Faneuil Hall in Boston, Massachusetts.

Analysts Predict Mass. Legal Cannabis Market Worth $1B by 2020

12/23/2016

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According to ArcView Market Research and New Frontier Data, Massachusetts’ legal cannabis industry could be worth over $1 billion by 2020 with an annual growth rate of 113 percent, driven largely by tourism.

The analysts are forecasting $52 million in growth in 2016 solely from medical sales, while the $1.07 billion figure in 2020 is from both adult-use and medical markets.

Troy Dayton, CEO of the ArcView Group, indicated that Boston’s location – about 200 miles from New York City – will make Beantown “the cannabis capital of the world in short order.”

“Unlike other places where cannabis is legal, Boston is within driving distance of many of the most populous places in America,” Dayton said in a press release. “This cannabis tourism will drive significant revenue, tax dollars, and job growth which will make legalization very attractive to neighboring states.”

Although the rules guiding the program have yet to be developed by the Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission, the analysts say, as written, the “broad parameters of the law create an opportunity for an open and expansive market.”

“As one of only two states on the East Coast to legalize cannabis for adult use, Massachusetts represents a significant opportunity for business owners and entrepreneurs in the space,” New Frontier Data CEO and Founder Giadha Aguirre DeCarcer said. “The law does not limit product forms nor does it cap retail dispensary licenses, which are both factors that will positively contribute toward the billion dollars in sales projected by 2020.”

The state’s legal market is expected to roll out in 2018. Some provisions, including those for possession, are already effective.

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City skyline in Sydney, Australia.

Australia’s TW Holdings Raises Max Under Prospectus Offering

12/23/2016

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TW Holdings, which is traded on the Australian Securities Exchange and will be renamed AusCann Group Holdings, has announced they have raised the maximum $5 million through a prospectus offering issuing 25 million shares at $.20 per share.

AusCann is part of the Canopy family of companies and partners which includes Tweed, Bedrocan, Cann Science, DNA Genetics, and Indoor Harvest. Canopy recently acquired Mettrum Health Corp., a licensed medical cannabis producer in Canada for more than $320 million. Canopy has an 11 percent stake in Auscann.

“AusCann will have a focus on medical cannabis and is well positioned to take advantage of the developing market by bringing together a strong team with relevant and complementary skill sets,” the release says.

The funds from the offering will be used to progress the company’s cultivation licensing application and clinical trials in Australia.

Elaine Darby, managing director of AusCann said that the success of the offering reflects the opportunities “in what is still a nascent industry in Australia.”

“AusCann has a clear strategy to supply high quality, economical and clinically validated medicines and we have in place the necessary skills, expertise and intellectual property to enable our operations,” she said.

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Arthritis Society Funds MMJ for Fibromyalgia Study

12/23/2016

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Canada’s Arthritis Society has awarded a three-year research grant to McGill University’s Dr. Mark Ware to explore the use of medical cannabis as a fibromyalgia treatment – making it the second round of medical cannabis research funded by the organization in the last 18 months.

According to Statistics Canada numbers from 2014, the chronic pain condition affects nearly 520,000 Canadians – of which about 347,500 are women.

Janet Yale, Arthritis Society CEO, said the investments “are about leading by example,” calling on federal lawmakers to add $25 million to the budget over the next five years to fund medical cannabis research.

“Patients and physicians both need to be able to make informed decisions about whether cannabis has a place in the individual’s treatment plan. With these commitments, The Arthritis Society is doing its part to help fill some of the critical knowledge gaps around medical cannabis, but we can’t do it alone,” Yale said in a press release. “There’s no reason for the government to wait until new legislation is in place to start addressing the need for research identified by their own task force.”

The Arthritis Society indicated that many fibromyalgia patients have reported cannabis therapies help to relieve their symptoms. However, those claims have not yet been confirmed by large-scale cannabis trials. Ware explained that opioids and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are often ineffective as fibromyalgia treatments.

“This disease has a tremendous impact on a person’s life but to date we haven’t really had any good treatment options to offer,” Ware said. “We hope to identify whether oral cannabinoids can offer the person with fibromyalgia hope for relief from their symptoms, and help restore their quality of life.”

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The flag of California flying in the wind.

California Bill Would Amend Advertising, Co-op, and Trademark Rules Under Prop. 64

12/23/2016

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California lawmakers have introduced legislation to amend Proposition 64 — the voter-enacted initiative to legalize adult-use cannabis in the state — which would impose stricter rules for cannabis advertising, provide a loan for driving under the influence of cannabis research, and permit state trademarks for cannabis products. The measure also aims to clarify rules for cooperatives.

Under Assembly Bill 64 “advertising or marketing on all interstate highways or state highways” would be prohibited; however, the measure also authorizes “the use of specified classifications for marks related to medical cannabis and nonmedical cannabis goods and services that are lawfully in commerce under state law in the state.”

The proposal would see $3 million loaned to the Department of the California Highway Patrol from the state’s General Fund for use in fiscal year 2017/2018 “for the purposes of establishing and adopting protocols to determine whether a driver is operating a vehicle while impaired.” Provisions of the Adult Use of Marijuana Act provide for an annual allocation of taxes from the sector to the CHP for this purpose; however, those funds aren’t available until 2018. The loan would be repaid to the General Fund by the California Marijuana Tax Fund.

Additionally, the legislation would authorize “collectives and cooperatives to operate for profit or not for profit” but only allows protection for for-profit entities if they hold a valid seller’s permit from the state. Medical cannabis cooperatives legally operating under the medical cannabis law would not be affected by the measure.

The bill may be heard by the state Fiscal Committee on Jan. 12.

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States With Medical Marijuana Experience Lower Traffic Fatality Rates, Study Shows

12/22/2016

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Researchers from Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health released information this week that could negate one of the most common arguments against cannabis legalization: that easier access to marijuana will mean an increase in stoned driving and therefore more traffic fatalities. In fact, the opposite appears to be the case, at least in regards to medical marijuana legislation.

The study’s authors announced their results this week, which found that — in states where medical cannabis has been made available — traffic fatalities have seen a dramatic 11 percent reduction, the Washington Post reports. This correlation was also present in regions with close access to medical marijuana dispensaries.

Physician and associate professor Dr. Silvia Martins, the study’s senior author, posited that these reductions could be the result of people choosing to use cannabis over alcohol, which would lead to fewer drunken drivers.

The study showed that traffic fatalities had primarily fallen among drivers aged 15-45, but there was not dramatic change among drivers who were older than 45.

It also should be noted that not every state with medical cannabis laws saw only lowered rates of traffic fatalities — California and New Mexico, for example, at first saw reductions of 16 and 17.5 percent, but those rates gradually increased over time.

The results were first published online in the American Journal of Public Health. The study considered 23 states and the District of Columbia, and researchers analyzed data on traffic fatalities from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration taken from 1985 to 2014. During the time the study was conducted, nine additional states established medical marijuana programs. Researchers adjusted their numbers to account for many different factors, including when a state had graduated driver licensing laws, speed limit maximums, specific seat belt and cellphone use laws, and more.

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Teen Cannabis Use Down 12 Percent in Colorado Since Legalization

12/22/2016

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According to data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, cannabis use among Coloradans aged 12 to 17 dropped about 12 percent since the state’s legal market commenced, according to a Washington Post report. In 2013/2014 20.81 percent of teens admitted to using marijuana, compared to 18.35 percent in 2014/2015.

According to the report, a number of factors likely contributed to the drop – the informal market has shrunk and legal states have strict age and purchasing limit laws. Additionally, taxes from the industry are used for substance abuse education programs for children and, culturally, more teens now disapprove of drug use. Teen cannabis use also dropped in Washington, but it wasn’t statistically significant, the report says.

Cannabis use among Colorado teens is higher than the national average; however that was the case well before legalization – in 2010/2011 and 2011/2012 the national average for teen cannabis use was about 8 percent, compared to just over 10 percent in Colorado. In 2012/2013 the gap widened, with a national average of about 7 percent, compared to about 11 percent in Colorado.

The survey also found that cannabis use among Colorado residents aged 26 and older is up, from 16.8 percent in 2013/2014 to 19.91 percent in 2014/2014. That trend is in line with national figures during the same time frame.

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Monthly Luxury Cannabis Boxes Marketed for the Wealthy Connoisseur

12/22/2016

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A Nov. 30 Miner and Co. Studio survey of 800 cannabis users found that 65 percent had an annual income of $75,000 or more – and new luxury monthly subscription cannabis boxes are catering to that demographic.

The AuBox, developed by former Miss Iowa and Amazing Race Competitor Jessica VerSteeg, can be tailored for men or women, and contain extravagant items such as 24 karat gold rolling papers. A one-month trial of the AuBox is $150 – a three-month subscription runs $135 per month, and it’s $120 a month for a six-month subscription. The subscription price drops to $100 per month for a full year. Currently, AuBox only accepts bitcoins but will be able to handle traditional currency next month, according to the Forbes report. Currently, it is only available in San Francisco.

Another company, ClubM, offers an invitation-only monthly membership for $97 per month but offers one-time purchases of luxury boxes – the M1K for $1,000 and the M2Box for $2,000.

“This isn’t just a bigger box,” Chris Husong, ClubM co-founder, said of the M2 in the report. “This is a box with hyper-premium quality product. Frankly, it’s product most people can’t afford, but ClubM members are clamoring for it.”

The ClubM products can be delivered anywhere in California.

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A warehouse that has been left empty for some time.

Cannabis Industry Could Drive Warehouse Sector in California

12/22/2016

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Legal cannabis growers in California will likely drive up warehouse rates and be a boon for some publicly traded industrial warehouse companies with significant exposure in California who are willing to do business with the sector, according to a Reuters report. Fund managers and analysts predict that the warehouse sector as a whole could benefit even for companies that don’t deal directly with cannabis industry.

Michael Underhill, a portfolio manager at RidgeWorth Capital, said that cannabis companies are expected to pay more-than-market prices for older facilities, which will drive up rent prices in a market that is already tight. Operators of more modern facilities will likely be able to charge higher rents as space consolidates.

“Cannabis companies are going to find some distressed properties and get them up and running, and in many cases they will have the capital to pay whatever it takes to get space,” Underhill said in the report.

A spokesman for Rexford Industrial Realty Inc., a publicly traded real estate trust, indicated that the “new demand is expected to be a benefit” but said the company would not lease space to cannabis businesses.

According to figures outlined in the report by real estate data firm CBRE Inc., warehouse rents in Colorado jumped 10 percent after legalization in 2014.

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An indoor, mature cannabis plant.

Florida Nursey Granted MMJ License After Almost a Year in Court

12/22/2016

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After nearly a year of litigation against state Department of Health, a Central Florida nursery has been issued a medical cannabis license, the Tallahassee Democrat reports. McCrory’s Sunny Hill Nursery was initially denied a license after losing out to a competitor by a fraction of a percentage point, which was recorded in error by one of the reviewers on the state’s three-member licensing panel.

The Central region originally had seven applicants, and the three-member panel was tasked with scoring each applicant — the winner of the license would have the highest score. During the process, McCrory’s was given an aggregate score of 5.5417, while Knox Nursery was scored 5.5458. McCrory’s argued that one of the reviewers identified the nursery as “superior to all other applicants” but gave the nursery a “6” score instead of a “7,” which was inconsistent and done in error. If the score had been accurate — a 7 — McCrory’s would have outscored Knox and been granted the license.

The deal between the Health Department and McCrory’s was struck before Administrative Law Judge Elizabeth McArthur could issue a ruling. As part of the agreement the nursery promised to drop both administrative and court challenges and both sides agreed to pay their own legal fees and court costs.

Last year, McCrory’s teamed with three other Central Florida nurseries — Agri-Starks, Eve’s, and Peckett’s — under the GrowHealthy brand and purchased a 180,000-square-foot facility anticipating a license.

“I believe the state reviewed their case, and I believe that we had a high level of confidence that the judge would rule in our favor, and I believe that the state, after going through this process, agreed with us,” GrowHealthy CEO Don Clifford said in the report.

Four of Florida’s six licensed medical cannabis cultivators are currently producing the drug for terminally ill patients, as the provisions of the constitutional amendment approved during the General Election, which will expand the program, have yet to take effect.

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DEA patch and badge on an officer's coat.

DEA: Rule Change Prioritizes CBD Research

12/21/2016

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The DEA says that the rule change, published last week which changed the agency’s code for cannabis extracts, will make researching CBD easier, according to the U.S. News and World Report. Spokesman Russ Baer indicated that the DEA recognizes that some CBD studies “have been promising” and they “want to be able to support that ongoing scientific research.”

“From a practical standpoint, we are giving priority, actually, to those researchers who are conducting research with marijuana extracts, [which] the internal code will allow us to track and prioritize,” he said in the report.

However, Colorado attorney Bob Hoban says that the rule change “will have the effect of stifling commerce,” noting that even before the rule was published, U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials have seized extracts containing both CBD and CBG — which is known to have anti-inflammatory properties. Hoban argues that the DEA is trying to “inappropriately and unlawfully expand their purview” with the change, but “the sky is not falling.”

Baer contends that CBD has always been considered a Schedule I substance under the Controlled Substances Act, despite federal guidelines that exclude the mature hemp stalks and derivatives of seed and stalk products such as oil and seed cake.

In 2004, the U.S. Court of Appeals ruled that the agency could not treat parts of the plant that aren’t included in the Act’s definition of cannabis as Schedule I drugs, even if they contain trace amounts of THC. The DEA did not appeal that ruling.

Under the 2014 Farm Bill, domestic hemp production pilot programs were legalized, which includes product sales.

Eric Steenstra, executive director of the Hemp Industries Association, said that if the DEA attempts to use the rule change to crack down on industries permitted under the Farm Bill, the organization would file a lawsuit.

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A commercial cannabis grow in Washington state.

Canadian Cannabis Growing Tech Company Aiming to Go Public in Australia

12/21/2016

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Canadian cannabis-tech company Roto-Gro is gearing up for a January listing on the Australian Securities Exchange, The Australian reports. The company produces a fully automated rotary hydroponic growing system of the same name, which can be used to grow up to 420 cannabis plants. Australia legalized medical cannabis on Nov. 1.

Roto-Gro CEO Adam Clode said that the new market in Australia is “a huge opportunity for peripheral industries” specifically those that “help grow, extract and distribute cannabis products.”

“The potential for medicinal cannabis is obvious — companies which are applying for a cultivation license at the moment will no doubt be looking for options to produce cannabis as efficiently and cost effective as possible while ensuring consistency of product,” he said in the report.

The company is planning to offer 18 million shares at $0.20 AUD (USD $0.15) for a maximum of $3.6 million AUD (USD $2,615,130).

Clode said that the device, in which plants rotate around a single light source and receive nutrients from a stand-alone reservoir, uses “about half the energy of traditional growing systems and 80 percent less water.” The unit could be used for growing other “perishable food,” in addition to its utility for cannabis growers.

“Medicinal cannabis is just one potential use of the Roto-Gro technology,” he said. “There are much bigger issues we’re trying to solve as well, like how to sustainably produce food in dense urban areas with a lack of fertile land or lack of clean reliable water.”

The ASX hosts other cannabis-related companies, mostly in the biomedical field.

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A cannabis worker in Washington cups a handful of trimmed marijuana buds.

Terminally Ill Australian Woman Denied MMJ Access by Specialists

12/21/2016

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An Australian woman with only a week or two left to live has been denied access to medicinal cannabis by her specialist doctors despite the federal framework that should allow terminally ill patients to access the program, the Daily Telegraph reports.

New South Wales resident Katherine Lorraine, 51, said she has been trying to obtain the plant for six months but her doctors at The Mater Hospital have repeatedly blocked her requests, despite approval from her general practitioner.

“I haven’t been able to get access, I’ve been trying for six months and if it has been legalized, I should be able to get it,” she said in the report. “I’m dying, I want something to improve my quality of life.”

The framework for the program was set up by the Centre for Medicinal Cannabis Research and Innovation (CMCRI) for NSW Health last August. Under the rules, physicians can “seek approval to prescribe certain cannabis-based products that are not on the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods, in appropriate circumstances.”

A CMCRI representative confirmed that the rules require specialists in the condition — oncologists in this case — being treated to sign off on medical cannabis use, which also requires approval from NSW Health and the Therapeutic Goods Association.

Pharmacist Nick Bakarich, who has been advocating on Lorraine’s behalf, said that the health department “needs to acknowledge the pathway in place is wrong.” Bakarich advocated for a previous patient, but he too was denied access and has since died.

“Doctors have the right to decline to prescribe an unapproved product if they believe there is either insufficient clinical justification or no evidence to support the use of the product,” the CMCRI spokeswoman said.

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Soldiers celebrating in Israel.

Israeli Army Relaxing Punishments for Soldiers’ Off-Duty Cannabis Use

12/21/2016

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Israel is easing its punishments for soldiers who are accused of using cannabis while on leave, according to an Agence France-Presse report. Under the new rules, soldiers who test positive for cannabis when they return from leave would be forced to undergo regular tests to prove they are not using while on duty. Under the old regime, offenders were court marshaled and sentenced to up to two months in prison.

General Danny Efroni, the Chief Military Advocate General of the Israel Defense Forces from 2011 to 2015, who is overseeing the changes, said that the new measures do not apply to soldiers who are found to have used the drug on duty.

“We are offering soldiers the chance to continue their service normally and not be imprisoned and hindered by a criminal record in civilian life,” he said in a military radio interview outlined in the report. “The army wants to give a second chance to soldiers who want to complete a proper military service and to return to the right path.”

According to the report, 128 IDF soldiers were prosecuted for narcotics use last year and nearly half of all of the investigations by military police are for drug use. Cannabis is illegal in Israel except for medical use.

The new policy is expected to take effect on Jan. 1.

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Cannabis Sativa Inc. Buys California Property for Hemp Farm

12/20/2016

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Cannabis Sativa, Inc. has entered into an agreement to acquire a 49 percent ownership stake in a 9-acre property in Los Angeles County, California with plans to lease it to an industrial hemp farmer, the company announced in a press release.

The operator will cultivate industrial hemp under the provisions of California’s Adult Use of Marijuana Act, which was approved by voters during the November’s General Election. The farm plans to grow its hemp organically and create products from the crop.

“We are excited to play a role in what we anticipate will be one of California’s first hemp farms under Prop. 64,” Cannabis Sativa President Davis Tobias said in the release.

Farming activities at the site are expected to begin next month.

Cannabis Sativa owns “hi Casual Cannabis” branded dispensaries — the first of which opened in Portland, Oregon — as well as Wild Earth Naturals. The company was previously headed by Libertarian Party Presidential nominee Gary Johnson, a former two-term governor of New Mexico. According to the company website, Cannabis Sativa is currently accepting applications for interested parties to partner with the firm to open hi Casual Cannabis shops in states with both medical and adult-use markets.

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The South Carolina capitol building in Columbia, SC.

South Carolina Cannabis Activists Optimistic About MMJ Chances in 2017

12/20/2016

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South Carolina is one of the many Southern states that allow the use of cannabidiol (CBD), the non-psychoactive cannabinoid, for specific medical conditions. However, SC has so far fallen short in passing a full-plant system, but this year activists are optimistic about the state finally passing legislation allowing real medical cannabis.

Medical cannabis first appeared in South Carolina law in 1980 in the controlled substance therapeutic research act.  The law allowed the use of cannabidiol in research, but it had to be approved by the FDA. It wasn’t until 2007, 27 years later, that House Bill 220 sought to establish a medical cannabis system. That bill didn’t pass, but set the groundwork for a future medical cannabis program in South Carolina by establishing an affirmative defense and protection from arrest for some medical users.

In 2014, Senate Bill 880 passed, which allowed for the creation of industrial hemp farms. That same day, Governor Nicky Hally signed Senate Bill 1035, which allowed children to use cannabidiol in research trials, provided protection from arrest for parents whose children use cannabidiol, and established a committee to study the sale of medical cannabis. These bills both passed, confirming that South Carolina was indeed ready to move beyond simple prohibition.

“We’ve laid a good foundation in SC. Senator Tom Davis is very outspoken on this issue, and we expect him to bring a new bill that will pass this year,” Wayne Border of Columbia SC NORML told Ganjapreneur. “This is very important for patients in the state who are looking for relief from a wide variety of medical conditions. We’ve come close before and feel like this could be it.”

Taking up the cannabis issue, State Rep. Todd Rutherford filed two cannabis bills in the South Carolina House on December 15, 2016. House Bill 3128, aka the Put Patients First Act, seeks to set up a regulatory framework for a full plant medical cannabis program in South Carolina. House Bill 3162, the Legal Possession for Veterans Act, would allow Veterans with an Honorable Discharge to possess up to 1 oz. of cannabis and 10 grams of concentrate.

“We really feel this is the year medical cannabis will come to South Carolina,” said Border. “Over the years we’ve come close, and have built a solid foundation. These bills will bring needed relief for the patients in the state who don’t have access to safe medical cannabis right now, and Columbia NORML is 100% behind Representative Rutherford’s efforts.”

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An abstract painting of a leaf from a cannabis plant.

Cannabis-Friendly Art Classes Expanding to Newly Legal States

12/20/2016

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Puff, Pass & Paint is coming to states with recently minted legal cannabis use laws – the expansion is headed to California, Nevada, Maine, and Massachusetts the company announced in a press release. The cannabis-friendly art class already holds regular events in Denver, Colorado, Washington, D.C., and Portland, Oregon, and has held previous sessions in Seattle, Washington.

“Cannabis and art are both so therapeutic, and the combination of blending them together in a setting that is welcoming and warm is an amazing thing to witness,” Heidi Keyes, creator of the program said in the release. “With each class I teach, I’m reminded again how much I love what I do, and why.”

The first Puff, Pass & Paint classes in Las Vegas are scheduled for Jan. 20, 2017 and San Francisco, California on Jan. 24. For their expansion, the company is targeting the cities of Boston, San Diego, Los Angeles, Portland, Maine, and aims to host events in Orange County, California.

In 2015, Puff, Pass & Paint merged with Denver’s Cannabis Tours to create CannabisTours.com, which had cooking classes available in addition to the art class. CannabisTours.com was founded in 2015 and plans to offer options in Las Vegas and California next year.

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Macro photo of a cannabis concentrate.

Health Canada Greenlights Emblem Corp. Cannabis Oil Production

12/20/2016

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Ontario, Canada’s Emblem Corp. has been granted a permit from Health Canada to produce cannabis oils, the company announced in a press release. Gordon Fox, CEO, said the approval is “an incredibly important milestone” for the company, positioning them to “actively execute” the business plan for their pharmaceutical division.

“Cannabinoids have real therapeutic value, as evidenced by the products Cesamet, Marinol, and Sativex all having been approved as prescription drugs by Health Canada,” John H. Stewart, pharmaceutical division CEO, said in the release. “The active components in cannabis will be extracted, purified and incorporated into advanced formulations, in order to enhance their therapeutic utility.”

Emblem has invested $1 million CAD (USD $745,600) into their purification and extraction platform, including analytical equipment and a supercritical CO2 extractor. Additionally, the company plans on building a 2,500 square-foot dedicated extraction formulation laboratory on its Paris, Ontario property. They have “stockpiled a significant amount” of bud and trim for extraction, the release said. Three scientists who will pursue development and manufacture of “advanced dosage forms of cannabinoids” have been hired to work exclusively on the extraction project.

Emblem is licensed under Canada’s Access to Cannabis for Medical Purposes Regulations law.

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Boats in a Copenhagen waterway.

Copenhagen Lawmakers Propose Cannabis Legalization Trial Program

12/20/2016

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Copenhagen, Denmark is making its fourth attempt to legalize cannabis under a trial program backed by Mayor Frank Jensen, the Independent reports. Officials are hoping that a legal market will help stop violence between gangs caused, in part, by the informal market.

“The past months have seen an intensification in the fight between gangs to dominate the lucrative and illegal market,” a Liberal Alliance member of the city council said in the report. “That causes insecurity for residents.”

Under the trial program, cannabis sales would be handled exclusively by public authorities.

Previously, the federal government has rejected similar proposals by the city; but last month an open cannabis market in the Freetown Christiana district was torn down following a shooting incident, which could move lawmakers to approve the plan. Two police officers and one civilian were wounded in the incident in which the gunman Mesa Hodzic, an alleged Islamic State sympathizer, was killed by police.

Last month, the Danish government approved a four-year trial medical cannabis program that will allow some patients to access the drug. That program is expected to launch by 2018.

According to the report, 88 percent of Danish people support legalizing medicinal cannabis use, which just over half support legalizing cannabis for adults.

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Commercial cannabis nugs are weighed out using a digital scale.

FutureLand Acquires Stake in Recreational-Licensed Southern Oregon Farm

12/20/2016

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FutureLand Oregon LLC, has closed on a partnership with Hspendleton LLC that will see the company claim a 50 percent stake in 265 acres in southern Oregon used to grow cannabis for the state’s recreational market, the company announced in a press release. Hspendleton LLC was the previous landowner and part owner of the recreational license.

“Little chunks. Grow the company, and its assets, in little chunks, if necessary. FutureLand has always believed in real estate. Especially real estate in our business,” Futureland Corp CEO Cameron Cox said in the release. “So then, here is where we sit: while we grow marijuana and build a house to inculcate massive revenues, we are also going to keep stock-piling our real estate holdings to ensure the longevity of our various enterprises.”

FutureLand Oregon is a subsidiary of FutureLand Corp, which is based in Colorado.

The deal is worth a total of $250,000; with $80,000 down, $70,000 due in late spring, and a $100,000 convertible note.  The Tier II cultivation license for the property allows 40,000 square feet of outdoor grow, which allows them to grow 40,000 square feet of flowering plants while vegging and cloning in a separate space.

Cox said that in addition to the Oregon plot, the company has 78 acres in Grants Pass, Oregon, 240 acres in southern Colorado, and 265 acres in Wolf’s Creek, Oregon. The company expects revenues for the new Oregon property to be between $3 million and $4 million and expect to begin growing crops late next month.

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A hemp plant in its flowering stage.

Japanese Prefecture Ends Hemp Growing Program After Cannabis Arrests

12/19/2016

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The industrial hemp program in Japan’s Tottori Prefecture is being shuttered after the president and two employees of one of the permitted hemp processing companies were arrested on suspicion of cannabis possession, the Japan Times reports.

The hemp program in Chizu was implemented in an effort to help revitalize industry in the region. This marks the first time in Japan where either employees or management at a licensed hemp production facility were arrested for alleged violations of the nation’s cannabis control law.

The ordinance banning hemp production in the prefecture was passed unanimously by the regional assembly and will be enforced within the next year. The ban will prevent any company from receiving a hemp production license in the prefecture. Earlier this year, the prefecture had begun promoting the industry with hemp mascot Asamiko-chan — which translates to “Hemp Shrine Maiden.” The sprite would take to Twitter to remind people about Japan’s historical tradition of hemp growing and educating people about the health and industrial benefits of the plant. The profile of Asamiko-chan has since been deleted.

Tottori Gov. Shinji Hirai called the complete ban the “ultimate way” to prevent others from growing cannabis under the guise of the industrial hemp program.

Japan has notoriously strict cannabis laws, with jail sentences potentially ranging between six months and five years for a single gram.

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A cannabis leaf lit by a purple-hued LED grow light.

MassRoots Set to Acquire Whaxy and Cannabuild

12/19/2016

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MassRoots has announced an agreement to acquire DDDigital, the company behind online canna-business ordering platform Whaxy and custom application developer Cannabuild, for $100,000 cash and 2,926,830 shares of MassRoots common stock, the company announced in a press release.

Isaac Dietrich, MassRoots CEO, said the company will focus on increasing the number of dispensaries using the MassRoots and Whaxy platforms.

“This acquisition, when completed, will expand MassRoots’ offerings to include a full suite of dispensary software solutions — online ordering, marketing, and real-time inventory management — for cannabis businesses,” he said in the release. “Zach Marburger is a brilliant strategist whom we’ve known for years and Whaxy’s CTO Micah Davidson engineered one of the best technology platforms on the market with a lean budget. We could not be more excited to welcome them to the MassRoots team.”

Marburger, founder and CEO of Whaxy, said that the deal will help build “a cannabis technology powerhouse.”

“We could not be more excited to be joining forces with MassRoots, enabling Whaxy’s system to scale its transaction volume, provide new capabilities to our customers, and add more enterprise value far more rapidly than we would have on our own,” he said.

The deal, subject to customary closing conditions, must still be finalized.

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Marc and Jodie Emery, famed Canadian cannabis activists.

Marc and Jodie Emery Arrested in Montreal Dispensary Raids

12/19/2016

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Long time Canadian cannabis activist Marc Emery and his wife Jodie have been arrested in dispensary raids in Montreal, just one day after opening their Cannabis Culture shop in the province, according to an Associated Press report. The couple were among 10 people arrested during the raids last Friday.

In a tweet, Jodie Emery indicated that she was arrested in a Montreal hotel and held for hours before being released without charges. According to a CTV News report, her husband was charged with drug trafficking and later released on $5,000 bail.

“I think it’s really shocking and really poor judgement for the police to use millions of dollars enforcing a law that’s going to be outdated in the near future,” Mrs. Emery said in the CTV interview. “I was really hoping they would exercise some discretion…When the law is being used to harm harmless people, it’s really an unjust law.”

Mr. Emery was extradited to the U.S. in 2010 on charges that he sold cannabis seeds to American clients from his Vancouver-based shop. He pleaded guilty and was sentenced to five years in prison. He was released in August 2014 after serving four years with good behavior.

In the interview, Mrs. Emery urged federal lawmakers and police forces to stop arresting dispensary owners because of federal plans to legalize cannabis in the spring.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has said that “until we’ve changed the law, the current laws exist and apply.”

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The dome on top of the Ohio state capitol building.

Ohio MMJ Rules Proposal Would Allow Just 40 Dispensaries

12/19/2016

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Under proposed rules by the Ohio Board of Pharmacy that would dictate the state’s medical cannabis program, there would be just 40 dispensaries throughout the state; but the number of cultivators, and the amount of space dedicated to cultivation, would be increased, the Columbus Dispatch reports.

The number of dispensaries is far below the 1,150 dispensaries proposed under the Ohioans for Medical Marijuana-backed cannabis ballot initiative defeated by voters in 2015.

In their recommendation, the Pharmacy Board proposed that the dispensaries be “based upon the state population, patient population and geographic distribution of dispensary sites to ensure patient access.”

Aaron Marshall, spokesperson for Ohioans for Medical Marijuana, said that the 40 licensed dispensaries recommendation is “woefully short” to meet the anticipated needs of Ohio’s medical cannabis patients, of which the group estimates there to be 188,000.

“At 40 licenses for 188,000 patients, the math comes out to about 4,700 patients per dispensary,” he said in the report.

Large cultivation sites would increase from 15,000 square feet to 25,000 square feet; while small sites would increase from 1,600 square feet to 3,000 square feet, under the proposal. Cultivators would also be allowed to build out their site once, if necessary, to 6,000 square feet for small sites and 50,000 square feet for large ones.

Under the law signed by Gov. John Kasich, the rules for the program need to be finalized by Sept. 2017, but first must be reviewed by the 14-member Medical Marijuana Advisory Committee, and the Common Sense Initiative, before they are sent to the Joint Committee on Agency Rule Review for approval. Patient access is expected in Sept. 2018.

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Image from the jungles of Costa Rica.

Hemp and MMJ Bill Introduced in Costa Rica

12/19/2016

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Note: This piece was updated on 12/20/16. The previous version of the article did not mention prohibitionist stall tactics in the Committee of Legal Affairs.

A bill legalizing hemp production and medical cannabis has been introduced in Costa Rica, and at first it appeared to have the necessary legislative support to pass, Costa Rica News reported.

Unfortunately, the bill was stalled earlier this week when a reading was called by prohibitionist officials. Representatives Óscar Andrés López Arias, Avelino Esquivel, and Fabricio Alvarado together were able to delay intelligent discussion in the Committee of Legal Affairs and wasted enough time that the session ended before the bill could be ratified.

The “Law for the Investigation, Regulation, and Control of Cannabis and Hemp for Medicinal, Food, and Industrial Use” would create a new agency, the Institute for Regulation and Control of Cannabis and Hemp, which would be overseen by the nation’s Department of Health.

The institute would issue cultivation and dispensary licenses and develop the list of qualified conditions, and issue patient I.D. cards. The proposal has been gaining traction for about two years, winning the support of the Costa Rican public health system. Members of the Costa Rican Renewal Party have made previous attempts to stall, or even block the bill from a floor vote.

Costa Rican Congress members have visited Colorado, Washington, and Nevada to help devise rules for the program and learn from their experiences.

Costa Rica has already decriminalized cannabis possession. According to the bill text, there would be 52 dispensary licenses and 170 industrial hemp licenses; and three types of cultivation licenses would be available – eight large, 13 medium, and 21 small. If approved the institute would have three months to develop and issue regulations.

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