Martine Pierre: Education & Networking to Support BIPOC Cannabis Entrepreneurs

8/10/2022

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In June 2020, Martine Pierre — Founder and CEO of Cannalution and the “Lioness of Marketing” — tweeted that she wanted to help more Black and brown entrepreneurs enter the cannabis space. The response from the community was enormous, so Pierre set out to connect people and learn more about how she could advance her goal of supporting and connecting BIPOC cannabis entrepreneurs.

The result was Cannalution: a community platform modeled after historic HBCUs. Cannalution is an online university that teaches students about raising funds, the most successful types of cannabis businesses, plant science, legal and compliance nuances, and more. In this written Q&A, Martine discusses beta-launching Cannalution, what users can expect from the university-style courses, and the serial entrepreneur’s long-term goals as she continues building her footprint in the cannabis space.

Keep scrolling to read the full interview:

Ganjapreneur: When did you realize that you wanted to build Cannalution?

Martine Pierre: In 2016, my heart was set on starting a subscription box service in cannabis, but I also wanted to create a website or space specifically designed for Black and brown entrepreneurs in the cannabis space. It wasn’t until one of my tweets went viral in 2020 that led to the brainstorming of what would become Cannalution. The huge response prompted me to find a better solution to entry for Black and brown entrepreneurs.

How did you convert the support of your viral tweet into the Cannalution community?

I have a deep background in marketing, so my marketing brain immediately kicked in once the tweet went viral. I initially built a landing page and directed people to it to sign up to gain access to the community, sending out periodic updates while continuing Twitter conversations to learn what else budding entrepreneurs were lacking in support and resources, and how I could build a platform to best meet their needs.

When did you know that the community outgrew Slack, and it was time to build the platform?

We never actually made it on Slack for too long. By day 3, I realized that it wasn’t enough and too complicated to manage long-term by myself, so we tried a Facebook Group. Even though that wasn’t a great option either, it did become the initial focus group that helped us build the MVP app, along with our opt-in waitlist.

How do you hope that the platform impacts equity in the cannabis industry?

According to Leafly, less than 2% of businesses in the US cannabis industry are Black-owned, and I’m sure that abroad the numbers are probably worse. My hope is that we create an ecosystem where Black and brown founders can thrive and build generational wealth. In the United States, there has been speculation that by 2053, Black wealth in the US will be at $0. My hope is that we can help aid in changing that narrative.

How long has the app been in Beta? What has been the general feedback during that time?

We’ve only been live for our private beta for about 29 days, so we’re very early in the process of testing the app with real users. So far, we have 72 installs, but we are onboarding users in phases so that we can keep testing.

We just hosted our first beta tester meetup, and so far, the energy from everyone has been contagious. Many users expressed their frustration and hurt that Black and brown entrepreneurs are largely being excluded in the cannabis space, considering the failed War on Drugs. Many also expressed the type of content they want to consume and the instructors that they would love to see teach on the platform one day. Overall so far, it’s been an intimate and rewarding experience.

Has your background in digital marketing helped you solve problems as you build the pillars of Cannalution?

I am a non-technical founder who doesn’t code, nor do I have access to large amounts of capital. If I didn’t have a background in marketing, I highly doubt I would have the traction that we currently do. It’s my marketing background that prompted me to build a waitlist, which in turn, helped us build the MVP app for premium subscription members.

Who is coding the Cannalution platform? How did you find and hire the right team for the job?

As of right now, we are outsourcing our code. My co-founder and managing partner had previously worked with this team beforehand to build her app for 100K Incubator. However, as we continue to raise proper funding, we will eventually bring it in-house.

How is the curriculum at Cannalution University structured? Are classes held at certain times or watched on the student’s time?

Think Masterclass, but of cannabis content that can be watched on the student’s own time: that’s what Cannalution University (our premium subscription side of our app) will offer. Our curriculum will range from retail and justice reform to cannabis investing and real estate; all educational content that gets straight to the point.

What core lessons will students take away from studying at an HBCU-inspired digital platform?

While we do not have the accreditation to call ourselves a digital HBCU, our branding is paying homage to the Historical Black Colleges and Universities across the country who have paved the way for so many decades.

Our users will learn about the science of cannabis, and they’ll be walking away with the tools to start, maintain, and scale a cannabis business. Moreover, we want our users to define what equity in the cannabis industry means for them, because it doesn’t have to be a plant-touching business that requires a license.

There is an infinite amount of possibility in this budding industry, and we want to show our users vast opportunities that go beyond plant-touching.

Does the Cannalution platform connect entrepreneurs and investors? If so, how are they vetted?

The biggest barrier to entry for cannabis entrepreneurs is access to capital, and there will be two ways Cannalution will be helping users scale this mountain.

Firstly, we’ve incorporated an NFT strategy that will enable us to use a portion of our royalties from secondary sales to create a fund that empowers a select group of our users. Our NFT will only be available to 10,000 users, who we call our “founding members,” and 36 corporate NFTs that will allow corporations to partner with us and advertise through the platform.

Secondly, our CFO, Arielle Loren, is the founder of 100K Incubator, which helps women gain access to capital so that they can scale their business to six figures or more. She will be vetting private and corporate investors interested in investing in our users who meet their criteria.

Do you still dream of starting a subscription box service or have you completely shifted into Cannalution?

I’m a serial entrepreneur by nature with big multipotentialite energy, and I have a knack for brand building. I absolutely still see myself starting a subscription service or physical cannabis product. Cannalution is not the end of the road for me in the cannabis sector.

How can people sign up for the Cannalution platform?

The best way to sign up for access to our platform is cannalution.app.

Thanks, Martine, for answering our questions and sharing your thoughts and expertise!

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Missouri Cannabis Legalization Question Approved for November Ballots

8/10/2022

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The campaign seeking to legalize cannabis for adult use in Missouri gathered enough signatures to put the question to voters in November, Missouri Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft announced on Wednesday. In a statement, Ashcroft urged voters to “study and educate themselves on any ballot initiative” noting that the adult-use initiative “is particularly lengthy and should be given careful consideration.”  

The official ballot title for the initiative will ask voters: 

  • Do you want to amend the Missouri Constitution to: 
  • Remove state prohibitions on purchasing, possessing, consuming, using, delivering, manufacturing, and selling marijuana for personal use for adults over the age of twenty-one; 
  • Require a registration card for personal cultivation with prescribed limits; 
  • Allow persons with certain marijuana-related non-violent offenses to petition for release from incarceration or parole and probation and have records expunged; 
  • Establish a lottery selection process to award licenses and certificates; 
  • Issue equally distributed licenses to each congressional district; and 
  • Impose a six percent tax on the retail price of marijuana to benefit various programs 

State governmental entities estimate initial costs of $3.1 million, initial revenues of at least $7.9 million, annual costs of $5.5 million, and annual revenues of at least $40.8 million. Local governments are estimated to have annual costs of at least $35,000 and annual revenues of at least $13.8 million.  

Alan Zagier of Legal MO 2022, the campaign behind the initiative, told KSDK that the criminal justice provisions in the proposal would “provide a fresh start and wipe the slate clean for really tens of thousands of Missourians who each year find themselves arrested for low-level drug offenses.”

“We’re talking about people who may still be on probation or parole or even had a conviction and did their time and paid their fine but yet it still comes up and is a hindrance in housing or employment,” he said. 

A survey in May found that 62% of Missouri adults supported the reforms. In 2018, 65% of Missouri voters approved the constitutional amendment to legalize medical cannabis.

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Guyana Parliament Legalizes Hemp

8/10/2022

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The Guyana parliament on Monday approved the Industrial Hemp Bill, legalizing industrial hemp cultivation of plants containing 0.3% THC or less, Caribbean National Weekly reports. Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha, who is described as piloting the legislation, called hemp “a win-win situation for all the players involved.” 

“For the grower, it will be a source of income generation and job creation. For the consumers, it would have significant benefits, and for the broader economy, it would be a valuable source of foreign exchange, especially in the context of economic diversification.” — Mustapha via CNW 

Hemp production in the nation will first begin in two regions, Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs Anil Nandlall told the National Assembly, describing the regions as “depressed” and saying that hemp would help them “stimulate employment and economic activities.” Nandlall added that hemp would also help the nation’s environment. 

“It absorbs carbon dioxide and releases oxygen into the atmosphere with one acre of hemp being able to absorb over 22 tons of carbon dioxide,” he said during his remarks. “When harvested, it replaces more polluting materials in the manufacturing industry and provides alternatives for sustaining the environment.”  

The measure establishes a Guyana Industrial Hemp Regulatory Authority and a governing board, which will include representatives from the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Guyana Forensic Science Laboratory, and the Private Sector Commission, News Source Guyana reports. The bill makes it illegal for anyone to cultivate or manufacture industrial hemp, produce hemp-related products, or conduct research on industrial hemp without a license issued by the authority, the report says. Cultivation licenses would be valid for three years while manufacturing licenses would be valid for 15 years. Operating without a license could result in a $500,000 fine and imprisonment of up to one year.

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Seattle Mayor Proposes Cannabis Industry Social Equity Bills

8/10/2022

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The mayor of Seattle, Washington has submitted three cannabis-related bills to the city council intended to address social equity in the industry. The legislation proposed by Mayor Bruce Harrell was developed in partnership with Councilmember Teresa Mosqueda and cannabis industry stakeholders and employees.  

The bill package would: 

  • Create a city-level social equity license;
  • Lay the groundwork for future cannabis-related businesses, in collaboration with the Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board, to also issue licenses through a social equity framework;
  • Require a 90-day retention of store workforce when ownership changes, similar to protections created for hotel workers in the city in 2019;
  • Create a short-term cannabis advisory committee, selected in collaboration with City Council to collect input on cannabis equity and needs from workers, community members, and industry leaders;
  • Implement a needs assessment to understand additional steps to make the industry more robust and sustainable for diverse communities;
  • Collaborate with county and community efforts to further the work of expunging convictions for cannabis-related crimes prior to 2014, and;
  • Develop a state and federal legislative agenda promoting cannabis equity, along with safety improvements, capital investments, and access to banking services.

In a press release, Harrell said that for Seattle’s economy to thrive, “every worker and business deserve safety and the opportunity to learn, grow, and prosper.” 

“As the cannabis industry continues to develop, we must course correct and support the communities who too often have been left behind. Equity in this industry means safe working conditions and fair treatment for workers, store ownership that includes the communities most impacted by the war on drugs, and a commitment to fairness, innovation, and opportunity.” — Harrell in a statement    

Mosqueda added that the “legislation represents an initial step in the right direction towards creating local equity applications, improving workforce standards, and focusing on safety for workers in the cannabis industry.”   

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Florida Cannabis Advocates Launch Adult-Use Legalization Campaign

8/09/2022

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A new campaign launched on Monday seeks to legalize cannabis for adult use in Florida. The effort is backed by the state’s largest medical cannabis company, WJCT News reports. The first ad published by Smart and Safe Florida featured country music stars the Bellamy Brothers. 

The proposed constitutional amendment petition language reads: 

“Allows adults 21 years or older to possess, purchase, or use marijuana products and marijuana accessories for non-medical personal consumption by smoking, ingestion, or otherwise; allows Medical Marijuana Treatment Centers, and other state licensed entities, to acquire, cultivate, process, manufacture, sell, and distribute such products and accessories. Applies to Florida law; does not change, or immunize violations of, federal law. Establishes possession limits for personal use. Allows consistent legislation. Defines terms. Provides effective date.”   

Medical cannabis company Trulieve is contributing $5 million toward the effort to put the measure on 2024 ballots. Trulieve CEO Kim Rivers told the News Service of Florida that the amendment is “all about improving access.”  

“We came into this with a mission to provide access to high-quality products that are safe and have an appropriate value proposition to give folks control over their – in the original days – medical journey. I don’t think that changes here. I mean, in effect we are at our core about expanding the opportunity for access to safe legal product, which is what this would allow us to continue to do.” — Rivers to the News Service of Florida via WJCT  

Florida voters approved a constitutional amendment to legalize cannabis for medical use in 2016 with 71% of the vote. Past attempts to legalize cannabis for adult use in Florida have failed legal challenges with the state Supreme Court but Rivers said the proposal was crafted with the state’s single-subject rule for initiatives in mind. 

“Any amendment in the state of Florida has to be very careful in terms of single subjects with this court,” she told WJCT, “and so I do know, speaking with the lawyers, that there was a very high focus on keeping this really focused around authorizing adult use and then allowing the Legislature to develop policy.” 

The petition would need 900,000 valid signatures in order to make the ballot. 

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New Mexico District Attorneys Reviewing Cannabis Charges for Expungement

8/09/2022

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District attorneys in New Mexico are reviewing prior cannabis charges in the state for expungement, KRQE reports. The reviews are required under a bill approved by lawmakers that accompanied the state’s adult-use legalization legislation.   

Lauren Rodriguez, the spokesperson for the 2nd Judicial District Attorney’s Office, said officials have reviewed over 11,527 cases that are potentially eligible for automatic expungement in the district while challenging 53 because the charges are related to transporting more than 100 pounds or distributing cannabis to a minor. 

In the 11th Judicial District, officials have filed 1,608 cases for expungement, the 5th Judicial District have filed 265, and Doña Ana County has filed 312, the report says.

Adrianne Turner, the general counsel for the New Mexico Law Offices of the Public Defender, said the “big question” that remains is how the process will work in court and how the individuals will be notified.

“Right now, their last known attorney is supposed to be notified. That is problematic because some of those attorneys are now prosecutors, deceased, retired, or have moved out of state. We are receiving notice of some of the objections, but there is no clear process we are supposed to follow, including how or if we tell our former clients. So that leaves a lot of questions and confusion.” — Turner to KRQE

The Department of Public Safety says they initially pegged 151,640 cases across the state for review but the courts have the final say in whether a case is expunged.

Turner indicated that some legal professionals have noticed that there are “differences in how prosecutors across the state are objecting to expungements” and that the right to the relief should not be based on who the local prosecutor is.

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Federal Lawsuit Filed Against Medical Cannabis Companies in Arkansas

8/09/2022

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A federal lawsuit filed in Arkansas is seeking to use the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, commonly known as RICO, to target medical cannabis companies plaintiffs accused of deceptive trade practices, WREG reports. The lawsuit names California-based cannabis testing laboratory Steep Hill, Inc., its Arkansas subsidiary, Steep Hill Arkansas and its co-owners Dr. Brandon Thorton and Brent Whittington, cannabis cultivators Osage Creek Cultivation, Bold Team LLC, Natural State Medicinal, and “John Does 1-10,” which are law firms, accountants, and financial firms that assisted medical cannabis companies. 

The lawsuit claims some medical cannabis was sold in Arkansas with a potency different than what was advertised – a deceptive trade practice – and that cannabis businesses are subject to RICO because cannabis is federally outlawed.  

“Enjoining the RICO Defendants from continuing to engage in racketeering activities to enforce strong federal policy that seeks to reduce the cultivation and distribution of medical marijuana through a complete prohibition on those activities.” — the lawsuit’s Prayer for Relief section 

If successful, the lawsuit could end medical cannabis operations in Arkansas.

The plaintiffs claim that some of the cannabis they bought seemed less potent than others and sent it off to be tested. The test results showed that some of the products had 25% less THC than what was advertised and, in one case, up to 52% lower.

“Marijuana businesses who market their products as medicine should be held to reasonable production standards to ensure this ‘medicine’ is effective,” the plaintiffs contend. “But Defendants have intentionally refused to implement reasonable production standards, instead preferring to do business with Steep Hill that regularly intentionally inflates the amount of THC in its customer’s flower. The net effect is to defraud the Plaintiff and putative clause by over-representing the amount of THC in flower to the detriment of the Plaintiff and Class so that Steep Hill, the cultivators, and the dispensaries can make more money.” 

The lawsuit is filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas. 

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NECANN’s New York Cannabis and Hemp Convention Coming to Albany August 26-27

8/09/2022

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The inaugural New York Cannabis and Hemp Convention at the Albany Capital Center August 26-27 will serve as an essential hub for local businesses, investors, and entrepreneurs to meet, network and grow. With the New York cannabis industry projected to reach $3 billion by 2026, attendees can network with hundreds of local and national cannabis industry businesses, explore investment & career opportunities, connect with advocacy groups, see the latest developments in lighting, soil, and growing equipment, and purchase a wide variety of accessories. Every facet of the cannabis industry is represented at NECANN New York.

“With cultivation licenses and adult-use cannabis retail outlets on the way, the number of new career and business opportunities in New York will absolutely explode in the next twelve months,” said Marc Shepard, co-founder and President of NECANN. “With a full exhibit hall and two programming tracks dedicated to local opportunities running both days, this will be the first major cannabis industry event focusing exclusively on the New York market”.

The convention will feature Over 120 exhibitors and several thousand attendees are expected to attend the two-day event, one of the largest and most influential events of its kind.  Programming highlights include:

Legacy to Legal in New York: What to Do and What NOT to Do
NY License Applications 101
Ask a Lawyer Anything About Cannabis Legalization in New York

The full NY programming schedule is available HERE.
NECANN New York Convention event page HERE.

“Our mission is to bring the local leaders and communities in so they can network, educate, and begin working together. New York has made a commitment to establishing a vibrant cannabis industry, and part of our job at NECANN is to help entrepreneurs work together as a community and keep a majority of the capital circulating locally,” said Shepard. “If we are working together, serving each other, hiring locally and building a business infrastructure for cannabis, then it really can be a $2 billion industry right here in New York.”

New York Cannabis and Hemp Convention details:
Albany Capital Center | 55 Eagle Street, Albany, NY
Hours:  Friday Aug 25,  10am-5pm  |  Saturday, Aug 26: 10am-5pm
Admission $20 for one-day and $35 for both days

If you’d like to see what NECANN conventions looks like, click on one of the links below for a short highlight reel:
NECANN Boston
NECANN New Jersey

To learn more about joining the NECANN community as an exhibitor, sponsor, speaker, or attendee, please visit us at NECANN.com.

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Canada Spent $153M Last Fiscal Year on Medical Cannabis for Veterans

8/08/2022

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The Canadian government has spent more than $150 million in the last fiscal year reimbursing veterans for medical cannabis costs, the Canadian Press reports. The figure is more than double the amount spent three years ago. 

Veterans Affairs Canada said the government is expected to spend about $200 million this year as demand by veterans for medical cannabis is on the rise. The program started in 2008 and, initially, the pool of veterans getting medical cannabis reimbursement was extremely limited and required the approval of medical specialists, the report says. Health Canada relaxed the rules in 2014, expanding the number of conditions and removing limits on how much cannabis could be authorized.

In 2014, Veterans Affairs was reimbursing 112 ex-service members for their medical cannabis, at a cost of $409,000. But the following year, that total increased to more than 600, at a total cost of more than $1.7 million.

In 2021-2022, more than 18,000 ex-military members were reimbursed a total of $153 million, according to Veterans Affairs figures outlined by the Press.  

In 2016, the government limited medical cannabis claims to three grams per day – 10 grams with a medical authorization – at $8.50 per gram but that move has not reigned in costs, the report says.  

Comparatively, the number of non-military medical cannabis patients in Canada has fallen from 345,000 in October 2018 – around the time cannabis was legalized nationally – to 257,000 in December 2021, according to Health Canada data.

In Canada, medical cannabis is covered by health insurance.   

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Arkansas Cannabis Legalization Campaign Files Lawsuit Following Ballot Language Rejection

8/08/2022

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The campaign seeking to legalize cannabis for adult use in Arkansas on Thursday asked the state Supreme Court to put their measure on November ballots after the Board of Election Commissioners rejected the initiative’s name and title, effectively blocking it from ballots, the Associated Press reports. Responsible Growth Arkansas had gathered enough signatures to put the question to voters but the proposal also needed approval from the board. 

 In the lawsuit, the campaign argues that the board used an “overly stringent” approach that violates the state constitution and challenges a 2019 law that gives the board the power to certify ballot initiatives. Prior to the 2019 law, ballot measures had to be reviewed by the state attorney general prior to the circulation of petitions, the report says.

In rejecting the ballot language, the commissioners said they didn’t think the title fully explained the proposed constitutional amendment, claiming that the measure would repeal the state’s current THC limit on medical cannabis products. 

Responsible Growth Arkansas attorney Steve Lancaster told the AP last week that the board’s decision was unfair because it would require the title to go into too much detail, requiring the title to be “thousands and thousands of words long” which he said “is not workable for a ballot.”

The plan would allow Arkansans to possess up to an ounce of cannabis while increasing the number of cannabis cultivators from the eight currently allowed under the state’s medical cannabis system to 20, and the number of dispensaries from 40 to 120. There are no home grows allowed under the proposal, which would also eliminate the state’s medical cannabis tax and levy the same amount – a 6.5% sales tax and a 4% excise tax – on adult-use cannabis products. Those funds would be used for drug courts, health care research, and a “stipend” for law enforcement. 

The measure is opposed by Republican Gov. Asa Hutchinson, who is term-limited and not seeking reelection. It is supported by Democratic gubernatorial candidate Chris Jones, while Republican nominee Sarah Sanders has not stated her position on the proposal. 

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Georgia County Reduces Cannabis Possession Penalty to $35 Fine

8/08/2022

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Athens-Clarke County, Georgia commissioners have approved an ordinance to reduce the fine for cannabis possession of less than an ounce of cannabis to $35 and eliminate any jail time, the Athens Banner-Herald reports. Athens-Clarke County is home to the University of Georgia.  

County officials warned, though, that cannabis possession of any amount is still illegal in the state but the ordinance makes the penalty the lowest in the state for cannabis possession.

Commissioners initially sought to levy just a $1 fine but there is a mandatory surcharge from the state which forced them to raise it to $35. The minimum required fine will go to the county law library, the sheriff’s retirement fund, and the Peace Officers’ Annuity and Benefit Fund, the report says.

Commissioner Jesse Houle had previously backed a commission-defined option (CDO) that would get rid of probable cause for cannabis odor, which would have prevented police from searching individuals based on just the odor, but there was not enough support for the CDO to pass so Houle did not introduce the proposal.

“I’d like to see us find a way forward on that, perhaps in the future. Ideally, in the near future. I think there’s more work to be done, to maybe do that in a more thoughtful and even perhaps more effective way.” — Houle to the Banner-Herald 

In Georgia, possessing more than an ounce of cannabis is a felony. 

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. 

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Brittney Griner Sentenced to 9 Years for Cannabis Possession in Russia

8/05/2022

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Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) star Brittney Griner on Thursday was sentenced to nine years in a Russian penal colony for cannabis possession, the New York Times reports. Griner, 31, pleaded guilty to the charges in July. The court also fined her 1 million rubles, or about $16,400. 

Last month U.S. officials indicated they had offered to swap Griner and Paul Whelan, who is accused of espionage, for Viktor Bout, a Russian who was convicted of arms dealing in the U.S. in 2011 and is serving a 25-year sentence in the U.S. Russian officials have said there would be no agreement on a potential prisoner swap until after Griner was sentenced.

In a statement following the sentencing, President Joe Biden (D) called her detention in Russia “unacceptable.”  

“Today, American citizen Brittney Griner received a prison sentence that is one more reminder of what the world already knew: Russia is wrongfully detaining Brittney. … I call on Russia to release her immediately so she can be with her wife, loved ones, friends, and teammates.  My administration will continue to work tirelessly and pursue every possible avenue to bring Brittney and Paul Whelan home safely as soon as possible.” — Biden in a statement   

Griner’s defense team has 10 days to appeal the decision, CNN reports, and her attorneys have said they plan to take that route. 

Speaking to the court, Griner said she had “no intent to break Russian law” and has previously maintained that she accidentally brought the vape pens into the country accidentally while quickly packing her luggage. 

“I want the court to understand that it was an honest mistake that I made while rushing and in stress trying to recover post-Covid and just trying to get back to my team,” Griner said according to the Times. “…I made an honest mistake, and I hope that in your ruling that it doesn’t end my life here.” 

Her attorneys had entered into evidence her medical cannabis recommendation from an Arizona physician; however, in Russia – like U.S. federal law – cannabis is outlawed for any purpose. 

Speaking to reporters following the sentencing, Charge d’Affaires of the U.S. embassy in Russia, Elizabeth Rood, said “nothing” that occurred in court changes the U.S. State Department’s determination that Griner is “wrongfully detained.”

In a statement, the Phoenix Mercury, Griner’s WNBA team, called the sentence a “sobering milestone in the 168-day nightmare being endured by our sister, BG.” 

“We are steadfastly committed to keeping her top-of-mind publicly until she is safely back on American soil,” the team said in a statement.  

In a joint statement, WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert and National Basketball Association Commissioner Adam Silver called the verdict and sentencing “unjustified and unfortunate but not unexpected.” 

“The WNBA and NBA’s commitment to her safe return has not wavered,” the statement says, “and it is our hope that we are near the end of this process of finally bringing BG home to the United States.”  

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NFL’s Aaron Rodgers Credits MVP Performances to Psychedelic Experience

8/05/2022

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During a podcast appearance on August 3, Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, a four-time National Football League Most Valuable Player, credited ayahuasca, a hallucinogen, for “the best season” of his career. Rodgers said his ayahuasca experience preceded his back-to-back MVP seasons.

During the interview with Aubrey Marcus, Rodgers said the experience helped him “see how to unconditionally love” himself.

“It’s only in that unconditional self love, that then I’m able to truly be able to unconditionally love others. And what better way to work on my mental health than to have an experience like that? … The greatest gift I can give my teammates, in my opinion, is to be able to show up and to be someone who can model unconditional love to them. I mean obviously it’s important I play well, and show up and lead and all that stuff. They won’t care about what you say until they know how much you care.” — Rodgers, “Aaron Rodgers Shares The Vulnerable Truth,” AMP #373, via Insider 

He added that he doesn’t think it’s a coincidence that he had his best season following his experience with the ancient psychedelic.  

“I don’t think it’s a coincidence. I really don’t. I don’t really believe in coincidences at this point. It’s the universe bringing things to happen when they’re supposed to happen,” he said. “There’s signs and synchronicities all around us at all times if we’re awake enough to see them and to take them in and to listen to our intuition when it’s speaking to us or pounding us in the head saying, ‘Hey dummy, this is what you’re supposed to be doing.'” 

During the interview, Rodgers also tried to dispel rumors about the psychedelic. 

“The fear around it is, you’re going to shit yourself, it’s just a big throw-up fest,” he said, “but the negative framework of it is that is the experience, not the deep and meaningful and crazy mind-expanding possibilities, and also deep self-love and healing that can happen on the other side.” 

He added that, following the experience, he knew he “was never gonna be the same.” 

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New Mexico Cannabis Sales Hit New Record in July

8/05/2022

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Cannabis sales in New Mexico reached record highs in July, totaling $40.3 million in both medical and adult-use sales. Adult-use sales reached nearly $23.5 million, while medical cannabis sales topped $16.8 million, according to figures outlined by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s office.

The totals are about $1 million more than the previous record realized in April, the first month of adult-use sales in the state.  

“These numbers show that the impressive sales generated in the first month of legalized recreational cannabis sales were no fluke – and this is only the beginning. We’ve established a new industry that is already generating millions of dollars in local and state revenue and will continue to generate millions more in economic activity across the state, creating thousands of jobs for New Mexicans in communities both small and large.” — Grisham in a statement 

The state’s population centers of Albuquerque ($14.6 million), Santa Fe ($3.5 million), Las Cruces ($3.3 million), Hobbs ($1.6 million), and Rio Rancho ($1.6 million) saw the highest July sales numbers. 

Just two cities sold more medical cannabis than adult-use cannabis in the month: Alamogordo sold $554,409 in medical cannabis and about $424,514 in adult-use cannabis, while Tularosa sold $31,603 in medical cannabis and $30,730 in adult-use products.

The city of Chama sold just $367 in medical cannabis products compared to $4,029 in adult-use products, while Peralta sold $905 in medical cannabis compared to $5,532 in adult-use cannabis products.

New Mexico had sold $21.2 million worth of adult-use cannabis in June, which was similar to sales in May.

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Cookies CEO Lands Forbes Cover, First for Cannabis Industry Executive

8/04/2022

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The CEO of cannabis brand Cookies and Taylor Gang Entertainment, Berner, is the first head of a cannabis company to appear on the cover of Forbes magazine. Berner, real name Gilbert Milan Jr. shared the cover via Twitter. 

The cover carries the caption “Marijuana Meltdown,” described Berner as the “$150 million cannabis king,” and includes the quote from Berner, “It’s hard to sell legal weed.”

In a statement, Berner said, “It’s every entrepreneur’s dream to make the cover of Forbes, but the reality is very few founders and CEOs of the largest companies in the world will actually get a chance to achieve that goal.”

“I’ve been in the legal cannabis industry for 20 years and have dedicated most of my life to this fight. To be selected as one of the faces for federal legalization in our country is a huge compliment to my work. I’m extremely humbled, excited and motivated to keep pushing the cannabis industry forward and to continue representing minorities in the space. This is just the beginning for Cookies and I want to thank Forbes for helping us share our story.” — Berner in a press release

Forbes staff writer Will Yakowicz, who wrote the feature, said in a statement that “Berner has built Cookies into the buzziest global brand in cannabis – despite massive overregulation and over-taxation.”

“This story is about how the federal government continues to botch opportunities to legalize the cannabis industry and lift a $72 billion economy out of the shadows,” Yakowicz said.

On Twitter, Berner said he was “humbled” by landing the cover of the 105-year-old magazine.


“Extremely humbled and blessed to be one of the faces for federal legalization in our country,” he wrote.

In 2021, Ad Age named Cookies one of the year’s hottest brands.

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NABIS: Product Diversity for California’s Wholesale Cannabis Market

8/04/2022

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California B2B cannabis wholesale platform Nabis connects more than 1,300 retailers with over 200 exclusive brands all over California. In May, Nabis doubled its monthly average number of orders alongside growth in both brand partners and retailers, which begs the question: how are they experiencing growth while potentially on the cusp of the next economic recession? When we spoke with Founder & Co-CEO Vince C. Ning, he was calm and clear about the simple main premise of the online distributor, “We just think the market deserves to have a diverse set of products.” The platform’s success may be due to having considered the needs and experiences of brands, stores, and consumers while building out standard operations and new offerings.

Ning co-founded Nabis with his best friend Jun S. Lee in 2018, just before the first legal sale of adult-use cannabis in California. Prior to Nabis, Ning co-founded SaaS platform Scaphold, Inc. which went through the Y Combinator and was acquired by Amazon. He learned a lot from these experiences and retained those lessons, but still felt it was worthwhile to trade a 7% share of Nabis to Y Combinator in exchange for the opportunity to present their idea to investors who didn’t often hear cannabis industry pitches. They secured funding through that experience and were able to move forward with their vision of helping their cannabis business clients find success.

Wholesale distribution is a crucial component of scaling the adult-use cannabis industry. Brands can utilize the online marketplace, listing their products where retailers can easily put together multi-brand, multi-product orders with guaranteed two-day shipping. All of those products will be in one easy-to-pay invoice on payment terms. For their service, Nabis takes a small percentage of each sale. According to Ning’s data, the distributor fulfills close to 10,000 deliveries to 1,300 stores in California every month today.

Most of their clients come from word of mouth, and that is only achieved by building trust. According to Ning, that came organically while building a product to truly serve the cannabis industry, “We ship products out on time in full, and then we collect payments and process it as quickly as possible,” he said. “Over the years, we’ve built a good amount of trust for our business’s brand name.”

In its first year, Nabis met the needs of the industry: deliver products in a timely manner and be trustworthy with the payments. A few years into the California industry, brands were hitting a wall waiting for payments from retailers in order to turn over their next batch of products. Nabis rose to meet this need with Nabis Capital, an arm of the company that will buy the brand’s invoice before it comes due with a small percentage off and then take responsibility for the collection from the retailer. This has allowed brands to have faster product turnover and avoid leaving their shelf space empty, which creates loyal customers and generates more revenue. It’s a business, but it was also built to help more brands stay in the market.

“The market’s so young and it doesn’t make sense to bottleneck the industry today to ten brands,” Ning said. “Ultimately it’s going to be better for the consumer, and everyone, to have choice and access to a diverse set of products.”

It was with a grave sincerity that Ning continued on at this point in the interview, where we both became empathetic for the small farms, family–owned dispensaries, and other small plant-touching cannabis businesses that are struggling in California right now. Our interview took place before the cultivation tax was lifted in the state, but it could be a few years before this policy change has a positive financial effect on struggling farms. Nabis wants to help these farms through the tumultuous nascent phase of the state’s adult-use industry.

In late March, the company entered a partnership with Sun+Earth Certified to offer Nabis’s services to almost 20 of their farms. They also allow for smaller orders which helps small dispensaries keep the freshest product on their shelves and requires less inventory in their storage rooms. Ning wants Nabis to be a guiding light through the current state of the California industry: “There’s a lot of reconfiguration that needs to happen in the supply chain and in the industry that will need a lot of empathy from people. Hopefully, we can do our part, of course, to continue to support these operators.” He went on to add that if any brand or retailer reading this is struggling and could benefit from Nabis services, they should reach out so the team can find a way to help them through.

When we spoke, Ning was in New York as the first satellite Nabis team member to explore the industry there before expanding into the state. Though he didn’t have details to share about their expansion at the time, he described the New York cannabis community event’s energy as exciting and said grassroots events are they’re alive with the possibilities of how adult cannabis sales could positively impact communities. We look forward to seeing how Nabis is a part of that positive impact.

To learn more about Nabis, explore their website or get in touch at Nabis.com.

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Arkansas Board of Election Commissioners Blocks Adult-Use Ballot Initiative

8/04/2022

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The Arkansas Board of Election Commissioners on Wednesday rejected the popular name and ballot title for the cannabis legalization proposal, effectively blocking it from November ballots despite the proposal garnering enough voter signatures, the Associated Press reports. An attorney for Responsible Growth Arkansas, the group supporting the initiative, told the AP that it plans to appeal the decision to the state Supreme Court.

In rejecting the language, the commissioners said they didn’t think the title fully explained the proposed constitutional amendment, claiming that the measure would repeal the state’s current THC limit on medical cannabis products.

Responsible Growth Arkansas attorney Steve Lancaster told the AP that the board’s decision was unfair because it would require the title to go into too much detail.

“The type of detail that the board expected, or demanded in this case, would make our ballot title thousands and thousands of words long. That just simply is not workable for a ballot.” — Lancaster via the AP

The plan would allow Arkansans to possess up to an ounce of cannabis while increasing the number of cannabis cultivators from the eight currently allowed under the state’s medical cannabis system to 20, and the number of dispensaries from 40 to 120. There are no home grows allowed under the proposal, which would also eliminate the state’s medical cannabis tax and levy the same amount – a 6.5% sales tax and a 4% excise tax – on adult-use cannabis products. Those funds would be used for drug courts, health care research, and a “stipend” for law enforcement.

The measure is opposed by Republican Gov. Asa Hutchinson, who is term-limited and not seeking reelection. It is supported by Democratic gubernatorial candidate Chris Jones, while Republican nominee Sarah Sanders has not stated her position on the proposal.

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Green Flower Offers Free Courses to Minority Cannabis Business Association Members

8/04/2022

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The Minority Cannabis Business Association (MCBA) is partnering with cannabis education company Green Flower to provide members with free training courses. Green Flower will offer MCBA members four on-demand certificate programs, including retail, cultivation, manufacturing, and cannabis business essentials.

Max Simon, Green Flower CEO and co-founder, said the company is “thrilled to partner with MCBA as they live their vision for an equitable, just, and responsible cannabis industry.”  

“In order to create a truly fair and equitable cannabis industry, we must all do our part to support and empower communities that have been most impacted by the War on Drugs. MCBA is doing this on-the-ground, transformational work every day, and Green Flower is proud to offer our educational courses to play a small but important part in bringing about this change.” — Simon in a press release 

Certificates offered through Green Flower’s programs include dispensary associate; cultivation technician; manufacturing agent; and cannabis business essentials. 

“The cannabis industry is rapidly growing and creating new employment opportunities for a new generation of professionals,” said Kaliko Castille, MCBA interim executive director, in a statement. “We are proud to work with Green Flower to prepare our members to take advantage of this educational training program that will prepare them to not only join the cannabis workforce but to build their own successful businesses.” 

Green Flower has partnered with colleges and universities throughout the country on cannabis education, offering certificates for both matriculated and non-matriculated students.  

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TaJanna Mallory: Virtual Assistance for Cannabis Operators & Executives

8/03/2022

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Cannabis CEOs, founders, and entrepreneurs are often tasked with taking on many jobs and learning as they go. This can lead to spending valuable resources — like their own time — learning new skills and making mistakes a professional would have skipped. One way to lift this burden is to hire a virtual assistant for operational tasks, which opens their schedules to focus on the larger picture of the business.

We spoke with TaJanna Mallory, CEO of CannaAssistants, about her mission to support cannabis companies and founders and how that original goal has grown over time. This interview covers the benefits of bringing on a virtual assistant (VA), the process of matching a VA with a job, the community that Mallory is building for freelancers and VAs, and her recent appointment as the Florida State Director of Minorities for Medical Marijuana (M4MM).

Scroll down for the full interview:

Ganjapreneur: What is CannAssistants?

TaJanna Mallory: Well, if you’re my friend, I’d say that we’re a group of the most elite superheroes that get stuff done! Since this is an interview, I will say that CannAssistants is a network of virtual assistants that provide administrative support and project management to cannabis industry entrepreneurs and professionals.

What kind of cannabis business could benefit from bringing on a virtual assistant (VA)?

Any business, really. We have served a variety of clients from non-profits to cultivators to cannabis consultants. Our network consists of VAs specializing in general administrative, social media, project management and the list goes on. Any business that needs to bring some organization and efficiency to the team can benefit from a VA.

How does having a VA increase efficiency?

Ok, now we’re really getting into it! Imagine you’re a cultivator or a wholesaler or dispensary owner and you know your work very well. It’s the reason you started a business and have been successful. Yet, there is all of this administrative work surrounding your business that you have to do to maintain things like compliance, marketing, cash flow, business development. Those things may not be fun for you. They’re not inspiring, they don’t excite you, they are not the reason you went into business and you may not even be good at it. You’re spinning your wheels trying to get it done, taking the time and attention off the whole reason you’re in business in the first place. Delegating administrative work frees you up to do the work that only you can do. That’s where you will be most efficient. That’s where you’ll thrive. Delegate the rest.

What is the process of pairing a client with an assistant/team?

This process is always so fun! When a potential client reaches out to us, we conduct a Discovery Call. During that time, we understand what the client needs for support. It’s fun to unravel the problems that they have and offer solutions right on the spot that appear to be low hanging fruit to me and a relief to the entrepreneur on the other line. Following the call, I go back to the team to find an assistant that is a good fit based on skills, bandwidth, personality match and business owner’s niche. Then, we schedule a kickoff call between the business owner and the assistant, and they begin working together.

How do/would you manage a case where a client and VA don’t end up working well together, or have a conflict?

Oh that’s easy! Just kidding — honestly, from the depths of my soul, I want each match to be perfect the first time around. Sounds like the desires of a perfectionist, right? I’ve been around for a while so I know it’s not always going to go right the first time. There are a few things that we do to get ahead of it before it even happens. First, we ask all new clients to commit to 90 days. This allows true time to build a good workflow between the client and the assistant. Second, I let new clients and assistants know upfront that there’s already a plan in place in case they find the relationship is not a good fit for either party. Third, we have check-ins with both the client and the assistant so that we can learn as early as possible if there is feedback for either party to improve the relationship. If there is no improvement, we will provide another option. In the few times this has happened, the insight of the previous assistant allows us to make an even better match and it works out in the end.

How are you restructuring your original vision, and why did you choose to make these changes?

Well, I didn’t really decide to make changes. Each iteration of how we do business has been a beautiful evolution that naturally happens based on the evolution of the cannabis industry. I try my hardest to stay ahead of the curve to keep up with the needs of both Virtual Assistants and business owners. Originally, I was a Virtual Assistant freelancing alone and as business grew, “I” evolved into “we” and we became an agency of VAs with a variety of skills to support clients. More recently, there has been an influx of Virtual Assistants as well as a growing number of people interested in cannabis ancillary business ownership. As I noticed so many people moving into the space, I realized that these VAs want to serve clients, but they also need to be served. The restructure is moving from an agency model primarily focused on serving clients to more of a cooperative community focused on serving Virtual Assistants as they serve clients. We will offer training that builds cannabis industry knowledge, hard and soft administrative skills, knowledge of ancillary business ownership, and relationships with other VAs.

Why did you choose to build a community for freelancers and virtual assistants?

It’s so needed for so many reasons. As I mentioned before, I try to evolve with the needs of the marketplace. The first reason is that I noticed the huge influx of people becoming Virtual Assistants when the pandemic hit. A growing number of them were attracted to the niche cannabis space. I wanted to create a virtual space in which iron could sharpen iron and we can all get better together.

The second reason is there is a misconception that to be an entrepreneur in the cannabis industry, you must have some type of plant touching business. The goal of the community is to also help others start and grow a service-based business that serves our industry. Oftentimes, you can do so even if legalization has not happened in your state.

The third reason being to fulfill the need for virtual freelancers to have a sense of comradery and collaboration. When you’re a solo entrepreneur, you have an incredible amount of autonomy. The problem is that you can also feel isolated. Building a community allows for people to build business relationships for those moments when they get stuck, need to bounce ideas off of someone, exchange referrals for work or something as simple as having water cooler talk.

You mentioned cannabis is niche, do you think that cannabis clients have niche needs from a virtual assistant? What special skills help a VA transition from other industries into cannabis?

The hugest – yes, hugest – two skills that are needed is adaptability and organization. Any Virtual Assistant looking to get into cannabis must be highly adaptable to the pace of work and the variety of changes. It is not a consistent industry. It is not a stable industry in its current state. What’s permissible or even legal today may not be tomorrow. The people that you interact with will come from all walks of life. There was a day that I attended a meeting with state politicians in the morning and an NBA player in the afternoon while working with a client that went from legacy to legal. In addition, many cannabis professionals have their hands in multiple projects and organizations, corporate and non-profit. As their assistant, you have to stay ahead on the support needed to keep these projects organized. No two days are alike, and you have to keep up.

What kind of educational programs are you planning to provide? What is the curriculum structure?

We will provide webinars and training at varying levels. From topics like how to run a business as a freelancer, to the basics of understanding the language of cannabis businesses to building professional skills. All courses will be interactive and exclusive to members. In addition, we’re putting together some “how to” e-books which will be available to non-members and members alike.

When can freelancers and virtual assistants sign up for the community?

We’re opening signups this fall! We will have some webinars and training leading up to the launch date so those interested should be sure to sign up for our newsletter.

When did you become the Florida State Director of Minorities for Medical Marijuana? What does this position entail?

I became the Florida State Director this past May. I’m so incredibly grateful for the opportunity to continue the work started here. Roz, Erik and DJ (former Florida State Director) have and continue to do impactful work that moves our industry forward and tackles the challenges specific to Florida. They have placed the responsibility in my hands to expand on what they have done. In this role, I will be responsible for bringing the cannabis enthusiasts and activists of our diverse state together, continuing the M4MM programming that serves our communities and collaborating with government officials as they make laws that impact us as patients and business owners in this space.

Do you have goals you’d like to achieve during your tenure at the Florida chapter of M4MM?

The loftiest of goals! The easiest being to create a more unified state. Look at any satirical map of Florida and you will find that the state is so diverse. Culturally, South Florida is so different from North Florida and Central Florida is different from both. If we can get the cannabis conversations, politics, education and business community on the same page, it can be the vehicle to getting this state to adult-use in a more equitable way (the other two goals that I have).

Thank you, TaJanna, for answering all of our questions! Click here to learn more about CannAssistants or get in touch.

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SUDZ by BUDZ Review

8/03/2022

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There are a lot of reasons to keep your smoking devices clean and clear of resin. Buildup, old bong water, and the germs that grow on them are harmful to inhale. But that doesn’t mean I always keep my glass shining brightly. In fact, when I reached out to Vita Budz to try their glassware cleaner SUDZ by BUDZ, my bong was in the worst shape it’s been in a while. I was hoping that the product would be up for the challenge.

VitaBudz is a cultivated platform for combining cannabis, design, and science. It’s privately owned, SUDZ by BUDZ does the same. The package design is clean with an air of effervescent fun and inside is a white powder that cleans even the most hardened resin off of cannabis pieces. I truly do wish that I kept my bong cleaner than I do, and maybe I will now that I’ve tried SUDZ by BUDZ.

One package is about 5 TB, a small piece like a chillum only requires 1 TB for an easier clean. I, however, had to put my downstem and bowl piece through three rounds of soaking and bubbles before the last of the caked-on resin would scrape off. This is more a testament to how gross my piece was, not the cleaner agent. Additinally, when I cleaned the main glass piece of the bong, I forgot to plug the downstem hole, which unfortunately led to a lot of the Sudz fizzing out. Even with my error, it still cleaned the bong with no wiping where the Sudz did their work.

The process, despite including three iterations of the downstem fizz, was completed in the time that my one-year-old was down for his nap. That was ideal, since the process is somewhat stinky and should be completed in the open air. Sodium percarbonate, an active ingredient in the product, shouldn’t be inhaled directly or left near an open flame. The refuse from the cleaning process is best disposed of in the sink rather than the groundwater so the product runoff can be treated before going into your local waterways.

After my experience with the product, I recommend it to anyone who wants to clean their glass and especially for those who have a rough cleaning ahead of them. It was efficient and simple. Ultimately, SUDZ by BUDZ reminded me of other bong cleaning products but with fewer chemicals.

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Bipartisan House Bill Would Facilitate Federal Cannabis Misdemeanor Expungements

8/03/2022

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U.S. House Reps. Troy Carter (D-LA) and Rodney Davis (R-IL) recently introduced a bipartisan bill that would establish a process for the expungement of low-level federal cannabis charges.

H.R. 8557, or The Marijuana Misdemeanor Expungement Act, would direct the Chief Justice of the United States to “promulgate procedures or practices for the review, expungement, sealing, sequester, and redaction of official records” related to any nonviolent “federal misdemeanor, petty offense, infraction, or civil penalty involving marijuana.” Additionally, the bill would allow any individual with a qualifying record to file an expungement motion in the federal district where their arrest, and any subsequent legal consequences, took place.

“I’m proud to introduce … bipartisan legislation that will restore justice to millions of Americans who have suffered inordinate collateral consequences associated with marijuana-related misdemeanors,” said Democratic Rep. Troy Carter.

“These misdemeanors – even without a conviction – can result in restrictions to peoples’ ability to access educational aid, housing assistance, occupational licensing and even foster parenting. Delivering justice for our citizens who have been impacted by marijuana-related misdemeanors is a key component of comprehensive cannabis reform.” — Carter, in a press release

“Given the number of states … where marijuana has long been legalized for adult-use, we must ensure that our criminal justice system keeps pace so that individuals with low-level misdemeanor violations related to its use [are not precluded] from getting jobs and participating in society,” said Republican Rep. Rodney Davis.

According to Morgan Fox, the political director of NORML, “It is increasingly clear to policymakers that saddling people with the lifelong collateral consequences of even a low-level marijuana arrest or conviction is unjust and provides no legitimate benefit to society.

“Facilitating the expungement of minor federal marijuana offenses is a necessary step that will allow impacted people to reach their full potential,” Fox said in a press release.

House lawmakers earlier this year approved the MORE Act, a cannabis legalization bill by Democratic Rep. Jerrold Nadler (NY) which would also facilitate the expungement low-level cannabis crimes. Other federal cannabis proposals filed this year — including the States Reform Act by Republican Rep. Nancy Mace (SC) and the Cannabis Administration and Opportunity Act introduced last month by Democratic Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (NY) — also carry federal expungement measures.

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Michigan Researchers to Explore Cannabinoids as PTSD Treatment for Military Veterans

8/03/2022

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Michigan’s Cannabis Regulatory Agency is funding $12.5 million in research at Wayne State University School of Medicine and the Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences to study the potential therapeutic benefits of cannabis for veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).  

The research will include two large-scale randomized controlled clinical trials over five years to evaluate the efficacy of cannabinoids for U.S. military veterans living in Michigan. The trials will be supported by Redbud Roots Inc., a vertically integrated, Michigan-based, cannabis company.

One of the trials, “Wayne State Warriors Marijuana Clinical Research Program: Cannabinoid Adjunct to Prolonged Exposure and Recovery,” seeks to establish whether cannabis combined with Prolonged Exposure (PE), an empirically-based behavioral treatment for PTSD, can improve therapeutic outcomes for veterans diagnosed with the condition.    

Dr. Leslie Lundahl, one of the co-principal investigators and an associate professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, said CBD and THC “could potentially help to make PE more effective.”    

“Post-traumatic stress disorder is a debilitating condition that often affects U.S. Armed Forces veterans and can lead to increased risk for suicide. One of the most effective treatments for PTSD is Prolonged Exposure therapy, but many military veterans discontinue PE and more than a third who complete PE do not experience symptom improvement. There is an urgent need to develop treatments for PTSD, particularly focused on improving quality of life and mental health symptoms.” — Lundahl in a statement 

Another trial, “Investigating the Therapeutic Impact of Cannabinoids on Neuroinflammation and Neurobiological Underpinnings of Suicide Ideation in Veterans with PTSD,” is the “first-ever neuroimaging study of cannabis treatment in U.S. Armed Forces veterans with PTSD, or in any population,” said Dr. Hilary Marusak, assistant professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences.

“We will examine the neurobiological changes that may be associated with the therapeutic effects of controlled cannabis/cannabinoid dosing in the context of an ongoing 12-week randomized controlled trial,” Marusak said in a statement. “We will use state-of-the-art brain imaging approaches that are targeted at neurobiological mechanisms known to underpin PTSD and suicidality.” 

Both studies are part of Warrior CARE, a School of Medicine research program created to understand how cannabis affects veterans’ mental health. 

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Oklahoma Medical Cannabis License Moratorium Takes Effect This Month

8/03/2022

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Oklahoma’s two-year moratorium on issuing new medical cannabis licenses will take effect on August 26, News 9 reports. The move follows the passage of a bill last legislative session that imposed the moratorium. 

State officials had initially expected the moratorium to take effect on August 1 but erred in their interpretation of the effective date of the moratorium. Businesses will be allowed to submit license applications until August 26. The moratorium is still set to expire on Aug. 1, 2024, unless the Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority (OMMA) director chooses to lift it prior to that date.     

State Sen. Lonnie Paxton (R), a co-sponsor of the bill, said prior to its passage that the pause will allow the OMMA “to catch up with all the new rules that are coming out.” Those new rules were signed into law in June by Gov. Kevin Stitt (R) and include new requirements for laboratories, credentialing for cannabis industry employees, enhanced registration requirements for outdoor cultivators, new packaging rules, and fee increases, among other changes to the state program.

OMMA Director Adria Berry said in a “High Points” video posted to Facebook that the moratorium does not affect license transfers, license renewals, or patient licenses.

“Remember that OMMA has 90 days to process all commercial license applications. We may need to take that entire 90 days especially with the influx in commercial license applications we’re seeing right now, so I ask that you give us a little grace, have a little patience with us, we will get them processed within that statutory time limit.” — Berry, “OMMA High Points Episode 19”

The bill package approved by lawmakers came following concerns that Oklahoma’s medical cannabis program was fraught with diversion and strawman grows for illegal purposes. In May, Stitt signed bills to make the OMMA a standalone agency and increase the penalties for diverting products produced by licensees. The state only just began using Metrc, the seed-to-sale system.

According to OMMA figures outlined by News 9, the number of licensed cannabis cultivators in the state in July was 7,348, a 23% increase from 2020.

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New Mexico Medical Cannabis Health Insurance Lawsuit Moved to Federal Court

8/03/2022

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The New Mexico lawsuit seeking to force insurance companies to cover the cost for patients enrolled in the medical cannabis program for behavioral health conditions – such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), opioid use disorder, and autism-spectrum disorder – has been moved to federal court at the request of the defendants, according to NM Political Report. The class action lawsuit was filed in June by Ultra Health, the state’s largest cannabis company, on behalf of six patients.

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

The lawsuit comes less than a year after lawmakers passed a law (Senate Bill 317) prohibiting insurers from requiring patients to share the cost of medications for mental or behavioral health. The lawsuit argues that the law should apply to patients using cannabis for their behavioral health conditions.

State Sen. Jacob Candelaria (D), one of the plaintiffs in the case who is also an attorney but is not working in that role on the case, told the Political Report that he is “not altogether surprised by this procedural movida except it’s not the first procedural movida we will see from them.”

“But I remain absolutely confident that this matter will eventually be heard in a state court, not a federal court, where a state judge will determine what the policy of New Mexico is, according to the legislature’s enactment of Senate Bill 317.” — Candelaria to NM Political Report 

The federal magistrate judge who was assigned the case could decide to send the case back to the state district court or the plaintiffs’ attorneys could motion to have it moved back to the lower court. Candelaria suggested, based on his legal experience, that there is nothing in the lawsuit that would require a federal judge’s ruling.

“In order to win, we have to show that Senate Bill 317 says what it says,” Candelaria said in the report. “That doesn’t require any court to determine what federal law means, doesn’t allow, etc. The legislature passed its bill knowing exactly what the federal law says.”

According to the New Mexico Department of Health, of the 134,101 medical cannabis patients enrolled in the state’s Medical Cannabis Program, more than 50% received recommendations to help alleviate the symptoms of PTSD, while autism spectrum disorder and opioid use disorder accounted for less than 1% each.   

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.   

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