A Toronto police car blocks traffic on a busy city street at night.

Cannabis Offenses Down in Canada, 17K Still Arrested for Possession

7/25/2017

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According to Statistics Canada figures, the number of police-reported cannabis offenses is down for the fifth consecutive year, falling about 6,000 from 2015 to 2016, DurhamRegion.com reports. However, police in Canada still charged 17,733 people with cannabis possession in 2016.

Federal lawmakers announced plans to federally legalize cannabis use in 2016 and are currently debating regulations to govern a nationwide recreational market. The arrest rate represents a drop of about 3,600 from 2015, but simple possession still represents 76 percent of all cannabis-related charges in Canada.

In all, police reported 55,000 cannabis-related offenses in 2016. Even though federal leaders have unveiled broad legalization plans, they decided not to decriminalize simple cannabis possession in the interim.

The report showed a 7 percent increase in the number of police-reported offenses related to the illegal possession of prescription medication such as opioid-based pain-killers and “date-rape” drugs.

Statistics Canada also reported a rise in impaired driving violations of more than 10 percent, from 2,755 in 2015 to 3,098 in 2016, but police reported that 96 percent of those incidents involved alcohol.

Legal cannabis sales are expected to roll out in Canada on July 1, 2018, which will make them just the second nation – behind Uruguay – to federally permit cannabis sales to adults. According to Sept. 30 Health Canada figures, there are 98,460 registered medical cannabis patients throughout the nation.

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San Francisco Officials Move to Ban New Dispensaries Until Rec. Rules Developed

7/24/2017

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The San Francisco, California Planning Commission has passed a recommendation to ban the opening of new medical cannabis dispensaries for up to two years until the city enacts its regulations on the forthcoming recreational cannabis industry, according to a report from 48 Hills.

The resolution is not binding and would need to be approved by the Board of Supervisors in order to take effect; however the Planning Commission has to approve all new dispensary applications, so even without a vote from the Board of Supervisors, permits could be hard to come by.

There are currently 29 dispensary applications pending in the city.

Supervisor Ahsha Safai proposed a permanent cap on dispensaries in his district which prompted the discussion of a city-wide moratorium. Safai’s district currently has three dispensaries – the maximum number he wants operating in the district – and if the resolution is approved that would mean that no more dispensaries would be permitted in his district unless one of the current operators shuts down.

The Planning Department suggested that rather than create a patchwork of rules district-by-district, the city should stop issuing new permits right now.

The Small Business Commission opposed the plan, saying that it would create an oligopoly in the district and drive businesses into other parts of the city.

The Board of Supervisors Land Use Committee will consider Safai’s proposal today, and the full board will hear the measure tomorrow.

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The flag of Poland flying on a windy, cloudy day.

Poland President Signs MMJ Legalization Measure

7/24/2017

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Polish President Andrzej Duda has signed legislation legalizing medical cannabis use in the nation, allowing patients to register with pharmacies who will dispense medical cannabis products, according to a 112 International report. Initially, the measure would have allowed patients to grow their own cannabis; however, amendments to the bill removed that provision, allowing instead for pharmacies to prepare drugs from raw materials that will be imported into Poland.

The program will allow patients with severe illnesses, such as chronic pain, multiple sclerosis, treatment resistant epilepsy, and nausea and vomiting from chemotherapy, to access medical cannabis therapies if approved by a physician, but there is not presently a set qualifying condition list for program access.

The rules will allow patients to access raw cannabis, extracts, and tinctures. A cannabis institute will be created to educate pharmacists, physicians, and the public on the next steps.

“We sent [a to-do list] to the government to let them know what they need to prepare,” said MP Piotr Liroy-Marzec in a Marijuana.com report. “The Polish Institute of Cannabis will be starting right now. Education on cannabis is what Poland needs, for the doctors, judges, and pharmacists.”

The measure is set to take effect in October.

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A macro photograph of a long, trimmed cannabis bud.

Maine Dispensary Owner Gifts Cannabis to Volunteers Who Clean City’s Trash

7/24/2017

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A dispensary owner in Maine offered cannabis to volunteers who pitched in to help clean up trash throughout the community over the weekend, according to a WUMR-9 report. Dennis Meehan, owner of Summit Medical Marijuana in Gardiner, posted the call on Facebook, which was shared hundreds of times.

Meehan offered volunteers 21-and-older 2 grams of flower per trash bag they filled and, because of the support on Facebook, he wasn’t sure he would have enough product to meet the demand. While recreational sales are not expected in Maine for about another 11 months, gifting cannabis became legal on January 1.

“The night before I was up all night putting together the bags. I hardly slept,” Meehan said in the report. “We had people not just from Gardiner, but as far away as Bangor, Waterville, and across Southern Maine. It was incredible.”

Volunteers filled more than 100 bags with trash, which equates to hundreds of dollars of donated cannabis; however, Meehan said he didn’t track the exact amount because “gifting” cannabis is something his family “has been doing for years as caregivers.”

“A big part of Maine’s marijuana program is making medicine available to people who otherwise may not have been able to afford it,” he said. “At the end of the day it isn’t about money. It’s about the need. It’s about the community.”

According to a Facebook post, Meehan hopes to expand the program statewide “in [a] month or so.”

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Aerial view of the port on St. Thomas Island in the U.S. Virgin Islands.

MMJ Legislation Reintroduced in U.S. Virgin Islands

7/24/2017

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U.S. Virgin Islands Sen. Positive Nelson has reintroduced legislation to legalize medical cannabis in the U.S. territory, the St. Thomas Source reports. A similar measure died in the legislative Health Committee last year, which has led Nelson to request the bill be heard by the Committee of the Whole because he feels the chair of the Health Committee, Sen. Nereida Rivera-O’Reilly, has “exhibited an obvious bias against cannabis legalization in any form.”

“The overall goal of the Medical Cannabis Patient Care Act proposal is to allow patients access to the beneficial use of medical cannabis in a regulated system for alleviating symptoms caused by debilitating medical conditions and for their medical treatments,” Nelson said in a press release. “The new measure has been reviewed by policy advisors, industry leaders and others to ensure that we have a solid and comprehensive product.”

In 2014, Virgin Islands voters approved a referendum 57 percent to 43 percent asking the legislature to consider legalizing medical cannabis. Nelson said his proposal fulfills the obligation to the majority who voted ‘yes’ on the initiative.

“There should be enough support in the Senate, even if amended,” Nelson said in the report. “This is the people’s will.”

Nelson indicated this is just his first step to reforming cannabis laws on the island, saying he supports adults 21-and-older growing up to five cannabis plants “so long as they are properly enclosed and [the grower owns] the property or have landlord’s approval.”

“I also support commercial legalization for adult use, 420 zones, and cannabis festivals,” he said. “We’ll take it one step at a time.”

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A symbolic light bulb sits in the middle of a "thought cloud" drawn on a chalkboard.

Connecting With Customers Under California’s Strict Advertising Regulations

7/24/2017

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Californians planning to run cannabis businesses under MAUCRSA should pay special attention to the new advertising regulations if they want to connect with customers without attracting citations, fines, or worse. Due to the heavy restrictions, many traditional advertising channels might not be available, so creating a message that resonates with customers will require strategy and ingenuity.

26151. (a) (1) All advertisements and marketing shall accurately and legibly identify the licensee responsible for its content, by adding, at a minimum, the licensee’s license number.

Put simply, the above rule means that companies who market cannabis need to be transparent and accountable for the messaging they create. As the industry strives for legitimacy, promoting products professionally will not only help negate the stigma associated with the industry, but it will also provide an opportunity to educate community members that may not agree with ending prohibition. By requiring a legible license number, bad actors will be exposed and companies that play above board will be rewarded at best, and allowed to advertise at least. Marketers and designers should prepare to incorporate the license number on all branded collateral, as the range of items covered under the Business and Professions Code are broad.

26151. (b) Any advertising or marketing placed in broadcast, cable, radio, print, and digital communications shall only be displayed where at least 71.6 percent of the audience is reasonably expected to be 21 years of age or older.

71.6 percent seems excessive — even more so when considering that alcohol doesn’t have the same stipulation and is often advertised during times when much of the viewing audience is under 21, NFL Football being a prime example.

Although many station managers are still opposed to cannabis advertising, there have been more and more radio spots popping up throughout the country. The silver lining here is that media or entertainment companies that have focused on cannabis for years will be there with regular traffic and ideal readers/listeners for organizations who take advantage.

26151. (c) Publish or disseminate advertising or marketing containing any statement, design, device, or representation which tends to create the impression that the cannabis originated in a particular place or region, unless the label of the advertised product bears an appellation of origin.

There are several regions in California with iconic names that resonate throughout the industry: Humboldt, Mendocino, and Trinity — collectively, they are known as the Emerald Triangle. Anyone who’s anyone in this space has heard of the region and probably respect the history, culture, and quality of the people and products that originate there. For years, however, suspect characters have been trading in on the NorCal name to dupe unsuspecting folks into shady deals for a quick buck. The above regulation closes that door and positions the organizations with roots in the Big 3 for success — so long as the end product lives up to the region’s reputation.

So, what businesses can do to reach their ideal audience? Focus on a strategy that brings your customers to the channels you control — primarily your website, social media profiles, and email marketing programs. There have been recent reports of Facebook deleting cannabis business profiles, but further review shows that Facebook had found those companies to be violating specific terms of service. Above all else, make sure to play by the rules. It’s pretty clear that outspending your competition on advertising won’t work due to the restrictions — so it will take ingenuity, a strong brand, and consistent, quality products to thrive in California’s cannabis industry.

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A judge's gavel rests on top of a blue legal notebook.

Lawyers in Massachusetts MMJ-Employment Case Explain Significance of Ruling

7/21/2017

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Earlier this week, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court ruled that a medical cannabis patient could sue her former employer for handicap discrimination after they fired her for testing positive for cannabis on a drug screening. According to her lawyers, the decision by the court was “very significant” but acts neither as a de facto protection for registered medical cannabis users in the state nor makes them “untouchable.”

“Before this ruling [medical cannabis patients] were the opposite of untouchable,” said Matthew Fogelman, an attorney for the plaintiff and owner of Massachusetts-based employment law firm Fogelman & Fogelman. “They were sort of without remedy because if they failed a drug test, they failed a drug test and that was the bottom line.”

Now, following the landmark ruling, Massachusetts employers will have to treat medical cannabis “like any other medication,” Fogelman said. “[The employee] may need some sort of accommodation, so the company now has to engage in interactive dialogue, an interactive process with the employee… They have to go through that analysis now.”

That analysis would include whether the accommodation sought by the employee was “reasonable” and whether it would create “an undue burden” for the employer.

A landmark victory for cannabis patients

In the case, Barbuto v. Advantage Sales & Marketing, LLC, the six-judge panel ruled that the medical cannabis use by the employee, Christina Barbuto, did not create such an undue burden for her employer, Advantage Sales & Marketing, because she used the medicine at home, after work, and “an employer would not be in joint possession of medical marijuana or aid and abet its possession simply by permitting an employee to continue his or her off-site use.”

Adam Fine, a partner at Vicente Sederberg who also worked on the case, said that the court ruling clarified “that there are protections for medical marijuana patients that are duly registered in the Commonwealth” but there “would have to be a similar fact scenario” to the Barbuto case.

That fact scenario, Fine explained, “is someone with a serious medical condition that has a medical marijuana card that uses marijuana outside of work and there is no impairment on the job, which is not a public safety position.”

Fogelman said that the decision is “one other states could look to” if and when similar cases are tried outside of Massachusetts. “Because the Massachusetts court went further than other courts have gone it’s certainly easier for another court in a different state to do the same thing because it can now rely on the Massachusetts decision,” he explained.

Discrimination case vs. employer can move forward

Fine, whose firm specializes in cannabis law, said that he had never dealt with a case such as Barbuto’s and applauded Fogelman for having the courage to take on a potentially controversial case, acknowledging that Barbuto had approached several firms before Fogelman accepted the task.

“[She] had encountered being turned away from other employment lawyers prior to finding Matt,” Fine said, adding that while he has fielded calls from medical cannabis patients who felt they were discriminated against at work, many didn’t want the publicity from the case and wanted to remain private rather than advance the legal process.

Effectively, the court ruling will allow Barbuto’s discrimination case against her former employer to move forward, which Fogelman said could take about two years to conclude. In that case, Barbuto is seeking damages related to her termination.

The Barbuto v. Advantage Sales & Marketing, LLC case marks the first court ruling in favor of a patient who was fired by their employer for using doctor-recommended cannabis medicine.

The case was one of first impression in Massachusetts but runs contrary to what courts in other states have decided. In the case of Coates v. Dish Network, the Colorado Supreme Court ruled that an employee could be fired for using medical cannabis off-duty. In that case, the plaintiff, Brandon Coats, had claimed he had been wrongfully terminated for failing a drug test for cannabis.

In Washington, which like Colorado allows recreational cannabis use, the U.S. Western District Court also ruled against the plaintiff in Swaw v. Safeway, Inc, affirming the company’s decision to fire an employee who was enrolled in the state’s medical cannabis program. In 2008, a federal judge in Michigan threw out a wrongful termination case brought against Walmart by a medical cannabis card holding employee who failed a post-accident drug test.

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Drug-Centric Federal Agencies and Colorado Springs Officials Hold Secret Meeting

7/21/2017

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Officials from the Department of Justice, the White House Office of National Drug Policy and the DEA held a secret meeting on Wednesday with Colorado Springs Mayor John Suthers, members of the Colorado Springs Police Department, and the resident agent with the DEA, KKTV-11 reports. A local physician and a school district’s disciplinary director were also invited to the meeting.

“The meetings are not open to the public because they include sensitive investigative information,” Suthers said in a statement. He later added during an interview with the station that “there’s nothing about this that would require it to be public. The folks that came out didn’t want it public; there’s no reason for it to be public.”

“I think they’re in Colorado to find out what law enforcement and other regulatory agencies’ view is toward marijuana regulation in Colorado,” Suthers said in the report. “They’re [local law enforcement] talking about what they’re finding in houses, what they’re finding and who is doing it, and where these people are coming from.”

Jason Warf, the executive director for the Southern Colorado Cannabis Council, called the secret meeting “extremely concerning” for the organization and asked that the content of the meeting “be made public, immediately.”

“If someone or a business is in conflict with current Colorado law, that is a matter that should be taken up in state court, not Federal court,” Warf said in a statement. “Our state statutes are more than sufficient to prosecute individuals in conflict with the law, without Federal assistance. Until Federal law is updated to meet the standard of cannabis law in Colorado and the majority of the country, no Federal agent should be involved in enforcement action in these states.”

Suthers said that much of the meeting “centered around the huge black market that exists” for cannabis in the state.

Warf said he was concerned that the meeting might have focused on civil asset forfeiture. He contends that since the passage of a state law reforming the practice “it is now far more lucrative for a municipality to work with the Federal government on drug arrests, rather than prosecuting individuals under state law.”

“Under Federal seizure laws, they receive a much larger percentage of assets seized. We have received word and believe that these meetings are about circumventing state law because of this revenue difference,” he said. “This is unacceptable and cannot move forward. This is direct conflict of the Constitutional Amendments passed by the voters of Colorado.”

Suthers has offered no additional details about the content of the meeting.

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A water reservoir, which stores water temporarily before it is used for agricultural purposes.

Bill Allowing Use of Federal Water for Hemp Cultivation Approved as Part of Spending Measure

7/21/2017

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The Senate Appropriations Committee has approved the fiscal year 2018 Energy and Water Development appropriations bill which includes the Industrial Hemp Water Rights Act. This measure would allow federally-controlled water to be used for hemp cultivation, according to a Westword report. Currently, the Bureau of Reclamation prohibits water under its jurisdiction from being used for hemp-growing purposes.

The measure was introduced by Colorado Senators Michael Bennet and Cory Gardner in an effort to clear up the water-use issue for legal hemp programs. The 2014 Farm Bill allows state departments of agriculture to license farmers to conduct research programs, along with institutes of higher education; however, it did not address the water issue.

“This is a step in the right direction to ensure that Colorado farmers will have the water they need to grow industrial hemp and the opportunity to innovate and strengthen our agricultural economy,” Bennet, a Democrat, said in the report.

Gardner, a Republican, said the legislation “recognizes our farmers’ right to access Colorado water and makes sure the federal government cannot interfere with their operations.”

The bill, like other appropriations legislation, must still be approved by the full House and Senate before the start of the fiscal year on Oct. 1.

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A commercial cannabis plant approaching maturity inside of a licensed cannabis cultivation center in Washington.

Maine Bill Would Pass Cannabis Testing Duties to Department of Agriculture

7/21/2017

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A bill that would require the Maine Department of Agriculture to test cannabis before it is sold to adults passed the House of Representatives 101-32, according to a Press Herald report. The vote follows a 17-0 vote by the special committee convened to hash out the state’s adult-use cannabis industry regulations.

The measure faces further votes in both the House and Senate and could be challenged by Gov. Paul LePage, who would rather put cannabis regulations in the hands of the Bureau of Alcoholic Beverages and Lottery Operations officials over the Agriculture Department, as required by the ballot measure approved by voters last November.

Opponents of the testing measure argued that the Department of Agriculture, which provides testing for dairy products and produce in the state, does not have the resources to also test cannabis. The fiscal note on the bill estimates cannabis testing would cost the state about $175,000 annually, but those costs would be covered by the taxes on recreational cannabis sales.

Portions of the voter-backed law have already taken effect, allowing adults 21-and-older to possess up to 2.5 ounces of flower and cultivate up to six plants. Lawmakers are still setting up commercial market regulations.

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A clipboard, commonly used by petitioners to hold the necessary information and documents related to a citizens petition.

Police in Wichita, Kansas Silence Cannabis Activists’ Signature Collecting Efforts

7/21/2017

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Activists in Wichita, Kansas collecting petition signatures to reduce cannabis possession penalties were thwarted by police at City Hall who cited court decisions that interior spaces in public buildings are not unlimited forums for First Amendment activity, according to a Wichita Eagle report.

The activists usually collect signatures on the sidewalk outside of the building, but had moved inside due to extreme heat. City Hall Security Supervisor Mark Ingram said that he was enforcing a building rule and, while he allowed the petitioners to hold clipboards in order to permit people to sign the petition, the activists were not allowed to verbally ask people to sign.

Ingram said he consulted with the city attorney before stopping the solicitations. The petitioners argued that signature gathering is constitutionally protected by the First Amendment.

The activists are attempting to collect enough signatures to add a question to 2018 ballots that would reduce cannabis possession penalties to $50. The campaign seeks to add the reforms to the City Charter, which would make it harder for future city councils to change.

According to the report, an earlier ballot initiative to reduce such penalties was approved by Wichita voters, but the Supreme Court nullified the result due to technical errors in the signature gathering process.

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A graphic of the Colorado flag overlaid onto a picture of a commercial cannabis canopy.

Colorado Cannabis Sales Top $100M for 12th Month; Total State Earnings Now Exceed $500M

7/20/2017

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For the twelfth month in a row, combined medical and recreational sales in Colorado have surpassed $100 million, as the state Department of Revenue reports sales for May topped $127.7 million, according to state figures outlined by Forbes. Since the beginning of this year, cannabis sales in Colorado have totaled $620 million, with $95 million paid to the state in taxes.

Separately, a VS Strategies report found that Colorado has reaped $506,143,635 in taxes and fees derived from the legal cannabis since legal sales began on Jan. 1, 2014. According to the report, 51.3 percent of those funds have been used for K-12 education, including $117.9 million for school construction projects, and $5.7 million for the Public School Fund.

Mason Tvert, former communication director for the Marijuana Policy Project who now serves as vice president of public relations and communications for VS Strategies, said that while the funds “might not fix every school or help every person who needs it, it is having a significant and positive impact on our community.”

“Legalizing, regulating, and taxing marijuana for adult use has generated hundreds of millions of dollars in new revenue for Colorado,” Tvert said in the report. “Marijuana tax money has been used to improve a wide range of programs and services. It is funding everything from school construction to substance abuse treatment to fighting homelessness.”

The Aurora City Council allocated $1.5 million for homeless services, while 14.2 percent of the revenue has been used for substance abuse treatment and prevention services throughout the state.      

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Merger of Arizona MMJ Companies Creates State’s Largest Operator

7/20/2017

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Arizona-based medical cannabis operator Harvest has merged with cannabis cultivator and supplier Modern Flower, making Harvest the largest medical cannabis operator in the state by giving them more cultivation facilities and dispensary licenses than anyone else in Arizona.

Steve White, Harvest CEO, said the deal “allows Harvest to meet the demand from an increasing number of seriously ill patients who are turning to medicinal cannabis to confront a variety of illnesses.”

“What I find particularly exciting about this merger is the growth of our Harvest team,” White said in a press release. “We have an incredibly engaged group of team members who are passionately committed to the care of our patients. You can easily see that energy, that genuine desire to improve patients’ lives, in every aspect of our company, from our cultivation to our dispensaries. It’s something that truly differentiates Harvest, and we’re thrilled to be able to share it with more patients.”

The merger is expected to expand Harvest’s total workforce by more than 200 employees by the end of the year. Modern Flower facilities in Cottonwood and Lake Havasu, a grow site and dispensary, respectively, will be rebranded. Harvest plans on opening another dispensary in Tempe by August, with plans for four more dispensaries in Phoenix, Tucson, Cottonwood, and Tolleson.

Modern Flower’s founder, Jason Vedadi, will join Harvest as president and lead the expansion initiative.

“The merger means enhanced product offerings and more options for people seeking relief from battling painful medical conditions and debilitating diseases,” he said in a statement.

The addition of the Cottonwood cultivation facility brings Harvest’s combined indoor grow space to 65,000 square feet across three facilities, along with a 3.3-acre outdoor site.

In addition to Arizona, Harvest holds medical cannabis licenses in Illinois, Maryland, Nevada, and Pennsylvania.

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Partner Colorado Credit Union Creates Service to Serve National Cannabis Companies

7/20/2017

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Partner Colorado Credit Union has created a Credit Union Service Organization to serve other credit unions interested in serving the cannabis space, according to a Credit Union Times report. The program, called Safe Harbor Private Banking, is designed as a stand-alone company that seeks to “expand the (Partner Colorado) cannabis banking program nationally and help other financial institutions solve the issue of the unbanked cannabis industry,” said Sundie Seefried, Partner Colorado CEO.

Currently, the Safe Harbor program run by the credit union banks $80 million monthly from state-approved cannabis industry operators.

Seefried will continue to oversee Partner Colorado’s Safe Harbor program as well as the credit union. Matthew Cochran, a business and product development with more than 20 years of community bank and credit union experience, will serve as president of the Credit Union Service Organization. Seefried said appointing a president to run operations “will relieve the credit union staff from such a time sensitive and monumental task.”

“Building a team and launching Safe Harbor’s cannabis banking program nationally is an exciting opportunity,” Cochran said in the report. “I’ll be staffing the company over the next few months and launching a multi-state BETA test with banks and credit unions in September.”

The national launch of Safe Harbor Services is slated for the MJ Biz Conference held in Las Vegas, Nevada from Nov. 14-17.

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A woman exhales cannabis smoke while back-lit by the sun.

Gallup Poll Finds Highest Rate Ever of Americans Who Have Tried Cannabis

7/20/2017

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According to a Gallup poll, 45 percent of Americans admit to having used cannabis at least once – the highest total since Gallup first posed the question 48 years ago. In 1969, when Gallup first asked the question, just 4 percent of respondents admitted to having tried cannabis.

Despite the record total of individuals who admit to trying cannabis, just 12 percent indicated they consumed cannabis regularly – which is a non-meaningful 1 percent drop from their 2016 findings; however it represents a 5 percent increase from their 2013 poll.

The pollsters also found gender, age, and income gaps among those who smoke cannabis regularly and those who have merely experimented. While 48 percent of men and 35 percent of women polled admitted to trying cannabis, 13 percent of men and 7 percent of women said they were regular users. Respondents aged 18 to 29 were more likely to use cannabis regularly – 18 percent – than their older counterparts, with 38 percent admitting to trying cannabis. More than half, 51 percent, of respondents 30 to 49-years-old said they had tried cannabis, but just 10 percent said they were regular users. Nearly half, 49 percent, of individuals aged 50-64 said they had tried cannabis, comparted to 8 percent who used it regularly. Just 3 percent of respondents aged 65 or older said they used cannabis consistently, with 23 percent admitting to trying it.

According to the data, respondents with lower incomes, less than $30,000 annually, reported using cannabis at higher rates, 13 percent, than those making $30,000 to $74,999 (10 percent) and those making more than $75,000 (9 percent).

The poll included 1,021 adults throughout the U.S. and the District of Columbia.

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A man compiling work experience into a resume to help during job searching.

Translating Artisanal Cannabis Growing Into Resume Format

7/20/2017

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Times are changing. In decades past, for individuals operating a home-based cannabis cultivation operation, the prospect of including this experience on a resume and subsequent job search has been a fantasy, afterthought, or impossibility. Nevertheless, cannabis growing is rapidly transforming from a secretive enterprise into a legitimate and respected profession. As evidenced by the voice of the American people in the November 2016 elections, the era of the professional modern grower has arrived.

Most importantly, knowledgeable, disciplined, and versatile cannabis growers have become highly pursued assets in the contemporary business world. For those cannabis cultivators ready to make the transition into the professional hydroponics and cannabis industries, a resume will be required.

In the modern age of progressive drug reform, it’s no longer taboo to talk about your previous experience cultivating cannabis for the unregulated market. Photo Credit: Cannabis Pictures

Competency Based Hiring and Recruiting

In the crafting of resumes geared towards the legitimate cannabis business, growers can utilize “the competency based model” of hiring and recruiting to generate an informative and up-to-date document. Competencies should be thought of as specific skills and behaviors that contribute to success in the workplace.

Furthermore, this model includes skills and knowledge obtained through practical experience, as opposed to employment positions. Therefore, competencies can be used as tools to translate the skill-sets of underground cannabis growing into marketable assets. To elaborate, for a cannabis grower, a familiarity with regulating climactic fluctuations in a greenhouse environment would be considered an occupational competency.

Home-Based Cannabis Growing Presented in Resume Format

Constructing an informative resume for the hydroponics and cannabis business will be a different process than building the traditional resume. It is important to remember that this is a novel job market and a majority of candidates do not have formal, commercial cannabis growing work experience. As a result, during the hiring process companies will be most attracted to candidates who explain their cultivation talents effectively.

Cannabis growers want to be as specific as possible in their resumes to highlight applicable skill-sets for any given position. This is because, according to the competency based model, potential employers are most interested in specific actions that candidates have taken in the past which are applicable to future occupations and endeavors. For example, if an experienced greenhouse cultivator applicant is interested in acquiring a head-grower position in a commercial greenhouse setting, in-depth knowledge concerning pest control will be an essential competency. To elaborate, pest control in a cannabis garden involves both the foresight to avoid potential problems in the operation with sanitation, as well as the ability to effectively solve issues as they arise with spraying.

Everyday work in a personal home grow or garden can and should be represented in a way that is attractive to potential employers. Photo Credit: Pexels.com

In order to express how specific actions are used to solve problems in the workplace, descriptions of abilities on a resume should always begin with verbs. To illustrate, the phrases “Advanced a deep appreciation for sterilization in a greenhouse environment” and “Eradicated or avoided harmful pests, mildews, and molds with organic sprays” market pest management competency by highlighting competencies through specific actions.

Finally, a resume is the beginning of a relationship with an employer and maintaining honesty and integrity with this document will lay the cornerstone of a successful career. Listed below are three sections which are included in all resumes:

Skills and Capabilities

For artisanal cannabis growers, this section should comprise the introduction of the resume. In this segment, the competency based model should be utilized to market cannabis cultivation knowledge as the primary asset of the candidate (as opposed to a traditional “inverse employment history” section). These skill-sets should be described under sub headings (sample descriptions included below):

  • Artisanal Greenhouse Management presents the various gardening competencies involved with atmospheric and operational control in a greenhouse. These skills should be further displayed with descriptions such as “Developed expertise with industrial fans, inline fans, atmospheric controllers, cooling walls, heating devices, and dehumidifiers.”
  • Cannabis Cultivation exhibits a cannabis grower’s specific familiarities with the actual cultivation process. The phrase “Gained intimate understanding of a variety of cannabis genetics and phenotypes: NY Diesel, Gorilla Glue #4, Tahoe Kush, Blue Dream, Chem Dog, Cherry Pie” depicts this competency nicely.
  • Time Management and Planning illuminates the organizational competencies and foresight necessary for a bountiful cannabis harvest. An example of these descriptions would be “Mastered the time schedule for the successful greenhouse flowering of cannabis year round using ‘black-out’ tarps and supplemental lighting.”

Education/Training

The job market in the cannabis industry is competitive and college degrees of any form will definitely help candidates stand out in a prospect pool. When marketing education experience on a resume, again look to skill-sets in deciding what elements of one’s education are applicable in obtaining a specific position. For example, the phrase “Practiced using Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and MS Office” shows that a candidate is fluent in modern computer technology, an asset necessary in almost any professional capacity today.

Professional History

Candidates should include artisanal/home-based cannabis growing employment on a resume. A proper description of this professional experience is “Medicinal Cannabis Cultivator: Entrepreneurial/Non-Profit (2011-Current).” A tasteful description of this experience is “Produced exceptional organic cannabis for medical dispensaries in California.”

If one’s “real-world” professional history has nothing to do with the cannabis industry, they can again utilize the competency based model to isolate transferable skill-sets. This concept requires some creativity but can be rewarding. For example, if an applicant works as a line cook in a restaurant, they can exhibit their transferable aptitudes as “Perfected multi-tasking abilities” as well as “Expanded a ‘sense of urgency’ in the workplace through high-pressure work scenarios.”

Editors note: This article was originally featured in the February 2017 edition of Hydrolife Magazine.

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Diego Pellicer: Creating Affordable Luxury in Washington’s Cannabis Space

7/19/2017

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Alejandro Canto and Jesse Leach are, respectively, the owner and general manager of Diego Pellicer in Washington. Diego Pellicer is a retail cannabis location in Seattle licensed under Washington’s adult-use, I-502 cannabis market.

In this podcast interview, Alejandro and Jesse join our host TG Branfalt to talk about the spirit of entrepreneurialism, the planning and execution of a powerful brand identity, creating customer satisfaction in a cannabis retailer position, how rare and luxury offerings can drum up excitement among consumers, and more.

Listen to this week’s Ganjapreneur.com podcast episode via the player below, or continue scrolling down to read a full transcript of the interview.

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TG Branfalt: Hey there. I’m your host TG Branfalt. You’re 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 joined by Alejandro Canto, owner and Jesse Leach, general manager, of Diego Pellicer in Washington. How you guys doing over there today?

Alejandro Canto: Hey Tim. How’s it going? It’s fantastic. It’s Alejandro joining here.

Jesse Leach: Doing great man. Jesse right here.

Alejandro Canto: Yeah, so starting off Monday going great. We just had a successful Mother’s Day. Me, Jesse and some of the team members here actually spent Mother’s Day together. We did a nice little cookout and all that since we’re all away from our moms. But it was pretty good, pretty good weekend.

TG Branfalt: Mother’s Day, is that one of those times where you get a little spike in business?

Alejandro Canto: You know, just about before any holiday there’s always a nice little spike, but even Mother’s Day on itself we don’t close here at Diego Pellicer. The only day we close is Christmas and Thanksgiving. Those are the only two days we close out of the year so business was good as normal. Probably a little better than your average Sunday.

TG Branfalt: Awesome man. Well, I want to talk about what you guys are doing over there but before we get into that, give me a little about your background. I know you, Alejandro, you’re 23 years old and running the show over there man, which is incredible. Congratulations. Tell me how you got into this whole thing.

Alejandro Canto: Yeah, man, thank you. I appreciate it. The kind words always bring a smile to my face. That’s for sure. You know Tim, to start it off, you kind of just have to know who I am and my background. I’m an immigrant. I was born in Spain. I moved to America when I was five years old. I came with a single mother and my sister. It was just us three. It was our little team of three with no one else helping us. We moved here when I was five, didn’t live in the best part. Moved to Miami, Florida. Lived around Miami, Florida, multiple different areas throughout our childhood. Hopped around all different schools through elementary, middle and high school. It was not having much growing up. My mom definitely did the best and provided as much as she could. She’s a great woman. Nothing but respect and love to her.

We certainly didn’t have everything we needed. If we needed something you kind of had to work up for it. The mentality of going out and building it for yourself has been engraved in me since day one. If I ever needed or wanted something that wasn’t a necessity like food, then I was probably going to have to find a solution to go and obtain that because it was going to be readily available. That mindset that if you want something you’ve got to go out and get it, it’s not given to you, has been engraved in me since very early on.

I guess, how’d I get at 23 to own and be where I’m at today, I mean I guess I could walk you down, I was in high school. I was a good student in high school, played football, wrestling. Had a little side hustle going on, fixing iPhones on Craigslist. Racing mopeds, dirt bikes, whatever it could be. Anything to make a dollar at the time. When I graduated high school I just didn’t have any structure in my life and I needed some guidance in what I was going to do. I was graduating, I didn’t have, I wasn’t accepted into college. I couldn’t even afford college at the time and I was like well, what am I am going to do?

I had enough change in my pocket to sign up to EMT school. I said hey, why not? It’s a good career to be a paramedic, become a fireman. It’s a good way to give back to the community and it was a start. It was a start with some structure on what I could do to move forward and when ahead and signed up to EMT school. Great three months of my life. I said hey, this works great. Let’s do paramedic. Paramedic was a little longer, it was about a year and a half. Ended up signing up to paramedic, paid my whole way through as well. But as I was in paramedic I really just got to understand my passion that those little side hustles I was doing in high school were really building the basic fundamentals in owning a business within myself.

I just ended up, by the time I was graduating as a state licensed paramedic in Florida I was also opening up my first company. It was a therapy staffing agency, where we staffed physical and occupational therapists. Later on sold that one in a year after operations for a nice profit and moved on to the auto industry, where we owned a business, a business wholesale where we wholesaled cars. I ended up growing that company so big that just shortly after I turned 21, entering almost 22, I was getting ready to sell that company off and jumping into cannabis.

What kind of led that transition, Tim, was I was 21, entering about 22. I had expanded my attempt, my car dealership lot and I was getting ready to move into a bigger lot. That same time Colorado and Washington had just become legal for cannabis and I knew that if I was ever going to get into an industry that I could truly create something and become one of the great, and really build a legacy and an empire, I knew cannabis was going to be it. I knew cannabis was going to give me that chance to build the dream I’ve always wanted so I made the move.

I sold my portion of my car dealership to my business partner, I packed my bags and I left all my family and friends and moved 3000 miles away to Washington to start my dream. I haven’t looked back a day since. Now I’m 23, I’ll be 24 in August of this year and where we’ve progressed with the company is just quite outstanding Tim. It truly is.

TG Branfalt: My man, that’s one of the craziest stories I’ve ever heard from start to finish on this podcast. That’s absolutely incredible and talk about an entrepreneurial spirit bro. My man, congratulations. So why’d you choose Washington? You had other states available. Why’d you end up in Washington?

Alejandro Canto: Oh man, you know, honestly I’m one of those guys that listens to his gut feeling probably a little bit more than I should. Most of the time it works out for my side and sometimes it doesn’t but it was one of those I really analyzed two states. It was Colorado and Washington. Mind you at this point I had a lot of friends that I had seen already take the plunge in Colorado but none of them ever made anything. They never made anything happen. They ended up going there and just ended up working for somebody. I knew that I didn’t want to just work for somebody. I mean, I’ll tell you this Tim.

Before I opened up my first company I was probably fired from my first 15 jobs. I was never able to hold a job. I was late to half of them so I knew that for me to be where I wanted to be I could start off working for somebody to learn the ropes but I quickly need to transition into the owner side of things. That’s exactly what I did Tim, when I moved down here. I started to learn the ropes. I had some basic fundamentals in cannabis but what I really did was I came down here, started catching up on the laws, on the legislation. I started learning the political side of this industry and I started really informing myself on what is cannabis and what’s the science behind this beautiful plant.

Putting so much focus and attention into that side of the industry really helped me expand my knowledge and start building what we have today, which is Diego Pellicer. What really made the ultimate deciding factor for me in between Colorado and Washington is kind of when I saw that there was a little opportunity with Diego Pellicer and where they needed a little help was in Washington. It wasn’t to be in the position that I am in today Tim. It was nothing near it actually. It was a lot, lot less. But it’s one of those I saw a little opportunity. I jumped at it, I took it, I grasped it and now where I am today I’m a majority owner of my company, which we truly believe is an empire that is growing with massive potential.

Again, it’s a little vision, a little opportunity, I jumped on it and it ended up turning into something much larger than the thought could be.

TG Branfalt: I want to talk to you about the brand. I’ve looked at pictures on the internet. I’ve never been there, I live in Detroit so it’s quite a ways away. It just jumped out to me. It was incredible. Like I’m looking at it, I’m like this is, am I looking at a museum? A few years ago I had helped an individual in upstate New York open a high-end gallery with bongs and $5000 snick pieces and stuff like that. It was a very similar concept except, I mean you took it, I mean it’s a whole other level when I look at these pictures. Tell me about the vision behind the brand first.

Alejandro Canto: Sure man. So the vision behind the brand is it’s simple. It’s to build an internationally recognizable brand that offers access to safe, legal and effective cannabis in an inviting and experiential atmosphere. That’s the vision behind Diego Pellicer.

TG Branfalt: Tell me about the business model. You bought the brand essentially? Tell me all about that.

Alejandro Canto: Cool, no problem. I didn’t buy the brand. I own the brand in my state of Washington because that’s where our laws tell us to do it but there is a parent company called Diego Pellicer Worldwide that is publicly traded. They’re a real estate company that holds the rights to the brand name and brand rights in all other 49 states in the United States. The relationship is Diego Pellicer Worldwide is a publicly traded company that’s a real estate company and it provides the real estate to cannabis owners and operators such as myself. I’m a little bit different because this state you can’t be licensing your name from out of state companies so I own all rights to the state of Washington, but other states that allow different setups will follow differently.

For example, the Colorado operator, Neil Demorist, which is my counterpart down there, he licensed his name from Diego Pellicer Worldwide as well as the locations for his four facilities down in Colorado. In my state I own Diego Pellicer. I own the brand and the way I got into it, I’ll break it down for you. I ended up buying into the company when it was Jayman Shodley and Peter Norris. Jayman Shodley’s the founder of Diego Pellicer which is, we actually date back, his great grandfather was Diego Pellicer and the whole brand is built on him. Which in the late 1800s, Diego Pellicer was born in Spain, boarded by the Spanish king to be the governor of the Philippines … , which he grew hemp for the Spanish navy.

Great, great story background there.

TG Branfalt: You guys share the ties to Spain too. That’s really cool.

Alejandro Canto: You know what’s even cooler than that Tim is that when I sat down with Jayman and really got to learn the story of Diego Pellicer and this company that I was now getting involved with and becoming a part of, it was so interesting to learn that Diego Pellicer was born about 10 to 15 minutes down the street from where I was born in Spain.

TG Branfalt: That’s gnarly.

Alejandro Canto: Dude it’s super, super cool because you’re talking about 130 years later. His great grandson was … Microsoft strategy manager for the last 14 years. You’re talking about a guy that worked just a couple steps underneath Bill Gates. He had direct access to Bill Gates for 14 years. A genius you could say. Developed this great vision for Diego Pellicer and when we started to talk, and here’s this guy that actually came here and helped with operations to really bring this into fruition, when we started learning about the brand and what it is that we’re representing it was just so cool to find out that Diego Pellicer was actually a lot closer to my blood than one would’ve thought.

It just happened to be that the guy was born just 15 minutes down the street from where I was so it couldn’t be any cooler than a story like that when I was finding out. It totally made me feel that the Lord blessed me and definitely put me in the spot where I am today and it was meant to be. I’m a firm believer that things do happen for a reason Tim, so it was one of those real cool things to find out.

TG Branfalt: One more thing before we go into a break here. With this brand, and like I said, if you go and you Google this, tell me about the setup. Tell me about the design process. Like, take me through that.

Alejandro Canto: So I’ll take you through both. I’ll take you through the company setup and then the design. If a state allows you to be vertically integrated, meaning that you could have a grow and a store, you would absolutely go that route. If we could have onsite, hands-on opportunity to control the quality of the product that’s being produced and delivered and sold through our retail chain outlets, we would always love to have that hand and ability in. Sadly the state that I’m in, Washington, does not allow the vertical integration. It’s the first state to follow the liquor model, which has full separation between the growers and the retailers.

Which means there’s three types of licenses in this state. You can either be a producer, which is growing, or a processor which is the guy that converts them into oil, extracts cannabis and essential oils from it. Or you can be the retailer that’s doing the actual sales to the consumer. But it separates it. You can’t do all three. You can either do the growing and processing or the retail. So the way we designed the stores, it first starts with what do the laws allow us to do? We want to be able to maximize on what we’re allowed and what we’re not allowed to do.

That’s how we usually come into the vision. We first see okay what do the laws allow us to do? I’ll break it down for you in my state. The laws did not allow us to be vertical. So we said okay, we can’t be vertical so we’ve got to build an environment that’s going to
be welcoming and it’s going to feel uplifting and it’s going to feel energetic to the consumer where they feel comfortable and it’s a place that they’re familiar with. When we started to look at other retail experiences, we looked at some of the top retailers, Nordstrom, Apple. Some of the guys that have really put the time and development into creating the right atmosphere but still have a great sense of class and high-end, and they’ve just been able to find that great breaking ground in between.

I think Apple had really capitalized on that really well and then from a retail perspective I think Nordstrom’s done a great job. That’s kind of when we sat down and designed Diego stores we tried to keep those successful business models in our minds as we play the vision of how the store is going to be laid out and designed. And then once we know how the laws are set up and what we’re going to be able to do and what we’re not going to be able to do, then we start entering the design process.

The design process is kind of simple in the sense that we’ve already laid it out. We know that we want the same look, feel and touch in all our stores, we want that consistency. So when we talk about design we know that we’re going to want to build something to Spanish feel. We want that old, classic, antique but yet modern and high-end Spanish feel, look and taste to it. If you go to any of our
Diego stores you’re definitely going to feel a Spanish taste in there, but a very elegant Spanish taste there throughout all our Diego stores where you can see fine craftsmanship of machinery, to woodwork or shelving, multiple items.

Yeah, that’s kind of the thought process that we bring in when we go to these designs.

Jesse Leach: Hey, I’m sorry Tim. I’m going to add on a little bit. So you know, specifically another way that the stores are getting built is also by region. You got, out here in Washington you have a lot of water. We really want to add in some stuff that adds there. So you’ll see displays that have beached wood and other various stuff. Then in Colorado you have stuff like it’s a major outdoor area so it looks more like a very warm log cabin if you will. Still the same very, very similar feel of the Seattle store.

We all do have imported tile from Spain, which is ran through both stores. We’ve got a much open wider ceiling than we do in Colorado but in there you have that tin accent that you would find over in Europe to help tie in both stores and just the theme. When we were designing a lot of this stuff we wanted it to be not your typical store. When the markets were both opening up in Washington and in Colorado, it all had the exact same feel. It’s “I’m going to a place, there’s going to be green and marijuana plastered everywhere. It’s going to have that stereotypical ‘stoner vibe.'”

That’s where not everybody is a stereotypical stoner vibe. You do have people that you would never realize that wears a suit probably will out-smoke most stoners any day of the week, but you wouldn’t know that. But because the fact is that they’re wearing that fancy-ass suit, we gotta, we wanted to take care of them as well. As a brand we like to say we’re affordable luxury. We have everything from a guy who’s driving around in a Maserati to the guy who’s only got the Huffy.

That was the whole idea of the brand.

Alejandro Canto: That guy’s got a nice Huffy though. I know what you’re talking about.

TG Branfalt: I want to talk to you guys a bit more about the experience, the customers, the employees. Before we do that we’ve got to take a short break. This is Ganjapreneur.com podcast from TG Branfalt.

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TG Branfalt: Hey there. Welcome back to the Ganjapreneur.com podcast. I’m your host TG Branfalt, here with Alejandro Canto, owner and Jesse Leach, general manager, of Diego Pellicer in Washington. Before the break we were talking about the design in the shop and how you, it was partly designed to appeal to maybe an affordable luxury, as you said, sort of customer. Tell me, what is your typical customer look like and are people dissuaded or maybe even a little threatened by the high-end nature of the shop when they first walk in?

Alejandro Canto: Absolutely Tim, absolutely. That’s actually one of the biggest surprises that most people have. One of the biggest surprises when they walk in through our doors, instant shock. They’re like my God, this is so beautiful. I did not know this was a cannabis shop. I thought this was a high end jewelry store. This is beautiful. Then the people that did know it’s a cannabis shop, that were told hey, that’s Diego Pellicer, that’s a cannabis retail outlet, those people are usually really shocked to see our prices and how competitive we are. One of the things we focus on Tim is I’m a competitive guy Tim. I played sports my whole life. I came from Miami. I got a little bit of a competitive bone and I want, I’m one of those, I heard the secret to failure in life is trying to please everybody and I’m trying to stop doing that Tim.

But I’m still doing that with my business. I’m trying to please every customer that comes in the door and giving them the best damn price the state has to offer. I really hold pretty strong to that. I make sure that my competitors down the street are always more expensive than me. Even though they’re not providing no where near the same quality, and by the way Tim, I’m not putting down any other retailer with this. I think all retailers are great. I just think some are better than others and I do think we provide better quality products than some of the other retailers do. But what I do know we do provide that they don’t is a high-end experience at a much more affordable price.

That’s really where we pride ourselves Tim. We know we’re giving back. We like to say that Diego Pellicer is your store, as in the consumer’s store, and we want you to feel like that when you’re in here, but what we came to notice was that if you’re paying an overpriced price, a ridiculous price out the door, you’re not going to feel that way and you’re not going to feel like it’s your store. You’re going to feel like well, that was nice but I don’t need to go back there. That’s not what we wanted you to feel like.

We’ve made sure that we’ve scanned the area up and down, left and right to make sure that the prices you’re paying at Diego are if not the best in the entire state, not just region. That’s something we take a lot of pride in Tim in how we’ve set up the store and how we’ve been able to meet those price points.

Jesse Leach: Another thing that, I’m sorry I’m just going to piggyback on that one as well. Another thing that we offer that you won’t find a whole lot of in the industry is actual fantastic customer service. I’ve done, I started my career in Denver, moved out here to Washington not too long ago, learning a lot about Washington. One of the things that you’ll notice the biggest difference between our places and compared to a lot of other places, our staff comes out on the floor with you. It’s a one on one experience that a lot of people don’t really get. A lot of people are set up behind a counter. You have a barrier, or some places they even stand above you.

Even as a consumer, that can be very intimidating. You don’t have that connection with a store that we provide and that’s the biggest thing that our big difference is, is just customer satisfaction. If you go in and look at a lot of our reviews you’ll see how many of our employees have been name dropped, all over Leafly and they’ll tell you, it’s all about the customer service.

Alejandro Canto: You know what it is Tim, to bring it together and just bring that a little into fruition is that we take the black market edge and anxiety out of it. When you’re at some of these pot shops, the way I’ve looked at some, they make it all dark in the street. You’re standing behind a counter, there’s a representative of the company standing over you, kind of like towering over you behind the counter, kind of hurrying you up like hey, what do you want. And as a consumer, not everyone’s highly educated in this industry yet and we’ve got to bring that knowledge and that light and shed it onto our people and provide them that knowledge and teach them about the product and show them that this is a better alternative than what they’ve currently been using.

You know, Diego has really brought that possible. It’s taken that black market feeling, you know how when you used to, I’m not sure if you did or not but if you ever bought cannabis or weed off maybe someone in the street at some point …

TG Branfalt: Never, not once.

Alejandro Canto: Not once. Well thank God Tim. I can say me too. But it makes you feel, you definitely feel like fuck, I’m doing something bad. My God, I shouldn’t be here. Your heart starts beating, you get all sweaty and it’s not a good feeling. It’s like oh God, that didn’t feel so good. When you’re at Diego you don’t feel like that. You feel nothing but luxury — but with affordable prices. That’s the best part about it. You feel just like you’re at a jewelry store. Yes ma’am. Hello sir. How can I help you? Nothing but respect. That’s the difference Tim. That’s the difference.

You know what it is Tim? It’s one of those, I could tell you about it all day but if you came and checked it out and experienced it one day, which I know you will, you’re going to see what we mean. You’re going to feel it. You’re going to walk outta here saying damn, this is my store. This is where I shop. And you’re going to be proud when you say that.

TG Branfalt: So you’ve described two different customers. You’ve described the older customer in the suit and the tie and then younger customers. Alejandro, you’ve said that you feel some younger customers are turned off by celebrity branded products and I mean, you’re right in that young customer, that 21 to 25, you’re right there. Why do you think that’s the case?

Alejandro Canto: Tim, I’m going to give you a few answers because I can answer this with different perspectives. I can answer this as the young cat in the neighborhood that is just giving you his opinion. I can answer it as a professional that understands the industry and has a high IQ in cannabis and could explain to you why some of those celebrity brands aren’t as special as they’re made out to be. And then I could answer your first question, which was why do some of the younger crowd not prefer the celebrity-branded products. We’ll kick it off.

I’ll use an example to start it. Yeezys. Super popular shoes. Every kid in life wants one. Very limited. Costs a ton of money, right? But at the end of the day Tim, they’re not very different than the pair of Nikes right? They both get the same job done, right? Except one costs maybe $80, the other one costs like $800. Same thing with weed. At a certain point, once cannabis gets to a certain level, I understand that there’s certain genetics and there’s certain strains that are found in very small portions of the world and they’re very high-end, they’re very exclusive. I get that.

But what ultimately makes the differences between these strains besides their growing characteristics is going to be the terpene profiles in them. At the end of the day, the THC found in one piece of weed versus the THC found in the other is the same cannabinoid and there’s no difference to it except the potency that it provides. What makes it different between flowers and indicas and sativas is the terpene profile and the flavornoids that’s in it. That’s what makes up the characteristics of these plants, which by the way Tim, as we start to know a little bit more about weed, THC isn’t the only thing getting us high anymore. It’s actually the terpenes and how the terpenes react with our body and the cannabinoids, such as THC and CBD that we’re ingesting.

That’s what really stands out in weed so when we come to understand and really appreciate weed and the quality for it and we come to understand what is the differences between them, we start to see that there’s really nothing special behind these branded celebrity products. It’s just a celebrity that found a really good strain, liked it, endorsed it, and now it costs twice, three times the price. Tim, celebrity products are good because they bring brand recognition and people feel safe and comfortable with the product and it’s usually product that’s gone through rigorous R&D testing to make sure it’s going to be product delivering the desired effects that the consumer is looking for, but Tim, I’m going to be honest with you.

I can give you the same exact bud that’s probably going to be a little cheaper from a different brand. That they’re doing the exact same process. They’re putting in the same amount of hard work. They sourced out that same exact, really special, rare genetic strain. That they’re growing with super soils and at different regimens than other are. They’re producing great but but just because a celebrity hasn’t endorsed it doesn’t mean it’s any less better or good. It just means it’s going to be more affordable.

The moment a celebrity endorses a product guess what? They’re getting a piece of that pie and now that product needs to get more expensive. I think with the younger crowd and the younger consumers that need to save a little bit more money because they’re running on tighter budgets, and it’s not. Because that just means usually they’re younger. They haven’t jumped into their career yet, right? They’re not making the amount of money that they’ll probably be making once they’re 30 or 35. Those guys are a little bit on a budget and as they become informed they start to realize that hey, this celebrity branded stuff isn’t really no big of a difference than the other stuff that’s available on the shelves.

Now, I’m not going to get carried away with that Tim and say that they’re all the same, that’s not true at all. There’s a very big difference in the quality of buds. But what I am saying is the top 5% of buds, that top 5% is pretty much all the same. At a certain point it becomes very difficult to say okay, well is this one that much better than this one? And does it really justify the 2x price difference? That’s where I think the younger generation is starting to catch on with all the social media and internet access that we now have. I think they’re starting to catch on saying hold on, wait a minute. This is the same stuff, just packaged in a different packaging and you’re charging me a whole lot more for it.

TG Branfalt: Do you find cannabis consumers to be, like younger cannabis consumers to be more well informed than their older counterparts?

Jesse Leach: You know, I’m sorry I’ll jump in on this one. To be honest with you, I think it all really depends. It all depends on you as the individual. There are people that will come in here and all they care about is the highest THC for the cheapest amount of money they can get, period. Or you’re going to have the people that are like us where we are looking for specific phenotypes. We do want a certain terpene profile. There are a lot of little cannabinoids in there that really does make a difference.

It just kind of comes down to educating the consumer. That kind of starts with your budtender. At the end of the day, the budtender is the one who’s going to dictate the market because anybody who doesn’t know anything about marijuana, one of the first questions that they come in and ask is well, what is your favorite? As an educated budtender you’re going to be like well, I’m just going to use Marley as an example. I have Marley’s blue dream here or I’ve got this other Marley or another blue dream but it’s from let’s say Triple Crown. Both of them are blue dreams, but because their phenotypes are completely different they’re going to be completely different blue dreams.

So I can either sell you a name or I can sell you a legit blue dream. That’s what it kind of comes down to.

Alejandro Canto: You know, just to wrap it up on what Jesse said on that Tim, all it is a celebrity name printed on a different packaging and they’re charging you more for it. I don’t want to disrespect any celebrity so I don’t want to mention any celebrity products because I’ve got a lot of respect for those guys and their art but I’m not disrespecting their art at all. I’m just saying how I feel about third party advertising. This is just how these guys make extra money. I’m not putting anyone down but I am being honest to my industry and I’m letting our people know hey guys, there’s really nothing special about that product.

Let’s say there’s a famous person and we call them Sharpie, rapper Sharpie. We all know the rapper Sharpie. He’s very famous. We all listen to his music. He’s all over iTunes. I’m making up a name just for examples. I don’t want to disrespect anyone. Now we got these Sharpie Kush and Sharpie Kush is all over LA and all over Washington and Colorado and it’s, the fire is budding. Everyone has to have it. You walk into my shop and you’re like hey, Alejandro I need to get that Sharpie Kush man. I heard it’s out of this world. I’m like hey Tim, I got you. The quarter’s going to be $120. You’re like that’s a little hefty but what have you got next to it?

I go well Tim, I’ll be honest, I got the same quarter, same exact bud, same exact phenotype and it’s $60. But this one, you’re going to pay that extra $65 because it’s Sharpie Kush instead of the regular Kush. You see what I mean? There’s no difference. If you could trust your budtender on some of the buds, there’s really no difference between them. It’s just that Sharpie Kush got endorsed and now they’re paying him royalties on that product and they’re going to charge a hell of a lot more for it.

That’s the industry we live in. We want to be able to use the products that we see the celebrities use and we want to feel that connection with them and we want to have the same items they have. Those are nice things Tim and I’m not going to tell you no. If you come into my shop and you’re sold on it, I’m going to join with you, I’m going to talk about that artist’s music with you, we’re going to have a blast and I’m going to sell you that product. But if you come in here with me and you told me Alejandro, I’m on a budget man but I need quality product, I understand that these is just the brand name. What else is just as good? That’s where I’ll walk you Tim and I’ll show you good product that you don’t have to pay an arm and a leg for.

TG Branfalt: In my conversations with a lot of consumers here in Michigan, which has a strain, “gray market” market sort of thing, we don’t have celebrity branded products. We don’t have those sort of things. It seems to me that most people are gravitating towards the terpenes and those sort of profiles because we don’t have that branding, it’s not allowed. And we rely on the budtender to say, we rely on them to give us what we’re looking for. We don’t have those options. I think in lieu of celebrity branded products in Michigan, we have been forced to become more informed consumers.

Jesse Leach: Yeah, that’s exactly it. It’s just informing consumers. At the end of the day, nothing against celebrity brands but it’s not the celebrity going out there growing it.

Alejandro Canto: I didn’t want to break it down like that Tim but let’s be honest, the rapper Sharpie, he’s not bringing anything to the table that the grower didn’t already know. He’s not adding, he didn’t have the secret sauce Tim. The rapper Sharpie that we’re using as just a name, he’s not bringing anything extra to the table. He’s not out there growing that product to make sure it’s the very best. No. Let’s look at that festival that just happened Tim, what was it, the …

Jesse Leach: The Fyre fest.

Alejandro Canto: The Fyre festival. The guy wasn’t even there. Who was it that hosted that show?

Jesse Leach: Ja Rule.

Alejandro Canto: Ja Rule. He wasn’t even at the festival. It was like a complete mess. This is going to be the best festival, Ja Rule is hosting it, blah, blah, blah. He’ll be here, she’ll be there, it’s going to be amazing. It was a complete bust. There was nothing special about it, it was a joke. Tim, this is the same thing with a lot of these products that we see. Not just cannabis but with a whole wide range of products.

TG Branfalt: I think you could do something better than a cheese sandwich on white bread though right?

Alejandro Canto: I mean, for $12,000 a ticket I sure hope so.

TG Branfalt: I want to talk to you guys about the $3600 cigar, but before we do that we’ve got to take a short break. This is Ganjapreneur.com podcast. I’m TG Branfalt.

At Ganjapreneur, we have heard from dozens from cannabis business owners who have encountered the issue of canna-bias, 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 your 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 a 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: Welcome back to Ganjapreneur.com podcast. I’m your host TG Branfalt with Alejandro Canto, owner, and Jesse Leach, general manager, of Diego Pellicer here in Washington. So tell me guys, about the $3600 cigar. I’ve seen pictures of it. It’s not exactly, like the way that I see it, like I said earlier, I once helped a guy open a head shop that had $12,000 bongs. I mean seriously, some of the stuff we had. So I understand this, how this industry can drive these super luxury items, which is what this is. How’d you guys come up with this thing and what is in it?

Alejandro Canto: So the idea of how we came up with it, we were just kind of brainstorming and just kind of thinking okay, what hasn’t been done and what brings the wow factor? What is just something that when you look at it you’re like wow, that’s ridiculous? We figured why not make the world’s biggest cannabis cigar? That’s exactly what we aimed to do. We collaborated with Gold Leaf and Leira Cannagars and we made it happen Tim. That’s exactly what we did. We made it happen.

The Cannagar is actually an ounce of flour rolled in seven grams of rosin oil and seven grams of hash oil and wrapped in cannabis leaves. It’s a premium product so you had an ounce of flower and seven grams of oil and it’s truly an outstanding product that you couldn’t find anywhere else. It’s a very, very special item. I think Jesse you wanted to add something to it?

Jesse Leach: No, I mean just it’s once of those that it was helped created by a couple of guys that are huge in the Washington market. They’re known for a premium product so what better way to help position yourself in this market than to partner up, well not necessarily partner up, I’m sorry. Scratch that but team up and help create something that is unique for both parties. They had a great product. We happened to be able to sell it.

TG Branfalt: So do people come in and just take pictures of this sort of thing? Is it on display?

Alejandro Canto: Tim, it sold in one. We actually had a Spanish request when we announced that we launched it. A gentleman flew in on his private jet to pick it up actually. That’s how fast it sold. When we bring these special, one of a kind items Tim, they usually go immediately. We try to keep them on the shelf as long as possible like this gentleman that bought it, he wanted it Day 1. I asked him, hey, can we leave it on the shelf for at least a week or two so people can take some photos of it? He said sure, but I’m picking it up then. I’m not going to wait any longer. I said okay, at least that gives some time for people to check it out because we brought it out on the opening day, and it flew.

After that, what was it Jesse, we did a $2000 meteorite? We did two $2000 meteorites. Tim, those things flew just as fast. Killer Mike actually picked one up, a couple called Seattle’s Private Reserve bought it for Killer Mike and gifted it to him at his concert. I was backstage with Killer Mike. We were smoking it. You know Killer Mike from Run the Jewels? We were smoking it backstage. It was one of the coolest experiences ever. I gotta tell you, I love that guy. What an amazing guy. Really like Killer Mike and I got to sit down and learn a little bit about him and his girl and his boy LP. Just such a cool team and really cool dudes all around.

I think Jesse, you were there with us weren’t you? That meteorite, Tim, it knocked the shit out of us man.

TG Branfalt: You make these high-end offerings often?

Alejandro Canto: We do. We always bring in something that’s new that’s never been done. Right now we’re developing, we’re actually out of high-end special products right now and one of our tasks for this week is to finalize the next special item that we’re bringing in. Then the ounce meteorite was an ounce meteorite, exactly that. It was an ounce of flour covered in all types of oils and cured, which it looks like one huge, giant yellow rock, also known as a moon rock but the meteorite’s usually a higher end version of it. That sold for $2000 as well.

TG Branfalt: So how do these products, aside from bringing in, aside from selling and bringing in profit, how do they help businesses?

Alejandro Canto: The wow factor Tim. The wow factor. When you walk into the store you’re seeing a wow factor, an item that no one else has seen before unless they’ve walked into that exact same store. It’s not an item that any other store in any state is going to be able to sell. This is an item that takes proper planning and it takes the proper people and material to make it happen. This isn’t something you just put together. These are usually items that again, they haven’t been done before an we’re always trying to hit a home run with these. Grand slams, bottom of the ninth, World Series kind of situation.

TG Branfalt: How long does it take you to develop it and the R&D that goes into it?

Alejandro Canto: I think the Cannagar, I think that was almost what, a six month process? Yeah, from start to finish six months.

Jesse Leach: You know the guys who helped us, like I said it was Leira, Gold Leaf and … that were the three companies that came in. They had their intellectual property with their cannagars. They just put it on a grander scale for us to really help bring up a very simple tactic of a talking point. It’s something that it’s an attention grabber. It’s something that you guys have seen it, anybody who sees it, they want to talk about it because they’ve never seen anything of that magnitude before. Especially something that is 100% fully legal and sold in a store. How many people can actually be like yeah, I just bought a blunt that is a full ounce wrapped up in the fan leaves that it was grown on, plus it’s got all the rosin and the kief that are in it as well?

TG Branfalt: That sounds crazy.

Jesse Leach: It was a lot of work. Sometimes you’ve got to really sit down and think outside of the box.

TG Branfalt: I’m sure you botched a couple of attempts of rolling this thing right?

Jesse Leach: We’re perfect, we’re perfect every time.

TG Branfalt: The first roll? The first roll?

Jesse Leach: No, Leira is the ones that, they’re the ones that actually did it. What they’re known for in this market in Washington is their cannagars. That is what they do. They go in and they hand roll everything. So they’re the masterminds behind the rolling so however long it took them to roll it is on them. I don’t really know, but there is a long, six week cure process just to make sure that that cannagar finally is set up, it is properly able to be smoked.

TG Branfalt: So let me ask you a question. You’re from Colorado and now you’re in Washington. What trends are you seeing in Washington that might be different from what you were seeing in Colorado?

Jesse Leach: You know, to be honest with you, you’re almost going to compare an apple to a tomato. They’re both red but they’re still completely different fruits. One of the things is the big difference out here is because of the fact that you have the wholesale market, you breed much bigger competition. That is where you’ll find some of the finest products in the world out here in Washington because as a brand you’re trying to set yourself apart from everybody else. It’s very simple. It kind of goes back to shoes. Why is Nike better than let’s say Airwalks? You’ve got a quality, you’ve got consistency. You have a brand that everybody knows and recognizes.

They just produce better. They just have better stuff, and that’s what I’ve noticed is kind of a big difference. I’m not saying there isn’t great stuff in Colorado. Like I said, they both have very, very similar things but at the end of the day it’s just that competition that is bred out here compared to Colorado. That’s what I see.

Alejandro Canto: This is coming from a Coloradoan Tim.

Jesse Leach: Yeah, I’m born and raised in Colorado. I am native. I’m still representing the 303 till the day I die. I may be in the 206 but I’m still a 303 at heart.

Alejandro Canto: He came to realize that our weed game down here in Washington is crushing Colorado.

TG Branfalt: What product trends are you guys seeing? I’ve read a lot of different reports where some say that flower sales are down but oil sales are up and edible sales are up. Is that an accurate representation of what you guys are seeing day to day?

Alejandro Canto: Tim, flower is still taking well over 60-65% of the market. When they say flower sales are down, they’re down from the 80% they used to be at where the other 20% was all concentrates and edibles combined. So what we’re seeing is that the market is finally starting to shift into what we always predicted, which was going to be concentrates and edibles to take over. Because as you know when you have flower Tim, you’re limited to the options that you can do with it. When you have flower you have two things you can do with it. You can sell it in sizes, that’s one gram, two grams, a quarter, an ounce or whatever. Or you could grind it up and turn it into trim.

Those are the two options you have with flower. Or you can extract it, pull out its essential oils and now you have infinite options of what you could do with that product. Once you have that concentrate you can either refine it, make it into distillate, put into a vape pen, put it into a penny dish so you can maybe dab it later on, put it into an edible, put it into a lotion, put it into a sex lube, et cetera. There’s a million options that you could do that once you extract essential oils out of the flower. As the market starts to develop and it gives more opportunities to new people to come in and create new products we’re going to see the line of concentrates, edibles, et cetera expand and grow larger in size.

My ultimate belief is that oils and concentrates maybe five, six, seven, eight years down the line will eventually surpass the sales in flower. I truly believe that the accessibility of these vape cart pens is just so easy for the average consumer to screw on, hit a button and go. You don’t have to light anything up, there’s no carcinogens being burned. There’s no bad smell. And I really think that’s going to be one of the biggest futures for cannabis. So when you hear that flower sales are down they’re still over 60% of total sales. They’re just not 80% anymore.

Jesse Leach: It comes back to the consumer getting educated. That’s basically all it comes down to. If you guys done the research where if you remember when edibles were first coming out there was all of these reports, oh my god people are overdosing on this. Blah, blah, blah. They’re not. You’re just now being educated on how to properly handle this stuff.

TG Branfalt: So finally guys, what’s your advice for entrepreneurs? Again, your success Alejandro at 23, once again it’s one of the most remarkable stories that I’ve heard on this podcast and congratulations again. What’s your advice? Can you share some of the secret sauce that’s got you where you’ve gotten to?

Alejandro Canto: Sure Tim. The sauce is balls and courage. I’ll be pretty honest man. Dude, I was successful Tim, I was successful in Miami, Florida. I had a successful car dealership. I also had, I’m a state-licensed paramedic. I have a great following of my people down there. I have my friends, my family, my girlfriend. What else did I need? I decided to give that up to go pursue a dream. To answer your question, first knowledge. Knowledge is the secret sauce to everything. With proper knowledge and applied knowledge, anything’s possible. Because with knowledge, if you don’t apply it, it’s not useful. That’s where the second part comes in, is balls. You’ve got to apply it.

I had a vision Tim. I had a vision to build an empire and I said if I’m ever going to do it it’s now. I had some responsibilities but nothing too crazy. I didn’t really have a wife or kids. It’s something that I truly considered to be high responsibilities. Because my work, I sold it off. It was my business. I didn’t work for somebody. It was my business. It really took balls to make the mental, conscious decision to sell everything I had going for me and move over 3000 miles away to start this journey. Like I said Tim, when I first jumped, it wasn’t what it is today. It wasn’t even to be an owner. It was to be a high position of a company which later ended up turning out to be that not only am I an owner, but I’m the majority owner of my company now.

So it’s that little opportunity that came my way. You know that guy in the mail room that ends up working his way to top CEO of a company. That’s basically where I was at Tim. I just worked my way up the ladder.

Jesse Leach: I mean really, that’s kind of where we were at. Just to throw in my own two cents real quick. I started out literally hand rolling hand-rolls back in 2009 in Denver. You look at us now, we’re sitting here setting up one of the biggest brands in the world. It’s all about just learning your knowledge and knowing how to apply everything you’ve learned into this.

TG Branfalt: How’d you guys meet each other?

Jesse Leach: Basically I guess long story short, obviously I was born and raised in Colorado. The owner out there, Neil Demers, is actually one of my high school best friends. We were just in the industry together. He was presented an opportunity to help with Diego in Colorado. One thing led to another. I ended up becoming the GM for them. Came out here to help do the initial launch of Seattle and I was really floored by it. One thing just kind of led to another. It turned out to be a nice little holy matrimony and we’ve just been sitting here with the same goals of creating and expanding a brand and we just kind of linked up and this is where we’re at today.

Alejandro Canto: Yeah, there was a lot of synergy from day one Tim. That’s something really interesting about this industry. It brings out a lot of great personalities and it brings out a lot of happiness in people. There’s not many people you’ll see working in this industry that are upset or in a bad mood. Usually everyone’s got a smile and they’re in a good mood. When me and Jesse met there was a lot of synergy there and we were able to capture some of that synergy and progress and expand on it and that’s where we’re at today. We’re sitting down and designing our next two stores that we’re currently building out in Seattle.

Again, Tim it’s seeing an opportunity and getting out there and getting it. If I could leave one thing with the listeners today is guys, don’t be scared to go out and try something new. When I brought this idea to my mom that I’m going to sell my business that I’m successful, netting over six figures before I was even 20 years old to go and do cannabis, she thought I was crazy. She thought I drank the devil’s pill and that I was heading down the wrong path. I was like mom, this is a vision and I love you. I appreciate you. I respect you saying no but this is something I’ve gotta do for myself. I see the end picture, just believe in me and it’ll be a good a ride. She ended up doing it after some time and now she’s beyond happy and grateful that I ended up taking this jump.

Like I said Tim, it’s when the opportunity presents itself, sometimes it’s better to just say yes even if you don’t know how to do it and then later figure it out. Actually Richard Branson had a very similar quote just quick. He said something similar to that a couple years ago and it was when the right opportunity approaches, take it. Even if you don’t know how to do it, you’ll figure it out. That’s the one thing I would leave viewers with. When the right opportunity approaches, take it. Don’t be scared, just say yes.

TG Branfalt: Finally guys, can you tell us where we can find out more about what you guys got going on now and the couple of upcoming stores you mentioned?

Alejandro Canto: Yeah, we have more stores being built out and developed now in Seattle, Washington and Colorado, Denver as well as with the new states coming online we expect to be in California as well as Vegas in the next couple months, possibly early if not mid 2018. We also have current projects in Oregon with a company down there that’s looking to rebrand into Diego as well as a group down in Ohio that’s going to be pursuing a license under the Diego Pellicer name.

We’re really starting to expand our arms into the other states that we can but the main thing that we focused on is compliance and legality, making sure that everything we do is legal and compliant with the state.

TG Branfalt: What website can they find you at?

Alejandro Canto: It’s wa.diego-pellicer.com.

TG Branfalt: All right guys. Well, I wanted to thank you for taking the time to be on this podcast. It’s a really great conversation and again, congratulations on all your success.

Alejandro Canto: Thank you.

TG Branfalt: Definitely keep us in the loop on the upcoming stores.

Alejandro Canto: Oh we will.

TG Branfalt: You can find more episodes of the Ganjapreneur.com podcast in the podcast section of Ganjapreneur.com and in the Apple iTunes store. On the Ganjapreneur.com website you’ll 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 Jeremy Sebastiano. I’ve been your host TG Branfalt.

End

The New Hampshire Capitol Building on a sunny day in Concord, New Hampshire.

New Hampshire Gov. Signs Cannabis Decriminalization Bill

7/19/2017

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New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu has signed legislation reducing penalties for possession of small amounts of cannabis, and with it effectively decriminalized low-level cannabis possession in New England. The measure makes possession of up to three-quarters of an ounce of flower and up to five grams of hashish by adults 18-and-older a violation rather than a misdemeanor.

New England includes Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. Last November, voters in Maine and Massachusetts both approved adult-use measures, while possession of less than an ounce of cannabis is a simple violation in the remaining states. New Hampshire was the only holdout in the region.

New Hampshire’s law specifically prohibits police from making any arrests for a cannabis possession violation, and offenders under 18 caught possessing less than the threshold would be subject to a delinquency petition, WMUR-9 reports.

Adults found possessing above the threshold will be fined $100 for the first or second offense and $300 for subsequent offenses within a three-year period. A fourth offense will result in a misdemeanor charge. Money collected from fines will be deposited into the state fund for alcohol and substance abuse treatment.

Justin Strekal, NORML political director, said the measure allows the state to “join the chorus of states that recognize the baseline level of dignity for its citizens and tourists” who choose to use cannabis.

“Soon, throughout New England, individuals will be able to freely travel without the threat of jail time for possession of marijuana,” he said in a statement.

Sununu previously called the legislation “common sense marijuana reform.” The bill takes effect in 60 days.

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Skyline view of downtown San Francisco.

California Communities Create Cannabis Offices to Handle Recreational Rollout

7/19/2017

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California communities have begun laying the groundwork for the rollout of the recreational cannabis industry as San Francisco and Sonoma County take steps to create cannabis advisory panels within the government.

The San Francisco Board of Supervisors voted on Tuesday to create an Office of Cannabis to oversee the permit process in the city, while Sonoma County’s Board of Supervisors appointed 20 people to advise the board on rules to govern the program.

The members of the Sonoma County Cannabis Advisory Group come from the cannabis and real estate industries, schools, law enforcement, and rural neighborhoods, according to a Press Democrat report. They will serve two-year terms.

County Supervisor Susan Gorin said the board “could have used the advisory group a year ago,” as seven months ago the county passed its initial rules for the industry. Sonoma County towns will have to evolve their rules to marry the county and state regulations.

San Francisco May Ed Lee included $700,000 in his budget to fund the city’s Office of Cannabis, which will have a staff of three for public outreach. One of the tasks of the office will be how to handle the anticipated demand. Supervisor Ahsha Safai suggested the current operators get priority for recreational permits.

“They have been vetted, they’ve gone through the process, they’ve been authorized by the planning department,” he said in an ABC-7 report. “The operators have had their backgrounds vetted.”

The San Francisco Office has not yet been staffed, but the goals for both agencies are similar – to have a single point of contact for the public and businesses as California migrates to a recreational market.

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Canadian Premiers Want Extension for Cannabis Legalization Deadline

7/19/2017

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Some Canadian premiers are seeking to delay the implementation of the federal legalization of cannabis due to concerns over health impacts, public and traffic safety, and a want to avoid different provincial regulations, according to a report from The Star. The call is led by Manitoba Premier Brian Pallister who wants to avoid a “hodge-podge” of rules throughout the nation as is the case with alcohol.

“I would hope we could learn from that and not re-create that for cannabis,” he said in the report. “There are too many unanswered questions, too many issues that have not been addressed for us to rush into what is an historic change.”

Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall said he wouldn’t mind an extension, but he was moving forward with the July 1, 2018 deadline.

“Could we have greater continuity in this?” he asked. “It would be desirable but hard to pull off in a short period of time.”

Nova Scotia Premier Stephen McNeil also said his administration believes they can meet the deadline, but in “Atlantic Canada, there needs to be a uniform age.”

“…There needs to be uniform regulations across our respective provinces,” he said. “I believe that could potentially lead to, perhaps, across the country.”

Quebec Premier Phillipe Couillard said he would welcome a delay but “the prime minister…was very firm on July 1.”

“…We’re working under the assumption that this will be the date,” he said. “A lot of work needs to be done.”

Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne said that questions about public health and safety “have not yet been answered” and “that’s the work that we have to do now in conjunction with the federal government.”

Pallister said one of the key issues that needed to be addressed is driving under the influence, which he said needs to become as socially unacceptable as drinking and driving has. He supports pushing the program roll-out back one year.

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England's Parliament and Big Ben clock tower in London.

British MP Calls for Civil Disobedience Over ‘Barbaric’ MMJ Laws

7/19/2017

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A member of Britain’s House of Parliament has called on citizens to use cannabis at the Palace of Westminster, according to a Sky News report. MP Paul Flynn, of the Labor Party, said the act of civil disobedience is the “only way we can get through the common mind of the government.”

“I would call on people, and I know we’re not supposed to do this as members, to break the law,” Flynn said in the report. “That’s the only way we can get through the common mind of the Government, which is set in concrete and the whole laws are evidence free and prejudice rich – let’s see them do that.”

Flynn also admitted to committing a “terrible crime” by drinking cannabis tea on the House of Commons Terrace with medical cannabis activist Elizabeth Brice, a multiple sclerosis patient, before her death in 2011. He did not admit to drinking the tea himself, but rather he supplied her with a cup of hot water for her tea – an act that could have sent Brice and Flynn to prison for seven years if caught.

“I think we have to say to those who put up with the barbaric stupidity and cruelty of Government policy that denies seriously ill people their medicine of choice we’ve got to call on those who are in this position to act in a way of civil disobedience,” he said.

Cannabis remains restricted as a Class B substance in England.

End

A dispensary worker at the National Holistic Center in Washington D.C. shows off a handful of nugs.

Massachusetts Supreme Court Rules in Favor of Fired MMJ Patient

7/18/2017

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The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court has ruled that a registered medical cannabis patient who tested positive for cannabis could sue her former employer for handicap discrimination, according to a report from Reuters. Her employer had successfully argued in lower courts that they had the right to fire her because cannabis is illegal under federal law.

An attorney for Christina Barbuto, the ex-employee of Advantage Sales and Marketing who suffers from Crohn’s disease, called the ruling “a ground-breaking decision” for employees in Massachusetts.

“This is the highest court in Massachusetts recognizing that the use of medically prescribed marijuana is just as lawful as the use of any prescribed medication,” he said in the report.

Barbuto was fired following her first day on the job after failing the drug screening.

In the decision, Chief Justice Ralph Grants opined that if cannabis is prescribed by a physician, “an exception to an employer’s drug policy to permit its use is a facially reasonable accommodation.”

The six-judge panel said that the employee, not the employer, could have been federally prosecuted for Barbuto’s cannabis use, therefore allowing her to continue using cannabis therapies is not “per se unreasonable as an accommodation.”

The decision sets a legal precedent in the state and could have impacts in other states with medical cannabis programs.

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Party flags on a string hang outside in sunny, summer weather.

Undercover Denver Police Crash Private Cannabis Party, Issue Public-Use Citations

7/18/2017

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The Denver Police Department used undercover officers to infiltrate the International Church of Cannabis’ inaugural 4/20 event, leading to public consumption citations for three of the church’s founders, according to an ABC-7 report. None of the parishioners attending the opening day ceremony were cited.

The 4:20 pm ceremony on 4/20 was an invite-only, private event, at which guests had to show identification to attend. According to Steve Burke, one of the church’s founders, two officers had managed to get on the list ahead of time and a third was able to sneak into the event when the door was guarded only by Berke’s 72-year-old mother. Burke said the two officers who made the list had used aliases and other officers had detained the private security guards for the event because one of them didn’t have identification.

Burke said the founders did not receive the citations until several days after the event, noting that none of the party guests were cited for public consumption. He called the citations “horse shit” and accused the police department of “selectively enforcing the law.”

“If you go to a wedding, that doesn’t make the wedding a public event, it makes you a wedding crasher,” Burke said in the report, adding that it seems “like the city attorney has a vendetta.”

Marley Bordovsky, the city attorney, argued that if someone could just walk into the party – as one of the officers did – the event is not considered truly private.

“Whether a venue is public or private is a case-by-case analysis of whether it’s private or not,” she said. “It clearly wasn’t a truly-private event – that was the test.”

There is no religious exemption to bypass the public consumption law under the state’s adult-use regime.

Burke said he and the other founders are “considering legal options.” They are due in court next week.

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Skyline view of Boston, Massachusetts on a cloudy day.

Massachusetts Marijuana Conference Bill Would Nearly Double Rec. Market Taxes

7/18/2017

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The Massachusetts Marijuana Conference Committee is seeking to raise the tax rate on the voter-approved recreational cannabis industry to 20 percent – a compromise with their colleagues who want the rate to remain at the 12 percent called for in November’s initiative, according to a report from Boston Business Journal. The committee’s proposal also keeps the ability to ban the industry from municipalities in the hands of voters.

State Sen. Patricia Jehlen, a member of the committee, said the measure “removes the barriers to the development of a legal market” while protecting the “right of adults to grow, possess, and use” cannabis.

“It protects the rights of medical marijuana patients, and gives opportunity to farmers and to people who have been harmed by the War on Drugs,” she said in the report. “The tax rate remains among the lowest in the country, and the same as in Oregon, often seen as successful.”

Under previous legislative proposals, the House had pushed for a 21.75 percent rate, while the Senate wanted to keep the rate at 12 percent. The measure, which requires the approvals of both chambers, pushes the excise tax provided under the initiative from 3.75 percent to 10.75 percent. It includes a 1 percent increase on the local option excise tax – from 2 percent to 3 percent. State taxes will also apply to recreational cannabis sales. Medical sales would remain untaxed.

Additionally, the bill would allow some cannabis convictions to be expunged; specifies that funds generated from the market will be used for “restorative justice, jail diversion, workforce development, and technical business assistance for people in communities that have been disproportionately impacted by the War on Drugs;” legalize hemp production in the state; and gives directives to the Cannabis Control Commission regarding product marketing, labeling, and safety.

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