Canadian Firm Launches Cannabis Staffing Agency

5/26/2017

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Cannabis at Work, a Canadian firm founded in 2015 to advise companies on issues related to medical cannabis, has launched the nation’s first staffing agency to link cannabis employers with would-be employees, according to an Edmonton Sun report. Owner Alison McMahon said the firm is preparing for planned legalization in Canada in July 2018.

“We really saw an opportunity. We’re on a tipping point in the industry,” McMahon said in the report. “We’re going to need staff … The cannabis industry is quite literally growing in front of our eyes. I liken it to the dot-com boom.”

Positions include cultivators, sales, budtender, call centers, and accounting; many of which are transferable from other industries but “there’s still some education and experience” that ideal candidates might need, she said.

“Understanding how inventory is going to depreciate (due to moisture loss) in the context of talking about cannabis is going to be something a regular accountant probably hasn’t done,” McMahon said.

The company will charge cannabis companies a fee when it fills an opening and expects to see hundreds of vacancies over the next year. She estimated that 40 percent of the current industry workforce is in Ontario, which has 44 licensed producers.

End

Ceiling on the 22nd floor of Florida's State Capitol in Tallahassee, Florida.

Florida Department of Health Takes Over MMJ Regs

5/26/2017

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Florida’s Department of Health has officially taken over adopting regulations for the state’s voter-approved medical cannabis expansion after lawmakers failed to come to a compromise on legislation earlier this month. The Sun-Sentinel reports that the agency on Thursday issued a “Notice of Regulation Development Procedure” which establishes the process the agency intends to use to implement the program.

The amendment approved by voters in November requires that the rules are drafted by July 3 and put into effect no later than Oct. 3. The constitutional amendment would expand the program to an estimated 420,000 Floridians, adding several chronic conditions, and allowing physicians the power to recommend medical cannabis for “other debilitating medical conditions of the same kind or class as or comparable to those enumerated, and for which a physician believes that the medical use of marijuana would likely outweigh the potential health risks for a patient.”

The plan put forth by Health Department officials will leave 15 days’ notice before adopting a new rule with a public comment period of three days.

Sen. Rob Bradley, who championed the state’s limited 2014 medical cannabis law, applauded the “department’s desire to remove any legal cloud” over a patient’s head but said he didn’t see them “doing anything bold.” He said the legislature could still act before the end of the year despite the session closing on May 8.

“The Legislature is going to be in Tallahassee no later than around 100 days from now, and possibly earlier if the governor vetoes all or a portion of the budget,” Bradley said in the report. “There are opportunities for the Legislature to deal with medical marijuana.”

End

Gov. Phil Scott of Vermont in Burlington, Vermont.

Vermont Gov. Vetoes Legalization Bill Citing Public Safety Concerns

5/25/2017

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Vermont’s Gov. Phil Scott, a Republican, vetoed the first cannabis legalization bill ever to be passed by a state Congress on Wednesday, according to an NPR report.

Scott chose to veto the bill over his other two options — either sign the bill or take no action and passively allow it to become law — and he has sent the bill back to legislators to make adjustments.

“We must get this right,” Scott said of his decision to veto while at a press conference. “I think we need to move a little bit slower.”

The governor’s concerns with the bill were detecting and penalizing people who drive under the influence of cannabis, keeping children from accessing the plant, and the lack of a clear vision for the state’s Marijuana Regulatory Commission. He plans to send recommendations to lawmakers for changing their proposal, saying that — if they address his concerns —”there is a path forward on this.”

The governor has previously claimed he is “not philosophically opposed” to cannabis legalization.

Lt. Gov. David Zuckerman offered criticism of the governor’s veto: “Prohibition has failed and causes approximately 100,000 Vermonters to be labeled lawbreakers,” Zuckerman said. “Vermont is now lagging behind other states in the region and is missing opportunities to capture revenue from an underground market that would allow us to address highway safety, drug education and treatment, and other needed state investments to reduce the temptation of drug use.”

If Gov. Scott had signed the bill, Vermont would have become the first state to legalize adult use cannabis without using a voter referendum.

The majority of voters in Vermont approve of legalizing cannabis.

End

South Carolina's state capitol building in Columbia, South Carolina.

Industrial Hemp Coming to South Carolina

5/25/2017

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Shortly after the close of South Carolina’s legislative session earlier this month, Gov. Henry McMaster signed a bill legalizing the cultivation and sale of industrial hemp, according to a report by The State.

Next, the South Carolina Department of Agriculture and the State Law Enforcement Division must issue the state’s 20 hemp licenses — these will allow farmers to grow the crop on 20-acre plots as part of the state’s pilot hemp program. After one year, the number of available licenses will increase to 50 for a maximum of 50 acres each.

Before receiving a license, interested farmers will be required to pass a State Law Enforcement Division background check, establish a partnership with an in-state research university, and line up a contracted buyer for the hemp products.

Republican State Sen. Danny Verdin, chairman of the Senate Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee, said he hopes state officials will act quickly, noting that, in South Carolina’s warm climate, hemp farmers could expect to get three or even four crops per year.

“Any agricultural crop we can cultivate here and make a profit for our farmers, we should try,” said State Sen. Greg Hembree, a Republican from Horry.

Hembree also noted that agribusiness is South Carolina‘s strongest industry.

Cannabis remains illegal in South Carolina, even for medical purposes, though activists believe that medical cannabis legislation may be a possibility for 2018.

End

A Canadian flag (with a red cannabis leaf instead of the normal maple leaf) blowing in the wind.

Poll: Canadians Support Erasing Cannabis Possession Convictions

5/25/2017

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With Canada on the path to a nationwide adult-use cannabis regime, recent polling data suggest that a comfortable majority of Canadians support pardoning individuals with cannabis possession convictions on their permanent records.

34 percent of Canadians would support such a move and 28 percent would somewhat support it; 23 percent would oppose this move, 12 percent would somewhat oppose it, and four percent were uncertain, the pollsters report.

The data was collected in a joint effort between The Globe and Mail and Nanos Research between April 29 and May 5 via a hybrid telephone and online random survey of 1,000 Canadians who were 18 years old or older. According to the report, “the margin of error for a random survey of 1,000 Canadians is ±3.1 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.”

Also of note, a 55% majority of Canadians oppose giving law enforcement the right to demand a breath sample without reasonable suspicion. Meanwhile, a strong majority (73 percent) of Canadians say they do not currently use cannabis and will not start after legalization takes effect. Only eight percent of respondents said that they do not currently use it but plan to when it becomes legal.

In April, Canada‘s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau unveiled the federal government’s plan to implement legalization by July 2018.

Trudeau has said that cannabis legalization should be addressed as a civil rights and public safety issue — this contrasts the legalization plans of many U.S. lawmakers, who often attempt to gauge the cannabis industry for tax dollars.

End

The Oregon state flag, a blue flag with the state's golden seal embroidered on it.

At Least 10K Oregonians Have Dropped from MMJ Patient Count Since Rec. Adoption

5/24/2017

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The number of registered patients in Oregon has declined significantly since voters in the state legalized cannabis use for adults in 2014, falling from 77,000 to 67,000, according to NPR-affiliate KUOW. Many patients registered as medical users are declining to renew their medical cards – which costs $200 – opting instead to purchase their medicine in the recreational market.

Of the state’s 300-plus dispensaries, more than 80 percent are licensed to sell recreational cannabis – which can carry sales taxes up to 20 percent depending on their home municipality.

Dr. Christian Le, who runs Green Earth Medicine in Portland, said that while he doesn’t believe the state is pushing out medical sales they are content to let them wither.

“The people who made cannabis legal, as it is today, are actually being thrown to the curb,” he said in the report. “Whether it’s people in the industry making profits off it or whether it’s the state making taxation out of it, that seems to be 99 percent of the focus.”

Mark Pettinger, spokesman for the Oregon Liquor Control Commission, declined to comment on whether tax revenues are driving the push behind recreational sales, but said that putting the same regulations on both the medical and recreational industries are an effort to “protect public safety.”

“That means preventing access by children. It means ensuring that marijuana isn’t diverted from legal intent into the illegal market,” he said. “It means trying to keep marijuana … out of the hands of the cartels and organized crime.”

Some municipalities have banned or enacted moratoriums on recreational dispensaries, which has allowed medical sales to remain strong in those regions, mostly in Eastern Oregon.

Rules permitting recreational sales by medical dispensaries expired on Jan. 1.

End

A spindly cannabis leaf under the LED grow lights of a licensed grow operation.

Cannabis Breathalyzer Company Completes $8.1 Million Funding Round

5/24/2017

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Benchmark Capital, the Silicon Valley venture capital firm whose investments include Uber, Dropbox, Snap, and WeWork has infused capital into Oakland-based startup Hound Labs – makers of a breathalyzer for cannabis, according to a Business Insider report. The firm led the tech company’s recent $8.1 million funding round.

Breathalyzers for cannabis are tricky because THC can stay in a human body for days or weeks – and just because THC is found in a urine sample or cheek swab doesn’t necessarily mean an individual has recently consumed cannabis.

Hound Labs CEO Michael Lynn said he hopes the breathalyzer can take the guesswork out of roadside field tests. The product is currently undergoing clinical trials that began earlier this month at San Francisco General Hospital conducted by researchers at the University of California, San Francisco.

“With alcohol, it doesn’t matter what your car looks like or … whether you’re a man or a woman. At the end of the day, everybody pretty much knows if you’re above a .08 [blood-alcohol level] you’re going to be arrested,” Lynn, who is also an emergency room physician in Oakland, said in the report. “We want to do the same thing for THC and take the subjectivity out of it, make sure that everyone is treated fairly.”

The device is expected to retail for between $600 and $1,000 and cartridges used with the machine to collect samples will run about $15.

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Oregon Cannabis Startups See $60-$80M in Investments Over Last 6 months

5/24/2017

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According to figures from Oregon’s Marijuana Regulation Committee, cannabis startups in the state have had at least $60 million to $80 million invested in the last six months, Northwest Public Radio reports. Projects range from gene testing, to perfecting new delivery methods such as transdermal patches, to researching medical applications for cannabis.

In January, Oregon entrepreneurs launched the ‘Oregon Hub,’ a research farm in Clackamas, in an effort to perfect growing techniques and potential ways to reduce water and energy use.

Another company, Phylos Bioscience, will outline genetic profiling of cannabis strains for $300.

“Well, so there’s a lot of legend and laws. So in general it’s like, my friend Billy gave me this. And he told me that he got it from this guy,” said Mowgli Holmes, chief scientific officer at Phylos. “And…this is the original thing. This is the lost cut of Panama Red from so and so in 1978.”

Phylos, then, can determine whether that strain is, in fact, Panama Red.

Due to cannabis’ federal Schedule I designation, much of the current research being conducted on cannabis is being spearheaded by private companies; however, state epidemiologist Katrina Hedberg said start-up research isn’t peer-reviewed or double blind, which means it’s not going to lead to any medications approved by the FDA.

“Doing that kind of study is very difficult when it comes to a natural herb product,” Hedberg said in the report.

The FDA has only approved one drug – Marinol – which contains synthetic THC.

End

Florida Attorney and MMJ Campaign Financier Eyeing Industry Investment Opportunities

5/23/2017

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Orlando, Florida attorney John Morgan was one of the major financial backers of the two statewide ballot initiatives to expand the state’s medical cannabis regime, and in an interview with the Miami Herald, he indicated plans to invest up to $100 million into “the right opportunities” in the cannabis space.

“I am prepared to invest significant monies in this industry and I plan to,” he said in the report. “I have learned a great deal about the miracles of marijuana over the last five years. And what better person than me to be involved?”

In the interview, Morgan expressed interest in owning a stake in a state-licensed dispensary and is considering options put forth by companies interested in working with him. Specifically, Morgan said he has been approached by Chestnut Hill Tree Farm, a licensed operator in Florida, whose assets are currently for sale to a Canadian cannabis firm – but that deal is mired in a lawsuit among the company’s investors.

“Chestnut Hill is one of them and continues to be on my radar,” Morgan said. “I would be interested [in] investing if the valuation is one I think fair. And if it becomes available. Time will tell.”

Morgan has also expressed interest in making a run for the governor’s office but, at the moment, is content to “watch and wait” to see how the Democratic field plays out.

End

Charlo Greene: Cannabis Activism, Journalism, and Entrepreneurship

5/23/2017

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Charlo Greene is host of The Weed Show With Charlo Greene, an independent media channel that investigates popular and important cannabis issues in a weekly live format, and the owner and founder of CBD Body and Beauty, offering high-quality CBD products in the pursuit of transformative body and beauty care.

In this week’s episode of the Ganjapreneur.com Podcast, Charlo joined our host TG Branfalt to discuss the reasons behind her decision to leave a cherished career in broadcast television and give her all to Alaska’s 2014 cannabis legalization push, her eventual return to the media scene via The Weed Show, and the experience of both founding a company and bringing a product to market in the cannabis space. They also discuss Charlo’s ongoing cannabis activism which has taken her around the world, the substantial and growing number of women-led companies in the cannabis space, as well as the importance of emphasizing cannabis reform efforts that empower communities of color who were disproportionately targeted by the Drug War.

Listen below or continue scrolling down for a full transcript of the interview.

Listen to the podcast:

Read the transcript:

TG Branfalt: Hey there, I’m your host TG Branfalt and 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 am joined by Charlo Greene the host of The Weed Show, and of other fame, which we’ll get to in a bit, but how are you doing this afternoon?

Charlo Greene: I am doing phenomenally. How are you?

TG Branfalt: I am doing great. I’m really excited to have you on the Ganjapreneur.com podcast.

Charlo Greene: I’m excited to be on. I love your newsletter, I love all the content that you guys have been putting out for so long. It’s great.

TG Branfalt: We appreciate that. We really do try hard to cover some of the best industry stuff that we can find. But this isn’t about us, this is about you. We gotta start from the beginning. You are the infamous Charlo Greene.

Charlo Greene: Infamous.

TG Branfalt: Infamous. I don’t want to spend to much time on this but I have to talk to you briefly about the Fuck It, I Quit event, that launched you into this, as a counterculture star. Can you walk me through that time period leading up to that moment? A little less about the moment itself, just what was going on at that time?

Charlo Greene: I was working as a journalist at the CBS affiliate in Anchorage, Alaska. I was assigned the Weed Beat and flown to Colorado and Washington to show Alaskans what our state would look like if we legalized recreational marijuana. So we had already legalized medical in 1998 but there were no dispensaries or anything so this was our first look at the cannabis industry in lieu of our vote coming up that November to legalize adult use.

So while there in the patients that were using it to save their lives literally for the first time and that opened my eyes up to what this plant that I had privately been consuming for years could really do. So I met patients in Alaska and my heart went out to them. They didn’t have access to this plant that they believed could save their lives. And I knew I was likely the only person who had the empathy and connections needed to change something when it came to that so I used my role as a journalist to talk to the state’s top attorneys, the chief of police, head prosecutors, all of that to figure out a way to make the law that Alaskans legalized in 98 for medical marijuana, real for its patients. With all that R and D, I went ahead and created the Alaska Cannabis Club, a private patient association.

So that was 4/20 of 2014. Leading up to November, the vote, support for marijuana legalization slipped from the upper fifties to lower forties. This was a matter of maybe five, six months. So I knew there was something … The campaign wasn’t doing it. There was some message that wasn’t hitting home to us Alaskans. I knew something would have to be done if we were going to get the rest of the state’s patients access that weren’t able to join the Alaska Cannabis Club.

So I decided to use my position to draw attention to the vote on legalization. And live on TV, after an interview aired where I spoke with the club’s youngest member who was 21 years old and battling testicular cancer, who credited the Alaska Cannabis Club for giving him that second chance at life, a chance at recovery, after that aired I said live on TV everything you heard, is why I the actual owner will be dedicating all of my energy and attention toward fighting for freedom and fairness. Which begins with legalizing marijuana here in Alaska. As for this job, not that I have a choice, but fuck it, I quit. So that went viral, very viral.

And from there I just used all of my energy and attention like I said I would, toward the effort to register as many people in a vote as possible, first and foremost, we only had about two weeks to do that. Now that everyone knew for the first time that we were voting on marijuana legalization we had to make sure they were eligible to show up. So every time anyone wanted a selfie with me while I was still crazy, like, “Are you registered to vote?” I had tons and tons of people across the state of Alaska become regi-stops just so we could capture all of that momentum. So we registered thousands of people to vote, we traveled and crisscrossed the entire state of Alaska and managed to turn that, I think it was 43 percent support for ballot measure two, before Fuck It, to 53 percent. We legalized marijuana in Alaska.

So that’s the full story. A lot of people only hear the Fuck It thing. Like I was mad at my job. Absolutely not, I loved my career. There was just something that needed what my platform could do more than my ego needed that job.

TG Branfalt: Did you expect the results? Did you expect it to go viral the way that it did?

Charlo Greene: Did I expect the results of the vote?

TG Branfalt: Of what happened with the clip?

Charlo Greene: I hoped that Alaska would at least know that there was a vote to legalize weed coming up. That was the end goal. It did that. I had no idea that I would be able to travel to places like Ireland and Spain and Central America to speak about cannabis because of that statement. Absolutely not.

TG Branfalt: And that year you won the High Times Courage in Media Award, congratulations. That’s a huge deal for activists and especially somebody, you were a legitimate journalist.

Charlo Greene: Yeah I actually think they created that for me.

TG Branfalt: They created that for you?

Charlo Greene: So thank you.

TG Branfalt: How important was that to you at that time? Did that validate what you were doing? I know when we covered it, when it initially happened, there was a lot of disparaging comments being thrown your way. So was this a vindication to you? And did you experience those comments?

Charlo Greene: What’s funny is, no. This is the first time I’m hearing that you guys had anything negative to say about me. I probably wouldn’t even been talking with you right now if I had known that.

TG Branfalt: No, not us. It was comments on the Facebook, the social media stuff.

Charlo Greene: Oh no, absolutely not. If you were talking about it then you were probably talking about the issue at hand. Why would I feel the need to step away from this career? What is really going on with marijuana? Then you look to the facts and they challenge everything you’ve ever been taught about cannabis. Does it bother me that people get me wrong a lot of the time? No I’m very busy, I really couldn’t care less, I don’t know if any busy people, or any people that are concerned with helping other people or changing the world for better are concerned what people have to say about their efforts.

That’s my take on it. Absolutely no. Absolutely not. It didn’t bother me then because I was busy flying nine hours west to this tiny village in Alaska, in the thick of it, right afterward, we were busy hitting the campaign trail, following through on everything that we said we were gonna do. We had a lot to change. We had a lot of paths. So no, most of them didn’t even reach me. It was an overwhelmingly positive response. So I would think I’d have to be a really negative person to try and dwell on what a few haters that had nothing to contribute to the end goal had to say.

TG Branfalt: So that same year you were listed as one of the 13 most potent women in the pot industry. And something that I’ve noticed in my reporting, in when I go to the cannabis cups and I go to tour dispensaries, is a lot of companies in the cannabis space, it seems moreso are women led than other traditional industries. I’m just wondering what’s your take on what I see as a trend?

Charlo Greene: To imply that it’s a trend, you would imply that it was temporary. I think this is just what time it is. This is, it’s our time as women, just not even the fact that we’re women, we’re able bodied business people and we don’t have to work in someone else’s system or follow what every other CEO has looked like, or … No, we’re creating what the industry looks like now. The fact that most of us are women, I think that’s just the cream icing to the top.

TG Branfalt: I really have to agree with you. You have this industry that also relies so much on a very sick population a lot of times. You see that the big pharmaceutical companies, who’s running those, and you have all these issues. And then you have a lot more females in this space. I think that that necessitates the kind of compassion that most females have over their male counterparts for sure.

Charlo Greene: Yeah. I could definitely second that.

TG Branfalt: I want to talk to you a little bit more about diversity in the cannabis space, but before we do that we gotta take a short break. This is the Ganjapreneur.com podcast. I’m TG Branfalt.

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TG Branfalt: Hey, welcome back to the Ganjapreneur.com podcast, I’m your host TG Branfalt here with Charlo Greene, host of the Weed Show. So before the break we were talking about diversity in the cannabis space, so I want to go a little bit deeper into that. Oakland has the most famous equity laws going. They’re designed to provide reparations for those most adversely affected by cannabis laws. In Maryland, the legislative black caucus has been pushing for equity language in the bill. As the industry matures and more states legalize, do you think more legislation should include these types of equity policies? Do you even think that they do enough to help people that were definitely most affected by drug laws?

Charlo Greene: No these certainly don’t do enough but it is definitely a start. And do I think they’re needed moving forward? If you look at the places that have legalized, Colorado, Washington. They don’t have anything, they’re not working on any sort of reparations, anything to address the harm that the drug war has caused communities of color. So if this is going to be addressed then it is absolutely necessary that it’s written into the language from the jump. Oakland was the start, I know Los Angeles recently passed a measure which also included equity language. So I hope this is the trend moving forward, it’s the right thing to do.

When you look at the facts and what the drug war has done to communities of color it makes sense that the drug war also help to heal that damage.

TG Branfalt: When you were working on the push in Alaska, was this something that was included in Alaska’s language?

Charlo Greene: No, we passed a really shitty law in Alaska. It was just another Marijuana Policy Project law. They didn’t really look at the needs of the local communities and the campaign language, saying that they were going to regulate it like alcohol, I think that was one of the things that missed the people most. When you’re in a state where alcohol is the number one cause of death, people aren’t gonna welcome that statement so much. So no, we passed a not-great law.

TG Branfalt: You parlayed your media background into The Weed Show. You’re obviously allowed to be yourself more than any typical news show. You can cover what you want, you get blazed, you open the show ripping dabs, heating up the nail. That’s one of my favorite parts of the show is that sound. It’s such a nice sound to hear a torch hitting nail. So given your experience in your exit from the broadcasting industry, the news industry, why’d you take a step back into a media role?

Charlo Greene: This is what I love to do as I stated before, I was living my dream job, being able to share incredible stories, to step into people’s lives, fascinating lives, and share that with the public in hopes of educating them, that’s everything. So the fact that I have the opportunity to do it now with this subject that I know is changing the world, with people that I know are changing the world, that is an incredible blessing. So what else would I be doing? I’m one of those weird people that love what they do.

TG Branfalt: Coming from a print background and moving into the cannabis space, moreso than I write hard news anymore, do you think that having a show about weed or dedicating what is your passion to weed, do you think that just adds to not only your passion for what you’re doing but also your credibility as someone who has seen this industry from every aspect?

Charlo Greene: I would hope that it does. I just show up and do what I can to deliver the most engaging and formative and news able information about cannabis. At the end of the day that is the mission for the show, that’s what I show up and my entire team shows up to do, so yeah, my experience, I think it’s … When you look at other cannabis content, I think it’s pretty clear that I have a background in this more experienced than most, that are putting out cannabis content. And I hope that resonates with the audience. I’m just doing what I love to do. I didn’t want to step away from it in the first place, so now I get to do it on weed. And that’s just everything, that’s full circle.

TG Branfalt: On your March 22 show, the Weed Show episode, you began the show talking about the SWAT rate deaths, a report from the New York Times. And also the arrest of Mark and Jodie Emery up in Canada. Given your background not to mention your own experiences, what’s your take on how the media reports on cannabis centered stories?

Charlo Greene: It’s irresponsible. There’s no questioning the press release that they’re given by the authorities. It’s just as if mainstream media acts as a megaphone for whatever the police want to justify or however the police want to justify their actions. Just the other day I was reading this story out of the Denver Post of all places. They were talking about the plant count thing, how they’re limiting patient plant counts from 99 to 12 or six, and the headline was, Colorado Moves to Limit Plant Counts to Combat Cartels. We all, most of us have gone to journalism school, especially at the Denver Post level, you know what that headline as a statement does, it makes you believe that there are all these cartels running amok. But then you go there and you meet the people that are being raided, that are being classified as these cartels, that they’re using to justify changing these laws, it’s parents of really, really sick kids that need those plants. It makes me really, really upset.

It really pisses me the fuck off that a place like The Denver Post would run something so irresponsibly. So the fact that that is the most advanced area in our nation when it comes to cannabis, and accepting cannabis, and that’s what they’re running, that just let’s you know what’s happening in all these other places. When I was raided … What was it, huge drug bust? That’s what one of the local papers called it, because that’s what the police asked them to, and that wasn’t at all the case, so it just misleads the public’s perception of cannabis, what cannabis is doing, how it’s affecting the community. And it’s not fear because it costs patients medicine, that costs them lives.

TG Branfalt: To your point is when Jeff Sessions has said anything, Spicer says anything, both the cannabis media and the mainstream media takes what he says and … On one hand you’re creating a panic in an industry, that’s what you’re doing, you’re scaring people, and on the other hand, two days after he says, “We’re gonna have a crackdown,” he says I’m probably gonna keep parts of this Cole memo, but it’s how much the mainstream media I think hands on what he said two days ago, that scares the industry rather than the good news.

Charlo Greene: You also have to remember that mainstream media also has a job to do, and that job is keeping their doors open and selling advertising and if we can create a panic because of a statement, then we know we’re gonna get more clicks. And that means more dollars. So I think that’s just something that hopefully everyone understands by now after seeing how the election went. But I know most people don’t so that just sucks.

TG Branfalt: If it bleeds it leads right? I think we learned that in journalism 101.

Charlo Greene: Literally, that quotem in itself. if it bleeds it leads. It’s irresponsible, it’s so messy, which is why you have to check out the Ganjapreneur, why you have to watch The Weed Show with Charlo Greene and get your information from people, I feel like we have a dog in this fight. When you’re a journalist, I remember covering crime reports and being sent to do these obituary stories. Where you just go in there for an afternoon, gather the … And just sum up someone’s life. In 90 seconds maximum and then you just move on regardless of whatever consequence that has on whoever’s left.

I feel like it’s different with us covering, this is our community. We’re here.

TG Branfalt: Absolutely. A lot of us in the community, we’re trying to work together. I personally, I watch the Weed Show, I’ll get story ideas from time to time. Not like I’m trying to bite off of you guys, but I got a different medium to work with.

Charlo Greene: Absolutely. You send out your newsletter, noon-ish our time. We usually have our story media by then. But we’ll check that out and be like, “Do we need anything, do we need to take away anything? Are there any updates that they’ve sent out?” Because we know to trust you guys as a credible source. So I appreciate that. I appreciate you guys having me on.

TG Branfalt: So I want to move on a little bit, I want to talk about some of your other current projects. Before we do that we gotta take our last break. This is the Ganjapreneur.com podcast, I’m TG Branfalt.

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TG Branfalt: Welcome back to the Ganjapreneur.com podcast, I’m your host TG Branfalt here with the infamous Charlo Greene, host of The Weed Show.

Charlo Greene: Hey.

TG Branfalt: Before the break we were chatting about the state of the cannabis media, if you will, but I want to move on from that, talk about your current projects. What do you do, and I’m hearing something about a CBD beauty products line that’s in the works.

Charlo Greene: Yes, it’s CBD skin care line, CBD Beauty is the brand, CBDbodyandbeauty.com is the website. We have a few products that we’re introducing initially. They’re really, really great. We’ve been market testing them for the last several months. I’ve been using them exclusively for about the same amount of time and my skin has never been better. When you think about how miraculous cannabis is, it just makes sense that it also works miracles on your face, and that’s what we bottled up. So I’m super excited to be introducing CBD Beauty.

TG Branfalt: Tell me more about what the benefits of using CBD as a skin care product, as a beauty care product … I’m a guy, who, I haven’t touched lotion to my skin since 2001. So could you just tell me more about some of the benefits of using CBD as a beauty product.

Charlo Greene: Absolutely, CBD acts as an anti-inflammatory, an anti-bacterial, an anti-fungal. It’s also hemp-derived and hemp is super rich and nourishing when it comes to moisturization and just getting in there. So it’s CBDbodyandbeauty.com in addition to all of the CBD skin creams and apple stem cell face creams, we also have super nourishing, healing pain balms. So all of that’s in the mix. As a guy you probably would choose one of our pain balms or our day-to-night face cream. All of it’s super nourishing.

TG Branfalt: I can attest actually to CBD pain balm. I did get some from a friend of mine who stopped by, he’s actually a grower from California, he stopped by. His girlfriend actually left me some because I have some joint issues. I use that stuff and I’m really, I’m pain-free. I wasn’t expecting that at all.

Charlo Greene: It’s crazy how effective cannabis is as a topical. Isn’t it? The first time you put it on your leg, yeah I’m sure it’ll work some, weed is awesome, of course it is, but it’s miraculous. It’s crazy effective.

TG Branfalt: So when did you find time with the Weed Show and your travels, how’d you find time to start developing this?

Charlo Greene: I’ve partnered with a lab that is FDA certified. They’ve been working on all the formulations and making sure everything is straight there. But I have an amazing team that works on the Weed Show and I’ve reeled in my traveling quite a bit. I’m based in LA now. Don’t do too much moving around from here. I do have a couple of speeches to give in I think Germany and Jamaica in the next several months. But this is where it’s at. La-La-Land, I love it out here.

TG Branfalt: So lastly, what I wanted to talk to you about is what advice would you have for entrepreneurs? You’ve talked to, I’m sure thousands of folks looking to get into the industry and I’m sure you’ve been asked the question a thousand times. What advice do you have for people looking to get into this space?

Charlo Greene: Do what you know will feed your soul. Instead of approaching work how we’ve been traditionally taught to, come at it knowing that work is a part of your life. It’s not work, separate from life. When you factor that in do something that you’ll love giving most of your energy to. Something that you’ll be proud of, something that you would love to tell your kids about. So this is the opportunity for you to do and be  just about anything that you actually want to. The fact that this industry is growing so rapidly, the fact that there are so many things that we need as ganjapreneurs, so many spaces to fill for patients, it would be really, really amiss if you just did something for the money. The money’s gonna come. Just make sure that you’re doing or taking advantage of this opportunity to do what you actually want to.

TG Branfalt: Your story is really incredible. Watching it from a journalist perspective, a guy who has often wanted to say fuck it, I quit in front of thousands of people. At that point, I was pulled in, and to watch your story unfold, now to get a little more idea of how integral you were in Alaska, thank you so much for taking the time out of your schedule for us. And, happy birthday by the way.

Charlo Greene: Thank you, I appreciate that. Thanks to you for having me on.

TG Branfalt: You can find more episodes of the Ganjapreneur.com podcast in the podcast section of Ganjapreneur.com in the Apple iTunes store. On the Ganjapreneur.com website, you will find the latest cannabis news and cannabis jobs updated daily along with transcripts of this podcast. You can download the Ganjapreneur.com app in iTunes and Google Play. This episode was engineered by Jeremy Sebastiano. I have been your host TG Branfalt.

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Train riders wait for the subway to come to a stop before boarding.

New York City Subway Gets MMJ Ads

5/23/2017

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Vireo Health of New York has launched a medical cannabis advertising campaign in New York City’s subway system – the first of its kind from the state’s five licensed producers. The “Ask Your Doctor about Medical Marijuana” ads will appear in nearly 100 stations over the next four weeks.

Ari Hoffnung, CEO of Vireo Health of New York, said the ads, which feature four different posters presenting people of different ethnicities and backgrounds, “encourage New Yorkers of all ages and backgrounds” to discuss medical cannabis options with their doctors.

A collage of the four different advertisements placed throughout New York City subway stations by Vireo Health.

“Advertising in the New York City subway system will not only help increase public awareness about medical marijuana among millions of riders, but also combat the lingering stigma associated with its medicinal use by advertising alongside more traditional healthcare and consumer products,” Hoffnung said in a press release.

Vireo’s Chief Medical Officer Dr. Stephen Dahmer hopes that the campaign will encourage patients “to openly explore” their medical cannabis options.

“As a family doctor, I know first-hand how important open and honest conversations are to maintain a strong doctor-patient relationship,” he said. “Patients should not be afraid to ask their physicians about anything, including medical marijuana.”

Last April, Vireo became the first company to offer medical cannabis deliveries in the city’s five boroughs.

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Medical cannabis laws in Georgia are so unfriendly to patients that they must rely on cannabis oil products sourced from out-of-state producers.

Georgia Students Must Leave Campus to Take MMJ Medication

5/23/2017

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Georgia’s public schools cannot store medical cannabis products due to state and federal law, forcing patients to leave school grounds to take their medicine, according to NPR-affiliate WABE. School officials say that the state’s medical cannabis law, which only allows the use of low-THC oils, permits only the registered patient to store the oil, and some fear that their federal funding could be jeopardized by storing medical cannabis products.

“By law, the only person whose name is on the registration card issued by the Department of Public Health for cannabis oil may store the oil,” said Beth McLaughlin, spokeswoman for Houston County school district, in the report. “In addition, per the Safe and Drug Free Schools federal law, the oil may not be brought onto school grounds.”

Curtis Harris, the father of a registered patient who suffers from seizures, said that Houston County school officials “went into a panic” when they were told that Harris’ son CJ used cannabis oil for his seizures.

“They called the head state nurse, and the head state nurse told him that he can’t even have it on campus,” Harris said.

A spokeswoman for Bibb County’s school system indicated that they would have to revise their policies if confronted with a student who uses cannabis oil but they have yet to deal with the issue.

Justin Pauly, the director of communications for the Georgia School Boards Association, said they “haven’t seen it as of yet” but when it pops up it will put “the school systems in a very difficult position” because of a disparity between state and federal laws.

State Rep. Allen Peake, who supplies CJ’s family with the oils, said he is “looking for education administration officials to show some courage and do what’s in the best interest of the students.”

“Stories like this are happening and will be happening all over our state as the medical cannabis law continues to expand,” he said.

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A woman rubs skin care product into the back of her hand.

Australian MMJ Skin Care Line Expected Throughout Europe This Year

5/23/2017

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Australia’s MGC Pharmaceuticals has completed the final clinical trials of their cannabis skin care line with 92 percent of participants saying they would continue using the creams they tested, Business News Western Australia reports. The products were independently tested on 90 volunteers over a three-month period by Dr. Rok Devjak at a dermatology clinic in Slovenia.

According to the report, the trials found 86 percent improvement of irritated skin, 80 percent improvement in acne-prone skin, 73 percent improvement in psoriatic plaques, and 70 percent improvement in visual appearances of dryness, redness, flaky and oily skin conditions.

The results will allow MGC Pharma to market the DermaPlus products with specific claims about its effectiveness and will likely allow the products to be labeled ‘dermatologically tested,’ in line with European Parliamentary regulations.

Nativ Segev, the firm’s co-founder and managing director, said he was “exceptionally pleased” with the test results.

“Validating the use of medicinal cannabis through rigorous clinical tests is vital to our business model and, with over 50 products still in development, these positive test results give us a glimpse into the exciting potential of our product range,” he said in a statement.

The products are expected to be available via the company website and in pharmacies throughout Europe beginning in the third quarter of this year.

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The giant gavel of justice at the Ohio Judicial Center in downtown Columbus, Ohio.

Ohio Judge Running for Governor Supports Adult Use Cannabis Reforms

5/23/2017

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A candidate for Ohio’s governorship next year and longtime liberal voice on the state Supreme Court has thrown his support behind full-on cannabis legalization in the state and is advocating for the release of “all non-violent marijuana offenders” from prison, according to a report from CleveScene.

Judge William O’Neill made the comments during remarks at a Wayne County Democratic Party meeting.

“The time has come for new thinking,” O’Neill said during the appearance. “We regulate and tax alcohol and tobacco and imprison people for smoking grass.”

He estimated that a legal cannabis market in Ohio could be worth as much as $350 million which could help bridge budget gaps, and provide mental health and drug addiction services.

“Treat addiction like the disease it is in the name of compassion,” he said in an Associated Press report.

O’Neill’s position contrasts the current governor and former Republican presidential contender, John Kasich, who has publicly shot down questions about legalizing recreational cannabis in the state. It’s been nearly one year since Kasich signed the state’s medical cannabis bill and almost nine months since it took effect; however the final rules were just released in April and no companies have been licensed, meaning patients are still waiting for relief.

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A man holds a lighter to a glass pipe loaded with ground cannabis.

WA State University Enlisting Volunteers to Get High in Breathalyzer Study

5/22/2017

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Researchers at Washington State University have put out a call for volunteers to help create a breathalyzer that can detect recent cannabis consumption, according to a KIRO 7 report. Cannabis breathalyzers are a popular topic among politicians who have been reluctant to reform cannabis laws while intoxicated driving has been a sticking point for many people who support continuing prohibition.

The researchers in Pullman, Washington have put together a method of conducting the study without ever having to actually handle any cannabis product themselves, which, due to the plant’s federally illegal status, could have jeopardized the university’s federal funding.

Volunteers must be at least 21 years old and be residents of Pullman in order to apply.

Volunteers will first be tested with a blood test and mouth swab. Then, they are to go out, acquire cannabis for themselves from any licensed cannabis retailer, return home, and consume said cannabis there (under state law, marijuana must be consumed inside of a private residence). When sufficiently high, they are to call the researchers and a taxi — to avoid having any participants drive while intoxicated — will be sent to retrieve them, bringing them to a hospital for the second round of tests.

Participants in the study will also be encouraged to participate in standard sobriety tests conducted by police officers; this law enforcement training session is optional, however.

Volunteers will be paid $30 for the first hour and $10 for each hour after that, the report indicated.

If you meet the requirements and are interested, you can contact Nathan Weller at (509) 432-1943 or at nathan_weller@hotmail.com.

Police in California field tested a marijuana breathalyzer produced by Hound Labs, Inc. last year with reportedly positive results.

 

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Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper addresses a crowd at a U.S. Department of Agriculture event.

Colorado Gov. Signs Bill Permitting Hemp Farmers to Use Federally Stored Water

5/22/2017

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Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper has signed the bill to protect hemp farmers registered with the state who use water stored in federal reservoirs, according to a report from The Journal. The bill was introduced in the Senate by Republican state Sen. Don Coram after an Arkansas Valley farmer informed him he was barred from using water from a Bureau of Reclamation facility to water his hemp crops.

“I said this is wrong because hemp has a great future in Colorado,” Corman said in the report, noting that legal cannabis cultivators were allowed to use the water “because they were paying nearly 20 times the amount of the normal rate.”

Corman said that the bill did receive some pushback from the Colorado Water Congress and Farm Bureau. However, “Against all odds, it came out 99-to-1 even with all of the opposition,” Corman said.

During the signing, Hickenlooper said hemp production “could create a new niche market” in the state and questioned its federally illegal status. “Hemp is a very versatile product with a lot of uses, and it does not make sense why it’s illegal,” he said.

State Rep. Marc Caitlin, the Republican sponsor in the House, said the “facts are that Colorado water rights are owned under Colorado law,” and since the state legalized hemp production, hemp farmers have every right to use the resources even if they are stored in federal reservoirs.

Hickenlooper indicated that there were 1,500 acres of hemp cultivated in the state last year.

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A registered voter signs a local voter initiative petition.

Petition to Legalize MMJ & Rec. Being Circulated in Missouri

5/22/2017

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Advocates in Missouri are gathering signatures for an unorthodox measure to legalize medical and recreational cannabis, MissouriNet reports. Unlike other initiatives, Steve Leck’s does not include an age limit for cannabis consumption and would allow people to drive under the influence of cannabis.

Leck says the measure doesn’t include an age restriction because many children benefit from medicinal cannabis but that the petitioners are “not advocating the recreational sales to minors by any stretch.”

“We believe that it should be treated no differently than alcohol in terms of any adult should be able to consume whatever they want as long as they are not affecting anybody else or harming anyone else,” he said in the report.

Leck said the provisions effectively legalizing driving under the influence of cannabis are an effort to prevent unjust vehicle searches. He claims that when officers use the excuse of “red eyes” they could actually be violating the rights of law-abiding citizens who might be suffering from allergies or other medical issues.

“All of the sudden they are being pulled over, their rights are being violated, their car is being searched,” Leck said. “If we eliminate that, we can keep intact some of our amendments guaranteed by both the state and U.S. Constitutions.”

Additionally, the measure is asking Missourians whether the state should be prohibited from assisting enforcement of federal cannabis laws, whether individuals convicted of non-violent cannabis crimes should be released from incarceration and all records destroyed, and whether medical cannabis sales should be taxed.

According to petition materials, the legalization initiative could save the state $10.7 million per year and would cost the state about $700,000 annually in operating costs.

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Louisiana Supreme Court Justice Calls 18-Year Jail Term for Possession ‘Ridiculous’

5/22/2017

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Louisiana Supreme Court Chief Justice Bernette Johnson has called out her colleagues for upholding an 18-year prison sentence for Gary Howard, who was convicted of possessing 18 grams of cannabis, writing in her dissenting opinion that the term is “ridiculous” for an “inconsequential” possession charge, the Louisiana Record reports. Johnson said that similar sentences will further burden state coffers as it will cost $23,000 annually – or $400,000 total – to jail him.

Seth Bloom, an attorney at New Orleans-based law firm Bloom Legal LLC, said the case “further demonstrates the absurdity of a sentence that is unnecessarily harsh on the defendant and burdensome to the taxpayers.”

“Marijuana charges should not be used to toll against prior convictions whether they are violent or not,” Bloom said in the report. “Our nation is on a path towards the legalization of marijuana and if our poorest states cannot see the moral argument, then they at least need to see the economic argument.”

Johnson wondered whether authorities “overreacted” after a firearm was found in a closet during Howard’s arrest, although he was acquitted of the weapons charge.

Bloom also blasted the for-profit prison model in Louisiana, which boasts the highest incarceration rate in the nation, and its “outdated and costly protocols for drug charges.”

“I’m not an economist, but through a combination of private for-profit prisons and sheriff offices profiting from the prison system, it would seem that the state has made a sustainable business model for both poor parishes, as well as urban areas,” he said.

The Supreme Court majority rules that the cannabis found in Howard’s possession was packaged for sale and not for personal use.

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A professionally grown cannabis cola lying on its side, freshly harvested.

West Virginia Officials Begin MMJ Program Implementation

5/22/2017

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Officials in West Virginia have started developing a plan to roll out the state’s newly-enacted medical cannabis regime. The Department of Health and Human Resources has updated its website to include a frequently asked questions page and the Agriculture Department has made the nomination for its member of the advisory board, the Associated Press reports.

Joe Hatton, Agriculture Department deputy commissioner and a certified crop advisor, was tabbed by the agency for a seat on the West Virginia Medical Cannabis Advisory Board. He said officials will have to look toward legal states for early advice because West Virginians don’t have experience with “the legal variety” of cannabis.

“As a lifelong farmer, I think this is a great opportunity to show what we can do in agriculture,” he said in the report. However, he did indicate he had concerns about whether the industry would be profitable for farmers and who is “going to own the crop.”

“Who’s going to own the marijuana?” he asked. “Will it be the farmers or the pharmaceutical companies or the state of West Virginia?”

The new section of the DHHR website includes information for would-be patients, caregivers, physicians, cultivators, processors, and dispensary owners interested in participating in the program.

According to Allison Adler, a DHHR spokeswoman, the Bureau for Public Health’s commissioner’s office is currently in the “preliminary stages” of developing the medical cannabis industry rules.

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A large, indoor cannabis grow operation.

First Dispensary-Destined Cannabis Crop Harvested in Hawaii

5/19/2017

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Aloha Green Holdings in Oahu, Hawaii is the first medical cannabis dispensary to harvest their crop, the first commercial cannabis crop in the state, according to a Pacific Business News report.

The company, who was the first of eight companies to receive cannabis dispensary licenses, announced the harvest this week. However, Aloha Green now awaits the certification of an independent laboratory who will be licensed to conduct the necessary product safety tests.

According to a statement released by the company, “The [indoor] harvest comprised of an above average yield of eight different strains of cannabis with varying levels of THC and CBD content.”

“As soon as a testing laboratory is certified by the DOH, Aloha Green will announce plans to begin retail dispensary operations,” Aloha Green said in the statement.

Two other dispensaries, Manoa Botanicals LLC and Pono Life Sciences Maui LLC, were also licensed to begin growing in February and are likely to harvest soon. According to the report, there are four dispensaries currently licensed and growing medical cannabis with intent to distribute it in a retail setting — though a total of eight licenses have been issued.

Hawaii‘s cannabis reform dates back to 2000, but the previous laws did not allow for cannabis to be distributed via dispensaries and most patients grew for themselves.

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View of downtown Portland, Oregon and the Hawthorne bridge, from the east side of the Willamette River.

NBA’s Cliff Robinson Joins Portland Mayor in Statewide Push for Cannabis Clubs

5/19/2017

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Portland, Oregon Mayor Ted Wheeler and Commissioner Chloe Eudaly were joined this week by former Trail Blazer Cliff Robinson in the support of legislation seeking to allow social cannabis consumption in the state, The Oregonian reports.

If approved, Senate Bill 307 would provide “regulation by Oregon Liquor Control Commission of consumption and sale of marijuana items at temporary events, including licensure of premises on which temporary events are held.”

In Robinson’s testimony to senators on Monday, he drew attention to grievous racial disparities in cannabis-related arrests:

“A study of Seattle police enforcement’s arrest of public cannabis consumption found that African Americans made up 36 percent of those arrests, while only comprising eight percent of the city’s population. Studies have shown that marijuana is used at the same rate across all races, so these arrest statistics are very troubling.”

Robinson said that SB 307 — by giving cannabis consumers a legal, social setting in which to partake — was a “sensible step” to avoid falling into a similar pattern.

Previous language in the bill would have allowed social consumption at special events as well, but lawmakers were pressured into removing that clause. In its current form, the bill would only allow cannabis to be consumed in an “outdoor” area, according to Rick Osborn, Communications Director for the Senate Majority Office.

Meanwhile, Portland officials have claimed the bill would bolster tourism in the area. “The same way Oregon and our city celebrate our craft beer and wine industry,” Mayor Wheeler and Commissioner Eudaly wrote in a letter, “Portland welcomes and wants to provide opportunities for our emerging craft cannabis industry.”

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Activists in Michigan have begun collecting signatures to cement the validity of an initiative to legalize cannabis.

Michigan Activists Begin Collecting Signatures for Adult Use Legalization

5/19/2017

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Cannabis advocates in Michigan have cleared a procedural step in getting a legalization initiative in front of lawmakers and potentially voters, according to an Associated Press report. Having received clearance from the Board of State Canvassers, activists now have six months to collect and submit about 252,000 valid voter signatures to the state legislature.

This push is being led by the Michigan Coalition to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol, who released a draft of their proposed initiative in March. The group’s proposal would legalize cannabis for adults 21 and older, with possession limits of 2.5 ounces of flower and 15 grams of concentrates; the proposal would also allow the home cultivation of up to 12 plants in a residence for personal use and establish a taxed, regulatory structure for the commercial cultivation and sale of cannabis.

A new ballot committee, dubbed Keep Pot out of Neighborhoods and Schools, formed on Thursday to oppose the renewed legalization efforts. Spokesman Chris De Witt said, “Now is not the time for the recreational use of pot to be foisted upon Michigan, and this proposal definitely puts our kids at risk.”

De Witt would not say who is backing the opposition group, though he suggested that law enforcement officials may eventually join.

A legalization initiative put forward in 2016 ultimately failed due to a lack of valid signatures, with 137,000 of the signatures collected then being deemed “too old” for the campaign to more forward.

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The Vermont State House (state capitol building) at 115 State Street in Montpelier, Vermont.

Vermont Legalization Bill Now Sitting on Gov.’s Desk

5/19/2017

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Vermont lawmakers made history last week as the first state legislature to approve ending the prohibition of cannabis. Now, the bill to legalize adult-use cannabis is sitting on Republican Gov. Phil Scott’s desk — and he has until next Wednesday to decide what to do about it.

According to a Vermont Public Radio report, the governor is still undecided how to proceed. His three options are to sign the bill, veto it, or allow it to passively become law without his signature after five days of inaction. According to the report, this could be the most-watched decision of Scott’s tenure as governor.

Gov. Scott has heard arguments from top health and law enforcement officials that he should veto the bill, though public opinion in Vermont is strongly in favor of legalization.

“I say veto this bill, stay strong with health and safety,” alcohol and drug counselor Margo Austin said.

“We are hopeful that the governor will … veto legislation like this that lacks important considerations of public safety and education,” said child psychiatrist Dr. David Rettew.

Support for the legalization bill has also been expressed, however, and not only from cannabis consumers and/or enthusiasts.

“In my view, those who oppose expansion of civil liberties consistently find themselves on the wrong side of history,” said David Cahill, State Attorney for Windsor County.

At a press conference on Thursday, the day the bill officially reached his desk, the governor offered mixed opinions about legalization. “I’ve said it along the campaign trail — I’m not philosophically opposed to it,” said Gov. Scott, but — “I’m not sure that the time is right now.”

 

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A cannabis trimmer working at a commercial grow operation in Washington state.

Federal Agency Reports on Worker Safety in Cannabis Cultivation Jobs

5/18/2017

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In an April report issued by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), which comprises the industrial hygienic research team for the Center for Disease Control (CDC), government scientists have investigated and determined the major health and safety risks of working on a cannabis farm.

Scientists visited the site of Farmer Tom Organics in southern Washington state on two separate occasions during the summer of 2015 to conduct their research. These visits coincided with the harvest and trimming of a commercial-grade cannabis crop, arguably two of the most grueling tasks associated with cannabis work.

According to the report, scientists interviewed workers about health and safety concerns related to their job, investigated potential ergonomic issues related to typical cannabis farm activities, took surface wipe samples of the workplace’s tools and facilities, and collected air samples for potential microbes and endotoxins.

The researchers’ summary of their results is as follows:

  • Employees were concerned about repetitive hand motions when trimming cannabis.

  • Some hand trimming activities required a lot of hand motions, but not a lot of force.

  • Botrytis cinerea was the main fungal species in the air.

  • Actinobacteria was the most frequently identified bacterial phyla in the air.

  • We found tetrahydrocannabinol in every surface wipe sample.

  • Endotoxin concentrations were all below the occupational exposure limit.

Researchers suggested a number of potential remedies for these issues. These included providing regular breaks for workers when hand-trimming cannabis, developing a plan to rotate employees through jobs that use different muscle groups, and developing a cleaning schedule to remove residual THC from tools and work surfaces.

The researchers also made suggestions for cannabis workers, such as using non-latex gloves while handling cannabis and/or cannabis products, washing one’s hands with soap and water following the removal of said gloves, and the regular cleaning of work surfaces used to process cannabis.

Interestingly, in the report (which, remember, was published by a federal agency) researchers describe the working conditions as that of an “organic cannabis farm” — both employing the proper vernacular for the plant, a phrase that U.S. government representatives have generally neglected in favor of the more dated “marijuana” or even “marihuana,” and admitting that the cannabis at the farm was being grown organically despite the plant’s ongoing federal prohibition.

 

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