Illinois House Passes Bill Protecting Employees from Termination for Cannabis Use

3/15/2022

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Illinois employers are skeptical about a bill passed by the state House of Representatives that would prohibit them from firing employees for failing drug tests for cannabis, the Chicago Tribune reports. The measure still requires Senate approval but Todd Maisch, president of the Illinois Chamber of Commerce – which agreed not to oppose the legislation – said “nobody should be happier about [the bill] than trial lawyers.

“This is going to lead to litigation,” he told the Tribune, “there’s no doubt about it.”

The measure underwent two amendments to get the Illinois Sheriffs’ Association and Illinois Manufacturers’ Association to drop their opposition and take a neutral stance. However, Julie Schauer, board vice president of Parents Opposed to Pot, called the proposal “a breach of the legislators’ responsibility to public safety” and predicted that if the measure is enacted it would lead to more workplace accidents and higher workers’ compensation and insurance costs.

Under the legislation, employers would be prohibited from terminating or refusing to hire someone based on a positive test THC unless the worker shows signs of impairment or tests higher than the threshold for driving under the influence, which is 5 nanograms per milliliter of blood, or 10 nanograms per milliliter of saliva or urine. Employers would still be able to set zero-tolerance levels for workers in safety-sensitive positions such as law enforcement or firefighters and federal workers or contractors would not be covered under the regime as they are prohibited by federal law from using cannabis.

Other workers that would be prohibited from cannabis use would include those who carry a firearm; those who perform medical procedures or emergency services; those who work with hazardous materials or drugs; those who work with heavy machinery, aircraft, watercraft, or motorized vehicles; and those who perform critical services and work with critical infrastructure, the report says.

State Rep. Bob Morgan (D), the bill’s sponsor who is also an attorney who does cannabis consulting, said the reforms would allow people, especially medical cannabis users, to use a legal product on their own time “and not fear losing their job.”

The measure was approved 61-41 on March 3, mostly along party lines with Democrats in support and Republicans opposed. The measure is currently in the Senate Assignments Committee.

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Vermont Bill Would Expand Crimes Eligible for Expungement

3/14/2022

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A bill introduced in Vermont would expand the number of criminal offenses eligible for expungement in the state including low-level drug crimes, VT Digger reports. The measure would also streamline that process by creating a “one-track” system to clear criminal records — including some felonies — covered under the legislation.

The proposal includes all misdemeanor convictions, except for violent crimes such as sexual crimes against children and domestic violence. Under current state law, expungement of charges makes them disappear while sealing allows access to those records only for specific purposes, the report says. The bill would make the sealing of records more like expungement by narrowing the reasons those records could be accessed and the time period the access would be allowed.

The law would not allow a record to be sealed until a person has finished their sentence, plus an additional three years for most misdemeanors and seven years for felonies, according to the report.

State Rep. Maxine Grad (D), the chair of the House Judiciary Committee and bill sponsor told VT Digger that the proposal could help individuals with criminal records obtain better jobs, housing, and access to educational opportunities once their records were expunged or sealed.

“I think it’s an important workforce development issue. It removes a major barrier for people.” — Grad to VT Digger

Vermont Legal Aid attorney Mairead O’Reilly told VT Digger that the bill is “important because it provides greater access to record clearance for folks who have served their sentence and paid their debt to society and really need and deserve to be reintegrated into our community.”

Vermont Attorney General TJ Donovan explained that the bill’s exceptions for opening sealed records are overly broad and that the bill’s mechanisms to make sealing more like expungement don’t go far enough. He said expungement is “better for the Vermonter.”

“You want to give Vermonters certainty,” he said in an interview with VT Digger. “I always preferred expungement. I’m certainly also willing to compromise.”

The measure has already been approved by the House Judiciary Committee and Grad said that she expects the bill would pass the full House. It is currently in the House Appropriations Committee for consideration.

 

 

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Jones Soda’s Cannabis Brand Expected to Launch in California April 1

3/14/2022

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Jones Soda has unveiled its cannabis brand, Mary Jones, which will include cannabis-infused sodas, gummies, and syrups, CNBC reports. The brand will launch on April 1 in California.

Jones Soda marketing chief Bohb Blair told CNBC that while the company is a “small player in soda” they will be “the biggest national player when it comes to a recognizable [consumer-packaged goods] name in cannabis.”

“If we crack it in California, we’re going to do gangbusters as we go through the Midwest and East.” – Blair to CNBC

The company announced it was planning a cannabis-infused product line last July. CEO Mark Murray said the firm has “been putting all of these pieces in place” since the announcement. The Mary Jones branding will use the same font as the Jones soda brand, but the “N” will appear backward.

“…We fully expect the brand to deliver solid strategic growth for the company,” he told CNBC.

“A lot of the cannabis category is leaf, but that’s the legacy part of the category, the mature part,” Blair said in the report. “If you look at the new consumer to cannabis, the people who want to bring it to a party or have it in a meal, a lot of them are turning to beverages and edibles. And it turns out those are not as easy to make.”

The initial launch will include four product lines: 12-ounce bottles of soda infused with 10 milligrams of cannabis; 16-ounce cans of soda infused with 100 milligrams of cannabis; syrup infused with 1,000 milligrams per bottle designed to mix with other beverages or on food; and soda bottle-shaped gummies infused with five milligrams of cannabis.

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TerrAscend Completes $545M Acquisition of Gage Growth Corp

3/14/2022

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Canadian cannabis company TerrAscend last week completed its acquisition of Michigan’s Gage Growth Corp in a $545 million deal. TerrAscend now operates in five U.S. states and operates seven cultivation and processing facilities and 25 dispensaries throughout the U.S. and Canada.

The deal was finalized on March 10.

Jason Wild, executive chairman of TerrAscend, described the deal as a “defining moment” for the company, as it combines “two leading vertically integrated operators with proven cultivation and manufacturing expertise, deep portfolios of proprietary flower strains, and top-selling brands across our core markets.”

“I look forward to working with the talented Gage team as we integrate and align our cultivation, retail, and operational practices to continue providing our patients and customers with best-in-class product offerings and retail experiences.” – Wild in a statement

Gage has exclusive licensing partnerships in Michigan with Cookies, Blue River, Pure Beauty, and Khalifa Kush. The deal will give TerrAscend access to those brands.

The combined company will operate or manage seven cultivation facilities, including three facilities in Michigan, in addition to Gage’s multiple contracts grow agreements, the companies said in a press release. The combined company’s retail network is expected to reach 40 stores by the end of 2022, including 25 currently operational dispensaries across five states with Gage managing 11 dispensaries in Michigan and one Cookies dispensary in Canada, in addition to TerrAscend’s 13-store footprint in California, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania.

Gage shares have been halted after closing and delisted by the Canadian Securities Exchange.

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Social Equity Applicants Will Get New York’s First Adult-Use Cannabis Licenses

3/11/2022

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New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) on Thursday announced that the first adult-use retail licenses in the state will be made available to individuals with prior cannabis-related offenses. The program, called the Seeding Opportunity Initiative, will give the first licenses to those social-equity applicants that also have a background in owning and operating a small business.

In a press release, the governor’s office said that the initiative, paired with a recently approved bill allowing the state’s hemp farmers to grow cannabis for the adult-use market, could make sales possible in the state before the end of the year. According to the release, the state Cannabis Control Board on Thursday approved a license application for a hemp farmer to begin cultivating THC-rich cannabis in the spring.

“New York State is making history, launching a first-of-its-kind approach to the cannabis industry that takes a major step forward in righting the wrongs of the past. The regulations advanced by the Cannabis Control Board today will prioritize local farmers and entrepreneurs, creating jobs and opportunity for communities that have been left out and left behind. I’m proud New York  will be a national model for the safe, equitable and inclusive industry we are now building.” —Hochul in a statement

Cannabis Control Board Chair Tremaine Wright said that the state’s adult-use law “sets a high goal for creating an equitable industry that puts New Yorkers first.”

The Seeding Opportunity Initiative puts us on a path for achieving that goal,” she said in a statement, “and hopefully models a way forward for reaching those goals while building a stable market.”

The initiative includes conditional adult-use dispensary licenses for social-equity applicants and those conditional licenses for hemp farmers, in addition to the $200 million social equity investment program outlined by Hochul in her 2023 Executive Budget.

The 2022 potential start date is unexpected, as Wright had previously indicated that adult-use licenses would not be awarded until at least the spring of 2023. According to the governor’s office, applications for the priority licenses will open in the summer and the first licenses are expected to be distributed by late summer or early fall.

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Kentucky Committee Approves Medical Cannabis Bill

3/11/2022

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The Kentucky House Judiciary Committee on Thursday passed a Republican-sponsored medical cannabis bill which has the support of the Senate Judiciary Committee Chair, Sen. Whitney Westerfield, who previously opposed the reforms, WFPL reports. A similar bill was passed by the House in 2020 but was never taken up by the Senate.

State Rep. Jason Nemes, the bill’s sponsor, said he opposes adult-use reforms but that “the debate is over, with respect to whether or not medical cannabis helps people.”

“I don’t think there’s anybody, even the staunchest opponents, who say it doesn’t help some people.” – Nemes via WFPL

In a statement posted to Twitter, Westerfield said that while he has concerns about “the risk of increased access” to cannabis among youth and young adults and the “precedent” of ignoring federal law, he’s ready to support medical cannabis access in Kentucky.

“I’ve heard too many stories, in my district and out, from those long-suffering and their loved ones left behind, that marijuana brought comfort and relief when nothing else worked,” he said. “I imagine what sons have done to obtain marijuana for their dying mothers, or what parents have done for a child struggling with a severe seizure disorder.”

The bill does not allow smokable forms of cannabis but would permit patients with multiple sclerosis, chronic pain, epilepsy, and nausea to access cannabis products. State Rep. Kim Moser (R) was the lone ‘no’ vote on passing the bill, which was approved by a 15-1 vote.

“If the FDA would take a stand on this and actually make it a medicine like they do any other natural product, then we wouldn’t have to change 39 statutes and create this bureaucracy,” she said during the debate.

A 2019 poll from the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky found 90% of Kentuckians support medical cannabis reforms in the state, including 95 percent of Democrats, 92 percent of independents, and 90 percent of Republicans.

The bill moves next to the full House for consideration.

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Colorado Bill Would Require Public Cannabis Industry Reporting

3/11/2022

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Colorado legislators have introduced a bill to require more reporting from cannabis businesses and lessen their influence on the rulemaking process, according to a Westword report. The measure requires the Colorado Marijuana Enforcement Division (MED) to track and publish online all underage sales violations, contaminated product recalls, and reported illicit market activity.

Supporters say the bill will help protect Colorado children but cannabis advocates fear the bill is an attempt to further restrict the nation’s first adult-use market, the report says.

“It doesn’t change regulation. It’s about making sure the MED has the resources they need to do these (underage) checks,” bill sponsor Sen. Chris Hansen (D) said. “It’s the availability and accessibility [of violation information] and putting it on par with what we’re doing in tobacco and alcohol.”

Although MED underage checks found few violations in the past three years — in 2022 the pass rate was 95% and 97% in 2021 and 2019 — the number of checks fell from 604 in 2019 to 104 in 2021 to 80 in 2022, which concerns lawmakers. The MED says the drop was due to “COVID-related impacts,” and the department “intends to increase the number of underage sales checks to align more closely with prior years.”

The bi-partisan group of sponsors wants that increase written into law, which would require every dispensary in Colorado to get at least two underage sales checks per year. Colorado has over 1,000 licensed dispensaries but some are not operational, Westword reports.

Peter Marcus, communications director for Boulder-based dispensary chain, Terrapin Care Station, told Westword the bill “does nothing to increase accountability in terms of access for children.” He believes “responsible messaging works,” pointing out studies that show fewer kids are using cannabis since legalization in the state. He also calls into question the wisdom of using minors in sting operations for an over-21 product.

Additionally, the proposal asks regulators to curtail the amount of influence that the cannabis industry has on the state’s rule-making process. The proposal would also open a bidding process to find a new vendor to manage the state’s seed-to-sale tracking system, which is currently administered by Meta-C.

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Two Oregon Counties Denying Hemp Licenses After Declaring State of Emergency

3/11/2022

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Two Oregon counties have declared a local state of emergency regarding cannabis, allowing them to place moratoriums on issuing new hemp licenses, the Mail Tribune reports. The orders in Jackson and Josephine counties are retroactive to January 1 and all applications submitted since the New Year will be denied.

Jackson County Senior Deputy Administrator Harvey Bragg told the Mail Tribune that county officials “need to kind of get a time-out” so they can catch up on applications and enforcement. Last year, state inspectors found 53% of licensed hemp grown in Jackson and Josephine counties were illegally growing cannabis under the guise of hemp, the report says.

Throughout 2021, law enforcement agencies in Southern Oregon have uncovered a host of issues at illegal cannabis grows, including workers living in poor conditions, water theft in a region hit hard by drought, improper use of pesticides and other chemicals, garbage, electrical hazards, and evidence of drug trafficking. Officials believe organized crime networks are backing many of the illegal cultivation sites.

A Mail Tribune investigation found that law enforcement agencies in Jackson, Josephine, Klamath, and Douglas counties found illegal cannabis with an estimated value of at least $2.78 billion in the unregulated market. In all, the state sold $1.2 billion worth of cannabis through licensed shops last year.

A recently approved Oregon law requires the state to deny any applications for new hemp licenses in counties that declare a state of emergency related to cannabis. Other bills passed in the state to deal with problems related to cannabis include funding to organizations that help exploited workers and a ban on hauling water to unlicensed grows.

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Congress Continues to Block D.C. Cannabis Sales Despite Democrat Majority

3/10/2022

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The longstanding congressional rider to prevent Washington D.C. from developing its framework for adult-use cannabis sales was included in this year’s omnibus spending package, according to a Politico report. The impediment’s inclusion came as a surprise to D.C. activists when the bill was released on Wednesday — named after Republican Rep. Andy Harris, the “Harris rider” had been absent in previous House and Senate Democratic budget proposals but was ultimately included in the budget by President Joe Biden (D).

Since D.C. residents voted overwhelmingly in favor of legalizing adult-use cannabis in 2014, Congress has refused to let the nation’s capital create a regulated marketplace. As it stands, residents can possess, grow, and gift various amounts of cannabis, which has blossomed into a so-called “gray market” where vendors sell other products and gift cannabis with each sale.

Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) and the Washington D.C. City Council have attempted to regulate the industry but were stymied each time by Congressional inaction. Local lawmakers say they are looking for a workaround to make the gray market legal.

In a statement, U.S. Cannabis Council (USCC) CEO Steven Hawkins said the organization is “deeply disappointed by Congress’ failure to act on cannabis reform in this year’s spending bill.”

“Congress had been poised to make real progress, including clearing hurdles put in place by Rep. Andy Harris which prevent the District of Columbia from implementing regulated cannabis sales following a successful legalization referendum. This created a harmful underground market that operates without any standards or safeguards and is at odds with the will of local voters.” – Hawkins in a press release

Toi Hutchinson, President and CEO of the Marijuana Policy Project, said, “We are very disappointed that Congress continues to prevent residents of D.C. from regulating cannabis despite their urgent and repeated requests for reform. Instead, Congress is forcing the District to maintain a gray market in which cannabis can be legally possessed and consumed by adults, but it cannot be legally sold, regulated, or tested. This places consumers at risk, and entrepreneurs who live in this minority-majority community are denied the ability to open businesses that are available in every other legal cannabis jurisdiction.”

The omnibus spending package also failed to extend legal protections to adult-use cannabis programs in states that have approved the reforms. The protections, similar to those granted to state medical cannabis programs since 2014, made it out of the House but were ultimately removed in the Senate’s version of the bill.

Senate Minority Whip John Thune told TIME he expected the bill would be passed quickly in a bipartisan vote, partly because the package contains $14 billion in humanitarian aid to assist with refugees and defense capabilities in Ukraine.

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Senseon by Accuride: Elevating the Standards for Cannabis Cabinet Security

3/10/2022

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Cannabis stores face a number of potential security threats ranging from smash and grab robberies to employee theft. A good security plan includes multiple tools like cameras, guards, and locks. Senseon Secure Access by Accuride provides aesthetically pleasing, invisible, industrial-strength security locks for cabinets in retail stores. Their systems are highly flexible and can be installed during a new build or in already established cabinetry.

Senseon is new in the cannabis industry — its parent company Accuride, however, has been developing hardware for cabinetry for over 60 years.

“You may not have heard of Senseon, but when it comes to cabinetry hardware, we invented it,” said Director of Sales Jeff Shelby. “So have the confidence that this product will work in your fixtures because all of our products are built to the industry standards which we helped set some 60 years ago.”

Senseon locks can be easily retrofitted into existing cabinets but their locking drawer slides are most secure when installed by the millworker. The locks can be affixed at the side, on the bottom, or on the back of the drawer. Senseon uses RFID technology that makes it a highly customizable, touchless, and invisible locking system.

Employees are given an RFID card attached to their name that grants access to the drawer. If the client opts for the top-tier Senseon Plus system, it also tracks the personalized activity of the drawer for management. With this personalized activity, dispensaries are able to manage their business more intelligently, understand which products generate the most interest, identify which employees are more productive, and better understand the flow of customer traffic.

Additionally, Senseon Plus includes dual authentication options, which require a specific combination of cards to be present to access a specific drawer. With high turnover, it can be frustrating to deal with lost keys or, worse, an employee who walks off with the keys when they quit. With Senseon, administrators can grant and remove access using remote technology so businesses can remain compliant even if a key leaves the building, whether due to human error or malicious intent.

Most cannabis retailers are required to submit a security plan to their respective regulatory bodies as part of the industry’s rigorous licensing process. Ideally, retailers should partner with Senseon during the application process to help create the most robust security plan possible.

Senseon brings experience to the table from working on other projects that are easily applicable to cannabis retail, like jewelry and cell phone stores. In fact, national cell phone store chains have served as a valuable case study in the consumer shopping experience and inform how access to Senseon’s control systems assists with loss prevention, Shelby said. This experiential knowledge provides valuable insight at the blueprint stage of a dispensary buildout — both in terms of security plans and for mapping the customer journey.

When creating a security plan for cannabis dispensary clients, Senseon will cover the whole project from start to finish even if its scope covers multiple months. They build security plans directly into the store plans so it’s easy to submit within the application packet. This active approach is essential for ensuring that no security concerns are overlooked.

Lastly, the company prioritizes being hands-on and they’re building an ecosystem around that philosophy. They keep a tight network of millworkers, contractors, and architects to provide quality referrals to their clients. Having that network available to clients in the beginning phases of building their store works to everyone’s advantage — the shop owner gets access to experts who get the job done well, talented tradespeople get more business, and Senseon can trust that their hardware is installed correctly.

“The stronger we all make the industry, the better the industry is going to benefit all of us long term. We need advocates of our product but we realize this is an industry where we’re stronger together than we are apart,” Shelby said.

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Michigan Bill Would Remove Cannabis from State Drug Schedule

3/10/2022

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A bill introduced in Michigan would remove cannabis from the state’s drug schedule, where it remains a Schedule 1 substance despite the state passing adult-use reforms in 2018, MLive reports. Democratic state Rep. Yousef Rabhi, the bill’s sponsor, said cannabis’ placement as Schedule 1 can have negative effects on employment, child guardianship, housing, and criminal punishment.

“Cannabis is still a schedule 1 substance. Schedule 1 is the highest, most criminalized on the list of drugs. Why? It’s legal, we’re using it medically, there’s adult use in the state that’s been approved by voters and yet we’re still listing it as a schedule 1 substance.” – Rabhi via MLive

The measure is named after poet and cannabis activist John Sinclair. Sinclair, 80, has advocated for cannabis legalization for more than 50 years. In 1969, he was sentenced to up to ten years in prison after being arrested for possession of two joints, which sparked a protest rally at Crisler Arena in Ann Arbor on December 10, 1971, which featured a performance by John Lennon and Yoko Ono, which contributed to the poet’s release from prison, the report says.

Sinclair, along with NORML, unsuccessfully sued Michigan in 2019 to remove cannabis from the state’s drug schedule with the Court of Claims determining that legalization of a substance under certain circumstances doesn’t mean it can’t also be a controlled substance.

Rabhi was optimistic about the bill’s chances, contending that removing cannabis from the schedule “is not a partisan issue.”

“We’ve had several meetings with our Republican colleagues to try and get some movement on this and we’re going to keep that effort going,” she said in the report. “Republicans and Democrats, both, are cannabis users. It’s not a partisan issue and it shouldn’t be.”

The bill is currently in the House Committee on Regulatory Reform.

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Connecticut Bill Aims to End Cannabis ‘Retail Gifting Events’

3/10/2022

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Cannabis advocates in Connecticut are pushing back on provisions in a bill that would impose a $10,000 fine and up to a year in jail for gifting cannabis, CT News Junkie reports. Democratic Rep. Michael D’Agostino, the co-chairman of the Legislature’s General Law Committee, said the provisions are not intended to prohibit residents from giving cannabis to friends and family, rather stop “retail gifting events,” pointing to a Tupperware party as an example where cannabis was used as currency.

“‘Instead of cash, bring cannabis,’ and that’s the transaction. That would be prevented versus … your friends are coming over for a book club and you bake cannabis brownies. Have at it. The former would be prevented. The latter would not.” – D’Agostino, during the hearing, via CT News Junkie

During the hearing, lawmakers heard opposition from the public, including from Douglas Moore, who was born without arms and legs, lives on a fixed income, and relies on cannabis gifts from friends and family.

“For me to be actually a normal person like all y’all, I need this gift,” Moore said during his remarks. “So my question is: are you going to arrest me?”

D’Agostino responded that, as drafted, the law would not ban that type of gifting.

“It’s meant to target really what are essentially commercial transactions,” he said.

Michael DeLauro, a retired state worker who has lupus and a form of epilepsy, said cannabis helps treat his conditions better than traditional medications and urged D’Agostino to attend such gifting events to get a better understanding of the community involved.

“If you stop these types of events happening, you’re also going to stop the type of generosity and the type of community spirit that happens at these types of events.” DeLauro testified during the hearing. “It’s not simply eliminating a commercial transaction. I’ve thought about it and I’m not really sure what the law does other than protect commercial interests.”

The measure also includes a proposal to ban cannabis advertising on billboards in Connecticut and eliminate a provision that prohibits a municipality from granting zoning approval for more retailers or micro-cultivators than a number that would allow for one retailer and one micro-cultivator for every 25,000 residents of the municipality.

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South Dakota Fails to Ban Medical Cannabis In Schools & Public Parks

3/10/2022

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A South Dakota bill that would have restricted medical cannabis use from preschools, public and non-public school property, and any outdoor public recreation areas failed to pass the state Senate in a 20-12 vote, KELO reports. The measure would have also eliminated the authority of the state Department of Education to set guidelines for medical cannabis use in schools and allow individual schools to ban its use entirely.

Republican state Sen. David Wheeler said that the Education Department had already spent considerable time developing rules around medical cannabis in schools and that the measure would have thrown all of that out.

“…And then we’re going to treat medical marijuana differently than we treat every other drug, because now schools can just say ‘no, we’re not going to allow you to use this.’” – Wheeler via KELO

Republican state Sen. Jim Stalzer said the state’s medical cannabis law, which was approved by voters in 2020, requires schools to allow medical cannabis use, and the proposal gave both public and private schools the choice of whether to opt-out of those rules.

Lawmakers in South Dakota have been eyeing changes to the state’s medical cannabis law, which was approved by 70% of voters in the state. Last month, senators voted 25 to 10 to strip affirmative defense provisions from the law.

Affirmative defense provisions allow patients caught by police possessing cannabis products to get out of the charges by demonstrating a medical need for cannabis, even if they don’t yet have their medical card.

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Michigan Cuts Cannabis Application Fees in Half

3/09/2022

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Michigan’s Marijuana Regulatory Agency (MRA) has implemented new administrative rules that change application fees and processes in the state’s adult-use and medical cannabis systems. The rule reduces fees for cannabis licenses from $6,000 to $3,000 and removes renewal fee tiers for both medical and adult-use licenses.

New and renewal licensees must now have cannabis liability insurance and Class A cannabis microbusinesses can now buy cannabis concentrates or cannabis-infused products directly from processors.

Other updates include the creation of an adult-use education and research license. The new license type is valid for one year and does not carry an application fee, license fee, or a renewal charge; however, license holders must be registered with the federal Drug Enforcement Administration. The MRA has also made steps to free up the movement of cannabis prior to final safety testing within the Michigan market and has made “significant changes” to how cannabis is tested. Product slated for destruction must be destroyed within 90 days.

The new rules also allow curbside or drive-through services at cannabis shops, depending on local approval. Additionally, the MRA updated the labeling rules for cannabis concentrates and edibles.

The MRA proposed these changes in September 2021 and they are just the latest updates to Michigan’s evolving cannabis industry. At the time of the proposals, Michigan NORML’s Executive Director Rick Thompson said allowing Class A micro-businesses to buy concentrates and edibles from other licensees was “huge.”

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Connecticut Sets Household Income Limits for Social Equity Applicants

3/09/2022

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Connecticut’s Social Equity Council (SEC) has set household income limits on social equity applicants (SEA) at $235,332 during any one year of the prior three years, representing 300% of the $78,444 figure that the SEC is using as the state median income amount, according to Pullman & Comley’s Matthew Glennon. The rules were announced during the council’s March 2 webinar.

The SEC indicated that the calculation of household income will include all residents of the SEA’s home address that are 21-and-older and that the income threshold will be strictly applied, so even if a household is even one dollar over the limit, the applicant is not eligible as a social equity applicant.

Connecticut regulators approved social equity rules for the industry in January, announcing that the 56 first-round licenses will be evenly split among social equity and general licenses and are available for retailers, micro-cultivators, delivery services, food and beverage businesses, manufacturers, and transporters. Applications for Disproportionately Impacted Area cultivators opened on February 3. Social equity license hopefuls in the state have a one-time 90-day application period that ends on May 4.

The Department of Consumer Protection will then schedule several lotteries for the remaining licenses and expects a second licensing round in the second half of the year. Applicants selected for the social equity licenses are subject to review by the SEC.

In November, workforce and economic development organizations the Connecticut Community Outreach Revitalization Program (ConnCORP) and The WorkPlace announced the creation of the Alliance for Cannabis Equity (ACE), which will focus on social equity and economic opportunities for Black and Brown entrepreneurs and minority workers throughout the state’s cannabis industry.

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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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