Large, trimmed cannabis nugs lie on their side on a wooden surface.

Colorado Legislature Approves Cannabis ‘Tasting Rooms’ Bill; Moves to Gov.

5/04/2018

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Colorado’s legislature has passed a social-use measure that would allow individuals to consume small amounts of cannabis – either by edibles or vaping – on site, the Denver Post reports. If signed by Gov. John Hickenlooper, Colorado would become the first state to allow social cannabis use.

The bill limits consumption to current recreational cannabis retailers and does not allow sharing or outside cannabis to be used on-location. Rep. Jovan Melton said the legislation would help address the issue of tourists and others consuming cannabis in public spaces. The bill prohibits food beyond single-serve edibles, smoking, alcohol, employee consumption, and free samples.

“I think this moves the ball forward in allowing the industry to do some sort of consumption … but does it in a way that I would say is pretty conservative. It’s actually pretty limited.” – Melton to the Post

The Marijuana Enforcement Division has opposed all previous social-use legislation. MED Director Jim Burack called this approach “incremental” and “responsible.” The American Cancer Society Action Network opposes the measure – because of the vaping provisions – and plan to submit a formal veto request to the governor.

Voters in Denver approved a social-use initiative in 2016. City officials approved the first social-use license in February. Some Colorado cities have created “private club” exemptions which allow for on-site use.

Officials in Alaska and Massachusetts are considering social-use proposals. Alaska officials have indicated they would consider the reforms next month, while Massachusetts regulators plan to consider rules in November but, so far, neither have codified plans. Maine lawmakers removed social-use language from the state’s adult-use implementation bill. California allows social-use with city approval. Nevada does not allow public use but the definition of “public spaces” does not include retail shops. Neither Oregon nor Washington allow on-site consumption.

End

Blue police lights on top of a white cruiser.

Chittenden County, Vermont State Attorney Considering Expunging Low-Level Cannabis Crimes

5/04/2018

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Chittenden County, Vermont Attorney Sarah George is pursuing a plan to erase convictions for low-level cannabis crimes, according to a NECN report. George, the head prosecutor for the state’s most populous county, said she believes officials are actually “behind in this discussion.”

“Any time that someone has a conviction on their record of something that is now legal, it should be expunged.” – George to NECN

George suggested that prosecutors in states that have legalized cannabis should be more open to erasing charges for what is now legal. Several states – with legalized cannabis, medical cannabis programs, and even some without broad reforms – have moved to expunge low level cannabis charges:

  • An Illinois House Committee approved a measure last month to erase low-level convictions for cannabis and paraphernalia possession.
  • The Virginia Senate, in February, passed a bill that would expunge charges for first-time cannabis offenders for $150.
  • Officials in San Francisco, Sonoma County, and Alameda County, California have taken proactive approaches to the criminal reforms included in Prop. 64, which legalized cannabis for adults in the state. Those officials have moved to make the expungement process easier and expand the scope of the reforms. The state legislature is considering a bill that would force courts to expunge all records of those convicted of possession of up to 28.6 grams of cannabis and 8 grams of concentrates.
  • Massachusetts lawmakers are considering a broad expungement bill; recreational cannabis sales are set to begin in the state July 1.
  • Alaska’s House passed a bill last month to restrict public access to some criminal records for simple cannabis possession. That measure is currently in a Senate committee.
  • Officials from Seattle and Pierce County, Washington have moved to expunge cannabis conviction records; although the legislature has failed to act on a bill to for statewide reforms for two years.
  • Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper last year pardoned 14 individuals charged with cannabis possession and in February announced he was considering 40 more.
  • In 2016, Missouri – which does not have legal cannabis access for adults and only a limited medical cannabis program – approved legislation to expunge the majority of the state’s low-level cannabis convictions.
  • Oregon approved its own expungement bill in 2015.

George does not have a timeline for the reforms but was clear that she would only expunge misdemeanors and not more serious felonies.

End

Ontario Government Awards $300K Grant for Cannabis Beer Project

5/04/2018

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The Ontario, Canada government has awarded a $300,000 research grant to Province Brands of Canada to help them develop a beer brewed with cannabis, the Ottawa Citizen reports. The Toronto-based company will work with Loyalist College to develop the beer.

Edibles are not included in the federal legalization plan but lawmakers have indicated they would consider adding edible products to the regime in 2019.

Licensed producer Canopy Growth has been working on a cannabis-infused drink for three years and has partnered with U.S. alcohol distributor Constellation Brands on the project. However, Canopy CEO Bruce Linton is adamant the company is not creating beer, rather a new category of beverages.

“We are not going to call it beer. Beer is beer. There will be a cannabis beverage selection, which will not be called something it’s not. Beer is beer, wine is wine, vodka is vodka. I’m not making those things. I’m displacing those things.” – Linton to the Citizen

Province Brands is partnering with Loyalist College’s Applied Research Centre for Natural Products and Medical Cannabis which holds a Health Canada license to research cannabis. The $300,000 grant was administered through the Ontario Centres of Excellence, which promotes collaboration between industry and academia for commercial products.

End

GOP Lawmakers in Michigan Considering Tying Cannabis Legalization to Income Tax Bill

5/04/2018

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Republican lawmakers in Michigan are considering tying recreational cannabis legalization to a bill to cut the state’s income tax amid fears that having the issue on November’s ballot will drive voter turnout, especially among young voters who tend to vote Democrat, the Detroit Free Press reports. The Republicans working on the plan to cut the state’s 4.25 percent income tax say cannabis legalization would make up for the losses to state coffers by including a 10 percent excise on top of the state’s 6 percent sales tax.

The plan would also give lawmakers more control over what legalization looks like and how it is implemented. However, one House Republican said the party doesn’t have the votes for cannabis legalization. Speaker of the House Tom Leonard said he doesn’t see the caucus taking up the measure.

“That is crazy. I don’t see the marijuana petition going up on the (voting) board.” – An unnamed House Republican to the Free Press

Democrats also don’t want legalization to occur through the legislature because they fear voters would see it as subversion and don’t want the proposal amended. If legalization were approved by lawmakers they would need a simple majority to amend it; if passed by the public it would require three-fourths of the legislature to approve any changes.

“Either way, we’re not on board.” – Senate Minority Leader Jim Ananich to the Free Press

The Coalition to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol, the group behind the ballot initiative, expects to deal with legislative changes. Spokesman Josh Hovey indicated the group was “fine” with the legislature passing the reforms so long as they are “passed one way or another.”

End

The Maine State Capitol Building in Augusta, Maine.

Maine Lawmakers Override Gov. Veto of Adult-Use Implementation Bill

5/03/2018

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Maine lawmakers have overridden Gov. Paul LePage’s veto of the recreational cannabis implementation bill, setting the stage for sales to begin in early 2019, the Bangor Daily News reports. The House voted 109-39 while the Senate voted 28-6 to override the veto.

The re-written law is opposed by Legalize Maine. The measure makes significant changes to what the group drafted and what was, narrowly, approved by voters in 2016. The legislature removed language allowing social use clubs, cut home grow limits from six plants to three, increased the effective sales tax rate from 10 percent to 20 percent, and forces municipalities to opt-in before sales can commence in the city or town.

David Heidrich, a spokesman for the Department of Administrative and Financial Services suggested it would take “less than nine months” to finalize and implement the rules for the law, which would also need to be approved by the next legislature which will convene in January. Heidrich indicated the LePage administration will hire a consultant to assist with the rulemaking.

As passed, the measure does not cap the number of cannabis cultivation licenses in the state but, according to a Portland Press Herald report, for the first three years, the licenses will only be available to individuals who have lived and paid taxes in Maine for at least four years.

End

Canadian Senate Committees Recommend Delaying Rec. Cannabis Bill

5/03/2018

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Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is non-committal about whether he is willing to delay implementing the bill to legalize cannabis for adult use in the nation as Senate committees recommend changes to the landmark legislation, the Canadian Press reports. The chamber’s Aboriginal Peoples Committee released a report on Tuesday urging Liberals to delay the measure in order to better negotiate tax sharing, prepare culturally appropriate education materials, draft addiction strategies, and ensure that First Nations can decide whether or not they want legal cannabis sales in their communities.

“We’ll continue to consult a broad range of Canadians. And as our parliamentary secretary Bill Blair says regularly, legalization is not an event, it’s a process. And that process will continue.” – Trudeau to the Canadian Press

The Senate National Security and Defense Committee is concerned about the treatment of Canadian travelers in the U.S. They fear that Canadians who admit to consuming cannabis could be turned away from the border or be more likely to face border interrogations.

“Canadians must be confident that they will still be able to cross into the United States without fear that activities legal in Canada will be held against them.” – Sen. Gwen Boniface, chair of the National Security and Defense Committee, in a statement, via the Press

The Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs said they have “serious concerns” about the potential impact of cannabis use on youth and the mentally ill. The Senate Social Affairs Committee is still conducting its own study.

The Senate is expected to vote on the measure by the end of next month.

End

David Purcell: Cannabis Industry Education at Kwantlen Polytechnic University

5/03/2018

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David Purcell is the Director of Emerging Business for the Cannabis Career Training program in the Continuing and Professional Studies division at Kwantlen Polytechnic University in British Columbia.

All eyes are on Canada this year as the nation steadily progresses toward establishing its highly anticipated national adult-use marketplace — so we invited David to an interview to talk about his work with KPU and what he has done to help prepare Canada’s workforce for the impending industry. Check out his responses below as we dive into the complex relationship between cannabis educators, cannabis professionals, and cannabis patients and/or enthusiasts.

Ganjapreneur: What can Kwantlen’s Cannabis Education Series do for someone who wants to join the industry? What are the main takeaways?

David Purcell: The Cannabis Career Training series is currently offered through three, eight-week, online courses which are: Plant Production and Facility Management; Marketing, Sales and Drug Development; and Financing a Cannabis Enterprise in Canada. These courses are meant to provide a foundational understanding of the industry through an in-depth look at the cannabis plant, where and how it is grown, and the industry in Canada all taught based on the current and evolving regulatory framework. We are currently developing a Cannabis Cultivation Technician course, which will be a 32-week comprehensive course to teach students how to grow cannabis in a licensed facility, as well as a Retail Training course to meet the needs of the current medical, and future recreational markets.

When was it clear to you that the cannabis industry would need a dedicated educational series?

KPU recognized very early on that there was going to be a need for an educational platform. As medical cannabis use in Canada increased, we recognized the need to provide education to patients, producers and the general public. The industry was relatively new, and there were no accredited, degree-granting universities taking on the challenge of building a cannabis education program at the time. As the industry began to grow, we focused on key industry experts to assist with the expansion of the program to include the coursework that is currently on offer.

Was there ever pushback from your university over the program due to the plant’s legal status?

When we decided to pursue cannabis education, we ensured that we would only work with legitimate, credible resources within the Canadian medical cannabis industry. Given that medical cannabis had been legalized in Canada at this point helped, but it took a bit of effort, and some excellent work from our staff and industry partners to develop a curriculum that proved to offer a great deal of value to both the general public as well as the industry on the whole.

Considering Canada’s plan for nationwide legalization, what do you expect to be the biggest obstacle or issue to overcome as the program comes online?

I think that the industry is going to have a difficult time scaling up to meet the demands of the country. It is generally accepted that the supply of cannabis will not meet the demands of the recreational market once recreational legalization takes place this summer. KPU educators have the same challenges relating to scaling up. We recognize the importance of providing quality education in the cannabis space to Canadians but can’t possibly scale fast enough to do so on our own. To meet this challenge, KPU has, and continues to establish key partnerships with colleges and universities across Canada to develop and deliver cannabis education as a means to ensure that the needs of the industry and future learners are met.

How often does each 8-week series run and can you enroll in all three at the same time, or do they build off of each other?

The demand for the Plant Production and Facility Management Course has been so high that we are running concurrent intakes every four weeks. All other courses run every nine weeks– that’s an eight-week course with a one week break to grade final assignments etc. The courses currently do not ladder into each other, but we are working on a series of courses that will stream together. You can enroll in all three at the same time, but that would be quite the commitment. From a student’s perspective, the time commitment is typically 8-12 hours per week per course.

Who actually compiles the curriculum for each course and how is the information gathered?

We are fortunate to have a number of working relationships with licensed producers across the country. We often collaborate with these partners to determine what their workforce training needs are and build programming to fill those needs.

How have the licensed cannabis companies you’ve approached reacted to the Kwantlen Cannabis Education series?

The reaction has been overwhelmingly positive. There are a number of success stories of our graduates now working for licensed producers throughout the country. Again, we try to keep an open line of communication with the licensed producers so as to be able to build for their current needs as well as anticipate training needs of the future.

Can you share your favorite or most rewarding experience you’ve had since starting this project?

It isn’t one single event, but rather the continuous breaking down of the stigma that surrounds cannabis. I participate in a number of events outside of the cannabis industry and when I tell people what I do for a living, the responses and reactions are typically formulated out of a complete lack of understanding as to what cannabis is all about. The typical understanding is that the industry is just a bunch of “stoners.” If I can open their minds even a little bit with conversation and some high-level explanation of the industry, the plant, some of the therapeutic benefits etc., I find that to be very rewarding.

Do you plan to eventually offer an in-person cannabis education series, and what would you need to make that happen?

We are in the final stages of writing the curriculum for our Cannabis Cultivation Technician course, which will be a full-year course and will be delivered both online and in-person. The intent of the course is to fill the need for trained cultivators as the Canadian industry expands – at an incredible pace! What makes this particular course so unique is that we have secured an agreement with a local licensed producer to allow our students into their facility to have a hands-on experience and work directly with cannabis. This course will be launched this fall. Beyond that, and in addition to our existing courses, we hope to move towards a more formal academic path with our cannabis curriculum.

Besides signing up for a class, do you have any advice for someone who is thinking about getting involved in the cannabis space as Canada’s adult-use market comes online?

Education and knowledge is key. For those wanting to enter into the cannabis industry, it is critical that you have an understanding of the overarching Federal regulatory framework (C-45); and perhaps more importantly, your Provincial regulations, as well as the local regulations. Here in B.C. for example, the guidelines for private retailers of cannabis were just released and while private retail sale will be legal provincially, individual municipalities can dictate whether or not they will allow retailers in their particular jurisdiction. An important element of a successful venture into the space is to know the regulations.

Thanks, David, for taking the time to answer our questions and share your experiences. To learn more about David and Kwantlen Polytechnic University’s Cannabis Career Training, check out KPU’s website or sign up here to receive updates about the program.

End

Vermont Senate Committee Rejects Roadside Saliva Test Bill

5/03/2018

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The Vermont Senate Judiciary Committee voted 4-1 against a bill to allow law enforcement officers to use a roadside saliva test to test drivers for cannabis impairment, the Burlington Free Press reports. Sen. Joe Benning, a Republican member of the committee and criminal defense attorney, said he opposed the measure because the test doesn’t prove whether a driver is “actually under the influence.”

The bill was approved by the House in March and is backed by Gov. Phil Scott and Commissioner of Public Safety Tom Anderson. In a joint statement with Vermont Association of Chiefs of Police President Jennifer Morrison and Vermont Sheriffs’ Association President William Bohnyak, Anderson called the committee’s decision “a loss for all Vermonters and inconsistent with a commitment to highway safety.”

“This bill is an important part of the state’s highway safety strategy, and its passage would ensure Vermont has a mechanism to effectively remove impaired drivers from our roadways and hold them accountable.” – Anderson, Morrison, and Bohnyak in the joint statement.

The measure was opposed by the American Civil Liberties Union of Vermont. The organization’s policy director, Chloé White, previously told the House Transportation Committee that the bill was “much more invasive of privacy and bodily integrity than a breathing test.”

Vermont’s legalization law takes effect July 1.

End

A line of cloned cannabis plants inside of a licensed Washington grow facility.

Scotts Miracle-Gro CEO Says California’s ‘Botched Legalization’ Forcing Company to Cut Staff, Restructure

5/03/2018

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Scotts Miracle-Gro CEO Jim Hagedorn said that the company is going to have to cut staff and restructure the company as sales took a hit from the “completely botched legalization” of cannabis in California, according to a Columbus Business First report. The company expects to save $15 million consolidating operations and $20 million from cutting duplicate jobs, although the company has not indicated how many jobs they expect to eliminate.

Since 2015, Scotts has spent $1 billion to grow its Hawthorne Gardening Co. hydroponics subsidiary, including investing in or the acquisitions of: AeroGrow Internatinal Inc; American Agritech LLC, DBA Botanicare; Agrolux Holding B.V.; Gavita International B.V.; Can-Filters; General Hydroponics; and, most recently, Sunlight Supply, Inc – which is expected to close June 1.

“We built this whole business based on the idea the (marijuana industry) would go professional. It’s really disappointing to see the mayhem. It’s grown up in a really entrepreneurial way naturally. The maturation of the marketplace as it goes legal has been really disruptive.” – Hagedorn to Columbus Business First

The agreement to acquire Sunlight Supply – for $450 million – was the company’s largest to date but Hagedorn said it was worth the cost because it represents the “missing piece” of supply chain management for Hawthorne.

End

Kentucky Hemp Farmers Net $7.5M from Crop

5/02/2018

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Kentucky’s hemp industry saw more than $16.7 million in gross product sales last year, which led to $7.5 million for hemp farmers and created 81 new full-time jobs, the Louisville Courier-Journal reports. The figures, outlined in a letter by state Agricultural Commissioner Ryan Quarles to Kentucky’s Senators, further bolster Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s legislative push to legalize hemp throughout the U.S.

In the letter, Quarles said his goal is to make the state “an epicenter for hemp farmers and processors” and that Kentucky will “have a head start” in the hemp sector when Congress finally removes the crop from the Controlled Substances Act – which McConnell’s bill would achieve.

According to the report, the Kentucky Narcotic Officers’ Association opposes hemp legalization. Tommy Loving, the head of the organization, told the Courier-Journal that law enforcement officers cannot easily determine the difference between cannabis plants containing less than 0.3 percent THC – which are defined as hemp – and plants above that threshold which are illegal under both Kentucky and federal law.

The 2014 federal Farm Bill – backed by McConnell – allows states to conduct pilot programs for industrial hemp cultivation and under those programs farms must register with their state. So far, 34 states have implemented such programs.

End

Massachusetts Opens Next Round of Cannabis Business Licenses

5/02/2018

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Applications for a variety of Massachusetts canna-businesses are now open including craft cooperatives, micro-businesses, transporters, independent testing laboratories, and lab agents, the Boston Business Journal reports. According to the report, 312 applications have already been submitted to the Cannabis Control Commission, but just 25 have completed at least one part of the four-part process.

The agency is still reviewing priority certification applicants. The CCC received some 813 applications by last month’s deadline, but 400 of those were reportedly incomplete. So far, 66 social-equity applicants have been approved for priority certification and 80 medical cannabis operators have been approved to operate under the recreational regime. Transporters were expected to begin applying on June 1; however, CCC Executive Director Sean Collins indicated the CCC decided to include transporters in the current round of applications. He expects the number of applications to increase “pretty dramatically.”

Adult-use cannabis sales are expected to begin in Massachusetts July 1. Collins said that the application process has “launched successfully.” Once implemented, Massachusetts will become the first New England state to allow recreational cannabis sales.

Maine and Vermont have also passed legislation to allow adult cannabis use. Although Vermont’s legislature-approved law does not provide for a taxed-and-regulated industry and Maine’s governor has twice vetoed recreational implementation bills.   

End

Court Rules in Favor of DEA in CBD Lawsuit

5/02/2018

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Ninth Circuit appeals court judges have ruled against the Hemp Industries Association in their bid to overturn a move by the Drug Enforcement Agency to classify CBD as a Schedule I substance under the Controlled Substances Act. The new rule took effect Jan. 13, 2017.

In the April 30 ruling, the panel of three judges concluded that the petitioners – the HIA, Centuria Natural Foods, Inc., and R.M.H. Holdings, Inc. – “did not participate in notice and comment, but insist that a comment submitted by a private citizen adequately raised the concerns that now comprise their petition.”

The ruling focuses on one comment, which asks whether the new DEA rule would cover “100 [percent] pure [CBD] by itself with nothing else?” To which the DEA responded by rephrasing the definition of “extracts” to apply to an “extract containing one or more cannabinoids.” While the petitioners had argued that the rule effectively created a new substance under the federal CSA, the judges ruled that “neither this comment nor any other raised with sufficient clarity Petitioners’ current argument that the Final Rule scheduled a new substance.”

The judges concluded that the rule does not conflict with the 2014 Farm Bill because the notice of the rule change – July 5, 2011 – predates the Farm Bill.

According to a Hemp Industry Daily report, the petitioners plan on appealing the ruling.

End

Missouri House Passes Medical Cannabis Bill

5/02/2018

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Missouri’s House has passed a medical cannabis measure that would allow individuals with terminal illness and 11 other conditions to access the program, the Columbia Missourian reports. The bill would allow access to non-smokable products, such as pills or tinctures, and provides for in-state production overseen by the state Department of Agriculture.

The qualifying conditions list includes: cancer, glaucoma, HIV, AIDS, Lou Gehrig’s disease, Crohn’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, ulcerative colitis, Alzheimer’s disease, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Patients would have to obtain a recommendation from a physician or neurologist to participate in the program. The Department of Health has the jurisdiction to add conditions to the list if it receives a petition signed by at least 10 physicians.

The measure was introduced in the chamber by Republican Rep. Jim Neely, who told his colleagues “there has to be room for compassion.”

“There are thousands of clinical trials being conducted in the United States that provide hope for terminal patients, including dozens of cannabis trials.” – Neely, on the House floor, via the Missourian

The bill passed the House 112-44 and next moves to the state Senate. Under current Missouri law, epileptic patients can access low-THC, CBD-dominant products.

End

Push to Put MMJ Ballot Initiative to Idaho Voters Stalled

5/01/2018

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Advocates in Idaho have stopped collecting signatures for the ballot initiative to legalize medical cannabis in the state and the group behind the effort, the Idaho Medical Marijuana Association, has dissolved, according to a Spokesman-Review report. The organization’s president, Tesla Gillespie, said the group wasn’t sufficiently organized or funded to collect enough signatures.

Gillespie said she was unsure how many signatures were collected before the effort was abandoned. The group needed 56,000 by April 30. This is the fourth failed bid to legalize medical cannabis in the state. In 2012 and 2014 advocates were unable to collect enough signatures. In 2016 the initiative was withdrawn before signatures were counted.

Neither this initiative nor any previous attempts would have created a broad industry. Instead, they relied on caregivers with low patient-to-provider ratios. Chris Lindsay, legislative analyst for the Marijuana Policy Project – who drafted a proposal in 2010 – said the initiatives focused “more on regulatory aspects.”

“The timeline is that these laws started heavy on individual protections with barely a mention of business.” – Lindsay to the Spokesman-Review

In 2015, lawmakers approved a bill to legalize CBD for epileptic children; but Gov. Butch Otter vetoed the measure. Earlier this year a debate to legalize CBD oil turned into a shouting match and the bill ended up being held in a Senate committee, preventing it from further consideration. During a Health and Welfare Committee meeting Chairman Lee Heider told his colleagues behind closed doors – in violation of the state’s open meetings law – that the bill was opposed by the governor, state prosecutors, and the office of drug policy. The measure had cleared the House with a veto-proof majority.

End

The Iowa State Capitol Building in Des Moines.

Iowa House GOP Threatens to Pull Opioid Bill over MMJ Amendment; Sponsor Pulls Amendment

5/01/2018

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Republicans in Iowa’s House threatened to kill a bill to address opioid addiction if it included expanded medical cannabis language, forcing the amendment sponsor to withdraw the motion, the Des Moines Register reports. While the Senate is still considering a measure to remove the 3 percent THC cap under the state’s current medical cannabis regime, House Speaker Linda Upmeyer has indicated she is not ready to approve any expansion, including the language in Sen. Thomas Greene’s amendment.

“Medical cannabis is an issue that needs to move. This is an issue that cannot be put off year after year after year.” – Greene on the Senate floor, via the Register

The Senate had approved the medical cannabis amendment unanimously. The amendment would have allowed individuals with opioid addiction to access the state medical cannabis program. The bill being considered by the Senate would expand the program to allow physicians to approve medical cannabis for any condition, which, if approved, would allow physicians to recommend medical cannabis as an exit therapy for opioid addiction.

Gov. Kim Reynolds sides with Upmeyer: both want to hear from the state’s medical cannabis advisory board before expanding the program. Upmeyer suggested that if the board recommends changes the legislature could take up legislation to address those suggestions next year.

Medical cannabis sales in Iowa are set to launch in December; however, under the current regime, those non-smokable products will contain 0.3 percent THC or less.

End

Colorado Dispensary Faces Loss of All Cannabis Licenses for ‘Looping’ Scheme

5/01/2018

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Colorado’s Sweet Leaf Marijuana Centers could lose its 26 retail, cultivation, and manufacturing licenses after a municipal hearing officer ruled that the company pocketed millions of dollars in a “looping” scheme that allowed customers to purchase the maximum amount of cannabis multiple times a day and sell it in the illicit market, the Denver Post reports.

Sweet Leaf had their licenses suspended last December and 12 people were arrested following the yearlong investigation by local law enforcement.

At least half of the loopers were from out-of-state. Hearing Officer Suzanne Fasing found that people from Arkansas, Nebraska, New Mexico, and Texas had participated in the scheme; some of those individuals have already been convicted.

Sweet Leaf owners reportedly encouraged and directed the practice. Investigators discovered conversations on Slack promoting the scheme.

“Looping is going to be going on until the new year most likely. Please talk it up with (extended plant-count) patients. We need med sales up!” – Sweet Leaf owners in a Slack conversation, via the Post

Attorneys for Sweet Leaf argue that the law prior to Jan. 1 did not prohibit multiple sales of more than 1 ounce per day. The state changed the rules on Jan. 1 to codify that language.

Denver’s director of marijuana policy will have the final say on the case after a 10-day period for objections and a five-day period for responses. That decision could come in a few weeks.

End

A woman signs a petition circulating through her neighborhood.

Oklahoma Advocates Approved to Begin Collecting Legalization Petition Signatures

5/01/2018

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Advocates in Oklahoma have received state approval to begin collecting signatures for a ballot initiative asking voters whether to legalize both medical and recreational cannabis in November, according to a KOKH. The measure would add legalization to the state constitution, rather than as a law, which would also need to be codified by the state legislature.

Oklahomans will vote on medical cannabis legalization in June but the legislature will also need to approve the law. The medical cannabis constitutional amendment ballot initiative would allow excise taxes on sales and divide the proceeds with 75 percent to the state Department of Education and 25 percent to the Department of Health. The initiative would also includes language to legalize industrial hemp – which was already approved by lawmakers last month – but it would add those reforms to the constitution.

The adult-use plan would see the first $40 million raised from tax revenues derived from wholesale excise taxes to be used for school construction funding. The measure caps sales taxes at 20 percent and would see all funds after the $40 million split between the Department of Education (50 percent), the Department of Health (25 percent), and the state General Fund (25 percent).

Green the Vote, the group behind the initiative, can begin collecting signatures May 11. The advocates need to collect 125,000 valid signatures by Aug. 8 in order to put the issue to voters.

End

Kushy Punch and “The Nightmare” Make Boxing History: First Canna-Business to Sponsor Title Contender

4/30/2018

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Carson, Calif. (April 30, 2018) — Kushy Punch, a premium cannabis brand, proudly announces its partnership with VANES “THE NIGHTMARE ” MARTIROSYAN (36-3-1, 21 KOs), in his upcoming title boxing match against undefeated World Middleweight Champion GENNADY “GGG” GOLOVKIN (37-0-1, 33 KOs). On May 5, Golovkin vs. Martirosyan will be televised live on HBO World Championship Boxing beginning at 11 p.m. ET/PT from the Stubhub Center in Carson, Calif. 

The partnership marks the first time that the California State Athletic Commission, and HBO, have approved a cannabis company as a title contender sponsor.

Ruben Cross, CEO of Kushy Punch, said of the announcement: “Our sponsorship signals a welcome turning point for the sport and how it is marketed to a new generation of viewers. As an underdog like us, Vanes embodies our core values: hard work, a passion to be the very best, and an unrelenting dedication to improving our craft. Win or lose, we know he will take the fight to Golovkin.”

Martirosyan will wear the iconic Kushy Punch logo on his boxing apparel and his team will wear Kushy Punch branded apparel during the televised fight and throughout the duration of the sponsorship.

Cross added, “This sponsorship is a natural fit for us, for Vanes, and the sport of boxing. We hope it is the first of many more to come.”

About Martirosyan:

The 31-year-old two-time world title challenger has been steadily making a name for himself as the WBC’s No. 1 world-rated super welterweight contender. He is a native of Abovyan, Armenia, and currently fights out of Glendale, California. Martirosyan’s resume boasts NABF, NABO, WBO Inter-Continental, WBA International and WBC Silver championship victories with 21 knockouts and only 3 losses in his professional career.

About Kushy Punch:

Kushy Punch is an award-winning manufacturer and distributor of gummies, vapes, and gel caps. Based in California, its products are carried in licensed retailers throughout the state. All Kushy Punch products use premium oils and distillates, are lab tested, and crafted in a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility. Kushy Punch is wholesome wellness one bite at a time.

For more information, visit www.kushypunch.com; follow on Twitter @kushypunch; become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/kushypunch; follow on Instagram @getkushypunch. For media inquiries, email Jae Shin at jae@kushypunch.com.

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Photograph of downtown Seattle with Mt. Rainier in the background.

Seattle Officials Move to Toss Misdemeanor Cannabis Convictions

4/30/2018

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Officials in Seattle, Washington have filed a motion in Seattle Municipal Court to vacate all convictions for misdemeanor cannabis possession for anyone arrested in the city – a total of 542 people. Mayor Jenny Durkan said her office made the request because “it makes little sense for so many in [Seattle] to be punished for conduct that is no longer illegal under state law.”

“Our system is supposed to be a system of justice, and this is an important step forward for justice for all residents of our City. I hope these actions we’re taking here in Seattle can lay the foundation for other cities, counties and state to act, too.” – Durkan in a press release

Durkan called the request a first step to fix the state’s criminal justice system “and address all the damage done to our communities by the war on drugs.”

“We must provide more effective alternatives to prosecution and incarceration through drug and mental health courts, restoring rights and supporting re-entry. Our actions must go far beyond the realm of criminal justice reform; it will require us to make our City more affordable, close the opportunity gap through free community college and technical training, and to continue the hard work of building trust between our community and the Seattle Police Department.” – Durkan in the statement.

Durkan first laid out the plan in a February op-ed in The Stranger. Durkan is credited with creating one of the nation’s first federal drug courts as a U.S. attorney under President Barack Obama.

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Maine Gov. Again Vetoes Rec. Cannabis Implementation Bill

4/30/2018

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Maine Gov. Paul LePage has, again, vetoed legislation to implement regulations for the state’s voter-approved cannabis legalization regime. In his veto message, LePage cites federal law, the “failings” of the state’s medical cannabis program, and his desire to see the medical and recreational markets merged.

“As I have stated previously, a concurrent medical program with weaker regulation and a lower tax rate will undermine the regulations established by this bill. The two programs must be fully integrated.” – LePage in his Apr. 27 veto message

The measure passed both chambers of the state legislature with veto-proof margins; however, LePage’s fellow Republicans could decide to sustain his veto. Last year, Republican lawmakers voted to uphold LePage’s veto the first time the legislature approved a different implementation measure.

LePage also claims that states with legal cannabis share a “gruesome similarity” – increases in motor vehicle crashes caused by cannabis impairment.

“After one of the worst years in recent memory for crashes, fatalities, and pedestrian fatalities, we should take every step to ensure safety on Maine roads instead of making them more hazardous. No branch of government has a monopoly on good ideas; if Maine is going to legalize and regulate marijuana, it will require our joint efforts to get this important issue right.” – LePage in the veto message

Voters approved the adult-use initiative in 2016. The bill would have allowed the state to begin issuing licenses next spring. Lawmakers will take up the vetoed bill on Wednesday.

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The foliage inside of a commercial cannabis cultivation site in Bellingham, Washington.

Illinois Legislature Considering Bills to Allow MMJ Use for Opioid Dependence and Schoolchildren

4/30/2018

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The Illinois legislature is considering bills to make two changes to the state’s medical cannabis system – one would allow parents to give their children medical cannabis on school grounds, and another to allow physicians to recommend medical cannabis as an alternative to opioids and allow people addicted to opioids to apply for a medical cannabis card.

The measure to allow medical cannabis for opioid addiction passed the Senate 44-6 on Thursday the Associated Press reports. According to the report, Gov. Bruce Rauner’s spokeswoman Rachel Bold indicated the governor is open to all solutions to help combat the state’s opioid crisis. The measure still needs House approval.

The bill to allow medical cannabis in schools passed the House and next moves to the Senate. In Illinois, smoking medical cannabis is not allowed, so patients rely on edibles, oils, and ointments which would be allowed to be administered by parents on school grounds. Rep. Lou Lang said the measure would prevent children enrolled in the state’s medical cannabis program from missing school.

“If we are concerned, not only about their schooling – we don’t want them to be out of school, we don’t want a parent to take a child out of school to get the child medication – so, let the child take it at school.” – Lang to MyStateline

If approved, the changes would be the first significant reforms to the state’s medical cannabis program through the legislature. In February, Cook County Judge Raymond Mitchell ruled that the state must add intractable pain to the state program finding that Health Department officials were “clearly erroneous” in rejecting the condition which was approved by the now-defunct Medical Cannabis Advisory Board. That decision is still in appeal.

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Photograph of street in the city of Harare, Zimbabwe.

Zimbabwe Legalizes Medical Cannabis Cultivation

4/30/2018

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Zimbabwe has opened applications for licenses to cultivate cannabis for medical and research purposes, according to a Reuters report. The approval makes Zimbabwe the second country in Africa to legalize cannabis cultivation after Lesotho approved its own regulations last year.

The licenses will be valid for five years. They will allow growers to possess, transport, and sell fresh and dried cannabis and cannabis oils. Applicants can be rejected if the applicant has been involved in the diversion of a controlled substance “or precursor to an illicit market or use,” according to the report. Annual fees run $15,000, renewal fees cost $20,000, and a research license will cost $5,000. Applicants must be a citizen of Zimbabwe or have proof that they are a resident. Companies must prove they are incorporated in the nation.

“The Minister may not oblige if the issuance, renewal or amendment of the license is likely to create a risk to public health, safety or security.” – Regulations for cannabis cultivation, via Reuters

According to an AFP report, the regulations also reduce prison terms for individuals caught illegally dealing cannabis. Under previous law, those convicted of growing, possessing, or using cannabis could face up to 12 years in jail.

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Cannabis Legalization Will Appear on Michigan Ballots in November

4/27/2018

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Michigan voters will have the opportunity to legalize cannabis for adult use this November after the State Board of Canvassers approved the petition launched by the Coalition to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol.

What’s in the initiative:

  • Create a taxed and regulated recreational cannabis system, allowing adults 21-and-older to possess and consume cannabis.
  • Legalization of industrial hemp.
  • Licensing for cultivators, processors, testing laboratories, transporters and retailers.
  • A 10 percent excise tax on retail sales in addition to the state’s 6 percent sales tax.
  • Municipal control to ban cannabis operations.

“When you look at the success of other states that have already legalized and regulated marijuana, it is clear this initiative is the path forward. States that have legalized and regulated marijuana have seen decreases in opioid-related deaths while also adding hundreds of millions of dollars in tax revenue each year.” – Michigan NORML board member Brad Forrester in a press release

The measure has the support of former Detroit Police Chief Ike McKinnon.

“This is an important reform that will help end thousands of unnecessary arrests and redirect law enforcement resources to real needs – like combating violent crime and fighting the opioid epidemic – while also generating hundreds of millions of new tax dollars for our schools, roads and local governments. This isn’t just my opinion. I’ve talked to countless law enforcement officials throughout Michigan and the country who believe the same.” – McKinnon in a statement

Two Michigan polls have found majority support for the reforms. A January poll by Local 4 and the Detroit News found 56.6 percent favored legalization. An EPIC-MRA poll commissioned by Michigan NORML in March found 61 percent support.

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River and farmlands in the Vermont countryside.

Vermont Lawmakers Eye Cannabis Tax-and-Reg as Session Nears Close

4/27/2018

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Lawmakers in Vermont’s House are pushing for legislation to implement a taxed-and-regulated cannabis industry as the session nears a close, Vermont Public Radio reports. The push has support from Democrats, Republicans, and Progressives.

In January, the Legislature legalized cannabis use for adults but the reforms did not create an industry. Last year the state Senate voted to approve a taxed-and-regulated legalization regime but that bill didn’t reach the House.

The bill’s sponsor, Rep. Diana Gonzalez, suggested the funds from the industry could be used to help fund opioid addiction treatment facilities and programs.

Lt. Gov. David Zuckerman, a Progressive, said he began reaching out to Republicans following the passage of January’s legalization measure to push for their support on tax-and-regulate.

“And quite a few said, ‘now that it’s legal, I think tax-and-regulate’s a better model.’ So if Progressives, the Republicans that think this is the better way, and the many Democrats that inherently support this come together, I think we have a majority.” – Zuckerman to VPR

House Speaker Mitzi Johnson, a Republican, is less optimistic. She indicated that many House lawmakers are uncomfortable with pursuing the broad reforms as the session closes.

“I think at this point it’s far too large of a policy change to be jumping into the last week or two of the session.” – Johnson to VPR

Moreover, even if it passes Gov. Phil Scott could veto it as he did the first legalization measure that reached his desk.

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