Kim Stuck: Compliance Consulting for Hemp, Cannabis, and Psychedelics

6/22/2022

by

Regulatory compliance is an ongoing headache for plant-touching and ancillary cannabis brands alike — if a brand doesn’t properly follow regulations, for example, it faces fines or in the worst of cases, losing its business entirely. Brands in such highly regulated industries typically hire expert consultants to assess their operation and provide working solutions to help them get compliant, no matter the state of their operation.

Kim Stuck, the CEO and founder of Allay Consulting, left her job with the Denver Department of Public Health and Environment after identifying a need for compliance consulting in the cannabis space. We recently interviewed Kim about the founding of Allay, how her team stays fresh on the regulations in each region, the compliance complexities faced by companies in the cannabis, hemp, and psychedelics industries, and more!

Scroll down for the full interview:

Ganjapreneur: Why did you choose to go into cannabis consulting following your work with the Denver Department of Public Health and Environment?

Kim Stuck: I saw a huge gap in knowledge when it came to overall compliance with Denver’s cannabis regulations along with health and safety. It made more sense for me to work directly for cannabis companies rather than the government—I could make a much larger, overall positive impact. I saw that most companies weren’t out of compliance because they were being malicious, it was just a lack of knowledge and understanding. So now that’s what I help companies with every day.

What sets Allay apart from other consulting firms?

The Allay team stands out in a lot of ways—first, we have been in the industry since 2014 and have a regulatory background, which is obviously valuable and unique. We are all accredited as certified professionals of food safety (CP-FS) and certified quality auditors (CQA), which provides a degree of additional operations expertise not common in the consulting space. Secondly, all of our employees at Allay are full-time workers, not 1099 contractors. This means we can hold higher internal standards than contractor-based firms when it comes to consultancy, customer service and professionalism. Lastly, everyone on the team is very passionate about the industry and truly loves what they do. They all have their different areas of expertise and knowledge when it comes to cannabis, and their own personal relationship with plant medicine. We’re driven to help businesses overcome obstacles; our success is based on their success.

You mentioned that the team all has different areas of expertise and knowledge, what are the specific focus areas of Allay?

The Allay team covers a variety of fields—we work in all 50 states in the hemp, THC cannabis, and psychedelic spaces, so there are a lot of areas to keep up on. At this time Allay’s focus is on operational compliance that includes; all state regulatory requirements for THC cannabis, FDA, cGMP Certification, OSHA Compliance, Fire Code Compliance, ISO 9001/22000 Certifications, Organic Certification, and GAP/GACP Certification for cultivation facilities. Each member of our team is a certified professional on food safety (CP-FS) and certified quality auditors (CQA), and we are all ex-cannabis regulators. We assist with audits, writing SOP’s, documentation, logs, staff training, and with the entire certification process through accredited certifying bodies.

Allay has a lot of certifications like HACCP, SERVSafe, Metrc Certification, HAZWOPER, Six Sigma Black Belt Efficiency, and more. How does the company decide which certifications to pursue?

The certifications we hold at Allay are guided by what state and local health authorities require of their own employees. For example, to work for most health departments, you must be a certified professional of food safety (CP-FS). We are also certified quality auditors (CQA), meaning we are trained to assess any operational standards and objectively identify their strengths and weaknesses. We have to do a lot of continuing education for all of our certifications. The ones listed in this question aren’t rare, and most people can get them online. However, the CP-FS and CQA require years of experience, a seven-hour-long test and continuing education to remain certified. I will say that there are a lot of certifications offered that don’t hold a lot of water, so we do our research to know which ones are actually valuable.

When should a cannabis company bring Allay in for a consultation? Can an already established company benefit from your services?

Allay works with companies of all sizes and can come in at any point in their business journey. Many companies bring us in early on so that they can have certain compliances in place from the beginning in their operating procedures, or get a floor plan review during construction. Longtime operators hire us to address a specific compliance concern, or to get a certification like current good manufacturing practices (cGMP) or a quality management system (QMS) like ISO 9001/22000. We can enter a company at any time and be effective.

How do the compliance challenges that hemp and cannabis companies face differ? What are the similarities?

Companies licensed for state-regulated medical cannabis or adult-use markets are more focused on state regulations and receiving certifications that make their brand stand out such as cGMP, GACP and ISO 9001/22000. In the hemp sector, companies are more concerned with FDA /cGMP compliance and certification. Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) compliance is also top of mind since hemp is federally legal, and these entities could start regulating any day now. All of our clients on both sides are working toward some kind of long-term compliance goal and are trying to prepare for the future. Becoming compliant with these standards now will save them time, money and reputation when federal cannabis legalization goes into effect.

What is the most common compliance error that you see in cannabis and/or hemp facilities?

Common issues we see at Allay include standard operating procedure (SOP) compliance, batch number systems, staff training, proper logging of activities and overall health and safety in facilities. It is very hard to be completely compliant without third-party audits or outside assistance, and it’s just going to get more complicated in the future.

How does the team stay informed on the nuances of regulations from state to state?

At Allay, we have a number of different resources and regulatory contacts in every state that keep us up to date on shifting regulatory landscapes. Truly, we are just really skilled at reading and understanding regulations. If we don’t know something, we are very good at finding the relevant information and giving the most updated and accurate answer to our clients as possible. Since regulations change so often, we each read about 60 pages of regulations a day on average.

Is there a one-size-fits-all compliance strategy for cannabis companies in the same state?

I would love to tell you that it was that simple. In order to actually be compliant, your company has to have SOPs and other documents specifically written for your facility. A packet of SOPs purchased online is not a good choice—each company needs distinct items from different documents depending on products made, extraction methods and so on. At Allay, we have a structured way to evaluate companies and create a plan for them, and each plan is unique since each company is unique. We always conduct an initial gap analysis, then create an individualized plan for the company. We’ve done it so many times, we have it down to a science at this point.

Why is it so complicated for well-intentioned cannabis companies to be compliant and how could the industry members/consumers advocate to resolve these complexities?

Compliance is always complicated as almost any cannabis business owner knows. There are a lot of moving parts when it comes to operational compliance and a lot of different regulatory bodies to be compliant for. For instance, in the state of Colorado you have to be compliant with the cannabis regulatory regulations (MED), on top of that you have the fire department, building department, excise and license, local health department, and state health department. Additionally, if cannabis is legalized on a federal level, companies will also have to comply with FDA regulations and OSHA. Our job at Allay, is to make sure our clients are compliant with the regulations they have to be compliant with now and to prepare them for federal legalization. All of these regulations are hard to comply with by themselves, it’s almost impossible to be compliant with everything all the time. Having experts come in to do the heavy lifting is what most company owners are finding as the easiest and most cost effective solution.

What is The Canna Consortium and how does it serve the cannabis industry?

The Canna Consortium is a group of ancillary cannabis companies and nonprofits, including equipment providers, operations consultants, research advocates and others that have joined forces to be more efficient in assisting clients and helping the overall industry. The six founding members, including Allay, worked together for years and eventually decided to start a group of trusted and dedicated ancillary companies that are working together to better serve the ever-growing cannabis and hemp industries. Together, we are boosting these sectors by supporting B2B relationship building and efforts to destigmatize and normalize cannabis and hemp.

Big thanks to Kim for answering our questions! Learn more about Allay Consulting at allayconsulting.com.

End

How to Experience Cannabis Like a Connoisseur

6/22/2022

by

If you’ve been enjoying cannabis for a while, you’ve probably had a batch of flower that stands out in the smoky room of your memory. For most of us, it was some frosty combination of aroma, flavor, and effect that, in the context of our personal tastes and experiences, enshrined a particular bud as the best we’ve had.

With expanding legalization and evolving attitudes towards cannabis, standards of quality are emerging from an industry previously quieted by fears of legal consequence. Tossing the careless stoner cliche out with yesterday’s bongwater, serious cannabis connoisseurs are bringing decades of knowledge into the public discourse surrounding humanity’s closest plant ally. And, like the sommeliers of the wine world, their standards are high. Maybe higher than they are.

When prohibition ended in Washington DC, there were no broadly accepted standards as to what was worth buying. Every purchase was a dice roll on quality, and a pressing need for public education on cannabis emerged alongside the proliferation of companies hawking their green wares. At Toker’s Guide, our passion is helping consumers in the DC Metro Area fully enjoy cannabis, not as a means to an end, but as an immersive sensory experience. Our community of writers are connoisseurs who regularly review what’s available on the market, so our readers know what they’re buying before they place an order. But the larger goal is for our readers to become connoisseurs themselves.

Finding the best bud starts with knowing what that is. Think of cannabis as an orchestra. In this guide, we’re going to talk a little about the individual instruments, and a little music theory. To that end, we reached out to Derek Gilman, Managing Director of Ganjier — a rigorous cannabis aficionado certification program — and compiled a list of attributes that separate connoisseur-grade flower from the sandwich bag you scored in the parking lot of Whole Foods.

The Color

Beyond indicating proper cure (more on that later), color can reveal a lot about a flower. Take a minute to really look at a bud. Varying hues give each phenotype its own character. Purpling can hint at low nighttime temperatures during the flowering period, and speak to genetic lines. A bright, fresh green color may belie an improperly dried flower. The best flower should be dazzling in appearance beneath the trichomes. Nothing should be brown.

The Trim

It seems that in cannabis culture, sugar leaves have become regarded as old school, or simply undesirable. To an extent, this can be blamed on the proliferation of automatic trimming machines that tumble away everything but the hairy core of a cola (and more than a few trichomes in the process). If you’ve ever spent more than an hour trimming, you understand the appeal. However, if your bud has bounced through one of these contraptions, it’s not making the Ganjier’s cut.

“True ‘craft cannabis’ is always trimmed by hand,” says Gilman. “An ideally trimmed flower will have all fan leaves removed. Some sugar leaf is acceptable if the sugar leaf is heavily coated in trichomes, or if the coloration of the sugar leaf adds value to the appearance (purple for example), or if the structure of the flower is best served with the sugar leaves intact. Machine trimmed and overly trimmed flower will have less, if any, surface trichomes remaining intact. Always remember, an under-trimmed flower can still be made ideal, while the over-trimmed flower is forever diminished.”

The Structure

There’s some primal appeal to the coiled structure of a well-formed bud. It’s almost as though it’s the plant’s way of telling its story. Foxtailing — the tapered offshoot growth of bracts — for example, can be a desirable genetic characteristic, but it can also be a sign that the plant was subjected to excessive heat. While super dense colas seem to be all the rage, unless your flower is fluffy due to insufficient light exposure (like the larfy buds that form at the bottom of the plant), chances are that a little airiness has nothing to do with the quality of it. According to Gilman, those green rocks you see on Instagram may even be less potent.

“Density plays ZERO role in my personal determination of quality,” Gilman says. “I judge quality based on desirability. The densest buds typically have nested bracts. Nested bracts are so tightly packed together that there is no space for trichome development between the bracts. Therefore, the absolute densest buds have a much less desirable trichome to vegetation ratio.”

Bract Maturity

Most of us refer to these as calyxes, but that isn’t technically correct. The bracts of the cannabis plant contain the densest concentration of trichomes, and comprise the majority of what we call the bud. The last few weeks of the flowering period are crucial to the development of bud structure and, ultimately, the desirability of the finished product. While most growers these days harvest according to trichome maturity alone, some sommeliers are judging according to a broader, more complex set of criteria, and healthy, swollen bracts are part of that assessment.

According to Gilman, a flower harvested at its peak will be at least partially identifiable as soon as it comes out of the jar. “As a Certified Ganjier, I utilize our Systematic Assessment Protocol® to accurately assess flower quality,” Gilman says. “Flower Maturity is one of several criteria assessed during the Appearance evaluation. To be clear, flower maturity is mostly based on bract maturity (in combination with stigma coloration and posture) and does not relate to trichome maturity. As Frenchy Cannoli would always remind me, you cannot judge the maturity of a flower based on a secondary metabolite, as the bracts and the trichomes are maturing at different rates and with different indicators.”

The Trichomes

Crystals. Kief. Resin. They have a lot of names, but these tiny resin glands that cover our buds in a psychedelic forest of translucent mushrooms are the reason we love this plant. The capitate-stalked trichomes that we see coating the bracts and sugar leaves of mature flowers contain the highest concentration of cannabinoids and terpenes on the cannabis plant. Trichome maturity informs not just the cannabinoid content, but the effects of the flower we consume; an early harvest of clear to cloudy trichomes will result in a more energetic, uplifting high, while a late harvest of amber resin heads will result in a more sedate, relaxing stone. While this quality is a matter of personal preference, the size, health, and preservation of these little resin glands is not.

“All of the desirable magic lies within the trichome glands,” Gilman says. “Once the flower has been dried, the trichome glands are extremely fragile. The dried flower will degrade, through trichome loss, every single time it is touched. Rough handling throughout processing and packaging can ruin an otherwise beautifully cultivated flower. The gentlest of handling under extreme care is required to preserve the quality.”

The Aroma

There’s really no objective way to rate this. Rather, the idea is to be conscious of it. What leaps out at you? Citrus? Pine? Red, white, and blue popsicles at the swimming pool? Breathe deeper. What’s underneath? Mushrooms? Coffee? There are over a hundred different terpenes found in cannabis, and they all interact with each other in surprising ways. Spend time with this. It’s the easiest way to know if you’re going to get along with any particular cultivar. If you want to get a little more poetic with it, there are charts that can help. A fantastic flower will have layers of aroma that reveal themselves as you breathe. If you smell hay, ammonia, fresh cut grass, or mold, the bud is warning you not to smoke it.

The Flavor

Maybe you like tomatoes. Maybe you think they taste like compost. That’s cool. What we’re looking for here is something akin to the difference between an heirloom tomato and the kind they sell at Wally World. The flavor should be complex and harmonious. It can be unexpected, but still needs to relate in some interesting way to the aroma. If it smells like an orchard and tastes like orange La Croix, you’ve been set up for disappointment in the smoking process. There should be no hint of chemicals or unpleasant bitterness.

The Dry and Cure

It’s fair to say that much (if not most) of the 420-friendly population is unaware of the extent to which the drying and curing process affects what goes into their pipes. Growers, on the other hand, tend to be full of passionate opinions on the matter, and it’s not terribly uncommon to hear it described as the most important part of a grow. It is, in fact, related to every quality we consider in a batch of cannabis.

“A properly dried and cured flower will have an aroma that leaps out of the jar upon opening,” Gilman says. “There should be no indication of chlorophyll aroma. The flower should be pliable, but not moist. It should bounce back, rather than stay compressed when squeezed ever so slightly. The coloration will be more of an olive green color. The improperly dried or cured flower may have little to no aroma or may smell like a freshly mowed lawn of grass. It may compress when squeezed (if not fully dried) or it may turn to a fine dust if it has been overdried. If dried too quickly, it will smell like chlorophyll. If dried too slowly, it may have a urine or ammonia aroma.”

The Flush

Arguably the most controversial practice among growers, the act of withholding nutrients during the final weeks of the flowering period is known as flushing (not to be confused with the act of flooding your growing medium with water so as to correct nutrient imbalances, which is also known as flushing). Detractors denigrate the method as bro science, citing recent studies that were unable to demonstrate a noticeable difference between flushed and unflushed flower in chemical testing and blind taste tests. Adherents point to personal experience and longstanding tradition, claiming that unflushed bud retains a chemical flavor, and produces a harsher smoke, darker ash, and leads to unpleasant side-effects. The two camps appear about even in number.

Gilman comes down on the side of the flush. “The cannabis plant is known to store excess nutrients in the leaves and flowers,” he says. “If excess nutrients have been applied to the plant during its growth (and flowering) cycle and those nutrients are not utilized by the plant, these excess nutrients end up in the finished flower. Flushing is critical when synthetic nutrients have been applied and less necessary, if at all, for biological based cultivation methodologies. Headaches and sore throats are typically the consequence of consuming residual synthetic nutrients (or some topically applied pesticide or fungicide).”

True to Form

Does your Hindu Kush have to look and taste like Hindu Kush in order to be considered a pinnacle of genetic expression? There’s some debate. While outlier phenotypes offer exciting and unusual experiences, the desirability of the differences themselves come into play more than the textbook definition of any particular cultivar. While it would be hard to imagine a high score going to a bud that in no way resembles the name on its jar, strict adherence to the expected genotype isn’t entirely necessary, so long as the divergence is worth it.

“Our Ganjier Systematic Assessment Protocol® includes the identification of ‘Uniqueness’ in each of our four assessment categories (Appearance, Aroma, Flavor, and Experience),” Gilman says. “Whether or not the unique quality actually adds value is dependent upon the desirability of the unique trait being exhibited. For example, an outlier phenotype may smell like rotten eggs. That would rate lower on my desirability scale. While an outlier that smelled like roses would rate higher.”

The Freshness

Even under ideal conditions, cannabis degrades over time. Buds lose structural integrity. Terpenes diminish. THCA decarboxylates into THC and then declines. If your bud has proper moisture but is fragile and smells like the ghost of a garden, it’s probably been in storage for awhile. The smoke can have a muted flavor or taste stale, and produce a diminished high.

The Smoke

You might not get off if you don’t cough, but it’s kind of difficult to enjoy a Lebowski-style bath (Bob. Joint.) if your throat is burning from its noble sacrifice to the fire gods. Unduly harsh smoke is a ruined experience, and possibly an unhealthy one. Causes range from improper drying environments to the use of pesticides in the bloom period, and the effects are never fun. Smoking (or vaping) cannabis should reveal a landscape of flavor, not ruin your tastebuds for the evening.

The Effects

Drumroll, please. Every other characteristic you’ve examined has led up to this. It’s the high acting in concert with the sensory experience of cannabis that makes it truly magical, and separates a utility of altered consciousness from a deep appreciation of the plant that gives it to us. Whether you’re high or stoned, ready to do the dishes, paint a masterpiece, or fall asleep while attempting a Netflix marathon, the effects of cannabis are as varied as its terpene profiles. The finest flower produces a remarkable high. Of course, so does a sunrise over the ocean. For some. There are no real guidelines for this; if it makes you feel good, it’s good.

There is an unnamable quality to the greatest expression of any craft. Whether it’s wine, cigars, cuisine, or cannabis, you’ll find the stuff that really blows you away was created with passion, patience, expertise, and love. Cliche as it might be, it really is the secret ingredient.

Whether you’re a seasoned smoker, or just dipping your toe in the proverbial pond, everyone should have the chance to experience the best that this extraordinary plant is capable of. With Toker’s Guide, we help you know exactly where to go to find the best weed, without wasting valuable time or money by simply rolling the dice. It’s by highlighting the very best cannabis available that we hope to help influence higher standards and quality, in the Washington DC metro area at first, and then industry-wide.

Finding and enjoying the best cannabis isn’t about bragging rights or pretension, though. It’s not about competition, either (even though it’s certainly used for that). It’s about the act of discovery — literally internalizing the journey your flower has taken from seed to joint. About opening yourself to the vast olfactory orchestra contained in a single puff of smoke. It’s about tasting sunshine and cool nights before harvest, and finding the kushy melody buried in a citrus-forward hybrid. It’s the song that always feels like home, and the moment of inspiration that sends furiously composed odes to the grandeur of cannabis into the richest rooms of our memories. And it’s having an answer when someone asks why you love this so much.

So go forth, armed with your newly discerning eye (and nose, and palate), and get to know a flower. A visit to tokersguide.com will help you get started on this aficionado journey, but feel free to post any dissenting, supporting, or expounding perspectives under our reviews. The comments are always open.

Note: S. Preston Duncan of RVA Magazine contributed to the writing of this article.

End

Report: Global Cannabis Market Expected to Reach $90.4B By 2026

6/22/2022

by

The global cannabis market is expected to reach $90.4 billion by 2026, according to a MarketsandMarkets report. This equates to a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 28% from the cannabis market’s $20.8 billion evaluation in 2020.

Within the cannabis market, concentrates are projected to have the largest CAGR through 2026 due to the wide variety of different types of concentrates including shatter, budder, rosin, wax, oils, and tinctures.

The medical cannabis sector is expected to dominate the market with the growing list of countries embracing medical cannabis and the increasing use of various types of CBD, the report says.

Additionally, the North American market is expected to continue expanding: Canada legalized adult cannabis use in 2018, the legalization process is in the works in Mexico, more U.S. states pass adult-use cannabis laws each year, and medical cannabis treatments across North America have never been more popular. The presence of large cannabis corporations like Canopy Growth Corp, Aurora Cannabis Inc., and Medical Marijuana Inc., will also spur investment in the North American market, the report says.

In Europe, Germany is moving forward with plans to legalize adult-use cannabis while Malta — the European Union’s first member nation to pass legalization — recently shipped its first medical cannabis export.

End

Study: Number of Medical Cannabis Patients Quadrupled from 2016-2020

6/22/2022

by

The number of individuals enrolling in medical cannabis programs in the U.S. has quadrupled from 2016 to 2020, with the total surpassing 2.97 million people, according to a study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine outlined by the Washington Post. The researchers found that 61% of enrollees are qualified for programs for chronic pain, while 11% are enrolled for post-traumatic stress disorder. 

The researchers noted that about a third of qualified patients use medical cannabis “for conditions or symptoms without a substantial evidence basis,” the report says.  

The figures do not include individuals using pharmaceutical drugs derived from cannabis that have been authorized by the Food and Drug Administration.  

According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, 37 states, Washington, D.C. and four U.S. territories had legalized medical cannabis as of February. 

In two states – North Carolina and Kentucky – medical cannabis bills were approved by one legislative chamber but were not brought for a vote by the other chamber. Mississippi was the only state to approve medical cannabis legislation this year after the state Supreme Court struck down a voter-approved initiative to enact the reforms. 

A Harris Poll survey conducted on behalf of Curaleaf Holdings, Inc. released earlier this month found that 91% of adults 21 and older who have ever used cannabis have done so for health and wellness purposes regardless of whether they are enrolled in a state program. The poll found that 75% of respondents preferred holistic health solutions over pharmaceuticals with 62% saying they would prefer to use cannabis rather than pharmaceutical drugs for a medical issue. 

More than half (52%) of survey respondents said they preferred to use cannabis to relax, 49% to help with sleep, 44% to reduce stress, and 41% to reduce anxiety. 

End

Hemp Product Advertisements Increased Slightly for Father’s Day 

6/22/2022

by

During the Father’s Day advertising push, hemp was included in 2,266 of the 291,936 retail sales ads, according to U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Retail Report for Specialty Crops. In all, hemp ads comprised less than 1%, or about 0.78%, of advertising during Father’s Day.  

The number of ads this year marks a decline from the same week last year when the USDA reported 2,412 of 335,073 retail specialty crop ads were for hemp but marks an increase in the percentage of hemp ads from the same time last year, which was about 0.72%.   

During this year’s Father’s Day advertising campaigns, watermelons, cantaloupes, avocados, corn, broccoli crowns, limes, asparagus, and grapes were highlighted while plums, nectarines, and peaches were featured by most retailers.

The week of Father’s Day saw 113 stores feature ads for hemp seed oil and 63 for 8-ounce packages of hemp protein while no retailers featured the products in advertising the week prior, according to USDA data. Ads for 16-ounce packages of hemp protein tripled from 31 the week prior to 94 the week of Father’s Day with average advertised prices falling from $19.99 to $15.83. The number of ads for 32-ounce packages of hemp protein remained at 113 from week to week with the average price also remaining stable at $14.99. 

Hemp seed ads for 8-ounce packages increased from 512 the week prior to Father’s Day to 523 the week of and advertised average prices fell slightly from $7.72 to $7.65. Advertising and pricing for 12-ounce packages of hemp seeds remain stable – 53 stores with ads with an average price of $12.50. The number of stores that carried ads for 16-ounce packages of hemp seeds dropped from 311 to 252 week-to-week while the average price rose from $13.76 to $14.90. 

The USDA data includes advertising and pricing from more than 3,000 stores throughout the U.S. 

End

Louisiana Governor Signs Bills Related to Medical Cannabis and Hemp Testing

6/22/2022

by

Louisiana Gov. Jon Bel Edwards (D) on Tuesday signed several cannabis-related bills into law, including allowing medical cannabis access for some out-of-state patients and providing prosecution protections for non-resident medical cannabis patients, allowing nurse practitioners to recommend medical cannabis, excluding pipes used to smoke medical cannabis from the stat’s definition of drug paraphernalia, and a measure to require testing of consumable hemp products. 

The medical cannabis-related bills come about a year after the first dispensaries opened in the state and the measures are meant to address problems that arose following the launch of the market and expand access to the program.  

The bill allowing access for out-of-state patients includes provisions allowing individuals who are either short-term Louisiana residents or those who have been residents of the state for less than 30 days. It allows visitors with medical cannabis cards from other states to access medical cannabis in Louisiana. A separate measure provides protections for those patients. 

The legislation allowing nurse practitioners to recommend medical cannabis also allows psychologists to recommend patients to the state program.  

Bel Edwards also signed a bill allowing the state Department of Health to regulate the industry and removing the Board of Medical Examiners and Department of Agriculture and Forestry from that role. The Board of Pharmacy will remain in its regulatory role under the new regime. The Health Department will also be allowed to charge and collect fees from the industry under the law.    

The hemp testing bill signed by the governor requires that, at a confidence level of 95%, no more than 1% of the industrial hemp plants in each batch subject test above a total delta-9 THC concentration of 0.3% on a dry weight basis. The bill excludes some hemp plants from the testing program, including seed that has been certified by the Association of Official Seed Certifying Agencies, seed for hemp produced for grain or fiber, hemp being used for research, hemp grown by producers that have “consistently produced compliant industrial hemp plants over an extended period of time,” and from producers “growing immature industrial hemp plants produced from industrial hemp seed of known compliant varieties and the plants will be harvested prior to flowering,” according to the bill text. 

Bel Edwards did not comment on the measures in his press release announcing that he has signed them into law.  

End

DEA Reports Significant Increase In Cannabis-Related Arrests & Seizures

6/21/2022

by

According to new data by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), cannabis arrests in 2021 rose to 6,606 — up from 4,992 in 2020 — according to annual data from the DEA outlined by NORML. Additionally, 5.53 million cannabis plants were seized last year, marking a 20% increase year-to-year from 2020.

The numbers represent the highest enforcement figures since 2011 when the agency reported 8,500 cannabis arrests and having confiscated over 6.7 million plants, the report says.

NORML’s Political Director Morgan Fox said, “The fact that these interdiction efforts are growing — at great cost to the taxpayer — despite increasing momentum for legalization is a testament to the failure of federal prohibition and unnecessarily burdensome state regulatory policies.”

“Lack of access to banking services and capital, high barriers to entry into legal cannabis markets, and exorbitant tax rates at all levels of government are clearly hampering the ability of licensed cannabis businesses to compete with the unregulated market.” — Fox, in a statement

Notably, the suppression and eradication report says the DEA and their local partners seized $103 million in assets in 2021, twice as much as in 2020. California takes the top spot for most arrests and plant seizures with 60% of all arrests and 86% of plant confiscations coming from it alone. The report also highlights the large amounts of plants taken in Kentucky (317,621) and Oklahoma (158,124), according to Forbes.

“The solutions to this situation are beyond obvious at this point, and they don’t involve law enforcement officers putting themselves at risk by dropping out of helicopters or conducting armed raids,” Fox said.

End

Two Oklahoma Attorneys Charged with ‘Ghost Owner’ Medical Cannabis Scheme

6/21/2022

by

Two Oklahoma attorneys have been charged with having their legal assistants lend their names to medical cannabis cultivation applicants, helping their out-of-state clients around residency requirements, The Oklahoman reports. The practice is referred to by officials as “ghost owners.”  

Eric Brown and Logan Jones were each charged with multiple counts of conspiracy, falsifying records, and cultivation of a dangerous substance. Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics (OBN) investigators said they interviewed four employees of the Jones-Brown law firm who admitted their names were used to apply for medical cannabis grow licenses with the state. 

Announcing the charges last week, Attorney General John O’Connor said there are more than 400 grow operations in the state that “listed the Jones-Brown law firm employees as the owners.”  

Ken Adair, who is representing Brown, said that the two were no longer partners and that his client’s “conduct and knowledge of what went on is inconsistent with the mental state or criminal intent required to violate the law.” 

One legal assistant told investigators that she was paid $3,000 for each license she put her name on, and at least $1,000 was paid back to the law firm. She said she “was meeting with clients so frequently this was the only type of work she was doing,” according to court documents outlined by The Oklahoman. 

OBN Director Donnie Anderson said the two attorneys had represented foreign individuals who were growing cannabis and shipping it out of state. 

This year, the state has passed several laws to reign in the state’s medical cannabis industry, including a bill that raises the penalties for transferring medical cannabis to non-patients. Gov. Kevin Stitt (R) earlier this month signed a measure to make the state Medical Marijuana Authority a standalone agency which House Majority Floor Leader Jon Echols (R), the bill’s co-author, told The Oklahoman would help officials deal with the complexity of regulation and compliance” industry and help “cut down on the black market” which he argues “threatens the wellbeing of Oklahomans and properly regulate the legitimate businesses approved by voters.”  

End

Poll: Majority of Thai Citizens Support Recent Cannabis Legalization Reforms

6/21/2022

by

A survey conducted by Thailand’s National Institute of Development Administration found that 58.55% of citizens agreed with the government’s decision to remove cannabis from the nation’s Category 5 narcotics list, the Bangkok Post reports. The survey found that 41.45% disagreed with the move, with 24.98% saying cannabis is harmful to children and youth and the government has been unable to control its use. 

The majority of respondents (67.02%) indicated they have no experience with cannabis while 32.98% said they had some experience.  

The poll found that 34.81% of respondents strongly agreed with the reforms, saying cannabis is a valuable plant that can be used for medical purposes and to generate income; 23.74% moderately approved of the action, saying cannabis is more useful than harmful. Another 16.56% of those polled moderately disagreed with the reforms, saying cannabis use is hazardous to health.  

Thai officials removed cannabis from the narcotics list in February and legalized the cultivation and trade of the plant earlier this month. 

The survey found that 42.44% of respondents were worried “a lot” about improper use of cannabis by children and youth, with 29.62% saying they were worried to some degree, 16.95% not at all worried, and 10.99% somewhat concerned.  

A little more than a third (34.05%) of respondents said they would use cannabis for medical purposes; 31.15% for recreational purposes; 22.21% for use in food and beverages; and 12.59% for various commercial products. 

Of those who responded that they have experience with the plant, 30.56% said they had smoked it; 21.06% used it for medical purposes; 6.94% had grown it; 1.39% had produced cannabis-based products for commercial purposes; 0.23% had been involved in the trade. 

End

Respect My Region Launches 2nd Annual ‘North American Weed Tour’

6/21/2022

by

Seattle-based cannabis events and media firm Respect My Region announced the return of its North American Weed Tour, the company’s annual podcast and product review series highlighting cannabis businesses, entrepreneurs, and products in legal markets throughout the U.S., Canada, and Mexico.

The tour will take place from July 10 to December 15, 2022, and is set to include 250 podcast episodes and Instagram Live Streams featuring legal cannabis products and the manufacturers, cultivators, and retailers behind them, as well as the technology firms and other ancillary services working behind-the-scenes in the cannabis industry.

“After last year’s overwhelmingly successful tour, we’re excited to scale the campaign to include more than just product reviews and podcast interviews,” Respect My Region Co-owner Joseph Brabo said in a press release. “This year, we’ve added 420 University, an educational series with Betty Krocker Bakes and myself, the Legacy Cannabis Podcast hosted by Adam Ill, and the Gas or Trash Instagram Live Stream and Podcast series hosted by Mistah Cannabis. Additionally, our team is launching the Canadian Cannabis Podcast, Northeast Cannabis Podcast, and the Midwest Cannabis Podcast.”

CEO Mitch Pfeifer said the new tour enables the company to further magnify “the stories of new brands and businesses across North America,” and that they crafted the tour “to have a greater impact on cannabis brands in emerging markets while also amplifying the success of industry leaders and innovators.”

Per the press release: “PR partnerships for the 2022 North American Weed Tour include 40 Tons, AZ Cannabis News, Beard Bros Pharms, The Bluntness, The Cannabis Library, The Cannigma, Ganjapreneur, Heady NJ, Honeysuckle Magazine, Illinois News Joint, Puf Creativ, and Skunk Magazine.”

End

Kentucky Governor Names Members of Medical Cannabis Advisory Committee

6/21/2022

by

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear (D) has announced the members of the Team Kentucky Medical Cannabis Advisory Committee that will help advise him on providing access to medical cannabis. The 15-member panel includes physicians, medical cannabis advocates, public health workers, and attorneys. 

Beshear convened the committee after lawmakers failed to pass medical cannabis reforms during the most recent session.  

“Polling suggests 90% of Kentucky adults support legalizing medical cannabis, while at the same time, far too many in our state who could benefit from it are suffering. It is simply time that something more is done. I want to make sure every voice is heard as I am weighing executive action that could provide access to medical cannabis in the commonwealth.” — Beshear in a press release 

The panel includes: 

  • Dr. Amber Cann of La Grange, pharmacy coach and adjunct professor at Spalding University; 
  • Julie Cantwell of Rineyville, advocate with Kentuckians for Medical Marijuana; 
  • Jennifer Cave of Louisville, member, Stites and Harbison; 
  • Eric Crawford of Maysville, advocate; 
  • Cookie Crews of Frankfort, commissioner of the Department of Corrections; 
  • Dr. John Farmer of Louisville, OB/GYN, medical director of Solid Ground Counseling and Recovery, addiction treatment provider in Louisville, Morehead and Hazard; 
  • Dr. Jonathan Hatton of Whitesburg, family medicine, Mountain Comprehensive Health; 
  • Brian Jointer of Jeffersonville, Indiana, certified public health worker in Louisville; 
  • Dr. Nick Kouns of Lexington, internal medicine, Clark Regional Medical Center; 
  • Alex Kreit of Cincinnati, Ohio, director of the Chase Center on Addiction Law and Policy at Northern Kentucky University; 
  • Dr. Linda McClain of Louisville, OB/GYN, Commonwealth Counseling Center; 
  • Andrew Sparks of Lexington, former assistant U.S. Attorney; 
  • Dee Dee Taylor of Louisville, chief executive officer, 502 Hemp Wellness Center; 
  • Julie Wallace of Morganfield, Union County Attorney; and 
  • Kristin Wilcox of Beaver Dam, co-founder of Kentucky Moms for Medical Cannabis. 

Beshear also announced the launch of a new website where citizens can learn more about the commission and submit their own feedback. The governor did not indicate when the committee would hold its first meeting but said the panel would also hold townhall meetings throughout the commonwealth.   

End

Big Plan Holdings Acquires ‘Mission Critical’ New Jersey Property on Behalf of Ascend Wellness

6/20/2022

by

Nashville, Tennessee, Monday, June 20th, 2022 – Big Plan Holdings Legacy Partners (BPH-LP), a subsidiary of Nashville, Tennessee-based Big Plan Holdings (BPH), is pleased to announce the acquisition of a strategically significant property located in Franklin, New Jersey, expanding their reach and that of Ascend Wellness Holdings (AWH), one of the nation’s largest multistate operating (‘MSO’) cannabis companies, in the process.

The acquisition has been appropriately timed to further embolden the New Jersey cannabis marketplace, which, since recent deregulatory measures were implemented, has begun to flourish Statewide.

Big Plan Holdings oversees an elite portfolio comprised of real estate holdings, cannabis businesses under management, a technology-powered management company, an intellectual property (IP) holding organization, in addition to hosting sub-divisions in hospitality, fashion, music and the entertainment industry. This latest acquisition and tactical investment into the cannabis arena bolsters the legacy and present footprint of Big Plan Holdings in the cannabis industry and in Executive Leaderships’ leading roles as investors, advisors and industry stewards.

BPH Co-Founder and CEO, Josh Joseph, formerly one of the founders of Grassroots Cannabis, which later sold to Curaleaf in 2020 (with an estimated company exit in excess of $875 million), then the largest privately-held cannabis company in the country, stated that, “We were pleased to witness the pragmatic transition of the State of New Jersey from historically providing a medical-use only cannabis program to today allowing for adult-use and recreational cannabis sales, in doing so forecasting exponential market growth. Make no mistake – This is a model replicable State to State, and the country over. We are privileged to continue to work alongside both the public and private sector, in this case Ascend Wellness Holdings, in growing our brand’s reach and their presence in the Franklin cosmopolitan area through this mission critical property acquisition.”

Just over one month into existence, New Jersey’s recreational marijuana market has seen over $24 million in sales. In step with this meteoric growth, the latest property acquisition secured by Big Plan Holdings will form a critical component of AWH’s 200,000 square feet of cultivation and processing operations in the Franklin region.

Concurrent to the New Jersey acquisition, Big Plan Holdings subsidiary BPH Legacy Partners’ nationwide interests and areas of focus include however are not limited to real estate and real estate financing, the securement of cannabis licenses as an operator, serving as an applicant for new operating businesses while offering a safe space for investments for minorities, women and all within the social equity and diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) arena, both plant touching and non-plant touching. The company’s current State on State investments include Illinois, Michigan, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Maine and Florida, with future investment considerations underway in Georgia, New Mexico and indeed across the United States.

About Big Plan Holdings
Big Plan Holdings (BPH) BPH is a Nashville, Tennessee based family-office with diversified investments in cannabis, real estate, music, entertainment, and hospitality, among myriad strategic investments across the United States. BPH also hosts a philanthropic family foundation, The Joseph Family Foundation, with several different touch points of thematic, statewide, national, and global focus.

About Big Plan Holdings (BPH) Legacy Partners
Big Plan Holdings Legacy Partners (BPH-LP) is a cannabis portfolio company comprised of real estate holdings, cannabis businesses under management, a technology-powered management company and an intellectual property (IP) holding company.

BPH-LP is owned and operated by a seasoned and diverse management team committed to building highly efficient cannabis companies in meaningful partnerships with qualified social equity groups across the U.S.

BPH-LP operates by combining unique hands-on cannabis expertise, talent, technology, capital, and real estate experience in each of its ventures. The BPH-LP objective is to enable each company under management to thrive and economically scale. While each venture is unique, the company’s commitment to succeed remains the same.

End

Mississippi Supreme Court Upholds Life Sentence for Cannabis Possession

6/20/2022

by

The Mississippi Supreme Court last week upheld the conviction of a man sentenced to life in prison for cannabis possession, WLBT reports. The court found that Allen Russell’s life sentence – handed down in 2019 for possession of 43.71 grams, or less than two ounces – did not violate the Eighth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution which bars excessive bail, fines, and cruel or unusual punishment, and was in line with state law.

The conviction would typically carry a sentence of up to three years in prison but Russell was given the enhanced sentence under the state’s habitual offender law. Russell had been previously charged with house burglary twice and being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm.

The Mississippi Court of Appeals had previously deadlocked on Russell’s case 5-5 last year, the report says. In a split decision, six of the nine Supreme Court justices affirmed the trial court’s ruling, finding that Russell received “the only sentence available.” The court added that Russell had a history of being a violent offender.

In the majority opinion, Associate Justice Robert Chamberlin, wrote that “It is pertinent to note that the arrest came while law enforcement was attempting to serve another drug-related warrant on Russell as well as execute a search warrant on his premises.

“Chemical gas had to be deployed to obtain Russell’s surrender. … Clearly, the trial judge was aware of Russell’s history as contained in the record and, therefore, considered ‘all matters relevant to’ the sentence which was placed before him.” — Chamberlin, in the opinion, via WLBT

In the dissent, Associate Justice Josiah Coleman said that burglary was not a “per se crime of violence until Mississippi Code… made it so as a matter of law on July 1, 2014.”

“Prior to July 1, 2014, burglary was only considered a crime of violence if actual violence took place during the burglary,” Coleman wrote in the minority opinion. “We do not know whether Russell’s burglaries involved actual violence, but the fact that he was allowed the opportunity by the sentencing court to participate in the Regimented Inmate Discipline Program tends to indicate they did not.”

The dissent also noted that Mississippi has recently legalized medical cannabis and that state lawmakers should take changing cannabis laws into account when writing sentencing laws.

“The majority undertakes the task of offering procedural guidance to courts faced with defendants in the same position as that in which Russell finds himself, yet it denies Russell himself the benefit of its guidance,” Coleman wrote. “In so doing, the majority leaves Russell in prison for the rest of his life.”

End

California Bill Would Require More Warning Labels on Cannabis Products

6/20/2022

by

A bill proposed in California would require cannabis products to carry labels that warn of the risks associated with cannabis consumption, including DUI, teen use and brain development, mental health risks including schizophrenia, and suicidal thoughts and actions, KCRA3 reports.   

The proposed warnings would read:

  • “WARNING: Do not buy illegally sold cannabis as it is more likely to contain unsafe additives or harmful contaminants such as mold or pesticides.”
  • “WARNING: Do not use if pregnant or breastfeeding. Exposure to cannabis during pregnancy may harm your baby’s health, including causing low birth weight.”
  • “WARNING: Cannabis use may contribute to mental health problems, including psychotic disorders such as schizophrenia. Risk is greatest for frequent users and when using products with high THC levels.”
  • “WARNING: Cannabis use may contribute to mental health problems, including increased thoughts of suicide and suicide attempts. Risk is greatest for frequent users.”

Lawmakers are also seeking to force retailers to distribute informational brochures to first-time customers outlining the risks of cannabis consumption.

California already requires warning labels and marketing to children is banned. Lindsay Robinson, executive director of the California Cannabis Industry Association, told OPB that the bill “is really duplicative and puts unnecessary burdens on the legal cannabis industry.”

The measure passed the Senate 23-3 on May 25 and referred to the Assembly Committee on Business and Professions on June 2. If approved, the changes would be required to take effect on Jan. 1, 2025.

End

American Teaching In Russia Sentenced to 14 Years for ‘Large-Scale’ Cannabis Smuggling

6/20/2022

by

A former U.S. diplomat was sentenced last week to 14 years in prison by a Russian court for “large-scale” cannabis smuggling, CBS News reports. Marc Fogel, a teacher at the Anglo-American School in Moscow, was arrested by customs officers in Moscow in August 2021 after they found cannabis in his luggage.

Fogel maintains that he has a recommendation to use cannabis medically in the U.S.; however, Russia has not legalized cannabis for any purpose. Alexander Khurudzhi, a member of a Moscow human rights committee who visited Fogel in December, said Fogel “claims he was unaware of Russia’s ban” on medical cannabis.

Russia’s Interior Ministry has not specified the amount of cannabis Fogel was caught with but he told attorneys that he brought about 17 grams which would be considered a “significant” amount under Russian law, which defines a significant amount as anything between 6-100 grams; a large amount is anything over 100 grams, the report says.

Last week Russian authorities extended the detention of WNBA star Brittney Griner until at least July 2 after she was allegedly caught with cannabis vape cartridges while going through customs. Griner’s detention in Russia has been extended three times and she faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted. She is considered “wrongfully detained” by U.S. officials.

Russia and U.S. relations have been strained by the former’s recent invasion of Ukraine. Additionally, several Americans are detained in Russian prisons, and vice versa.

The U.S. Embassy has not commented on Fogel’s diplomatic status which might have held as a member of the staff at the Anglo-American school, which was previously run by the embassy.

End

Study: 39% of Millennial Cannabis Users Consume Multiple Times Per Day

6/17/2022

by

In a recent study covering the unique attitudes and behavior toward cannabis exhibited by millennials, New Frontier Data found that about 39% of millennials who consume cannabis do so typically multiple times per day, the company announced in a press release. Millennials are the generation born between 1981 and 1996 and NFD noted that rapid changes in cannabis policy have occurred during this generation’s lifetime.

“Millennials came of age when cannabis-related social attitudes and policies were changing rapidly. As young adults, they watched the normalization of cannabis use mitigate negative stereotypes, and they have played a leading role in the emergence of the legal cannabis economy, both as participants in the market and as champions for change.” — Gary Allen, New Frontier Data CEO, in a statement

Other key findings from the study:

  • 49% of millennials shopping in the legal market spend between $50 and $200 per transaction at cannabis retailers.
  • 39% of millennials who use cannabis do so more than once per day but there is a greater disparity here between the consumption rates of men and women than compared to other groups.
  • 77% of millennials substitute cannabis for sleep medications.
  • More millennials recognize other sleep-related cannabinoids like CBN (15%) and THCP (22%) than members of other generations.
  • 66% of millennials, which currently comprise the nation’s largest generation, believe that “strain” is important when purchasing cannabis.

The study also found that, as new parents, consuming cannabis away from their home is more important to millennials than other generations.

End

AMA Calls for States to Expunge Cannabis Criminal Records

6/17/2022

by

The American Medical Association (AMA) has adopted a policy calling on states to expunge criminal records for individuals that were incarcerated for cannabis offenses that have since been legalized or decriminalized. The policy was adopted at the AMA’s House of Delegates meeting despite the organization’s opposition to broad cannabis legalization.  

AMA Trustee Scott Ferguson, M.D. said criminal records associated with cannabis affect “young people aspiring to careers in medicine as well as many others who are denied housing, education, loans, and job opportunities.”

“It simply isn’t fair to ruin a life based on actions that result in convictions but are subsequently legalized or decriminalized. … Expungement is no panacea. It can be a lengthy and expensive process. Automatic expungement would relieve people of having to figure out and pay for the bureaucratic steps necessary for sealing a criminal record,” — Ferguson in a statement 

The policy also calls for ending probation, parole, or other court-related supervision because of cannabis-related offenses. The AMA notes that Black people are 3.6 times more likely to be arrested for cannabis than White people despite similar rates of use.  

The AMA indicated that it will discuss expungement with the Association of American Medical Colleges, Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education, Federation of State Medical Boards, and other relevant medical education and licensing authorities to determine the impact of disclosure of a cannabis-related offense on a medical school, residency or licensing application. 

The organization said the policy “aims to introduce equity and fairness into the fast-changing effort to legalize cannabis.” 

End

Cannabis Sommelier Featured on ‘Today Show’

6/17/2022

by

The “Today Show” on NBC last week featured cannabis sommelier Derek Gilman as part of its On the Job series. Gilman is the managing director of Ganjier and the segment also featured former National Football League running back Ricky Williams, who now goes by Eric Myron and is working with Gilman

“The main thing I’m learning is the perception of flavor, taste, aroma, smell and being able to decipher and appreciate these things.” — Myron, via the “Today Show”

Myron has his own cannabis brand called Highsman.

Gilman explained that there are three steps to becoming a cannabis sommelier: online courses, in-person training, and passing three exams. Ganjier certifies those who pass the course.

“It’s thorough, it’s rigorous,” Gilman said in an interview with “Today.” The program was put together by a panel of experts and includes the history of cannabis, botany, cultivation, and business.

“We have students and now certified ganjiers in all parts of the cannabis industry,” Gilman said in the interview. “We have people who are looking to enter the industry and are looking for a valid credential, you know, to help them in that process to CEOs of companies to directors of sales for some of the largest cannabis companies on the planet.”

Gilman added that ganjiers are a “legacy” for the industry and he hopes that they can bring “professionalism” to cannabis and bring the industry “out of the shadows.”

End

Pennsylvania Judge Rules Cannabis Companies Can Resume Selling Vapes with Added Terpenes

6/17/2022

by

A Pennsylvania court on Wednesday decided that medical cannabis companies in the state can resume selling vapes that were taken off the shelves as part of a recall in February, the Philadelphia Inquirer reports.

Judith D. Cassel, an attorney for the cannabis companies that sued state regulators in February, alleging that the recall was unfounded, said the plaintiffs “are thrilled about the decision.” 

“The vapes can go immediately back on the shelves, and the grower processors can continue or commence producing these vapes.” — Cassel to the Inquirer 

The recall included 670 types of cannabis concentrates for vaping – about 330,000 units, the report says. Regulators had said the companies had “added ingredients that have not been approved for inhalation” by the federal Food and Drug Administration. The additives at the heart of the case are added terpenes. 

Commonwealth Court Judge Michael J. Wojcik granted a preliminary injunction overturning the recall on June 2, ruling that the companies were likely to win a permanent injunction and that the group would suffer immediate and irreparable harm without the court order. The state Department of Health appealed the decision to the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, which automatically stayed the initial ban but Wojcik’s ruling ended the stay. 

In the opinion, Wojcik said regulators “failed to present any evidence to the court of potential harm to medical marijuana patients due to the recalled products, or more specifically due to the addition of terpenes to these products.” 

The companies involved in the lawsuit said they were facing more than $17 million in collective losses from the recall and that some products have already expired. 

End

Cannabis Drinks Expo San Francisco and Chicago Are Back; Get Your Tickets

6/16/2022

by

Discover fast-growing cannabis drinks brands at the 3rd Annual Cannabis Drinks Expo on July 28 in San Francisco and on August 2 in Chicago.

Cannabis Drinks Expo, a super hit b2b trade show returns in July, providing the cannabis and drinks industry a unique platform to do business, learn about the category and source amazing brands.

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

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

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

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

The cannabis entrepreneur who attends will be offered precious information on everything from the planning stages of crafting a cannabis-infused drink brand to formulation, regulations and compliance, branding, marketing, and the distribution of a cannabis drink product. We have outstanding experts in their field to clarify and explain the whole process. No stone will be left unturned. Cannabis-infused drinks are not just the ‘newest cannabis craze’. Studies show that in the US, consumers are steadily moving away from alcoholic choices.

Browse the extensive expo floor, and connect with companies that are on the cutting-edge of the cannabis industry. Connections and partnerships are key in this endeavor. The panel of experts will be presenting intriguing and vital information that will demystify the whole procedure of cannabis-infused beverages. There will be a full day of presentations that comprises some of the top names in the cannabis industry.

The population is becoming more health-conscious and looking for alternative beverage options. This is what attracts a whole new emerging segment of buyers to cannabis-infused beverages. The Cannabis Drinks Expo will attract people from all over the United States. Coming to inform themselves about this thrilling element of the cannabis industry. They will see firsthand what it takes to create a cannabis-infused beverage brand. Networking possibilities are endless.

Visitor Registration is now open, and you can get your passes now to save on tickets.

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

If you would like more information, please contact Sid Patel at info@cannabisdrinksexpo.com or call +1 855 481 1112.

Website: https://cannabisdrinksexpo.com/en/

 

End

Brazil Court Rules Patients Can Grow Their Own Cannabis for Medical Purposes

6/16/2022

by

Brazil’s Superior Court of Justice on Tuesday ruled that three patients can grow their own cannabis for medical purposes, the Associated Press reports. The decision is likely to be applied nationwide in similar cases. 

The five-judge panel unanimously determined that all three plaintiffs could cultivate their own cannabis and extract the oil for use in pain relief. In Brazil, medical cannabis products can only be imported and home cultivation is not permitted. Judge Rogério Schietti said the court had to act because the government refused to take a scientific stance on the issue.  

“The discourse against this possibility is moralistic. It often has a religious nature, based on dogmas, on false truths, stigmas. Let us stop this prejudice, this moralism that delays the development of this issue at the legislative, and many times clouds the minds of Brazilian judges.” — Schietti, in the opinion, via the AP

Judge Antonio Saldanha described the government’s delay on the issue as “a deliberately backward action toward obscurantism.” 

Home cultivation of cannabis for any purpose is opposed by President Jair Bolsonaro. Bolsonaro, a far-right politician, is currently behind in opinion polls against former President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who led Brazil from 2003-2010, the report says. An advisor to Lula da Silva told CNN Brazil that, if Lula da Silva is elected, a government plan on broad cannabis legalization would be prepared with input from citizens and allied political parties. 

End

Stone Road: Embracing Authenticity In Cannabis, From Cultivation to Marketing

6/16/2022

by

Many cannabis farms are struggling to make ends meet, especially in California where there is a wholesale flower glut. Despite these challenges, the multi-state cannabis brand Stone Road has seen significant expansion in the last two years. Stone Road’s flagship farm is in Nevada City, California and its products are also available in Oklahoma and Massachusetts.

Founder Lex Corwin spoke with Ganjapreneur about his vision for the brand, the setbacks and triumphs along the way, and how they’ve achieved regular growth in the historically fickle cannabis market. The thread tying the brand together from its natural farming practices to its unconventionally beautiful marketing assets is authenticity: everything aligns with Corwin’s core values and taste. “We’re trying to go weird because I am weird and a lot of my friends are weird and we like weird and beautiful and interesting things. And so that’s honestly the pillar of how we approach branding,” he said.

The young entrepreneur first learned about cannabis farming from hippy elders in Northern Oregon and took that knowledge home to Southern California. Those first teachers are why the brand uses living soil and seeks out natural pesticides like ladybugs and predator mites rather than spraying OMRI-certified pesticides.

Stone Road purchased its Nevada City property out of foreclosure in 2016. Over the next year, they removed almost 10 tons of garbage and rehabilitated the remote 57-acre lot. As they rehabbed the land, they installed an artesian well, bringing the farm completely off-grid. Stone Road hires employees who are local to the area and teach them farming skills in the same way that Corwin got his start growing cannabis.

Currently, Stone Road cultivates greenhouse-grown cannabis on one acre and leaves the majority of their land natural and untamed. This is ideal for the local flora and fauna but can bring more pests. The team is realistic about growing in the woods and always seeks out the natural answer to their problems rather than disrupting their local wildlife. Corwin brought in a veteran farmer to consult on their pest issue in the first few runs and their advice was to look to nature for any potential pest’s natural predators. They use beneficial insects, fungi, amoebas, and more in the soil to keep natural predators at bay. They also spray plants down with water in the morning and at dusk to reduce native colonies of aphids or local mites.

The farm focuses on ultra-small batches, constantly providing new flavors rather than sticking to the same thing. Corwin travels to small farms to seek out specialty strains grown with Stone Road’s principles, which is one way that they procure strains with unique and notable aromatic profiles. They currently have 8 SKUs and within those, they may have 3-12 flavors at any time. Corwin explained, “Cannabis is an agricultural crop, a crop that hasn’t had a great deal of standardization, and people are always going to want something new. So for us, it made the most sense that we constantly push out new batches. We don’t have one product that is just our product that we keep making, it is constantly rotating.”

Stone Road’s flavors continue to change but the quality is always consistent. Corwin is passionate about only offering products that he would want to use himself. While in the early days, supply chain complications with partnering manufacturers forced Stone Road to push through product that wasn’t fully up to their standards in order to stay afloat, Corwin now only partners with like-minded people to sell Stone Road products outside of California. These partners include Solar Cannabis Co. in Massachusetts and other living soil, natural farmers in Oklahoma. The brand plans to expand soon into New York and other new states in the coming year. When Corwin is looking for like-minded partners, he’s not just seeking out natural farmers who grow clean cannabis, he’s also calling in fellow weirdos.

Stone Road’s branding centers around empowerment, being yourself, and celebrating every facet of beauty. “To us, we don’t do the sleazy thing of selling sex to sell, it’s more that we use a lot of sex-positive people that believe that the human body is beautiful in all its forms and iterations and we’re there to complement that. We want to show cool, beautiful — sometimes unconventionally beautiful — people consuming our products and enjoying them. Ultimately, that was born out of trying to show the cannabis industry as it actually is, because it is unbelievably diverse,” Corwin said. “We have a small contingent of very, very, very loyal followers. And I don’t know if it’s that they see themselves in the branding or, you know, as a proudly gay person having other gay and queer people supporting the brand because obviously, we gotta stick together!”

Stone Road doesn’t spend money on advertising but instead provides a platform for people who consume their products. A lot of models featured in their marketing reached out organically or the team noticed them and dug their look. Weird, interesting, and beautiful is Corwin’s preferred aesthetic and this is presented through the artistic, thought-provoking imagery that represents the brand. He is excited about their entry into the New York marketplace, where new team members are introducing a new wave of creativity for the brand.

Every step Corwin takes alongside Stone Road is sure-footed in authenticity and this may be the secret sauce that led to 700% growth in 2020, further growth in 2021, and record-breaking sales months in 2022. He doesn’t bother himself with comparing their products to other brands or bending their marketing to the trends; instead, the team creates products and a message that they would want to receive. “The thesis is working and we just need to create better and better products, and more consistently,” said Corwin, who also doesn’t pay himself a salary, choosing instead to put profits into paying fair wages and crafting great products.

In the coming year, they plan to eliminate petroleum-based plastic from their supply chain, which will be accomplished once they fully change their joint 5-packs packaging to air-tight, child-proof tins. They are also launching a gummy product in partnership with Sundae School made with all-natural fruit juices and sugars. The edible will be Sundae Schools’ first gummy made with solventless hash. Eventually, Corwin hopes to have a product in every form factor, and looks forward to further expanding across the US.

To learn more about Stone road visit https://stoneroad.org/.

End

Montana Restricting Tribes to Smallest Tier of Cannabis Licenses

6/16/2022

by

The director of the Montana Department of Revenue (DOR) wrote in a letter that Montana tribes are restricted to the lowest cultivation tier structure under the state’s adult-use cannabis law, the Montana Free Press reports.

In a letter to the Economic Affairs Interim Committee (EAIC) dated June 2, DOR Director Brendan Beatty contradicted the committee’s interpretation of the legalization law. Interpreting the law last year after its passage, the committee said tribes could start at the tier 1 level but expand their tier structure like any other licensee, according to the report. But the law included other restrictions, such as requiring facilities to be located off of tribal land and for cultivation and retail to be limited to the same building.

Lawmakers say these restrictions will hamper tribes’ success in the industry and disincentivize them from entering the market.

“During the last legislative session, a lot of the tribes and the legislators saw this as an opportunity, finally, for the tribes to get in on equal footing on the ground floor of the marijuana industry, and start bringing in additional revenue for themselves,” state Sen. Jason Small, a member of the Northern Cheyenne tribe, said in the report.

Small advocated for the combined tribal licenses. He said the DOR has been “trying to hamstring our (tribal) efforts.” So far, no tribes have applied for a tier 1 license and Small feels the restrictions have contributed to their absence:

“I’ve had conversations with a couple of different tribes that say, ‘Why even bother if they’re handicapping us here?’” – Small, via the Montana Free Press

Beatty cites language from the legalization law that says “a combined-use marijuana license consists of one tier-one canopy license and one dispensary license allowing for the operation of a dispensary.”

“Regardless of this committee’s stated desire to allow combined use licensees to increase beyond a tier one, the statute is clear and unambiguous and limits a combined use licensee to a single tier one canopy license,” the director wrote in the letter.

End

Majority of Mainers Obtaining Cannabis Legally

6/16/2022

by

The majority of Mainers are obtaining cannabis from legal sources according to a state Office of Cannabis Policy (OCP) survey which found that 64% of past-month cannabis consumers have made purchases at licensed retailers, with 36% using unregulated sources.

The survey also found that 6% of respondents who consume cannabis on a monthly basis exclusively use state-approved retailers compared to just 1% that will only use unregulated sources.

The agency also found the state has an oversupply of medical cannabis a year after adult-use sales commenced in the state, where there is about $1 in demand for every $6 of supply; comparatively, there is $1 in demand for every $2 of supply of adult-use cannabis.

The oversupply in Maine’s medical cannabis market is despite the fact that 54% of cannabis consumers who purchase from home-based caregivers don’t have a medical cannabis card and that 33% of consumers who make purchases at medical dispensaries or caregivers with adult-use options also don’t have a medical card.

Among past month’s cannabis users surveyed, 28% said they had “no idea” the typical THC potency of the products they were buying, with 9% of respondents saying their products contained more than 50% THC, 4% said between 35-50%, 11% believing the products contained between 25-35% THC, 20% between 10-15%, 8% between 10-15%, and 4% said their products had less than 10% THC.

Flower was by far the preferred product type among past-month consumers surveyed, with 82% making a flower purchase, followed by edibles (58%), concentrates (41%), drinks (22%), topicals and creams, balms, or sprays (21%), tinctures (17%), lozenges (7%), and other (11%).

OCP Director Erik Gundersen told Mainebiz that the report’s findings “point to policies and practices that promote and preserve public health and safety while allowing legal businesses to compete.”

End