Stonecrest, Georgia Decriminalizes Low-Level Cannabis Possession

8/25/2022

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The city of Stonecrest, Georgia on Monday decriminalized cannabis possession by adults following a unanimous vote to approve the reforms by the city council, FOX 5 reports. Those caught with an ounce or less of cannabis will only get a citation and a $100 fine. 

Mayor Jazzmin Cobble said the new ordinance will reduce the number of people incarcerated for low-level cannabis possession. The Municipal Court of Stonecrest, which backed the reforms, said the enforcement of possession laws “has fallen disproportionately on certain subsets of the population.” 

“The City of Stonecrest remains committed to ensuring the safety and security of all residents and visitors. This ordinance does not legalize the possession of marijuana in Stonecrest. It eliminates jail time as the only option of penalty and reduces the fines for individuals found guilty of possessing one ounce or less of marijuana.” — Cobble via FOX 5 

Earlier this month, Commissioners in Athens-Clarke County, Georgia approved an ordinance to reduce the penalty for possession of less than an ounce of cannabis to a $35 fine, which is the lowest in the state. Other municipalities, including Atlanta, Savannah, Macon-Bibb, Statesboro, Tybee Island, Clarkston, Chamblee, Forest Park, Kingsland, and South Fulton have also enacted measures to decriminalize cannabis possession, eschewing jail time for fines between $75 to $500.   

In May, Chatham County District Attorney Shalena Cook Jones said she will no longer prosecute cannabis possession cases dealing with less than one ounce or test small amounts of cannabis unless other felony charges are involved.  

Cannabis possession remains outlawed under state law. The state does have a medical cannabis program.  

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Pennsylvania Ordered to Reveal Number of Cannabis Patients Enrolled for Opioid Addiction

8/25/2022

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A panel of Pennsylvania judges has ordered the administration of Gov. Tom Wolf (D) to reveal how many medical cannabis patients are enrolled in the program for opioid addiction treatment, Spotlight PA reports. The decision comes after the Office of Open Records (OOR) determined in September that Spotlight PA should have access to that information; however, the decision was challenged by the Wolf Administration.  

Spotlight had sought the information for their coverage of a story of a Bucks County man who was wrongly denied addiction treatment funding because he was enrolled in the state’s medical cannabis program. The man died a few weeks after the denial due to a drug overdose.  

In the court opinion last week, the judges dismissed several arguments from the state Department of Health, which sought to keep the information private. Bonnie Brigance Leadbetter, a senior judge, determined that the agency interpreted confidentiality rules too broadly and one of its arguments was “undeveloped” and “misses the point,” the report says.  

Paula Knudsen Burke, an attorney with the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press who is representing Spotlight PA for free, called the ruling “an important step toward public access to aggregate data that will help Pennsylvanians better understand how the state’s medical marijuana program is operating.” 

In the opinion, Leadbetter said that while some information is confidential under the state’s medical cannabis law, the information requested under Spotlight’s OOR request “is subject to disclosure.” 

The Health Department could petition the state Supreme Court and ask for an appeal so it is not immediately clear whether the agency will release the information to Spotlight.   

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Arshad Lasi: Growing a Family-Owned Cannabis Enterprise

8/24/2022

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When Oklahoma regulators launched the state’s medical cannabis industry with an open and generally welcoming licensing scheme, it created a market where anyone with fortitude and starting capital could launch a business and try their hand at the cannabis industry.

While The Nirvana Group originally started as the Lasi family tobacco shop, it has grown into a corporate enterprise encompassing cannabis retail, distribution, wholesale, and cultivation operations, all handled in-house. This Q&A covers Arshad Lasi’s journey as a young CEO building out the enterprise, establishing the various vertical operations, and tips for running a family-owned and -operated business. The interview also covers new product development, a discussion about Oklahoma’s formerly open cannabis licensing scheme, and more!

Scroll down for the full interview:

Ganjapreneur: Did you face many challenges converting your family’s Oklahoma smoke shop into a vertically integrated cannabis enterprise?

Arshad Lasi: In terms of opening multiple dispensary locations, and then applying for licenses to eventually open and operate cultivation, manufacturing and distribution centers, it all happened within a few years – certainly quicker than I anticipated. But my personal challenge was balancing going to school as an undergraduate at the University of Houston, all the while running and expanding this burgeoning business. At the beginning it was rough, especially with having to travel back and forth between Houston and Tulsa. A silver lining of the pandemic was being able to stay in Tulsa to run the business while also completing many of my college courses remotely online. That certainly made it easier to balance everything.

What are the pillars of The Nirvana Group? In what order did you establish the smoke shop, dispensary, and distribution center?

The pillars of The Nirvana Group are multi-faceted. They include a 30-acre cultivation facility; a 10,000 square foot extraction center; a 7,500 square foot commercial kitchen to produce beverages and edibles; Nirvana Distribution, a 10,000 square foot warehouse that is one the largest Smoke Shop, Glass, Paper, Vaporizer, and Packaging distributors in Oklahoma, servicing more than 500 dispensaries for their ancillary products; and Argent Cannabis Distribution, the only cannabis cash & carry concept in Oklahoma and the wholesale distribution company for Nirvana Group’s cannabis brands, which range from vapes to pre-rolls to edibles and beverages to concentrates and more. We have two locations of Argent, in Tulsa and Oklahoma City, and work with more than 30 brands and are home to nearly 1,000 SKUs. And mentioned here last, but certainly not least, is our expanding roster of both medical dispensaries and smoke shops throughout the state.

In terms of the order of when we established these operations, my father founded the company Nirvana and opened our first smoke shop in 2011. We then expanded our operations in 2018 to include Distribution and Wholesale, and rebranded our growing business as The Nirvana Group. In January 2019 we opened our first medical dispensary, followed shortly by three additional dispensaries and then Argent Cannabis. In October 2020 we expanded the Argent and Nirvana distribution operations, and in 2021 began our extraction and cultivation operations. By the middle of 2021, we were manufacturing edibles, beverages, vapes, etc., both as in-house brands and for white labeling.

We also opened a new smoke shop in Albuquerque, New Mexico in July 2022. In addition, we recently received our New Mexico cannabis business licenses and plan to expand our manufacturing and distribution operations into the state within the next three months. We are examining expansion opportunities into additional states as well.

Does Argent Cannabis Distribution accept all brands on the platform of only Nirvana Group cannabis brands?

Not all; we vet the brands to make sure they’re a good fit for us and ensure that we can provide them with successful results. We distribute our partner brands and others, including Toast, Venus Electra, Nuvata, Releaf Labs, and more.

What is the process of developing a new product at The Nirvana Group? How did the company build these SOPs?

There’s a tremendous amount of ideation and research & development involved. We’re consistently working on creating new products and improving on our current product lines. We innovate for ourselves as well as for the partner brands we work with, like Love Yer Brain [previously mentioned]. We built our current Standard Operating Procedures through trial and error, as well as from valuable advice from fellow market leaders.

Does the commercial kitchen do palatability, effect, or other types of tests before bringing a product to market?

Absolutely. We want to ensure our products will be enjoyed by the patients who consume them.

What grow methods and mediums do The Nirvana Group use in its cultivation space?

We use soil in our greenhouse, as well as some outdoor cultivation methods.

How have you noticed that open licensing affects the Oklahoma cannabis space?

The Oklahoma cannabis space is one of opportunity and access, which I view positively. It is relatively inexpensive to obtain a cannabis business license compared to that of most legal states. Of course, the risk of oversaturation is a negative effect of open licensing that we should be mindful of. Therefore, it is important to create regulations that will prevent the market from being flooded, which could also lead to quality control issues. However, there are plenty of benefits that come with expanding access to the industry.

Even with a license you still need a fair amount of capital to launch, but the overall lower cost of getting started also comes into play thanks to more affordable real estate as compared to other parts of the country, opening up the opportunity to build larger facilities for cultivation, storage, manufacturing and distribution, as well as storefronts for dispensaries. This creates opportunities for newcomers and legacy operators to get into the licensed industry, and may also benefit underserved communities who have been historically targeted by the unjust war on drugs. Assisting these communities is a cornerstone of the legalization process and Oklahoma’s regulations can result in inclusivity and widespread participation. However, now Oklahoma’s regulations are becoming more limited and restrictive, as unfortunately I don’t believe that equity and widespread opportunity were the original intentions of the state legislators who drafted the original regulations.

Has The Nirvana Group considered a future of adult-use legalization while building out the medical cannabis enterprise?

Absolutely – and one of the ways we’ve been planning for an imminent adult-use market is through product innovation including infused beverages, a key product bringing cannabis consumption to the mainstream, and through strategic partnerships. The future of cannabis is well thought out, consumer brands, and we’re taking steps to be involved in that space as much as possible. For example, we recently partnered with Love Yer Brain, the edibles brand founded by Flaming Lips frontman and Oklahoma native Wayne Coyne, to increase availability across the state, create new specialty products, and expand into new markets.

What challenges have you faced working with your parents on this venture?

Working alongside my parents to grow this business has been extremely positive and rewarding for the most part. They’re part of The Nirvana Group Board, and here to lend their guidance to business decisions. Even when we disagree, at the end of the day, we’re able to hash everything out at the dinner table, as well as compartmentalize what’s business and what’s personal, and remain transparent and honest with one another.

How has establishing a corporate structure in your family business been a positive experience? Do you have any advice for families working together?

I look to my parents as role models and mentors, so it has been an extremely positive experience learning the ins and outs of how to operate a retail business from them, and together learning the incredibly complex and constantly evolving cannabis industry. It has also been a fulfilling experience to have them put their trust in me to expand the business and to take the wheel as CEO of the company. Even though there have been difficult and challenging times and situations, The Nirvana Group has matured from a mom-and-pop business to a more structured, corporate model.

My advice would be to allocate specific times to talk about business, and then make sure you still dedicate family time for more personal conversations and general life updates. Thankfully, my parents and I have a great personal and working relationship.

As a young CEO, how have you prepared for the executive position? Could you share any lessons learned that helped you achieve new levels of success in the role?

The best way to prepare is really to jump into the deep end and start swimming. A traditional business education can help, but working in the licensed cannabis industry really requires on the ground experience and the ability to adapt and pivot, as well as a desire to continue to learn and innovate.

One of the most important lessons I’ve learned along the way is to build a strong team and to trust your team, understanding your colleagues’ strengths and interests, as well as your own strengths and weaknesses. No leader is able to excel at every single aspect of what it takes to run a company, but part of being a successful executive is choosing the right people to work with and letting them shine in their respective specialties.

Thank you, Arshad, for answering our questions and sharing your industry experiences! To learn more about Arshad Lasi and The Nirvana Group’s cannabis operations, visit Nirvana-Dispensary.com.

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Oklahoma Cannabis Legalization Question May Miss Ballot Due to Signature Counting Delays

8/24/2022

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Oklahoma voters may not have their chance to vote on adult-use cannabis legalization in November, despite meeting the signature threshold, because the state’s new private vendor used to verify and count signatures took too long to process the petition, KFOR reports. The Vote Yes on 802 Campaign had submitted 20,000 more signatures than the statute requires.

The deadline to print ballots is August 26 and the Secretary of State’s Office verified the signatures on Monday; however, Michelle Tilley, with the campaign, explained that “the count has to be certified by the court” and had to have a 10-day publication period in the newspaper which “will all be completed just a few days” after Friday’s deadline.

“So, we know people in Oklahoma want this and at least they want to vote on it. … The state has really dropped the ball in their new count process.” — Tilley to KFOR

She described the failure as “unprecedented” in the state.  

“Generally, a petition of our size, it takes about five to seven days to count,” she explained to KFOR. “For example, the Medicaid expansion petition, which had twice as many signatures as ours, only took 17 days.” 

The campaign has filed a petition with the Oklahoma State Supreme Court to intervene. They are asking the court to allow ballots with the question printed on them to be produced while the process finishes. 

“Because of a new electronic process instituted and used for the first time on this initiative, however, the Secretary’s signature count ended up taking much longer than anyone had anticipated,” the legalization campaign contends in the lawsuit. “Instead of the 2-3 weeks expected by the parties (and by the Secretary’s office, as the undersigned counsel was informed prior to turn-in), the electronic signature verification and count – conducted by an inexperienced private vendor pursuant to a no-bid contract lingered on for nearly 7 weeks.” 

In the lawsuit, the campaign describes the delay as “unexpected” and “inexplicable.”  

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CannaCon, The Nation’s Leading Cannabis Conference & Expo, Comes to the Colorado Convention Center

8/24/2022

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With Colorado continuing to be a leader in the legal cannabis market, CannaCon brings its unique brand of cannabis conferences to Denver on September 24th-25th. Join CannaCon in the state where it all began and seize your opportunity to grow the industry with us.

CannaCon West will provide a B2B venue for cannabis businesses, entrepreneurs, and industry leaders to showcase products, services, innovations and technology. CannaCon features some of the world’s best genetics, the latest in growing and extraction products, dispensary displays, POS systems, and so much more.

You’ll also have the opportunity to immerse yourself in learning from industry experts in the CannaCon Seminar Series. Offering seminars on overcoming Manufacturing and Supply Chain Challenges and Tips, Seed to sale sustainability, and the one and only Pot Brothers at Law.

Shop directly from the manufacturer on our expo floor, learn from leading industry experts at our seminars, and network with thousands of like-minded individuals at CannaCon West.

“CannaCon is the most amazing business-to-business cannabis convention of mainstream America.” — Marc Wasserman of The Pot Brothers at Law.

“The most fun you can have at a cannabis event. The best networking opportunity in the industry – by leaps and bounds.” — Thomas Warinner, MOBIUS

Contact | Angelle Grelle | angela@cannacon.org

CannaCon Midwest will provide a B2B venue for cannabis businesses, entrepreneurs, and investors to showcase industry products, people, innovations and technology. Featuring some of the world’s best genetics, the latest in growing and extraction products, dispensary displays, POS systems, and so much more.

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Majority of New Mexico’s 1,000 Cannabis Licenses Issued to Companies Controlled by Men

8/24/2022

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New Mexico has approved more than 1,000 cannabis industry licenses in the year-plus since adult cannabis use was legalized; however, 70% of those licenses were issued to businesses controlled by men, the Santa Fe New Mexican reports. During a presentation to lawmakers on Tuesday, Andrew Vallejos, director of the Alcohol and Gaming Division of the state Regulation and Licensing Department, which houses the Cannabis Control Division (CCD), said that 38% of licensees who identified as white also cited some Latino, Hispanic or Spanish origin and that 40% of the state’s cannabis licenses were issued to minorities. 

Vallejos said the figure “bodes well” for the state’s efforts for an equitable industry.  

It is not known, though, how many of those licenses went to New Mexicans as the CCD does not keep track of that information, the report says. Robert Sachs, CCD’s deputy director of policy, told lawmakers on the Legislature’s interim Courts, Corrections and Justice Committee that he believes most of the controlling entities are from within the state but would need to conduct a more comprehensive search to make that determination. 

So far, regulators have approved 1,027 cannabis licenses, with 292 – the largest amount – going to retailers. There have been 188 cannabis producer licenses issued, along with 91manufacturer licenses, 202 cannabis microbusiness licenses, and 100 vertically integrated licenses, the report says. 

During the meeting, state Sen. Joseph Cervantes (D) said that the figures don’t say enough about who is actually controlling and profiting from the businesses and that there are likely between six and 10 businesses in the state that will dominate and create a “super monopoly.” He added that if out-of-state companies come into New Mexico and buy up those big companies, officials may “have potentially created a monster.”

New Mexico in July saw its highest combined medical and adult-use sales to date, reaching $40.3 million.  

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Trucking Alliance Seeks Federal Permission to Use Hair Drug Testing Methods

8/24/2022

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The Alliance for Driver Safety & Security, also known as the Trucking Alliance, is asking the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCA) to amend its regulations and require carriers with knowledge of positive hair tests to report the results to the FMCA’s Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse, according to a notice set to publish in the Federal Register today.  

Hair testing for drugs is an ineffective way to determine when someone has used a substance as it detects repeated drug use over 90 days but because hair growth rates vary from person to person, it doesn’t accurately determine when in the 90 days drugs were used. A 2019 study published in the Drug and Alcohol Dependence journal found the method “less efficacious” than using urine screenings.  

In an interview with Land Line, Jay Grimes, director of federal affairs for the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA), called the proposal “another misguided attempt to mandate hair testing for the nation’s commercial motor vehicle drivers that will not reverse the trend of rising crashes and fatalities involving heavy trucks.” 

“Given the many uncertainties and lack of safety improvements from hair testing, there is no sound reasoning for federal agencies to adopt any sort of hair testing mandate for drivers. This is in large part why FMCSA does not have the statutory authority to even grant such an exemption, as rightly mentioned in the notice.” — Grimes to Land Line 

In 2020, Moseley Marcinak Law Group asked the FMCSA to allow Trucking Alliance carriers – which includes Cargo Transporters, Dupre Logistics, Frozen Food Express, J.B. Hunt Transport, KLLM Transport Services, Knight Transportation, Maverick Transportation, Schneider, Swift Transportation, US Xpress, and May Trucking Co. – an exemption to allow them to use hair testing rather than urinalysis, according to Land Line. The agency formally denied that request in May 2021, saying that it lacked the statutory authority to do so. 

Despite the FMCSA’s inability to allow the exemption, it is accepting public comments on the proposal for 30 days.

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Federal Survey Finds Cannabis & Hallucinogen Use Among Young Adults at Highest Level Ever

8/23/2022

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The rate of individuals aged 19 to 30 who consumed cannabis on a daily basis, or on 20 or more occasions in the past 30 days, reached 43% last year, according to the National Institutes on Drug Abuse (NIDA) Monitoring the Future survey. Rates of past-year hallucinogen use among the cohort also rose in 2021, to 8%. Both increases mark new highs since the NIH started monitoring the trends in 1988.

In a statement, NIDA Director Nora Volkow, M.D., said the data “provides a window into the substances and patterns of use favored by young adults” and “understanding how substance use can impact the formative choices in young adulthood is critical to help position the new generations for success.”

“We need to know more about how young adults are using drugs like marijuana and hallucinogens, and the health effects that result from consuming different potencies and forms of these substances. Young adults are in a critical life stage and honing their ability to make informed choices.” — Volkow in a press release

The survey found an increase in past-month cannabis vaping, which doubled from 6% in 2017 to 12% last year, along with an increase in nicotine vaping, from 6% in 2017 to 16% last year.

Researchers found a decrease in past-30-day alcohol consumption among those surveyed, which was measured at 66% last year, down from 70% in 2016; however, binge-drinking rates increased from 2020 (28%) to 32% last year, the same level recorded in 2019.

The study found that cannabis consumption among 19- to 30-year-olds has steadily increased over the last decade. In 2011, 29% of the cohort said they had consumed cannabis over the previous 30 days and that figure rose to 34% in 2016. In 2011, the survey found daily cannabis consumption rates at 6%, which rose to 8% in 2016 and 11% last year.

Data for the 2021 survey was collected online from April 2021 through October 2021. The study is conducted by scientists at the University of Michigan’s Institute for Social Research, Ann Arbor, and is funded by NIDA, part of the National Institutes of Health.

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NECANN’s New Jersey Cannabis Convention Coming to Atlantic City September 9-10

8/23/2022

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Innovation, opportunity, investment and inclusion highlight NJCANN programming

Atlantic City, New Jersey – The New Jersey Cannabis Convention is returning to the Atlantic City Convention Center for two days of cannabis business, networking, and education September 9-10, 2022. The event will mark the largest gathering of cannabis industry professionals, businesses, and advocacy groups ever in New Jersey In addition to an exhibit hall with over 120 companies, the event will feature two locally-focused education programming tracks concurrently running each day, giving attendees access to over 50 expert speakers covering every facet of the New Jersey cannabis market.

“We’re very excited to be back for our 3rd New Jersey Convention, it’s very exciting to see how much the maket has evolved since our first event in 2019”, said Marc Shepard, founder and President of NECANN. “In the spirt of inclusion and accessibility for all, we’re also very pleased to be able to announce that we are once again making ALL of our speaker content open to everyone who registers for the event at a cost of just $20 a day, a small fraction of what most cannabis industry events charge”.

Programming highlights include:

Chirali Patel, Founder of the Blaze Law Firm hosts a session called “Blooming in the Garden State”, a guide to navigating the challenging legal licencing process in New Jersey.

Jennifer Bassuk, an agricultural expert from Fluence Bioengineering leads a session for growers titled “What Cultivators Need to Know to Navigate New Jersey’s Burgeoning Cannabis Market”.

Jennifer Cabrera, Esq. of Vicente Sederberg LLP’s session, “X Marks the Spot: Which Garden State Municipalities Are Still in Play” covers all things municipal from municipality choice to property search, becoming a good community partner, and explains the steps for preparing a competitive local application.

“This convention is specifically designed for industry leaders, advocates, entrepreneurs, career and knowledge seekers, and the canna-curious to come together to learn and meet the people paving the way for the New Jersey cannabis industry,” said Marc Shepard, founder and President of NECANN. “With the cannabis industry heating up in the Mid-Atlantic, it’s also a timely opportunity for operating and new businesses alike to engage with and learn from consumers, promote their businesses, and their products.”

All programming details are available at: https://necann.com/new-jersey-convention/programming/
Registration: Advance registration available at: https://bit.ly/NJ22tix
Location: Atlantic City Convention Center, 1 Convention Blvd, Atlantic City, NJ
Hours: Friday Sept 9th, 10am-5pm | Saturday Sept 10th, 10am-4pm
Admission: $20 for one-day pass; $35 for two-day pass; Children under 18 MUST be accompanied by an adult

About NECANN
Since 2015, NECANN has hosted the largest, most comprehensive Cannabis Industry event series in the nation. Our schedule includes conventions in New Jersey, New York, Boston, Maine, Vermont, Chicago, Virginia, and Connecticut, making it the largest series in the country. For more information: go to necann.com, email info@necann.com or call: 774-254-5073.

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New Security Technology Protects Cannabis with Rodent, Deer and Human Detection

8/23/2022

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Palo Alto, CA — Camect INC fills the costly security gap for cannabis dispensary and grow facilities with an affordable AI-powered smart hub able to detect rodents, deer and humans with a less than 1% error rate.

Until the S.A.F.E. Banking Act passes cash intensive dispensary owners are at rising risk for violent and costly burglaries from humans. According to NPR, the wave of crime has escalated. Grow facilities face the double threat from both human crop theft and destruction from rodents and animals. One rodent can destroy thousands of dollars of valuable plants.

Live guards burden owners with as much as $50,000 a month in round-the-clock security. A solution that is not affordable to most. Video security cameras offer at best a reactive approach to crime detection. These cameras are designed to record, not detect. In a world with understaffed, overworked police officers these videos are not actually helpful. This can be a huge distraction with alerts going off every time a leaf, bug or weather triggers an alarm. NYT reports that 80% of DIY security system owners are annoyed by “false-alarms”.

Camect uses AI-powered object detection. The nanosecond an object (rodent, deer, person, pick-up truck, delivery truck, etc.) is detected, an alert is deployed, if you want to know about it. The system will adapt to the user’s preferences, virtually eliminating false alarms. Camect affordable smart hub connects with almost every existing camera system. Most often no new equipment is needed.

“Regulations require dispensary owners to pour large amounts of capital into their business and operate as cash-only enterprises. This puts product and cash at great risk with criminals targeting both. One of my new customers called me after he lost huge amounts of inventory and $75,000 cash with one break-in. Camect is committed to helping business owners take a proactive approach and deter these crimes,” says Camect National Account Manager Brad Kenning who specializes in Cannabis Security.

Camect is currently available worldwide. Contact Camect Marketing Director Rachel Swardson at connect@camect.com for more information.

About Camect
Camect Inc is the first to bring affordable, accurate and reliable Artificial Intelligence analytics to video and non-video security systems. Our goal is to help human beings focus on what matters.

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Bloom Releases 2.0 AI Software for Cannabis Processing

8/23/2022

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Artificial Intelligence Improves Speed, Accuracy of Cannabis Trimming

WOBURN, MA — Bloom Automation Inc., an agri-tech company specializing in cannabis trimming equipment, today released the Bloom Artificial Intelligence Engine 2.0 — a suite of new algorithms that visually analyze cannabis flowers for faster, more accurate machine trimming.

The AI software update makes Bloom’s robotic cannabis trimming system twice as fast as human trimmers and creates possibilities for other identification-related tasks such as defoliation, harvest weight prediction, and flower bucking.

“We’re excited to announce Bloom’s 2.0 AI Engine for more reasons than one,” said Jon Gowa, CEO and Founder of Bloom. “The new AI increases the speed of our machine while also opening the door to support a wide range of third-party applications and equipment.”

The AI performance leap is powered by a confluence of machine learning advances and an ever-expanding database of images collected through years of R&D. Updates to the system’s graphics processing unit (GPU) also enabled the update.

The Bloom trimming system works by manicuring the flowers before their removal from the stem using a robotic arm and cameras to visualize which leaves to remove. The machine shears the leaves cleanly and prevents the overhandling common to traditional, hand-trimming methods.

With cannabis processing expenses estimated at more than 20% of total cultivation costs, the faster AI may save Bloom’s clients millions in the coming years. Increasing price pressures make operational efficiencies critical for cannabis cultivators, and Bloom’s advancements lower labor costs while maintaining top quality.

Non-cannabis applications could include ripeness assessment for fruits and vegetables, as well as automated harvesting.

For more information about Bloom Automation or the Bloom Artificial Intelligence Engine 2.0, contact Shannon Hagerty, Marketing and Business Associate, at info@bloomautomation.com.

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Biden Admin Suggests White House Applicants Not Invest In Cannabis

8/23/2022

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The Biden Administration last December expanded its employee conduct guidelines to potentially deny security clearance to individuals who have invested in the cannabis industry, Politico reports. According to the document outlined by Politico, investing in the industry “could reflect questionable judgment and an unwillingness to comply with laws, rules, and regulations.”

“Eligibility may be negatively impacted if an individual knowingly and directly invests in stocks or business ventures that specifically pertain to marijuana growers and retailers.” — Biden Administration presentation via Politico

While the Democratic Biden Administration may be more forgiving on cannabis-related among its workforce – previously stating that past cannabis use would not immediately disqualify applicants – intern applicants must continue to disclose any prior drug use, including cannabis, and dozens of White House staffers were asked to resign, suspended, or placed on remote work due to their prior cannabis use.    

The memo also warns potential staffers about CBD use, saying that products “labeled as hemp-derived that contain greater than 0.3 percent THC continue to meet the legal definition of marijuana … agencies should be aware that the Federal Drug Administration does not certify levels of THC in CBD products.”

“So the percentage of THC cannot be guaranteed,” the memo states, “thus posing a concern pertaining to the use of a CBD product under federal law.”  

A spokesperson for the Office of the Director of National Intelligence told Politico that the memo “provides clarifying guidance to federal agencies charged with determining such eligibility” as “increased legalization of marijuana use at state and local levels has prompted questions on how the federal government treats an individual’s involvement with marijuana.” 

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New York City Launches Program for Cannabis Social Equity Applicants

8/23/2022

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New York City Mayor Eric Adams (D) on Monday launched Cannabis NYC, a program designed to support social equity in the city’s cannabis industry. The program will be housed in the NYC Department of Small Business Services (SBS) and will include technical assistance, licensing for individuals most impacted by the previous enforcement of cannabis laws, and a “suite of services.” 

“Today, we light up our economy and launch Cannabis NYC – a first-of-its-kind initiative to support equitable growth of the cannabis industry in New York City. The regulated adult-use cannabis industry is a once-in-a-generation opportunity for our underserved communities that have, for too long, faced disproportionate rates of drug-related incarceration to get in on the industry on the ground floor. Cannabis NYC will plant the seeds for the economy of tomorrow by helping New Yorkers apply for licenses and understand how to open and successfully run a business, while simultaneously rolling equity into our economy by giving those who have been justice-involved and those with a cannabis conviction a chance to succeed. This is about creating good jobs, successful small businesses, and finally delivering equity to communities harmed by the ‘War on Drugs.’” — Adams in a press release 

The state Office of Cannabis Management is expected to begin accepting retail dispensary applications over the next month for social equity applicants in the state, including qualifying businesses owned by justice-involved individuals or their parent, legal guardian, child, spouse, or dependent.  

In New York City, cannabis sales are expected to reach $1.3 billion in sales by 2023, with between 19,000-24,000 jobs created over the next three years, according to the Mayor’s Office.

In April, Adams said he would like cannabis to be grown on the rooftops of New York City Housing Authority-run buildings – a plan that would likely receive pushback from the federal government, which subsidizes more than half of NYCHA revenues through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. He also included $4.8 million in his Fiscal Year 2023 Executive Budget for cannabis businesses, including funds for technical and licensing assistance.  

And while he has urged no “heavy-handedness” in the enforcement of gifting or unlicensed cannabis sales in the city while the state moves toward regulated sales, the New York City Police Department last week said it had impounded 19 vehicles for selling cannabis without a permit in Times Square.  

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What Does the Future of Cannabis Networking Look Like?

8/23/2022

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Editor’s note: This editorial was contributed by Dan Serard, the Director Of Business Development & Strategic Partnerships for Cannabis Creative, a Massachusetts-based award-winning digital marketing agency specializing in cannabis and CBD.

When California first opened up the floodgates of cannabis by legalizing medical marijuana in 1996, the industry was apprehensive and cold. As other states followed suit, dispensaries remained sterile, clinical places with bland products that resembled a pharmaceutical prescription.

As we put those days in the rearview mirror, so too are brands and professionals that adhere to that image. Instead, we’re seeing sophisticated brands and innovative marketing teams changing the landscape of the cannabis industry.

So why haven’t we done the same for cannabis networking?

Traditional cannabis events like trade shows have helped bring legitimacy to the industry over time, but at the end of the day, the real changemakers in cannabis are looking to create meaningful business relationships that go beyond the surface-level interactions typical of a large business conference. Particularly in a post-pandemic era, we need to reimagine the cannabis networking experience. Instead of buttoned-up elements like expensive booths and corporate attire, we need to curate intentional, memorable moments with one another.

The Evolution of the Trade Show

There are quite a few aspects of a large event that can be inconvenient. The number of attendees at conventional trade shows is often overwhelming. Exhibition floors are brimming with booths and teams walking through. Cannabis (usually) cannot be sampled out, brands have their sales pitch on repeat all day, and most interactions are brief and superficial at best. You can be intentional about who you connect with and how you spend your time, but there are no guarantees that you’ll be able to have a fruitful conversation with so many distractions.

Seth Worby, the CEO and Co-Founder of Cannabis Creative Group and Founder of the TeeHC Open, and a frequent attendee at trade shows, adds that “They’re tiring. You’re on your feet for eight hours straight. They’re expensive: food, hotels, travel, etc. A show can cost a small team upwards of $10K.”

While trade shows have been an amazing tool in the industry for a long time, the truth is that post-pandemic trade shows are struggling to maintain popularity. In the long run, brand-centered, fun experiences will win out over corporate programming. This will include events like industry competitions, brand-hosted pop-ups and experiences, and interactive cannabis events. After all, this is an industry that is heavily based on the senses.

The Future of Cannabis Networking Events

After being cooped up inside for almost two years, people are eager – but also apprehensive – to get back to in-person events. At the same time, everything from consumer behavior to family dynamics and company culture has shifted dramatically since March 2020.

The result is a need for more interactive, meaningful events to take place.

When it comes to networking in such a highly creative and competitive industry, the key is not to know everyone, but rather to build valuable and meaningful relationships with the right people. Therefore, cannabis professionals are not interested in cold pitching people who are not interested in their brand. Rather, they want to meet warm leads and connect with partners that are genuinely excited to work together.

As we conceive what post-pandemic cannabis networking events might look like, it begs the question of who is most fit to host and facilitate these types of relationships. The most obvious answer is those who have their ear to the ground: ancillary businesses. From cannabis marketing agencies to brand consultants, ancillary cannabis businesses hear a wide range of needs from all types of players in the industry.

Whether you’re a dispensary or a CBD brand or anything in between, it is likely that you’re working with an ancillary business to help grow yours. What better way to pave the way for the future of cannabis networking than with these creative professionals? With all this in mind, there are key elements that define the future of cannabis networking events. These events will – and should – include:

  • Interactive elements for attendees to engage in
  • Brand activation opportunities
  • Creative networking activities and spaces
  • Community-building programming
  • Flexible and inclusive cannabis consumption policies
  • Hosts that facilitate lead introductions

Post-Pandemic Networking is Here to Stay

The last few years have changed the landscape of our society – permanently. As much as we wanted those lockdowns to be a temporary fluke, the pandemic has created change that is here to stay. Consumers no longer want to be overtly sold to. They want to shop from brands they are loyal to, brands that align with their values, and brands that understand the value of a meaningful relationship.

This shift impacts major players and small businesses in the industry alike. As cannabis professionals seek out more engaging, fun, and meaningful networking events, we expect that it will not be a trend that comes and goes. Instead, we’ll see these features expand to other industries and become essential to the success of future networking events.

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Maine Court Strikes Down Residency Requirement for Medical Cannabis Businesses

8/22/2022

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A Maine court has struck down a state law that required the state’s medical cannabis dispensaries to be owned by Maine residents, Maine Public Radio reports. The First Circuit Court of Appeals decision upholds a lower court ruling that found the residency requirement violates the U.S. Constitution by restricting interstate commerce. 

Under Maine’s Medical Marijuana Act, a dispensary cannot be licensed to sell medical cannabis unless all the officers or directors are residents of Maine. That provision was challenged two years ago by Wellness Connection, the state’s largest cannabis company, and its parent company which argued it violated the constitution’s “dormant commerce clause,” which prohibits states from passing laws that discriminate against or excessively burden interstate commerce.

When the lawsuit was first filed, Wellness Connection board member Ron MacDonald told the Bangor Daily News that the residency requirement hampered the company’s ability to raise money.

Writing for the majority, Chief Judge David Barron said that the “market is so robust that absent the Medical Marijuana Act’s residency requirement, it would be likely to attract entrants far and wide,” the report says.

The court did note, however, that although the medical cannabis market is an interstate market – by allowing nonresidents to make medical cannabis purchases – it is a market that contradicts the federal Controlled Substances Act, according to a Law Street Media report. The First Circuit was not convinced that it is impossible to be an interstate market for a good that is contraband under federal law and affirmed the permanent injunction against the Maine Medical Marijuana Act’s residency requirement.

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Ascend Wellness Ends MedMen New York Takeover Bid

8/22/2022

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During an earnings call on Monday, Ascend Wellness Holdings Inc. said they were no longer moving forward with their planned takeover of MedMen New York. During the call, Ascend founder and CEO Abner Kurtin said the company was calling off the $88 million deal over concerns about MedMen’s assets, which he described as “deteriorated materially” since December 31.   

“We have been engaged in negotiations with MedMen for 17 months and because of the state of MedMen’s assets, it is time for all of us to move on. Because we will not be moving forward with the MedMen transaction, we have $70 million of unencumbered cash at a time when cash is dear.” — Kurtin during the August 15 earnings call 

Ascend had already paid $4 million to MedMen New York as a deposit toward the $74 million closing consideration at the time of the May settlement; Ascend was also to make a $14 million payment upon the first sale of adult-use cannabis in a MedMen New York dispensary, according to a Cannabis Business Times report. 

The deal had been wrought with allegations from MedMen, including that New York Gov. Kathy Hochul’s (D) office used its influence to help Ascend purchase the company. Ascend countered that MedMen New York fabricated the narrative that claimed the firm “exerted undue influence on New York State government officials in order to obtain regulatory approval.” MedMen New York ultimately withdrew those allegations. Mylan Denerstein, a lawyer representing Ascend, told amNY in February that “when exposed to the slightest scrutiny” MedMen’s claims “collapsed” like “any house of cards.”  

During the call, Kurtin added that New York was not a priority for the company due to the state’s “highly uncertain” regulatory environment, the “unknown timing of the commencement of adult-use sales, unclear licensing process, and the lack of policing of the illicit market.”  

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Virginia Cannabis Association Partners with Educapital Foundation for Scholarship Program

8/22/2022

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The Virginia Cannabis Association is partnering with non-profit group Educapital Foundation in offering $1 million in scholarships to college students, WWBT reports. Eligible students can receive one-time $1,000 scholarships.  

Juan Silva, director of community outreach with Educapital, told WWBT that low-income students who were disproportionately impacted by the war on drugs can benefit from the program while boosting their local economy. 

“A lot of people have 20, 30, 40 years of being incarcerated right now for a plant that a lot of people are making money off of.” — Silva to WWBT 

Educapital offers cannabis culinary, the business of cannabis, pharmacy tech, and certified grower programs, including master’s degrees, Silva said. The courses are offered online through the Mitchell School of Business and Greenleaf University, but there are plans to work with Virginia Tech and other Virginia schools in the future, the report says. Upon graduation, 50 students will be selected to receive up to $10,000 each for their startup business. 

According to the Educapital website, to qualify for the program students must be at least 18-years-old, a U.S. citizen, permanent resident, DACA recipient, or hold an employment authorization card, low income, and “highly motivated to learn to begin a career in the cannabis industry.” Students must also maintain a “B” average or above, a 70% attendance rate, and meet any additional requirements outlined by the school. 

Educapital also offers scholarship opportunities for students in New York – a partnership with the New York Cannabis Association – and in New Jersey. 

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Court Rules Off-Duty Recreational Cannabis Use Not Protected By Nevada State Law

8/19/2022

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In a decision last week, the Nevada Supreme Court ruled that the state law protecting “lawful activities” or “lawful off-duty conduct” does not apply to non-medical cannabis consumption, according to an Ogletree Deakins report. In the decision in Ceballos v. NP Palace, LLC, the court said adult cannabis use was not “lawful” behavior outside of work because, although legal in Nevada, cannabis is listed as a Schedule I narcotic and illegal under the federal Controlled Substances Act, the report says.

The lawsuit was filed by Danny Ceballos after he was fired from his table dealer job at Las Vegas Station Hotel & Casino. Ceballos, who was fired after he failed a post-workplace injury drug test, said he was not impaired at the time of the injury and had not used cannabis in the 24 hours prior to the accident. He filed the lawsuit under Nevada’s “lawful off-duty conduct” law and for wrongful termination, the report says.

Nevada law says an employer cannot terminate someone “because the employee engages in the lawful use in [Nevada] of any product outside the premises of the employer during the employee’s nonworking hours if that use does not adversely affect the employee’s ability to perform his or her job or the safety of other employees.”

The court dismissed the case saying the Nevada protections only applied to activities “lawful under both state and federal law, not just lawful under Nevada law,” according to the report.

The decision also cited a 2015 Colorado case, Coats v. Dish Network, LLC, that said similarly adult cannabis use was not “lawful” outside of work due to its designation as a Schedule I narcotic. It threw out the wrongful termination portion of the suit on the grounds the employer did not “violate(s) strong and compelling public policy.” The court ruled that the case lacked a “public dimension” like worker compensation, on-the-job injuries, or public services, such as jury duty or whistle-blowing.

The court concluded in a possible call-out to the state legislature, saying if the Nevada legislature “meant to require employers to accommodate employees using recreational marijuana outside the workplace but who thereafter test positive at work, it would have done so.”

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Arkansas Police Chief Forms Group Opposing Cannabis Legalization

8/19/2022

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The police chief of Fairfield Bay, Arkansas has formed a committee to oppose the legalization of cannabis in the state, the Arkansas Times reports. In the filing to form Save Arkansas from Epidemic, David Burnett and attorney AJ Kelly said the committee’s purpose is to “oppose the 2022 proposal to amend the Arkansas constitution, which would ‘legalize’ under state law the ‘recreational use’ of marijuana. Committee opposes legalization of recreational marijuana.” 

The group also filed a motion with the state Supreme Court to intervene in the case to decide whether the votes on the legalization initiative will be counted. Earlier this month, the Supreme Court gave conditional approval for the question to appear on midterm ballots after the state Board of Election Commissioners rejected the proposal’s language which would have kept it off of ballots despite it getting enough citizen support. The Supreme Court, however, did not decide whether or not the votes would actually be counted.    

In the motion, Save Arkansas from Epidemic said that it seeks to “protect the interests and rights of Arkansans who oppose the legalization of recreational marijuana.” The filing includes comments from Smart Approaches to Marijuana founder Kevin Sabet along with Burnett.  

In the filing, Burnett focuses his argument on law enforcement “drug dogs” which he argues would be “rendered useless” were cannabis legalized broadly, according to the Times report.

In a response, Responsible Growth urged the court not to allow the newly-formed group to intervene in the case, arguing that its submission “comes too late in this expedited proceeding without explanation, poses prejudice to petitioners by interjecting new issues when time is running short and is unnecessary because respondents adequately represent intervenors’ interests.” 

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Florida Dept. of Corrections Officer Sues After Being Fired for Medical Cannabis Use

8/19/2022

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A former Florida Department of Corrections worker is suing the state after he was fired for his legal use of medical cannabis, FOX 13 reports. Samuel Ortiz-Velez, a marine combat veteran, was fired following a random drug test, which he argues violated his rights under the state constitution.  

Ortiz-Velez’s attorney, Michael Minardi, told FOX 13 that he believes his client and other medical cannabis patients “should have the same protection in the workforce” as others that use prescription medications that are controlled substances.  

“If you’re on opiates in a drug-free workplace and you test positive, not under the influence you’re permitted to show your prescription from a doctor to show a justification why you have it in that your system. We believe people in the state of Florida should have that same protection for medical marijuana.” — Minardi to FOX 13 

The Florida Department of Corrections’ drug-free workplace policy prohibits the use of “illegal drugs on or off duty.” 

“Drug means alcohol (including distilled spirits, wine, malt beverages, and intoxicating liquors) amphetamines, cannabinoids, cocaine, phencyclidine (PCP), hallucinogens, methaqualone, opiates, barbiturates, benzodiazepines, synthetic narcotics, designer drugs, or metabolite of any of the above substances,” the policy states. “… The Department also does not allow the use of medical marijuana by its employees or on its premises.” 

The case is filed in Florida’s First District Court of Appeals. 

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Maryland County Public Schools Implement Medical Cannabis Policy for Students

8/19/2022

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Under a new policy, Worcester County Public Schools in Maryland will allow students with a medical cannabis recommendation to access their medicine while in school, Ocean City Today reports. The policy requires a school nurse to administer medical cannabis and follows a law passed by the state’s General Assembly in 2020.

Dr. Annette Wallace, the chief safety and academic officer for the school district, told school board members that the new policy would protect all students around controlled substances. She said that she was not aware of any requests, yet, for the administration of medical cannabis in the district’s schools.

The school superintendent recommended the policy be approved, and the board members unanimously approved it. 

The 2020 law requires all Maryland schools to allow the administration of medical cannabis during school hours and during school-sponsored activities while on a school bus, the report says. The law allows students who are qualifying medical cannabis patients to obtain medical cannabis through the student’s caregiver or any designated school personnel authorized to administer medical cannabis to the student in accordance with the law. Students cannot access smokeable or vapeable products while in school, according to guidelines approved by the state Department of Education and Medical Cannabis Commission. 

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On The Revel: Education & Community for Dope People

8/18/2022

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When Lulu Tsui met Jacobi Holland — her On The Revel (OTR) co-founder — she knew they’d create something special together. Talking to another person of color about the reality of New York cannabis was refreshing for the pair, who each wanted to foster that same energy for others. Their first event was a casual cannabis business mixer at a coworking space in 2016; afterward, a guest approached the founders, crying, to share that the event was so impactful. That was the point that the founders knew they were onto something.

“That’s the energy we wanted to bring: happy, open, inquisitive, looking to find people and share – that special New York connection magic, that’s what we’re trying to harness,” said Tsui.

What came next is Revelry, a renowned New York educational series that challenges the norms of cannabis speaking events. Holland explained the basic tenets of Revelry events, “It must be welcoming and inclusive, the speakers must be well curated and actionable, and the room must be filled with dope people. As long as we do those three things really well, we find that we have excellent experiences.”

All speakers are given 10 minutes to deliver an impactful, actionable speech that captures the attention of New Yorkers, which is no easy feat. Additionally, Revelry never puts out an open call to speakers. All speakers are hand-chosen from Tsui & Holland’s direct networks — at most, they’re one connection away. This ensures that speakers are knowledgeable, trustworthy, and deserving of a place in the immediate networks of the Revelry community. This approach in combination with the co-founders’ skills has created an event series that has never existed in the same stratosphere as expos, which typically grapple with attracting a homogeneously white and male audience.

In March 2020, the world was shuttered in response to the first outbreak of COVID-19 and OTR canceled its upcoming in-person event, opting instead to move to a virtual format. The Zoom webinar filled up to capacity with dope people seeking community in the cannabis space. Over time, the weekly webinar transitioned into a podcast which is currently in its third season. Moving to digital also tapped into another audience which has since proliferated into Dope People, an online place for the OTR community and the resources they need.

Dope People consists of a private discord server, weekly live podcast, and exclusive access to monthly meetups, workbooks, merch, and more. The discord server is alive with conversations about retail, lobbying in Albany, job placements and operations advice. Both founders spoke about the organic growth of this space with reverence and Tsui said, “What’s kind of beautiful about it is that we don’t talk about building community, we don’t talk about being part of a community, we just are.”

Tsui is a UX expert, she is fascinated by how people work and takes a technical approach to building a world where they can interact. Holland is a seasoned entrepreneur who has a mind for applying data to real-world problems. As they curated Revelry educational events, the pair would listen to students, tuning into their needs as the state’s industry continued to roll out. Holland explained, “It comes down to empathizing with the students and meeting them where they’re at and designing it from there.”

In these conversations, it became clear that students weren’t sure of where to start – not just with starting a business, but about understanding the best moves as legacy operators contemplating crossing into the adult-use market. That is why they built the legacy operator boot camp. The pilot boot camp program recently wrapped up with ten teams learning about critical topics like fundraising, real estate, retail basics, application writing strategies, and connections to service providers. Holland noted that there will always be consumption at these events, because that is essential for some operators. OTR hopes that they can continue to grow this pilot program as the New York state industry develops.

“The whole purpose of this was to connect good people together that we trust, that we’ve worked with or our friends have worked with, and really become the good aunties and uncles that shepherd this very nascent industry into something that is going to be specific to what we think it should be, right? Which is that it’s diverse, it’s inclusive, and more importantly it has opportunities for anyone and everyone,” Tsui said.

The upcoming Revelry is special, as it’s the first Brooklyn Block Party – something that has been on the OTR vision board since its very first mixer. On Sunday, August 28, On The Revel will be hosting a two-part event featuring education and celebration. Guests can attend The Summit for curated education and stick around for The Block Party featuring food, drinks, engaging activations, and musical performances. Styles P from The Lox, Grammy-nominated Mumu Fresh and Harlem-born and raised DJ Odalys will all be performing.

The event is in Restoration Plaza in Bed-Stuy, a neighborhood predominantly targeted during the war on drugs. These days, the area is going through a renaissance and Tsui looks forward to holding space there, “We just want to celebrate and talk about how cannabis, especially in that neighborhood, can be turned into something more positive than it has been. It’s a strong, vibrant Black community.” The Summit will feature speakers like Chi Ossé, the Council Member for New York City’s 36th District representing Bedford-Stuyvesant and North Crown Heights, on community restoration and Vangst VP Kelsea Appelbaum on workforce development.

“At the end of the day, the people that have built the demand for this plant and the people who have been harmed by the war on drugs, we at On The Revel are 100% rooting for them,” Holland said.

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NYPD Seizes Vehicles Over Illegal Cannabis Sales in Times Square

8/18/2022

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New York City Police Department Chief Jeffrey Maddrey on Tuesday shared a video on Twitter showing 19 vehicles the department had seized because the owners were selling cannabis without a permit. 

“Up in smoke. 19 illegal vehicles and cannibis (sic) seized off the streets of NYC. While others follow the rules, these trucks and their vendors don’t have permits so we took action!” — Maddrey via Twitter 

The video shows a line of brightly wrapped RVs, buses, and vans seized by the NYPD.  

Police also issued six criminal court summonses, CBS News reports. According to the Daily News, the vehicles were selling cannabis and cannabis products in Times Square.  

Police told the News that the vendors didn’t have Health Department vendor permits to sell food, which would include the gummies and other edibles infused with cannabis. An NYPD official told the News that the same treatment would be given to an ice cream truck if it didn’t have a food vendor license. Most of the vehicles had out-of-state plates and the drivers slept in them overnight.

In a separate video posted Tuesday to Maddrey’s Twitter, NYPD Deputy Chief John Chell said the crackdown came following complaints from Times Square’s Business Improvement District, which asked the department “to address quality of life as it relates to illegal food vending trucks.” 

“In this case, a cannabis truck which is selling illegal edibles,” he said. 

In June, the New York City Sheriff’s Office towed away 12 Weed World vehicles over $500,000 in unpaid parking fines, the News reports. On Monday, the company paid off $200,000 of those fines and agreed to an installment plan with city officials to pay the rest. 

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Church Offering Cannabis & Psychedelic Sacraments Sues Over Police Raid

8/18/2022

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A California church that gives out cannabis and psychedelic plants as communion is suing the city of Oakland and the Oakland Police Department over a 2020 raid, the Los Angeles Times reports. The Zide Chruch of Entheogenic Plants, an assembly of the Church of Ambrosia, claims the city and police violated its 1st and 14th amendment rights and that the city’s land use code prohibits its religious ceremonies. 

The raid occurred on Aug. 13, 2020, due to allegations the church was operating a cannabis dispensary. The church was allegedly listed on Weedmaps. In May 2019, Oakland’s nuisance abatement office got an anonymous complaint that the church was doubling as a dispensary. In the lawsuit, the church denies it was listed on the website and that it doesn’t advertise its services.

Church founder Dave Hodges told the Times that the church is “not just an excuse for selling drugs.”  

“This is a sincere faith, and the work that I personally do with mushrooms is with the really high doses. There’s no doubt in my mind that mushrooms were the first way our ancient ancestors understood there was more to this existence.” — Hodges to the Times 

The lawsuit claims that Oakland police officer John Romero used a fake name and invalid or forged driver’s license when he signed a membership agreement, which acknowledges the church is not a dispensary, and bought an eighth of cannabis, which the church says was to be consumed on-site and not to be used for personal or individual use. Romero is accused of searching the church, damaging safes, and seizing paperwork, inventory records, $200,000 worth of cannabis and psilocybin mushrooms, a computer, and more than $4,500 in cash, according to the complaint outlined by the Times. 

The lawsuit argues that Oakland’s land use code prohibits the church from operating legally and that those regulations ban the religious use of entheogenic plants, including cannabis. A 2019 Oakland law bars the city and the Police Department from using city funds to enforce laws criminalizing the use and possession of entheogenic plants, the report says.  

Hodges described the raid on the church as if the members “were some kind of crime family” and said officers proceeded with the action as if “they were taking down a meth house.”

“They came in guns blazing, which they didn’t need to do. They could’ve accomplished the same thing with two officers without their guns drawn,” he told the Times. “This was a classic smash-and-grab scenario where they took our sacrament, they took our money and they never filed any charges.” 

The church is asking the court for a permanent injunction against further law enforcement action, requiring the city to approve its land use application and exempt religious use of entheogenic plants as part of the application process.  

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