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New Mexico Health Insurance Firms File to Move Medical Cannabis Lawsuit to Federal Court

8/01/2022

The health insurance companies being sued in New Mexico by plaintiffs who claim the firms should cover the cost of medical cannabis are seeking to move the case to federal court, the Albuquerque Journal reports. In their notice of removal, the insurers argue that six of the medical cannabis patients named as plaintiffs have health insurance plans governed at the federal level which justifies the change of venue.

The seven insurers named as defendants are Blue Cross and Blue Shield of New Mexico, True Health New Mexico, Cigna Health and Life Insurance Co., Molina Healthcare of New Mexico, Presbyterian Health Plan, Presbyterian Insurance Co., and Western Sky Community Care.

The class action lawsuit was filed in June by Ultra Health, New Mexico’s largest licensed cannabis producer, and claims that a law passed last year, which prohibits insurers from requiring patients to share the cost of medications for mental or behavioral health, should apply to patients using cannabis for their conditions.

Ultra Health CEO Duke Rodriguez told the Journal that the move is meant to “delay the process” of the lawsuit and that the plaintiffs “clearly believe it belongs in state court.”

The case is currently in the 2nd Judicial District Court in Albuquerque.

In the notice, the health insurers say that coverage for at least two of the plaintiffs is governed by the Employee Retirement Income Security Act that “completely preempts those claims and converts them into federal claims that are removable to this Court.” Further, the defendants claim the number and type of potential plaintiffs and the dollar amount involved fall under the jurisdiction of the federal Class Action Fairness Act.

The companies also question whether states are even allowed to “mandate coverage, under a health plan regulated by federal law, of substances prohibited by the [federal] Controlled Substances Act.”

A hearing on the change of venue is expected in September.

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MLB Hall of Famer Launches Cannabis Brand

7/29/2022

Major League Baseball (MLB) Hall of Famer and Boston Red Sox legend David Ortiz is launching a cannabis line which is expected to be available in Massachusetts dispensaries this month, Boston.com reports. Ortiz, who was known during his career as Big Papi, is the first MLB Hall of Famer to launch a cannabis brand.

The venture is called Papi Cannabis and is a partnership with Rev Brands.

In a statement, Ortiz said he began using cannabis following his professional baseball career to help manage the pain from the years of playing and to help balance the stress of his schedule.

“Once I embraced the flow of the flower everything changed. Cannabis has helped me relax, sleep better, manage stress and heal physically after a lifetime of playing ball, and I look forward to sharing Papi Cannabis and my personal journey to help people understand its benefits.” — Ortiz, in a statement, via Boston.com

Sweet Sluggers, pre-rolled blunts, will be the first product in the Papi Cannabis line. They feature “Ortiz’s choice” cannabis strains like Black Mamba #7, Lava Cake #7, Motorbreath #15, and Bootylicious #4, according to the release. The blunts are wrapped in traditional, non-tobacco wrappers. Ortiz indicated he worked with his daughter on the packaging design.

“I personally prefer pre-rolled blunts, and these ones are special to me because I was able to work with my daughter Alexandra on the colorful artwork for the packaging,” he said in the statement.

The company plans next to launch vape cartridges, a salve, and an infused chocolate made from fair trade chocolate sourced from the Dominican Republic, where Ortiz was born.

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Cannabis Smoking Permitted at New York State Fair

7/29/2022

Cannabis smoking will be allowed this year at the Great New York State Fair in six designated outdoor smoking areas, fair organizers told CBS 6. Under the state’s cannabis legalization law, cannabis can be smoked anywhere tobacco smoking is allowed.

Cannabis smoking was allowed at the fair last year; however, organizers were reportedly reconsidering the policy following complaints. Earlier this month, Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) signed a bill to ban smoking at all state-owned beaches, boardwalks, marinas, playgrounds, recreational centers, and group camps but the measure does not apply to fairgrounds.

Interim Fair Director Sean Hennessey told CBS 6 that fair security will be ensuring people follow the rules and only smoke in the designated areas.

“I’m a father of four. I try to be as health conscious as I can, but we want to make sure people with those habits have an ability to take care of those things while at the fairgrounds.” — Hennessey to CBS 6

Smoking is already banned in all buildings at the fairgrounds and most other public areas on the grounds.

During the fair last year, officials banned smoking in buildings, at picnic areas, on the midway, in kiddieland, the Chevy Court, and the 9/11 and veterans memorials. Following the complaint, Hochul indicated she would review the policy prior to this year’s event.

Live cannabis plants are not allowed to be displayed at the farm exhibits hosted at the fair.

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U.S. Residency No Longer Required to Own Cannabis Business in Denver

7/29/2022

Denver’s Department of Excise and Licenses announced that proof of U.S. residency is no longer a requirement for owning a cannabis business in the city, according to a Westword report. The change comes following legislative reforms that allowed immigrants to be eligible for state and local benefits, the report says.

“Our immigrant community plays a critical role in our economy,” Excise and Licenses Executive Director Molly Duplechian said in a statement. “We’re pleased to see our state lawmakers end the outdated anti-immigrant requirement that often limited an immigrant’s ability to pursue their dream of starting a business. An individual’s immigration status will no longer be a barrier to starting a business in the Mile High City.”

Although the announcement says it “opens a new era of financial opportunities for immigrants,” owning a liquor, tobacco, and cannabis business could still require “specific types” of identification, the report says.

The move comes on the heels of a new program by the Denver Department of Economic Development and Opportunity (DEDO), which is designed to help cannabis social equity licensees with things like “funding to regulations to marketing to challenges within the space,” DEDO Chief of Staff Chelsea Rosty recently told KMGH.

The cannabis technical assistance program is a 10-week curriculum covering cannabis history, politics, compliance, and best practices. To qualify, applicants must have lived in an “Opportunity Zone ” or “disproportionately affected area” for at least 15 years between 1980 and 2010, or have a family member arrested or convicted of a cannabis crime, or suffered a civil forfeiture related to a cannabis arrest. Lastly, applicants must have made less than 50% of the state’s median income the year prior to applying, the KMGH report says.

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Veteran’s Group Runs Ads Targeting Politicians Who ‘Undermine Legal Cannabis Industry’

7/29/2022

A veteran’s advocacy group is running an advertising campaign challenging California politicians who they say are denying patients legal access to cannabis. The Weed for Warriors Project (“WFW”) campaign is targeting Democratic State Sen. Melissa Hurtado, who WFW Executive Director Sean Kiernan accuses of “taking positions that undermine the development of a functional legal cannabis industry.”

“She represents an obstruction to rational legislation which could alleviate some of the pressure felt in our community and her actions have contributed to the destabilization of California’s already floundering cannabis industry. Casting votes which directly harm veterans, their families, neighbors, and the considerable agricultural interests she represents, is indefensible.” — Kiernan in a press release

According to state data, Hurtado twice did not cast a vote to move the Medicinal Cannabis Patients’ Right of Access Act out of committee.

In the billboard ad, Hurtado is featured with President Joe Biden (D) and states that the Democrat “voted against veterans cannabis access” which equals “more veterans on opioids.”

In a statement, Jason Beck, the longest continuous retail operator of cannabis in the U.S. said that “the history of cannabis industry advocacy has been to treat politicians with kid gloves.”

“Looks to me like veterans have taken those gloves off,” he said. “This could be the bell that wakes the industry up from being a political victim.”

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Biden Administration Offers Prisoner Swap for Brittney Griner, Paul Whalen

7/28/2022

The Biden Administration is offering to exchange Viktor Bout, a Russian who was convicted of arms dealing in the U.S. in 2011 and sentenced to 25 years in prison, for Americans Brittney Griner and Paul Whelan, both of which are considered wrongfully detained in Russia, CNN reports. The prisoner swap has been discussed since Griner was arrested in Russia in February after Russian officials found cannabis vape cartridges in her luggage.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Wednesday that the U.S. presented a “substantial proposal” to Moscow “weeks ago” for Whelan and Griner. Whelan is accused by Russia of being a spy for the U.S.

During a press conference on Wednesday, Blinken said that President Joe Biden (D) was “directly involved” and signed off on the proposal; however, Blinken declined to confirm that Bout was part of the deal.

During her court appearance on Wednesday, Griner’s attorneys argued that the Woman’s National Basketball Association all-star was improperly arrested, was questioned without an attorney present, and did not read her rights which under Russian law should occur within three hours of arrest, according to CNN.

On Tuesday, the court heard from an expert who testified that medical cannabis is used around the world for pain management, according to an Associated Press report. Earlier this month, Griner’s attorneys presented evidence that she has a physician’s recommendation in the U.S. for medical cannabis use but that is not a valid defense in Russia, where all cannabis use is prohibited.

Griner pleaded guilty to drug possession on July 7 and faces up to 10 years in prison. Russian officials have said that no potential prisoner swap would move forward before the end of her trial.

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DaVinci IQ2 Carbon – Limited Edition Collector’s Edition Review

7/28/2022

DaVinci is one of the first dry herb vape companies and was the first to release a pocketable battery vape in 2011. Last week, the Las Vegas-based brand released the Davinci IQ2 Carbon, or IQ2C. The latest iteration of the IQ2 features a carbon fiber 3k weave shell to more evenly distribute heat, and it looks pretty cool.

The IQ2C is a limited edition collector’s piece that also has in-app and on-device dosage and a 10-year warranty. It heats in 60 seconds to a precise temperature up to 430°F / 221°C and the oven can be packed with up to 0.5g dry herbs. DaVinci sent us the limited edition luxury box with a bunch of goodies including the new IQ2C, the Hydrotube, the dosing capsule case, a grinder, and their extract kit with a ceramic donut. Here’s how trying it out went.

I was most excited to try out the Hydrotube because I tend to overbake my flower when I vape it which leads to harsh hits. The Hydrotube came through in solving that problem and may have convinced me to bring dry herb vapes into the regular fold of pieces that I use when I’m medicating. The tube is spill resistant which I know because for the life of me I couldn’t empty it until I got on a call with DaVinci GM Shauntel Ludwig. She taught me that it’s as easy as blowing into the tube, then all of the water flushes right out. After that experience, I’m confident that I could fill the tube, throw it in my bag and go.

Their dosing capsules are also convenient for vaping on the go. Each capsule fits precisely 0.3 grams of ground herb, can be pre-loaded and transported in the dosing capsule case, and will keep the heating chamber cleaner.

Ludwig said that DaVinci designs products with the consumer in mind, and after using the latest DaVinci vape I can see that vision. The accessories are convenient and safety is considered when building their technology. Their vapes are built with all medical-grade materials, and the air path is clear of sealed solder or electronics. The only thing that the vapor touches before you inhale is zirconia ceramic or glass. The oven itself is dipped in glass in order to be sealed off from the ceramic. DaVinci chose zirconia ceramic because it has the same properties as glass, seals like glass, but creates a cooler vapor and is stronger than glass, according to Ludwig. The material is commonly used in dentistry.

I have been reviewing dry herbs vapes for a long time. In fact, I probably reviewed that first DaVinci portable device at one point. That said, not a lot of vape devices impress me. But this one did. The experience of vaping with the Hydrotube makes the DaVinci IQ2C my new favorite portable dry herb vape in my collection.

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Thailand Sees Surge of Unique Cannabis Products Following Legalization

7/28/2022

Since Thailand’s government legalized cannabis last month, the country has seen a surge of businesses offering cannabis-based products like toothpaste, tea, soaps, and snacks, Reuters reports. Although the nation did legalize the entire cannabis plant for cultivation, sellable products can contain no more than 0.2% THC, with no limits on CBD.

The report notes that some vendors are selling THC-rich products, despite a bill to regulate the practice still making its way through Parliament, the report says.

Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, a champion of legalization reforms in Thailand, told Reuters that he wants “to see people getting rich out of doing these products in a positive way.”

“My policy on cannabis is only focusing on medical purposes and health care. That’s all. We can’t encourage the use of cannabis in other ways.” — Charnvirakul to Reuters

He indicated Thailand’s cannabis industry could surpass $3 billion in just a few years.

Among the products in the newly-legal market is Surawut Samphant’s CBD toothpaste, which is created with cannabis seed oil and sold at his Channherb cannabis shop. Another vendor, Kreephet Hanpongpipat, owner of Kanomsiam dessert shop, said he’s added cannabis leaf to a selection.

Thailand legalized medical cannabis in 2018, but the country has long been known to use cannabis as a medicine. To mark its legalization of cannabis for cultivation and trade last month, officials handed out cannabis plants to residents, with plans to give away more than a million.

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New Jersey Approves Dispensary Co-Owned by Ice-T, Charis Burrett

7/28/2022

The Jersey City, New Jersey dispensary co-owned by rapper and actor Ice-T and Playboy Playmate Charis Burrett on Monday received approval from the state Cannabis Control Board, NJ.com reports. Ice-T, whose real name is Tracy Lauren Morrow, lives in Edgewater but told regulators that Jersey City would be better for business. Ice-T was born in Newark and grew up in Summit.

“There’s only one street there in Edgewater, that’s why I kind of voided them out. I said ‘Let’s go to Jersey City, my neighbor.’ I’m here every night and going out, I love Jersey City.” — Ice-T via NJ.com

Burrett is the founder of Medicine Woman, which opened its first dispensary in California. The company also has a “multi-collection private label product line.”

The Medicine Woman has plans for social equity partnerships with the Last Prisoner Project, Jersey City Mural and Arts Program, Jersey City Employment and Training Program, Hudson County Community College, and the Madeline Fiadini LoRe Foundation for Cancer Prevention, the report says.

Burrett told NJ.com that the company plans on “hiring quite a large percentage” of its employees from Jersey City.

“We plan on doing job fairs and obviously working with the local nonprofit charities in Jersey City to find employees that are looking to be in the industry and really promoting and looking within,” she said.

“I’ve dedicated my life and career to giving back and paving the way for minorities,” Ice-T said in a press release. “As a New Jersey native, I’m excited for the opportunity legalization offers our community and I look forward to ushering in a new era for cannabis in the state.”

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First Medical Cannabis Dispensary Opens in South Dakota

7/28/2022

South Dakota’s first medical cannabis dispensary opened on Wednesday, nearly two years after voters approved the reforms, South Dakota Public Radio (SDPR) reports. While Unity Rd. Dispensary in Hartford is the first licensed by the state, the Flandreau Tribe has been selling medical cannabis since July 2021.

Unity Rd. Co-owner B.J. Olson told SDPR the opening was “an extremely emotional day.” The company is partnering with Dakota Natural Solutions as its supplier.

“The moment that they got the license, they were able to drop seeds. The moment that we got our license and our building open, we were able to open up to our customers. It’s about being prepared, and really being lucky. We’ve been really fortunate with the people who we’ve been doing business with in this industry.” — Olson to SDPR

Unity Rd., based in Boulder, Colorado, offers franchise opportunities and Olson said that South Dakota’s laws “posed the most difficulty” for the company.

“We’re really doing our best to change the demeanor of how people perceive this product,” he told SDPR. “And everyone’s just been told one side of the story, but there’s a whole back end of what the cannabis industry does for South Dakota, and a lot more dollars flowing into our state.”

Currently, the dispensary is only selling flower but intends to sell edibles and concentrates in the coming weeks.

South Dakota voters are set to vote on broad adult-use legalization in November after the petition by South Dakotans for Better Marijuana Laws was validated by state officials in May. Fifty-three percent of South Dakota voters had approved the reforms in 2020 but the measure was ultimately struck down by the state Supreme Court which determined that it violated the one-subject rule for initiatives.

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Kara Bradford & David Murét: Cannabis Industry Recruitment and Employee Retention

7/27/2022

While it may seem like there is no shortage of people who are excited to work in cannabis, hiring employees and employee retention still represent significant hurdles for cannabis business owners.

We recently connected with Kara Bradford and David Murét, who co-founded the cannabis industry’s original and most proven talent recruitment firm, Viridian Staffing, to discuss hiring hurdles in the cannabis space. This interview also covers tips for keeping your team together despite a trend of resignations following the coronavirus pandemic, advice for hopeful employees looking to land their cannabis dream job, and more!

Scroll down to read the full interview.

Viridian Staffing is rapidly approaching its 10-year anniversary of serving the cannabis industry — how would you say the industry hiring process has changed or evolved over that time?

It’s been a wild ride! When we first started Viridian not a single adult-use license had been granted in Washington State, so we were limited to working with existing medical cannabis businesses, early-stage licensees in Colorado and other ancillary firms. Most of these companies were still leaning heavily on their immediate network of friends and family and when that wasn’t enough, they’d usually turn to Craigslist, which was one of the only sites that wouldn’t remove Cannabis-related job postings at the time.

Public attitudes towards cannabis have improved greatly since then. While some people we knew thought we were smart to found the industry’s first recruiting firm, others feared that we were committing career suicide. We even wondered ourselves at times, but we managed to keep the faith. The stigma certainly frustrated our early recruiting efforts. We had many candidates who would hang up on us or tell us never to contact them again. Today it’s very different. Even if people aren’t interested, they are far less likely to be hostile. Matter of fact, we’ve witnessed a striking trend among people who once said that the cannabis industry was out of the question for them circle back with us to express a change of heart. That has certainly felt gratifying.

While the social climate and potential candidate pool has improved greatly, recruiting in cannabis still has its challenges and unique complexities. In 2020 we witnessed a huge upsurge in interest among job-seekers that greatly exceeded the number of opportunities available. Then, around mid – 2021 we saw another large shift in the labor market. Workers across industries, particularly around the lower end of the pay scale began demanding higher wages, better benefits, and better work environments. While many cannabis companies have been at the forefront of creating great company cultures, the wages and benefits that larger companies began offering in retail, customer service and light manufacturing left many of our clients feeling the squeeze. But if the recession that a growing number of market analysts are predicting this year or in 2023 materializes and unemployment rises, we will likely see power shift back towards employers.

Another thing that makes staffing & recruiting in cannabis more challenging than in most other industries is the complex patchwork of badging, background & fingerprinting requirements, state-to-state, that can and often do result in significant hiring delays. These hiring delays often cause companies to miss out on great talent because many candidates aren’t willing to wait around or jump through the extra hoops when they have plenty of other options available to them.

One of the most positive changes we’ve seen over the past few years is industry employers becoming more serious about recruiting a diverse workforce. While this has long been something that industry leaders have paid lip service to, we’ve seen more of them putting their money where their mouth is and making it a real priority.

Another area we’ve seen Cannabis companies evolve is in making more data-driven decisions about their workforce planning. For the first several years when we would ask our clients how many workers they believed they needed, they would just guesstimate and were usually over or under what was ultimately required. Sometimes significantly so. Now when we ask this, most companies will come back with an answer more along the lines of, “We typically have x pounds of dry flower to package at the end of the harvest and the workers are typically able to package x pounds/day, so based on our past data, we should need x people.” This has made life better for everyone involved, including the workers.

In a shift often called ‘The Great Resignation,’ a record 47 million Americans quit their jobs in 2021. Have you seen similar patterns in the cannabis space, and what could be the cause?

Yes, the cannabis industry hasn’t been immune to this larger trend.

Whether you call it “The Great Resignation,” or “The Great Reshuffling,” the fact of the matter is that the Covid pandemic caused many Americans to look at their relationship with their jobs and reevaluate what was most important to them. The contributing factors included things like a greater interest in remote working arrangements or more flexible work hours allowing for a better work/life balance. A recent report in Pew Research also shed additional light on reasons why so many workers decided to walk, including low pay, lack of advancement opportunities, feeling disrespected at work, and challenges related to childcare.

As businesses of all kinds found it harder to attract or keep the workers they needed, larger US employers in similarly skilled industries began hiking their wages, some even offering large hiring bonuses. Cannabis workers saw this and began turning down pay rates they would have accepted just months earlier. This left cannabis companies with the tough decision to meet the new market demand by running on even thinner margins, cut production, or to try to squeeze the shortfall out of their existing employees, increasing the risk of losing those people as well.

Many cannabis companies also experienced an increased demand for safer or more comfortable work environments. One example being the understandable fear created by an increase in armed robberies, forcing many retailers to hire armed on-site security.

Today with gas prices hovering around record highs, workers are far less likely to consider a job that requires a significant commute. This has served to cancel out some of the advantages of firms that intentionally located their production or processing operations in relatively remote areas to take advantage of lower costs. In some instances, we have had to go as far as chartering private shuttle services to deliver workers and pass the cost onto the employer.

What are the biggest employment-related hurdles facing cannabis companies today?

The state-by-state badging process is the greatest hurdle today. These badging processes often take 2-3 weeks, which isn’t realistic for companies who are hiring hourly workers they really need to start quickly. Workers are similarly unlikely or unable to wait and end up taking other jobs in hospitality, traditional retail, or warehousing where they can often start the next day. Another galling feature of badging in some states is the exclusion of individuals who have non-violent cannabis offenses. Laws and regulations like these only serve to punish those who were most negatively impacted by prohibition and help keep the unregulated market alive.

Another challenge many cannabis employers face is their dependance on continued access to capital and/or debt financing. It is not uncommon for such firms to base their hiring decisions on anticipated investment funding and are then forced to lay off workers or cancel their orders with us if the funding is delayed or doesn’t materialize. It’s a bit of a chicken/egg scenario, as they need more workers in order to produce more product, but they need better revenue numbers to secure additional funding. It’s not fun when our workers or candidates get caught in the middle.

And as stated before, the current cost of gas is becoming a serious issue. This is a rapidly evolving situation, but companies are starting to see attrition due to workers wanting to find work closer to home or that pays more because an increasing number of workers can’t afford to absorb the added cost of commuting.

Do you have any tips to help cannabis companies retain their workforce during a tumultuous job market?

Absolutely! The key is to focus on creating a happy, positive work culture. If your employees enjoy working for you, they will become ambassadors of your organization. The least expensive and often best hires you will ever make will come from your best employees referring their friends and family.

One of the best ways to create a positive culture is to listen to your employees. I’d suggest surveying your employees at least once a year, conduct listening tours, or find other means of soliciting constructive feedback. Lack of communication is the top complaint we hear from workers when conducting interviews. Communicate clearly and be transparent with your employees, and this will help you retain a happy workforce.

Offer whatever benefits or perks you can afford: If you can’t offer higher wages or better benefits, consider offering more vacation/PTO, more flexible work hours, defraying commuting costs by purchasing transit cards, offering employee discounts, etc.

Does Viridian Staffing serve all the state-legal cannabis markets in the US, and what sort of work goes into preparing for new markets as they come online?

Yes, we most certainly do!

No two states are exactly alike so our first task is to understand all the relevant laws and regulations. This includes all the employment laws of a particular state and locality that apply to all workers, but also those that are specific to cannabis companies. Some markets are relatively easy to service while others can be quite onerous and complex.

In some instances, a state’s regulations were constructed in such a way that third party temporary staffing wasn’t even allowed. In those cases, we’ve had to work with our industry organizations and fellow cannabis employers to convince legislators or regulators to change the rules, making it easier for them to operate.

What is your number one tip for job seekers in the cannabis space?

Have a growth mindset! No one likes a “grow-it-all’ and the second you start trying to “cannasplain” to someone who owns or manages a business in the industry, you will likely disqualify yourself unless you are being considered for a lynchpin role like Head of Cultivation or Extraction where you are expected to be the most knowledgeable person about that thing in the organization. Another exception would be if you’re a consultant or are being brought in to help them solve a particular issue. It is alright to diagnose what you believe they are doing wrong if they are actively soliciting your opinion about it. Otherwise, it’s far more important to demonstrate that you are coachable and eager to learn how they like to do things than to prove to them that you are more knowledgeable about a particular topic than they are. That’s the kiss of death.

Thank you, Kara and David, for answering our questions and for sharing your years of cannabis hiring expertise! Readers can learn more and get in touch at ViridianStaffing.com.

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House Passes Bill to Expand Medical Cannabis Research

7/27/2022

The U.S. House of Representatives on Tuesday passed a negotiated version of the Medical Marijuana and Cannabidiol Research Expansion Act which would encourage cannabis research by streamlining the federal application process and removing Food and Drug Administration (FDA) barriers.

It marks the second time this year the chamber has approved the measure.

Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), the bill sponsor, said in a statement that the legislation is “crucial” for researchers and patients to be “able to fully study the health benefits of cannabis.”

“Research is a foundational element for cannabis policy. … . For too long, the federal government has stood in the way of science and progress, creating barriers for researchers obtaining resources and approval to study cannabis. This bipartisan, bicameral legislation is an important first step to changing that.” — Blumenauer in a press release

Republican Rep. Andy Harris (MD), a physician who once conducted National Institute of Health-sponsored research, said he was “pleased” with the bill’s passage “and that scientists will be able to research what medical marijuana can and cannot do.” Although he added that he still “categorically” opposes the recreational use of cannabis.

“While there is evidence to suggest that medical marijuana may be beneficial in the treatment of some diseases like glaucoma and epilepsy, only scientific research will prove the veracity of the many claims regarding efficacy for other diseases,” he said in a statement. “Despite lacking much scientific research, over three dozen states have already legalized medical marijuana, and the American public deserves to know the effect modern marijuana has on the human body.”

The Senate passed a similar bill in 2020 and the bill passed on Tuesday includes provisions from both bills approved by the respective chambers. The measure passed with bipartisan support, including 216 Democrats and 109 Republicans. The Senate is expected to approve the bill.

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Illinois Cannabis-Derived Tax Revenues 50% Higher in 2021

7/27/2022

Illinois raked in $445.3 million in adult-use cannabis tax revenue last year, up from $297.7 million in 2020, representing a 50% increase, NBC 15 reports. Under Illinois’ adult-use cannabis law, 25% of cannabis-derived funds are allocated to communities disproportionately affected by the drug war.

In total, the state took in $1.5 billion in adult-use cannabis revenue and dispersed $146.2 million to local governments, Gov. JB Pritzker (D) said in a statement.

“Illinois has done more to put justice and equity at the forefront of this industry than any other state in the nation and has worked to ensure that communities hurt by the war on drugs have had the opportunity to participate. The $1.5 billion in sales of adult-use cannabis in Illinois translates into significant tax revenue with a portion of every dollar spent being reinvested in communities that have suffered for decades.” — Pritzker in a statement

Additionally, the state has issued $113.5 million in grants through its Criminal Justice Information Authority’s Restore, Reinvest, and Renew (R3) Program. Those funds go toward programs helping with child poverty, unemployment, mass incarceration, and gun violence, the report says.

“This isn’t just happening. These directed resources were the result of intentional policy decisions to begin repairing harm. But this is just the beginning. I am eager to see newly licensed Black businesses get a slice of the pie,” said State Rep. Jehan Gordon-Booth (D). “These much-needed resources for communities impacted by the drug war are the exact reason why policymakers who understand the pain and trauma being experienced by the community is vital.”

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Switzerland Loosens Medical Cannabis Rules and Allows Exports

7/27/2022

Beginning August 1, Switzerland will no longer require medical cannabis patients to request permission from the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH), allowing them to get prescriptions directly from their doctors, Forbes reports. The new rules effectively legalize medical cannabis nationally and allow the export of medical cannabis for commercial purposes, although the products are capped at 1% THC.

The reforms follow Switzerland’s Federal Council’s lifting of the ban on cannabis for medical purposes by amending the Swiss Narcotics Act, which Parliament approved in March 2021, the report says. Exporters still need permission from Swissmedic.

The Federal Council indicated that the demand for medical cannabis authorizations has increased in recent years which created an administrative burden and slowed down medical treatment. According to SWI swissinfo.ch, outlined by Forbes, the FOPH issued around 3,000 medical cannabis authorizations in 2019 for patients with cancer, neurological diseases, or multiple sclerosis. Those numbers do not include patients who obtained their cannabis illegally.

Switzerland is expected to begin an adult-use cannabis pilot program in Basel, allowing some citizens to purchase non-medical, THC-rich cannabis. FOPH said the project aims to increase understanding of “alternative regulatory forms” for cannabis that could be the basis for future legislation.

In 2008, nearly two-thirds of Swiss voters rejected a ballot initiative to decriminalize cannabis use nationwide. The Office of Public Health estimates there are 220,000 regular cannabis consumers in Switzerland.

In June, the University of Geneva published a study estimating that the economic impact of cannabis legalization in Switzerland would generate an annual turnover of about $1.03 billion and create about 4,400 full-time jobs. A separate study published in 2020 estimated the national Swiss cannabis market to be worth up to $520 million.

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Voters in Killeen, Texas to Vote on Cannabis Decriminalization in November

7/27/2022

Voters in Killeen, Texas will vote in November on an ordinance to decriminalize cannabis within city limits, 6 News reports. The City Council decided to put the issue to voters after unanimously voting against a proposal to enact the reforms.

If approved, the Killeen Police Department would no longer be able to use cannabis odor as probable cause for search and seizure with personal possession capped at 4 ounces.

The ordinance was brought after more than 2,500 residents signed a petition circulated by Ground Game Texas which has led similar efforts in Austin and Denton.

Julie Oliver, co-founder of Ground Game Texas, told 6 News prior to the council meeting that putting the issue to voters was her preferred course of action.

“We got over 2,000 signatures of residents in Killeen who really want to see this ordinance pass. Whether it happens at city council tonight, whether it happens in November – it will pass eventually. I want to let the people decide, I think it’s an important issue and the people should decide.” — Oliver to 6 News

The push by individual cities and towns in Texas to pass cannabis reforms comes as Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller (R) seeks to implement statewide cannabis reforms. In a July 15 op-ed, Miller called for the expansion of medical cannabis in the state and the end of prohibition, noting that he believes, “cannabis prohibition came from a place of fear, not from medical science or the analysis of social harm.”

“Sadly, the roots of this came from a history of racism, classism, and a large central government with an authoritarian desire to control others,” he wrote. “It is as anti-American in its origins as could be imaginable.”

Miller also appeared on Inside Texas Politics on July 23, saying that if medical cannabis will “help a toothache,” then he’s “for it.”

“This is about freedom. It’s about less regulation,” he said during his appearance on Inside Texas Politics. “It’s about less government. It’s about freedom between you and your doctor and getting the government out of your life. So, I think it’s a conservative issue.”

The reforms are opposed, however, by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R).

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JuanaRoll Pre-Roll Machine Now Scales from 4,000 to 32,000 Joints Per Shift

7/26/2022

New ‘Grow as You Go’ Pre-Roll Automation

July 20, 2022 – Canapa has announced that its market leading JuanaRoll automated pre-roll machine is now available in 8 different configurations to fill most every production rate need.

The JuanaRoll is the industry’s most flexible pre-roll machine with a straight-line design that allows users to expand production as needed. Customers can now start with a 1-channel model and produce up to 4,000 pre-rolls in an 8-hour shift and then expand up to an 8-channel model or anything in between to produce up to 32,000 pre-rolls per 8-hour shift.

Featuring the most edge weight cell technology with 2/1000g resolution, an integrated PreCheQ check weigher and stations for compacting, tamping, twisting, trimming and crowning, this high-performance machine also includes no cone-no fill detection, a cone open camera vision system, and two digital cameras with free online support and training.

The JuanaRoll is designed for speed, accuracy, flexibility and expandability. This highly productive machine is built with a stainless-steel frame and contact parts to allow for easy cleaning and includes a user-friendly HMI for unlimited recipe setup and precise control over compaction and twisting. Real-time production reporting can be displayed at the touch of a button and data is easily exported to USB or email.

For a full-length testimonial video and to learn more about the JuanaRoll pre-roll machine including operational videos from facilities around the world, visit www.canapasolutions.com/pre-roll-packaging-machine.

About Canapa
Canapa is a global leader in the design, manufacture and integration of automated cannabis packaging machines for the legal cannabis and hemp industries. From weighing, pre-roll filling, jar and pouch filling, bagging and wrapping to conveying, cartoning, case packing and palletizing, Canapa packaging solutions can be tailored to meet specific production, space and budgetary needs.

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Texas AG Commissioner Continues Push to Expand Cannabis Access

7/26/2022

Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller (R) is continuing his campaign in support of expanding medical cannabis access in the state, telling Inside Texas Politics that “if it’ll help a toothache,” he’s “for it.”

“…Anything that will relieve pain or suffering for somebody. And we’ve seen this, how it helps PTSD, cancer patients, etc. But we just need to open it up to everybody and quit picking winners and losers.” — Miller to Inside Texas Politics

Miller’s comments come 10 days after he published an op-ed calling for the end of cannabis prohibition.

In the op-ed, Miller said he believed “cannabis prohibition came from a place of fear, not from medical science or the analysis of social harm.”

Despite Miller’s support for broad cannabis legalization, the reforms are opposed by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) but Miller said he plans to urge the governor and GOP-led Legislature “to come together and set aside our political differences to have an honest conversation about cannabis: where we have been, where we are going, and what role government should properly play.”

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Illinois Issues 149 Conditional Social Equity Cannabis Licenses

7/26/2022

Illinois officials on Sunday issued 149 conditional adult-use dispensary licenses to social-equity applicants – the first time the state has issued an entire round of licenses to the cohort. Of the businesses selected through the lottery, 41% are majority Black-owned, 7% are majority White-owned, and 4% are majority Latino-owned, while 38% of awardees did not disclose the race of their owners.

In a statement, Gov. JB Pritzker (D) said the licenses “represent a significant step toward accountability for the decades of injustice preceding cannabis legalization.”

“Illinois is leading the way in addressing the War on Drugs as no state has before, and dispensary ownership that reflects our state’s diversity is a product of that commitment. … Illinois will continue to deliver on the promises of putting equity at the forefront of this process.” — Pritzker, in a press release

The selected businesses now have 180 days to select a physical storefront location and obtain the full Adult Use Dispensing Organization License.

Mario Treto, Jr., secretary of the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, said the licenses “continue to lay the groundwork for a cannabis industry more diverse and equitable than any other in the country.”

“The release of these licenses means a transformation of the retail side of Illinois’ cannabis industry,” he said, “creating more opportunities for individuals from all backgrounds to reap the benefits of legalization as employees and ancillary service providers.”

Through a separate program administered by the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO), the state offers low-interest loans to qualified licensed companies through its Social Equity Cannabis Loan Program. Officials said the first round of social equity license applicants is expected to finalize loan agreements directly with DCEO’s partner lending institutions in the coming weeks.

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The Cannabis Drinks Expo Has Arrived In Chicago and San Francisco

7/26/2022

July 26, 2022 — Get ready for the biggest cannabis beverage professionals gathering on July 28 in San Francisco and August 2 in Chicago.

The theme for the 2022 show will be ‘Growing The Category.’ The 2022 show will focus on helping anyone looking to get into the category and learn about and develop new products. It will help existing brands expand into other states by meeting other state manufacturers; it will help retailers and distributors develop their own brands; it will find new ways cannabis beverages can be marketed and sold; and it will find new ways cannabis beverages can be developed to grow the end consumer market share.

The 2022 show will also focus on increasing the overall category by showcasing exhibitors who can help do all that, and by creating networking opportunities and focusing on the multi-state bottlenecks that are in place. The show will have an international and national focus instead of a state-based focus. This is where multistate operators will come to find synergies and do business with each other and help the category grow.

Hosted by the Beverage Trade Network, this expo will shine a spotlight on the skyrocketing legal cannabis market and provide insight into its future brimming with opportunity.

Dates and Location
San Francisco: July 28, 2022 – South San Francisco Conference Center, 255 South Airport Boulevard South San Francisco, CA 94080, United States
Chicago: August 2, 2022 – Midwest Conference Centre, 401 W Lake St Northlake, Chicago IL 60164, United States

Here are the links to register yourself as a trade show visitor:
San Francisco Tickets | Chicago Tickets

Press contact:
Sid Patel
info@cannabisdrinksexpo.com
www.cannabisdrinksexpo.com
+1 855 481 1112

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European Officials Meet to Discuss Adult-Use Cannabis Reforms

7/26/2022

Officials from Luxembourg, Germany, The Netherlands, and Malta met in Luxembourg last week to discuss adult-use cannabis reforms, RTL Today reports. At a press conference held after the meeting at Senningen Castle in Niederanven, Luxembourg’s Minister of Health Paulette Lenert stressed that “it is important to stick together” when taking on new challenges, and that current policies “did not deliver the results that they should” have.

Lenert said the officials are up against a growing illicit market that “works according to a market logic, which means that there is an increasing amount of cheap rubbish on the market.” If not confronted, she said the underground market could become “a real danger for the health and security of everybody,” the report says.

Minister of Justice Sam Tanson gave other reasons for reconsidering cannabis policy like “not pushing people into criminality for things that do not belong there.”

Malta was the first country in the European Union to legalize adult-use cannabis while Germany’s minister of health announced last month that the country had begun planning its move to end cannabis prohibition, with the legalization bill formally expected later this year. Luxemburg passed cannabis decriminalization in 2021 while The Netherlands has long been known for lax cannabis policy, although officials there have hesitated to make more significant reforms.

Additionally, other EU member nations including Spain and Greece have legalized access to medical cannabis.

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MustHaveMenus Offers Free Dispensary Menu Templates

7/26/2022

MustHaveMenus, a design software for restaurants and businesses of all shapes and sizes, has recently made a portion of its collection free to use, allowing anyone to create a menu for their cannabis products. Dispensary menu options range from bright and flashy to outdoorsy and even simple for those modern weed-sellers. Even if a dispensary-specific template doesn’t immediately grab customers’ attention, MustHaveMenus offers 20,000+ design templates that can be altered to fit any business’ brand.

Digital Menu Boards, Marketing Materials, and More

With free dispensary digital menu boards from MustHaveMenus, clients can design a large, eye-catching menu for all their cannabis products. The templates are bold, easy to read, and customizable.

MustHaveMenus is constantly working to increase its collection of dispensary-themed assets. The current collection includes hundreds of different assets for customers to choose from, including digital menu boards, social media posts, flyers, loyalty cards, and much more. Customers can build out their entire brand with matching styles, getting all the different materials they need.

Quickly Post to Social Media

With their simple-to-use software, businesses can quickly post their personalized assets directly to their Instagram and Facebook feeds and stories. These matching marketing materials can help dispensary owners build their brands, making it easier to manage social media posting and increasing brand recognition and awareness.

Easy to Use Software

MustHaveMenus can help business owners take the guesswork out of design. With their new free assets, customers don’t have to be a subscriber to access high-quality templates. However, to gain access to more templates (both dispensary and otherwise), they offer a monthly subscription plan. This plan also gives business owners access to other benefits, such as watermark-free publishing, hi-res downloads, and more. MustHaveMenus continues to put on new designs on a regular basis.

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Why Medical Cannabis Is Gaining a Foothold in War-Torn Ukraine

7/26/2022

Editor’s note: This op-ed was contributed by Irene Stepanenko, CEO of AskGrowers, a Ukraine-based cannabinoid education platform and online marketplace.

On the morning of February 24, 2022, Russia plunged Ukraine into unimaginable violence. In the months since the first missiles struck civilian homes and public spaces, thousands have lost their lives and millions have been forced to flee to safety.

The war has created a humanitarian crisis not seen in Europe for decades, with no end in sight. An entire generation of Ukrainians will suffer for years to come with physical wounds and psychological trauma on an unprecedented scale.

They will need more than just conventional therapies to cope with the pain and distress. For many, medical cannabis will be the key to managing their post-traumatic stress syndrome and easing the pain of injuries from bombs, missiles, and bullets.

Fortunately, both citizens and politicians are warming to the idea that cannabis should have a place in the clinical toolkit, bringing hope that medical use of these plant-based substances will help Ukraine to rebuild even stronger than before.

Currently, the medical use of cannabis is largely prohibited in Ukraine, except for the use of certain cannabis-based psychoactive substances (nabilone, nabiximol, and dronabinol). Recreational use is completely forbidden, and the production, purchase, storage, transportation, and sale of recreational cannabis is entirely illegal. CBD use is a gray area for the country but is generally limited.

A Parliamentary vote to legalize cannabis-based substances for medicinal use failed in 2021, albeit narrowly. Now, as the war takes its toll on the country, Minister of Health Viktor Liashko has approved a new bill on “cannabis plants for medical, industrial purposes, scientific and scientific-technical activities to create the conditions for expanding the access of patients to the necessary treatment of cancer and post-traumatic stress disorder resulting from the war.”

The draft bill will now head to Ukraine’s parliament, where it must receive at least 226 votes to become law. If this legislation passes, it will allow for a full cycle of cannabis-based drug production in Ukraine, from cultivation and processing to full-fledged production. Liashko believes that keeping the process wholly in the country will give the government more control over the production and sale of the resulting medical products to safeguard patients and prevent unauthorized uses.

The public seems to be in favor of exploring the benefits of medical cannabis, at least for very seriously ill patients. A 2020 survey found that approximately 65 percent of Ukrainians were in favor of legalization – how the war will affect the public perception of cannabis remains to be seen.

Education about cannabis use and its role in medical care will be crucial for increasing this percentage and encouraging acceptance of cannabis products. Providing factual, bias-free information about how cannabis can reduce physical and psychological distress can reduce skepticism, encourage interest, and make eligible patients more likely to take advantage of opportunities for medicinal use.

It’s important to note that in Ukraine, making cannabis available for medical purposes will not make it any more accessible to the average citizen, regardless of our hopes that recreational use will eventually be legalized.

The government is likely to strictly control access to therapies derived from cannabis and prescriptions will only be available to people with a confirmed eligible diagnosis. The use of electronic prescribing will prevent forgeries, while growers will need to obtain special permits to operate. These factors may make it easier for legislation to make it through Parliament, even in the middle of Ukraine’s fight for survival.

For many combat veterans and ordinary citizens suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder and other ailments from the war, speeding up the path to medical cannabis legalization will be essential. The positive benefits of medical cannabis on mental and physical health are not in question, but there is still more work to do before lawmakers and Ukrainian citizens are ready to embrace the potential of cannabis-based treatments.

Even as the war drags on, we are hopeful that Ukraine will be among the fastest countries in Europe to realize that medical cannabis can play a unique and important role in helping survivors reach a peaceful new era that includes the use of natural products as part of the delivery of highly effective healthcare.

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‘90% of Kentucky Adults Support Medical Cannabis,’ Says Governor

7/25/2022

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear (D) said during a cannabis-focused town hall in Frankfort that 90% of Kentucky adults support medical cannabis legalization in the state, WKYT reports. Beshear is holding a series of town halls on cannabis policy as he weighs executive options for legalizing medical cannabis.

Ninety percent of Kentucky adults support medical cannabis and the Team KY Medical Cannabis Advisory Committee will help ensure every voice is heard as I weigh executive action that could provide access for those suffering from chronic pain or our veterans suffering from PTSD.1/2

— Governor Andy Beshear (@GovAndyBeshear) July 24, 2022

State Rep. Al Gentry (D) said during his remarks that his survey on the issue over the last five years “has drawn between 85 and 91% approval.”

Gentry has sponsored a medical cannabis legalization bill in the state since he was first elected in 2016 but the measure has never been considered by a committee in the Republican-controlled Legislature. Last March, Senate Majority Leader Damon Thayer (R) said he would not bring a medical cannabis bill up for a vote because there were “not enough votes” to pass the reforms.

Beshear said in April that he would consider his options as governor to legalize medical cannabis but Republican Attorney General Daniel Cameron has warned that the governor would likely be overstepping his legal authority by using an executive order to enact the reforms.

“The General Assembly is the policy-making body of this state,” Cameron said in a statement following Beshear’s remarks, “and we’ve seen the problems that result when the governor tries to circumvent the legislature and make unilateral policy decisions.”

Kentucky Republican Senate President Robert Stivers also pushed back on Beshear’s plan, saying “You can’t supersede a statute by executive order because it’s a constitutional separation of powers violation.”

Last month, Beshear created a 15-member Medical Cannabis Advisory Committee to help advise him on medical cannabis policy. The committee includes physicians, medical cannabis advocates, public health workers, and attorneys.

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