Van Solkov: Sharing Cannabis Culture with Tourists

10/22/2018

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Van Solkov is the owner and founder of Happy Travelers Tours, a cannabis industry tourism agency based out of Sonoma, California.

Van took some time recently to answer our questions and talk about cannabis culture in California and how he works to share that culture — and the unique experiences of cannabis industry entrepreneurs, workers, and professionals — with tourists. Check out our full interview below!

Ganjapreneur: When did you first have the vision for Happy Travelers Tours?

Van Solkov: In June of 2018 I was able to shift my focus from working in the tech sector where I managed B2B DemandGeneration, online marketing and digital marketing programs to starting Happy Travelers Tours (HTT). The inspiration for HTT came from my observation of the many wine tour buses that patrol the downtown square where I live in the City of Sonoma in Sonoma County, California.

As you might know, the City of Sonoma and the historic Sonoma Square is the location of the beginning of the State of California and is the “heart” of Northern California’s Wine Country. And, as we know, Wine Country is also Weed Country and that connection in my head is what sparked, no pun intended, the idea for HTT (when you sound it out, it sounds like “hit” and that IS intended!).

It is my opinion that a business based on the Sonoma Square has a strong opportunity for success for several reasons:

  • Tourists come to the Sonoma and the city square 365 days a year.
  • Sonoma, Wine Country and the corner of the square which is closest to where we live are all “destination spots” for domestic and international tourists.
  • We are able to promote our tours on the square by deploying Brand Ambassadors to share information about HTT when they’re approached. You can’t solicit but you can provide information if asked.
  • Over the many years we’ve lived near the square, there has only been one business to change ownership — even during the hard times, people come to Sonoma.

We’ve been operational since August 1, 2018 and we’re leveraging multiple channels to attract the attention of our guests, as well as raise our visibility online.

We’ve run:

  • Field Promotions like the Brand Ambassadors and an upcoming Women’s Expo
  • Online Promotions (use Promo Code 420 for 20% off!)
  • Email Marketing
  • Personal Selling via Referral Partners (hotels, restaurants and so on)
  • Networking

We understand that you followed a pretty unique path to the cannabis space — when/how did you first experiment with medical cannabis?

I am a patient of one of the first “215 Doctors” to open a medical marijuana practice in California. He’s been working with marijuana as a healing herb for many years and has a very strict practice for his patients. I started seeing Dr. Hergenrather in May of 2004.

The reason I went to Dr. Hergenrather for help was due to a bicycle accident I was in on Labor Day Weekend in 1993. I “celebrated” the 25th anniversary of the accident on Labor Day, 2018.

What happened on that sunny day only took a couple of seconds but the results changed my life and put me on a different path … one full of limited mobility, psychological challenges and constant, continuous, pain management.

Picture a perfect summer day — in fact, a perfect Labor Day. A large group of bicyclists was participating in an annual event organized by a family member of mine and on this particular day there was a total of about 150 riders all told. I was in a group of riders with about a dozen folks, all of mixed biking abilities and all on different types of bikes. As we were approaching a “Y” intersection, several people in my group were taking the right-hand road when they needed to turn left. I was the last rider in my group and I was coming down a hill towards the intersection. From my vantage point, I could see folks were going the wrong way so I shouted out: “You have to go LEFT” … to which folks started correcting their course.

Traveling down the hill, I was going about 25 MPH. When I called out to go left, one of the riders was on the right hand shoulder and, when she heard me, began to turn left … right in front of me. I had about a bike-and-a-half distance between her and me and I was moving fast. I knew that if I hit her, at minimum, I would hurt her very badly and, given the vector I was on, it seemed like I would have snapped her in half if I collided with her, so I hiked out my bike to the right side and managed to just get by her … however, as I went by her, I clipped her rear wheel and my bike tires hit some gravel, which caused my traction to give way and my entire bike to flip horizontally so I was parallel to the ground.

I hit the ground once, bounced, was able to kick my bike away from me, then I hit again, rolled to the shoulder of the road, and everything faded to black. I faded back in, surrounded by other riders telling me not to move. One of the support trucks showed up within a few minutes, driven by an ER nurse who triaged me by the roadside, had me loaded into the truck, and me raced to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital where I was x-rayed and treated.

My primary impact point was my left side rib cage (I put my arm up to protect my head). The damage to my spine was significant, with my sacrum, lumbar 3, 4 and 5, thoracic 5 and 6 and cervical 6, 7 and 8 vertebra all damaged by the impact.

Labor Day weekend 2018 marked 25 years since my accident. There’s no doubt in my mind if I had continued using the narcotic drugs which the doctors prescribed to me when I left the hospital I would either be an opioid addict or dead at this point. The amount of pain which I manage is significant, with 12 pain epicenters actively “talking” every day. Currently, I smoke between 2.5 and 3 grams of cannabis per day, typically Indica strains, and, for the most part, you’d never know it.

What should outsiders to California know about the state’s pioneering cannabis industry?

In my opinion, tourists coming to California need to be aware that it’s okay to ask questions and talk about cannabis. For example, ask your restaurant or bar server if they know about a local dispensary or, in our case, a tour company. Any adult over the age of 21 with valid ID can go into a retail dispensary and purchase the legal amount of cannabis products and then they can consume those products as long as they are either in their primary residence or on private property.

Conversely, at this time, you can not just spark up a joint and walk down the street, but — since you can’t open a bottle of booze and walk down the street drinking it — I don’t think that’s a hardship.

What has been your most rewarding experience thus far working in the cannabis space? 

Educating guests about cannabis, the plant. It turns out, there’s been at least one person per tour who has a plant or two they are cultivating and they always have very detailed questions about the plants we show them.

Personally, I’ve grown both indoor and outdoor and so I can answer a lot of questions, however, I surround myself with folks who are much more knowledgeable than I am and I really enjoy watching them interact with our guests as they delve deeply into their conversations

How about the most difficult experience?

In order for HTT to remain compliant, we have to have a Mobile Retail Partner who can continue to get compliant products from licensed distributors. This has proven to be the most challenging aspect: finding a retailer who has inventory which complies with California new packaging rules, which went into effect on July 1st.

As a cannabis tourism company, what is the most important information/experience you want to share with your customers?

Our mission is to provide education and to destigmatize the use of cannabis and change the image of the cannabis consumer, so, we really work hard to bring this message home on all of our Tours.

Experientially we want our guests to have fun while learning about something which they may not have known much about, or, have had preconceived ideas about. By sharing a positive experience with them we can change mindsets.

What tips/advice would you offer to entrepreneurs who are seeking to take part in the cannabis space?

I learned something at a recent industry event in Santa Rosa (the Second Annual Wine and Weed Symposium, which talked about the convergence of the two industries). Specifically: the rules and regulations in California for getting into the Production Supply Chain (California’s Track-and-Trace System) for legal cannabis is arduous, expensive and complicated.

On the other hand, providing ancillary services (like what Levis Strauss did for the Gold Panning 49ers) is much less difficult.

Thanks again Van for sharing your thoughts and experiences! To learn more about Van Solkov and Happy Travelers Tours, visit HappyTravelersWeedTours.com.

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Report: UN’s International Drug War Has Failed

10/22/2018

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A report investigating the United Nation’s “war on drugs” released Sunday has found that international drug policy in the last 10 years has been a complete failure, CNN reports.

According to the report, the UN’s drug war has done nothing to reduce international rates of drug use while at the same time has negatively affected human rights, health, security, and development around the globe.

The report was published by the International Drug Policy Consortium (IDPC), which is composed of 177 national and international NGOs who focus on issues related to drug policy and drug abuse.

“This report is another nail in the coffin for the war on drugs. The fact that governments and the UN do not see fit to properly evaluate the disastrous impact of the last ten years of drug policy is depressingly unsurprising. Governments will meet next March at the UN and will likely rubber-stamp more of the same for the next decade in drug policy. This would be a gross dereliction of duty and a recipe for more blood spilled in the name of drug control.” — Ann Fordham, Executive Director of IDPC, in a statement

The report found that drug enforcement efforts in the last 10 years have led to heightened violence against civilians and police and the mass incarceration of otherwise innocent people.

Former New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark — who is a current member of the Global Commission on Drug Policy — wrote in the report’s forward that, “Since governments started collecting data on drugs in the 1990s, the cultivation, consumption and illegal trafficking of drugs have reached record levels,” and that “…the ‘war on drugs’ has resulted in millions of people murdered, disappeared, or internally displaced.

Last week, Canada became the first G7 nation to end the prohibition of cannabis, which is the most popular illegal substance in the world.

 

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Denver

Colorado Pushes Back vs. Denver Cannabis Lounges

10/22/2018

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A letter from five state agencies in Colorado to the Denver City Council has shot down indoor cannabis smoking or the use of cannabis at a liquor establishment, the Denver Post reports.

The letter has also called into question something that was at first thought acceptable — vaping indoors. The state indicated in the letter it wants to make sure that “all Coloradans can breathe clean air in public spaces and in workplaces, and that means protecting Coloradans from secondhand smoke as a result of tobacco, vape and marijuana.”

Denver officials are confused as to why the letter mentions vaping, which was believed to be allowed under the state’s Clean Air Act. Councilwoman Kendra Black said, “I don’t know if they’re sending a message. …But currently it is allowed.”

The letter came out strong against establishments offering both liquor and cannabis.

“This administration is concerned that allowing marijuana and alcohol in licensed premises will result in an increase in impaired roadway users. The Retail Marijuana Public Health Advisory Committee found substantial evidence that the combined use of marijuana and alcohol increases impairment and motor vehicle crash risk more than use of either substance alone.” — Excerpt from the letter

However, outside of shooting down the major issues, the state did not address many of the concerns over which the Denver City Council had sought guidance. Most of the confusion boiled down to language in Denver‘s cannabis laws that says cannabis use cannot be “open and public.” The law, however, does not define exactly what “open and public” means — in fact, weed tour buses have previously clashed with law enforcement over the term’s vague definition.

Since state regulatory agencies have declined to issue guidance on the issue, the Colorado legislature will need to offer guidance instead, hopefully in the next legislative session.

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Austin

MMJ Supporters Rally at Texas Capitol

10/22/2018

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Medical cannabis supporters met at the Texas state capitol on Saturday to rally for the reform of MMJ laws in the state, Spectrum News reports.

The rally, organized by the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML), was intended to show Texas legislators it’s time to change their medical cannabis laws, especially for veterans in the state who have limited treatments options for PTSD. More than 20 percent of veterans with PTSD also have a substance abuse disorder, which medical cannabis has also been shown to treat.

Political pressure to allow medical cannabis has been building in Texas. The Texas Republican party endorsed rescheduling cannabis earlier this year.

Texas Rep. Pete Sessions, a well-known enemy of medical cannabis who has blocked all cannabis legislation from reaching the House floor, is seeing increased competition in the coming midterms due to his prohibitive stance, including a new PAC dedicated to unseating him.

Meanwhile, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has said he supports decriminalization, but organizations like NORML, veterans, and patients want more comprehensive action.

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Cannabis Shortages Already Happening In Canada

10/19/2018

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Canada became the second nation in the world to legalize cannabis this week and it’s now plainly apparent that consumers’ appetite for legal cannabis is already outpacing the actual supply.

According to the CBC, both brick-and-mortar, government-run retail storefronts and the online marketplaces hosted by Canada’s licensed cannabis producers felt the strain of high consumer traffic starting Wednesday, aka Legalization Day.

Officials in Manitoba, Canada announced there was “substantially less cannabis than originally requested” and said that consumers should expect product shortages which might last for months.

In British Columbia, there is just one licensed retail storefront, though there still exist some technically illegal dispensaries who have nonetheless operated fairly openly and unhindered for years.

In Ontario, Canada’s most populous province, there are currently zero physical storefronts and the Ontario Cannabis Store, a government-run online marketplace, is currently the only option for buying legal cannabis.

While the shortages were expected, they still symbolize the ever-growing enthusiasm for cannabis and will send a message to the world that progressive cannabis reforms are a popular and potentially lucrative undertaking. And, since legalization took effect, it has emboldened Canada’s cannabis community.

Canadian MP Nathaniel Erskine-Smith told CBC News in a televised interview that he is a cannabis consumer.

“Just as someone might have a glass of wine or a scotch on a Friday night, I would turn to my vaporizer. … Five years from now, no one will be interested in this question because we’ll all recognize we’re responsible adults, and this is far less harmful than alcohol, far less harmful than tobacco. And we should use it responsibly, yes, because there are potential harms.” — Canadian MP Nathaniel Erskine-Smith, in an interview with CBC News

Cannabis is legal for adults 18 and older (or 19 and older in certain provinces) throughout all of Canada. Currently, only cannabis buds and concentrates are legally available, but framework establishing regulations for cannabis edibles, beverages, and other infused products are expected.

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Cannabis Station, Denver

Colorado Still Breaking Cannabis Sales Records

10/19/2018

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Combined medical and adult-use cannabis sales in Colorado for 2018 have exceeded $1 billion as of August, according to the Denver Post.

August is the earliest month yet for the state to have cracked that sales milestone. The state of Colorado has collected $200 million in tax revenue from that $1 Billion as well. The state is on track to break its previous sales record of $1.5 Billion before the end of the year.

Sales growth was seen in edibles and concentrates, with nearly explosive growth in demand for the latter. Edible sales grew 13.8 percent while concentrate sales nearly doubled, growing 94.6 percent in the same time period.

Experts like Wana Brands CEO Nancy Whiteman said the growth is unsurprising. Whiteman attributes the increase in edible and concentrate sales to the changing market demographic — specifically, more women and elder people.

“I think in the early years of legalization a dominant story in the media was ‘This is not your parents’ THC. It is much stronger and you have to be careful, and I think that was off-putting for a lot of people who didn’t necessarily want that experience, but now there’s a lot more good options of them.” — Nancy Whiteman, CEO of Wana Brands

The explosive growth of the market is simmering down, however. Growth numbers in Colorado year over year are less exponential, having grown only 2.6 percent compared to the same point last year. There was 18.7 percent growth from 2016-2017.

More predictable growth or even maintenance of growth is to be expected as any market matures. What remains interesting is how consumer choices continue to move away from smoking and towards edibles and concentrates, an ongoing trend that shows no sign of slowing.

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First Cannabis Citation

First Stoned Driving Citation Issued One Hour After Legalization

10/19/2018

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A police officer in Winnipeg, Manitoba in Canada issued the nation’s first citation for stoned driving just an hour after legalization, according to The Drive.

While police were unsure if the cannabis had been obtained legally, they did not deem it worthy of an investigation and instead only issued the now-normal citation. Considering the hour — 1 a.m. on October 17 — they believed it likely was illegally obtained but were not concerned with that detail of the traffic stop.

Also, Canadian drivers should be aware of an important detail relating to packaged — and even unconsumed — edibles.

“If somebody has an edible in a car and we can prove it, that’s also an offense. Sometimes we can, sometimes we can’t. And when edibles are legally produced commercially, then it might be a little bit easier because there’ll be packaging and things that might be visible.” — Gord Spado, Winnipeg Police Service traffic division Inspector

Cannabis of any type may not even be stored in an accessible place while the vehicle is in motion on a public road in Canada.

The fine totaled CA$672, which is the standard amount for consuming cannabis in a vehicle. The fine for cannabis not stored properly in an inaccessible place is CA$237.

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Money and Cannabis

Are Canadian Cannabis Stock Profits Exaggerated?

10/18/2018

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Cannabis companies traded publicly in Canada may appear more profitable than they actually are due to corporate income reporting standards that differ from U.S. markets, The Motley Fool reports.

Cannabis stocks have recently been turning heads with unexpected early profits. Some companies have already reported profits this year, despite the fact that seeing profitability so early in the development of a new market is unusual. Some people see it as a sign that the “Green Rush” is officially underway — the early profitability claims, however, may be misleading.

Companies traded publicly in Canada are required to report income using International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS). Under these rules, cannabis is considered an agricultural product, and agricultural products are measured by the fair value of the crop, minus any selling costs, before it is actually sold. This means that cannabis producers are basically just guessing at future income — it’s not guaranteed.

The placement of this already questionable asset relative to a company’s bottom line marks yet another quirk to IFRS that has resulted in profitability miscommunications. Canadian agricultural companies — including cannabis producers — are allowed to place their approximate asset either above or below their bottom line. Canadian publicly-traded cannabis companies have chosen to place the before-harvest value of their crop above the line, which reduces the cost of sales in the early stages of reporting, leading to the false appearance of overall year-over-year profitability.

Cannabis investors should understand the nature of IFRS reporting and should study closely any company they might buy stock, particularly once armed with that knowledge. Cannabis was legalized federally throughout Canada yesterday, which is expected to help these companies become more profitable in the future, but it will take some time.

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FDA Cannabis Rescheduling Comments Are Flooding In

10/18/2018

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The FDA has received input from more than 2,000 individuals on the rescheduling of cannabis and other drugs just over a week after putting out the call for public comment, Marijuana Moment reports.

The FDA announced on October 10 it was seeking public comment about the “abuse potential, actual abuse, medical usefulness, trafficking, and impact of scheduling changes on availability for medical use” for cannabis and other psychotropic substances currently scheduled.

Many comments include insightful personal stories and other anecdotes about the medicinal value of cannabis.

Some highlights:

From an anonymous commenter:

“I have severe chronic musculoskeletal pain from Ehlers-Danlos syndrome that has not responded to any medication. Pregabalin made me suicidally depressed and caused me to self-injure again after years of stopping that behavior.

“I live in Illinois and have a medical cannabis card. Cannabis is the only medication that has alleviated the existential dread that comes with knowing that I will continue to experience terrible pain for every moment of the rest of my life. It is a profoundly effective pain medication, appetite stimulant, and sleep aid. It is also physically impossible to die from a cannabis overdose unless you have an underlying heart condition, which just emphasizes the need to reduce harm by legalizing it so doctors can sensibly discuss its use with their patients.”

From Benjamin Schmidt:

“More evidence continues to show it has immense health benefits and is exponentially less harmful than Alcohol. Evidence shows it helps in many avenues and also greatly in withdrawal and transitioning out of hard drugs such as opiates and methamphetamine. In efforts to help control and reduce substance abuse among these dangerous drugs, we should follow suite with Canada and remove it from Federal classification as it is.”

From James Gould:

“The War on Drugs has shown to be a failure. End the War on Drugs – arresting people for personal possession does not reduce drug use rates, does not reduce drug overdose rates, and does not reduce youth access to substances. Our drug problem is one of public health, not a criminal problem. We should be joining countries such as Portugal, Canada, and the Netherlands in moving towards sensible drug policies based in compassion and reason.”

Of course, not all respondents were in favor of loosening cannabis restrictions.

Eric R. Eliason of Utah writes:

“Hi my name is Eric R. Eliason and I live in Provo, UT. While in college I took two puffs of a joint and my grades suffered.
I usually get As in math but the next semester I got Fs in all my classes (except an A in tennis where I cheated).
Marijuana impairs judgment and stays in your system for a very long time. Drugs are bad for you.
We need critical thinkers for our economy.

They say it stunts your growth if you do it before 25, but even after 25 you can still grow neurons.
It messes with the brain in many ways that are documented.”

The deadline for submissions to the FDA is October 31st. If you haven’t said your piece, now’s the time.

 

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CannMed 2018 Opens October 22-24 at UCLA Luskin Center

10/18/2018

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Third Annual Conference moves west to reflect growing importance of California’s cannabis market, opens with Career Fair hosted by California’s EDD

WOBURN, Mass. — The nation’s premier medical cannabis conference, CannMed 2018, will be held at UCLA’s Luskin Conference Center October 22-24. The Conference is hosted by Medicinal Genomics, a pioneer in cannabis genomics technology and DASH Digital Cash.

CannMed will open with a pre-conference Continuing Medical Education (CME) workshop on October 22, 2018, where medical professionals can earn up to 8 hours of continuing medical education credits, and a Cannabis Career Fair presented by the State of California’s Employment Development Department (EDD). The Fair is free to job seekers and CannMed participants, and it will feature presentations by expert staff of the EDD for California-licensed cannabis companies and more than 75 exhibitors looking to fill jobs in every aspect of the rapidly growing industry.

At the Conference, more than 50 of the world’s top medical cannabis researchers and clinicians will present compelling case studies and the latest research on the efficacy of treating a variety of medical conditions, from cancer to opioid addiction, with cannabis. Cannabis industry leaders will also share the latest innovations in cultivation, testing, and the use of blockchain technology to improve transparency and product safety.

CannMed 2018 Session Topics Will  Include:

  • Treating Cancer with Cannabis
  • Treating Neurological Disorders with Cannabis
  • Treating Pain and Opioid Addiction with Cannabis
  • Cannabis and Women’s Health
  • Applying Cryptocurrency and Blockchain Technology to the Cannabis Industry
  • Developments in Cannabis Genetics
  • Cannabis Regulations and Safety Testing Techniques
  • Innovations in Cultivation and Product Development

“We’re excited to be holding the 3rd annual CannMed on the west coast,” said Kevin McKernan, Medicinal Genomics’ Chief Science Officer. “It’s a move that reflects the growing gravitational pull of the cannabis industry in the West with the confluence of the industry’s most exciting developments — endocannabinoid-based therapies, genomics and cryptocurrency. It’s on pace to be our biggest and most important conference yet.”

Some of the presenters headlining CannMed 2018 are:

  • Dr. Raphael Mechoulam, Professor of Medicinal Chemistry at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and the research pioneer who discovered the endocannabinoid system and key active components of cannabis.
  • Dr. Michael Dor, Head of Community Medicine Division – Israeli Ministry of Health; Director of Emergency Walk-In Clinic – Jerusalem, Israel; and Deputy Director of All Medical Services – Israeli Ministry of Health.
  • Dr. Bonni Goldstein, Medical Director of Canna-Centers, a California-based medical practice devoted to educating patients about the use of cannabis for serious and chronic medical conditions and medical advisor for weedmaps.com.
  • Catherine Jacobson, Director of Clinical Research at Tilray and responsible for identifying opportunities for clinical research partnerships, fulfilling Tilray’s goal of advancing knowledge of cannabinoid science by partnering with physicians and medical institutions.
  • Dr. Dustin Sulak, Founder of Integr8 Health and osteopathic general practitioner, He also founded Healer.com, a medical cannabis patient education resource, and Cannabis Expertise, a medical cannabis continuing medical education curriculum.

For a full list of presenters and the latest conference information visit www.cannmedevents.com; follow CannMed Events on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram; or follow hashtags #CannMed #CannMed2018. Note to editors: Passes are available for accredited media upon request.

About Medicinal Genomics Corporation

Medicinal Genomics Corporation has pioneered the genomics of cannabis to build a stronger scientific foundation for cannabis-based products. Our unmatched expertise in genetic science has helped cultivars, dispensaries and testing laboratories characterize and understand the quality and consistency of cannabis to ensure patients and consumers have access to safe, quality cannabis.

About DASH Cryptocurrency

DASH is a unique cryptocurrency designed to make instant, private payments online or in-store using a secure open-source platform hosted by thousands of users around the world. At DASH’s core is a unique fully-incentivized peer-to-peer network where miners are rewarded for securing the blockchain and masternodes are rewarded for facilitating instasend and privatesend functionalities. DASH’s unique governance model enables masternode voting on treasury spending and as a result grew faster than Bitcoin in 2017.  

For more information on all CannMed 2018 activities and to register, please visit www.cannmedevents.com

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Rep. Blumenauer Calls On Democrats to Legalize in 2019

10/18/2018

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Oregon Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D) sent a blueprint for cannabis legalization to Democratic leaders in Congress on Wednesday, Forbes reports.

“Congress is out of step with the American people and the states on cannabis. We have an opportunity to correct course if Democrats win big in November. There’s no question: cannabis prohibition will end. Democrats should lead the way. If we fail to act swiftly, I fear as the 2020 election approaches, Donald Trump will claim credit for our work in an effort to shore up support — especially from young voters. Democrats must seize the moment.” — Oregon Rep. Earl Blumenauer, in written statement to Democrat leaders

What’s the plan?

  • Assuming Democrats retake the House this winter, Blumenauer says that during the first quarter of 2019 they should immediately start congressional committee hearings to debate fixes — including steps to undo some of the damages of cannabis prohibition, such as finding education loans for students who have been convicted of cannabis possession.
  • Starting in April, Blumenauer says committees should “start marking up bills in their jurisdiction” to “once and for all legalize marijuana at the federal level.” Issues he suggests are addressed include racial injustices that have resulted from cannabis enforcement, giving veterans access to cannabis for PTSD and pain relief, improving access to cannabis for researchers, and providing tax relief to struggling cannabis businesses.
  • By August 2019, Blumenauer says the House should pass a package of cannabis reform bills addressing the above issues.
  • Blumenauer says the House should look seriously at descheduling the plant entirely during the final quarter of 2019. “Our chances in the Senate depend on both the November elections and increased public pressure following House passage,” he wrote.

“By the end of 2019,” Blumenaur writes, “marijuana will be legal at the federal level, and states allowed to responsibly regulate its use. The federal government will not (interfere) with state efforts to responsibly regulate marijuana use within their borders.”

Rep. Blumenauer — who represents voters in Portland, Oregon — is one of the most canna-friendly members of Congress: his name is attached to the Rohrabacher–Blumenauer Amendment, which is included in the annual spending bill to block federal interference with state-legal medical cannabis operations, and he is a founding member of the Congressional Cannabis Caucus.

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ReeFi Capital Launches Platform to Offer Real Estate Loans to Cannabis Businesses

10/17/2018

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Platform enables cannabis companies to turn existing real estate equity into immediate growth capital

Los Angeles, CA – ReeFi Capital announced today the launch of its Institutional Lending Platform. Backed by private equity capital, ReeFi provides liquidity for the cannabis industry through real estate loans, enabling entrepreneurs and operators to monetize their properties and invest capital into their rapidly-expanding businesses.

ReeFi targets legal cannabis businesses and real estate owners to provide loans collateralized by industrial facilities, greenhouses and dispensaries. Target loans range in size from $2 million to $10 million per property, and ReeFi has the flexibility to close loans within 30 days.

ReeFi is a private lender backed by institutional discretionary capital with underwriting and lending expertise and success across all real estate sectors. ReeFi’s backers have invested more than $5 billion in both real estate debt and equity, including opportunistic ground-up development projects, multifamily and hotel acquisitions, and bridge and mezzanine loans.

For more details about ReeFi’s Institutional Lending Platform, please visit reefi.com. Loans under $2 million will be considered on a deal-by-deal basis. Loans are non-recourse, and are taken on the real estate collateral, not the business or operations. ReeFi loans offer competitive interest rates on 3-5-year loan terms.

As part of this week’s platform launch, ReeFi will be activating as a sponsor at the Dallas Cannabis Investment Forum on October 18, presented by High Times. To stay up to date with ReeFi’s latest news, please visit and like ReeFi’s Facebook page.

About ReeFi Capital:

ReeFi allows legal cannabis companies to extract value from their real estate and reinvest capital into their rapidly expanding business.  ReeFi is an institutional lender, providing competitive rates and terms commensurate with the risk. Our backers have invested more than $5 billion in both real estate debt & equity, including opportunistic ground-up development projects, multifamily and hotel acquisitions, and bridge & mezzanine loans. Our disciplined approach to investing has consistently generated outsized gains relative to risk through several real estate cycles. With our proven track record of hundreds of successful transactions and a dedicated growth strategy, we know that we have an approach that works.

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Canada's flag with a cannabis leaf shape instead of the usual maple leaf.

Canada Legalizes Cannabis, Possession Pardons Incoming

10/17/2018

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Today marks the official legalization of cannabis in Canada.

Canada, following in the footsteps of Uruguay, is only the second nation in the world and is the first G7 nation to legalize the recreational use of cannabis for adults. Medical cannabis has been legal in Canada since 2001.

Starting today, Canadian citizens who are at least 19 (or just 18 in Quebec or Alberta) can buy cannabis online from existing licensed producers or — depending on their province — at certain government-licensed storefronts.

Unfortunately for enthusiastic consumers, however, recent reports indicate that most Canadians will not have access to a dispensary at market launch. In fact, in British Columbia — the province with the highest rate of cannabis use — there will be just one storefront available at first; in Ontario, Canada’s most populous province, dispensaries will not be able to open their doors until springtime at the earliest. 

Shortly before legalization took effect, officials in Ottawa also announced the government would issue pardons for Canadian citizens with criminal possession charges of 30 grams or less of cannabis, according to a Global News report. 

“We will be introducing a new law to make things fairer for Canadians who have been convicted for possession of cannabis. It becomes a matter of basic fairness when older laws from a previous era are changed.” — Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale, during an early Wednesday morning press conference

Canadians can also grow their own cannabis and buy seeds or clones but, according to Marijuana Business Daily, a cannabis seed shortage is expected during the early days of legalization.

The Canadian government has also launched information campaigns to educate citizens about the effects and realities of cannabis. So far, the BBC reports, 15 million households have received information in preparation for today’s major policy shift.

Canada’s legalization plan was first announced by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as a campaign platform during the build-up to his 2015 election win.

“I’m actually not in favor of decriminalizing cannabis. I’m in favor of legalizing it,” then-candidate Trudeau said in 2013. “Tax it, regulate. It’s one of the only ways to keep it out of the hands of our kids because the current war on drugs, the current model is not working. We have to use evidence and science to make sure we’re moving forward on that.”

Following his electoral victory, Trudeau wasted little time in tasking his newly empowered Liberal government to undo cannabis prohibition, though the process has taken well over two years.

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MMJ Cardholder Charged With Possession by Police

10/17/2018

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A woman in Oklahoma carrying both a valid MMJ card and cannabis was charged with marijuana possession by police, Oklahoma News 6 reports.

Regina Gist is a 49-year-old single mom with three boys. She developed chronic pain following four different back surgeries. When Oklahoma voters approved State Question 788 to legalize medical cannabis, Gist went to a doctor right away to get her license.

On September 25th, an officer pulled Gist over for having a broken taillight.

“The officer asked if I had anything on me and I said I have a little bit of weed but I have my ID. He just didn’t care. He said I just couldn’t possess it.” — Regina Gist, in the report

The officer told Gist that, because no approved medical cannabis dispensaries were open yet in the state, possession was still illegal. Gist’s attorney, Collin Rockett, disagrees.

Rockett cites the language of State Question 788, which says that a license holder can legally possess up to three ounces of cannabis. “Nowhere does it say you have to get it from the dispensary,” Rockett said. “It’s our position they have no basis to charge her.”

Gist believed she was obeying the law. “I seriously wasn’t even nervous when I told him,” she said. “But that changed real fast.”

The Oklahoma district attorney in charge of prosecution said this is all new to her, as well. The case, however, is still moving forward.

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Sunset photograph of New York City.

New York Law May Prevent MedMen-PharmaCann Merger

10/17/2018

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New York Public Health Law may prevent the agreed-upon merger of MedMen and PharmaCann, the Times Union reports.

New York’s medical cannabis law, which is overseen by the New York Department of Health, requires pre-written approval from the Department for any ownership changes for businesses operating in the state’s MMJ market.

“Regulations prohibit a registered organization from changing the composition of its ownership without prior written approval of the Department of Health. MedMen and PharmaCann do not have approval from the department to conduct this transaction, and at this time the department has insufficient information to determine if approval can be granted.” — Jill Montag, New York Department of Health spokesperson

The hitch in the deal stems from New York‘s medical cannabis law, which prohibits cannabis businesses from owning or operating more than four dispensaries in the state.

MedMen already runs a high-end cannabis dispensary on Fifth Avenue in New York City and has also acquired the assets of Bloomfield Industries, which once operated throughout the state. PharmaCann has significant assets in New York as well, with dispensaries in Albany, the Bronx, and Central and Western New York. Their combined dispensary locations would exceed the limit.

Daniel Yi, spokesperson for MedMen, said the company was in talks with regulators and was confident of the outcome. “The first step in any acquisition is for the two parties to agree to the terms and enter into a binding contract,” said Yi. “Then you go seek approvals from all the relevant regulators. We have begun that process now.”

On Monday, MedMen announced that it would use “commercially reasonable efforts” to sell or shift ownership of any licenses that would prevent regulatory approval.

New York, however, is a valuable market — the state is in the process of developing an adult-use legalization bill that could create a lucrative recreational market within the next year.

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Banff, Alberta

Parks Canada OKs Cannabis at Campsites

10/16/2018

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Parks Canada, the national Canadian parks service, has confirmed that it will allow the consumption of cannabis in campsites, according to the CBC.

“While Parks Canada campgrounds are public areas, the agency treats individual campsites as temporary domiciles for our visitors. For this reason, at Parks Canada campgrounds, consumption of cannabis will be permitted in campsites.” –Marie-Hélène Brisson, spokesperson for Parks Canada, via the CBC

Additionally, hikers will be able to consume cannabis on hiking trails in some provinces, including British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario, Quebec, Nunavut, and the Northwest Territories. Cannabis will be prohibited in common areas, however. Ultimately, visitors should be aware of specific provincial laws, as cannabis rules will differ depending on the province.

Parks Canada said it will treat cannabis just like alcohol for purposes of enforcement. Marie-Hélène Brisson said that Parks Canada may still have, just like for alcohol, “specific prohibitions on consumption in specific campgrounds or at specific times of year,” for operational concerns or to maintain a positive visitor experience.

Brisson also reminded users to be cautious when consuming in the wilderness to prevent incidents or injury. A B.C. Search and Rescue team issued a similar warning to wilderness enthusiasts earlier this year.

Cannabis becomes federally legal in Canada tomorrow, October 17, 2018.

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Canopy Growth to Acquire Ebbu In $330M Deal

10/16/2018

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Canadian cannabis producer Canopy Growth Corp. is making a C$430 million bet ($330 million in USD) on the acquisition of ebbu, a Colorado-based hemp and cannabis research firm.

According to a Bloomberg report, the deal will include a C$25 million cash payment and 6.22 million Canopy Growth shares.

Canopy Growth — which has said it would not enter the U.S. cannabis market until the plant has been federally approved — issued a statement on Monday suggesting the acquisition is in “clear accordance with current U.S. federal law.” In that release, Canopy Growth reconfirmed that it would not conduct any cannabis production or sales efforts on U.S. soil until federal legalization is realized.

Ebbu is a hemp and cannabis research firm focused on identifying and understanding cannabinoids. Canopy Growth intends to utilize ebbu’s intellectual property and research advancements to improve its hemp and cannabis genetic breeding programs, cannabis-infused beverage capabilities, and to further health research.

In its release, Canopy — which also owns a hemp operation in Saskatchewan — suggested the ebbu acquisition will allow the company “to vastly reduce the cost of CBD production, a sought-after cannabinoid in both the wellness and medical spaces.”

Canopy Growth rocked the cannabis industry news cycle earlier this year when it secured a $4 billion investment from alcohol maker Constellation Brands to advance the CBD-infused beverage industry.

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An aerial view of downtown Newark, New Jersey.

New Jersey Allows Dispensaries to List Prices Online

10/16/2018

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New Jersey’s Department of Health announced earlier this week that it will allow dispensaries in the state to list prices online.

New Jersey currently has six vertically-integrated “alternative treatment centers (ATC)” and plans to add another six in the near future.

“Medical marijuana patients should benefit from online price information just as shoppers do when they buy a car, a plane ticket or any other consumer goods. We hope that ATCs take this opportunity to communicate this information to patients. This is part of our ongoing effort to make the Medicinal Marijuana Program more consumer-friendly for patients and caregivers and less restrictive to ATCs.” — Health Commissioner Dr. Shereef Elnahal, in the release

The adjustment was made to the state’s cannabis advertising rules. In letters sent to the ATCs, Assistant Health Commissioner Jeff Brown told them they are now allowed to post lists of prices to social media and on their websites. The ATCs themselves will decide what, if any, information they will share.

New Jersey is in the midst of expanding its medical cannabis program — in fact, the number of patients has doubled since January. Delays surfaced, however, when state officials received 143 applications for just six additional licenses. Each application averages over 300 pages.

New Jersey is also considering full adult-use legalization, though that bill has not been finalized or voted on by state legislators.

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Cannabis Plants

Study Reveals 21 New Cannabinoids

10/15/2018

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Researchers at the University of British Columbia have published a study revealing that there may be more types of cannabinoids than expected in many strains of cannabis and also that CBD and THC are not as important for understanding different strain effects as previously thought, according to Nature.

The researchers collected 33 strains of cannabis from five different licensed producers in the Canadian medical cannabis market. After making an extraction, they used the UV spectrum to classify the different chemical compounds present. Surprisingly, among expected results, the researchers discovered 21 compounds that looked a lot like cannabinoids but were previously unidentified.

The extractions tested by researchers showed that the differences between the strains only accounted for 36% of their overall chemical differences. The remaining 64% of the statistical difference was attributed to other cannabinoids, including the 21 unidentified. There were signs of a complicated relationship between chemical compounds in cannabis: some cannabinoids are correlated with the production of THC while others, including a number of the unknown cannabinoids, were associated with the production of higher levels of CBD.

And that wasn’t even their goal, nor their primary finding. Authors E.M. Mudge, S.J. Murch, and P.N. Brown set out to test the hypothesis that the distinct effects of cannabis strains are not tied to just their THC or CBD content alone — nor the ratio of the two — but that the spectrum of possible effects is much wider than believed. Their findings confirmed this hypothesis and also indicated that breeding cannabis over the years specifically for THC has harmed the plant’s diversity in a condition known as “Domestication Syndrome.”

The research showed that there was a lack of diversity in the cannabinoid content of strains bred to be high-THC alone. In fact, strains with greater than 20% THC seemed to have completely lost the chemical pathways that produce CBD. There also seemed to be fewer of the unidentified cannabinoids in the THC-rich strains, indicating that it may not just be CBD production pathways that those plants have lost.

Ultimately, researchers found that most strains sampled in the study were closely related and that it’s too limited of a process to focus on one or even two single cannabinoids in an attempt to classify strains by their effect — in other words, CBD and THC are only one small part of the puzzle.

Researchers said that further research is needed to understand what the unknown cannabinoids are and how they shape the effects of cannabis.

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New Jersey MMJ Expansions Stalled By Too Many Applications

10/15/2018

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The New Jersey Department of Health (DOH) announced it will not meet a deadline to award the state’s second wave of dispensary licenses by November 1, NJ.com reports.

Gov. Phil Murphy called for a doubling of the number of dispensaries in the state in July, raising the total from six to 12. The Department of Health received 146 applications for the six additional licenses. The overwhelming number of applicants has staggered the DOH and caused delays in the selection process.

“Additional time is needed to complete a full review of these applications. Each of the reviewers must read more than 40,000 pages of material (each application averages 300 pages). The reviewers are working as quickly as possible, and the department will announce the successful applicants as soon as the review is complete.” — New Jersey Department of Health statement, via NJ.com

New Jersey’s medical cannabis program has been growing rapidly, with currently more than 33,000 patients enrolled. The state has committed to expanding the program alongside enrollment but it is falling behind quickly. Even with the previous Nov. 1, the extra cannabis products were not expected to hit the market until the spring of 2019 — now it may be even later.

New Jersey is doing its best to meet interim demand. The state has authorized the existing six dispensaries to open satellite locations across the state. The state has also started attempting to alter regulations to change the structure of the medical cannabis program to allow for separate licenses for growing, processing and retailing. Currently, growing and retailing are one license.

The state is expected to issue even more licenses in coming months, once the current six up for consideration have been awarded. It’s unclear how the delay in approving the Nov. 1 licenses will affect that plan.

New Jersey is also considering full adult-use legalization, which may be voted on as early as October 29th, according to state Senate President Stephen Sweeney.

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Corn Farmer Swaps Crops, Plants First ‘Minnesota Hemp Maze’

10/15/2018

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With Halloween just around the corner and other autumn festivities now in full swing, Minnesota farmer Ted Galaty has decided to replace the corn in his annual, four-acre corn maze with hemp plants, the Post Bulletin reports.

“Everybody’s seen a corn maze. I wanted to do something different,” said Galaty, who also runs the Fright Farm, a haunted attraction in Maplewood, Minnesota.

Galaty said he decided to swap this year from corn to hemp because corn was more expensive, getting costlier, and year after year of growing the crop was starting to deplete his field’s soil.

“Not rotating was depleting the soil. I’m just putting more and more fertilizer, more and more spray on my crop. …It’s amazing what can be done with hemp and what it does for your soil at the same time.” — Ted Galaty, Minnesota hemp farmer, via the Post Bulletin

The first annual hemp maze officially opened for business on September 22 — since then, some 300 visitors have come to the maze, which has already covered the cost of buying and planting the hemp seeds.

Galaty said this year’s hemp maze will ultimately stay in the ground, but by next fall he hopes to have equipment and buyers in place to process the crop after the maze attraction closes for the year.

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NHL to Maintain Cannabis-Friendly Policy

10/15/2018

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The National Hockey League (NHL) will maintain it’s neutral stance on pro players’ cannabis use after legalization takes effect across Canada this Wednesday, according to a Yahoo Sports report.

Many professional hockey players report using cannabis medicinally to avoid using opiate-based painkillers; in Canada, medical cannabis is a federally regulated substance that anyone with a doctor’s recommendation can access.

Under the league’s current rules, players are not at all punished if they test positive for cannabis use; Commissioner Gary Bettman said that the NHL has no intention to change that policy.

”The Substance Abuse & Behavioral Health Program for decades has been educating players on using drugs, legal or illegal. That process will continue and we will consider what changes, if any, in our program have to be made. But right now, we think based on the educational level and what we do test for and how we test, at least for the time being, we’re comfortable with where we are.” — NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman, via Yahoo Sports

If anything, the biggest concern for some NHL officials appears to be that players are properly educated about the potential effects and benefits of cannabis use.

”What we feel was an important element is at least educating the players better on the current marijuana landscape both from a legal and illegal perspective and what’s permitted and not permitted,” Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly told Yahoo Sports. ”But also, ‘What are the products out there?’ Because there’s probably publicly a great misconception of what marijuana is, how it’s used, what it’s used for to what the reality is.”

 

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Trump Team Planning Federal Cannabis Reforms

10/12/2018

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The Trump Administration plans to address federal cannabis reforms after the midterm elections, Sen. Dana Rohrabacher (R-California) told FOX Business this week.

Sen. Rohrabacher said the White House gave “a solid commitment” to address the issue. He didn’t specify how far the reforms might go — whether it could be as far as rescheduling or even descheduling the cannabis plant, for example — but, Sen. Rohrabacher noted, President Trump said on the campaign trail that he was in favor of federally legalizing medical cannabis and leaving adult-use legalization up to individual states to decide.

“I have been talking to people inside the White House who know and inside the president’s entourage… I have talked to them at length. I have been reassured that the president intends on keeping his campaign promise.” — Sen. Rohrabacher, in an interview with FOX Business

“I would expect after the election we will sit down and we’ll start hammering out something that is specific and real,” said Sen. Rohrabacher.

Sen. Rohrabacher — who has served in the House for nearly 30 years — is considered one of the more cannabis-friendly members of Congress. Democrats, however, have targeted his seat in this year’s midterms as a potential weak point for Democrats to retake the House of Representatives.

Since his election, President Trump has largely steered clear of the cannabis issue, though he told Colorado Sen. Cory Gardener (R) in April that he would support federalism-based legislation to protect states who choose to legalize or otherwise reform cannabis laws.

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London, UK

United Kingdom MMJ Legalization Takes Effect Next Month

10/12/2018

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Doctors in the United Kingdom will soon be allowed to prescribe medical cannabis to patients with an exceptional need, according to a New York Times report.

Starting on November 1st, specialist clinicians in England, Wales and Scotland will be able to prescribe cannabis-based medicines. General practitioners will not be able to prescribe medical cannabis. Also, a requirement for prescription of cannabis is that there be no existing licensed pharmaceutical product designed to treat the illness.

The policy change was enacted by Home Secretary Sajid Javid.

“Having been moved by heartbreaking cases involving sick children, it was important to me that we took swift action to help those who can benefit from medicinal cannabis.” — Home Secretary Sajid Javid, via the New York Times

The change was driven by two high-visibility cases where epileptic children were denied the seizure medicine they needed. Those children were given special, temporary licenses to consume cannabis-based medicines while the government reviewed its standing policy on medical cannabis. Now, on a case-by-case basis, others can receive the same medicines.

The office of the Home Secretary was clear, however, that penalties for unauthorized possession or distribution remain in place and will continue to be enforced.

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