Two cannabis colas about to be harvested inside a Washington cultivation site.

Utah Medical Association Opposes MMJ Ballot Initiative Citing Recreational-Use Fears

4/03/2018

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The Utah Medical Association has come out in opposition of the ballot initiative to legalize medical cannabis in the state, saying that the initiative’s supporters are “misrepresenting and misappropriating” the position of the medical profession in the state, according to a Salt Lake Tribune report.

“This initiative is not about medicine. … Supporters have used images and stories of suffering patients to disguise their true aim, opening another market for their products and paving the way for recreational use of cannabis in Utah.” – Utah Medical Association in a Friday statement via the Tribune

The statement comes on the heels of Gov. Gary Herbert coming out in opposition of the initiative.

The initiative would create a comprehensive medical cannabis program in the state with a start date of Mar. 1, 2020. The legislature has recently passed two medical cannabis-related bills but neither allows broad access. In February, the legislature passed a measure allowing the state Agriculture Department to grow cannabis for medical and research purposes, and the following month passed a “right to try” bill that would allow patients with less than six months to live access to medical cannabis products.

In his opposition statement, Herbert said the February bill “promotes medical science and public safety in ways absent from [the] initiative petition.” The governor also voiced concerns that the petition, if approved, “would potentially open the door for recreational use.”

In a statement to News4Utah, Together for Responsible Use and Cannabis Education (TRUCE) Utah noted that the UMA does not speak for all of the state’s physicians and said their statement is “riddled with deliberate misinformation and fear-mongering.”

The ballot initiative is led by the Utah Patients Coalition who announced last month that county clerks had verified 120,000 signatures, and the Lt. Governor’s Office verified another 117,000 – far exceeding the 160,000 signatures required to put the issue to voters in November.

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Illinois’ Bank of Springfield Closing All MMJ Industry Accounts

4/03/2018

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Illinois’ Bank of Springfield is closing the accounts of the state’s medical cannabis companies by May 21 leaving most of the state’s operators to handle their business transactions in cash, the Chicago Tribune reports. The action is directly tied to the January revocation of the Cole Memo by Attorney General Jeff Sessions.

Bank of Springfield Spokesman Andrew Mack told the Tribune that the Rohrabacher-Blumenauer amendment included in the federal spending bill – which prevents the federal government from using funds to crack down on state-approved medical cannabis programs – doesn’t provide “enough comfort” for the bank to keep providing services to the industry.

“The bank’s stance is that protecting their customers is paramount. The Bank of Springfield will not jeopardize any of their customers by working with businesses that operate in the legal gray zone.” – Mack to the Tribune

Illinois’ medical cannabis sales reached $8.5 million in February. Jeremy Unrah, director of public and regulatory policy for PharmaCann, indicated that they had another bank that would serve them; however, he called the action by Bank of Springfield “a real punch in the gut” for the “industry at large.” Two other dispensaries – New Age Care and Thrive Dispensary – said they have been operating in cash for two years and six months, respectively.

Ross Morreale, co-founder of Ataraxia, which co-owns three dispensaries and a cultivation facility said losing the bank moves operators the “closest [they’ve] been to being without banks in Illinois in this industry.”

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Cannabis foliage inside of a licensed grow operation in Washington state.

Massachusetts Begins Accepting Some Adult-Use Cannabis Applications

4/02/2018

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Starting today, the Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission will begin accepting applications for priority certification as registered marijuana dispensaries and economic empowerment applicants. Those granted priority certification will be allowed to apply for commercial applications on Apr. 16; all other license types will start their application process on May 1 or June 1, depending on the type.

The final regulations include nine license types, including:

  • cultivator
  • craft marijuana cooperative
  • microbusiness
  • product manufacturer
  • independent testing laboratory
  • storefront retailer
  • third-party transporter
  • existing licensee transporter
  • research facility

In a press release, Cannabis Commission Chairman Steven Hoffman praised the work of the team for implementing the application portion of the program on time.

“Today’s accomplishment is a testament to our diligent team and five, diversely talented leaders who were appointed by the Attorney General, Governor, and Treasurer, envisioned by the State Legislature, and authorized to implement legal, adult use marijuana by the voters in Massachusetts. Although we take pride in this moment, the Commission is also acutely aware of the significant work that remains. We look forward to the next phase of starting to license new businesses, and continuing to stand up a safe, equitable, and effective industry in our state.” – Hoffman in a statement

Priority certification is for current medical cannabis dispensary owners who wish to sell products to adults 21-and-older, while empowerment applicants are businesses that seek licenses to operate in low-income or minority communities disproportionately impacted by the so-called war on drugs.

Recreational cannabis sales are expected to begin in the commonwealth on June 1.

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The Anchorage, Alaska city skyline, photographed from across a stretch of flat water.

Alaska Lab Forced to Close After Bank Calls in Loan on Building Citing Federal Law

4/02/2018

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Anchorage, Alaska’s Steep Hill has been forced to suspend operations after Wells Fargo bank called in the loan on the company’s building because they are a cannabis-related business. The closure leaves just two labs to test cannabis products for the entire state.

“We are sorry to announce that Steep Hill Alaska will be suspending cannabis testing operations on March 31, 2018. We have to relocate because Wells Fargo called in the loan on our building. They will foreclose if we do not move out — just because we are a cannabis business! We are looking for a new home and would be interested to hear of any potential locations. We are grateful to have served the Alaskan community for the past year. Thank you for all your support. We will be back.” – Steep Hill in a Thursday social media post

In an email to the Juneau Empire, David Kennedy, spokesman for Wells Fargo in Alaska, attributed the bank’s action to cannabis’ status as a Schedule I drug under federal law.

“It is currently Wells Fargo’s policy not to knowingly bank marijuana businesses, based on federal laws under which the sale and use of marijuana is still illegal.” – Kennedy to the Empire

Anchorage’s CannTest and Wasilla’s New Frontier Research are now tasked with testing cannabis products for all of the state’s operators. New Frontier has not yet held its grand opening but is already accepting samples for testing after its license was finalized Mar. 14.

Alaska Marijuana Control Board member Brandon Emmett told the Empire that he expects the effects of the closure will be limited because CannTest has the capacity to handle the state demand.

“The businesses that use Steep Hill are going to be inconvenienced … obviously Steep Hill is going to be extremely inconvenienced, but as far as the industry as a whole is concerned, I don’t think it will be a major issue.” – Emmett to the Empire

Steep Hill CEO Brian Coyle said Wells Fargo should follow Alaskan laws if they are going to do business in the state.

“To me, Wells Fargo is the real bad guy here. They could give a shit about Alaska. Only 700,000 people in Alaska; that’s less than the city of San Francisco.” – Coyle to the Empire

Steep Hill was one of the first two labs licensed by the state.

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Oregon Cannabis Regulators Find Decline in Sales to Minors

4/02/2018

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The Oregon Liquor Control Commission has found a sharp reduction in cannabis sales to minors by dispensaries in the state since implementing increased penalties for violations. In January, regulators found that 40 percent of dispensaries in Portland sold to a minor during a sting by the OLCC, which led the agency to increase the penalties for underage sales.

Under the new rules, fines were increased from $1,650 to $4,950 and worker permit suspensions were increased from 10 days to 30 days. The rule is not permanent but could be finalized by the department following a six-month review of compliance activity.

During February compliance checks, none of the Portland shops tested by regulators sold to a minor. In the Salem region, cannabis sales to minors went from 22 percent to zero; while in Eugene checks went from 16 percent to 12 percent.

Sales to minors was one of the issues targeted by District U.S. Attorney Billy J. Williams in a January Oregonian op-ed, which he indicated he had “significant concerns” about the state’s cannabis regulations.

The OLCC offers free ID checking classes for employees in age-restricted businesses in Portland on the third Wednesday of each month.

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A Chalice Farms employee applies a label to some product inside of the Portland, Oregon dispensary.

Rhode Island Dispensary Employee Denied Mortgage due to ‘Unacceptable Income’

4/02/2018

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An employee at a Rhode Island medical cannabis dispensary has been denied a mortgage by Home Loan Investment after the company deemed his “marijuana-related business” income unacceptable, according to a GoLocal, Providence report. John Guardarrama, a cultivator for Summit Compassion Center, was previously given preliminary approval for the loan last July but was denied final approval in January.

Christine Hunsinger, assistant deputy director for policy and research for Rhode Island Housing, said that cannabis’ federal status as a Schedule I drug could create a conflict between some home loans and federal loan guidelines.

“Regarding compassion center workers, most of our loans are FHA (Federal Housing Administration) loans, which must comply with their underwriting guidelines. FHA will not purchase or invest in a loan where the borrower is employed by or receives compensation related to the marijuana industry.” – Hunsinger in a statement to GoLocal

The Guardarramas believe that the denial is due to the revocation of the Cole Memo protections by Attorney General Jeff Sessions in January, which came just days before their loan application was denied. Melissa Guardarrama said that one of her husband’s colleagues at Summit was previously approved for a mortgage by the loan company – although she wasn’t sure if that occurred before or after the federal change. The family – who had spent funds on inspections and applications – was expected to close on the home Jan. 19.

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Micro photo of a trimmed, homegrown cannabis nug.

Berkeley, California Lowers Tax Rate on Cannabis Sales

3/30/2018

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The city of Berkeley, California has dropped its sales tax on cannabis products from 10 percent to 5 percent in an effort to better compete with the illicit market, CBS SF reports. Despite the local tax drop, consumers are still paying 30 percent in taxes at the counter; sales taxes in the state can reach as high as 45 percent.

Sabrina Fendrick, of Berkeley Patients Group said the “sticker shock” of the new recreational market has “been an issue” for all of the state’s operators.

“Everybody wants to generate revenue, we all want to serve our communities, but if everyone is going to the illicit market then nobody is generating revenue and nobody is being helped.” Fendrick to CBS SF

Illegal cannabis is relatively easy to find in the state. Illegal dealers often use Craigslist to sell their products – often what a consumer can find at a dispensary – for much cheaper than the dispensaries. Dispensary owners argue that buying from the informal market is risky because dealers are not required to disclose the chemicals used in the growing process.

A bill in the state Assembly would lower the state excise tax from 15 percent to 11 percent – but that measure would still keep the effective rate hovering around 25 percent to 41 percent.

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Gov. Gary R. Herbert, the Republican governor of Utah.

Utah Gov. Will Not Support MMJ Ballot Initiative

3/30/2018

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Utah Gov. Gary Herbert will not support the Utah Patients Coalition-led medical cannabis ballot initiative, saying that the legislature’s HB.197 “promotes medical science and public safety in ways absent from [the] initiative petition,” according to a KUTV report. The legislature-approved bill requires the state Department of Agriculture and Food to cultivate and process cannabis for academic or medical research by Jan. 1, 2019 but does not create a comprehensive program.

“I fully support the science-supported use of substances that, under medical supervision, can improve lives. Consequently, I support efforts to allow medical researchers to better understand the medical properties of cannabis. That, in turn, will allow physicians and pharmacists to prescribe and dispense cannabis as a controlled substance in accordance to the highest standards of medical science. Our new law, HB 197, is an important first step in this effort.” – Herbert, in a press release, via KUTV

Advocates announced earlier this week that they have had 237,000 petition signatures verified by both county clerks and the Lt. Governor’s office – far exceeding the 160,000 required to put the issue to voters in November.

Herbert said the initiative, if approved, “would potentially open the door for recreational use” and the consequences of the initiative would “do more harm than good.”

In a response posted to Twitter, Campaign Director DJ Schanz called Herbert’s comments “another example of what Utahns have grown tired of: politicians standing between patients and their physicians.”

“Saying the most conservatively drafted initiative in the entire country would ‘potentially’ open the door for recreational use is a scare tactic that has no basis in truth. Neither the Legislature nor Governor should undermine the clear will of voters as demonstrated in over a dozen public polls. Utahns are ready to vote on this and set aside the misguided positions of elected officials who are apparently comfortable with criminalizing sick and suffering Utahns.” – Schanz in a statement

When advocates had announced they had reached the signature threshold, Herbert did not immediately say he would not support the initiative but warned that the “devil [is] in the details.”

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Detroit skyline with the MacArthur bridge leading to Belle Isle and Detroit Boat Club in the foreground. Photo taken from Belle Isle fishing pier.

Michigan Sends More MMJ Dispensary Cease-and-Desist Letters, Still Haven’t Issued a License

3/30/2018

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Michigan’s Department of Licensing and Regulatory affairs have sent cease and desist letters to more than 200 medical cannabis businesses throughout the state over the last two weeks, despite regulators failing to issue a single operator license in the year-and-a-half since the medical cannabis program reforms were signed into law.

According to a Detroit Free Press report, 210 shops received letters from the department, with 159 of them targeting businesses in Detroit. A copy of a cease-and-desist letter published earlier this month by MINORML boardmember Rick Thompson’s Social Revolution indicates that regulators are threatening businesses with licensing ineligibility or law enforcement crackdown if they continue operating.

“A person that does not comply with this rule shall cease and desist operation of a proposed marihuana facility and may be subject to all penalties, sanctions, and remedies under state and federal law, the act, or the Emergency Rules.” – LARA Cease-and-Desist letter, dated Mar. 15, 2018.

According to LARA spokesman David Harns, the targeted dispensaries were discovered using publicly available information such as websites like Weedmaps.

Last week, regulators rejected the first two applications seeking a medical cannabis license – one dispensary and one transport service; and while the medical cannabis licensing board has added two more meetings on top of the five already scheduled to, hopefully, approve operators, they have received more than 500 applications – some 141 full applications that include community approval, with 411 still awaiting municipality approval. Regulators say the additional meetings will help them get through the current backlog.

The next meeting is set for Apr. 19.

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A close-up shot of a cannabis plant grown under Washington's I-502 market regulations.

South Carolina Senate Committee Advances MMJ Bill

3/30/2018

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The South Carolina Senate Medical Affairs Committee has advanced a medical cannabis bill setting set up a comprehensive program to the Senate for full chamber consideration. The measure would allow program access for patients with qualifying conditions and would task the Department of Health and Environmental Control with regulating and licensing cultivators, processors, dispensaries, and testing laboratories.

However, advocates led by Compassionate South Carolina are concerned that the measure won’t make it to both chambers for a vote this session as the House has yet to hear its own version of the measure. The deadline for the bill to advance in the chamber is Apr. 10.

“There are thousands of South Carolinians who are suffering from serious illness and they’ve already waited far too long. A large majority of voters want to see a compassionate medical cannabis law pass and lawmakers should remain focused on this issue. It isn’t going away. We hope the Senate will take up the measure for a floor vote without further delay, so that patients may finally have relief.” – Janel Ralph, executive director of Compassionate South Carolina, in a press release.

The bill is opposed by members of the state’s law enforcement community; although, the former executive director of the South Carolina Sheriffs’ Association Jeff Moore says the opposition by his former colleagues is “presumptuous, irresponsible, and arrogant for law enforcement officials to take it upon themselves to determine what medical resources should be available” for South Carolinians “who are suffering and need relief.”

“Law enforcement should enforce the laws of this state and adhere to the will of the people of South Carolina and not hide behind a dubious federal policy. My son is a combat veteran who shouldn’t have to be exiled and forced to live in another state (Michigan) to get the appropriate treatment that helps him.” – Moore, in a press release.

The bill was previously amended to prohibit smoking under the regime. A Sept. 2016 Winthrop poll found 78 percent of voters supported medical cannabis access in the state.

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Derek Cloutier: Veterans, PTSD, and Medical Cannabis

3/29/2018

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Derek Cloutier is the president and co-founder of the New England Veterans Alliance, a non-profit organization that helps veterans reduce their dependency on pharmaceuticals and advocates on behalf of veterans for improved access to medical cannabis therapies.

In the following interview, Derek joins our host TG Branfalt to talk about the experience of veterans in the U.S., his own story of turning to medical cannabis as a treatment for PTSD, how the New England Veteran’s Alliance — which started as just a local group of veterans — has expanded to a community encompassing all of New England, and more!

Listen to the interview below, or scroll down read along with a full transcript of this week’s Ganjapreneur.com podcast.

Listen to the podcast:

Read the transcript:

TG Branfalt: Hey there. I’m your host TG Branfalt and you are listening to the Ganjapreneur.com podcast, where we try to bring you actionable information and normalize cannabis through the stories of ganjapreneurs, activists and industry stakeholders. Today, I’m really stoked to be joined by Derek Cloutier. He’s the President and Co-Founder of the New England Veteran’s Alliance, a veteran’s organization committed to assisting vets to improve their quality of life through more natural options in order to reduce the dependency on pharmaceuticals currently used to treat the myriad of issues that veterans face. How you doing this afternoon, Derek?

Derek Cloutier: I’m doing great. Thanks for having me.

TG Branfalt: Like I said, man, I’m stoked. I had an opportunity to meet you at the capital, get to know you a little bit, we went back and forth a few times trying to schedule this, so I’m really glad that we could finally get our lives together.

Derek Cloutier: It’s good to be here.

TG Branfalt: First, tell me about yourself, man. Tell me how you ended up in this advocacy role and about the decision to start the organization.

Derek Cloutier: Basically, I started out about 10 years ago I got back from Iraq and ended up going through getting a job. I worked at the Department of Corrections, which moving in towards the opposite side of where I am nowadays. It really wasn’t the job for me per se, or somebody with PTSD. Even just getting back I got it fairly soon and so I started having family issues, going out drinking, getting crazy, getting into fights.

I started going to the VA. I started taking all the medication that they suggested and, without question, when you’re in the military you don’t question the people that are suggesting things that are gonna improve your life or allegedly improve your life. You don’t really take into effect the side effects and other issues that come with it. I ended up drinking a lot at times and mixing SSRIs and other pills, anti-anxiety pills, and depression medication with alcohol, and ended up going down a rough road, and ended up in a 30 day rehab.

Once down there, I ended up really figuring out some things. I got home and started doing a lot of veterans outreach and talking to other guys just about what they’ve been dealing with. I actually did start another group prior that was on the same basis of what we do with the social activities and whatnot at NEVA, but it was more based around drinking, and partying, and just having a good time. It really wasn’t a wellness thing, it wasn’t really enriching anybody’s life by being out, getting drunk, and partying, and going doing pub crawls and stuff.

It led me down a road that I had issues. I started talking to a doctor and starting dealing with things like that. Then a friend suggested I try cannabis because I was having such hard times sleeping. I slept like a baby that night and ever since then it was like something that I’ve just learned more progressively from myself. I’m kind of picky on what I’m smoking or what I’m consuming, so I ended up … People noticed I had better stuff and from time to time I would just link up, and meet vets, and just give them a little of what I got, and they’d give me something what they got maybe, and we’d just make it work out.

Once it became legal in Mass. for medical, we all ended up getting our medical cards together, and we went to this one doctor, and it turned out where he was very helpful. He was actually a vet and we started bringing vets in there about five at a time or something just to talk to him about stuff and get them comfortable with it, because there was that stigma still associated with it around here that if you’re using cannabis you smell like cannabis, somebody’s gonna harass you, somebody’s gonna speak negatively about it.

We just kind of brought them to the doctor ourselves and just the doctor went through the ringer of telling them what was going on, and basically how it can help them, the different types there are, and different strains available, and just even the different ways of using it. Topicals, and either vaporizing, or combusting, or whatever it was. They just got so much more comfortable with it that they started coming out, they started not isolating themselves in their houses, and I ended up making this logo of ours, and started talking to other doctors, dispensary owners, therapists. Just people to see if they would support veterans and cannabis in general.

It was overwhelmingly suggested that we should start it. At the time, I had another friend and he was just egging it on, “We should do it. We should do it.” We actually sat on it for almost a year before rolling it out and trying to do our first event. About two years ago, yeah about two years ago, we had our first monthly meeting/get together, New England Veteran’s Alliance. We had vets from from all over New England. Up to three, four hours away from Maine, Vermont, everywhere, because it was the only thing that they could really come to.

Now, two years later we’re now progressing and having events every month in the same spot. We have people coming from as far as upstate New York, down in New Jersey, we have people coming … It’s just awesome. It was just something that there wasn’t really much advocacy for it and there wasn’t really many people talking out about it or anything, so we ended up started going to state Houses speaking about PTSD, for instance. In Rhode Island, we testified down there. We testified in Maine. We testified in New Hampshire. We testified in Vermont.

We’ve been all over the state just trying to be a voice for our veterans and just explaining to people that we can be productive members of society, and we can medicate, and still function. That stigma isn’t there that we’re just lazy, sitting around, and don’t wanna do anything. That was the main reasoning for starting it and getting it going was just to get guys out of their houses and link them to a better option that pharmaceuticals, or opiates, or anything like that. Then it just snowballed from there and we’ve had so much support. It’s been really amazing.

It’s basically through word of mouth. Veterans talking to other veterans. Now it’s a community organization that veterans help each other. You have guys throughout New England that are growing now and we just basically advocate and talk to them, consult them about how they can possibly grow for themselves, be self sustainable. They end up growing this product that’s amazing. We get help from people like Roots Organics that support us with nutrients and soil for these guys.

Once they get it going, they’re so proud of it and the result at the end they wanna share it. They wanna give it to somebody else and the best way that they’re able to do that is share it with another veteran and or consult with another vet. Be like, “Hey, this is what’s working for me, it might work for you. This is a great strain that I started out with.” It’s just been an evolution and a building process.

I was never a business person. I was an infantry guy in the Marine Corps, so it was something that I never really thought that I’d be doing, running an organization or anything like that. I think that I keep it fairly simple in a lot of aspects and I feel like being an entrepreneur, or ganjapreneur, or coming out into starting something new and where it’s evolving, now we’re looking into possible licenses for Massachusetts for co-ops to get some veteran programs going and some self-sustainable farming programs possibly. Looking for property, looking for investors, and sponsors and just going about it strategically in the way we wanna go and how we can best help veterans from now.

TG Branfalt: Sometimes, it sounds like what you do chooses you and it’s an incredible story. Congratulations on your success thus far. I wanna ask you something, I’ve heard a lot that it’s not just the consuming of the cannabis that’s helpful and you had mentioned growing. How much of the therapy do you and the people that you talk to derive from the act of actually growing the plant?

Derek Cloutier: The growing part is what, pretty much, centers us and just keeps us focused on one thing, keeping it alive. Then having an end result product that you can consume. Then it’s a full circle effect where you’re healing yourself by something that you grew and kept alive versus being a veteran, you kind of are told the opposite of that, being in war you’re around destruction, death, and all this other crazy stuff. It’s just, now, being able to, we call it, cultivation therapy. I believe in it 100%.

The veterans that we have growing as well, it keeps them busy. It gives you a reason to get up in the morning, go look at your plants, and make sure they’re doing good, check their differences. You’ve gotta feed them, you’ve gotta keep them alive, what’s working, what’s not working for them, and then just the learning process of it. It keeps the mind going, it keeps you busy. A lot of these guys, it’s a full benefit for them. It’s very therapeutic.

TG Branfalt: You said that you started, you’re in Massachusetts now, and you started in Massachusetts. Now your reach is all the way into upstate New York, which is obviously not New England. What types of events do you do and how many active chapters do you have right now?

Derek Cloutier: Right now we basically have point of contacts in all six states in New England. We’ve been as far as the west coast. We’ve been out to High Times Cannabis Cup. We spoke on the Veteran’s Panel out there in Vegas last year. We’ve done other speaking opportunities throughout New England. Our membership-wise, we started out doing a member type organization and we were going for … This is part of the learning process that we are learning as we go. We were going for a veteran’s organization specifically.

The VFWs, American Legions, they’re non-profit that are post driven organizations that have memberships and we were kind of going about it that way, but now as we’re evolving, part of the problem was that we don’t get paid for what we do and everything we do, we do on our time, and when we can. It makes it kind of hard for us, in general, to do things being a disabled vet. I felt the obligation that was a little overwhelming at times where I had to be everywhere. My financial situation with the VA and them going after benefits, had a problem.

It’s been something that we did away with the membership side where we were charging for a membership and it was a very minimal fee. That was to get your certain deals, perks, genetics. Most grow stores and places offered you significant deals and discounts. It’s something that we just got away from and stopped taking members on until we re-develop our programs. The chapter side of things, we want it to be more of a community based organization.

We haven’t really gone in the chapter direction yet, per se, but it’s evolving each state maybe possibly could have the potential to have its own farm or facility that holds events, and gatherings and get togethers. Basically, we wanna be kind of like the X games of alternative therapies, but funded by cannabis in a way that we’ve grown. We have veterans learning, getting certified, and then possibly getting them into a career down the road.

We’ve been building slowly from there and right now we’re up on Vermont. We have some folks up there looking to get going and they’re putting more events on. Some of the events that we do are comedy shows, fishing trips, boating. We’ve gone out on boats on Newport Harbor in Rhode Island. We’ve done camp outs, we’ve done beach days, we’ve done yoga, we’ve done a lot of different alternative therapies that not a lot of people would maybe think that helpful, but it’s been pretty amazing, and it’s getting veterans out of their houses, and giving them something to look forward to.

TG Branfalt: Yoga’s admittedly probably healthier for you than pub crawls.

Derek Cloutier: It definitely is. I was actually just looking up more information on yoga. We have one of our guys is a yoga instructor actually.

TG Branfalt: That’s cool. There’s a lot going on with cannabis and yoga. I don’t wanna get off topic, I wanna talk to you more about the cannabis culture for veterans, talk about some of these VA issues that you alluded to earlier, but before we do that, we’ve gotta take a break. This is Ganjapreneur.com podcast. I’m TG Branfalt.

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TG Branfalt: Hey, welcome back to the Ganjapreneur.com podcast. I’m your host TG Branfalt, here with Derek Cloutier. He’s the President and Co-Founder of NEVA, the New England Veteran’s Alliance.

Before the break, we were talking about the culture. What I wanna ask you is, anecdotally, what conditions has your organization found to be helpful for medical cannabis use? We know the PTSD, you’ve mentioned that a couple of times, but what other conditions might a non-vet consider could be used?

Derek Cloutier: PTSD is one of the primary reasons for a lot of us to be using it, but anything from chronic pain to you have people with epileptic seizures. You have people with TBI issues, traumatic brain injury, that can be helpful with that, but mostly pain, PTSD. Also, addiction issues. It’s a pretty good tool to use getting off of opiates and we’ve had a lot of success using RSO, which is Rick Simpson Oil, to get veterans off of opiates and give them either access to caregivers that have it or help them grow it so that they can produce it for themselves.

TG Branfalt: How much of a problem has that become? Opiate use among vets?

Derek Cloutier: It’s a huge problem nowadays. That’s a pill for everything. It creates issues and it creates other problems where it stems off of that and leads to other suicidal tendencies. Addiction in itself is a problem. I think veterans nowadays, like I said earlier, you come home from the military or you get out, and you go to the VA, you assume that they’re gonna give you the best possible advice that they can give you, they don’t technically really treat it per symptom. They treat it more like, “Here, try this and let’s see if this works out for you.”

I feel like that’s part of the bigger problem. If they had other therapeutic options in letting people realize who they are, get them more comfortable with themselves, and get them linked with other veterans that understand what they’re going through, they probably wouldn’t have to take these pills, they probably wouldn’t have to … You know what I mean? They would reach out to other options like, obviously, medical cannabis.

Opiates and cannabis, cannabis is proven, in my life, just from what I’ve seen from other veterans that have come off of opiates and the stories that I have heard from them, I haven’t personally had any issues with that or have any experience with it, but I only focused mostly on PTSD stuff. We have guys that they use oil every single day and it helps them every single day. They’re not using opiates, they’re not in bed wanting to die, they’re just living now versus before they couldn’t do much.

TG Branfalt: When you first start talking to older vets, maybe especially, or maybe some more conservative veterans, do you get a lot of pushback about your position and your programs?

Derek Cloutier: Push back, not really. They’re more interested and curious on how we do it and the legalities of it. A lot of people are worried about the legality of a lot of things. That’s another problem with us being an organization that’s spread out throughout New England in a way. We don’t transact over state lines, that’s illegal, and you have so many different laws in each state that are different and catered differently for each state that it makes it harder.

The older generations, the easiest way to go about it with them has been get them comfortable with topicals, get them comfortable with maybe like a capsule form. They are still stigmatized by the smell and just smoking it or anything like that. We wanna get them more on a regiment that they can be consistent with.

TG Branfalt: You had mentioned earlier that you actually got a medical cannabis card and other vets have gotten a medical cannabis card. Does getting that card automatically create any issues for you with the VA?

Derek Cloutier: With the VA? No, it has nothing to do with the VA. The VA really doesn’t … In legal states, they’re allowed to speak about it and talk about it. My doctor actually is willing to work with me in a sense that he’ll collaborate medication if I needed it that’ll work with cannabis because it’ll obviously affect me one way versus the other medication could affect you the other way. They’re very open to it.

Most of my doctors are fairly curious about it and they wanna know more and more about it. They just are very interested in learning the facts about it and how it’s helping us. People in other non-legal states have had pushback from cannabis or using cannabis, but the biggest thing right now that the VA can do, or affect, or have an effect on, is the effect that you’re taking pharmaceuticals such as pain meds like opiates, Percocets, benzos, things like that, they can actually, if you test positive for cannabinoids, then they’ll give you an ultimatum.

Well, actually, if you test positive, they don’t give you an ultimatum. You either use cannabis or you don’t, and that’s a horrible thing because a lot of guys just don’t have access to cannabis like some of us do. Sometimes they use it when they can and sometimes they don’t have it, so they do have to fall back on those other pain meds, which really sucks sometimes. We just try to link guys and get them associated with people that can get them further on finding what they need or either get them to grow for themselves.

TG Branfalt: Cannabis, medical cannabis specifically, has gained a lot of support from veteran’s associations such as the American Legion. They released a resolution, it issued a resolution, supporting medical cannabis. Has this changed the conversation in your experience now that you have these national groups, entrenched groups, supporting medical cannabis for vets?

Derek Cloutier: Makes it a little bit easier to point people in the direction of cannabis because then you can say, use for reference, “Look at, the American Legion has over 3 million veterans that they represent and they’re pro-cannabis.” It does make it a lot easier to segue into the conversation. I just wonder what they’re actually doing to educate their members, you know what I mean? Like if they’re providing them with any material or anything to suggest that they could potentially get off any pharmaceuticals and live a healthier life with cannabis? I wonder if they have a department for anything like that.

TG Branfalt: Is that a partnership you would be interested in getting?

Derek Cloutier: I would be interested in collaborating and doing anything with anybody that furthers the care of a veteran or makes their life more enriched. I put our cards at the VA and they allow us to put them there. Even my doctors, they suggest people, if they can’t talk to the doctor because the doctor doesn’t understand what they’re really going through or talking about, they suggest, “Maybe you should reach out to these guys.” My doctors do that. Other members of ours have their doctors doing that, but I don’t think it’s a consistent basis throughout the country either.

TG Branfalt: Well, you’re fortunate to be in Massachusetts. New England in general, every state’s at least decriminalized.

Derek Cloutier: Yeah, true.

TG Branfalt: I wanna talk to you a bit more about legalization and how what you’re seeing in Massachusetts has affected vets. Before we do that, we’ve gotta take a break. This is ganjapreneur.com podcast. I’m TG Branfalt.

At Ganjapreneur, we have heard from dozens of cannabis business owners who have encountered the issue of cannabias, which is when a mainstream business, whether a landlord, bank or some other provider of vital business services refuses to do business with them simply because of their association with cannabis. We have even heard stories of businesses being unable to provide health and life insurance for their employees because the insurance providers were too afraid to work with them.

We believe that this fear is totally unreasonable and that cannabis business owners deserve access to the same services and resources that other businesses are afforded, that they should be able to hire consultation to help them follow the letter of the law in their business endeavors, and that they should be able to provide employee benefits without needing to compromise on the quality of coverage they can offer. This is why we created the Ganjapreneur.com business service directory. A resource for cannabis professionals to find and connect with service providers who are cannabis friendly and who are actively seeking cannabis industry clients.

If you are considering hiring a business consultant, lawyer, accountant, web designer, or any other ancillary service for business, go to Ganjapreneur.com/businesses to browse hundreds of agencies, firms and organizations who support cannabis legalization and who want to help you grow your business. With so many options to choose from in each service category, you will be able to browse company profiles and do research on multiple companies in advance so you can find the provider who is the best fit for your particular need.

Our business service directory is intended to be useful and well-maintained resource, which is why we individually vet each listing that is submitted. If you are a business service provider who wants to work with cannabis clients, you may be a good fit for our service directory. Go to Ganjapreneur.com/businesses to create your profile and start connecting with cannabis entrepreneurs today.

TG Branfalt: Hey, welcome back to the ganjapreneur.com podcast. I’m your host TG Branfalt here with Derek Cloutier. He’s the President and Co-Founder of the New England Veteran’s Alliance. As I said before the break, you and I, we’re fortunate. We live in states, legal cannabis. You’re a little more fortunate than I do. You guys are actually gonna get an industry in the coming months. How does broad legalization affect vets? When most people think about legalization, one of the first things comes to mind is, “Oh, how much money are we gonna get in taxes?”

But they don’t think about some of these social justice issues, which I think that this is. Honestly, if we’re talking about people who should be held in some pretty high regard, at the very least, can’t access medical cannabis because the VA, because of access issues. What does legalization do for veterans?

Derek Cloutier: I think the biggest thing that it’s done so far in this area is that it’s allowed people that comfortability to come out the closet, per se, and say, “Hey, I use cannabis.” Then, first of all, they feel more comfortable talking about it and everybody doesn’t feel like they’re gonna get arrested just for mentioning the word. You can go into a smoke shop now and talk about it. It’s just normalizing it and being able to understand that you’re normal too because you smoke cannabis. You’re not crazy, and lazy, you know what I mean? That’s been the best part.

Then, obviously, the second best part would be the ease of access. Access is still an issue from time to time for some guys, but you can go right to a dispensary and grab what you need. It might be a little pricey, but it is there and that is the option that you get versus other people in their states. Then you have all these other veterans that are starting their own businesses and coming up. Normally, they’d be either isolating themselves and playing video games. I don’t know what they would do, but they are starting businesses. They see hope. They see the future. They’re moving towards these new goals in life and it’s given them purpose.

Legalization, obviously, the financial side of it where people will see money. To us, we don’t really focus on the financial side of it, but the benefit is that the money will be coming into the state, it will be providing for other programs and if somebody thinks there’s a potential for a new program that they could design that could benefit their community, maybe they could bring it up to their local legislation and easily go about it where they can say, “Hey, this money is coming in,” and they have money allotted for certain things. Maybe they can start new programs.

TG Branfalt: Maybe lots of money to the local VA.

Derek Cloutier: Yeah, I don’t know. That would be great. Or they could just give it to me and I’ll put it into veterans programs the right way.

TG Branfalt: What do you got coming up, man? You were telling me that you’ve got something coming up in May?

Derek Cloutier: Yeah. There’s a big DC rally going on Memorial Day weekend. We’re shooting for May 26th, looking at shooting for a permit. I’m filling out the applications for Lafayette Park. It’s right in front of the White House, right in between the White House and the VA. Veterans for Safe Access. It’s labeled on Facebook Veterans RALLY 2018 – Washington DC. There’s a planning group on there. You can get on there and get involved.

It’s basically we’re shooting to get some speakers and either do a march or a stand-in; however it is, a demonstration to bring attention to the fact that we have veterans killing themselves every day that are on pharmaceuticals that are taking their lives or becoming addicts and the ease of access for it would be a hell of a lot better if they legalized it or descheduled it in general. That we want to more access to it. We know the benefits of it and we say it every day, “How you gonna tell a guy with no legs that he should be on opiates versus using cannabis when he’s telling you to your face that this is happening?”

We’re looking to hopefully jump behind a bill or one of the bills that are up right now. I’m not sure what they specifically are, because I’m still learning about the federal side of it, but we’re planning a huge rally, a demonstration, in DC. We just wanna gain more support from the veterans that are in the area that wanna come out and show their support for it. I think if you can’t stand behind your veterans, who can you stand behind?

TG Branfalt: Well said. What’s your advice for veterans, or even family members of veterans, who are interested in looking into medical cannabis for PTSD or even just the cultivation therapy side of it?

Derek Cloutier: Reach out to your local organizations. There are tons of organizations out there that are focused towards cannabis education and learning more about it. You could reach out to us, we’ll try and point you in the right direction. You can go on our website, NEVAUSA.org. We’re actually redesigning that and I’ll have some educational information up there.

There are so many options out there. YouTube in general is huge for a lot of these guys, just to learn how to grow or even learning about your natural endocannabinoid system. The information is out there. People just need to take the initiative, step outside their comfort zone, and just make it work for them.

TG Branfalt: You have been very helpful to me when we first met, I had mentioned that I have a family member who’s dealing with some PTSD issues and you guys gave me the number to somebody close enough to him. It was right there. That’s just one instance of the remarkable work that you guys do, man. I really appreciate you telling your story.

Derek Cloutier: The outreach side of thing is huge. We will go to any veteran’s house. If somebody calls, we’ll pretty much get up, and make it a point to try and get there, and just talk to them, be one-on-one, and figure out something that works for them. We’re not saying that it’s gonna heal them, we’re not gonna say that it’s gonna help them 100%, but it’s what’s helped some of us and it’s how we know how to go about it. We’re subject matter experts because it’s helped us.

We’ll go to the veteran. We kind of run them through the process of how they can help themselves. We have guys with terminal brain cancer that we can help with medicine, that we have been helping. We have people that had 28 seizures a day and now they’re down to none. There’s huge medical benefits to it and it’s just really reaching out to the people in your community, talking about and I’m getting a little off subject.

TG Branfalt: Again, man, I wanna thank you so much. NEVAUSA.org is how you can find the New England Veteran’s Alliance and May 26th, Memorial Day, they’ll be doing the DC rally. Thank you so much, again, Derek for your time today.

Derek Cloutier: I really appreciate you having me.

TG Branfalt: You can find more episodes of the ganjapreneur.com podcast in the podcasts section of the ganjapreneur.com and in the Apple iTunes store. On the ganjapreneur.com website you will find the latest cannabis news and cannabis jobs updated daily along with transcripts of this podcast. You can also download the ganjapreneur.com app in iTunes and Google Play. This episode was engineered by Trim Media House. I’ve been your host, TG Branfalt.

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Digital collage of the Tennessee State Capitol building, cannabis plants, and an outdoor statue.

Tennessee House Committee Advances Gutted MMJ Measure

3/29/2018

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Tennessee’s House Criminal Justice Committee has advanced the medical cannabis measure but not before including some significant changes. According to a Tennessean report, the committee removed chronic pain and nausea from the qualifying conditions list and eliminated the provision allowing patients to obtain recommendations from physicians in other legal states.

The measure would not create a comprehensive medical cannabis program. It would only prevent patients with a doctor’s note from being arrested and prosecuted for cannabis possession; although police officers would still have the discretion to make an arrest. Under an amendment included in the committee-approved legislation, patients would need to obtain and carry a note from an in-state doctor in order to possess cannabis. The measure passed the committee 9-2.

The bill still includes 15 specific qualifying conditions, including:

  • cancer
  • HIV and AIDS
  • hepatitis C
  • amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or Lou Gehrig’s Disease
  • post-traumatic stress disorder
  • Alzheimer’s disease
  • severe arthritis
  • inflammatory bowel disease
  • Crohn’s disease
  • ulcerative colitis
  • multiple sclerosis
  • Parkinson’s disease
  • schizophrenia
  • or a number of chronic or debilitating diseases

The reforms are opposed members of the state law enforcement community and health officials, but the bill has bi-partisan support in the legislature. The original version of the bill, which would have established facilities to cultivate and dispense cannabis, was gutted by the committee.

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Photograph looking up from the base of the Iowa State Capitol Building.

Iowa Awards First CBD-Only Dispensary Licenses

3/29/2018

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The Iowa Office of Medical Cannabidiol has awarded its first dispensary licenses to three companies to operate five locations throughout the state under the CBD-only law passed by the Legislature in 2017.

Licenses have been offered to:

  • HAH IA LLC, which will operate dispensaries in Council Bluffs and Davenport as Have a Heart Compassion Care
  • MedPharm Iowa, LLC, which will operate dispensaries in Windsor Heights and Sioux City
  • Iowa Cannabis Company, Inc., which will operate in Waterloo

Regulators announced that the three companies also met the standards to be eligible for additional licenses but said in the notice that “the Department does not anticipate providing a license at this time, pending acceptance of” the offered licenses. The eligible list also includes CLIA, LLC, which would operate in Des Moines.

Two companies did not meet the minimum score to be licensed. Those companies include Blue Collar Enterprises, Inc., which sought to open a dispensary in Council Bluffs, and Iowa Apothecarium, which sought licenses in Cedar Falls, Davenport, Sioux City, and Urbandale.

According to OMC statistics, 250 patient cards have been approved for the program. Dispensaries are expected to begin selling products on Dec. 1.

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A blue moon beer poured into a chilled mug and served with an orange slice.

Blue Moon Developer Planning THC-Infused, Non-Alcoholic, Beer

3/29/2018

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A 32-year veteran of MillerCoors – and the developer of Blue Moon Belgian Wheat – is launching a THC-infused, non-alcoholic beer in Colorado this fall, USA Today reports. Keith Villa is partnering with Colorado-based ebbu and the team plans to develop three kinds of THC-infused beer: a light beer, a wheat beer, and a stout.

“This is really about brewing great beers that beer drinkers love. You’d just swap out an alcoholic beer for one of our beers.” – Villa to USA Today

The products will be first available in Colorado, but the company hopes to expand the brews into other legal states next year. Jon Cooper, President of ebbu, indicated that the company has been fine-tuning their extraction formulas for several years and have the technology to hone in on specific feelings, like euphoria or relaxation.

“We’ve really been able to dial in on those sensations that can deliver a consistent experience for the users.” – Cooper to USA Today

Several brewers – from California to Vermont – have infused beer with CBD but this would be the first beer relying on THC as the intoxicant. Regulators in Massachusetts have barred a local brewer from moving forward with its own CBD-infused beer, arguing that the cannabinoid is a Schedule I drug and the infusion would violate the Food & Drug Administration’s Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act.

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A worker in a dispensary holds out a large tub of cannabis nugs.

Rhode Island Dispensary Owners Oppose Adding MMJ Operator Licenses

3/29/2018

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A Rhode Island dispensary spokesman seemed to offer the state help bridging its $5 million budget gap, so long as officials don’t add more operator licenses to the state medical cannabis program, the Providence Journal reports; however, he later clarified his comments, explaining that the dispensary was not offering money in exchange for limiting competition.

“We’re very sensitive to the state and its challenges. And if there is a way to find the $5 million that you need to plug the budget hole that you need for the coming fiscal year, we’d like to be part of the solution.” — Chris Reilly, spokesman for Thomas C. Slater Compassion Center, to the House Finance Committee, via the Journal

Regulators are considering increasing the number of dispensary licenses from three to 15, which they anticipate would raise $5 million.

Reilly suggested that if the state moves forward with adding the licenses the sustainability of their business would be threatened. He also said that legalization in Massachusetts “is a market force that’s going to strain [the Rhode Island] program considerably.”

Seth Bock, CEO of Greenleaf Compassionate Care Center, said in the report that expanding the number of licenses “would almost ensure that one, maybe two, dispensaries would go out of business.” He added that for every dollar the dispensary makes, 44 cents goes to surcharges and taxes.

“We’ve built an infrastructure around a volume of patients which for us, if eliminated, would mean we couldn’t operate.” — Bock, to the committee, via the Journal

Regulators have not yet finalized the plan, but it does have the support of Gov. Gina Raimondo.

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A "Welcome to Utah" sign alongside the road with several sandstone monuments on the horizon behind it.

Utah Advocates Have Enough Signatures to Put MMJ Question to Voters

3/28/2018

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Utah voters will likely have a chance to consider legalizing medical cannabis this November, according to a Fox13 report. The Utah Patients Coalition told the station that county clerks have verified 120,000 signatures, while the Lt. Governor’s Office has verified another 117,000 – far exceeding the 160,000 signatures required to put the issue to voters.

DJ Schanz, a member of the advocacy group, said the coalition is “continually encouraged by the numbers.”

“We’ve been surprised that the more conservative rural areas have actually been extremely supportive. They’ve seen the effects of the opioid epidemic more than anybody.” – Schanz to Fox13

The ballot measure is far more expansive than the so-called “right to try” medical cannabis approved by the legislature and signed by Gov. Gary Herbert last week. Rep. Brad Daw, the sponsor of the right-to-try legislation said his constituents want a medical cannabis program but “not the wide-open program” outlined in the initiative.

“We’re taking it a step at a time, whereas the initiative takes it not only a step to medical cannabis but way beyond it.” – Daw to Fox13

In the report, Gov. Herbert declined to say whether he would vote for the initiative but expressed support for a medical cannabis program.

“I do believe that people support marijuana use for medicinal purposes. I’d support it, too. I just want to have science behind it making sure we understand it does do something good. Not just an anecdotal. … You’ve got to read the initiative, it’s not just do you support marijuana for medical purposes. The devil’s in the details as they say.” – Herbert in the report

Three polls have each found strong support for medical cannabis in Utah. A December Utah Policy poll found 73 percent support, while another by the organization in September found 74 percent support. An August poll by Dan Jones & Associates commissioned by the Hinckley Institute of Politics and the Salt Lake Tribune found 78 percent support – a supermajority.   

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New Jersey Gov. Announces Changes for ‘More Patient-Friendly’ MMJ Program

3/28/2018

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New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy has announced reforms to the state’s medical cannabis program in an effort to change “the restrictive culture” of the regime and “make it more patient-friendly.” The reforms will add new qualifying conditions, reduce patient and caregiver fees, and increase the amount of product that patients can obtain from dispensaries.

Five new categories of conditions have already been added to the program, including: anxiety, migraines, Tourette’s syndrome, chronic pain related to musculoskeletal disorders, and chronic visceral pain.

The conditions were part of a report to the governor by state Health Commissioner Dr. Shereef Elnahal, which was required under an executive order signed in January.

“As a physician, I have seen the therapeutic benefits of marijuana for patients with cancer and other difficult conditions. These recommendations are informed by discussions with patients and their families, advocates, dispensary owners, clinicians, and other health professionals on the Medicinal Marijuana Review Panel. We are reducing the barriers for all of these stakeholders in order to allow many more patients to benefit from this effective treatment option.” – Elnahal in a statement

Other immediate changes include: lowering the biennial patient registration fees from $200 to $100; allowing military veterans and seniors 65-and-older to qualify for the $20 discounted registration fee; lifting the one-caregiver limit per-patient; allowing dispensaries to open satellite locations; and eliminating the requirement that recommending physicians appear on the state website, although those who wish to be listed on the site will have that option.

Other recommendations include: increasing monthly supply limits to 4 ounces; allowing hospice patients to have an unlimited supply; allowing edibles; and eliminating the requirements that dispensaries be non-profit. Officials did not indicate when these changes would be implemented.

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A group of people outside enjoying the sunshine in a crowded park.

Creating Buzz for Your Cannabis Business

3/28/2018

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Cannabis is swiftly becoming one of the darlings of media buzz.  Growing at lightning speed, this industry is alive and crazed with press clamoring over the next big moment or product. As a 30-year veteran in entertainment marketing, I’ve worked consistently with media outlets around the world, perfecting strategies to get my clients noticed.  

You’ve seen it in action as a cannabis business owner. A company makes an announcement of a new product and the industry is wild with excitement. You suddenly see coverage everywhere. 

  • Why and how does that happen?  
  • How do you get multitudes of people to anticipate your every move?  
  • What stories are worthy of being on air and in print?  
  • How does cannabis press go from industry specific to mainstream media?

It’s time to start thinking like a Public Relations professional. The media likes to play show and tell, so if you can create a story that relates to what you are promoting, you may have a chance to impress the press and, as a result, get some press. Additionally, public relations tactics ignite social media efforts organically.  

I recently attended the Cannabis Wedding Expo in California and was impressed by the number of media outlets present. How can you as a business owner capitalize on the existing coverage and expand your media reach?

Position your press. It is human nature to want to feel “in the know,” and the press is no different. What are they currently covering in your market? Is there a way to ride the wave of existing press happening on a certain niche or topic? Press breeds more press. Follow their lead.

Be strategic. Look at your target market. Where and how are they obtaining their information? What blogs and articles are they reading? Who do they consider influencers?  This is an excellent outreach list to consider when deciding where to spend your time and effort.     

What are other industries impacted by your service or product? For example, are you a cannabis packaging company? Are you creating strategies for the cannabis market AND the packaging industry? Let’s say you design an incredible edibles Easter basket. You need to reach beyond the edibles market. Are you reaching out to florists? Culinary press? Sending non-infused versions of your basket to press in non-legal states? Get creative in your outreach avenues.

Create a story.  The press is bombarded with people who believe their product is worthy of coverage, so it’s critical you think like an editor and decide to be coverage-worthy. While the press may not necessarily be interested in covering your new product launch, perhaps there is a story related to your product that IS press worthy. Did your product have a life-changing impact on a customer? THAT is press-worthy. Be authentic in your passion for the impact your company is having on the industry. Passion is infectious and can motivate coverage from the press.

Make It Easy for The Press.  Do you have your style guide ready for the media to pick up the information they need to cover you?  Are you accessible to them? Do you have incredible photographs of your product ready?  The easier you make it on people to find you and find the information they need to cover you, the more likely you are to be covered.  

A few DON’TS for press coverage:

DON’T send cannabis directly to media.  Your intention is to get your idea across and develop a relationship with media outlets.  Save the smoke-sesh for celebrating your coverage!

DON’T allow uninteresting people to represent your product in interviews.  Have an interview coming up?  Prep. Know your product, your target market, and your goals.  Be charismatic. People buy into the people behind a product just as much as the product itself.  

Commanding excitement for your product or service and understanding how and why people choose to follow certain campaigns and companies can be intimidating.  It’s essential you think about how and why your story is worthy of coverage and manifest your efforts around that belief.  You have the power to design your story and share it with your audience. Make yourself memorable.

Remember, go as far as you can see and when you get there you will see further!

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A young cannabis plant showing signs of growth under an LED grow light.

Canada’s CannaRoyalty Acquires Third California Cannabis Company

3/28/2018

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Canadian cannabis business operator and investment firm CannaRoyalty Corp. has acquired California’s River Distribution and its affiliates which hold both medical and recreational distribution licenses in the state. The stock deal is worth 5 million CannaRoyalty common shares, another 1,650,000 shares subject to operation milestones, and 2 million shares subject to other financial milestones.

In fiscal year 2017, River Distribution generated $25.4 million. Last year, CannaRoyalty acquired California distributor Alta Supply which generated about $6.5 million in the last fiscal year.

Marc Lustig, CannaRoyalty CEO, said adding River to its holdings positions the company “as a leader in the world’s largest regulated distribution system.”

“Our extensive distribution network in California makes us an ideal partner for brands that are looking to grow in California at scale. And a carefully selected portfolio of manufacturing partners also make us a superior partner for dispensaries seeking one-stop access to a full spectrum of top products and brands, in an efficient and cost-effective manner. Today’s news is a major milestone on CannaRoyalty’s journey to building a global cannabis consumer product platform through consolidation of its existing holdings with some of California’s leading operators.” – Lustig in a press release

Last year CannaRoyalty also took over California’s Kaya Management Inc., the exclusive manufacturer and license holder of rights for Bhang brand vaporizer products.

The River Distribution deal is expected to close by the end of Q2.

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A bridge with people on it and houses behind it in Amsterdam.

Dutch Officials to Supply Netherlands Coffeeshops with Cannabis In 4-Year Experiment

3/28/2018

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Dutch officials have announced a three-phase “experiment” to legally supply the Netherlands’ cannabis coffee shops with products. The plan, first discussed in Oct. 2017, is expected to reign in the illicit market, the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction reports.

The three phases:

  • Preparation: designating cultivators and establishing a research consortium.
  • Experiment: a four-year period of the cultivators producing cannabis for and delivering products to coffee shops.
  • Completion: restoring the situation back to how it currently operates over a six-month period.

Dutch officials expect to have named an independent advisory committee by the end of May to help determine how the cannabis will be cultivated, how the program will be monitored and enforced, and give the criteria to the municipalities where the experiment will occur – those municipalities will be determined by the end of the summer.

Last year, Dutch lawmakers introduced legislation to legalize cannabis cultivation in The Netherlands but the measure did not succeed. Contrary to popular belief, cannabis is not legal in The Netherlands, but tolerated; however, the nation’s drug policy prosecution guidelines allow individuals to possess up to 5 grams, grow up to five plants, and allow coffee shops to store up to 500 grams at a time.

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Rolling hills of a California landscape under a sunny, blue sky.

American Green Transfers Ownership of Town Purchased for Cannabis Tourism

3/27/2018

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American Green, the cannabis-focused technology company that purchased the California town of Nipton with plans of turning it into a destination for cannabis tourism, has transferred its holdings in the town to Delta International Oil & Gas Inc. in a $7.73 million deal. The company had originally purchased the town for $5 million.

The deal will see American Green manage Nipton and associated projects for five years with a five-year option. American Green Chairman Davis Gwyther said the transaction relieved the company “of the on-going expense of improving Nipton,” calling the deal “a win-win” for the company and its shareholders.

“That responsibility [of improving Nipton] will now fall upon Delta, giving Nipton the ability to access cheaper capital through a fully reporting company, including the ability to file registered offerings. American Green can now expend less of its energy on capital raising, and focus on implementing the revenue-generating components of Nipton, and its other investments, along with many new, and exciting projects on the horizon.” – Gwyther in a press release

The release notes that, despite reports, cannabis cultivation was “not and never has been” the company’s immediate intent for the area.

“Only when, and if, American Green (as manager) and Delta (as owner) receive full approval from the relevant controlling authorities, would Nipton move, responsibly, into the cannabis product development sector.” – American Green in a press release

At closing, Delta will assume about $3.73 million in American Green debt and issue $4 million in Delta Series A stock convertible to 160,000,000 shares of Delta common stock. The deal is expected to close in 7-10 days.

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Cannabis clones inside of a sterile, commercial grow room.

Arkansas Attorney General Appeals Court Ruling to Halt MMJ Cultivator Licensing

3/27/2018

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Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge has appealed the decision by Pulaski County Circuit Court Judge Wendell Griffen to declare the state’s medical cannabis cultivation licenses “null and void,” KASU reports. The case will be heard by the state Supreme Court, although it’s unclear when the body will hear the case.

In the ruling, Griffen said the state disregarded the licensing rules, finding that the state Medical Marijuana Commission failed to verify the cultivation sites’ distances from schools, churches, and daycares, and whether individuals listed on the applications were ever affiliated with “entities whose corporate status has been revoked for failure to pay franchise taxes.” The judge also found that two members of the commission had a financial relationship with two people with ownership stakes in the cultivation centers.

The suit against the state was brought by Naturalis Health, which was one of the applicants rejected by the Medical Marijuana Commission. In the appeal, Rutledge includes the Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration, the Alcoholic Beverage Control Division, and the commission as defendants.

In his decision, Griffen wrote that he “takes no joy” in blocking the issuance of the licenses.

“The prospect that Arkansans must now endure more delay before gaining much needed access to locally grown medical marijuana should be unpleasant to anyone concerned about providing relief to people who suffer from serious illnesses.” – Griffen, in his opinion, via the Associated Press

The board had approved five cultivators out of a total of 95 applicants. More than 4,100 Arkansas have already applied to qualify for the program.

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A golden retriever dog on the beach pointing excitedly towards the ocean with his nose.

Australian Company Set to Begin MMJ for Dogs Study

3/27/2018

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Australia’s CannPal Animal Therapeutics has received medical cannabis oils from Canada’s Aphria Inc to begin clinical trials of what it calls its lead drug candidate, known as CPAT-01. The company has already completed the dog selection for the live phase of the study, which will be conducted in two phases.

The first phase will involve 11 dogs, while the second phase will include 48 dogs. In both phases, researchers will assess the pharmacokinetic and safety profiles for the propriety cannabinoid blend. The first phase is expected to begin the first week of April with blood sample analysis of the dogs set for May, the company said in a press release.

CannPal received its medical cannabis import license from Australia’s Office of Drug Control earlier this year and recently received export permits from Health Canada.

The trials are part of a growing trend exploring cannabinoid use for animals. A 2016 study published in the Journal of the American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association purported cannabis as a tool to manage chronic health conditions such as anxiety, cancer, seizures, sleeplessness, arthritis, and behavioral issues. Last year, Australia’s Creso Pharma received registration from the European Union to sell CBD products for pets. The company has deals with two European companies – Dutch veterinary product manufacturer A&H and Grieving Holdings Netherland – to develop medical cannabis products for pet owners and veterinarians.

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The Kansas Capitol Building in Topeka, Kansas.

Kansas House Rejects MMJ Bill; Advance CBD Measure

3/27/2018

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The Kansas House has rejected legislation to legalize broad medical cannabis use, instead opting to advance a measure to legalize CBD products and remove kratom from the state list of illegal drugs, according to a KCUR report. The broad medical cannabis measure failed 54-69 in the House.

Kratom is a supplement made from a plant that grows in Southeast Asia and parts of Africa which some people use to try and wean themselves off opioids. The kratom amendment and the CBD amendment were not included in the version of the legislation advanced by the Senate. The chambers will need to hold a conference committee to come up with a compromise bill.

In January, the state Attorney General’s office issued an opinion declaring CBD illegal. Rep. John Barker tried to remove the CBD language from the bill, claiming that it would be easy to smuggle THC-containing products into the state along with CBD products and noted that CBD is still illegal under federal law; however, his bid was unsuccessful.

The House still needs to approve the final version of the bill before it would move to the conference committee and then to the Senate.

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