Minnesota Medical Solutions Employees Ratify New Union Contract

1/17/2017

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Minnesota Medical Solutions employees, represented by the United Food and Commercial Workers Union Local 1189, have ratified a new three-year union contract which includes a wage increase and an agreement that the employer will cover the recent increase in health insurance costs. Minnesota Medical Solutions is owned by Vireo Health.

Jennifer Christensen, Local 1189 president, called the deal “a fair settlement” that ensures the company’s ability to “recruit and retain exceptional workers.”

“What is really important is the employer’s commitment to full-time living wage union jobs.  Part-time jobs do exist but as business expands and hours become available those jobs are transformed into full-time,” she said in a press release announcing the deal. “Minnesota Medical Solutions is leading the way nationally, and it shows in the quality of products and services that our members provide for the people of Minnesota.”

In addition to the wage increase and healthcare coverage, the agreement includes additional pay for new lead positions, training premiums, progression increases, paid time off, mileage and travel time reimbursements, and holiday pay increases.

Vireo Health of New York employees ratified their own union contract – the first in the state – with the Local 338 of the Retail, Wholesale, and Department Store Union, UFCW in November.

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Brazil Healthcare Regulator Signs Off on Sativex Sales

1/17/2017

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Brazilian healthcare regulator ANVISA has issued the nation’s first license for the sale of a cannabis-based drug as São Paulo-based Beaufour Ipsen Farmacêutica Ltda has been given the green light to distribute the oral spray Sativex, according to a Reuters report.

The product, used to treat multiple sclerosis, is developed by British pharmaceutical firm GW Pharmaceuticals PLC ad will be sold under the brand name Mevatyl in the South American country. The drug is already available in 28 other countries.

Following several court cases by patients attempting to receive medical cannabis treatment in Brazil, ANVISA has relaxed their rules over the last two years, allowing some patients to personally import cannabis-derived drugs. ANVISA has allowed case-by-case importation of Medical Marijuana, Inc.’s Real Scientific Hemp Oil product for treating cancer and Parkinson’s disease. The cost of the RSHO is subsidized under the federal government healthcare system. In 2015 the Brazilian National Health Surveillance Agency reclassified CBD as “controlled” rather than illegal, authorizing its use as a treatment for severe seizures.

The nation decriminalized growing and possessing cannabis more than 10 years ago, but buying and selling cannabis remains illegal. In 2013, Uruguay, which borders Brazil, legalized the cultivation, distribution and consumption of cannabis, which is sold in pharmacies.

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Lawmakers Likely to Delay MMJ Implementation in North Dakota

1/17/2017

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North Dakota lawmakers are considering delaying the rollout of the state’s voter-backed medical cannabis initiative, with legislators from both sides of the aisle saying implementing the new regime takes time, according to a KFYR-TV report. If passed, parts of the medical cannabis law would not take effect until July 31.

“We want to do it right. We want to make sure that the potency is right, that the proper people can distribute, the proper people can grow, that people have access to it, and all those things take time,” Senate Minority Leader Joan Heckaman, a Democrat, said in the report.

Republican Senate Majority Leader Rich Wardner said lawmakers will “make sure” that patients get access to medical cannabis in accordance with the will of the voters, but officials need to ensure they get it “in a safe form.”

The state Department of Health is responsible for monitoring product potency and licensing growers and distributors. A bill finalizing some of those rules is expected in the coming weeks.

Sheri Paulson, one of the activists who worked on Measure 5, said she was skeptical of the move, but after testifying at a hearing dedicated to the issue, was convinced that delaying the bill will ensure the best version of the law is put forth.

“It’s not only good for the patients, but it’s also good for them, so it benefits everybody all around,” she said.

The Health Department estimates they will need at least $2.7 million over the next two years to implement the law.

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Report: North American Cannabis Industry Could Experience 33% Annual Growth through 2021

1/17/2017

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According to a Market Research Future report, the North American cannabis market could grow at a compound annual growth rate of 33 percent through 2021, with the U.S. industry representing 95 percent market share. The North American market includes the U.S., Canada, and Mexico.

“Rapid legalizing and growing awareness about the medicinal properties of marijuana to boost the market over the forecast period,” the analysts wrote in a press release. “Marketing activities for marijuana has been primarily challenged by the consumer perception and stringent federal policies.”

In the U.S. and Mexico cannabis remains illegal on a federal level. The same applies in Canada, however it is expected that the federal government will announce a plan to legalize adult-use nationwide in the spring.

According to the analysts, some of the major key players of the North American cannabis market include the Canadian Cannabis Corporation, Plandai Biotechnology., Tweed Marijuana Inc, Affinor Growers., Cannabis Sativa Inc, Cannavest, Canna Brands Inc, Omnicanna Health Solutions., Privateer Holdings, Inc, and Arena Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

According to an ArcView Group market research report, the U.S. market last year reached $6.7 billion, a growth of 30 percent.

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Emerald Conference Coming to San Diego Feb. 2-3

1/16/2017

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The third annual Emerald Conference, hosted by Emerald Scientific, is coming to San Diego in a few weeks.

This year’s event, which has been extended to two days and will be held February 2-3 at the Hyatt Regency Mission Bay Spa and Marina, will attract entrepreneurs from around the country and globe for two days of networking, education, and enthusiasm for cannabis science.

The Emerald Conference is one of the industry’s leading technical and scientific events, and will feature speakers such as former Ganjapreneur podcast guest Reggie Gaudino of Steep Hill, Chris Walsh of Marijuana Business Daily, and numerous other experts in scientific fields pertaining to cannabis.

Speakers and panel discussions will cover a wide variety of topics. Regarding the science of horticulture, attendees will learn about common pests and pathogens and how to deal with them, best practices for cannabis nurseries, how to manage microbial contamination in a commercial grow, and information regarding genetics/genomics in the selection and breeding processes of cannabis.

For entrepreneurs interested in the extraction and infusion fields, experts will address the best strategies for supercritical fluid processing and chemometrics in extraction. Additionally, cannabis testing lab operators can look forward to learning advanced techniques for recognizing and identifying pesticide residues, tips for terpene analysis, microbial testing best practices, and more.

The event is coordinated by Emerald Scientific, a renowned supplier of top-shelf reagents, supplies, equipment, and additional services dedicated to cannabis testing labs and other scientific endeavors in the cannabis industry.

An expansive exhibition floor will be open to conference ticket holders, offering myriad opportunities for networking and face-to-face encounters with the folks behind some of the industry’s leading scientific companies.

To purchase tickets for the Emerald Conference, see the tickets section of the event’s website.

Tickets normally cost $349 for the full event, but as a supporting partner for the event, we’re excited to announce that Ganjapreneur readers can get $50 off the regular price with the code GANJAP50, so don’t wait: purchase your tickets now to guarantee yourself a spot at this groundbreaking event.

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New York Gov. Urges Lawmakers to Decriminalize Cannabis Possession

1/16/2017

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New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo is calling for decriminalizing cannabis in his annual State of the State address, saying that “recreational users pose little to no threat to public safety” in the state, New York Upstate reports.

“The unnecessary arrest of these individuals can have devastating economic and social effects on their lives,” the Democratic governor’s office wrote in the 383-page book.

The proposal comes after voters in Massachusetts, a New York border state, legalized cannabis for adult-use during November’s general election.

According to the report, arresting and jailing low-level cannabis possession crimes cost the state $75 million in 2019; about 90 percent of those convicted had no felonies later.

New York does have a medical cannabis program; however, it is very tightly regulated – not permitting full-plant use and allowing just five licensed operators. Recently, the state Health Department did make changes in an effort to expand the program, including adding chronic pain to the qualifying conditions list, approving physician’s assistants and nurse practitioners to write medical cannabis recommendations for patients and lifting the number of brands sold by dispensaries.

Just because the governor is pushing for reforms does not mean the legislature will heed his call. A bill would need to be authored, introduced, and passed through both houses of the legislature before heading to Cuomo for his signature.

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Cannabis Industry Already Driving Industrial Lease Prices in Maine

1/16/2017

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The not-yet-legal cannabis industry is already driving up lease prices for industrial spaces that could be used for cultivation when the new laws take effect, according to a Portland Press Herald report. Lease prices in the Greater Portland area are already twice what they were six years ago, and local real estate brokers say that vacancy rates in the industrial sector are historically low.

“The economic opportunities for landlords are significant,” attorney Ted Kelleher of Drummond Woodsum said in the report. “Even though the process for the state granting licenses is a year away, people are already trying to secure properties.”

The medical cannabis industry has already helped to drive the low vacancy rates in the region, from 7.86 percent in 2011 to 3.38 percent in 2015. Maine cannabis growers are also more willing to pay higher rates for space – which have reached as much as $10 per square foot for the first time.

Greg Boulos of Portland’s CBRE | The Boulos Co. said the cannabis industry has “come out of the shadows,” explaining that cultivators are typically looking for properties that are 5,000 to 10,000 square feet and secluded from neighbors.

However, as the new law rolls out it’s likely that localities will choose to enact individual moratoriums and outright industry bans.

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Indiana Veteran Pushing Lawmakers for MMJ Access

1/16/2017

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A U.S. Marines Veteran is emerging as a leading advocate for medical cannabis access in Indiana as lawmakers continue to drag their feet on the issue, according to an Indy Star report. Jeff Staker, who served in Operation Desert Storm and Operation Desert Shield, said he founded Hoosier Veterans for Medical Cannabis because “politicians listen to veterans.”

Staker, 51, was a driving force behind the Indiana American Legion’s decision to send a resolution to the state legislature calling on them to “remove restrictions from marijuana and reclassify it in a category that, at a minimum, will recognize cannabis as a drug with potential medical value.”

For the last six years a medical cannabis bill has been filed in the state legislature and for the last six years not a single one of them has even made it to a committee hearing.

The resolution by the Indiana American Legion mirrors the move by the national American Legions, calling on Congress to remove cannabis from the federal schedule.

Despite state not permitting medical cannabis use, Staker admits that he uses the drug “for medical purposes.” He has been on painkilling pharmaceuticals for at least the last 10 years and said he was interested in using cannabis after he noticed he was building a tolerance to painkillers.

“I’m the butt of jokes,” Staker said. “You know, ‘All I need is a doobie and a big bag of Doritos.’”

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Massive Study Concludes Cannabis Has Legitimate Medicinal Value

1/13/2017

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In a sweeping study, The National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine have concluded that cannabis does have legitimate medicinal value, but more research is required to determine the potential health risks, according to an Ars Technica report outlining the details.

In their 400-page analysis, researchers determined that cannabis and cannabinoids were effective in treating chronic pain and for chemotherapy-related vomiting and nausea in cancer patients, but observed that much more research is needed in order to determine the efficacy of its use as it relates to other conditions.

Additionally, the authors concluded that cannabis use is not linked to cancers attributed to smoking, but that smoking could increase respiratory problems and smoking cannabis while pregnant might lead to lower birth rates. It was not clear whether there were any long-term effects for children exposed to cannabis.

The researchers also debunked the ‘gateway’ myth associated with cannabis use, but indicated that many cannabis smokers use tobacco products and said that people who use cannabis are prone to becoming substance dependent. The committee determined that cannabis use may increase the risk of developing schizophrenia, anxiety and depression.

The committee is hopeful that the report could help steer policy discussion and concluded that cannabis should not be a Schedule I substance.

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‘Cannabis Keurig’ Readying for April Launch

1/13/2017

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Massachusetts-based CannaKorp closed a $4.1 million Series A round of funding bringing it closer to launching its ‘cannabis Keurig’ – a single-use, pod-based vaporizer – in April, according to a BostInno report. The funding was led by cannabis investment firm Singularity Capital Management.

The company plans on first selling the CannacCloud through a network of dispensaries and processors in their home state, Rhode Island, Colorado, Washington, Oregon, and, eventually, Canada.

According to CEO and Co-Founder James Winkour, the system is expected to retail between $150 and $170. The pods are expected to run $6 to $10 depending on the strain. The products will be available at partnering dispensaries in legal U.S. states and would be available online for the Canadian market. The pods are made of recyclable aluminum in order to mitigate potential waste – a pressing sustainability concern of the traditional Keurig K-Cup.

Winker said people believe the device “helps normalize the industry” due to its design and that it would appeal to both current cannabis users who want a convenient and controlled way to consume, and those who are curious but uninterested in consuming it via traditional methods.

“We’re really focusing on ‘how do we educate the mainstream that cannabis has a beneficial effect?’” Winokur said in the report. “And that’s what we’re really after.”

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MedMen Acquires NY MMJ Licensee Bloomfield Industries

1/12/2017

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MedMen, a California-based cannabis consulting and management firm, is acquiring New York licensed producer Bloomfield Industries, according to a Politico report. Bloomfield is one of just five companies allowed to cultivate, process, and dispense medical cannabis under the state’s limited medical cannabis program.

MedMen, who has a $100 million venture capital arm, is partnered with Wicklow Capital – the primary investor for another of the state’s five licensees, PharmaCann.

According to the report, Bloomfield had been experiencing “financial constraints” for at least six months; forced to miss vendor payments and entertain offers from investors. The company will continue to operate as “Bloomfield Industries” for the remainder of its initial two-year agreement.

Medical cannabis license transfers are not allowed under the Compassionate Care Act; however changes in ownership are permitted subject to Department of Health approval. Bloomfield is licensed to operate in New York City and grows its crop in Long Island City. They were selected to operate a dispensary in Manhattan but were never able to get it up and running.

Licensed companies in the state have long maintained that there is not enough demand due to the program’s regulatory restraints. In August, PharmaCann estimated it would be at least another 18 months before New York operators saw profitability. At that time, Etain Health and Vireo Health indicated they were in the red and Bloomfield did not return requests for comment.

Ari Hoffnung, CEO for Vireo said that Bloomfield “is a reminder” that New York’s operators “are dealing with a micro-market for medical marijuana.”

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Guam Gov. Sends Adult-Use Bill to Legislature

1/12/2017

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Guam Gov. Eddie Calvo has sent a bill to the legislature that would legalize adult cannabis use in the U.S. territory, setting the age to consume the drug at 21, KUAM News reports.

In a letter to Speaker Benjamin J.F. Cruz, Calvo said the legislation is proposed “as a solution to the regulatory labyrinth” created by the voter-mandated medical marijuana program, adding that he does not “personally support recreational use of marijuana.”

“The program was well intended, seeking to provide for patients rather than leaving them in the dark or to the risks of the black market,” Calvo wrote. “While eliminating the black market is advantageous, the regulator nightmare that became the medicinal program would have replaced it with a gray market rife with corruption and cronyism.”

He explained that the new measure would not affect the current medical cannabis statutes and “the sin tax and age limit” applied under the recreational law would not apply to the medical market. The proposal includes a 15 percent tax that would be first used for the medical and recreational programs, including public health and education campaigns. The first $40 million raised annually would be directed to fund Guam Memorial Hospital operations.

The measure would allow adults 21 and older to grow up to six total cannabis plants providing that three or fewer are mature and it is not made for sale. Adults would be able to possess up to 1 ounce of flower and 8 grams of concentrates. Public consumption is now allowed and is punishable by a $100 fine. Those underage convicted of illegal possession would face a fine up to $500.

Sixty-eight percent of respondents in a KUAM News Twitter poll supported cannabis legalization on the island.

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Nevada State Athletic Commission to Consider Reforming Cannabis Policies

1/12/2017

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The Nevada State Athletic Commission will consider removing cannabis from its banned substances list during a meeting on Friday, according to an MMA News report, citing an agenda for the meeting posted on the NSAC website.

The item is listed under the “New Business” section of the document, indicating there will be “discussion… to amend Nevada Administrative Code…to include… the possible exclusion of cannabinoids from the list of Prohibited Substances and Methods pursuant to passage of Nevada Ballot Initiative Question 2.”

The agenda called for public comment regarding all of the proposals to be discussed at the meeting.

According to the MMA News report, the NSAC’s suspension guidelines order an 18-month suspension for first-time violations for non-performance enhancing substances. In 2013, the body raised its allowable limit of THC from 50 nanograms-per-milliliter to 150 ng/ml.

Ultimate Fighting Championship competitor Nick Diaz had a 5 year suspension for testing positive for cannabis reduced to 18 months last January. It was the third time he had tested positive for cannabinoids, according to a Fox Sports report.

Cannabinoids would remain outlawed by the World Anti-Doping Agency, who provide the drug testing guidelines to the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency, who administer the drug tests for the UFC. However, mixed martial arts fighters in smaller promotions would likely be protected if the NSAC adopts the rule change.

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Ariel University Offering Israel’s First MMJ Course

1/12/2017

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Israel’s Ariel University is offering the nation’s first academic course on medical cannabis, covering the plant’s medicinal history, active ingredients, clinical uses, legal status, and farming techniques, according to a Jewish Business News report. The course, designed for medical administration students, has enrolled 117 students.

Dr. Michael Dor, a senior lecturer at the university’s Faculty of Health Sciences, said that “dozens” of students were rejected do to the “very high” demand and “lack of space.”

Hebrew University of Jerusalem announced its Multidisciplinary Center on Cannabinoid Research at last year’s CannaTech conference. Hebrew University Professor Raphael Mechoulam is credited with first identifying THC.

Israel, the U.S., Canada, Italy, and Spain have a joint agreement to research cannabis. In Israel there are about 26,000 licensed medicinal cannabis patients in Israel and that figure is expected to double by next year.

Last month, an inter-ministerial committee of director generals comprised of the Ministries of Justice, Finance, Public Security, and Health proposed a plan to begin exporting medicinal cannabis. The committee said the industry would create thousands of agricultural jobs and be worth more than $2.6 billion annually.

Details of that proposal, which would need cabinet approval, are expected in the coming weeks.

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Sessions Vague on Cannabis Questions During First Day of Confirmation Hearings

1/11/2017

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U.S. Attorney General nominee Republican Sen. Jeff Sessions was evasive when asked about how he would approach legalized cannabis during the first round of his confirmation hearings yesterday, testifying that handling those cases “won’t be an easy decision.”

When pressed by Democratic Sen. Patrick Leahy of Vermont about whether he would “investigate and prosecute sick people” using cannabis legally, Sessions said he “won’t commit to never enforcing federal law.”

“The Department of Justice under [Attorney General Loretta] Lynch and [former Attorney General David] Holder set forth some policies that they thought were appropriate to define what cases should be prosecuted in states that have legalized, at least in some fashion, parts of marijuana,” he said, indicating he would try to execute the duties of the office in a “fair and just way.”

During a follow-up question from Republican Sen. Mike Lee of Utah about state’s rights, Session’s said that if cannabis prohibition was “not desired any longer” at the federal level Congress “should pass a law and change the rule.”

“It’s not so much the Attorney General’s job to decide what laws to enforce,” Sessions said. “We should do our job and enforce laws effectively as we are able.”

Aaron Smith, executive director of the National Cannabis Industry Association, expressed hope that Sessions’ belief that the Justice Department’s current cannabis policy enforcement guidelines are “truly valuable…should lead [Sessions] to maintain the current federal policy.”

Marijuana Policy Project Director of Federal Policies also expressed optimism because Sessions was non-committal to enforcing federal cannabis laws.

“He was given the opportunity to take an extreme prohibitionist approach, and he passed on it,” Capecchi said in a Star-Telegram report.

However Erik Altieri, executive director of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, said that Sessions’ responses to the cannabis questions were unclear in terms of whether he would take any action.

“If anything, his comments are a cause for concern and can be interpreted as leaving the door open for enforcing federal law in legalized states,” he said.

Sessions’ confirmation hearings continue today.

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Mettrum Acquires Network of Cannabis Clinics in Ontario, Canada

1/11/2017

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Licensed Canadian medical cannabis producer Mettrum Health Corp. has announced the acquisition of Bodystream – a network of 14 cannabis clinics across Ontario – the company announced in a press release.

Under the terms of the deal, Mettrum acquired all of the outstanding shares of Bodystream for $1 million in cash and issued 451,596 shares of Mettrum stock to current Bodystream shareholders. Mettrum will issue a maximum of 1,505,322 additional shares over the next five years based on Bodystream’s success.

“Mettrum’s physician-centric approach, and commitment to research resonates with our physicians and patients,” Brian Warner, president of Bodystream, said in the release. “We look forward to growing with Mettrum and working to develop a variety of services and products that will help improve the quality of life for patients.”

Michael Haines, CEO of Mettrum, indicated the companies have worked closely for the past two years and Bodystream “demonstrated an ability to scale rapidly while maintaining a high level of professional service.”

“With so many Canadians entering the [Access to Cannabis for Medical Purposes Regulations] system on a monthly basis and medical cannabis gaining traction as a viable therapeutic option for a variety of symptoms, the time to expand this aspect of our business is now,” he said.

Last month, it was announced that Canopy Growth Corp. would acquire Mettrum in a $320 million deal, which still has to be approved by both companies’ shareholders and a court.

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Calaveras County, CA Measure Could Let Residents Vote to Ban Commercial Cultivation

1/11/2017

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Voters could have the opportunity to decide on banning commercial cannabis cultivation in Calaveras County, California after elections officials certified a petition to allow the issue to be determined in a special election, the Calaveras Enterprise reports.

However, the County Board of Supervisors could bypass citizens by adopting the measure immediately, or they could delay the process by asking for reports on the measure. Once those reports are completed, the board would have to either “adopt it” or schedule an election, County Clerk Recorder Rebecca Turner said, noting that the board “[doesn’t] have a lot of options.”

If the board decides to schedule a special election, it could happen as soon as May.

During the Board of Supervisors meeting, citizens from both sides of the fence voiced their concerns over the proposal.

Michael Falvey, a Mountain Ranch resident, said that he would rather see regulation than an outright ban, saying that a ban would just allow illegal growers to flourish.

“A ban is not regulation.” He said in the report. “I want regulation. I want the sheriff driving up the driveways. With a ban, you won’t have that.”

Members of the Calaveras Cannabis Alliance urged the board to send the issue to voters and thanked Sheriff Rick DiBasilio for his work eradicating illegal cultivators.

The proposal, while banning commercial operations, does permit personal-use growing up to three plants, which would only be allowed with a county permit. Under Proposition 64, which legalized adult-use cannabis in the state – citizens are allowed to grow up to six plants for personal use. Prop. 64 does not permit local government to outlaw personal cultivation.

If passed, the county would forfeit tax revenues from the legal cannabis market.

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Vireo Health First NY Company Approved for MMJ Delivery

1/11/2017

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New York’s Vireo Health has received approval from the state Department of Health to launch a medical cannabis home delivery program – the first company approved for that purpose after the agency amended the medical cannabis program rules last month.

Vireo Health will offer deliveries in an eight-county zone, which includes Long Island, Westchester and all five New York City boroughs. In a press release, the company indicated that deliveries will be made in vehicles employing “cutting-edge safety features” including GPS tracking and a minimum of two employees will be present on all deliveries.

“Home delivery will not only help us to improve upon current services, but also expand our reach to those patients who are unable to travel,” Dr. Stephen Dahmer, Vireo’s chief medical officer, said. “Our team is excited to provide this service to all of our existing patients, and to have the opportunity to meet new patients in other parts of the state.”

Vireo CEO Ari Hoffnung said that the move will allow the company to “meet and exceed patient expectations.” The company expects to unveil details of the plan, such as pricing, “over the coming weeks,” and are planning to launch the service in 90 days.

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CannaRoyalty to Acquire Stake in Canadian Cannabis Testing Lab

1/10/2017

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Canadian cannabis investment firm CannaRoyalty Corp. has signed a letter of intent to acquire a 20 percent equity interest in cannabis testing specialists Anandia Laboratories Inc. in a deal worth $4 million (USD $3,024,003.16) in cash, common shares, and equipment.

Anandia Labs holds a dealers license from Health Canada, permitting them analyze, extract, and cultivate cannabis for breeding and strain improvement. The dealers license allows the lab to expand its research efforts wider than licensed producers under the Access to Cannabis for Medical Purposes Regulations. Anandia serves as the testing facility for seven licensed producers in Canada.

Dr. Jonathan Page, Anandia co-founder, noted that the recent report by the Task Force on Cannabis Legalization and Regulation described analytical testing as “the ‘cornerstone’ for ensuring safe and effective products in the future cannabis market.”

“We have elected to partner with CannaRoyalty given their expertise in extraction, post-processing and the development of proprietary formulations,” Page said in a press release. “Building on our analytical chemistry expertise, our objective is to leverage our dealers license to build a national, best-in-class cannabis extraction and processing facility.”

Marc Lustig, CannaRoyalty CEO, said that the partnership with “exemplifies [their] approach of acquiring interests in high-value, strategic assets in the North American cannabis sector.”

“As the only independent Canadian testing facility specializing exclusively in cannabis, Anandia Labs is clearly well positioned given how crucial independent testing of cannabis products is to the future of the cannabis sector…” he said. “In addition, the value that we expect to help create through Anandia Labs’ dealers license for the extraction of derivatives – together with [their] impressive patent portfolio of genetics – gives CannaRoyalty shareholders exciting exposure to rapid and sustainable growth areas in Canada’s dynamic cannabis sector.”

The deal is expected to close on Jan. 31.

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Florida Cannabis Licensing Case Heads Back to Administrative Judge Critical of Health Department Process

1/10/2017

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A cannabis licensing case is headed back to a Florida administrative law judge after the companies could not come to an agreement over who would control a disputed license, WUFT reports.

The companies, Plants of Ruskin and Tornello Landscape, found themselves in the running for a cannabis dispensing license in Southwest Florida after Judge John Van Laningham ruled that Alpha Foliage was incorrectly awarded the region’s license by the state Department of Health.

“Although the department was willing to issue one additional license in hopes of settling the matter, the parties were ultimately unable to come to an agreement,” attorneys for the Department of Health wrote in a request, asking to send the case back to the judge.

Doug Manson, a Plants of Ruskin representative, said the attempt by the Health Department was “like a shotgun wedding.”

“…We tried to put the two parties together, but we couldn’t make it work,” he said in the report. “We think the department should issue two licenses, because we think, under the law they can.”

Three of the five licensees authorized by the Health Department have been ruled as faulty by state administrative law judges, the report says. Van Laningham has said that the agency ignored their own evaluation rules during the licensing process.

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Companies Partner with Cannabis Veterans Association to Pinpoint and Rename Therapeutic Strains

1/10/2017

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The Veterans for Cannabis Foundation has partnered with Medicinal Genomics and Courtagen Life Sciences to help develop brand and strain names that may be more palatable to potential government committees allowing cannabis data to, perhaps, get a fair review.

Under the co-promotion agreement, Medicinal Genomics will provide StrainSEEK, a strain identification and registration service, to the VFCF. The service will track CBD products created specifically for the foundation which will be available to VFCF members at a discount. The strains are designed to treat chronic pain, post-traumatic stress disorder, and neurological conditions.

“[The VFCF] mission of effecting change through data collection may ultimately help to reduce the unnecessary deaths amongst our veteran population, in particular for conditions where opioids are commonly prescribed.” Mike Catalano, head of marketing for Medicinal Genomics and Courtagen said in a press release. “Registering the genetic fingerprint of the cannabis strains used will help control the consistency of the products and the data collection efforts.”

By tracking the genetics, the original names of the strains will not be lost.

Joshua Littrell, founder of VFCF, said the StrainSEEK program helps the organization “take some of the guess work” out of cannabis treatments for veterans.

“VFCF will now be able to replicate and reproduce the experience for veterans in our program. Our veterans are begging for a treatment they can trust and that is uniform,” he said in the release. “Now they can rest assured knowing they are receiving the same treatment every time.”

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Activist-Drafted Bill Would Legalize Washington Home-Growing

1/09/2017

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Activists in Washington have drafted a bill that would legalize home cannabis cultivation and sharing – provisions not included in I-502, the ballot initiative approved by voters in 2012.

“Washingtonians were told that the intent was to regulate cannabis like alcohol,” the authors of the ‘Washington state cannabis home growing act’ state. “Adults are allowed to brew beer and wine at home, therefore they should be allowed to grow their own cannabis at home.”

Under the measure, adults over 21 would be able to grow up to 18 cannabis plants and transport up to one pound of dried cannabis or six live plants. The proposal includes the ‘in-plain-view’ provision typical to personal-grow policies in other legal states, but provides that all transfers also be performed in private. Home extraction would be permitted, but must be in compliance with I-502.

The drafters say the amendment is needed because it was the voters’ intent “to stop the treatment of adult cannabis use as a crime.”

“The people do not give up their sovereignty to government in order to plant a seed, grow to harvest and enjoy [its] full produce as a right of nature, or to engage in culture and society with other consenting adults, or to develop one’s own personality,” the bill states. “Therefore, humanitarian compassion necessitates this act…”

The proposal has not been taken adopted or sponsored by any member of the Washington legislature.

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Report: Cannabis Funding Up in Q4’16; Down 9% Overall

1/09/2017

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According to a CB Insights analysis, 2016 was a mixed bag for cannabis-related startups as funding and deal flow fell 9 percent, but the sector was bolstered by deals worth tens of millions of dollars.

The report found that cannabis funding deals totaled $225 million in 2016, down from the $220 million seen in the previous year. Deal flow – the quantity of investment opportunities in a sector – fell from 106 in 2015 to 96 last year, the report says. Deal flows peaked in the fourth quarter of 2016 at 32.

“On a quarterly basis, funding activity picked up in Q4’16, after deals fell for three consecutive quarters,” authors wrote in the report, published Jan. 6. “Funding in Q4’16 totaled $81M over 25 deals, more than tripling Q3’16′s funding total, but still falling short of the heights seen in Q1’15.”

Washington-based Privateer Holdings led the industry’s biggest 2016 deal with a $40 million convertible note round. The second largest pact belonged to Israel’s Syqe Medical, who struck a $20 million deal with Philip Morris International during a corporate minority round of fundraising. California-based MedMen rounded out the top three with their $15 million deal Cap-Meridian Ventures.

Privateer Holdings, who represented nearly half all quarter four cannabis funding, has raised $144 million since 2013 from investors, including Snoop Dogg’s cannabis-focused fund Casa Verde Capital and Founder’s Fund. Syqe Medical offers a metered-dose inhaler for precision dosing of medical cannabis.

Eight U.S. states enacted some form of adult-use or medical cannabis legalization last year.

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Oregon’s Cannabis Testing Rules Causing Product Shortages

1/09/2017

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Oregon’s more stringent cannabis product testing rules have caused supply disruptions and, according to dispensary owners, have forced a 40 to 50 percent decrease in concentrate and edible sales, the Coast River Business Journal reports.

The new rules, which took effect on Oct. 1, have created a burden for state-certified testing laboratories, who cannot keep up with the demand. The issue is compounded by the fact that there are simply too few labs statewide to test cannabis products.

Omar Guerrero, co-owner of Clatsop County’s The Farmacy, called the last two months “a nightmare.”

“We didn’t have edibles or extract because of the new lab test requirements. It delayed everything. We suffered,” he said in the report. “We had all the products then we had nothing for a little more than a month.”

Oscar Nelson, co-owner of the Sweet Relief Dispensary in Astoria, estimates he has lost 33 percent of his edible and concentrates stock, causing “customer volatility.” He anticipates the market will stabilize, eventually, but not until “St. Patty’s Day 2018.”

“You’ve got less producers, fewer people bringing product to the market and that same product is going through a much more stringent funnel,” Nelson said. “It’s like we’ve got several bottlenecks back-to-back.”

Both Nelson and Guerrero are worried that the Oregon Health Authority is overwhelmed; Nelson said that the agency is beleaguered by producer applications making it tough to focus on the backlog.

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