Virginia GOP Blocks Bill to Allow Resentencing of Cannabis-Related Crimes

3/09/2022

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Virginia House Republicans on Monday blocked a proposal that would have allowed circuit judges to re-examine the sentences of individuals convicted of cannabis-only crimes, the Richmond Times-Dispatch reports. The measure rejected by the House Appropriations Committee would have asked the state to produce a study on cannabis crime resentencing; however, Republicans described the bill as a placeholder text to allow negotiations on broader reforms but rejected it anyway on a 12-10 party-line vote.

The measure would have also allowed people convicted of other felonies, and whose sentences may have been aggravated by a cannabis conviction, to petition the Virginia Parole Board for potential resentencing. Currently, there are 570 people incarcerated in Virginia on cannabis-related convictions, according to state Department of Corrections data outlined by the Times-Dispatch.

The state’s Legislature-approved adult-use cannabis law does not include resentencing provisions as Democrats in both chambers said they ran out of time to include the reforms but that they would push for such reforms this year; however, those plans were complicated when the GOP took control over the state House and governorship.

Republican Del. Terry Austin, the committee’s vice-chair, said the impact and cost of the bill were unclear. Del. Rob Bell, the highest-ranking Republican on criminal justice matters, said earlier in the session that he thought cannabis resentencing reform should accompany a broader package of cannabis legislation. Del. Carrie Coyner (R) had also introduced two bills to implement resentencing reforms, but party leaders never scheduled the bill for a hearing and she, too, voted against the plan before the committee. She said the bill had been “watered down to nothing – a study.”

“Unnecessary studies are slowing down agencies from real work,” she said in an interview with the Times-Dispatch. “Let’s work on passing the real bill next session.”

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Alberta, Canada to Allow Cannabis Delivery and Consumption at Concerts

3/09/2022

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Music festival attendees in Alberta, Canada will be able to get non-smokable cannabis products delivered under new provincial laws that took effect on Tuesday, the Calgary Herald reports. Under the model, festivals and live events will offer attendees a designated consumption area where products will be delivered and consumed with food or beverages, as long as the service isn’t being sold or combined with alcohol.

The program is subject to municipal approval. The change was made possible when the province moved to allow private cannabis retailers to sell online and make deliveries.

Nathan Mison, president of Diplomat Consulting and a former cannabis retailer, said he hoped that smokeable products would eventually be allowed under the model but called the reforms “a big deal” and applauded Alberta officials for being “very willing to have unique and beneficial conversations” on the plan.

“We do believe we can get there, that we can push for that . . . we know in the long term there’ll be a combustible garden. We do know (allowing smoking at festivals) would be another reason for government consternation.” – Mison to the Herald

For the first time, in 2019, the Calgary Folk Music Festival worked with Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis and city bylaw officials to offer a designated cannabis-smoking space in the rear of the venue, and festival officials indicated they would gauge the success of the pilot before deciding whether to repeat it. The festival has been canceled over the last two years due to the pandemic.

Calgary Folk Music Festival Executive Director Sara Leishman, who also oversees the winter Block Heater Festival, said that organizers “are not at that stage” in their planning cycle and did not want to comment on the reforms.

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Ariana Tokes Brings New Branding Perspective to COO Role at Street Lawyer Services

3/09/2022

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Ariana Tokes — the Chief Operating Officer for east coast cannabis lifestyle brand Street Lawyer Services with three shop locations in DC, Miami, and NYC — is bringing a new branding perspective to the company’s online and real-world profiles. Behind the scenes of the shops and social media, Yana runs the creative direction, marketing, IT infrastructure, and daily operations of all three shop locations.

Who is Ariana Tokes?

Despite her youth, Ariana brings a wealth of experience to her role as COO. Lonny The Street Lawyer, CEO of Street Lawyer Services, has called Ariana the “Michael Jordan” of his company.

Before her work in the cannabis industry, Ariana received her Master’s in Technology Management from Georgetown University in 2018 and her Bachelor of Art in Human-Computer Interaction Psychology at the University of Maryland. At 25 years old, she was Managing Director of an intellectual property legal-consulting firm that focused on supporting high-tech industries.

“I started in sales at the bottom level and in two years I was managing 70 employees worldwide. Our offices were in DC, India, London, the Netherlands, and our clients were mainly based in California. Needless to say, I never slept,” said Yana. “I got to the highest point a woman could get to in a corporate style company very quickly. When I hit that ceiling, I said to myself, ‘It’s now or never.'”

In 2019, she felt it was the right timing to leave her corporate career to do something more self-fulfilling in a new and risky but fast-growing cannabis market. “I didn’t want to look back on my life and say ‘what if’ like so many attorneys I worked with in DC. I managed a Legal Services Consulting Firm at 23 years old. I was working with lawyers twice my age who hated their lives…they were stuck in offices reviewing paperwork and the highlight of their day was wearing stuffy suits down to our local politician-infested steakhouse to talk about a client’s legal problems. And ‘pretend’ to be well-to-do. I was watching my life in slow-motion, seeing the progression of how it was going. I knew I needed more.”

Ariana and Lonny met at a recording studio where Ariana would go rap after work as a creative outlet, an escape from the corporate monotony. From the shared passion for creativity to their unique past history in the legal world, an ironclad friendship between Lonny and Ariana was born. “Meeting each other truly felt like fate,” said Ariana.

Cannabiz success in a grey market

Cannabis shops in NYC and DC are still operating in a grey market and it is very hard to build a national brand while reforms are up in the air on the east coast. Lonny The Street Lawyer and Ariana both see their crossing of paths as crucial for Street Lawyer Services’ success, as do their employees.

In a year and a half, Ariana has used her experience in the corporate world to turn Lonny’s then-small DC shop into a national brand with three operating locations on the east coast (DC, NYC, and Miami).

She’s been familiar with building things from the ground up since her undergraduate years. While a student at the University of Maryland, College Park, she set up the IT infrastructure for a start-up company featured on “Shark Tank,” where Mr. Wonderful invested $100k for a 3% stake in the company. “My technical experience and start-up culture background is exactly what Lonny needed to grow his start-up style canna-business. To grow his social media persona and following, my human-computer interaction studies were a huge support in devising the right progression of his character,” said Ariana.

“Lonny the Street Lawyer was already a full-blown character in real life, that part he had down on his own. Depicting this correctly on social media and having people continually engage with his persona is not as easy as it looks. When you watch his 1-minute skit videos, you don’t realize how much thought truly goes into finding the right messaging. We’re still operating in a grey market and how we message is extremely important.”

Who are the SLS Women?

The SLS Women are brand ambassadors and budtenders for Street Lawyer Services. Ariana was one of the first brand ambassadors Lonny hired as an SLS Woman. Ariana has taken on the SLS Woman role as a new way to empower more women to enter the cannabis industry and has hired many women to join the team.

Following her success in building Street Lawyer Services’ brand, Lonny wanted to reciprocate by investing in Yana. Lonny fully funded the launch of Ariana’s canna-brand, WomenXWeed, an accessory line that complements smoking Street Lawyer’s products. It was created because much of the messaging in the cannabis industry tends to be skewed toward a male audience. “I felt the smoke shops where I bought my pipes and devices were all so male-branded,” she said.

It was important to Ariana that each of the SLS Women’s creative and professional aspirations were aligned with the needs of a cannabis lifestyle brand. And the SLS Women express gratitude to Yana in return. “She is a mentor who listens and cares for one’s personal goals and skills, allowing the SLS women to hone their own individual brands and work on their creative craft,” said SLS Woman Sasha Abramzon.

Another SLS Woman, Arianna Lesi (Ari), said, “In the short period of me knowing Ariana I have realized this woman is who I aspire to be. In all the business endeavors I have been involved in, this experience thus far has been the most motivating and inspiring and a big part of that is due to Ariana. Ariana is like a creative mogul acting as a creative agency all in one person.”

Ariana stated, “Music and the arts are what bring the cannabis community together. Creatives use cannabis as their support to think in new ways outside of this structured world.”

Street Lawyer Services and WomenXWeed also host events for the SLS Women like WhoisLucci and Loreana to showcase their talents, and supporting the artistic paths of the staff is something the organizations take seriously. “The real risk is not pursuing your dreams,” Lonny said. “It’s far more risky to live a life you don’t want to live.”

Click here for more information about Ariana Tokes and/or follow Lonny The Street Lawyer on Instagram @Lonnythestreetlawyer.

To meet the SLS Women in person, check out shop locations here: streetlawyerservicesthc.com

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Charlotte Hanna: Building a Vertically Integrated Social Impact Cannabis Brand

3/08/2022

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Massachusetts was one of the first East Coast states to legalize cannabis for adult use and companies like Community Growth Partners are setting the industry standard as they grow alongside the developing industry. With Community Growth Partners’ first entry into the space, the Rebelle retailer located in the Berkshires, the company is carving out its own corner of the industry through its community-first, woman-focused philosophy.

In this Q&A with Founder & CEO Charlotte Hanna, we talk about her corporate background from before entering the space, how the company learns about and responds to consumer habits, plans for renovating historic Berkshires buildings for the cannabis industry, what the future looks like as they vertically integrate, and more!

Read the full interview below:

Ganjapreneur: After decades in finance, real estate, and philanthropy, why were you drawn to the developing cannabis space?

Charlotte Hanna: Well, there are a lot of reasons that make cannabis appealing — we’re helping shape a completely new industry here on the East Coast and helping change peoples’ hearts and minds about this plant. I see all of us in the cannabis industry as change-makers — and as a woman and a mother, I feel I have a special place in the public discourse about cannabis. We’ve used this plant as a weapon to hurt communities — I’ve seen it first hand in my decades working on homeless and hunger issues. So the prospect of being able to bring a significant focus on social equity and social justice to this emerging industry was a big part of what drew me to cannabis. Conscientious capitalism is our way of doing business — it’s hard work but we’re all dedicated to our social purpose and I’m so fortunate to have a great team all committed to our corporate values.

The Rebelle retail shop is in a renovated, 100-year old farmhouse on a scenic half acre. How did you find this property and what aspects of the space were attractive to carrying out the Rebelle mission?

The Berkshires and other neighboring communities like Litchfield County in Connecticut and the Upper Hudson Valley all make up a big growing region in the Northeast. It has always drawn artists, wellness seekers and more recently many entrepreneurs have started decamping to the area to set up or expand businesses. I wanted to be part of not only this new industry — cannabis — but also a broader growth story that I saw emerging in the region. For example, Miraval spa — which is based in Sedona, AZ — recently joined Canyon Ranch to open a luxury spa not far from our store. For all these reasons, I felt the area was a perfect location to put down roots and share the wellness attributes of this plant that has been celebrated by cultures around the world for centuries. We bought an old farmhouse — in need of some TLC — and transformed it into what I’m proud to call one of the most beautiful, warm, and inviting dispensaries in the Northeast. I love finding something that hasn’t had the proper attention paid to it and bringing it back to life and giving it a purpose. We’re doing the same thing with an old mill building we’ve renovated and are turning into our cultivation and manufacturing site too.

The Danish concept of ‘hygge’ is the inspiration point behind the interior design at the Rebelle retail shop. How have you leveraged a comfy, cozy interior design to influence consumer habits?

I’ve found that many dispensaries often have a sterile feel — probably vestiges of the original medical marijuana days. But as the times change and more consumers enter the market it’s important to present alternative types of design aesthetics to appeal to different types of consumers. I’ve always been attracted to the Danish concept of hygge which refers to finding comfort, pleasure, and warmth in simple, soothing things such as a cozy atmosphere or the feeling of friendship. This was the vibe I wanted to create in the store to further normalize cannabis and show what a welcoming part it can be to anyone’s life. I felt this would make us memorable. In addition, it really does influence the way people shop — being able to browse and interact with the products while feeling comfortable has resulted in customer loyalty. The overall feel and experience support our philosophy that we are not here just to transact, we are here to help, educate and serve. We are your friends in cannabis.

Does the retail store map consumer habits to improve the overall experience? What kind of changes have you made as a response to consumer feedback both in-store and online?

Our retail store is definitely consumer-driven, we try to let our customers speak to us and do our best to listen and put the feedback into action. For instance, we’ve remodeled our browsing station to reflect consumers preferences to both shop the shelves and a digital menu. We continually gauge reactions to interior displays and evolve with the customer. We believe the experience is just as important as the product, so we encourage customers to reach out through our digital platforms, our call center and of course by just stopping in and speaking with one of our experienced sales associates.

Community Growth Partners (CGP) plans to be a vertically integrated cannabis company. What kind of cultivation methods will you use to grow Rebelle flower?

We’re completing construction at our 28,000 square foot cultivation, manufacturing and delivery distribution facility in Northampton, MA which we expect to open this spring. We’ll be initially growing indoors since high quality exotic indoor strains command higher prices even when markets mature and prices decline. We’re also introducing some new form factors we’ve been developing with a partner in California. I’m most excited about new product development — and designing ways to consume that feel socially acceptable to newer consumers. More to come on this front this spring. Check back in with us online to learn more!

What inspires your community-driven philosophy as you grow Rebelle into a vertical operator?

I believe that by helping people as part of our growth initiatives and as a way of doing business, you not only help communities but also become part of a new way of doing business. We need to shatter the stigmas that have unjustly crippled so many. Our mission is to make social justice and equitable practices the new norm and to shift the perception of cannabis as a whole. To really understand this approach, we first need to examine the types of changes we want to see in the industry. By becoming ingrained in these communities that have been most affected by the unjust laws and helping to build back from the ground up, we will give people the skills and opportunity they will need to succeed and make a serious change. Our grow operation is closer to Springfield and many other areas of disproportionate impact and will give us the opportunity to provide more jobs, more opportunity to earn stock in the company and make our small contribution to improving the communities where we operate.

Has the Rebelle brand launched any cannabis products? What vertically integrated products are currently in development?

We currently have a team working on product development for a line of wellness products that we anticipate launching this spring. I’m not ready to reveal too many specifics about the product line just yet, but I will say that it will definitely help fill the current gap in the MA market for a thoughtful and expertly engineered wellness collection of cannabis products. I have always believed in the healing powers of this plant and am very excited to expand into this category.

Rebelle sells a line of accessories like ashtrays, rolling trays, and stash bags, how are these products designed and/or sourced?

Rebelle has a wide variety of accessories that we source from multiple vendors from all over the country. They include hand-made bongs, specialty pipes, custom branded rolling papers, and high-performance portable smoking accessories. In addition, we offer a limited edition collection of handmade bags designed by founder Charlotte Hanna. This collection is made right in the heart of New York City and sources the finest materials for the perfect odor-resistant carry case. Travel in style with your favorites ready at all times. It’s the ultimate accessory for an elevated cannabis lifestyle.

CGP identifies as a conscientious capitalist business model, a just capitalist enterprise. What does a just capitalist model look like in application, and why is this distinction essential to the brand mission?

The key differentiator between these two models is that ours aims to truly teach our employees how to generate personal wealth, and aims to make an impact in the community. This also means putting programs in place internally which support these goals. For instance one of our primary components of this is our employee stock program, where all employees can qualify to receive company stock regularly in addition to their paid compensation. Not only does this instill a more tightly knit and committed mentality among the company, but provides a real tangible asset to the workforce. One which they can leverage for their benefit across their entire time at the company.

How does CGP contribute to the surrounding Berkshire County, Massachusetts community?

We have a couple of interesting initiatives we participate in which are aimed at connecting and supporting the community. One of which was our charity donation and accompanying donation match program for our neighbors, Volunteers in Medicine who provide healthcare to those who normally would have limited or no access to it. Beyond our general charitable work and commitments, we also work with a nonprofit called Roca. They provide job placement, support services, and an access point to the industry for young people who have been negatively impacted by the war on drugs. We partner with them as an employer to help open up opportunities in the cannabis industry and aid in establishing career paths for those young people.

Why did CGP establish a partnership with the diversity and equity-driven organization Roca?

Apart from the fact that everything they are doing is everything we believe in, our team and the team over at Roca just meshed on a personal level. We really have values and objectives that are in sync. When you find a partner trying as hard as they are to do the right thing you partner with them, and quickly! I see Roca as an essential piece of the puzzle for us, if we didn’t partner with them or somebody like them we wouldn’t truly be doing our part.

Thank you, Charlotte, for answering all of our questions! To learn more about Charlotte and/or Community Growth Partners, visit CommunityGrowthPartners.com.

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Federal Agency Rejects CBD Company’s Trademark

3/08/2022

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The U.S. Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (TTAB) last week declined to register AgrotecHemp Corp.’s “PUREXXXCBD” as a trademark for dietary supplements containing CBD because the product is unlawful under federal law, according to a blog post from Harris Bricken’s Jihee Ahn. The company had sought the registration for goods identified as: “Plant extracts for pharmaceutical purposes; vitamins; dietary supplements; all of the foregoing containing CBD solely derived from hemp containing no more than .3% THC on a dry weight basis.”

The TTAB found that AgrotecHemp did not have “a bona fide intent to lawfully use the proposed mark in commerce” because CBD is federally outlawed and that the products meet the definition of a drug and that drug has not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration.

“Given that the goods will contain CBD as indicated by the identification of the goods and the mark itself, the fact that Applicant’s goods may be derived from ‘hulled hemp seeds, hemp seed protein, and hemp seed oil’ which may be generally recognized as safe does not obviate their unlawfulness under the FDCA. The FDA requires any product marketed with a claim of therapeutic benefit and containing cannabis or cannabis-derived compounds (such as CBD) to be approved for its intended use before it may be introduced into interstate commerce.” – Excerpt from TTAB ruling, via Ahn

The TTAB has previously declined to trademark CBD-related products and relied on a previous opinion in which it denied a trademark to PharmaCann.

“For applications based on Section 1(b) of the Trademark Act, such as the present application, if the record indicates that the identified goods include items that are unlawful as of the application filing date, actual lawful use in commerce is not possible, and any intent that the applicant has to use the mark on such goods is not the necessary bona fide intent to use the mark in lawful commerce,” the PharmaCann opinion states.

U.S. trademark agencies have repeatedly denied trademark applications for cannabis companies and have adjudicated several cases of alleged copyright infringement, ranging from hot sauce brands to candy brands.

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Few Parents Know About CBD Use In Children

3/08/2022

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One-third of U.S. parents have never heard about CBD use by children, while nearly half (46%) said they don’t know much about using the products with regard to children, according to the C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital National Poll on Children’s Health. Just 3% of respondents said they knew a lot about CBD use in children with 17% reporting some knowledge of using the products for their children.

The poll included parents of children aged 3- to 18-years-old.

In all, 71% of parents polled had never used a CBD product, while 24% had tried it and 5% used CBD products regularly. Nearly all parents surveyed (90%) said they had neither given nor considered giving their child a CBD product, while 2% had and 4% had considered it.

The potential side effects of CBD was the number one factor for parents (83%) in determining whether they would give it to their child, followed by whether it was tested for safety in children (78%), its efficacy in children (72%); recommendation of their child’s doctor (63%); approval of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (58%); and product reviews (41%).

Two-thirds (73%) of parents said they thought CBD may be a good option for children when other medications don’t work, while a third (35%) of parents said that taking CBD is the same as using THC-rich cannabis. Most parents (83%) said that CBD products should be regulated by the FDA, and 74% said that CBD for children should require a doctor’s prescription.

The survey found that, among parents who have given or considered giving CBD to their child, 29% said they talked with their child’s healthcare provider about CBD use. Parents’ most common reasons for giving or considering CBD for their child include anxiety (51%), sleep problems (40%), ADHD (33%), muscle pain (20%), autism (19%), and to make their child feel better in general (13%).

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South Dakota Cannabis Advocates Collecting Signatures for 2022 Legalization Initiative

3/08/2022

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After a bill to legalize adult-use cannabis failed in the South Dakota legislature, it is now up to voters to approve the policy in November if South Dakotans for Better Marijuana Laws (SDML) can collect the 33,922 valid voter signatures required to put a constitutional amendment on 2022 ballots, the Kiowa County Press reports.

Matthew Schweich, SDML campaign director, told the Press that the group is “closing in on 20,000 signatures” and he has “no doubts” that organizers will collect enough signatures before the May 3 deadline. Schweich added that the group is looking forward to “running a strong campaign and passing cannabis legalization at the ballot box for the second election in a row, though we wish it was not necessary.”

Schweich is referring to the adult-use initiative that passed in 2020 but was eventually overturned by the South Dakota Supreme Court on the grounds that the vote had covered more than one issue.

The proposed SDML-sponsored amendment would allow adults over 21 to possess cannabis and grow up to three plants in a locked space out of public view. The amendment does not allow for cannabis sales or for a tax on adult-use cannabis, a fiscal note by the Legislative Research Council (LRC) says.

“There would be decreased expenses for the state due to decreased incarceration from the nullification of some marijuana-related laws, but the decrease in expenses is projected to be negligible at this time due to the de minimis number of individuals in prison due to crimes related to an ounce or less of marijuana and the unknown but likely minimal effect on marijuana laws related to the cultivation and possession of marijuana directly from plants,” the note said. “The decreased expenses for jails would be more significant.”

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Israel Considering Cannabis Decriminalization & Expungement Proposal

3/08/2022

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The Israeli government is considering regulations to decriminalize personal cannabis possession and expunge the records of those convicted of possessing personal-use amounts of cannabis. If approved, cannabis possession would not be a criminal offense, rather an administrative offense, like a traffic violation, according to a Jewish News Syndicate report.

Israel’s Minister of Justice Gideon Sa’ar announced the plan last month, saying the cannabis criminalization violates citizens’ “personal rights and undermines trust between citizens and law enforcement.”

Under the decriminalization proposal, a first offense would be met with a 1,000-shekel fine (about $310), while a second offense is 2,000 shekels ($620) – a fourth offense would be considered a criminal one. Fines for Israeli Defense Forces soldiers, police, and minors — who are excluded from the new regulation — would be capped at 1,000 shekels, the report says.

The expungement rules, announced on Sunday by Sa’ar and President Isaac Herzog, would allow those with low-level possession convictions to submit a request to have their records cleared, while those with pending criminal proceedings would be able to contact the police and request to have the charges dropped.

“As a complementary step, and out of a desire to erase the label of criminality and the associated stain from anyone who has previously committed the offense of personal possession or use of cannabis, the President and the Justice Minister are issuing a joint call. It must be emphasized that every request will be considered on its merits, according to its particular circumstances, on an individual basis, considering the abovementioned changes of policy and law.” – Sa’ar and Herzog in a joint statement

Last month, Israel announced that it would no longer include CBD in its Dangerous Drugs Ordinance, allowing for it to be used and imported into Israel, the Jerusalem Post reports. That decision came following months-long research by a Health Ministry committee.

Health Minister Nitzan Horowitz said the decision is the first step in regulating cannabis in Israel, saying that there is a “broad consensus” that CBD should not be defined as a dangerous drug.

“For several years now, Israel has been lagging behind advanced countries in the world in this matter, and it continues to incriminate and prevent the use of components that are not dangerous to public health,” he said in the report. “We will now close that gap.”

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California Cannabis Regulators Propose New Industry Regulations

3/07/2022

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The California Department of Cannabis Control (DCC) is proposing changes to the state’s cannabis industry regulations, including allowing prepackaged food and drink at consumption lounges, restrictions on ingredients used in inhaled products, and prohibiting products that would otherwise be considered medical devices or over-the-counter drugs, such as nasal sprays, eye drops, and metered-dose inhalers.

DCC Director Nicole Elliott said in a statement that the “proposal is a direct result of DCC’s engagement with stakeholders and the thoughtful feedback received through letters, conversations, meetings and previous rulemaking processes.”

“We are deeply committed to creating a cannabis regulatory structure that works for all Californians, including California’s cannabis industry, consumers and communities.” — Elliott in a press release

Additionally, the agency is proposing removing the requirement for distributors to carry printed copies of test results; allowing continued curbside pickup at retail locations — which extends a rule enacted during the coronavirus pandemic — allowance for distributors to use portions of their vehicle to fulfill transport container requirements; and requirements for use of appellations of origin, which identifies the geographical origin of a product and usually includes production requirements, according to state regulations.

The agency said the proposals are meant “to streamline and simplify the cannabis regulations, enhance consumer protections and make permanent changes that are currently in effect as emergency regulations.”

The proposals are the first step in the rulemaking process and require a 45-day comment period before being adopted. If approved, the changes would take effect in the fall.

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WNBA All-Star Detained in Russia Over Cannabis Vape Cartridges

3/07/2022

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WNBA All-Star Brittney Griner is being detained in Russia after being arrested last month in Moscow for possessing vape cartridges containing cannabis oil, the Associated Press reports. Griner plays for the Phoenix Mercury and has played for Russia for the last seven years during the winter offseason, earning $1 million per season, which is more than four times her WNBA salary, the report says.

The vape cartridges were found during a search of her luggage at customs.

Griner’s agent, Lindsay Kagawa Colas, said that she and her team are “aware of the situation…and are in close contact with her, her legal representation in Russia, her family, her teams, and the WNBA and NBA.”

“As this is an ongoing legal matter, we are not able to comment further on the specifics of her case but can confirm that as we work to get her home, her mental and physical health remain our primary concern.” – Kagawa Colas to the AP

The WNBA said the seven-time All-Star has the “full support” of the league, which added that its “main priority is her swift and safe return to the United States.”

Griner, 31, has won two Olympic gold medals with the U.S., a WNBA championship with the Mercury, and a national championship at Baylor.

The Russian Federal Customs Service issued a statement on Saturday indicating that it has opened a criminal investigation into the large-scale transportation of drugs, which in Russia can carry a prison sentence of up to 10 years. The statement did not name Griner.

Last Saturday, the U.S. State Department issued a “do not travel” advisory for Russia because of its invasion of Ukraine. The agency urged all U.S. citizens to depart the country immediately, saying there is “the potential for harassment against U.S. citizens by Russian government security officials” and “the Embassy’s limited ability to assist” Americans in Russia.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken said during remarks at a news conference in Moldova on Sunday the U.S. will “provide every possible assistance” to citizens who are being held in foreign countries but did not speak directly to Griner’s case citing “privacy considerations.”

“Whenever an American is detained anywhere in the world, we, of course, stand ready to provide every possible assistance, and that includes in Russia,” he said, according to an ESPN report. “We have an embassy team that’s working on the cases of other Americans who are detained in Russia. We’re doing everything we can to see to it that their rights are upheld and respected.”

Evelyn Farkas, a former top Pentagon official who served as the U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Russia and Ukraine from 2012-15, told Yahoo Sports that Russia could use Griner as a “high-profile hostage” as tensions between the U.S. and Russia reach a fever pitch over the war in Ukraine.

“If we want her out of jail, Russia is going to have some terms,” Farkas said. “It could be a prisoner swap. They also could use it as an implicit threat or blackmail to get us to do something or not do something. Either way, they find it useful.”

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Report: Global Cannabis Sales to Top $35B in 2022

3/07/2022

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Cannabis industry analysts at BDSA suggest that global cannabis sales this year will reach more than $35 billion, representing a 22% increase over the $29 billion in sales last year. The firm also forecasts global cannabis sales will surpass $61 billion in 2026, a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of more than 16%.

“Though most legal cannabis markets saw sales soften in the second half of 2021, the global cannabis market is expected to see brisk growth in 2022, driven by strong sales in new and emerging markets in the U.S., steady growth in Canada and international markets lead by Mexico and Germany.” – Jessica Lukas, BDSA chief commercial officer, in a press release

According to BDSA, legal cannabis sales in the U.S. will surpass $28 billion this year, representing growth of approximately 20% over 2021’s $24 billion and BDSA forecasts U.S. sales to reach $46 billion in 2026 – a CAGR of approximately 14% from 2021. The report names California as the “largest contributor” to overall U.S. cannabis sales growth over the next four years, while anticipating New York and New Jersey – which have yet to launch adult-use sales – Florida, which has not yet legalized cannabis for adults, and Michigan will round out the top five.

According to the BDSA report, cannabis sales in Canada, which legalized cannabis for adults in 2018, reached $3.8 billion last year and the firm estimates sales will climb to $4.7 billion this year and nearly $6.3 billion by 2026, a CAGR of 11% from 2021. BDSA forecasts that Ontario would “spearhead” Canada’s growth, growing over $1.3 billion by 2025, while British Columbia would add $420 million to total sales by 2026.

Sales of legal cannabis products, including cannabis-derived pharmaceuticals, outside the U.S. and Canada were estimated at $1.4 billion in spending for 2021 and are forecast to grow to $2.2 billion in 2022, according to BDSA. International sales, the company estimates, are expected to reach $9.5 billion by 2026, a CAGR of approximately 46% from 2021. BDSA suggests that the majority of that new spending will be driven by Germany and Mexico, with France and the U.K. also contributing significantly.

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L.A. Dispensary Raided Over $66k Fee Dispute

3/04/2022

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A Los Angeles, California cannabis dispensary was raided by law enforcement this week over a $66,000 fee discrepancy with the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration (CDTFA), according to a High Times report. Iván Vanorwick, the founder of Jungle Boys, told High Times that the company had already received a hearing for the sum when law enforcement raided them on March 1.

Vanorwick explained that the raid included undercover police, the L.A. Police Department, sheriffs, and the Highway Patrol and the officers started “taking all the money inside the building” including cash from the budtenders’ tip jars – $174,000 in all.

“At five o’clock in the evening, we’re all sitting inside of the shop. It’s the first of the month so we’re paying all our bills. We look up at the camera and see one car, two cars, three cars, four cars, and are like ‘holy shit, they must be chasing someone inside of our building,’ you know? We watched them come up and my first thought was either they’re chasing someone inside of our building or someone that worked for us maybe has a warrant or something.” – Iván Vanorwick, via High Times

Vanorwick explained that during the pandemic, the CDTFA offices were closed, which prevented cannabis companies from paying their taxes in cash, which led to the $66,000 fee discrepancy. Ivan said the agency tried to charge the company late fees over the sum, which Jungle Boys — who had already paid $18 million in taxes in 2021 — has appealed.

“They won’t talk to our lawyer,” he said in the interview with High Times. “They won’t look at the appeal paperwork.”

CDFTA told High Times the action is their “standard procedure for cannabis businesses or any business.”

“We’re not singling out any industry or type of business,” the agency told High Times. “If you owe taxes in California, we do our best to collect what is due.”

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Latino Cannabis Association Launches in New York

3/04/2022

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The Latino Cannabis Association (LCA) launched this week in New York aiming to support Latino licensees in the state and “secure representation” and “social and economic equity” for their members.

Jeffrey Garcia, the association’s president told the Albany Times-Union that he hopes to help cannabis license applicants navigate the state’s licensing process and the group will seek to “guide policy” and “promote sustainability.”

“The Latino community has been disproportionately impacted by the policies of prohibition,” Garcia said in a statement, “and now is our time to participate in the social and economic equity benefits of this new industry.”

Garcia was included on PoliticsNY and amNY Metro Cannabis Industry Power Players, where he is described as “a small business owner with over 15 years of experience in the service industry, including in a wine and coffee shop in the Bronx.” The profile outlined Garcia’s 20 years experience in law enforcement and his past role as president of the New York State Latino Restaurant, Bar, and Lounge Owners Association.

“The LCA membership is comprised of highly competitive licensee applicants for the new adult-use cannabis industry in New York. Further, we have formed a multi-dimensional coalition that is rich in major political and business leader support, while establishing a membership that is a diverse cross section of established entrepreneurs within the Latino community and legacy operators, all spanning a generational divide.” – The Latino Cannabis Association, via its website

The organization held its first event on March 1 and introduced its board and 25 founding members. In a press release, the organization said it is “committed to helping guide the cannabis business policy to construct a health market, bridge the gaps between vision, regulation, and realities, and promote sustainability and ways in which the regulated cannabis industry can bring real economic development to local communities.”

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Lawsuits Still Blocking Georgia’s Licensed Cannabis Cultivators After Eight Months

3/04/2022

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Eight months after Georgia awarded six medical cannabis cultivation licenses, there is still nobody in Georgia growing plants or producing products under the state’s program, 11Alive reports. Medical cannabis use was legalized in the state in 2015 and the law allowing in-state cultivation for the program was established in 2019.

Following the approval of the licenses, 16 companies that were not chosen by the state filed a lawsuit challenging the issuance of the licenses, which has prevented those awarded a license from beginning operations, the report says.

Medical cannabis advocate Dale Jackson, whose son uses medical cannabis to treat his autism, said during a legislative committee hearing that out-of-state dispensaries have stopped selling to him because he is a resident of Georgia and they know he is violating federal law by crossing state lines with the products and fear that, if he’s caught, they could lose their licenses.

“Then I go to the next state. And the next one. You know where I end up? I end up about a block and a half from (the state capitol), buying my son’s medicine from a drug dealer. … So that’s what seven years looks like to me. That’s real, people. Real lives are affected by this.” – Jackson during his remarks via 11Alive

During the hearing, which is considering a bill to expand the number of medical cannabis cultivators from six to 22, Jackson said it is 10 times harder to get cannabis for his son than it was prior to the state’s medical cannabis reforms.

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Washington State Regulators Adopt Pesticide Testing for Cannabis

3/04/2022

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The Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board (LCB) has adopted final rules mandating all cannabis products sold in the state undergo pesticide tests, according to an agency press release. Effective April 2, the rules call for random heavy metal tests or, during an investigation, some time will be given for products to “sell-through.”

“These rules reflect years of hard work and engagement between LCB staff, licensees, and labs,” said Board Chair David Postman. “Testing for pesticides and heavy metals adds a deeper layer of confidence for consumers that these products are free of chemical or biological residuals.”

The press release notes heavy metals can be present in the environment for a variety of reasons like mining operations, industrial waste, automotive emissions, and farm or household water run-off. The agency said that the pesticides allowed on cannabis are “generally mild and considered safe for human consumption.”

If unapproved pesticides are found, the LCB has contracted with the state Department of Agriculture to conduct ad hoc tests for “investigational and enforcement purposes.” The board will convene a workgroup made up of legislators, industry members, labs, public health and prevention representatives, and consumers to determine the effectiveness of the new rules.

Washington tests medical cannabis under its Department of Health certification program, but only four producers and processors in the entire state undergo the more rigorous pesticide and heavy metal test required to qualify for the program.

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Cannect Hospitality: Building Stronger Cannabis Brands

3/03/2022

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Nearly a decade into adult-use sales, the cannabis industry has yet to fully integrate with the hospitality and tourism spaces. Cannabis is highly regulated and remains federally illegal, which makes the hosting of a compliant cannabis event particularly complex. The team at Cannect Hospitality includes experts in safe practices, compliance, application writing, events, and more — through their combined wisdom, their goal is to build a bridge between cannabis and hospitality.

Cannect’s CEO and Partner Jenn Tramaglino is based in Las Vegas, a hub for tourism and hospitality. Ganjapreneur spoke with Tramaglino about Cannect’s vision and the scope of their work right now.

Tramaglino has nearly two decades of experience in food and beverage and has worked with events at high-volume venues. She started her cannabis career in 2017 through DOPE Magazine, a former cannabis publication that at the time was known for its upscale parties. She assisted their production team and noted how their brand activations were always over the top while also rigidly compliant. This still inspires her in every endeavor with Cannect.

One arm of the company assists cannabis companies with development services. They write and implement SOPs, hold staff training, offer compliance advising, and help with application writing — specifically, writing applications for cannabis lounges. Cannect also takes on marketing clients but will only take one at a time to avoid managing competing brands. The company works with brands all over the US on any or all of these offerings but they hold a specialty license to provide marketing, event production, and development services to Nevada-based cannabis companies. This represents about two-thirds of the work Cannect does — the rest of the company’s focus is on event production and activations. But these arms of the brand don’t exist exclusively from one another: staff and safety training, applications covering the full scope of a party, and understanding the current regulations are all essential for executing a compliant event experience.

Jenn Tramaglino, Cannect CEO and Partner Photo cred: Shannon Dorn

“Collectively, we can create stuff that’s really fun and exciting, a great experience that has the staff trained well and with hospitality in mind,” said Tramaglino. “A lot of times we have such tight regulations that businesses will often look at the regulation and then build their business around what’s required. We’re here to provide an extra layer of hospitality and fun to those kinds of businesses.”

Activations can be over-the-top or simple, it’s all up to the client. And while the client’s vision is essential, Cannect’s main goal with every party is that it’s both a good time and safe — for example, in one instance they took guests to an underwater scene that incorporated a photo and experiential element as a fun offering for guests, but the event also incorporated digestible education about digital marketing offerings.

Party safety protocols often fall under the purview of Cannect’s Director of Operations Andrew Mieure, who has been in cannabis safe serving practices since 2014. When it is a consumption event, the budtenders are required to wear gloves and change a pipe or bong’s water after every use, among other protocols. The event staff is also trained to avoid over-serving guests.

Public safety is always the biggest concern, so Mieure has poured over research to understand the cross-section of best practices for cannabis consumption and COVID safety. This is why Cannect now uses technology like HEPA filters and ultraviolet-C (UVC) light sanitization whenever applicable. These standards frequently evolve for consumer safety, an important topic as Nevada cities and counties finalize their cannabis lounge regulations.

Nevada’s lounge draft regulation is in discussion now and, throughout the process, the Cannect team has submitted their feedback to officials. Overall, the team is pleased with the proposed regulations and looks forward to helping clients through the application process. Tramaglino is most excited about concept development and SOP-building for lounges in the coming year. Mieure has written successful applications in other states and they look forward to bringing that expertise to Nevada when the application process opens.

Cannect is making the cannabis industry more hospitable from the retail counter to the after-party by training staff, writing compliant SOPs, consulting with hopeful licensees, and executing high-level events.

“I enjoy every party. I really love planning parties and getting to attend them,” said Tramaglino. “Seeing both the client’s joy of what we’ve produced on their behalf as well as the guests having the best time ever. I mean, that’s what the whole thing is about.”

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Psychedelic Research Task Force Approved By Utah Lawmakers

3/03/2022

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Utah’s legislature has approved a bill to investigate the psychotherapeutic potential of psychedelics, Reason Magazine reports. HB 167 first passed the Utah House in February with a 68-1 vote and then sailed through the Senate last week on a vote of 23-1. The overwhelming margins of support for the bill set up a veto-proof majority in the legislature — the bill now sits on Gov. Spencer Cox’s (R) desk, awaiting his signature.

HB 167 will set up a task force made up of experts in the fields of medicine, psychotherapy, pharmacology, and addiction, whose goal will be to “provide evidence-based recommendations on any psychotherapy drug that the task force determines may enhance psychotherapy when treating a mental illness.” According to the bill, a “psychotherapy drug” is a “controlled substance” that “is not currently available for legal use.” A report is due from the task force by the end of October, according to the Reason report.

“This effort is especially significant because no one expects Utah to be a leader on this type of issue. If the Beehive State can blaze a trail for what legalization of psychedelics looks like, it’ll be a strong signal to other states that this new frontier of alternative medicine is a safe one to navigate for conservatives across the country.” — Libertas Institute President Connor Boyack, via Reason Magazine

House Bill sponsor Rep. Brady Brammer (R) — who describes himself as a “typical Mormon guy” — shared in January on Salt Lake City radio that psychedelics is not an “area that I’ve delved into personally, but I do have a lot of empathy for those that are struggling with mental illness.”

Brammer went further lobbying for the bill in session, telling his fellow legislators: “We’re looking for evidence-based recommendations. If the evidence just isn’t there, if it’s too dangerous, if it’s not something that can be recommended and done so responsibly, that’s something that we’re going to have to discern. But if we run away from the issue, I can tell you that we’re going to regret it later on.”

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Virginia Republicans Quash Early-Launch Retail Cannabis Bill

3/03/2022

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Virginia’s House General Laws Subcommittee on Monday voted 5-3 against a bill that would have allowed adult-use cannabis sales to begin in the state later this year, DCist reports. The vote was along party lines, with Republicans blocking the bill’s advancement.

The launch of legal cannabis sales in the state is now unlikely until at least mid- or late-2023. The Senate had passed a bill earlier this month that would have permitted sales to begin in September – limited to the state’s current medical cannabis companies.

Democratic Del. Dawn Adams said during the meeting that the longer officials and lawmakers wait to have a regulated market, “the harder it will be to take control or even compete with that illicit market.”

“Currently if we don’t have a bill that gives us a well-regulated adult-use market amidst the back drop of legalization in Virginia, we are basically providing a year for the growth and strengthening of the illicit market.” – Adams via DCist

Following the vote, Speaker of the House Republican Todd Gilbert blamed Democrats for rushing to legalize cannabis in 2021, when the party controlled all three branches of state government.

“Let’s be clear: Virginia Democrats made a great big mess when they legalized marijuana without putting any regulatory or retail structure in place,” he tweeted. “We are left having to clean up their mess and we will not make it worse by rushing to fix it.”

Virginia NORML responded to the vote by describing it in a tweet “as a stunning failure of leadership on cannabis policy.”

In a statement, JM Pedini, NORML’s development director and executive director of Virginia NORML, called the committee’s disapproval an “extraordinary disappointment for Virginians who were loudly calling for access to retail sales to begin earlier than 2024, and ultimately a real failure by the legislature to provide for public and consumer safety.”

Virginia NORML also noted that some of the crimes temporarily repealed under the state’s legalization law will no longer be depenalized as the General Assembly has failed to reenact the bill as required by the 2021 reforms.

“…Multiple marijuana crimes in the §18.2 Code section are no longer repealed,” the organization tweeted, “and any crimes without specified punishments will default to a class 6 felony.”

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Tulsa Community College Offering Cannabis Industry Training Courses

3/03/2022

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Tulsa Community College (TCC) is partnering with cannabis education company Green Flower on three certification programs through the TCC Continuing Education program. The Oklahoma-based college began offering the dispensary associate, cultivation technician, and manufacturing agent certificate programs on March 1.

Each certificate is offered in an eight-week non-credit course for $750 and offered with an online, on-demand schedule.

Pete Selden, vice president for Workforce Development at TCC said that because the programs are available on-demand, “an individual has tremendous flexibility for when they do the coursework.”

“With unprecedented growth in this industry, there is a need to develop a workforce with cannabis specific skills. TCC has joined forces with Green Flower to deliver this highly specialized content virtually. … These online certificates provide a tremendous opportunity for individuals who want to take advantage of the good paying jobs available in this industry.” – Seldon in a statement

According to Leafly’s 2021 jobs report, Oklahoma, which only has a medical cannabis program, ranks ninth in the U.S. for the number of cannabis jobs with more than 16,000 residents employed in the state.

“We applaud TCC’s commitment to helping working adults advance and train for new careers and their vision to help students enter and excel in the legal cannabis industry,” Daniel Kalef, vice president of education at Green Flower, said in a press release. “Like other highly regulated industries, the need to have expertise in material handling, quality control, patient care, security, transportation, horticulture and more is vital to the success of all aspects of the industry and all things people will learn in these courses.”

TCC is the only college or university in Oklahoma to offer cannabis-related training courses.

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Oklahoma Seed-to-Sale Tracking System to Be Implemented in 90 Days

3/03/2022

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Oklahoma’s seed-to-sale tracking system is expected to be implemented in 90 days following a deal between the state and the lawyers behind a lawsuit challenging the technology’s adoption as a monopoly, The Oklahoman reports.

Under the deal, the state’s medical dispensaries will have 180 days to sell or dispose of any product that has not been tagged for the system, and the state Medical Marijuana Authority will hold at least five seminars to educate businesses about the system and provide trained employees who can answer questions about the tracking technology, which is provided by Metrc.

Ronald Durbin, who represented Dr. Z Leaf Cultivation, told the Oklahoman that the plaintiffs “got everything [they] wanted” except for resolving who would pay for the tags utilized by the system for tracking plants and products. Under the Metrc contract, businesses must pay for those tags, which Metrc indicated would cost about $705 annually. Metrc also charges businesses $40 per month for using the service.

“One of the things that we were happiest about is we got a firm commitment and an order that orders OMMA to aggressively enforce the seed-to-sell requirement against non-compliant businesses.” – Durbin to the Oklahoman

Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority Director Adria Berry said lifting the injunction “is going to clear the single biggest roadblock” regulators have faced attempting to enforce parts of the state’s medical cannabis law.

“It’s going to help us with that chain of custody of every single product in the state,” Berry told the Oklahoman following the end of the nearly year-long legal battle. “If there is a product that is not in the seed-to-sale tracking system, then it is not legal – and we will be able to discover that quickly.”

Oklahoma lawmakers and cannabis regulators have been trying to reign in unregulated cannabis production that is occurring under the guise of legal medical cannabis operations. The Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics reported that from April 2021 through February 9, 2022, it has disbanded 85 farms that were operating without state approval. A bill proposed in the state House aims to pause medical cannabis licensing in the state with the bill’s sponsor, Rep. Rusty Cornwell, saying officials need to “confirm current operations are complying with the law.”

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Greenventory Creates More Automation Opportunities for Cannabis Manufacturers & Distributors

3/02/2022

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The team at Greenventory keeps calibrating their inventory control tool for more automation to help cannabis companies meet operational and compliance challenges head-on instead of circumventing them.

Melbourne, Florida – Greenventory, Metrc-integrated cannabis inventory control & manufacturing management software built by Tecom Group, Inc., has been recently updated with more advanced manufacturing functionality to further bolster the work of cannabis processing and distribution companies.

With ever-evolving regulatory requirements, staying operational, compliant, and profitable comes with a lot of hurdles. Greenventory attempts to minimize the number of hoops to jump through by automating the task of documenting production processes and sending compliance reports into Metrc.

Businesses in the manufacturing vertical are baffled by the ongoing challenge of maintaining optimal inventory levels, documenting production, fulfilling customer orders, and getting compliance data over to the track-and-trace system on top of that. Greenventory’s manufacturing module allows creating presets (recipes) that can be used in manufacturing orders and, when applied, cause the software to predict manufacturing capacity based on components’ availability. As soon as manufacturing orders are completed in Greenventory, Metrc gets updated on new stock on hand (newly produced items) and the quantity changes for respective component items.

Along with the extended manufacturing functions, Greenventory offers a toolkit of other features that open up automation opportunities in areas like inventory tracking, purchasing, order fulfillment, sales, and accounting to help cannabis manufacturers, distributors or those with a microbusiness license face the uncertainties of the industry with greater operational resilience.

The software tracks and provides real-time quantity on hand information for cannabis and non-cannabis products across multiple storage locations. Greenventory users are encouraged to barcode their inventory early on and are able to print compliant product labels with a company logo, a barcode, and all relevant information pertaining to the product.

To bring extra speed and accuracy, Greenventory has baked barcoding into all possible workflows – looking up a stock item, stock intakes, inventory counting, adding line items to Purchase, Sales Orders, and Invoices, picking and packing customer orders before shipment.

Cannabis operators are challenged to perform repackaging (splitting the content of one package into several or combining multiple packages into one) in a way that keeps Metrc in the loop and inventory records intact. Splitting or merging packages in Greenventory will result in the emergence of new packages with new IDs. The software makes sure that the traceability data such as new package ID, changes to inventory levels, and closed packages will be broadcast to Metrc immediately.

Greenventory supports the work with suppliers through automated purchase order management and a barcode-driven receiving process that helps catch shipping errors and validate received products before they get accepted in Metrc.

Cannabis businesses looking to align their accounting with everyday operations can opt for Greenventory’s bi-directional QuickBooks integration. The software can be set to push inventory, purchasing, and sales data to the accounting system based on a schedule.

Sign up for a free trial at https://app.greenventory.handifox.online/Account/Register or email ruslan@greenventory.online.

 

 

 

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Arizona Cannabis Testing Lab Fined Nearly $500k for Repeated Violations

3/02/2022

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An Arizona cannabis testing lab will pay a $468,000 civil penalty following repeated violations of state law, 3TV/CBS5 reports. The deal between the state and OnPoint Laboratory comes after the state threatened to pull the lab’s certification but does not require the company to admit to any liability or wrongdoing.

In a report prepared by the Arizona Department of Health Services (AZDHS), deficiencies and violations by the laboratory go back to September 2020, and the agency described them as “committed intentionally” and “a risk to the health, safety, and welfare of the public and medical marijuana qualifying patients.”

Inspectors found OnPoint failed to have complete records and documentation for inventory, cannabis disposal, maintenance records for equipment, chemical storage, and employee training, the report says. The report also found machines not properly calibrated to detect accurate levels of pesticides and herbicides, solvents, heavy metals, and bacteria. The company had been linked to a cannabis recall over possible Salmonella contamination.

The inspectors also found that at least one employee was trained to use a technique that produced inflated potency results, allowing dispensaries to charge more for the product.

The report also documented security lapses including a delivery driver accessing the area where cannabis was stored, non-employees accessing unlocked front doors, and propped open doors.

In a statement, OnPoint Spokesperson Steve Elliott told 3TV/CBS5 that the “violations noted in the Reports of Findings have been corrected and has provided verification that the laboratory owner no longer has a familial or financial relationship with or interest in a dispensary or related medical marijuana business entity.”

Under the terms of the deal, OnPoint will also select an outside auditor at its own expense, which AZDHS will have to approve, to perform additional inspections. The auditor will have to submit a written report to AZDHS within 30 days. The agreement came nearly 18 months after the initial inspection revealed the violations.

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MedMen Sells Florida Operations

3/02/2022

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MedMen sold the entirety of its Florida holdings to Green Century Holdings LLC, according to a press release published Monday. In the $83 million cash deal, Green Century will take over MedMen’s Florida license, dispensaries, inventory, and growing facilities, the release says.

Michael Serruya, MedMen’s chairman and interim CEO, said the deal is part of the company’s “go-forward strategy” that envisions MedMen operating an “asset-light model” that enables the firm “to leverage the power and strength of the MedMen brand.”

In addition to their license and physical assets, the deal includes a marketing agreement in which MedMen will license their trademarks for a quarterly revenue-based fee. The deal is expected to close in late April and early May, barring any regulatory setbacks.

“We feel confident this model will deliver strong financial results and opportunities for growth across many states and will continue to identify trademark licensing opportunities that will introduce the MedMen brand and retail experience to other markets across the United States and internationally.” – Serruya in a statement.

MedMen recently closed a $75 million deal to sell their New York assets but later filed a lawsuit claiming the buyer, Ascend Wellness, used their influence with New York Gov. Kathy Hochul’s (D) office to get the deal approved by regulators after the transaction appeared to have stalled. MedMen had agreed to sell their New York holdings to Ascend Wellness a year earlier.

MedMen eventually withdrew the allegations claiming Ascend had tried to influence officials.

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California Bill Would Allow Interstate Cannabis Commerce

3/02/2022

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A bill to allow interstate cannabis sales was introduced in the California Senate last month which would allow the governor to enter into agreements with other states that have approved the reforms and allow cross-border commerce, L.A. Weekly reports. The measure includes protections for municipalities that do not permit cannabis operations within their borders.

“The bill would prohibit an entity with a commercial cannabis license issued under the laws of another state from engaging in commercial cannabis activity within the boundaries of this state without a state license, or within a local jurisdiction without a license, permit, or other authorization issued by the local jurisdiction.” – SB.1326 text

Lindsay Robinson, executive director of the California Cannabis Industry Association, said that interstate cannabis commerce “has kind of been on the table for the last few years” but “probably got shelved” due to COVID.

“With that said, it is going to come down to the details in the agreement,” Robinson said in an interview with L.A. Weekly. “We need to make sure that California cannabis is stabilized, and that the businesses here are functioning well, and hopefully thriving, before we would contemplate an import.” 

Robinson also described the bill’s sponsor, Sen. Anna M. Caballero (D) as thoughtful on the subject of cannabis. The measure has been sent to the Senate Rules Committee but has not yet been taken up by the body.

In 2019, Oregon passed a law allowing the export of cannabis products to other legal states; however, provisions of the measure are only allowed with approval from the federal government. A federal bill aims to allow cannabis commerce between states with the reforms that border one another, but that bill has not been taken up by either chamber.

In 2020, cannabis advocates and businesses launched the Alliance for Sensible Markets with their sights set on cannabis interstate commerce among legalized states. The organization said cannabis commerce between consenting markets “will bring investment, expansion, business formation, and tens of thousands of jobs in the midst of a historic recession.”

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