forbes
In September, the Chiang Rai Times reported that the government constructed Southeast Asia’s largest industrial-scale medical cannabis facility in Chiang Mai. The facility is reportedly currently cultivating 12,000 plants for the program. Chiang Mai is also home to Maejo University, which created a medical cannabis strain called “Issara” or “independence,” which contains equal percentages of THC and CBD, for use in the program.
Thailand’s Government Pharmaceutical Organization hopes to use the plants cultivated at the facility to make one million bottles of five-milliliter CBD oil by February 2020. So far, at least 13 hospitals have received licenses to dispense medical cannabis to patients.
Recreational cannabis use remains illegal in Thailand and those convicted of possession in the kingdom can be imprisoned.
The 420 Purifier is a high-performance smoke purifier meant for people who prefer to light up inside. It all began with a couple of friends who enjoyed burning herb together at their home. But roommates and neighbors complained about the dank aromatics that each sesh left in the house. The group decided that they should build a tabletop gadget to purify the stench out of the smoke rather than take their sessions outside. They also hoped that the high-end object would fit seamlessly into a well-decorated home. What they crafted has met these objectives with ease.
Despite its boxed shape, the gadget is sleek and could be mistaken for a speaker or small amp. It is a sturdy, well-built piece of engineering that comes in two colors. The sleek design combined with a choice between ‘White Pine’ and ‘Blue Mahoo’ is what allows the device to blend in with home or office decor. The machine was engineered with the help of the faculty of Engineering at the University of Maribor, Slovenia, and is built to last. Each 420 Purifier should work well with little maintenance for years to come — for optimal functionality, the carbon filter inside should be replaced yearly. To prove it, the company grants each purchase a 1-year warranty.
To use the 420 Purifier plug it in, switch it on and light up a joint. For the best results blow the smoke directly into the box and watch it come back out of the top vent with a brand new bouquet. The fan mechanism does emit a whirring that is louder than a desktop fan and quieter than a vacuum cleaner. My hard of hearing partner would probably be hard to use this with, but for those of us that reviewed it, it wasn’t a bother.
To test the appliance we simply lit up, blowing smoke directly in every few hits. We burned one gram of proper smelly cannabis and hit the timer. In order to really smell how the smoke could be purified, I drank a bit of coffee and took some big whiffs of the beans as well to cleanse my palate. After 15 minutes with the door closed, the air in the room where the joint was burned felt a bit lighter and fresher but definitely smelled like cannabis. After 30 minutes the aroma was pretty much gone except for a light remnant. It was at the 45-minute mark that the cannabis smell was masked into a sweeter scent, one that is familiar but hard to identify. After an hour the room smelled pretty much normal.
Switching the smoke purifier on is meant to clear the air, but don’t expect a miracle. For example, those who are hoping to mask the smell of smoke from a Resident Advisor policing their dorm floor will be disappointed because while you smoke, it will definitely still smell. However, someone who is enjoying their time at home and hoping not to infringe on the airspace of their neighbors, roommates, partners, etc. will find the 420 Purifier more than satisfactory.
There are some great uses for this small carbon filtered fan. We would recommend this to any steady cannabis user who cohabitates with someone who hates the smell of smoke. It would also be a wonderful amenity for hotels and bed & breakfast owners who allow smoking in their rooms. For these purposes, we think that this is a fantastic product.
Former vice president and current Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden said during a town hall event in Las Vegas that he does not support federal cannabis legalization because of the lack of evidence “whether or not it is a gateway drug.” He did, however, support the federal legalization of medical cannabis and the federal decriminalization.
In the Fox News video, Biden said that he believed that states “should be able to make a judgement” to legalize cannabis but that the federal government should “know a lot more about the science” of cannabis before federal legalization.
“… I want to move it from a … Schedule I drug to a Schedule III so you can, in fact, do [research]. I support the use of medical marijuana but here’s the deal … it should not be a crime. It should be, to the extent that is exists and anyone who’s ever been convicted of use of marijuana and put in jail that should be immediately released, their record should be immediately expunged … and it is not irrational to do more scientific investigation … to determine whether it’s a gateway drug or not.” – Biden, Las Vegas Town Hall, Nov. 17, 2019, via Fox News
During his remarks, Biden admitted he needed “more data” related to cannabis legalization but that “no one should go to jail” for cannabis “period.”
According to a USA Today report, all of the Democratic candidates approve some form of cannabis law reform, whether it be a let-the-states-decide approach or supporting legislation to end federal prohibition.
Among the frontrunners for the nomination, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) has indicated he would legalize cannabis federally within his first 100 days in office. South Bend, Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg supports the decriminalization of all drugs. Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) is a sponsor of the Marijuana Justice Act which includes cannabis legalization and criminal justice-related reforms.
An Amazon employee and registered medical cannabis patient from Middlesex County, New Jersey is suing the online retail giant claiming he was wrongly terminated from his job at the company’s Edison distribution center after failing a random drug test for cannabis, according to an NJ Spotlight report. The plaintiff, who is identified in court documents as D.J.C., said he was “shocked” that he was the first medical cannabis patient the company had encountered.
D.J.C. worked as a warehouse associate for 10 months prior to the drug test and was fired a month later. He claims that company officials didn’t allow him to list the medications he was taking prior to the test and seemed confused when he told him he’s a registered medical cannabis patient.
“They had a zero-tolerance policy against illegal drugs, and to me that wasn’t an illegal drug. That was my medicine,” D.J.C. told NJTV News, adding that human resource officials told him he wasn’t being terminated but, instead, was being placed on “disability leave” while the company awaited paperwork from his physician.
Once Amazon received the paperwork, D.J.C. says, he was terminated for failing to tell them he used medical cannabis, citing Amazon’s zero-tolerance drug policies.
Walter Dana Venneman, the attorney for D.J.C., told NJ Spotlight that his client was given “three terminations, each for a different reason.”
“It’s almost like whack-a-mole. And what strikes me most in those three separate terminations, and it’s laid out in the complaint, is that at no point, ever, did they consider, ‘What might we work out with our good employee?’ Doesn’t matter if it’s medical cannabis, or it’s some other medication, or a limitation on hours. Whatever it is, they have to make an effort to make a reasonable accommodation. And they could’ve easily done that here. And my client did not come to work impaired at that workplace.” – Venneman, to NJ Spotlight
D.J.C. claims that the termination from the warehouse “blacklisted” him from other jobs at firms owned by Amazon, such as Whole Foods.
Last session, New Jersey lawmakers passed a bill that prohibits companies from punishing employees because of their medical cannabis use so long as they are not intoxicated on the job and can provide their valid medical cannabis identification card. D.J.C. is seeking reinstatement, back pay, and punitive damages.
The Nevada Bar has not disciplined any attorneys who are participating in the cannabis industry in the three years following legalization, the Nevada Independent reports. The welcomed news for attorneys participating in the space comes after the Bar warned in 2017 that those lawyers working with cannabis businesses could face discipline.
Daniel Hooge, bar counsel with the Nevada Bar, said that the Office of Bar Counsel has sent some attorneys through their professional substance abuse treatment program but “none used marijuana exclusively or worked in the industry.”
A Nevada Independent analysis of ownership state data found that there are at least 68 lawyers among the nearly 1,400 owners and board members who applied for or received adult-use cannabis licenses in the state – those figures do not include the attorneys who work with cannabusinesses but are not personally invested in the business.
In 2017, the state Supreme Court adopted language saying that participating in the industry “may result in federal prosecution and trigger discipline proceedings” under a section of Supreme Court rules addressing attorneys convicted of crimes.
Ed Bernstein, a Nevada lawyer who has an ownership stake in Paradise Wellness Center LLC., said the ruling was “a very subtle reminder” by the court that cannabis is not federally legal and that if there was a problem the court “may have to deal with it later.”
“The world is changing very quickly and I think the Supreme Court is on board with some of those changes.” – Bernstein, to the Independent
Since the proliferation of relaxed cannabis laws, several state Bar associations have released guidance prohibiting attorneys from working with cannabis businesses due to federal law while others have changed their rules to allow them to work in the space. To date, no attorneys have been punished for advising cannabis industry clients in states where it is legalized.
Detroit, Michigan has banned recreational cannabis operations, joining 79 percent of the state’s municipalities in barring adult-use dispensaries and cultivation within their city limits, the Detroit Metro Times reports. Cities and towns that don’t permit recreational sales will not get a share of the 10 percent excise tax imposed on recreational cannabis sales.
The City Council passed the ban five days after the state began pre-qualifying current operators for recreational sales. The Detroit action is expected to be temporary until at least January 31 as local lawmakers hope to create new city-specific regulations for the industry.
In the first full fiscal year, Michigan cannabis sales are expected to generate $180.5 million in taxes, according to the Michigan Senate Fiscal Agency figures outlined in the report. By 2022-2023, that is expected to reach $287.9 million. The tax revenues derived from cannabis will be used for schools and roads, and be split among the municipalities that opt-in.
Current medical cannabis businesses who are pre-qualified are allowed to transfer up to 50 percent of their product for recreational sales, according to a bulletin sent to operators summarized by the Detroit News.
Marijuana Regulatory Agency spokesman David Harns said the allowance “will keep production and sales on the medical side moving as well.”
Adult-use sales are expected to roll out January 1, albeit on a limited basis.
