Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper has signed legislation making it illegal to advertise cannabis sales unless the advertiser is a licensed medical or retail cannabis provider, KOAA News 5reports. The measure is meant to stem so-called gray market producers and sellers from advertising on sites like Craigslist, where many ads offer cannabis in exchange for ‘donations.’
The law, which takes effect in September, covers ads on the Internet, newspapers, magazines, handbills and other printed publications. Violators could be charged with a Level 2 misdemeanor drug charge if convicted.
The new law is the latest in Colorado aimed at stemming the illicit cannabis trade in the state.
In November, the Democratic governor called the gray market a “clear and present danger,” adding that illicit sales were “one of the things [he] worried about in the very beginning.” Last month, the Colorado House gave preliminary approval to a measure that would reduce the number of plants allowed to be grown at a patient’s residence from 99 to 16.
“Anything that the state legislators can do to clear up and eliminate the gray market is definitely beneficial for us,” Sean Mandel, Commander of Metro Vice, Narcotics & Intelligence Division, said in the report.
Currently, Colorado is the only state with legal cannabis that allows homegrows of more than 16 plants.
Australia’s government is giving $466,000 to researchers who are hoping to improve how parts of the cannabis plant used for pain relief are extracted, according to a Herald Sunreport. The pilot program, which will also research which cannabis crops grow best in Australia, will be conducted by the University of Melbourne, who have partnered with Under The Three Biopharmaceuticals.
The researchers say the project could lead to the development of a local cannabis industry – which they estimate could be worth $150 million annually with yearly demand for more than 17,600 pounds – and prevent patients from obtaining their medicine and treatments from the illicit market.
Education Minister Simon Birmingham said partnerships between universities and businesses allow some of the “best minds…to come up with solutions to problems Australia faces.”
“We’re backing this project because we can see the clear benefits of having local medicinal cannabis production and a local supply chain for the many patients that stand to gain from the use of medicinal cannabis products,” Birmingham said in the report.
According to the Herald Sun, the Victorian government harvested its first medicinal crop this year, and last month medical cannabis was imported from Canada in order to provide immediate treatment to 29 children suffering from seizure disorders.
Last month, Cannoperations Pty Ltd. was the first company issued a license to grow and harvest medical cannabis in Australia.
Cannabis companies and labor unions could be headed for a showdown in California over concerns about how deeply embedded the latter should be in the rapidly growing industry, according to a San Francisco Chroniclereport. Under California’s medical cannabis law the International Brotherhood of Teamsters has first rights to transport and deliver cannabis products in the state; however such rights are not included in the language of the adult-use measure.
This disconnect will force lawmakers to determine which law takes precedence – Proposition 64 or the state’s medical cannabis laws. The state Legislative Council has indicated Prop. 64 takes precedence, but Barry Broad, the Teamsters’ state legislative director, said the vertically integrated structure under the voter-approved law – which allows growers and manufacturers to self-distribute – could lead to corruption.
“Right now 80 percent of the marijuana produced in California is sent to other states, which is illegal,” he said in the report. “We want to organize the industry, but we want to organize an industry that is well regulated. If you have vertical integration, you are watching yourself.”
Another union, the United Food and Commercial Workers, has partnered with the City College of San Francisco and Oaksterdam University in an apprenticeship course to help train individuals in some aspects of the cannabis industry; but parts of the UFCW plan has forced Dale Sky Jones, executive chancellor of Oaksterdam, to question whether the agreement is something they want to pursue.
Under the UCFW plan, the union would set training standards and provide trainees to the City College program, which would be partially funded for students by union dues, UCFW director Jeff Ferro said. Non-union students would only be allowed for an extra fee.
“The cannabis industry has traditionally been very sensitive to workers’ rights, and the people who have been working in cannabis tend to be happy,” Jones said. “They are not oppressed workers. So the question is, if the workers don’t need representation against management, then what are they getting for their union dues?”
City College spokesman Jeff Hamilton said the details of the program still need to be worked out and did not indicate whether the college supported the UCFW plan.
Ferro said that if cannabis retailers want to be a “traditional mainstream business” they must provide employees with retirement programs, access to skills and health, and welfare training programs.
“There are people in this business who are happy to work with us, and there are people in it who are angry they have to work with us, but the industry is going to have to contend with labor around cannabis in California,” he said.
In a letter to Attorney General Jeff Sessions and Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin, the governors of Colorado, Washington, Oregon, and Alaska asked that federal authorities maintain Cole Memo and Financial Crimes Enforcement Network guidance that provides “the foundation for state regulatory [cannabis] systems” vital to maintain state control.
In the letter, dated April 3, the governors explain that overhauling the Cole Memo – a product of the Obama Administration – would “produce unintended and harmful consequences” and likely divert existing cannabis products into the illicit market. The governors say the policy guidance “strike a reasonable balance” between state and federal laws.
“Likewise, without FinCEN guidance, financial institutions will be less willing to provide services to marijuana-related businesses,” the letter says. “This would force industry participants to be even more cash reliant, posing safety risks to the public and to state regulators conducting enforcement activity.”
Last month, Sessions indicated that he may maintain guidelines set forth by the Cole Memo.
“The Cole Memorandum set up some policies under President Obama’s Department of Justice about how cases should be selected in those states and what would be appropriate for federal prosecution, much of which I think is valid,” Sessions told reporters in Virginia during a question-and-answer session. He added that while he “may have some different ideas…in addition to” the memo, federal authorities would “not be able to go into a state a pick up the work police and sheriffs have been doing for decades.”
In their first investment in the cannabis space, Lerer Hippeau Ventures – who counts Buzzfeed, Venmo, and Casper among its investments – led e-commerce startup LeafLink’s $3 million seed round as the New York City-based company expands into Oregon and Nevada.
According to a company spokesperson, LeafLink is currently doing $65 million per year in orders for flower, edibles, concentrates, and topicals in Colorado and Washington through the year-old platform, with plans to launch next in California. Ryan Smith, LeafLink’s chief executive and co-founder, said the platform serves more than 800 Colorado and Washington retailers – more than 70 percent of the license holders in those states.
“Even though it appears we’re focused on the recreational market, what we’re really focused on is markets that are not vertically integrated,” Smith said in a Crain’sinterview. “The platform is most helpful in connecting people who are really great at making THC-infused products and people really great at retailing those products.”
Eric Hippeau, a managing partner at the venture capital firm and former Huffington Post chief executive, said his firm had been “looking for companies providing infrastructure” to cannabis companies.
“We wouldn’t know where to invest when it comes to brands sold directly to consumers,” he said.
Although LeafLink is based in New York, they have no plans to serve the state’s medical cannabis market.
“Us,” being those who have fought against the establishment (Government, the law, Big Business, corrupt officials, and those who have financial gain in opposing any cannabis resurgence) to legalize a plant that is embedded into the very fabric of humanity; a plant that was the first ever human planned commercial grow (approximately 10,000 years ago in Taiwan). This same plant is discussed at length throughout the bible for its influence and religious prowess, throughout history in trade, religion, social status and medical literature. This little green plant (a.k.a. Colorado Christmas Tree or Colorado lettuce) was used to create the fabric of the first Spanish vessels to sail across the Atlantic and reach the Americas, and to create both pages of the Declaration of Independence and the fabric used by Betsy Ross in sewing the original American Flag.
While we all believed that we have been making progress in the revitalization of cannabis, so too has Big Pharma – against our interests. We fought the fight for our weed, believed in its cause, stood up to the law to make our point, and finally uncovered the truth that cannabis was only outlawed over a collaborate conspiracy by Randolph Hearst in order to protect his newspaper and tree farm fortune, as well as the unconscionable actions of Harry Anslinger, the first commissioner of the U.S. Treasury Department‘s Federal Bureau of Narcotics (FBN).
Anslinger and the financially and politically connected Hearst demonized cannabis (which was the legal alternative to alcohol during the Prohibition years), in order to achieve their needs: Hearst to save his business empire and Anslinger to save his job, department and men, as Congress was repealing the Prohibition Act. Alcohol legalization would have ended Anslinger’s department. Cannabis never had a chance with Anslinger in public power.
Anyway, back to the point. While we have been fighting to legalize cannabis for our use, enjoyment, health benefits, and good old American entrepreneurship, the pharmaceutical industry has been opposing us, demonizing cannabis and denying any medical benefit whatsoever, so that they could continue selling us their expensive medicines.
If cannabis has no legitimate healthcare benefits, how can the FDA approve these companies’ studies and grant approvals? If the Pharmaceutical industry is correct and that there is no medical benefit in cannabis, then why should any of us buy their medicines?
While we were not looking, Big Pharma has been at work with the FDA in attempts at approval.
For example:
“Sativex,” manufactured by GW Pharmaceuticals. Sativex is a mouth spray that is derived from natural cannabis plant extracts, containing both THC (delta 9 tetrahydrocannabibinol) and CBD (cannabidiol). Sativex is now licensed to none other than the pharmaceutical giant Bayer, who last year merged with Monsanto. (It does not take much imagination to understand the damage to the independent cannabis industry that these two powerhouses could single-handedly manage).
“Dronabinol”/ “Marinol,” manufactured by Unimed Pharmaceuticals, a subsidiary of Solvay Pharmaceuticals. Given that cannabis maintains its status as a Schedule 1 Controlled Substance, Unimed couldn’t patent natural THC and thus would not be able to maximize profits, so it chose to develop a Synthetic Delta-9 THC! We shouldn’t touch the THC created by Mother Nature but we should trust in Big Pharma’s synthetic version. In any event, Solvay convinced the FDA to downgrade it’s medicine to a Schedule III. Thus, Mother Nature remains a Schedule I on par with cocaine, heroin, meth.
“Nabilone” / “Cesamet,” manufactured by Valeant Pharmaceuticals International. Nabilone is also a synthetic cannabinoid similar to THC.
“Dexanabinol,” manufactured by Solvay Pharmaceuticals – later acquired by Abbott Laboratories in 2010. Dexanabinol is a Synthetic THC used as naturally produced CBD enzymes in that it is non-psychotropic and blocks NMDA receptors and COX-2 cytokines. The medicine was promoted as a neuroprotective for use after cardiac surgery, a drug that helped regain memory and other high-level brain functioning following trauma as well as anti-cancer.
“CT-3,” manufactured by Indevus Pharmaceuticals. CT-3 was being promoted as a Synthetic THC that had strong anti-inflammatory properties. (Sounds like natural CBD to me).
“Cannabinor,” manufactured by Pharmos. Cannabinor is a Synthetic chemical that specifically binds to the brains secondary cannabinoid receptor (CB2). (Sounds exactly like what natural CBD does).
“HU 308,” manufactured by Pharmos. HU 308 was another form of Cannabinor and was also promoted as a Synthetic chemical that specifically binds to the brains secondary cannabinoid receptor (CB2).
“HU 331,” manufactured by Cayman Chemical. HU 331 according to the FDA write-up is a Synthetic chemical compound composed of central cannabinoid (CB1), peripheral cannabinoid (CB2), and non-CB receptor medicated pharmacology. Suggested use: memory treatment, weight loss, appetite, neurodegeneration, tumor surveillance, analgesia and inflammation. (Sounds like full-spectrum hemp oil).
“Rimonabant” / “Acomplia,” manufactured by Sanofi-Aventis. Pimped as a weight loss medication and smoking suppressant. It is a synthetic form of THC that blocks endocannabinoids from being received in the brain. This product does not appear to be permitted on the marketplace anymore.
“Taranabant,” manufactured by Merck. Taranabant was manufactured with cannabis related properties but ran into FDA problems when all of it’s test subjects were getting high!
For legal battle purposes, the cannabis industry should be yelling that cannabis is a safe, effective and natural alternative to the already legal and regulated alcohol and synthetic or chemically composed pills being pushed. This is different from trying to justify the legality of cannabis because of its health benefits, which only plays into the hands of politicians, haters, big pharma, USDA, and the FDA. Just look at recent medical cannabis proposed laws, many of which will only let you take cannabis in a pill form (with limited exceptions). Some states have even gone as far as written proposed legislation to have cannabis medicine dispensed only through a pharmacy with a prescription.
America, be careful what you wish for. Without realizing it, and without curving your marketing, you might be the cause of legalization – not for the ganjapreneur, but for Big Pharma.
Canopy San Diego has chosen eight companies for its Spring 2017 accelerator program, including a “turnkey” laboratory technology company, a ticketing and registration platform for cannabis-centric events, a peer-to-peer social marketplace for cannabis friendly accommodations, and a customer experience management platform.
The companies will be given office space for up to four employees, receive at least $20,000 in seed capital, and be eligible for another $50,000 in follow-on funding prior to graduation. Six of the eight companies are based out of San Diego, California.
“We’re excited to have such a diverse spring class of startups that perfectly complements our Fall 2016 cohort, and gives our investors a balanced portfolio of early-stage cannabis tech companies,” Jack Scatizzi, managing director of Canopy San Diego, said in a statement.
The companies selected for the program include:
San Diego-based Urban Labs, described as “the first scalable cannabis laboratory to embrace the peer to peer economy,” who offer “turnkey technology and processes” to “de-skill” previously complex lab processes into affordable business opportunities.
Traffic Roots, also based in San Diego, a digital display advertising company who plan on introducing a programmatic self-serve advertising platform.
MJ Hybrid Solutions, a San Diego-based start-up training platform that “aims to fill the cannabis sales voids with compassion to increase company profits and retain customer loyalty.”
San Diego’s EventHi, described as “the world’s first ticketing and registration platform that is built for the cannabis culture.” The company plans to offer an online technology where app users can buy event tickets, verify their medical cannabis program registration if required for the event, buy merchandise, and write reviews.
Verticann, a San Diego company that offers turnkey vertical commercial cannabis cultivation that claims their design can halve production costs “while increasing the canopy size by up to 500 percent” compared to traditional methods.
Collectif, a San Diego-based peer-to-peer marketplace for cannabis-friendly accommodations and “cannabis-inspired experiences.”
Oregon-based Ripe Metrics, who plans to offer a customer experience management system with “analytics and marketing automation” to help dispensaries increase engagement in order to increase customer lifetime value.
And;
Toronto, Ontario, Canada’s BudTendr, a mobile app which allows users to purchase medical cannabis licensed dispensaries through mobile devices through licensed dispensaries.
Canopy San Diego holds a 6-9.5 percent equity stake in each of the companies accepted into the accelerator program. Between Canopy San Diego and Canopy Boulder, the accelerator network holds a combined portfolio of 64 companies.
Recent legislation introduced in the Senate and House of Representatives would end the federal prohibition of cannabis and replace it with a system that would regulate and tax marijuana in a manner similar to alcohol or tobacco.
According to a press release dated March 30, 2017,
Bills filed by Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Rep. Jared Polis (D-CO) would remove marijuana from the Controlled Substances Act, leaving states to determine their own marijuana policies, and impose federal regulations on marijuana businesses in states that choose to regulate marijuana for adult use. Wyden’s bill would also enact a federal excise tax on marijuana products. In the House, the tax is being proposed in a separate bill introduced by Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR).
Wyden and Blumenauer also filed marijuana policy “gap” bills that would eliminate many of the collateral consequences associated with federal marijuana convictions without removing marijuana from the Controlled Substances Act.
That legislation has been introduced in the House and Senate, where it will be argued by the various chambers. The House and Senate must come to an agreement in order for an Act to be contrived for the president to sign. The president could either sign or veto the bill; if vetoed, it would return to Congress and they would need a three-fourths majority vote to override the veto.
Who knows what will happen with this legislation — but if it becomes a law, it would end Section 280E. Dispensaries and growers would be able to deduct salaries, rent, and all other necessary and ordinary expenses, just like any legal business. This would be huge for the legal cannabis industry.
Section 280E says:
No deduction or credit shall be allowed for any amount paid or incurred during the taxable year in carrying on any trade or business if such trade or business (or the activities which comprise such trade or business) consists of trafficking in controlled substances (within the meaning of schedule I and II of the Controlled Substances Act) which is prohibited by Federal law or the law of any State in which such trade or business is conducted.
Tax Court has left the door open for tax accountants like me that look for ways around a stupid and oppressive law. What is typically done in states that allow it is the dispensary does some other business in addition to being a dispensary as a way to write off the expenses other than Cost of Goods Sold (COGS), which is basically the cost of the cannabis for dispensaries. If the state doesn’t allow it, then a creative way of calculating COGS is done.
This legislation would also open banking opportunities up to dispensaries and growers; the only thing they would still have to fight is the stigma following the cannabis industry.
A big reason behind this bill’s introduction is Congress having seen what a cash cow cannabis could be. Every state with legal cannabis has imposed taxes on it, some as high as 15%. If you reread the excerpt of the press release, it mentions an excise tax similar to alcohol.
One thing is certain — I will be watching this closely and updating you as news arises.
The OG of cannabis festivals, World Cannabis Week, is taking over the city of Denver for a full celebration of cannabis culture from April 19 – 23, 2017. The 420-friendly events will give locals and visitors to Denver ample opportunities to get lit with the most innovative and popular cannabis brands in the country – while also learning about the state of cannabis from industry experts.
The week-long celebration of Colorado’s billion-dollar cannabis market allows consumers a safe and legal way to consume with 420-friendly hotels, consumption areas, and free 420-friendly shuttles between events.
Dubbed the “SxSW of Cannabis,” the Denver-based World Cannabis Week will have informative, and interactive experiences for consumers. For those looking to kick back and relax, there’s promise of hefty dispensary discounts, and amazing swag (sometimes reason enough for some to attend)!
For music lovers, there’s the highly-anticipated return of Redman and Method Man to Colorado’s beautiful outdoor stage, Red Rocks Amphitheater, for a ‘420 Eve on the Rocks’ concert.
For 2017, World Cannabis Week is introducing a network of My420Toursluxury cannabis consumption shuttles, free for registered attendees. One of the shuttle stops will bring cannabis enthusiasts to the mecca of cannabis reform in the state that started it all – the legendary 420 Rally in Downtown Denver.
The pro-pot rally is held yearly, on 420, at 4:20at the city’s Civic Center Park.
Another must-see stop on the 420-week itinerary is the new 420 Bazaar – a private event hosting over 50 vendors, food trucks, art installations, live entertainment, and private consumption areas.
Admission to the 420 Bazaar is free for those who register ahead of time.
A special cannabis-themed scavenger hunt is also slated for the weed-centric week. The game is an added, interactive element to World Cannabis Week, and registered attendees can win prizes
So, while The High Time Cannabis Cup uproots itself and moves further West, Denver’s World Cannabis Week remains rooted in the Mile High City as the premier event to bring together budding entrepreneurs, sophisticated cannabis lovers, and industry professionals.
Calling all ganjapreneurs!
The people behind World Cannabis Week are still looking to highlight and invite cannabis-focused businesses to participate in what may be the largest World Cannabis Week to date.
For more information on World Cannabis Week and to register for free, visitwww.WorldCannabisWeek.com.
A cannabis club for children has opened in Modesto California where kids can obtain CBD oil and families can network with others who are using cannabis products to treat their children, according to a Fox4KCreport. Jason David, the president of Jayden’s Journey, named after his son, said the dispensary is necessary because “when a child is sick the whole family is sick.”
Among David’s patients is 6-month-old Zya Mao, who suffers from epilepsy. Her father, Jhoson Mao, believes cannabis oils are a better alternative to prescriptions and his daughter’s doctor is not advising against it.
“We noticed… she feels present, her eye is not as wobbly as it used to be,” Mao said in the report.
Sherry Poe, the mother of 8-year-old Zoe who suffers from ADHD ADD extreme, said her daughter “started getting ticks” and “crying all the time” while on prescription drugs, and at one point told her mother “she didn’t want to live anymore.” Zoe has been using cannabis oil for a year and a half.
“She sleeps. She’s gained weight,” Poe said. “She’s happy; she smiles; she laughs.”
“If it doesn’t work, throw it away,” David said for parents considering using cannabis oil treatments for their children. But for many patients, he said, “it changes your life like it changes my son’s life.”
West Virginia lawmakers have clarified language in a bill adding substances to the drug schedule that would allow the sale, distribution, and prescription of hemp-derived CBD oils, according to a Herald-Dispatchreport. The amendment differentiates between CBD products derived from hemp and CBD derived from cannabis plants containing more than the .3 percent THC allowable under federal law.
The changes by the Senate Judiciary Committee were made after the Director of the West Virginia Hemp Industries Association Morgan Leach said the original version would cause confusion regarding CBD classifications.
Leach indicated that making the “cash crop” available will help the state become “a catalyst for entrepreneurship and innovation.”
“This revision protects West Virginia hemp farmers’ ability to cultivate and process hemp for CBD. This is one of our biggest revenue streams that will help make our farmers more money as they begin to develop this crop in West Virginia,” Leach said in the report. “Our goals are to (build) industries around food products, dietary supplements, cosmetics and topicals, paper, textiles, bio-plastics, advanced battery technologies and much more.”
Democratic state Sen. Bob Beach, whose wife teaches an industrial hemp course at Pierpont Community and Technical College, said lawmakers are still undergoing an “education process” with regard to hemp.
“Any time you can clarify sections of code, it’s a positive step in the right direction with any piece of legislation,” Beach said. “In this particular case, it’s definitely a step in the right direction.”
The measure has been sent to the Senate with a “do-pass” recommendation.
Police in Auckland, New Zealand have confiscated the medical cannabis supply of a 25-year-old tetraplegic that his family had hoped would have lasted him through the rest of the year, the New Zealand Heraldreports. Ben Clifford, who has been a tetraplegic since 2015 after breaking his neck diving into a swimming pool, uses cannabis to help control his spasms and muscle pain.
“It can mean the difference for me not being able to drive my powerchair, to being able to drive it,” he said in the report.
Shortly after the police left, his Accident Compensation Corporation-funded Life Plus caregiver – which he requires around the clock – was pulled from the home. Clifford said the ACC, Life Plus, and all of his caregivers knew about his cannabis use.
Kellie Atchison, Clifford’s mother, was told the caregiver was pulled due to “health and safety reasons.”
Hans Wouters, chief executive of the New Zealand Spinal Trust, said caregivers are usually only pulled in “extreme” cases where there is an “extreme danger, like weapons or anything where the carer is in danger.”
“It is extremely unusual in New Zealand,” he said.
Life Plus General Manager Michelle Batchelor declined to comment to the Herald because, “it is part of an ongoing police investigation.”
New Zealand does have a limited medical cannabis program, although it is not clear whether Clifford was authorized under the laws. No one was arrested at the home, which Atchison shares with Clifford and his six-year-old daughter Alizay.
WASHINGTON, DC – Attorney General Jeff Sessions says he isn’t a “bad person” after he was discovered smoking pot at the Lincoln Memorial late Friday evening, but claims he had a conversation with the 16th President that was “mind-blowing.”
Sessions admitted that it was the first time he had consumed marijuana, adding that he “felt great” but was “hungry as a opossum during a Mobile summer.”
“Look, I know I’ve said some things, made some comments, that I now regret,” Sessions told reporters at the Justice Department. “President Lincoln, well, he sat with me on those stone steps, took a toke – I think that’s what it’s called – and helped me realize that it’s time to reconsider the status of cannabis in this country.”
While the White House admits it’s “unnerving” that Sessions believes he actually spoke to Honest Abe, Press Secretary Sean Spicer said it was about time Sessions “chilled out.”
“Jeff, he’s a guy with a lot of experience – he’s a grandpa and a baby simultaneously which, I know, is very tough to have no idea what is going on at all. It’s all still very strange and we are still trying to work through some of these issues that are killing the buzz of the entire White House staff and advisers and those that work in the highest levels of government,” Spicer said, adding that “it’s not like it’s illegal for an adult to possess marijuana” in the district.
Officer Reggie Walter, the Capitol Police officer who found the Attorney General, said he was “relieved” Sessions had a change of heart. “I was worried that I would actually have to start arresting people for weed again,” Walters said following Sessions’ press conference.
President Trump® chimed in with one of his trademarked Tweet-decrees:
When pressed about where he obtained his stash Sessions replied, “Not the National Institutes of Health, that’s for sure.”
Lawmakers in Delaware claim they have the votes to pass legislation that would set up a regulated and taxed cannabis industry in the state; however they are faced with opposition from the Delaware Police Chiefs’ Council and Democratic Gov. John Carney, the News Journalreports.
State Rep. Helene Keeley and state Sen. Margaret Rose Henry, both Democrats, estimated that a legal and regulated cannabis market could generate $22 million in tax revenues for the state during its first year.
“As the only state in a seven-hour drive to have legalized marijuana, we would become a destination that would attract out-of-state sales, which would have a benefit to our Delaware businesses,” Keeley said in the report.
Although the state faces a $386 million budget deficit, Henry said legalizing cannabis is “a social justice issue” rather than budgetary, indicating that the measure works to that end by legalizing “something that people always have done and are doing.”
Jeffrey Horvath, executive director for the Delaware Police Chief’s Council, said the only positive thing he could say about the measure is that “it generates revenue.”
“Unfortunately, there’s a lot of negatives that also come with it, and we’re against the bill,” he said, adding that law enforcement officials in Colorado have told him “the black market is stronger” than before legalization and “teen marijuana use also has increased.”
According to the Governor’s Office, Carney would prefer that the state get its 6-year-old medical cannabis program fully functional and have more time to study legalization in other states before Delaware makes any more reforms.
A hemp cultivation permit is easy to come by in Vermont – for an annual fee of $25, anybody can register with the state to grow the crop so long as they verify that the plants fall below the 0.3 percent THC federal government threshold defining the plant as “hemp.”
These loose restrictions, codified in 2013, have led to a cottage hemp industry in the Green Mountain State – one that advocates say lays the groundwork for a more robust industry while allowing smaller operators to stake their claim in a still nascent market.
Concerned over potential federal interference in the 2018 farm bill which will either “blow [the hemp industry] wide open…or completely destroy it,” Joel Bedard, CEO and Founder of The VT Hemp Co., thinks this year’s grow is integral to the success of hemp cultivators in the state. The VT Hemp Company, which holds a hemp research permit from the DEA, works to link cultivators with processors, and ultimately get hemp-derived products to consumers.
“I recognize that [the hemp industry] is entirely white space – complete rebuild of an economic opportunity – but I also recognize that hemp is an international commodity crop,” Bedard said in a phone interview. “So it’s not like we can just make up new rules – it’s more like we have to take existing rules and translate them into a contemporary opportunity.”
Bedard and his team are hoping their partnerships solve two key issues for would-be hemp farmers: securing both seed and processing equipment. Vermont, Bedard explains, is not compliant under Section 7606 of the 2014 Federal Farm Bill. “That is to say that the state didn’t take on the role of vetting individual applicants and the state is not dealing with the DEA,” he said, adding that most people growing hemp in the state are in violation of federal, but not state, laws.
This violation makes it impossible to export hemp crops (legally) over state lines and makes even in-state sales risky, which has forced some permit-holders to cultivate primarily for research; albeit there are operators in the state hoping to cash in on the “gold rush” that is hemp-derived CBD, Bedard said.
Bedard’s permit from the DEA is as such that he can extend his license to others, putting them in compliance with federal rules and 12 farmers – in Vermont, New York, and Colorado – used that option last year, working with Bedard to produce textiles, hemp seed, and “any cannabinoids that we extract.”
Rye Matthews, 26, an ecological designer, partnered with Bedard to grow a half-acre test plot last summer which yielded about 300 pounds of seed but, lacking the necessary equipment, he didn’t process the straw. Matthews has since purchased 15 acres of land outside of Burlington and plans to use the seed derived from the test grow for a larger plot this summer rather than sell it off or process it for food or oil.
“We could have done a number of things, but it’s more important to build up our seed supply for the next year,” he said. “We haven’t made any money off of this but the couple years that we’ve been working at this we’re finally at a point where we can make this a real business.”
Matthews, who majored in environmental science at the University of Vermont and currently works in the sustainable building materials sector, indicated that he eventually hopes to help popularize hempcrete in the state but right now the cost to import the hemp is “prohibitive.”
Monica Donovan, publisher of Heady Vermont who grew her own research plot for CBD extraction last summer, said she has seen a “rapid growth of the CBD and hemp industry” in the state in the absence of either “a great medical system” or adult-use legalization. She said the number of CBD products available for sale in the state has “exploded” over the last year due, in part, to the proliferation of small hemp farms no larger than 10 acres.
“I think you’ll see that [CBD] is what most people are getting really into,” she said. “There’s definitely some fiber hemp going on – some oil seed – but I think the area of rapid growing interest is definitely CBD.”
Another factor Vermont cultivators need to consider is the sheer amount of space one would need to grow a viable, lucrative, fiber hemp crop. “You’d need hundreds of acres to even begin to compete with Kentucky,” Donovan said.
Heather Darby, professor of agronomy at UVM, said she “had to fight” to launch an industrial hemp research program at the university due to concerns that the school would lose its federal funding. The year-old research project, for which the university holds a DEA license that allows them to import seed, aims to evaluate the end-uses, planting and maturity dates, and cultivation methods of different hemp varieties grown worldwide. This year the research program’s scope will be expanded to include organic fertility management for hemp crops, she said, hopeful that ultimately they would discover the best variety for the state, already armed with information on controlling pests, mold, and yields. “I want agriculture to thrive in Vermont and I saw this as an opportunity for some farmers to be able to produce a value-added crop,” she said.
Darby explained that the UVM program has partnered with hemp seed companies in an effort to set up a certification program to help make more seed available to farmers and ensure they are planting federally legal crops. She said that there are “a few farmers” in the state growing between 10 and 30 acres of hemp for seed and grain; and, while many more “seem interested,” the “seed barrier is keeping the industry from expanding.”
“If we can do this [certification program] in Vermont they would have access to seed,” Darby explained. “Then you are able to start an industry…Some of the people are buying seed from God-knows-where doesn’t even fit into our growing climate and they’re paying a lot of money – and it’s dangerous – you don’t know if it’s federally legal.”
Much like the rest of the nation, the success, or failure, of Vermont’s hemp industry is dependent on action – or inaction – by the federal government. However, researchers and entrepreneurs are hopeful that this is just the beginning of a cooperative industry that will ultimately benefit the state’s farmers.
“Everything I can grow right now has already been sold,” Bedard said.
A West Virginia bill to legalize medical cannabis passed the Senate and has been fast-tracked through a first reading in the House of Delegates, the Herald-Dispatchreports. The measure passed the Senate 28-6 on Wednesday – on Thursday, Republican Del. Michael Folk motioned to skip sending the bill to House committees for consideration which supporters said would have been a death sentence for the measure this late in the session.
Folk’s motion passed the House 54-40, allowing it to move to a second reading and making it eligible for amendments today.
Opponents against the motion argued that moving the bill forward without a committee hearing was reckless and would prevent the medical cannabis framework from being implemented in a responsible manner, if approved. Delegates indicated that they had been inundated with constituent calls about the bill.
“Like every member of this body, I can’t count the number of emails and phone calls I received on this subject today,” Del. Mike Pushkin, a Democrat, said in the report.
The measure, based on Maryland’s medical cannabis law, would allow patients with approved conditions to access medical cannabis in the state, and allow them to grow up to two plants in their homes. The measure would set up a Medical Marijuana Commission, which would need to file its first report – before the program could be rolled out – in September 2018.
South Africa’s Western Cape Town High Court has ruled that it is unconstitutional to prohibit cannabis use by adults in private homes, paving the way for reforms that will allow adults to privately cultivate, possess, and use cannabis, according to a News24report.
In the decision, Judge Dennis Davis also directed Parliament to change sections of the Drug Trafficking and Medicines Control acts within 24 months.
The suit was filed by Dagga Party leader Jeremy Acton and Rastafarian Garreth Prince, who argued that some of the sections of the Drug Trafficking and Medicines Control acts are discriminatory, outdated, or unfair, and applied disproportionately to black individuals. The duo has been obtaining stays of prosecution for people arrested for possession pending the outcome of their case.
Prince previously petitioned the Constitutional Court to decriminalize cannabis for religious purposes, however his plea was denied in that case. He was first arrested for possession in 1989 while studying law at the University of the Western Cape. After graduating he applied to the Cape Bar to be admitted to practice law and was denied due to the previous cannabis conviction. He was arrested again in 2012 for growing cannabis in his garden.
According to News24, the judgment does legalize sales.
At least two of Canada’s largest television broadcasters have denied ad buys by the Cannabis and Hemp Expo set to be held in Calgary, Ontario in May, CTV News Calgaryreports. The rejections from Bell Media, which owns CTV, and Rogers Communications are due to laws that outlaw cannabis advertising in Canada; the logo for the expo also contains a hemp leaf and the word “cannabis.”
“CTV attempted to work with the client to ensure their creative conformed with statutes pertaining to promoting directly or indirectly the sale or disposal of a drug…however the client chose not to move forward with the campaign,” Bell Media said in a statement.
Terra Connors, a representative for Canwest Production, who puts on the event, said there won’t be any actual cannabis at the expo but it counts licensed producers, dispensaries, and headshops among the exhibitors.
“We understand to a point. I mean, nobody wants to portray illegal activity or anything but that’s not the case,” Connors said in the report. “We’re a legitimate business, promoting a legitimate trade show and we are not doing anything illegal.”
Broadcasters who break the cannabis advertising laws could be hit with fines between $250,000 and $5 million.
Richard Cranor is the creator and director of ‘Star Leaf,’ the sci-fi horror/comedy about an alien strain of super-potent cannabis and the group of enthusiasts who seek it out deep in the Olympic Mountains; the film pursues and explores the deeply personal connections that many people discover when using cannabis.
Richard recently launched Star Leaf brand cannabis products in Washington’s I-502 marketplace as part of his continued dedication to “the Star Leaf universe.” In this written interview, we ask Richard about his inspirations for the film, his experiences learning to navigate the 502 marketplace, and how his career as an artist has influenced the decisions he faces while expanding a cannabis-centric enterprise.
Could you talk about your inspiration for creating Star Leaf, the film?
I had a brother return from Iraq with a pretty bad case of PTSD. I also had stage 3 testicular cancer in 2010. Both experiences made me realize how important it is to have alternatives to what the status quo considers to be “healthcare”. Nature provides a lot of opportunities for healing, but I truly believe there are forces in our society more concerned with profit than our well being, and that ultimately undermines a lot of opportunities to find real health and prosperity within our culture. I kept coming across accounts of how Cannabis and certain psychedelics really helped people overcome serious trauma, both physical and mental. To me, plants act as chemical gateways that alter our conditioned neural pathways so we can suspend our five sense programming long enough for deeper insights to emerge from our collective unconscious, something we all share and is a source of great healing. So it’s really important to have free access to the plant kingdom without those in our society with less than altruistic motives mucking up the process. So Star Leaf is about helping people see what cannabis really does offer, besides the usual stoner tropes often associated exclusively with it.
When did you decide there would be an accompanying brand of cannabis products for the film?
I had to have actual weed in the film, since fake cannabis plants range about $400.00 each. With our low budget, that was out of the question. I had also always thought it would be great to have a film that raises consciousness about alternative health treatments and PTSD, but then also have a real life product that can actually physically help with those issues! So it was a win-win in my opinion to always push to have a film about cannabis and actual cannabis to go with it, hoping to achieve a synergistic purpose and effect. A lot of great films out there do a lot of good to inspire people, but if ours could have an actual “tool” to “explore the universe” as we say, alongside watching the film’s philosophical themes play out, man…how can you go wrong?
How have Washington’s I-502 regulations complicated your business plan?
We actually had a strain going for a while before I-502 came out, with the help of a local medical grower. People loved it. But as soon as the I-502 legislation came into effect, we had to shut down that arrangement. Luckily for us we’ve found a great partner with Phoenix Cannabis that is producing some really quality stuff. But it took a lot of education and wrangling on our part to find the right business solution that benefits all partners. It’s working, so that’s a good thing.
What was your vetting process like when choosing the right grower to partner with to create the Star Leaf strains?
People in the medical side of cannabis, former patients who’d gone to dispensaries for years, they became big supporters of Star Leaf. We really didn’t want to let them down when we were required to comply with I-502 laws and regulations which focus mostly on the needs of the recreational market. We chose Phoenix Cannabis for several reasons. One they use organic farming methods to produce some great cannabis and we feel that lives up to the Star Leaf ethos. Two, they have been cultivating at a commercial scale since I-502 legalized production and are very focused on quality and consistency of their product, the hallmarks of branded products. Phoenix also is committed to their standards no matter how the market fluctuates. We like that. There’s a lot of juggling to do with the changing landscape of legalization and the supply and demands of a recreational market, but we have found Phoenix Cannabis to be a very solid, trustworthy partner.
Where do you see the Star Leaf brand in five years? Is there perhaps a sequel to the film — or plans for new products — in the works?
On the cannabis front, we’re still actively moving forward with a strain high in CBD medicinal strain specifically for help with PTSD. We feel that is an important offering aligned with the themes of the movie. Assuming the flower products continue to enjoy great success, it also would be natural to expand into edibles and concentrates. We also have a rather unorthodox product in the works, but that’s for another time. We offer Star Leaf paraphernalia, DVDs, apparel, and other items for sale as well. We also hope that by this time next year, Star Leaf will have landed in other states too.
A sequel is definitely in the works. We are currently shooting a small web series that promotes our current cannabis line, and stores, budtenders, and fans of Star Leaf in general will be a part of it. It’s a very unique opportunity within the cannabis world right now, and as far as we know, we’re the only ones doing it. We don’t want to be that corporate “brand” whose headquarters is a 5000 miles away, out of touch with what’s really going on with their customers and community. It’s much more fun to be intimate and personal, sharing the Star Leaf culture with everyone and having everyone interact and add to it in some way. We’re lucky in the sense that our “brand” isn’t just about a look or sense of “status”, but is more about vision and shared ideals for a better world through scifi cannabis movies and products, which believe it or not, I think are working. Many of the modern world’s greatest innovations were influenced by scifi movies and authors (Star Trek,anyone), and we’re happy to leading the way with Star Leaf in the cannabis space.
Wow, were you concerned about filming with live plants in Washington state, where personal grows remain illegal even though possession and consumption are allowed? Also, were these plants grown specifically for the movie and, we have to ask, what eventually happened to the plants that appear in the film?
I knew I needed real plants not just for authenticity’s sake but also for the plain fact that if the movie failed, at least we could sell the weed, right? Actually just kidding… we were given 30 plants from Ohana Farms out of Bainbridge Island, WA to be specifically planted and grown for a medical co-op community garden. This was back before i502 came into effect when you could grow up the 45 plants for medical patients. This “Garden of Weeden” as we say in the film served two purposes then, to both serve as medicine for patients and my film set for the film. We selected several key strains though that could eventually form the genetics of an eventual Star Leaf strain which I had always wanted to create in real life, and made sure the patients were ok with those choices. The plants worked great for filming purposes, but we were forced to plant late in the season (July) and outdoors which in Washington state is very risky due to how wet things get out here. I unfortunately had to go to China for a business trip and leave my plants unattended for a week and when I got back, a mold infestation had destroyed most of the plants. We also lost one plant to a slug earlier on. So none of the plants ever made it into anyone’s bong unfortunately.
How many people who worked on the film have been involved in the new cannabis line, and how many people currently work for Star Leaf Enterprises?
Star Leaf Enterprises is not actually a cannabis grow operation. The company markets a variety of products and merchandise that are related to the movie and its themes. Importantly to us, we have now added cannabis to that product line. Administratively, we essentially license the Star Leaf brand to cannabis grow operations who are 1) committed to product quality and consistency, and 2) aligned with our message of consciousness exploration and alternative health and healing. Currently, we have a small team of entrepreneurs navigating the business opportunities and engage outside consultants as needed for legal, accounting, marketing, agricultural, and other business concerns.
What’s the toughest obstacle you’ve had to overcome in your journey with Star Leaf, so far? And what’s been the most rewarding?
First off, anytime you tell someone you’re going to make a serious alien weed movie that’s going to bring awareness to issues like PTSD – as well as expose an ET conspiracy to control humanity by using trauma as a backdoor into human minds, you’re going to be greeted with a fair amount of skepticism. That’s fine, because I love to surprise people with the unexpected.
Second, the hardest thing is the film business itself is pretty much bankrupt for independent filmmakers. Bootleggers make it impossible to get a decent ROI off your film. Unless you’ve got Alist talent and huge marketing budgets, making a profitable independent film is extremely difficult. But my goal was never really about making a one-off film, I wanted to create a world and culture where a lot of different and important things, some of which are very underrated in their importance to the public, come together to serve and help everyone taking part in the culture. The movie (and coming sequels) are there to frame the issues and worldviews we all share and want answers to in our real life and the cannabis products are there to help ground the philosophical models in a body reality.
Somehow I managed to convince a lot of very sane people to try and make a very insane idea reality real and it’s actually working better than anybody ever thought. So that is both the most challenging thing and most rewarding thing at the same time, to see this dream actually coming true. I would say the most rewarding thing is when anyone whose experienced PTSD or some kind of trauma say the film has helped them. That means a lot, because it means me and my partners have succeeded in a way the bottom line can’t accurately measure, yet it still leaves us all with a sense of worth and wealth and a job well done. One thing I find really rewarding personally is we’ve just added a high CBD strain to our line of products, which is a huge win for me. We don’t want to leave the medical people behind who supported us so much in our early days, and were going to continue to try and bring more medical products to a recreational dominated market as much as we can while living in today’s business reality.
Do you see Star Leaf expanding or franchising into cannabis markets outside of Washington state?
We’re very excited to bring the Star Leaf experience to as many consumers as we can. Expanding the brand to additional states is an obvious next step. We have recently begun the process of identifying and vetting growers and/or processors in other pro-cannabis states who are interested in joining the Star Leaf universe via a licensing arrangement.
With so many artists who are undoubtedly interested in the cannabis space, could you share some advice for how to apply your artistic passion to this unique industry?
You can’t think about it from a money point of view, at least at first. You need to be conscious of business realities, but if you are just trying to “take” money from others, you’re not going to be plugging into your greatest potential. My brother’s PTSD from Iraq and my own journey with cancer and a kundalini awakening forced me to wake up to the realities of a bigger world, and how I might try and contribute to making it better. That belief in conviction is what will get your through the dark moments where your dream fades and you think it’s going to fail, and its the only thing that will inspire others to give their 120% as well. It’s also something that your customers will innately sense about you and they’ll trust you because of it. You can’t think of your ‘product’ as something that is bought and sold, but something that gives value to people’s lives, and I don’t mean monetary value. If you’re an artist, your job is to act as a shaman really for our modern western culture, which doesn’t have true medicine men and women anymore. Even if you’re just selling a pipe with really cool carb technology in it, be sure to make your product and business model give service and inspiration to the community it sells to beyond just whatever cool features the product may have innately.
I feel nowadays people want to invest in “brands” that represent their values. So make sure your values and your business plans are always congruent. And honestly, the more raw passion and emotion you feel, the more you need to channel it and not be afraid of what people tell you is right or wrong, smart or stupid. You just need to go for it – and find like-minded friends and partners willing to invest in your vision. If you’re not an egomaniac and your idea is actually pretty good, chances are your friends/partners will help you define your vision more clearly and find the flaws in it to make it better and compete in a real business reality.
I’ve definitely made some mistakes along the way, but I’m proud of the fact that I found a way to combine my artistic talents with an altruistic motivation that eventually led me to find the right partners to create a business model that is working and expanding at a miraculous rate. But that never would’ve happened if I didn’t believe in the value of the art itself and it’s bigger mission. So if you’re thinking about the cannabis space, be sure your values are aligned with those traditionally held by the cannabis community, and don’t just think you can make a fast buck selling weed.
Thanks for taking the time to answer our questions today, Richard! To learn more about the film Star Leaf, visit www.starleafmovie.com. To find and purchase Star Leaf brand cannabis, you visit Clear Choice Cannabis in Tacoma, Washington.
In a key development, Rep. Carlos Curbelo (R-FL), Republican member of House Ways and Means Committee, joins Rep. Earl Blumenauer as lead sponsor of critical 280E tax reform bill
WASHINGTON, DC – Today, a bipartisan group of U.S. senators and representatives introduced seven measures to advance more sensible cannabis policy at the federal level. The bills covered a broad range of issues related to resolving the tension between state and federal cannabis laws.
“The flurry of bills on the Hill today are a reflection of the growing support for cannabis policy reform nationally,” said National Cannabis Industry Association (NCIA) executive director Aaron Smith. “State-legal cannabis businesses have added tens of thousands of jobs, supplanted criminal markets, and generated tens of millions in new tax revenue. States are clearly realizing the benefits of regulating marijuana and we are glad to see a growing number of federal policy makers are taking notice.”
The Small Business Tax Equity Act of 2017, introduced in the House by Rep. Carlos Curbelo (R-FL) and Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) and in the Senate by Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR), Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY), and Sen. Michael Bennet (D-CO), would allow state-legal cannabis businesses to take normal business deductions like any other legal business. Currently, the law prohibits cannabis businesses from deducting expenses related to sales.
“Cannabis businesses aren’t asking for tax breaks or special treatment,” said Smith. “They are just asking to be taxed like any other legitimate business. NCIA and its members appreciate this strong support for a fair approach, and we’re especially proud to newly gain that support from Rep. Curbelo.”
The Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol Act, introduced in the House by Rep. Jared Polis (D-CO), would regulate marijuana like alcohol by inserting marijuana into the section of the U.S. Code that regulates “intoxicating liquors.” It would give oversight authority to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and would establish a permitting system to cover the cost of that oversight.
The Responsibly Addressing the Marijuana Policy Gap (RAMP) Act, introduced by Sen. Wyden and Rep. Blumenauer in their respective chambers, covers a broad range of issues at the federal level, including banking and tax fairness for businesses, civil forfeiture, and drug testing for federal employees. The two Oregon officials see the provisions in this bill, collectively, along with the other two bills introduced today, as the “Path to Marijuana Reform.”
The Marijuana Revenue and Regulation Act, introduced by Sen. Wyden and Rep. Blumenauer, contains the provisions included in the Marijuana Tax Revenue Act and the Regulating Marijuana Like Alcohol Act.
Note: This press release was distributed on behalf of the National Cannabis Industry Association; Ganjapreneur is proud to be a sponsoring member of the NCIA.
Meet the people who are building a cannabis industry based on compassionate care, responsible education, and cutting-edge innovation – WeAreTheCannabisIndustry.com
The General Social Survey – a nationwide biannual poll considered the gold standard for public opinion research – found that public support for legalizing cannabis reached 57 percent in 2016, up from 52 percent support in 2014, according to a Washington Postreport outlining the data.
Legalization was most popular among respondents aged 18-34 (66 percent), while the majority of respondents aged 45-49 (59 percent) and 50-64 (56 percent) also backed legalizing cannabis. Just 42 percent of respondents aged 65-and-older supported sweeping reforms. However, among all age groups, support has spiked since 2008 when just 20 percent of 18-34 year olds and 21 percent of seniors supported full legalization.
The survey found 64 percent of Democrats supported legalization, along with 61 percent of Independents and those registered to another party. Just 40 percent of Republicans were for legalizing cannabis, up just 1 percent from 2016 – however that’s progress from the 2000 survey, in which just 26 percent of Republicans, and only 29 percent of Democrats – supported legalization.
A 2015 Gallup poll showed similar results. That survey found 58 percent of Americans believed cannabis should be legalized – representing the highest support numbers for legalization in Gallup’s history.
Lawmakers in Argentina have passed a bill legalizing the use of cannabis oils and other derivatives for medicinal purposes, according to a report from the Associated Press. The regulations allow government agencies to cultivate cannabis for medicine production and for research purposes.
The research program set up by the Health Ministry must guarantee free patient access to the program, which requires a prescription, the report says.
According to an AFPreport, many patients had demanded the ability to grow their own plants; however that provision was left out of the final version of the bill – which passed 58-0.
Maria Laura Alasi, whose 4-year-old daughter suffers from a form of epilepsy called West syndrome, said she has faith the senators “will find a way around” the home-grow ban, noting that “a lot of mothers are already growing their own.”
Alasi applauded the unanimous vote by the Senate. “This is a dream fulfilled, an immense happiness because it will bring solace to patients,” she said in the AFP report.
The move by Argentina is the latest in Latin America – where Uruguay became the first nation in the world to fully legalize production, sale, and consumption of cannabis in 2013. Mexico, Chile, and Columbia have also passed legislation legalizing cultivation and use of cannabis for medical and research purposes.
It’s been said time and again that an online presence is mandatory for finding success in the modern business world. But for cannabis companies — who are often bound by law from using the usual strategies to advertise or drive traffic — their online material is sometimes the only marketing options available.
Enter Name.com, a global provider of domain names, web hosting, and email services.
Based out of Denver, Colorado, the Name.com team has been a firsthand witness to the effects and positive changes of cannabis legalization. Resultingly, the company is determined to helping entrepreneurs in the nascent cannabis industry find their online footing.
According to Allison Chowdhury, representative for Name.com, “We’ve had front row seats for seeing exactly how the marijuana boom in Denver has affected jobs, the economy, and all the good things that its done for the state — because there’s a lot of revenue that’s bolstering the job market and going to public schools.”
“While we’ve always been small-business friendly, it’s time for people to recognize that the marijuana industry is booming. It is powerful, and they need online representation just as much as anyone else,” said Chowdhury. “Name.com is here to help them along the way.”
While it’s generally understood that a company’s website is important, many startup business owners forget that a good website first needs a good domain name. Of course, new business owners should try to reserve their desired .com domain early on — but if the .com address for your preferred brand or concept has already been taken, you may have to get creative with one of the new alternate domain extensions. And while most people are familiar with .net and .org extensions, cannabis entrepreneurs have a wide variety of alternate extensions that could be tempting, including .co, .club, .buzz, .forsale, .shop, and even .farm — all of which are easily purchasable on the Name.com platform.
Name.com brings a fun, savvy, and quirky attitude to the business of everything websites. Perhaps best represented by the team’s official mascot — the Bearglecorn (part bear, part eagle, part unicorn), pictured right — the company prides itself on adaptability to whatever the wants or needs of a business owner may be.
When asked whether the company ever hesitated before helping a cannabis company get online, Jared Ewy — official Community Evangelist for Name.com — said, “It was never a question. It was like, ‘Okay, these are people who are doing business legally in the state and they want to get online? We are here for them.'”
“There wasn’t even a conversation,” Ewy said.
So whether you need to find and reserve your ideal domain name, customize your professional email settings, switch hosting services for an existing website, or you just want to swing by customer service for a friendly chat, Name.com can help.
Visit Name.com today to begin your path towards Internet triumph!
Researchers at the Canadian University of British Columbia have identified the part of the cannabis genome responsible for giving strains their unique flavors, uncovering about 30 terpene synthase genes that play a role in producing natural products like limonene, myrcene, and pinene in the plants. The number is similar to those genes that play a role in the grapevine flavor for the wine industry.
Jörg Bohlmann, a professor in the Michael Smith Laboratories and faculty of forestry at UBC, explained that the goal of the study is “to develop well-defined and highly-reproducible” varieties, and compared the cannabis and wine markets – both depend on “defined varities.”
“Our genomics work can inform breeders of commercial varieties which genes to pay attention to for specific flavor qualities,” he said in a statement. “There is a need for high-quality and consistent products made from well-defined varieties.”
Judith Booth, a graduate student working on the research, described the limonene compound as producing a “lemon-like flavor” while mycrene “produces the dank earthy flavor characteristic of purple kush.”
Additionally, the research uncovered a gene that produces beta-caryophyllene – the signature terpene of cannabis – that interacts with cannabinoid receptors in human cells with other active cannabis ingredients.
