Growers Network Documents Large Scale Production in Episode Two of ‘Canna Cribs’

4/11/2018

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Following the popular reception of Episode 1 of Canna Cribs, Growers Network went to Grow Op Farms, owners of the Phat Panda, Hot Sugar!, and Sticky Frog brands for the second episode of Canna Cribs. Grow Op Farms is a major cannabis producer in the state of Washington and Growers Network took the opportunity to document their growing process.

“Canna Cribs is our way of envisioning a professional, mature cannabis industry where processes are standardized and everybody is safe,” says Nick Morin, CEO. “We want to see the industry come out of the shadows and embrace the academic and business world. Our second episode focuses on Grow Op Farms, one of the largest producers in Washington, and how they are able to satisfy the market’s demands.”

Here is a list of products featured in this episode of Canna Cribs:

Details for the next Canna Cribs episode are still in the works, but you can follow the Growers Network channel on YouTube to stay updated.

Growers Network is a private community for commercial cannabis professionals. To learn more, visit their website at http://growersnetwork.org/.

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Two crystal-coated cannabis colas inside of a licensed cultivation center.

Poll: 70% of Older Americans Would Consider MMJ Use if Condition Would Respond Well

4/10/2018

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A University of Michigan poll has found strong support for medical cannabis among adults aged 50 to 80, with 70 percent of respondents of the Healthy Aging Poll saying they would consider using medical cannabis if diagnosed with a “serious health condition that might respond well to marijuana.”

The survey found 44 percent would “definitely” consider medical cannabis and another 26 percent “probably” would consider it, while 13 percent were a hard “no,” with 17 percent “unsure.” Of the respondents, just 6 percent indicated they actively use medical cannabis and 18 percent said they knew someone who uses cannabis for medical purposes.

Opinions on cannabis vs pharmaceuticals for pain relief: 31 percent of respondents said that cannabis “definitely” provides pain relief, while another 38 percent believed it “probably” does – just 4 percent said they did not believe cannabis provides pain relief and 27 percent were unsure. Nearly half of respondents – 48 percent – said they believed pharmaceutical pain medication was more effective at providing pain relief than cannabis, 39 percent said cannabis and pharmaceuticals provided the same relief, and 14 percent said cannabis was more effective. Fifty-seven percent of respondents said they thought prescription pain medication had more side effects than cannabis, while 34 percent believed the side effects between the two were the same, and 9 percent said cannabis had more side effects.

Nearly half of the respondents – 48 percent – believed pharmaceuticals were more addictive than cannabis. Thirty-eight percent believed they were about the same and 12 percent believed cannabis was more addictive.

“These poll results illustrate broad support for marijuana use when recommended by a doctor, but not for recreational use. Older adults perceive marijuana to offer pain relief and to be safer and less addictive than prescription pain medications. Restrictions around prescription pain medications may mean that more people (including older adults) seek out medical marijuana. This highlights the need for rigorous studies on the health effects and safety of marijuana use, especially in older adults.” – University of Michigan National Poll on Healthy Aging, April 2018

Although just 6 percent admitted to using medical cannabis, that figure represents millions of older adults across the U.S. population.

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Colorado Gov. Dishes to Rolling Stone about Cannabis Legalization, Federal Policy

4/10/2018

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In an interview with Rolling Stone, Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper dispelled prohibitionist myths about cannabis legalization in the state: children are not getting high and there hasn’t been a spike in cannabis-related driving incidents.

“We were very worried that by legalizing, we were making this more somehow more psychologically available to kids. We haven’t seen that. If anything, we’ve seen less drug dealers.” – Hickenlooper to Rolling Stone

The Democratic governor, who initially opposed legalization in the state, indicated that, overall, officials “haven’t seen a big spike in consumption” but they have seen cannabis use rates increase among senior citizens.

“… Which we think is either Baby Boomers coming home to roost or arthritis and the aches and pains of growing older – people finding that marijuana is a better pain solution than opioids or other things.” – Hickenlooper in the interview

Hickenlooper also opened up about his conversations with Attorney General Jeff Sessions, who Hickenlooper said is “very clear … that more Americans enjoying any kind of drug makes the country weaker, not stronger” but that he admits the federal government doesn’t have the resources to crack down on state-legal cannabis programs and that their priority is heroin, meth, and human trafficking.

“That being said, he’s not going to want to do anything that in any way allows people to think that it’s OK to open a dispensary or it’s OK to start growing pot. He just wants people to be very uncertain about that and unsure about what the next step would be from the federal government, which is sort of what’s happening now with trade, right? With the tariff wars. But it creates this uncertainty, which is bad for business. … He wants to have that uncertainty, which he hopes will be bad for business. Just make people think twice before they expand their operation or make additional investments.” – Hickenlooper, on federal interference, to Rolling Stone

Hickenlooper suggested that the state’s illegal market now represents $50 million to $100 million in the $1.5 billion state industry. He noted that U.S. News & World Report has ranked Colorado the number one economy in the U.S. for two years in a row, but he did not directly attribute that to legalization.

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Photo captured inside of the Maryland General Assembly state legislature.

Maryland Legislature Passes MMJ Expansion Bill to Address Lack of Minority-Owned Firms

4/10/2018

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Maryland’s Senate and House of Delegates passed a bill over the weekend to issue seven additional medical cannabis cultivation and 13 processing licenses, the Baltimore Sun reports. The bill includes language which would force regulators to consider race and barriers for minorities, including women, with the issuance of those licenses.

The bill’s passage addresses the state’s medical cannabis business diversity issues that were brought to the forefront by Del. Cheryl D. Glenn and led to lawsuits against the state by rejected applicants. Glenn was the sponsor of the legislation, which includes a directive to the Medical Cannabis Commission to conduct “comprehensive outreach” to hopeful small, minority and female business owners through partnerships with minority-focused trade groups, and historically black colleges and universities.

At least one of the lawsuit plaintiffs, GTI Maryland, told the Sun that the company would dismiss its suit. The legislation grants GTI one of the cultivation licenses. Of the 20 new licenses, 14 will be open to competition. The remaining are set aside for companies to promote integration in the space.

The measure also includes the creation of a “compassionate use fund”: The fund would help low-income people and veterans pay for medical cannabis products.

The bill still needs to be signed by Gov. Larry Hogan.

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Citibank Asks California Dispensary to Stop Using ‘Citidank’ Name

4/10/2018

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Citibank has asked a California dispensary that has riffed off the bank’s name to stop using the moniker Citidank – although it’s unclear whether any sort of official cease and desist has been filed. In a back page ad in Coachella Valley Weekly, the Cathedral City-based shop said they cater to “all your danking needs.”

“Unless you are as high as a kite, you know that Citi isn’t affiliated with this business in any way and we have requested that they stop using Citi’s name and logo.” – Danielle Romero-Apsilos, a spokeswoman for Citibank, to the New York Post

This isn’t the first time a cannabis company has borrowed from a traditional company. Last year, Tapatio Foods LLC filed a lawsuit against California cannabis company Payoso Grow over their use of Tapatio’s “Charro” mark – a man in a sombrero, yellow shirt, and red tie – for their Trapatio cannabis-infused chili sauce. At least one Trapatio mark also features a man in a sombrero, yellow shirt, and red tie; however, that mark features the man in a black ski mask with dollar signs adorning the rim of his sombrero. On another Trapatio mark, the red tie is obstructed by a bandolier (a bullet belt crossing over the chest) and the hat features cannabis leaves.

Cannabis company GG Strains LLC also settled their own trademark infringement case last year with the makers of Gorilla Glue adhesives. The adhesive company contended that the company’s strains – Gorilla Glue #1, Gorilla Glue #4, and Gorilla Glue #5 – violated the company’s trademarks. That settlement forced the Las Vegas-based cannabis company to transition from the Gorilla Glue names, any gorilla imagery, and to stop using the word “gorilla” by Sept. 19. GG Strains must also transfer its gorillaglue4.com domain to the adhesive company by Jan. 1, 2020.

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Cannabis supporters taking part in a legalization rally in Vancouver, British Columbia.

Celebrities Will Not Be Allowed to Endorse Canadian Cannabis Products

4/09/2018

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Celebrities will not be allowed to endorse recreational cannabis products in Canada and a July 1 legalization date was “never on the table,” according to the government’s legalization point-man MP Bill Blair. The former Toronto Police chief appeared on The West Block to clarify some aspects of the nation’s forthcoming legalization scheme.

“The law is explicit and clear, that celebrity endorsement, lifestyle advertising is not allowed with cannabis. It’s not the government’s intention to promote the use of this drug … We are not allowing the heavy marketing that we’ve seen with other products, alcohol for example, and so there will be severe restrictions on things like celebrity endorsement and [company] sponsorship.” – Blair on The West Block via Global News

Canadian entertainers have already entered the space, including members of The Tragically Hip, who have creative and shareholder ties to Up Cannabis, according to the report. In 2016, the Trailer Park Boys announced a brand development deal with Organigram. The TPB Productions deal with Organigram is for five years.

Blair remained confident of a July start date. Late last month, the Canadian Senate advanced the legalization bill to second reading and it’s now being studied by five committees. In the interview, Blair anticipated that “within [a] two-month window of royal assent, the government of Canada will establish and announce a date of implementation.”  

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Every Day Optimal Brings Legal CBD to Every State

4/09/2018

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The demand for CBD products is growing in popularity. Just a few short years ago almost no-one knew what CBD stood for. We are seeing a movement in today’s society where CBD is becoming a heavily discussed item. The reason for this is that CBD products help to promote the overall health and wellness of both people and animals, yet the regulations have not caught up to the hemp and cannabis industries.

New CBD companies need to be aware of different laws and regulations from state to state. With little FDA regulations and a closely watched industry by the DEA, CBD companies need to make sure they are producing high quality and safe to use products. Companies like Every Day Optimal are leading the charge in remaining compliant while delivering high-quality CBD products nationwide.

The difference between legal and illegal CBD products varies from state to state. CBD companies need to be aware of the line that divides the two. CBD is a compound that exists in both hemp and cannabis strains. When industrial hemp is used, the percentage of THC will be very low to non-existent — whereas cannabis strains have a higher level of THC. CBD crosses the line from legal to illegal in some US States if the THC percentage is higher than .3%.

A prime example of legal CBD products are the Every Day Optimal Cannabidiol Oil Products. Every Day Optimal’s CBD products can be made federally available due to the ingredients they use. According to Alex Gould from Every Day Optimal, “Our products are derived from industrial hemp and are free and clear of any heavy metals, pesticides, contaminants, and THC, making them perfectly legal in every state without a prescription.”

Benefits to using CBD

There is a long list of reasons why people use CBD products. Common reasons include reducing the incidence of diabetes, fighting cancer cells, reducing anxiety, pain, inflammation, anxiety and treating various neurological disorders. The human body has an endocannabinoid system that has receptors designed to work in sync with CBD compounds.

Popular types of CBD products

CBD products are being designed to fit seamlessly into our daily lives. From CBD oils that you can mix into various foods and drinks to CBD gummies, tinctures, capsules and vape liquids. There is a growing list of options that fit many different lifestyles. The list does not stop with just us humans either, there is a growing market for pet CBD products as well.

Many of these popular CBD products can be found from Every Day Optimal CBD. They are the nation’s leading supplier of USA made CBD oil products. All Every Day Optimal CBD Gummies are made with 100% hemp oil CBD (cannabidiol) extracted from federally legal industrial hemp. They can be accessed online from any state in the USA without a prescription and can be used in the treatment of a wide variety of ailments and health-related concerns.

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A man uses a lighter and glass pipe to smoke some cannabis.

Alaska Cannabis Regulators Table Social-Use Action Until June

4/09/2018

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Alaska’s Alcohol and Marijuana Control Board have tabled action on regulations to allow social cannabis use under the state program until the board once again has a full panel of members, the Associated Press reports. The board is down one member after the resignation of member Travis Welch last month. The board expects to revisit the proposal in June after they find a replacement for Welch.

The board has been mulling plans since 2016. Last August, the board released a draft for on-site consumption which would allow licensed retailers to sell up to 1 gram of flower and edibles with 10 milligrams of THC or less for consumption on premises. Under the proposal, customers would not be allowed to bring their own cannabis, alcohol would not be allowed to be sold, and retailers would pay $1,000 for a new, or renewal, on-site consumption endorsement.

So far, only Denver, Colorado and some California cities will allow social use. In February, Denver regulators issued its first social-use license to The Coffee Joint, which will allow patrons 21-and-older to bring their own vaporizers and/or infused edibles to consume at the shop; smoking is not allowed. Last week, West Hollywood regulators announced they would license 16 cannabis consumption licenses which would allow customers to smoke, vape, or eat infused foods and beverages.

Ballot initiatives in Massachusetts and Maine included social-use language; however, regulators in both states rejected social-use language in their draft rules.

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The flag of Israel flies under a sunny, blue sky.

Israeli Pharmacies to Sell MMJ Under Pilot Program This Month

4/09/2018

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Starting April 20, some Israeli pharmacies will begin selling medical cannabis products under a national pilot program, CTECH reports. The program, approved by the government in 2016, will see participation from 20 pharmacies as part of a broader Ministry of Health-approved expansion.

That expansion included overhauls to reduce patient wait times and a product export plan; however, in February, PM Benjamin Netanyahu put the brakes on medical cannabis exports pending a review of the plan by the Health Ministry and the Economic Council chairman. Israeli news agency Hadashot reported that Netanyahu suspended the program after speaking with President Donald Trump, whom he reportedly did not want to anger with the exportation plan. In August, an Israeli parliamentary committee estimated that cannabis exports could bring in $1.1 billion per year.

The Ministry of Health will oversee the medical cannabis program expansion. The department will select and supervise cultivators, processors, distributors, and pharmacies. The guidelines will be the same as those governing the pharmaceutical industry, the report says. The regulations include rules on labeling, shelf-life, and active-ingredient concentration. Israeli physicians will be able to prescribe medical cannabis products.

If the regulations are approved, Israel would be the first country to standardize medical cannabis products.

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No Laboratories Apply for Guam MMJ Testing License; Program on Hold

4/09/2018

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Not a single company has applied for a medical cannabis testing license in Guam, putting the start of the program on hold, the Associated Press reports. The program was approved by voters in 2014 and Gov. Eddie Calvo approved the regulations last February.

The law requires potency and safety testing. Department of Public Health and Safety Acting Director Leo Casil estimates that the startup costs for the lab are about $1 million and that the program is at “a standstill” without the lab. Application fees for all potential Guam canna-businesses are $1,000.

Sen. Dennis Rodriguez, the medical cannabis regulations bill author, said he had hoped the Health and Safety Department “would be more proactive,” noting that the agency could reach out to public entities, such as the University of Guam, to do the testing.

Jonas Macapinlac, director of integrated marketing communications for UOG told Pacific Daily News that the Maine Lab is not being considered by the institution.

“The Marine Lab serves a specific purpose and this does not seem like a good fit. We would need to consider any possible ramifications to our land grant status and in our ability to receive federal funds.” – Macapinlac to the Daily News

Rodriguez told the AP that there are no plans to appropriate more funds to the Health Department for the program at this time.

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Connecticut House Committee Advances Rec. Cannabis Bill

4/06/2018

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The Connecticut House Appropriations Committee has narrowly advanced a recreational cannabis bill, moving it to the floor which could consider the measure before the end of this year’s legislative session. The measure passed the committee 27-24.

The measure would require the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management, in consultation with the Chief State’s Attorney and the Commissioners of Mental Health and Addiction Services, Consumer Protection and Revenue Services, to develop a plan to legalize and regulate the retail sale of cannabis in the state.

The bill would require the agencies to submit the legalization plan, along with a substance abuse treatment, prevention, and education plan to the General Assembly by Oct. 1.

Becky Dansky, legislative counsel for the Marijuana Policy Project, said the voter “reiterates what most Connecticut resident already know: it is time to make marijuana legal for adults.”

“The discussions that have taken place in the legislature this year have provided more than enough information to effectively move forward with legalization. Connecticut should stop punishing adults for using a substance that is safer than alcohol, and it has an opportunity to regulate marijuana before it starts losing tax revenue to other states in the region that have already started this process.” – Dansky in a press release

Are the dominoes falling in New England? Maine and Massachusetts voters approved recreational regimes in 2016, and the Vermont Legislature passed its own legalization measure earlier this year. The Rhode Island House approved the first reading of its own legalization measure last month but have not held additional readings. Late last month New Hampshire lawmakers punted the legalization bill for interim study, which effectively killed the bill for further consideration this year.

An October 2017 Sacred Heart University poll found 71 percent support for legalization in Connecticut.

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West Hollywood, California Approves Cannabis Social-Use Plan

4/06/2018

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West Hollywood, California plans to license 16 cannabis consumption lounges where patrons can smoke, vape, or eat infused foods and beverages. In total, the city plans to issue 40 total canna-businesses licenses.

Two types of consumption lounge licenses will be available: One will allow smoking, vaping, and consumption on-site; the other will allow only edible consumption at already licensed businesses. According to the city regulations, eight of each license will be available.

License categories include: Eight adult-use retail licenses; eight medical dispensary licenses (currently there are only four in the city limits); and eight delivery licenses. The regulations note that there will be “no limit on the number of business licenses issued for cannabis delivery services that are located outside the City limits and deliver cannabis to customers within the City of West Hollywood.”

The city will use an Evaluation Committee to determine who will receive the licenses and the top eight applicants in each category will receive the licenses, which must comply with existing zoning rules. The cost for a single cannabis license in the city is $9,880.

The application process will commence on May 2 and remain open until May 31.

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California Issues 1,000+ Cease-and-Desist Letters to Unlicensed Cannabis Operators

4/06/2018

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California’s Bureau of Cannabis Control has issued more than 1,000 cease-and-desist letters to unlicensed cannabis operators since the recreational use law took effect on Jan. 1, according to a KCET report. It’s the first step in shutting down illegal operators.

According to the report, regulators are using online advertising platforms to find the illegal shops. This likely includes Weedmaps, who were sent their own cease-and-desist by regulators last month due to their advertising of unlicensed retailers.

The BCC is including information on how to obtain licenses along with the cease-and-desist letters, and is issuing temporary licenses, free of charge, which are good for 120 days and can be extended by the agency for additional 90 days.

Licensing fees in California run from $4,000 to $72,000, depending on the size of the operation, but, according to the report, fines can run four times the amount of the license itself.

Aaron Francis, public affairs analyst for the BCC, told KCET that the agency is having “internal discussions” with the agency’s enforcement team “to evaluate the next steps regarding unlicensed activities.”

In their response to the state, Weedmaps said that many of the unlicensed businesses advertising with the platform are protected under the state law until January because they are cannabis cooperatives and the state’s old medical cannabis laws allow such non-profits to operate until the new law’s sunset clause takes effect. It’s unclear how many of the 1,000 businesses targeted by the BCC are considered cooperatives under the old law.

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Calgary, Alberta, Canada City Council Votes to Ban All Public Cannabis Use

4/06/2018

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The Calgary, Alberta, Canada City Council has moved to ban all cannabis consumption in public but included exceptions for those with medical need, the Calgary Herald reports. The regulations also prohibit retail shops from opening 150 meters (about 492 feet) from schools and emergency shelters and 10 meters (about 33 feet) from daycares, pawnshops, and payday loan businesses.

The city has also banned consumption in multi-family dwellings, such as apartments and condos. Mayor Naheed Nenshi said the rules set forth reasonable limits but acknowledged that the decision to ban consumption in multi-family dwellings would have an adverse effect om a “minority” of individuals, including tourists. Nenshi suggested the city could eventually allow social cannabis use.

“I think it’s far better to set the rules and then make exceptions for people who need them, rather than make a grand exception for everyone, which would lead to public nuisance problems for everybody.” – Nenshi to the Herald

The multi-family dwelling ban was opposed by Councilor Evan Wooley who said that the majority of citizens in his ward are renters.

“It’s not an insignificant group of people – 36 per cent of Calgarians are renters. And effectively we are saying there is no space for you to consume cannabis, and that’s a problem for me.” – Wooley to the Herald

The council did vote to have city officials report back on potential social-use rules early next year. The vote will likely allow the city to begin accepting applications for retail businesses as early as Apr. 24.

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Cannabis fan leaves spread out underneath an indoor grow operation's LED grow lights.

Report: U.S. Legal Cannabis Sales Could Top $75B by 2030

4/05/2018

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According to research firm Cowen & Co., legal cannabis sales in the U.S. are expected to reach $75 billion by 2030, which would put it on track to surpass the current sales for non-alcoholic carbonated drinks, Bloomberg reports. The firm previously predicted that the cannabis market would reach $50 billion by 2016 – if legalized federally – but analyst Vivien Azer said that “new forecasts suggest that the market is already that size.”

She added that while legal cannabis is not a direct competitor to the soda industry, it is likely going to impact the bottom line of the alcohol industry.

“We have consistently argued that cannabis and alcohol are substitute social lubricants.” – Azer to Bloomberg

A 2017 study from the University of Connecticut, Georgia State University, and Universidad del Pacifico in Lima, found that states with medical cannabis legalization had a 13.8 percent decline on beer sales and a 16.2 percent decline on wine sales. That study, using retail scanner data, did not account for alcohol purchased at bars or otherwise outside of the retail industry.

Soft drink consumption is already at its lowest levels in 31 years, according to trade publication Beverage-Digest figures outlined by Bloomberg. Data from Euromonitor International shows that the North American soft drink market fell from 78.3 billion in 2016 to $76.4 billion last year.

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Cannabis clones inside of a sterile, commercial grow room.

Colorado Senate Committee Rejects Social-Use Bill

4/05/2018

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Colorado’s Senate Business, Labor & Technology Committee voted 6-1 against a measure to create social-use cannabis licenses, according to a Cannabist report. The measure was opposed by state cannabis regulators and by members of the law enforcement and medical communities.

Colorado State Patrol Major Steve Garcia argued that the measure would increase the likelihood of drugged driving and that cannabis stored at the social clubs for its customers would no longer be subject to tracking which could push it into the informal market.

According to the report, the measure was “substantially changed” from the original draft. The amended version stripped licenses for medical cannabis operators and references that would have exempted the clubs from the state Clean Indoor Air Act. It would have allowed patrons to buy a maximum amount and store it on-site, and allow the clubs to sell light snacks.

Another bill, which would allow cannabis “tasting rooms” at licensed businesses, will be moved to the House Appropriations Committee on Friday. That measure would not allow on-site smoking.

Gov. John Hickenlooper, a Democrat, does not support social use. Last year he threatened to veto a measure approved by the Senate but that bill did not make it to the House floor.

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Orange County, New York Gets First MMJ Dispensary

4/05/2018

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The first medical cannabis dispensary in Orange County, New York has opened for business following the expansion of the state program in 2017. The Curaleaf dispensary, operated by PalliaTech NY, LLC, is located in Newburgh; Orange County has a population of more than 377,600.

“We are excited to open our doors and begin providing patients in Newburgh and nearby areas with the high-quality medical cannabis treatments they need and deserve. We have received a warm welcome from the Orange County business community, doctors, patients, elected officials and other local groups, and we look forward to working together and ensuring that those with serious illnesses have access to these important treatments.” – Michelle Bodner, president of PalliaTech NY, in a press release

State Sen. Bill Larkin, a Republican who represents the county, said he was “proud” that citizens “will be getting the treatment they need to improve their quality of life and that of their families.”

“When we made the decision to support having this industry in New York we did so because we wanted to help those individuals who were suffering, especially our children and veterans, that were not benefitting from other treatments.” – Larkin, in a statement

Curaleaf dispensaries are also set to open in Plattsburgh, Carle Place on Long Island, and in Queens.

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Josephine County, Oregon Sues State to Nullify MMJ and Rec. Cannabis Laws

4/05/2018

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Josephine County, Oregon is suing the state in federal court seeking to invalidate both the medical and adult-use cannabis laws approved by voters in 1998 and 2014, respectively, the Associated Press reports. The lawsuit argues that the state laws are pre-empted by federal drug laws.

“Any person in any state who possesses, distributes, or manufactures marijuana for medical or recreational purposes, or attempts or conspires to do so, is committing a federal crime.” – Wally Hicks, a lawyer for the county, in the lawsuit

The County Board of Commissioners has previously attempted to ban commercial cannabis farming on rural residential lots of five acres or less and to reduce the size of some commercial grows. The Land Use Board of Appeals put a hold on those restrictions on the grounds the county did not properly notify the landowners.

The lawsuit also names Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum as a defendant. Kristina Edmunson, a spokesperson for the attorney general, told the AP that the office “will defend the state laws of Oregon related to marijuana” in response to the lawsuit.

In 2017, Oregon collected more than $60 million in taxes from legal cannabis sales, Rosenblum said in January following the rescinding of the Cole Memo by Attorney General Jeff Sessions.

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Nearly harvest-able cannabis plants inside of an adult-use, commercial grade grow operation in Washington state.

Massachusetts Regulators Receive 200+ Applications in First 24 hours

4/04/2018

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The Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission has received more than 200 adult-use cannabis industry applications since they began accepting some applications on Tuesday, the State House News Service reports. Presently, the agency is only accepting applications from current medical cannabis dispensary owners who wish to sell their products to adults 21-and-older and empowerment applications.

The majority of the first wave of applicants were empowerment applications. Those applications are part of what’s often referred to as “social equity” programs. The Massachusetts version of the program is meant to “ensure that people from communities that have been disproportionately harmed by marijuana law enforcement are included in the new legal marijuana industry.” The state received 129 such applications.

The remaining 89 applications were from current operators looking to expand to the recreational market. The 218 total applications were sent to the agency between the noon launch on Monday and the CCC meeting at 10:30am on Tuesday, the report says.

As of Tuesday morning, five of the empowerment applications and 18 of the current operator applications had been completed, according to CCC Executive Director Shawn Collins.

Operators granted priority certification will be allowed to apply for commercial applications on Apr. 16; all other license types will start the application process on May or June 1, depending on the license type. Recreational sales are expected in the state July 1.    

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Photograph of the Tennessee Capitol Building in Nashville, Tennessee.

Tennessee Senate MMJ Bill Sponsor Admits He Doesn’t Have the Votes, Pulls Legislation

4/04/2018

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The push to legalize medical cannabis in Tennessee is over after the Senate bill sponsor pulled the legislation from consideration because he does not have the votes in the chamber, the Tennessean reports.

“Instead of dragging this out interminably … I think the better decision at this point is to put it in the general sub for the summer.” – Sen. Steve Dickerson in the report.

The “general sub,” according to the report, is where legislation goes to die in the state.

“I fear that if we passed the water-down version of this bill, it would essentially forestall any efforts to have a much more widespread, much more thoughtful legislative construct for several years. … It sort of encourages individuals possibly to go out of state and transport this across state lines, which I would think is probably against federal, if not state, law.” – Dickerson, to the Tennessean

Last month, the House Criminal Justice Committee had advanced the measure but not before amending it significantly. Ultimately, the measure would not have created a comprehensive medical cannabis program, rather allowing qualifying patients with a doctor’s note to prevent being arrested and charged with cannabis possession.

Dickerson said he is “committed to the proposition that cannabis is a medication” and vowed to continue pushing the legislation forward in future sessions.

Rep. Jeremy Faison, who sponsored the House version, took to Twitter to voice his displeasure:

“Sometimes you get to plant. Sometimes you get to water.  Sometimes you get to harvest. I would love to be able to harvest but for right now, the TN Senate only wants planting and watering. Medical Cannabis is coming to Murica regardless of the naysayers.” – Faison in a tweet

Next session could bring in more cannabis-friendly lawmakers. According to a Times Free Press report, many Tennessee lawmakers are not running for re-election, including 14.1 percent of House members and 12.1 percent of Senate members. Both Dickerson and Faison have, so far, decided they will seek re-election.

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Indoor cannabis plants being grown in a Washington cultivation facility.

Florida’s Largest MMJ Company Sues State Over Dispensary Limits

4/04/2018

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Florida’s largest medical cannabis business, Trulieve, is asking a judge to remove limits on how many dispensaries it can open in the state, arguing that the cap “arbitrarily impairs product availability and safety” and “unfairly penalizes” industry operators, according to a CBSMiami report. The 25-dispensary limit was approved by lawmakers last year as part of the implementation of the voter-approved constitutional amendment to expand the state medical cannabis program.

The lawsuit, filed in Leon County Circuit Court, alleges that the dispensary limits violate that amendment “by arbitrarily and unreasonably depriving Trulieve of property or liberty rights without substantive due process.”

In the complaint, Trulieve attorney David Miller argues that “the right to compete statewide without restriction was an essential part of Trulieve’s business plan and a significant incentive to enter this novel business.”

The lawsuit contends that the company is unable to add 25 dispensaries throughout the state because it already has 27 locations operating or in the permitting stages.

Trulieve CEO Kim Rivers argues that the caps limit patient access.

“The restrictions force us to use extremely expensive long-distance delivery and build dispensaries on a model based on geographic distribution, not where patients live. This not only restricts access to patients in need, but forces higher prices.” – Rivers in a statement, via CBSMiami

It’s the third lawsuit claiming Florida lawmakers subverted the will of the voters when implementing the amendment. Another lawsuit, filed by attorney John Morgan – who authored the amendment and was its primary financial backer – which challenges the program’s smoking ban was allowed to proceed by a Second Circuit Court judge in January. Another lawsuit challenging the home-grow ban, filed by registered patient and strip club entrepreneur Count Joe Redner, was also allowed to proceed by the Thirteenth Circuit.

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Report: New York Democratic Gubernatorial Challenger Cynthia Nixon Supports Rec. Cannabis

4/04/2018

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Cynthia Nixon, the actor who announced in March she will challenge New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, told attendees at a private fundraiser last week that she supports legalizing cannabis for adult use, the New York Times reports. According to Isabel Gillies, a writer and former actress who hosted the fundraiser for the Democratic challenger, said Nixon would “legalize marijuana and put a tax on it” if elected.

Dan Davenport, an editor and writer who also attended the event said that she was “very exuberant” about legalizing cannabis as a revenue generator.

Cuomo, a Democrat, has long opposed cannabis legalization for recreational use. Previously, Cuomo called cannabis a “gateway drug” and said he was “unconvinced on recreational marijuana.”

In January, Cuomo called on lawmakers to approve funding for a recreational cannabis feasibility study. Robert Mujica, the governor’s budget director, cited legalization in Massachusetts and Vermont as the impetus for the study.

A Republican gubernatorial hopeful also supports legalization. Former Erie County Executive Joel Giambra indicated he would support legalization as a way to address the state’s infrastructure problems.

Nixon has been a longtime education advocate in New York and legalization. In Colorado, taxes and fees from legal cannabis sales are partly used for education funding. According to a 2017 report from VS Strategies, 51.3 percent of the $506.1 million raised from the industry at the time was used for K-12 education, including $117.9 million for school construction projects, and $5.7 million for the Public School Fund. In Nevada, the state had collected $6.5 million from cannabis industry licensing and application fees as of Sept. 2017, which, after administrative costs, is used for public education funding.

Her campaign has not commented on the report.

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A person lifts up the leaf of a hemp plant in the palm of their hand.

New York Hemp Research Expands to 3,500 Acres; Up From 2,000 Last Year

4/03/2018

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New York’s hemp research program is expanding to more than 3,500 acres throughout nine regions in the state following a $650,000 earmark in the state budget for a hemp processing plant and $2 million for a state-run hemp seed certification program.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo has announced more than 60 new farms and businesses have received hemp research permits under the state’s Industrial Hemp Agricultural Research Pilot program. Another 18 companies have registered to process the crops.

“There is a renewed interest in industrial hemp production and processing throughout the country, and with our strong grower community and innovative researchers, New York is in a great position to lead. By providing an alternative crop for our farmers, industrial hemp has the potential to change the landscape of our agricultural economy, create jobs and drive growth across the Southern Tier and throughout New York.” – Cuomo in a press release

The state Department of Agriculture and Markets Division of Plant Industry will now accept applications for proposed hemp research in food and fiber on a continuous basis. Last year, Cuomo announced a $5 million Industrial Hemp Processors Grant Fund.

In 2017, there were 2,000 acres of hemp cultivated under the state program. Nationally, industrial hemp generates about $600 million-per-year in sales of consumer, industrial, and medical products.

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A wine glass of pharmaceuticals spilled onto a white surface.

Study: MMJ Access Reduces Opioid Prescribing

4/03/2018

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Yet another study has found that medical cannabis access could be a tool in curbing the national opioid epidemic as University of Georgia researchers observed a 14.4 percent reduction in prescription opioid use in states with medical cannabis dispensaries and another 7 percent reduction in such prescriptions in states with home-cultivation-only medical cannabis laws, according to a Science Daily report.

The study by the University of Georgia, School of Public and International Affairs, was published Apr. 2 in the Journal of the American Medical Association, Internal Medicine. Researchers examined the number of all opioid prescriptions filled between 2010 and 2015 under Medicare Part D, which is the prescription drug plan available to Medicare enrollees. The study looked at common prescription opioids, including hydrocodone, oxycodone, morphine, methadone, and fentanyl.

W. David Bradford, study co-author and Busbee chair in public policy for the UGA school, indicated that the researchers were asking “what happens to physician behavior in terms of their opiate prescribing if and when medical cannabis becomes available” noting that some of the states analyzed by researchers had medical cannabis laws throughout the five-year study period, some never had medical cannabis, and some enacted medical cannabis laws during those five years.”

“Physicians cannot prescribe cannabis; it is still a Schedule I drug. We’re not observing that prescriptions for cannabis go up and prescriptions for opioids go down. We’re just observing what changes when medical cannabis laws are enacted, and we see big reductions in opiate use.” – Bradford to Science Daily

Ashley Bradford, the lead author on the study and a graduate student at the UGA Department of Public Administration and Policy, indicated that in other studies researchers “examined prescription rates for non-opioid drugs such as blood thinners, flu medications and phosphorus stimulants and saw no change.”

“Medical cannabis wouldn’t be an effective treatment for flu or for anemia, so we feel pretty confident that the changes we see in opioids are because of cannabis because there is a legitimate medical use.” – Bradford to Science Daily

The study adds to a growing body of evidence that medical cannabis could be used as an exit drug from opioids – rather than a gateway drug. Last year the National Institute on Drug Abuse, a division of the National Institutes of Health updated their website to reflect NIDA research which purported links between medical cannabis access and a reduction in opioid prescriptions and opioid-related hospital admissions.

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