Michigan Cannabis Company Including Wildflower Seeds in Pre-Roll Tips

4/14/2022

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A Michigan cannabis company is adding beeswax tips that contain wildflower seeds to their pre-rolls, so when it is discarded it can plant a flower, according to a FOX 2 report. Jeff Dotson, president of Golden Shores Cannabis Co., said the seeds contained in the tip are for a “very hearty plant” that will “grow in almost any kind of soil.”

It is the only Michigan company to include wildflower seeds in the tips of their pre-roll.

Jimmie Caudill, the director of sales at The REEF in Detroit, one of several locations that sell Golden Shores’ products, said the product could help prevent waste caused by discarded tips.

“There’s so much waste within our industry. We’re trying to stop how much waste there is, so with this eco-friendly tip it’s going to help change that stigma.” – Caudill to FOX 2

Golden Shores products are also available at dispensaries in Adrian, Ann Arbor, Cheboygan, Clio, Grand Rapids, Sturgis, Hazel Park, Traverse City, and Wayne, according to the company’s website.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conversation Service says that wildflowers “provide critical habitat for pollinators, beneficial insects and wildlife, which is important for ecosystem function and pollination.”

“Wildflowers can improve soil health, prevent erosion, improve water quality, increase yields and enhance forage conditions for livestock,” the agency said.

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Oklahoma Allocates $2M from Cannabis Taxes to Fund Youth Substance Abuse Program

4/14/2022

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The Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority (OMMA) is allocating $2 million from cannabis taxes to the state Office of Juvenile Affairs (OJA) to fund substance abuse interventions. The state’s medical cannabis law requires that part of medical cannabis excise tax revenues are used to fund anti-drug and rehabilitation programs.

OJA will use the funds to provide an innovative, evidence-based intervention program called Functional Family Therapy (FFT), which is currently being implemented in 45 states and 10 countries. OJA is partnering with the Oklahoma State Department of Health (OSDH) to bring the treatment to the state to address adolescent substance abuse and the underlying behavioral health conditions that lead teens to misuse drugs and alcohol.

FFT is a leading treatment supported by the federal Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, the OJA said in a press release. OJA Executive Director Rachel Holt said the program “allows eligible youth to be treated in the community.”

“Treating young people in their own homes with their families has shown to have better outcomes instead of sending them to an out-of-home placement. Investing in the right treatments makes our communities safer because it meets the youth’s needs and demonstrates decreased recidivism.” – Holt in a statement

The agency indicated that when Ohio adopted the FFT program, it resulted in a 56% reduction in youth being placed outside of the home and substantially decreased the amount of subsequent serious and violent crime. In Ohio, the program costs about $5,000 per youth compared to spending $200,000 to place a youth in the Ohio Department of Youth Services.

“Substance abuse is associated with a multitude of lifelong negative impacts, including involvement within the justice system,” Holt said in a statement. “These are multi-generational issues for Oklahoma youth, and OJA is committed to working with youth and families to help end the cycle.”

The $2 million is included in OMMA’s fiscal year 2022 budget and OJA will provide quarterly project reports to OMMA.

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Emerald Cup Awards 2022 Is Heading to Hollywood

4/13/2022

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(Los Angeles, CA) — The world-renowned Emerald Cup Awards (www.theemeraldcup.com) presented by Boveda and PurePressure by Agrify is excited to announce that their highly anticipated 2022 Awards Ceremony will be moving to the historic Ricardo Montalbán Theatre (www.themontalban.com) in Hollywood, California on Saturday, May 14, 2022. Now in its 18th year, the iconic cannabis awards show will be an invite-only, private event that will welcome all competitors, winners, judges, and the Cup’s closest community to celebrate the best of the best in cannabis.

“Our journey to the 2022 Cup has been further elevated and we are excited to bring our esteemed awards ceremony to a historic Hollywood venue for an experience that our community will always remember and cherish,” says Emerald Cup founder and author, Tim Blake. “The iconic Montalban Theatre is part of the storied history of Los Angeles and an incredible stage for our triumphant return. To be able to celebrate the excellence of cannabis in this space will truly lift our awards into a spectacular new level.”

Last month, Emerald Cup revealed the full list of the esteemed judges for this year’s awards and unveiled a disruptive new cannabis classification system for the 2022 competition. This year’s team includes a diverse cast of leading experts, journalists, scientists, activists, celebrities, and cannabis aficionados. Globally recognized as the ‘Academy Awards of Cannabis,’ Emerald Cup judges are selected from a crop of worthy applicants to test out a broad spectrum of cannabis products created by California’s best cultivators, extractors and movers & shakers. The award is known for boosting brands and shaping the tastes of an entire industry with the distinction of “best in class” in each respective category – a highly coveted prize. The recognition from peers and consumers alike that comes along with an Emerald Cup achievement can be transformational for a brand as it highlights their commitment to the culture by crafting clean high quality cannabis. The California cannabis market is stronger when united and the 2022 Emerald Cup Awards will bridge the gap between the NorCal and SoCal markets, providing more opportunities for farmers and brands, as well as new options for consumers.

More information will be announced shortly via www.theemeraldcup.com and @theemeraldcup along with RSVP, travel, and hotel information for attendees.

Coverage of the 18th Annual Emerald Cup Awards at the Montalbán Theatre will be provided by ALTRD.TV. Fans across the world can catch all speakers, panels and the ceremony. 2022 coverage is part of their expanding Emerald Cup Channel with over 100 pieces of original programming to date.

Media needing to connect with The Emerald Cup and Emerald Cup 2022 Awards Show, or to speak with founder Tim Blake regarding this announcement, please reach out to Kenneth Loo, Chapter 2 at ken@chapter2agency.com.

Media looking to request for press access to our events, please submit to: Emerald Cup 2022 Media Credentials Request Form

For more information about the historic Ricardo Montalbán Theatre:
www.historictheatrephotos.com/Theatre/Ricardo-Montalban-Los-Angeles.aspx

Follow the fun on social media at @theemeraldcup as they continue their journey to Hollywood!

ABOUT THE EMERALD CUP:
Landing in Hollywood for 2022, Emerald Cup is now the world’s premier virtual cannabis destination and iconic live event. While advancing the concept of sustainable, sun-grown farming, the 17-year old organization’s reputation is firmly solidified as the largest, most-respected cannabis competition in the world. As a group, The Emerald Cup prides itself in bringing together the leading experts in the cannabis industry to educate and inspire our fellow farmers, patients, and patrons each year. A community celebration that has grown to become a global movement honoring the year’s finest, organic, sun-grown, cannabis harvest as well as the finest cannabis products available. The Cup has stood as a celebration of excellence and over the years has seen founder Tim Blake recognized as a guardian of the industry.
www.theemeraldcup.com

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Virginia Gov. Approves Bills to Ban Delta-8 and Improve Medical Cannabis Access

4/13/2022

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Editor’s note: This article was updated to reflect that the proposed delta-8 ban could still be overruled by state lawmakers.

Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) this week signed legislation to eliminate the requirement for medical cannabis patients to register with the state Board of Pharmacy before being allowed to purchase medical cannabis in the state and proposed changes to other legislation that would ban delta-8 THC products. The governor is also proposing increasing penalties for individuals caught possessing more than two ounces of cannabis.

The new medical cannabis rule, which takes effect July 1, will help clear a backlog of 8,000 patient registration requests, according to a Richmond BizSense report.

Del. Roxann Robinson (R), who sponsored the legislation in the state House, said “by eliminating the Board of Pharmacy registration, patients will have quicker access to acquiring their therapeutic prescriptions of medical cannabis.”

Patient registration with the board requires a 60-day waiting period and a fee. Board of Pharmacy spokeswoman Diane Powers indicated that there are about 47,000 medical cannabis patients currently registered in Virginia.

The move to ban delta-8 would also limit the sale of smokeable hemp, MJBizDaily reports. The law redefines THC in Virginia statutes to eliminate any mention of “delta-9,” which means hemp companies are no longer allowed to sell intoxicating THC isomers, such as delta-8, outside licensed cannabis businesses.

The legislation also prohibits the sale of cannabis edibles that could appeal to children, particularly those shaped like “a human, animal, vehicle, or fruit.”

Youngkin’s support for increasing penalties for possessing more than two ounces of cannabis follows a similar recommendation made by the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission (JLARC) prior to the state’s legalization law taking effect, WRIC reports.

The amendment is included on a bill from Virginia Sen. Emmett Hanger (R) to which Youngkin also included a proposal to prohibit CBD sales to individuals under 21-years-old. Those amendments will be considered on April 27 by lawmakers who can either accept or override the proposals with a two-thirds majority vote.

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Open Cannabis Markets Are More Socially Equitable than Markets with a Social Equity Component

4/13/2022

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In February, I went to a cannabis conference in Albuquerque that blew me away. It wasn’t that the conference was fundamentally different from others I have attended; it was the air of HOPE that permeated the entire expo floor. People were excited. Coming from California, where I haven’t seen this level of excitement, ever — even in the beginning — I started to wonder why New Mexico residents had such a sense of buoyancy. Then I realized it was because they had a reasonable expectation that they would be able to enter the cannabis market if they applied for a license.

This is not the case for most applicants in other legalized states. We applied for licenses in New Mexico in February of this year and in less than two months, the fruits of our labor were realized. On March 15, we received our dispensary and manufacturing licenses less than 45 days after applying. Let me say that again in case you missed it: Less than 45 days after we applied in New Mexico, we received our licenses with a total capital output of $1,000.

There are people in California, Illinois, and Massachusetts who are still waiting for licenses, and those who have licenses who are waiting to realize the potential of their licenses. In New Mexico, there were no particular social equity hoops we had to jump through, no 600-page application (Illinois), no interview requirement (Fresno), no need to have a building (Los Angeles), and no requirement to incubate social equity applicants (Oakland). The truth is that in New Mexico, they did not pit BIPOC, the formerly incarcerated, our nation’s first people, and people harmed by the war on drugs against one another to obtain those licenses. The barriers enacted in social equity states were removed in New Mexico.

New Mexico’s cannabis industry model

New Mexico passed adult-use legalization on April 12, 2021, and in less than a year, the state has licensed more than 500 businesses, outdoor farms, greenhouses, retail outlets, and manufacturing facilities. During the new market’s opening weekend, New Mexico’s retail cannabis sales surpassed $4.5 million dollars. They have made their barriers to entry low and, so far, have no caps on the number of licenses they will issue.

Some may point to Oklahoma, another state that made its barriers to entry low, as a failed attempt at an open market. Although Oklahoma has had issues, they are nothing compared to what we have seen in states that tout themselves as champions of social equity where, despite the headlines, no successful social equity programs actually exist. For example, a friend of mine, who is El Salvadoran, has in hand one of those fabled Los Angeles dispensary licenses that he received during the city’s first lottery. After waiting for months for the local cannabis commission to move forward following a slew of lawsuits, he chose to move to Oklahoma in 2020. He opened his dispensary in less than 90 days and to this day, is very successful. He is still waiting for LA to get its act together, three and a half years after he won that license in the first lottery.

What is the difference between those states and New Mexico? The answer is simple: a limited license market touting a social equity component usually means it is exponentially harder for BIPOC, women, formerly incarcerated-led companies, and anyone not backed by large corporate and/or multi-state operator capital to get a license. An open market with low barriers to entry and little (New Mexico) to no (Oklahoma) social equity demands makes it easier and more cost-effective for BIPOC-, women-, and formerly incarcerated-led companies to get a license.

The problem with social equity

In my opinion, the whole movement around social equity has caused an infantilization of non-white and non-male cannabis entrepreneurs. Social equity applicants have to jump through hoops to prove they have been harmed enough to even be considered for a license. What in The Hunger Games is that? The applications for equity applicants in and of themselves are so complex that the going rate to get them written by lawyers or consultants is $25,000 or more… usually more. That is an entire ancillary industry created off the suffering of people and communities who were harmed by the war on drugs. Let that sink in. Where is the justice in that? The access to capital needed to realize the potential of your license does not exist for BIPOC, women, or the formerly incarcerated. Nor do current capital markets even understand how to assess the creditworthiness of this group of people in lieu of the fact that our financial system is built on a racist foundation designed to intentionally exclude us.

There is no better example than what we see coming out of New York. They announced a $200 million social equity real estate fund in January. In February, they did a state-wide virtual roadshow touting this groundbreaking fund. In March, New York state officials made a bold commitment to ensure the first 100-200 retail licenses go to those formerly incarcerated on cannabis charges and/or their families. Oddly though, they also sent out a request for information asking how to create, administer, and distribute this $200 million social equity fund that same month after announcing it. Do not announce a social equity fund when you don’t know how to create, administer and distribute this type of fund. To truly address the capital needs of the most vulnerable populations from the War on Drugs, New York will need to add much more than a real estate debt fund. They need to add recoverable grants as San Francisco did along with business development support. One, a stand-alone debt facility for real estate isn’t going to get us to an equitable industry. And its not the first, second, or even third step to getting us there.

We have learned that we cannot count on social equity legislation, municipal codes, or programs to help us. What we need and what we should demand now, from the existing regulated states and those to come, is lower barriers to entry. We can look to New Mexico as a roadmap.

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Dad Grass Unveils Cannabis Collection Honoring George Harrison’s ‘All Things Must Pass’

4/13/2022

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Cannabis brand Dad Grass is launching a product line honoring George Harrison’s 1970 album “All Things Must Pass,” according to a Billboard report. The collection, “All Things Must Grass,” includes CBD/CBG pre-rolls, rolling papers, an ashtray, a rolling tray, a limited-edition silk-screened poster, a button pack, a bumper sticker, and a stash box that looks like a cassette case.

Ben Starmer, co-founder and CEO of Dad Grass, said the company tends “to shy away from the high test blow-your-mind weed that kids are into today.”

“For this project, we set out to create a mellower kind of joint, something that blended together the type of high quality, low potency, and all-natural flower that was around when George was ‘having a laugh’ back in the early 70s. Just a classic smoke for a classic bloke.” – Starmer, in a statement, via Billboard

Joshua Katz, Dad Grass co-founder, said the CBD/CBG blend should take consumers “back to the good ol’ days when smokin’ a doobie helped you tune in, gave you a pleasant-but-manageable buzz and put you in a chilled out euphoric mood.”

The products are federally legal, containing less than 0.3% THC, and will be available online and in select stores later this month.

“All Things Must Pass” was Harrison’s first solo release following the breakup of the Beatles and was issued in a three-LP box set.

“We designed the Special Blend 5-Pack packs as a tribute to George and the diverse elements of his life’s journey,” Katz and Starmer told Vice. “The black Pantone you see throughout the collection is drawn straight from the ‘All Things Must Pass’ cover.”

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Poll: Majority of North Carolina Voters Approve of Cannabis Legalization

4/13/2022

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A SurveyUSA poll commissioned by WRAL News released Monday found 57% of North Carolina voters back adult-use cannabis legalization in the state, with 72% supporting medical cannabis reforms. The poll found 32% of voters opposed broad adult-use legalization, while 18% believed medical cannabis should not be legal.

Medical cannabis use was supported by 75% of Democrats polled, along with 64% of Republicans; 15% of Democrats and 26% of Republicans were opposed. Adult-use legalization was supported by 63% of Democrats and 45% of Republicans; with 26% of Democrats opposed along with 45% of Republicans, the poll found.

Young voters aged 18-34 supported adult-use legalization in the state 68%-23%, along with 64% of voters 35-49-years-old (29% opposed), 55% of voters aged 50-64 (33% opposed), and 37% of voters older than 65 (47% opposed).

Medical cannabis reforms were supported by 75% of 18-32-year-old voters (17% opposed), 76% of voters aged 35-46 (17% opposed), 72% of 50-49-year-old voters (16% opposed), and 65% of voters aged 65-plus (20% opposed).

A bill to legalize medical cannabis remains in the Rules and Operations of the Senate Standing Committee and could be considered when lawmakers return to the Capitol on May 18. The measure would allow patients to access the program if they are diagnosed with one of 11 qualifying conditions, any terminal illness where their life expectancy is less than six months or any condition when the patient is in hospice care.

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Mississippi Regulators Unveil Medical Cannabis Program Details

4/13/2022

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The Mississippi Department of Health (MDH) released some initial details about the state’s medical cannabis system, Ya’ll Politics reports. The release lists qualifying conditions, explains how patients will obtain registration cards, and how health care providers can become medical cannabis practitioners.

Under the proposal, qualifying conditions include multiple sclerosis, cancer, Parkinson’s disease, Huntington’s disease, muscular dystrophy, glaucoma, spastic quadriplegia, HIV, AIDS, hepatitis, ALS or Lou Gehrig’s Disease, Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, sickle cell anemia, Alzheimer’s, dementia, post-traumatic stress disorder, autism, pain refractory to opioid management, diabetic/peripheral neuropathy, spinal cord disease, or severe injury, chronic medical treatment that causes cachexia or wasting, severe nausea, seizures, severe and persistent muscle spasms, or chronic pain.

Patients can register with the state after a doctor — with which they must already have a “bonafide relationship” — makes the program recommendation. Registration cards cost $25 each year and patients must attend a follow-up appointment every six months after their first in-person visit. Patient applications are expected to be available by June 2 and out-of-state patients will be eligible to obtain two 15-day passes per year to purchase Mississippi medical cannabis, the report says.

Physicians, physician’s assistants, nurse practitioners, or optometrists who want to recommend medical cannabis must attend eight hours of continuing education the first year and five hours each year thereafter.

Mississippi voters passed the medical cannabis constitutional amendment in November 2020 but the measure was quickly challenged in court and was eventually overturned due to an election law technicality. This led to a retracted discussion in the Mississippi legislature and multiple veto threats by Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves (R) but the state ultimately passed medical cannabis regulations through the legislative process last year.

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Marlo Richardson: Custom Solutions for Bringing Cannabis Brands to Market

4/12/2022

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Marlo Richardson was already a successful entrepreneur before entering the cannabis space; now, she holds a cannabis license in California and helps get cannabis brands to market, having worked previously with successful brands like Napalm, Tremendo Treez, Just Mary, and Homeschool.

In this written Q&A, Richardson — the CEO and owner of Greenwood & Company — shares insights from her many businesses, explains finding success in social equity licensing, discusses launching and operating brands amid controversy, common challenges in the cannabis space, and more!

Read the full interview below:

Ganjapreneur: When was The Greenwood Company founded, and how does this company serve as a backbone for other cannabis projects?

Marlo Richardson: Greenwood & Company was founded in 2019. It serves as the parent company and holds all of the licenses to cultivate, manufacture, distribute and deliver cannabis products. The cannabis projects that we deal with usually have to deal with wholesale products that we either grow independently or purchase from another farm. It is also the way we create brands by manufacturing the consumer goods and packaging them for retail.

What is the benefit of working with The Greenwood Company to bring a brand to market?

The benefit of working with us is that we have the ability to customize solutions for the retail market. We have had great success in developing consumer products for wholesale and retail market. We don’t have a standard type of agreement. We are willing to work with brands so that they are completely satisfied with their products and the level of service they will receive working with us.

I have a very hands-on approach in regards to brands that we bring to market. My standards are very high, and I work with brands that want to create quality products and are willing to market and brand with us.

Did you have to navigate hurdles in the licensing process? How did you overcome these challenges?

Yes, so many hurdles it was unbelievable. It’s one of the pitfalls in this being a new industry. Everyone is learning and there are mistakes that are made. I’ve sent checks that were never received, been charged fees that I shouldn’t had been charged and were ultimately refunded. I’ve dodged a few bad partnerships and I’ve lost money, but I am still here. I was able to navigate the hurdles by being organized. I keep a file for everything. The bills, the communication, the screenshots and I keep notes. So, when something doesn’t work right, I know exactly where to go. It may be a skill that I picked up in law school. Everything potentially has evidentiary value.

Do you have advice for social equity applicants who are struggling to get licensed and operational in California?

Absolutely, all money is not good money and the most important thing they can do is to be selective with who they work with.

As someone with years of financial and entrepreneurial success, what do you find interesting or unique about the cannabis space compared to other emerging markets?

What is unique about the cannabis industry is the inability to market and advertise items that are for sale. Marketing is extremely challenging, but I am currently building an infrastructure to manage that as well.

How have your past successes contributed to your success in the regulated cannabis space?

I honestly believe I have had success because I am unafraid to fail. In life we all have experiences. Some of those experiences are great others are both horrible and tramatic. I refuse to be defined by mistakes that I’ve made. I take the good lessons and experiences along with the bad and use everything that I’ve learned as lessons on what to do, as well as what not to do. I feel like too many people fall victim to their fears or that they allow the fears of others to dictate how they proceed in life and in business. I don’t care how many stories I hear about a person that tried and failed; those people are not me and if I had listened to all of the things that people told me not to do, or to do it a particular way… I might be where they currently are. But, I am not; I am where I currently am because I believed in me and didn’t get discouraged.

What is your role in your partnership with Xzibit on Napalm Cannabis?

I am the owner and CEO of The Greenwood Company, the licensed entity that is capable of creating cannabis brands and bring them to market. The Greenwood Company is licensed to cultivate indoor flower, manufacture vapes, edibles, beverages, and distribute them to licensed dispensaries and deliver products direct to consumers.

There was outcry from the AAPI community regarding Napalm branded grenades and strains named after nuclear bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki during WWII. Has this changed the branding strategy going forward?

No it it has not. Unfortunately, it was a reminder of how the world processes information. Napalm was the name of an album Xzibit dropped in 2012 and no one made mention of the album’s name. The minute the album name is affiliated with cannabis, it became an issue sparked by a small group. I spoke in several platforms in regards to the name and branding and the consensus from the consumers were that the name was clearly defined by the album and what Xzibit referenced in the songs back in 2012 and was in no way related to any historic event or group of people. I personally try to be aware of history and how it impacts the way that we think, see the world. It wasn’t by coincidence that my company has the name Greenwood in it. We respect everyone and their views but can’t allow all opinions of people that are either uninformed or misinformed dictate how we do business. We are motivated by culture, and want to help move it forward in a positive direction.

Tremendo Trees products dropped at the end of 2021, what products will make up the line and what differentiates that line from Just Mary and Napalm?

Tremendo Trees has a premium and mostly exotic 7 gram and 3.5 gram flower line, preroll packs and singles. Just Mary has taken on more of a Costco Wholesale approach and has one ounce cans and preroll packs designed more for the daily consumers that don’t want to have to place orders multiple times a week. Napalm in just a unique product line altogether, it’s like a novelty.

Are there benefits to opening a delivery service like Just Mary over a brick-and-mortar retail shop?

There will always be people that like to walk in a brick and mortar store. They want to be able to touch, see and smell the item. There are also people like myself that would prefer to never have to enter a physical store ever and would love to know that a product that is known to be consistently quality can be delivered to me directly; there is a lot of power in that.

You were inspired to enter the cannabis space after helping your mother seek alternative pain relief options — do the products carried by Just Mary reflect that mission of wellness?

Absolutely, I hand pick all of the strains and like to focus on strains that are equally balanced in grades to relaxation, focus and well being. The goal is to feel good, or to feel better.

What type of CBD products will Just Mary launch in 2022? How do you choose which products to develop in a saturated market?

Just Mary will be launching CBD products that are designed again for the daily consumer. To start, gummies in the morning and a beverage at night. There is room in the edible market because taste matters. I have given away the gummies that we are currently testing for market and the reviews are outstanding.

What areas are served by Just Mary and where can 21+ readers find the menu?

JustMaryDelivery.com will be live in a few weeks and the menu will be live on the site and consumers in the LA can order to have products delivered direct.

Thanks, Marlo, for answering all of our questions! Learn more at JustMaryDelivery.com

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Medical Cannabis Supply Strained by Adult-Use Sales In New Mexico

4/12/2022

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Two weeks into adult-use cannabis sales in New Mexico, some medical cannabis patients and stores have started asking how the state will strike the balance between serving patients and making adult-use cannabis profitable, KOB 4 reports. The state Cannabis Control Division (CCD) says New Mexico has sold over $8 million in adult-use cannabis in two weeks, but KOB notes the data shows medical cannabis demand remains high.

Stefanie K, a longtime medical cannabis patient, says stores have been telling her to keep her medical cannabis card although she feels there is no difference between the two systems at the moment.

“They’re telling us we should keep our cards even though it’s recreational. For what reason? What are we getting? What perks are we getting? We don’t get to get in line in front of anybody, we don’t get to pay less prices, we don’t get better weed. No, we get nothing,” she said.

She said the strains she uses for her anxiety have sold out of her dispensary, causing her to have to find them at a medical-only shop, which she says is becoming harder to find. Stefanie said now that adult-use has arrived, the shops are only concerned about “money signs, the dollars.”

Some New Mexico stores have tried to look out for patients as adult-use cannabis emerges. Ellie Besancon, executive director of Green Goods, told KOB her store wanted to “create display cases whereby we have only recreational offerings and only medical offerings.” But, she feels some of their loyal patients still have a “frustration level,” having to wait in long lines even though they “knew what they wanted.”

Besancon told KOB they want to make it through the 4/20 holiday and “then sort of gather ourselves up, pick ourselves up out of the dust, and kind of take another inventory of what we have.”

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Cannabis Sales In Montana Exceeding Initial Projections

4/12/2022

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Cannabis sales in Montana through the first quarter of the year have reached $72.9 million, according to state Department of Revenue figures outlined by the Associated Press. The total includes both medical and adult-use cannabis sales, but adult-use sales represent the bulk of the total at more than $43.5 million.

The state saw a new adult-use sales record last month with $15.9 million; medical cannabis sales were $9.8 million.

The Montana budget office had predicted $130 million in cannabis sales this year, but the state is on track to reach $174 million in sales and may see as much as $200 million.

J.D. “Pepper” Petersen, president and CEO of the Montana Cannabis Guild told the Montana State News Bureau that Montana has seen “a tremendous number of out-of-state customers coming into the dispensaries,” which he said was “just going to grow and grow.”

“This isn’t people growing weed in their shed anymore, this is big business.” – Petersen to the News Bureau

Yellowstone County has the highest sales figures for combined adult-use cannabis and medical sales, accounting for $4.5 million of the $25.7 million total in statewide sales in March, or about 18%, the report says.

Montana imposes a 20% tax on adult-use sales and a 4% tax on medical cannabis sales, so the state could see more than $50 million annually from cannabis-derived revenues.

Montana voters approved an adult-use initiative in 2020 to legalize the possession of up to an ounce of cannabis flower and the home cultivation of up to four plants for adults aged 21 or older. That initiative took effect on January 1, 2021. The state’s Republican-controlled Legislature later approved rules for the plant’s commercial distribution, which were signed into law by Gov. Greg Gianforte (R) last May, and the program launched on January 1, 2022.

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Survey: Majority of People Would Lie About Using Cannabis for Lower Life Insurance Costs

4/12/2022

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A survey by Forbes Advisor found that 56% of respondents said they would lie about their cannabis use to avoid higher life insurance quotes. Only half of those surveyed knew that cannabis use affects life insurance rates.

In all, nearly 60% of respondents said they would hesitate to apply for life insurance because of their cannabis use and 24% said they didn’t want to be denied coverage for using cannabis.

Providing false information to life insurance companies is considered fraud and insurers are likely to decline or cancel policies when they discover the truth.

Less than half of those surveyed knew that other types of cannabis use could affect life insurance quotes – just 46% of those surveyed knew that vaping cannabis could affect their quote, along with 44% of those that consume cannabis edibles.

Residents in the Northeast were the most likely to be untruthful about their cannabis use to get lower rates (64%), followed by the Midwest (62%), Southeast and Southwest (52%), and West (49%).

Cannabis users typically will pay more for life insurance, for example, the report indicates that a 30-year-old male who uses cannabis occasionally – two or fewer times a month – pays an average of 23% more than those who don’t use cannabis at all; a 30-year-old woman can expect to pay 22% more due to occasional use; and quotes can be even higher for those who use cannabis more than two times a month, as much as 47% more for males and 34% for females.

A majority (60%) of survey respondents agreed that recreational cannabis use should influence life insurance rates, while 13% disagreed; 57% of those surveyed said that medical cannabis use should be considered, while 14% disagreed.

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Massachusetts Senators Pass Bills for New Social Equity Fund, On-Site Consumption

4/12/2022

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The Massachusetts Senate last week unanimously approved a measure to create a social equity fund using cannabis taxes, the Lowell Sun reports. The measure, which still requires House approval, would include forgivable and no-interest loans.

The bill also includes provisions to allow municipalities to approve on-site consumption where cannabis is sold if authorized through a voter referendum or by an act of the City Council or Board of Selectman. The chamber rejected an amendment that would have required voters to approve any proposal to allow on-site consumption.

The Senate also unanimously approved an amendment to create a Special Commission on Drugged Driving, which would require research and development of technology and methods to reliably test individuals suspected of driving while under the influence of cannabis.

State Sen. Mike Moore (D) said that since Massachusetts legalized cannabis for adults, “there has been an uptick in incidents of driving under the influence of cannabis and this remains a significant public safety issue.”

“Drugged driving has long been an issue here in the commonwealth, however, the lack of a reliable test for individuals operating motor vehicles under the influence of marijuana has posed challenges to law enforcement. This amendment creates a commission to help ensure that we remain vigilant to advancements in technology and have updated policies for court proceedings to keep our roadways safe.” – Moore to the Sun

If the bill is approved by the House, the commission would be required to submit an annual report with its findings and recommendations for legislation by January 1, 2024.

The chamber rejected another amendment that would have created a state-funded Host Community Technical Assistance Fund to help municipalities with developing and negotiating host community agreements – which are required between cannabis businesses and the town or city they are seeking to open their business.

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DEA Acknowledges Cannabis Seeds are Legal Under Farm Bill

4/11/2022

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The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has acknowledged that cannabis seeds are considered hemp under the 2018 Farm Bill as long as they don’t exceed the 0.3% THC limit, Marijuana Moment reports. The DEA recently carried out a review of federal law and regulations in response to an inquiry from attorney Shane Pennington who shared the response on his “On Drugs” Substack newsletter.

“… Marihuana seed that has a delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol concentration of not more than 0.3 percent on a dry weight basis meets the definition of ‘hemp,” Terrence L. Boos. Ph.D., chief drug & chemical section diversion control division, wrote to Pennington in his response, “and thus is not controlled under the CSA. Conversely, marihuana seed having a delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol concentration more than 0.3 percent on a dry weight basis is controlled in schedule I under the CSA as marihuana.”

Pennington told Marijuana Moment that it is his view that “the letter is significant” because of confusion over the source rule – that is whether a cannabis product is a controlled substance based on the sample’s source or, as Pennington explains “the argument that the legal status of a cannabis product hinges on whether it is ‘sourced’ from marijuana or hemp.”

“The lesson here? When it comes to determining whether a particular cannabis-related substance is federally legal ‘hemp’ or schedule I ‘marihuana,’ it is the substance itself that matters – not its source. If the substance exceeds the .3% threshold (and isn’t a mature stalk, fiber, etc.), it’s schedule I marijuana. Otherwise, it’s hemp and not a controlled substance.” – Pennington, “The Source Rule is Dead,’ April 4, 2022

Pennington told Marijuana Moment that the letter makes the DEA’s reliance on the source rule “much harder to defend.”

Since both hemp and THC-rich cannabis seeds generally contain small amounts of THC, the letter effectively gives individuals the right to possess seeds that would produce THC-rich plants as long as the seeds contain less than 0.3% THC; however, it is still federally illegal to grow any cannabis plant that would exceed federal THC limits.

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Ohio Seeking to Expand Number of Medical Cannabis Dispensaries

4/11/2022

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The Ohio Board of Pharmacy, which regulates medical cannabis in the state, is seeking to add 73 new dispensary licenses, which would more than double the 58 that currently operate, Cleveland.com reports. A separate court case could create a 59th license from the first round of licensing, so, in all, there could be as many as 132 dispensaries, depending on the outcome of that case.

Regulators are seeking to expand the number of dispensaries as demand has so far exceeded projections. The board had estimated between 12,000 to 24,000 patients within the first two years but there are currently 252,139 patients enrolled in the program, the report says.

A study in 2020 found that 20% of the state’s medical cannabis patients traveled more than 30 miles to reach a dispensary as some areas of the state – namely rural areas in the northwest and west – do not host a dispensary. Some areas in southeastern Ohio only have one dispensary across several counties.

In November, the Board of Pharmacy received 1,400 applications for new dispensaries and the Ohio Lottery conducted a drawing to determine which companies would receive provisional approval. Justin Sheridan, the board’s director of medical cannabis operations, indicated that the agency is reviewing the winners to ensure they are compliant with state laws.

A recent study by the Ohio Medical Cannabis Industry Association (OMCIA) found that prices in Ohio double those found in neighboring Michigan; the price per gram in Ohio is $9.50, while the price per gram in Michigan is $4.22; however, Michigan’s market is more mature, launching in 2008 compared to 2019, when the first dispensary opened in Ohio.

Matt Close, executive director of the OMCIA, said the price discrepancy is due to the state’s “limited market” but he warned that “overexpansion can lead to oversupply, sending medical marijuana into the illicit market.”

Close told Cleveland.com that the organization believes that increasing the number of dispensaries “will drive the prices down.”

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New Jersey’s Rowan University Offers MBA in Cannabis Commercialization

4/11/2022

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New Jersey’s Rowan University is offering a Master of Business Administration in Cannabis Commercialization, which allows MBA students to select nine credits to satisfy the requirements. Two required courses include Evolution of the Cannabis Industry and Business Model Innovation in Cannabis.

“The rapidly evolving cannabis industry is anticipated to become a multi-billion dollar economic driver across the USA – and beyond. Career opportunities related to cannabis are vast, and cross-over talent is in high demand. Plant-touching verticals such as cultivation, extraction, manufacturing and/or retail need experts from other industries to adapt, extend, and expand best practices into the highly regulated cannabis market.” – Rowan University, Cannabis Commercialization Concentration Coursework

In addition to the required courses, students have four cannabis-focused electives to choose from, including Cannabis Legislation, Regulations, and Policy; Marijuana Legalization and Decriminalization in Work, Leisure, and Settings; Cannabis Research, Program Evaluation, and Policy Development; and Advanced Chemical Analysis of Cannabinoids.

The program also includes another 14 complimentary elective coursework, ranging from Community Justice to Capital Budgeting, to Strategic Planning for Operating Managers.

The university launched its Institute for Cannabis Research, Policy & Workforce Development last year, which it describes as an “interdisciplinary research institute to assist and advise policymakers, health care professionals, pharmaceutical industries, government agencies, and businesses.”

Tabbetha Dobbins, Ph.D., interim vice president for research at Rowan University, said at that time that “interdisciplinary collaboration is critically needed to help understand how these new cannabis laws will affect New Jersey.”

“We’ve seen the impact on other states and the possibilities,” she said. “Research and data will be necessary to help us navigate this monumental shift in our society.”

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New York to Allow Cannabis Companies to Take State Tax Deductions

4/08/2022

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In the agreed-upon Fiscal Year 2023 budget agreement between New York lawmakers and Gov. Kathy Hochul (D), state-approved cannabis businesses will be eligible for the same tax break that is currently in place for other types of businesses.

Including the provisions would help the state’s cannabis operators as U.S. tax law prohibits the industry from any federal tax deductions under Section 280E of the tax code.

The New York tax break would apply to taxable years beginning on and after Jan. 1, 2022.

The budget bills proposed by both the Assembly and Senate, which are controlled by Democrats, include language stating that “the provisions of Section 280E of the Internal Revenue Code, relating to expenditures in connection with the illegal sale of drugs, shall not apply for the purposes of this chapter to the carrying on of any trade or business that is commercial cannabis activity by a licensee.”

Several other states have moved to allow licensed cannabis businesses to take business deductions allowed by non-cannabis companies. A bill introduced last month in California would allow operators to receive a tax credit equal to the amount of the following qualified business expenses: employment compensation, safety-related equipment and services, employee workforce development, and safety training. The bill sponsor, State Sen. Scott Weiner (D), said the measure would help combat illicit sales in the state.

Missouri lawmakers had approved a measure last July that would have allowed the state’s medical cannabis companies to make normal state deductions; however, Gov. Mike Parson (R) ultimately vetoed that bill due to provisions that would have provided tax relief to businesses impacted by city-wide or county-wide public health restrictions which created “significant unintended consequences that could greatly harm localities.”

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Poll: 55% of European Adults Support Cannabis Legalization

4/08/2022

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A survey commissioned by Curaleaf International and conducted by Hanway Associates found that 55% of adult Europeans support legalizing cannabis for adults, with 25% opposed and 20% indifferent. Among those in favor, 81% supported regulated retail, 62% supported home cultivation, and 56% backed social-use clubs.

Of all the 9,043 poll respondents, 48% favored regulated retail, 35% supported home cultivation, and 32% backed social-use establishments. In all, home cultivation had the strongest opposition among those polled (41%).

In a statement, Antonio Costanzo, Curaleaf International CEO, said the report “makes it evident the majority of Europeans want to see recreational cannabis available in a way that allows adults access to high-quality products that are regulated.”

Joe Bayern, CEO at Curaleaf, said “the next step is for legislation to catch up to consumer demand,” noting that Germany’s incoming government has committed to legalizing cannabis for adults and “once Germany goes the rest of the continent is likely to follow suit.”

“This report proves what Curaleaf has been saying for some time now,” he said in a statement, “that Europeans want access to safe, competitively priced, and high-quality cannabis that is legal.”

The poll includes adults 18-and-older throughout France, Germany, Italy, Spain, The Netherlands, Portugal, Switzerland, and the U.K. between February 24 and March 14.

In December, Malta became the first European Union nation to legalize cannabis for adults, while in October Luxembourg legalized cannabis cultivation for adults.

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South Carolina Medical Cannabis Bill Reaches House Floor

4/08/2022

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A medical cannabis bill is heading to the House floor in South Carolina after being approved 16-3 by the chamber’s Medical, Military, Public and Municipal Affairs Committee on Thursday, the Associated Press reports. It marks the first time a medical cannabis measure has made it to the full chamber in the eight years since a bill was first introduced to enact the reforms.

Under the measure, smoking is not permitted and patients would only have access to oil, salves, patches, or vape products. The bill includes a short qualifying conditions list, limited to patients with cancer, multiple sclerosis, glaucoma, sickle cell anemia, autism, and some post-traumatic stress disorder diagnoses. Doctors would also be required to meet with patients in person and patients would only be allowed a two-week supply at a time, according to News19.

The measure passed the Senate in February and Gov. Henry McMaster (R) has not indicated whether he would sign the bill if it is approved by the Legislature.

The Medical, Military, Public and Municipal Affairs Committee adopted two changes to the bill, including one to require criminal background checks for distributors and security plans for their businesses and another that would require patients to be notified of the exact strain and what ingredients are in the product.

More than 100 other amendments were proposed by Republican Rep. Vic Dabney but more than half were found out of order and Dabney pulled the rest after his concerns about the legislation were heard.

If approved, South Carolina would be the 38th state to allow some form of medical cannabis access. South Carolina lawmakers are currently on Easter Break and will return next week.

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Pelorus Equity Group: Real Estate Lending for Cannabis

4/07/2022

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Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) are companies that own or finance income-producing real estate. The Pelorus Fund, managed by Pelorus Equity Group, is a private mortgage REIT specializing in value-add commercial real estate lending in the cannabis space, value-add meaning that a portion of their loans are pre-approved budgeted improvements increasing the value of the property. These improvements can be for ground-up construction, tenant improvements, and entitlement work for land development for cannabis-use properties.

Ganjapreneur spoke with Pelorus President Rob Sechrist about the company’s operations in the cannabis industry. “Our specialty has been in value-add lending and we’re one of the most experienced in the country prior to entering the cannabis lending sector,” he said. “Previously in the non-cannabis bridge lending space where we came from originally, we were able to get our investors low, double-digit returns on their investment, which is exceptional for a senior secured real estate debt transaction.”

Value-add is specialty lending, which requires accurately appraising the fully stabilized value of the property for how much a project will eventually be worth once completed, thus lenders must have accurate insights into commercial real estate construction. The nuances of the developing cannabis industry make this task even more complex: the lender must underwrite based on the property value in the future with a dynamic view of many moving parts within the construction process and apply that to the cannabis industry, which has a proven higher rate of return than the traditional non-cannabis market comps.

The Pelorus Fund is primarily comprised of retail investors but the Fund recently received an investment-grade rating from Egan Jones which allowed for institutions like large banks, credit unions, and insurance companies to participate in a $50M unsecured bond offering, clearing a path for institutional investors and bringing their total asset under management to $265M. The bond reduces the Fund’s cost of capital which allows the firm to offer fully stabilized, lower-cost loans to cannabis borrowers in addition to the value-add portfolio of loans on the balance sheet.

The Firm elected for the bonds to be unsecured, which means as long as the bond holders are paid, they can’t call the bonds due. This is true regardless of any change in the value of the real estate portfolio (as was the case in 2009). Bond holders receive a 7% coupon, which is accretive to the Fund’s equity investors. These complex structures are the foundation of the unique REIT that Pelorus has built. Rob credits the company’s success to his partners’, co-founder Dan Leimel and Managing Director Travis Goad, combined 65 years of hard-earned experience in the real estate and lending sectors.

Before writing a loan, Pelorus gathers property insights like location, purchase price, tenant information, and property improvements. Then they will order a third-party feasibility review to verify every line item requested from the borrower to the standard market price. Their proprietary data analytics, collected internally from tracking some 2,000 projects, is also applied to projections. This data fluctuates but provides a foundational baseline view of market trends. They also pull third-party data for insight into labor markets. Finally, they assess the saturation of cannabis businesses in the region to understand whether another facility is needed, revealing the value of building industrial cannabis-use facilities in that area. Pelorus was the first to create such a database. They are also the first value-add lender to use a cannabis industry valuation.

“Most borrowers in this sector have never had value-add lending, they’ve never done the types of development that requires a construction type of loan,” Rob said. “So we had to explain to them that, one, we’re using the cannabis valuation and the other ones aren’t. But more importantly, we’re the only value-add lender in the sector processing an unlimited number of budgeted construction draws and we lend on the fully completed, stabilized value.”

Once there is a clear understanding of the scope of the project, Pelorus can underwrite transactions much faster than traditional lenders. That speed is one benefit of borrowing from the Fund — the other is their deep understanding of value-add lending combined with their knowledge of the cannabis industry. The origination rates might be higher than traditional lenders but Rob believes they more than makeup for that in the speed in funding approved budgeted draws, getting the project completed and keeping the cash flowing. Many lenders don’t understand the actual value of a cannabis business in specific markets, therefore they don’t grant large enough loans. Pelorus writes loans that match the value, decreasing any possibility of a halt to construction which can gouge budgets. Providing loans that cover the entirety of a project removes the need to do any more fundraising. Private equity fundraising often forces business owners to relinquish stake in their company, which Rob asserts is a much higher cost than Pelorus’ fees.

Of course, there are multiple catches to ensure that projects run smoothly and spend funds efficiently. Pelorus writes covenants into contracts that solidify milestones and serve as a way to track the project. In addition to covenants, Pelorus will review the paperwork, look for canceled checks, and match up each line item in the invoice before releasing funds to a borrower. In addition, they send an inspector to the project site to take pictures for a report listing the percentage of completion on each line item. Each step in this protocol protects the investors and their assets.

A project’s scope can sometimes change so significantly that the borrower will need to raise more capital. If the necessary funds exceed the project’s contingency budget, there is a stipulation in the contract that the borrower must add the additional capital to the budget themselves. If the borrower is unable to do so, Pelorus will look at possible alternatives but may be forced to stop advancing draws for the loan. In a worst-case scenario, they may need to legally file for foreclosure, which begins the process of selling the property at auction. But if the borrower isn’t a bad actor, the Pelorus team tries to help solve issues creating a crux in the project before cutting off the loan and filing for foreclosure.

In one case, they had funded the construction of a licensed cannabis facility on unincorporated county land, but the company ran into issues when anti-cannabis civil servants used their power to block the permitting process. The issues halted groundbreaking and greatly increased the cost of the project. In this case, the team suggested ways to subdivide the land and change building plans to make the best of the permitting debacle and possibly even increase projected profits once the facility is in operation. The team utilizes quick-thinking alongside valuable multi-sector experience to serve the borrower and the investor.

Pelorus Equity Group is one of the first value-add lenders in commercial cannabis real estate and they continue to restructure and evolve alongside the developing cannabis industry. Rob teased that in 2022, they plan to continue building unique tax structures that are advantageous for their portfolio.

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D.C. Council Narrowly Rejects Bill To Shut Down Cannabis Gifting Economy

4/07/2022

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This article was written by Gaspard Le Dem (@GLD_Live on Twitter) and originally published by Outlaw Report.

The D.C. Council on Tuesday voted down an emergency measure to ramp up enforcement against the District’s many unregulated cannabis businesses – storefronts and delivery services that “gift” weed with the purchase of other goods, like t-shirts and potted plants.

The bill, introduced late last week by Council Chairman Phil Mendelson, would have granted D.C.’s Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) Board more power to impose hefty fines and shut down weed businesses that operate without a permit.

It would also have made it easier to purchase cannabis at licensed medical dispensaries by allowing adults 21 and older to “self-certify” that they use weed for medical purposes, rather than requiring a doctor’s note.

But with only eight votes in favor, the measure fell just one vote short of the two-thirds approval it needed to pass as emergency legislation. Councilmembers Janeese Lewis George, Christina Henderson, Elissa Silverman, Robert White, and Trayon White voted against the bill.

In his opening remarks on the bill on Tuesday, Mendelson said increasing enforcement against unlicensed weed shops is necessary to protect D.C.’s legal cannabis operators, who have seen sales plummet due to competition from the gifting market.

He portrayed gifting shops and delivery services as highly profitable businesses run by “illegal operators” living outside the District. “Their business is around $500 million a year,” Mendelson said. “That’s a lot of money. And that’s not D.C. money, that’s out-of-state money.”

Mendelson on Monday said that a quarter of D.C. gifting businesses don’t even have a basic business license and that two-thirds are owned by people who aren’t District residents. He didn’t offer any sources to back those numbers up.

Ward 5 Councilmember Kenyan McDuffie had softer words for unlicensed weed businesses. “Today we have a number of gifting shops, some of which are Black-owned and employ Black and brown D.C. residents,” he said. “It’s important to acknowledge that.”

McDuffie proposed an amendment to Mendelson’s bill on Tuesday that would have extended the grace period for gifting shops while increasing the number of medical dispensary permits in the District from eight to 32 to accommodate more patients.

Ward 6 Councilmember Charles Allen said that while it’s unfortunate that Congress continues to block D.C. from regulating adult-use cannabis, “gifting” businesses remain illegal for now. “There is no such thing as a commercial transaction that is I-71 compliant,” Allen said.

(I-71 was the 2014 ballot initiative that legalized the possession, home cultivation, and gifting of weed in the District.)

Several council members raised concerns that Mendelson’s bill was being rushed through the legislative process and could end up disproportionately harming D.C.’s Black community. (A significant number of business owners and employees in the gifting world are Black, though the actual percentage is still up for debate.)

“When we consider the disparate and catastrophic impact of the War On Drugs on our communities, it’s clear there will be a significant racial equity impact if this legislation moves forward,” said Ward 4 Councilmember Janeese Lewis-George.

Lewis-George questioned the need to pass an emergency bill when the council is already working on permanent legislation to launch a recreational cannabis market that would address some of the same issues around the gifting economy. She said an emergency bill wouldn’t receive a racial equity assessment from the D.C. Council’s recently created Office Of Racial Equity.

“The whole purpose for creating the Office of Racial Equity at the council is for issues just like this.”

At-Large Councilmember Elissa Silverman also raised concerns about the timing and effectiveness of Mendelson’s bill.

“I just can’t get behind making what are drastic policy changes on an emergency basis,” Silverman said. “This dramatically alters how cannabis will be bought and sold in the District of Columbia.”

Silverman recognized that the proliferation of unregulated weed businesses across the District has become a “real messy problem,” and poses many public health and safety risks for residents. However, she said Mendelson’s emergency bill would only shore up medical cannabis operators without solving those underlying issues.

At-Large Councilmember Robert White said Mendelson’s bill could lead to Black entrepreneurs with limited access to capital getting locked out of D.C.’s legal cannabis industry. “Many of them do want to find a way to come to the legal side of this,” he said, adding that “we don’t want to shut folks down.”

Ward 8 Councilmember Trayon White said he was concerned about Mendelson’s proposed fines for unregulated weed businesses, which would reach up to $30,000. “It just gives me unrest in my spirit to know that’s where we’re at with this bill,” he said.

“The historical, racial disparities around cultivation, sale, and use of marijuana are only further aggravated by these provisions,” he added.

On Monday, the D.C. Chapter of the NAACP had issued a statement condemning Mendelson’s bill and urging members of the council to vote against it.

“To punish these primarily Black-owned businesses is a heinous act,” said Abiola Agoro, NAACP DC’s Political Action Chair. “You cannot help Black DC residents achieve equity while pulling the rug from under those in a system that continues to be stacked against them.”

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Study: Cattle Fed CBDA-Rich Hemp Have Reduced Stress

4/07/2022

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A study by researchers at the Kansas State University College of Veterinary Medicine suggests that feeding cattle hemp with high cannabidiolic acid (CBDA) content led to reduced stress and increased the times the cattle lie down, according to a Beef Central report.

The study found cannabinoids in industrial hemp decreased the stress hormone cortisol and the inflammatory biomarker prostaglandin E2 in cattle that consumed the hemp feed.

Michael Kleinhenz, assistant professor of beef production medicine at the College of Veterinary Medicine, said the researchers found that “repeated daily doses of CBDA via feeding hemp does not result in accumulation of cannabinoids in the blood [and] it solidified previous research and shows that each cannabinoid has its own absorption and elimination profile.”

“The initial data we have collected is essential should industrial hemp and its by-products are to be considered by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Association of American Feed Control Officials. Further work is needed to determine if cannabinoids can alter the stress response in cattle during stressful times such as transportation and weaning, but we hope this research is a step forward in the right direction.” – Kleinhenz to Beef Central

The study found that the cows that consumed the industrial hemp feed spent 14.1 hours per day lying down compared to the 13.4 hours per day spent lying down by the control cattle. Cattle in the hemp group also demonstrated an 8.8% decrease in prostaglandin E2 concentrations from baseline compared to a 10.2% increase from baseline observed in the control group.

“If hemp is to be utilized as an ingredient in the ration of cattle, it is prudent to know and understand the pharmacokinetics and potential biological effects of cattle exposed to repeated doses of cannabinoids present in industrial hemp,” Kleinhenz said.

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Cannabis ‘Amnesty Boxes’ at Chicago Airports Rarely Used

4/07/2022

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The so-called “cannabis amnesty boxes” set up at Chicago, Illinois’ two major airports are hardly used, the Chicago Sun-Times reports. It is the responsibility of the Chicago Police Department to empty the boxes and from January 2020 through March 20, 2022, only 34 collections have been made, including 22 at O’Hare and 12 at Midway.

Only half of the logs show that either cannabis or products suspected to be cannabis were retrieved from the boxes, which were installed following legalization in the state, while the other half of the logged items don’t specifically mention cannabis – one lists only “plastic bags” which could indicate the boxes may be being used as trash cans, the report says. Police destroyed 14 items found in the boxes but in most cases, the items are simply logged as “received,” according to the data provided by police in an open record request by the Sun-Times.

In January 2020, shortly after the boxes were installed at the two major travel hubs, someone stole cannabis from one of the boxes at Midway, which was unlocked. Security cameras from the incident showed a man opening the box – which is positioned near security checkpoints – and grabbing its contents. The individual was never caught, according to the Sun-Times, and it remains the only incident of theft at the boxes.

A month later, the original boxes were replaced with ones that are more mailbox-like, making it harder to access by those without a key. The 12 new boxes cost the Chicago Department of Aviation about $29,000, a department spokesperson told the Sun-Times.

While cannabis for adults is legal in 18 states, Washington D.C., and the territory of Guam, it remains prohibited under federal law and, therefore, is banned from airplanes.

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Detroit Approves Adult-Use Cannabis Licensing Measure

4/06/2022

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The Detroit, Michigan City Council has approved a new and more inclusive adult-use cannabis ordinance more than two years after the city opted to allow industry operations, the Detroit News reports. The 8-1 approval comes after a federal judge ruled last year that the city’s plan to give adult-use cannabis licensing preference to Motor City residents was “likely unconstitutional.”

The measure was introduced by Mayor Pro Tem James Tate in February and uses the same language as the Michigan Marijuana Regulatory Agency’s social equity program, which opens benefits to all residents from 184 communities in the state that were disproportionately affected by the war on drugs, rather than just Detroiters, the report says.

“I am thankful that Detroit will finally join the 23 municipalities in Michigan that have allowed adult-use cannabis licensing within its borders. But the goal has never been to simply have licensing within the city, but to create policy that works to address the inequities that so many Detroiters have experienced trying to pursue an opportunity in this industry.” – Tate via the News

Under the plan, there are still opportunities for Detroit residents. If a Detroiter owns a 51% stake in a business, they can be certified as a “Detroit Legacy” applicant and be able to benefit from city assistance with business plans, reduced fees, discounted zoned city properties, and networking.

Twenty retailer licenses will be available in the first licensing round, along with five microbusiness licenses and five social consumption licenses. These licenses will be available for both social equity and non-equity applicants, the report says. The second round will include 15 retail, five microbusiness, and five consumption licenses available for each track of applicants.

The ordinance takes effect on April 20; however, the official licensing date will be determined by the city’s Civil Rights, Inclusion, & Opportunity Department (CRIO) – which must then be approved by the council. CRIO officials have indicated they will need 90 days to hire a third-party scoring firm for the license applications and to identify a program to host the lottery for any remaining licenses if there are ties in the scoring process.

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