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Lonny the Street Lawyer: Sharing the Gift of Cannabis in DC

11/11/2020

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When Washington DC voters opted to legalize cannabis, the city’s push for a local regulated industry was immediately stifled by federal lawmakers. Since then, local regulators have continued to be blocked from establishing a regulated, legal market. Legalization is still the law of the land, however, and some plucky entrepreneurs have jumped into the District’s cannabis market regardless of lacking regulations.

In this Q&A, Lonny the Street Lawyer discusses Washington DC’s cannabis gifting market, his strategy of selling coupons for legal services (which are accompanied by gifts of cannabis), the growing success of Street Lawyer Services, his advocacy work toward cannabis conviction expungements, and more!

Ganjapreneur: What is Initiative 71, and how has it shaped the development of DC’s cannabis industry?

Lonny Bramzon: That was a voter ballot initiative and it passed by 65% of the voters in 2015 that legalized cannabis in the District of Columbia. It made it legal to possess, legal to grow, legal to gift. So when that happened, everything opened up and there started to be pop up parties and dinners that were I-71 compliant weed everywhere — gifting weed, possessing weed, consuming edibles, people cooking up meals and charging people to get in for donations, and all kinds of things. So basically, a whole underground economy opened up and even got as far as brick and mortar stores. I-71 heralded in what is happening now ushered in the proliferation of DC weed culture.

After establishing your legal career, how did you get started in cannabis?

Well, I was a criminal defense attorney and represented a lot of people who had drug cases — and a lot of people with weed cases, especially distribution cases. So that was pretty common in my docket. I mean, I represented a little bit of everything — but a lot of weed dealers. Ironically enough, I was also a cannabis consumer. I saw a lot of guys go to jail for the same stuff that I was consuming myself. I saw that it was legal in DC and an opportunity presented itself. I understood the culture of DC. I understood cannabis, I consumed it. I represented many people — and I was involved in the cannabis culture from so many different angles so it was a pretty seamless transition. Fast forward to today, the basis for my cannabis gifting shop is a marketing office for my legal services — the marketing office promotes my legal services which also gifts cannabis as a promotional product. Two worlds collide.

Is the Street Lawyer Services coupon system different from other gifting stores in DC? How does the coupon system benefit visitors?

A visitor enters the shop and in efforts to market our legal services, they can purchase a coupon. A coupon is redeemable for legal services of the Law Office of Lonny Bramzon and one of his associates. The coupons are purchased for 50% of their value — that’s the hook. You can buy a $100 coupon for $50 or a $120 coupon for $60. If somebody has a case upcoming in court and they know they need a lawyer, it’s rational for them to just walk in knowing they can purchase a coupon for legal services. If you know you’re going to spend $150 on a case, why not get $300 worth of legal coupons for $150? You save money. So, look, I don’t really keep up with what other people are doing. My understanding is they’re selling lighters or stickers or something like that — but people seem to like the coupon system. It seems to be more useful than what other people are doing.

Who frequents the store, and what contributes to the culture at SLS?

You won’t see a place with a more eclectic crowd. The Street Lawyer Services crowd is the most diverse crowd you’ll ever see — from old to young, rich to poor, urban to rural. People from North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, New York, New Jersey — everywhere. All kinds of folks come in because they love the vibe. It’s like you’re part of something when you walk in the shop — and we got the SLS women who are vibing, doing their thing. The quality of the gifts are very high which draws the crowd — but it’s the vibe too.

How do the SLS Women add value to the visitor experience, and what advice can they offer?

The SLS girls are the budtenders, brand ambassadors, music-playing, TikTok-dancing people creating the real family vibe of Street Lawyer Services. Not only do they know so much about cannabis, but they make anyone feel welcome when they walk into the shop — whether if you’re a regular to the shop or brand new to cannabis, they make everyone feel at home.

How do you use your criminal law background to fight for cannabis legalization, and what types of advocacy work does SLS engage in?

So we’re focusing on expungements and how to further expungements of criminal convictions associated with cannabis. There’s been a widespread movement to expunge possession cases in most legislative bodies. Our focus is going to be on felony cases because that’s what is affecting people who are looking for jobs and looking to move into certain housing. You know, if you have a conviction for distribution of cannabis years ago or anytime, that’s a felony. So in most jurisdictions, you can’t even get housing — that needs to be the focus because it’s the felony convictions that are really impacting the lives of people. That’s where our focus has to be. Here’s the thing, people have served years and decades in jail for cannabis for what people are doing legally now. You can’t give them their time back — but you can clear their record so they can live a better life moving forward.

Thanks, Lonny, for taking the time to answer our questions! Learn more about Lonny the Street Lawyer at StreetLawyerServicesDC.com or follow him on Instagram @LonnyTheStreetLawyer or @StreetLawyerServicesGifts_.

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U.S. House to Vote on MORE Act Next Month

11/11/2020

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The U.S. House is set to vote on a bill to decriminalize cannabis federally after delaying the vote in September to focus on a coronavirus relief package, Politico reports. In a letter to colleagues, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer did not provide an exact date for the vote, which would occur during a lame-duck session.

“The House will vote on the MORE Act to decriminalize cannabis and expunge convictions for non-violent cannabis offenses that have prevented many Americans from getting jobs, applying for credit and loans, and accessing opportunities that make it possible to get ahead in our economy.” – Hoyer in the letter via Politico

The House is scheduled to hold session on December 1-4 and 7-10.

Cannabis Caucus Co-chair Rep. Barbara Lee (D-Calif.) cited the Election Day success of cannabis-related ballot initiatives in New Jersey, South Dakota, Montana, Arizona, and Mississippi as evidence “it’s more important than ever for Congress to catch up.”

“We’re going to continue building momentum so that Congress takes action to end the failed prohibition of cannabis before the year is out,” she said to Politico. “Too much is at stake for communities of color.”

A Gallup poll published November 9 found its highest level of support for cannabis legalization among Americans – 69 percent – since the pollster first asked the question in 1969.

In a tweet on Monday, Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) also pointed to the success of four states legalizing adult cannabis use during the election. He said that “it’s past time to end the federal prohibition on marijuana and work to undo the harms done by the War on Drugs, particularly in Black and brown communities.”

In September 2019, the chamber passed the SAFE Banking Act – a bill to normalize financial services to cannabusinesses – but the measure has not been brought up for a vote in the Senate. During the lame duck session the Senate will still be controlled by Republicans; however, that could change in 2021 as two Georgia seats are headed to runoffs.

The passage of the SAFE Banking Act marked the first time either chamber of Congress passed stand-alone cannabis reform legislation.

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Longest-Serving Cannabis Prisoner Richard DeLisi Will Be Released

11/11/2020

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71-year-old Richard DeLisi will be released from the South Bay Correctional Facility in Florida after serving 31 years of a 90-year prison sentence for nonviolent cannabis convictions, The Last Prisoner Project (LPP) reports.

DeLisi’s release comes on the heels of advocacy efforts and supplements to his clemency applications by LPP and pro bono attorneys Chiara Juster, Elizabeth Buchanan, and Michael Minardi. The push for clemency was bolstered this year by the threat of COVID-19, which poses a particularly deadly threat to incarcerated people who — due to inadequate facilities and supplies — are incapable of safe social distancing.

DeLisi began his 90-year sentence on December 5, 1989. During his time in prison, his son, wife, and both parents passed away. He will be released in time for Christmas with his remaining children and grandchildren, which will be the first time in over 30 years that he gets to spend the holidays with family.

“It feels amazingly wonderful to know that I will be home with my family and loved ones very soon. I am grateful to everyone who has been there and helped me along in these long years. If I could go back to 1988 I would tell my former self to put more value in the time I spend with my family. … I am so excited to hug my children and grandchildren. I have missed so many important moments with them and I can’t wait to get out there and create precious memories with everyone. I am so thrilled that this dark chapter of my life is finally over.” — Richard DeLisi, in a statement

Lead Attorney Chiara Juster was also overjoyed by the news. “We participated in decarcerating someone who couldn’t deserve it more,” Juster said. “The fact that dear Richard is the longest serving non-violent cannabis offender currently incarcerated in our country is truly a sick indictment of our nation.”

DeLisi’s official release date will be issued by the Florida Department of Corrections on November 16, 2020.

LPP is fielding donations from people who wish to help with DeLisi’s reentrance to society.

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Texas Senator-Elect Files Cannabis Legalization & Medical Expansions Bill

11/11/2020

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Texas Senator-elect Roland Gutierrez (D) has pre-filed a bill to legalize recreational cannabis use in the state and expand its medical cannabis program, CW39 reports. In a tweet, the lawmaker from San Antonio said the measure would create 30,000 new jobs in the state and produce $3.2 billion in new revenue.

The measure sets personal possession limits at 2.4 ounces, allows personal cultivation up to 12 plants per household, and sets the legal purchase age at 21.

“There is going to be a budget shortfall to affect all Texans next legislative session, however, I look forward to working with my colleagues to offer a real solution. Our state’s economic future is uncertain and in order to best serve our state, we have to look at cannabis legalization as a solution and not keep going back to the taxpayers and raise their taxes.” – Gutierrez to WOAI

State Comptroller Glenn Hegar has projected a nearly $4.6 billion deficit when the 2021 State Legislature convenes in January, according to a KTSA News report.

Neither Gov. Greg Abbott nor Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick – both Republicans – support legalization and medical cannabis expansion proposals. In May, Texas lawmakers approved a measure to add seven new conditions to the program’s qualifying conditions list and remove a requirement for patients to have two doctors’ recommendations before accessing the program; however, the bill did not remove the restrictive 0.5 percent THC cap on medical cannabis products.

“I really believe that it’s a few people inside the bubble that have opinions that are based on myths, and quite frankly, they’re not based on science,” Gutierrez told KTSA.

An April 2019 Emerson College poll found 38 percent of Texans supported full legalization, while 35 percent only supported legalization for medical purposes.

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Tennessee Poised to Make Cannabis Policy Progress

11/11/2020

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Tennessee state Sen. Janice Bowling (R) said she will introduce a medical cannabis legalization bill in the upcoming January legislative session. Bowling said it’s time to join other states in passing medical cannabis, WREG.com reports.

The bill would allow the sale and cultivation of cannabis around the state; some qualifying conditions would include cancer, glaucoma, and PTSD.

“We’re up to 43 states that have legalized it and many of the states around us have legalized it. We are being foolish in the worst sense of the word. Just incredibly foolish and incredibly lacking in responsiveness to what is now readily available for people to know that this is a safe medicine solution.” — Sen. Janice Bowling, in a statement

Like other states in the Deep South, Tennessee has seen some cannabis policy progress in recent years. Both medical cannabis and adult-use bills were introduced in the Tennessee legislature this year. The medical cannabis bill introduced by Sen. Steve Dickerson (R) passed the Senate Health and Welfare committee, despite efforts by opponents to introduce “poison pills” to the legislation, Marijuana Moment reported.

This year, Democratic Sen. Raumesh Akbari also introduced an adult-use cannabis bill, while Democratic state Rep. Rick Staples introduced a decriminalization bill that would put the “legalization” question to a local referendum.

Outgoing Sen. Steve Dickerson (R), meanwhile, wrote in a September 2020 opinion piece for the Tennessean: “I have spent over 20 years practicing anesthesiology and interventional pain management and over that time have utilized methods of treatment for the worst pain imaginable. Some methods work. Some do not. And, most of them have significant risk and side-effects. That is why I have been a longtime advocate to end our state’s outdated prohibition on medical cannabis. It is past time for Tennessee to move away from the unwarranted fear of medical cannabis and bring this smart, safe, and regulated medical treatment to our state’s sickest patients.”

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Muscogee Nation Approves Medical Cannabis Reforms

11/11/2020

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The Muscogee (Creek) Nation has approved legislation exempting medical cannabis patients from possession of a controlled substance charges as long as they are in compliance under Oklahoma law, the Muskogee Phoenix reports.

Principal Chief David Hill called the reform “an excellent example of the Nation exercising its sovereignty to amend its criminal law to address public safety issues in the Mvskoke Reservation.”

“Furthermore, this is a pro-business action by the [Mvskoke Reservation Preservation Commission] and commitment to individuals and entities licensed in medical marijuana endeavors throughout the reservation.” – Hill to the Phoenix

The Commission plans to continue analyzing the medical cannabis issue to possibly allow sales on the reservation, including its authority to tax and regulate medical cannabis, and whether economic development activities exist for the tribe.

In May, the Red Lake Nation in Minnesota approved a medical cannabis program that goes beyond the state’s rules by allowing flower. Kevin Jones, a cannabis advocate who organized the Chippewa Cannabis Party, said following the vote that it the stage for the tribe to go “full recreational,” despite Minnesota not allowing adult-use sales.

In July, Lume Cannabis Company announced they had received an adult-use license for the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians in Chippewa County, Michigan. Joel Schultz, Sault Tribe economic development executive director, said the deal will help the tribe “diversify economic development to enhance revenues to expand services to Sault Tribe members.” Lume also has a partnership with the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians for retail shops in Petoskey and Mackinaw City, which does not allow retail cannabis sales but has no control over tribal lands.

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More Americans Than Ever Support Legalizing Cannabis

11/10/2020

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68 percent of Americans support legalizing cannabis for adults, according to the latest Gallup poll. It is the highest recorded level of support for legalization since the pollster first started asking about the issue in 1969.

While cannabis legalization is particularly popular among younger generations, a majority of respondents from every age group including people 65+ supported legalization.

Additionally, an overwhelming majority of Democrats (83%) and independents (72%) prefer legalization to the status quo.

But, while support for legalizing has grown slightly overall, it was not across all demographics: support among self-described conservatives and regular (weekly) church-goers was just under 50%. Even among Republicans — who supported legalization with slim majorities from 2017-2019 — support had fallen below the majority threshold to 48%.

The latest poll was conducted from September 30 to October 15.

“In national polls and at the ballot box, the American public has spoken loudly and clearly. The overwhelming majority of Americans favor ending the failed policies of marijuana prohibition and replacing it with a policy of legalization, regulation, taxation, and public education. Elected officials — at both the state and federal level — ought to be listening.” — Erik Altieri, Executive Director of NORML, in a press release

In November, voters in New Jersey, South Dakota, Arizona, and Montana approved ballot initiatives to legalize adult-use cannabis. Ballot initiatives to legalize medical cannabis were also passed in South Dakota and Mississippi.

Before the election, the following U.S. states and jurisdictions had legalized adult-use cannabis: Alaska, Washington, Oregon, California, Nevada, Colorado, Illinois, Michigan, Maine, Massachusetts, Vermont, and Washington DC.

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Sean Worsley Released From Prison

11/10/2020

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Sean Worsley, the 34-year-old disabled Iraqi War veteran and Purple Heart recipient who had been jailed in Alabama for felony cannabis possession, has been released from prison, Al.com reports. Last month Worsley had been granted parole.

Worsley had served 10 months in prison stemming from a 2016 cannabis arrest, despite Worsley obtaining it through Arizona’s medical cannabis program, where he is a patient. An Alabama circuit court judge sentenced him to five years in late September citing previous convictions and failure to comply with “any condition of bond or probation,” noting that Worsley had twice returned to Arizona when he had been previously released while awaiting his court dates.

“I’m overjoyed really, relieved,” Worsley told Al.com. “I’m still taking it all in.”

Alabama state Sen. Cam Ward (R), who had pushed to get Worsley released, called the pardon “the right decision to make, particularly during a pandemic.”

“There are several people who should be in prison, but some people who shouldn’t be in the system. He’s one of them. If there was ever a case of someone society has let down, someone, a veteran, who couldn’t get the mental health and treatment he needed, it was him. We discarded him and that’s not justice to me.” – Ward to Al.com

Worsley will remain in Alabama and has received a job from Blox LLC, a manufacturing, design, and construction company, who had included their employment offer for him in a previous community supervision agreement that had been considered – but rejected – by the sentencing judge.

Worsley said he was “excited and eager to get started” at the firm.

A GoFundMe had been set up by his wife, Eboni, to help pay for legal fees. The campaign raised more than $108,000 on an $80,000 goal.

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CBD Company Falsely Using David Attenborough’s Name and Likeness

11/10/2020

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A CBD company is using Sir David Attenborough’s name and likeness to promote its company and products while scamming people in the process, The Mirror reports. The David Attenborough CBD Oil products carry the namesake of the beloved 94-year-old “Planet Earth” and “Blue Planet” host but he has nothing to do with the products or the marketing campaign.

“These are not genuine endorsements and Sir David has had no involvement whatsoever with these products. The companies do not have permission to use Sir David’s name or image. He wishes to extend his sympathies to anyone that has been adversely affected by these companies and their actions.” – Attenborough’s spokesperson via the Mirror

The product, via Facebook, also links to a fake article on Medium.com that attributes quotes to Attenborough which are also fabricated. Attenborough’s spokesperson added that he doesn’t have a Facebook account and “there are many false accounts on Facebook claiming to be his.”

“This is being reported to Facebook and Sir David would encourage anyone who spots these fraudulent adverts also to report them to Facebook,” the spokesperson told the Mirror.

As of Monday afternoon, the page in question was not available on the social media site. The Medium article remains on the site.

The page also includes fake quotes attributed to Ed Sheeran, Rowan Atkinson, and Dame Helen Mirren.

This is hardly the first time that a CBD company has used a fake celebrity endorsement for its product. In July, actor Clint Eastwood sued 20 CBD companies for using his name, likeness, and quotes to promote their products. His lawyers told Fox News that the actor “does not have and never has had” any partnership with any CBD company. One of the defendants alleged to have used Eastwood’s name and likeness without permission blamed a publisher for fraudulently using the actor’s endorsement.

The false endorsements for Attenborough and Eastwood include the claim “Big Pharma in Outrage,” which could link both cases to the same fraudsters.

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Police Confiscate 15,000 Cannabis Plants In SF Bay Area

11/10/2020

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Union City, California authorities reported seizing over fifteen thousand cannabis plants last week. With an estimated street value of $27.5 million, the plants were found in 20 grow rooms around the San Francisco Bay area.

Acting on an anonymous tip, law enforcement also confiscated $22,000 in cash, grow equipment, and a bank account with over two hundred in fifty thousand dollars, according to San Francisco CBS 4. No more details on the arrests were available.

California has struggled to bring the illicit market under control since adult-use cannabis passed in 2016. According to a 2018 Marijuana Business Daily report, one in five Californians said they had purchased cannabis on the unregulated market within the previous three months. 84 percent of those said they were likely to buy from the illicit market in the future. The authors surmised only a five percent drop in cannabis taxes in California would bring in an additional 23 percent more legal cannabis customers. Experts believe high cannabis taxes, so-called “cannabis deserts,” and the low number of retail licensees contributed to the high number of Californians not participating in legal cannabis.

According to the Union City website, the City Council passed a resolution in November 2017 allowing three licenses each in the categories of cultivation, manufacturing, distribution, testing, and medical dispensaries. Today, the city has two commercial cannabis licensees who hold permits for cultivation, manufacturing, and distribution/retail.

In 2018, Union City passed Measure DD, placing a $12 per sq/ft tax on cannabis cultivation businesses and a 6% tax on gross receipts for “other” businesses. In January 2020, the state raised cannabis taxes across the board. These increases in taxes raise prices for consumers, making it harder for the legal market to compete with the well-established illicit market, industry leaders say.

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Aphria Agrees to Buy SweetWater Brewing Co. in $300M Deal

11/10/2020

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Canadian cannabis company Aphria Inc. is set to acquire Atlanta, Georgia’s SweetWater Brewing Co. for about $300 million. SweetWater is known for terpene-infused, alcoholic seltzers and its 420 brand.

For the year ended December 31, 2019, SweetWater generated net revenue of $66.6 million and adjusted EBITDA $22.1 million. According to the Brewers Association, the company’s production volume increased at twice the growth rate of the U.S. craft beer market at 7 percent year-over-year to nearly 261,000 barrels.

Irwin D. Simon, Aphria’s chairman and CEO, said the deal allows the company to establish and grow its U.S. presence through SweetWater’s “robust, profitable platform of craft brewing innovation, manufacturing, marketing, and distribution expertise.”

“At the same time, we will build brand awareness for our adult-use cannabis brands, Broken Coast, Good Supply, Riff and Solei, through our participation in the growing $29 billion craft brew market in the U.S. ahead of potential future state or federal cannabis legalization.” – Simon in a statement

Freddy Bensch, SweetWater’s CEO and founder, said the company’s 420 brand and annual SweetWater 420 Fest, “complement Aphria’s cannabis business and create mutual opportunities for accelerated expansion into other cannabis- and beverage-related products in the U.S. and Canada.”

“We will leverage our growing beverage offering and build an even stronger, more diversified company with a continued focus on authentic and distinctive brands using some of the freshest, most flavorful ingredients to create innovative and high-quality beverages including beers, seltzers, spirits and non-alcoholic beverages that our loyal and growing consumer base has come to expect from SweetWater,” he said in a press release.

Aphria expects the acquisition to be immediately accretive to EBITDA and diluted earnings per share, it said.

SweetWater beverages are currently available in approximately 29,000 retail locations and in more than 10,000 restaurants and bars. SweetWater 420 Extra Pale Ale and IPA are served on all Delta flights totaling more than 50 countries across six continents.

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Massachusetts Surpasses $1 Billion In Cannabis Sales

11/09/2020

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Massachusetts has surpassed one billion dollars in adult-use cannabis sales, according to the Boston Business Journal.

The Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission reported $1,000,521,905 in sales exactly four years after the state passed legal cannabis in 2016 and only two years after the first retail shops opened in the state in 2018.

“This sales milestone represents licensees’ ability to successfully support a safe, accessible and effective adult-use industry, and I am pleased the resulting tax benefits will have a significant impact on communities throughout the commonwealth. These numbers also speak to commission licensing and enforcement staff working around the clock to make sure these businesses and their products comply with all of our regulations, especially the health and safety provisions.” — Commission Chairman Steven J. Hoffman, in a statement

Hoffman said the state still has social equity goals to meet but he is encouraged by the work the state has done this year on the issue.

According to the Journal, Massachusetts will have collected some $200 million in taxes from its adult-use cannabis windfall. The tax revenue stems from a 6.25% sales tax, a 10.75 excise tax, and a maximum 3% tax at the local level.

The data also shows the state’s adult-use cannabis industry has 5,863 employees, according to the report. In early 2020, Leafly reported Massachusetts to be a leading state for cannabis employment.

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Shawn Kemp’s Cannabis Retracts Announcement About Black Ownership

11/09/2020

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Former National Basketball Association All-Star Shawn Kemp holds just a 5 percent stake in the dispensary which bears his name despite a press release from the company indicating the dispensary was the first Black-owned cannabis retailer in Seattle, Washington, MJBizDaily reports.

Ganjapreneur used information from that press release in an October 23 report.

Note: activists who disputed the store’s ownership claims raised the issue with our editors and we were in the process of verifying these claims when the company posted a statement to its website.

“Our PR team released a statement last week with the headline ‘Seattle’s First Black-Owned Dispensary, Shawn Kemp’s Cannabis, to open this month’ this statement should not have been released. As a result, it has caused great distraction to this store’s intention and the grand opening of Shawn Kemp’s Cannabis, a partnership between NBA All-Star Shawn Kemp and cannabis veterans Matt Schoenlein and Ramsey Hamide of Main Street Marijuana.” – Shawn Kemp’s Cannabis in a statement

Brian Smith, spokesperson for the Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board, told MJBizDaily, though, that “Kemp is the first person in Seattle to identify as ‘black or African-American’ among retail store owners in Seattle.”

KD Hall, a spokesperson for Shawn Kemp’s Cannabis, indicated in the report that the business plans to open four more shops and Kemp’s ownership stake would increase with those new stores.

“We began with this structured deal for the incubator location, knowing that Matt Schoenlein and Mr. Kemp plan to open five total cannabis stores in the next two years,” the company’s mea culpa states. “As we expand the venture, our intent has always been to partner with Mr. Kemp, his team, and the community to ensure people of color owned and Black-majority-owned cannabis stores.”

Shawn Kemp’s Cannabis dispensary license is a takeover from an existing license and is not part of the city or state social equity program, Paula Sardinas, a lobbyist for Washington’s Commission on African American Affairs, told MJBizDaily.

The company said that Schoenlein and Hamide “invested in creating a store that can serve as a social equity incubator, to train people of color and women to become successful cannabis store owners.”

Kemp was drafted by the Seattle Supersonics in 1989 and played for the team until 1997.

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CBD Company Fundraising for UK Child’s Cannabis Medicine as NHS Denials Continue

11/09/2020

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United Kingdom-based CBD company Green Active is donating some profits to a Scottish boy suffering from Doose Syndrome, a severe form of epilepsy, as the National Health Service continues denying to cover the costs of cannabis-based medications, the Daily Record reports.

Eight-year-old Murray Gray was diagnosed with the disease in 2017 and had up to 12 seizures a day, eventually ending up in a vegetative state in the hospital. His mother, Karen, said he has been seizure-free for 15 months after he started taking Bedrolite and Bedica – which are approved for use in the UK – but the regimen runs £1,400 per month and the NHS refuses to write a prescription which would provide it to the family for free.

Jo Devall, co-owner of Green Active with his partner Melissa Lopes Correa, said he learned about the boy via Twitter and his story “resonated” with him. All sales using the code FORMURRAY will be donated to Gray’s family and customers who use that code will also get 10 percent off.

“…I just wished I could do something to help. Then it occurred to me that I could provide something to this family. It fits with who we are as people and the way we live our lives.” – Devall to the Record

He explained that funding the boy’s medicine wouldn’t bankrupt the company because they will still take their operating costs “but all the profit after that will go to Murray.”

Karen called the plan “absolutely brilliant” even though neither she nor GreenActive knew exactly how much the campaign might raise. She criticized the NHS inaction since Bedrolite and Bedica were added to the service two years ago.

“We should have a prescription for this rather than having to rely on our friends, family and the kindness of companies to pay for it,” she said.

According to pro-medical cannabis group End Our Pain, the NHS has issued just three prescriptions for medical cannabis oil since it was legalized for use on the national health care plan two years ago.

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Aurora Reports Small Revenue Increase In Q1 2021 Report

11/09/2020

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Canadian cannabis company Aurora reported a slight increase in 2021 Q1 revenue over the fourth quarter of last year, from $67.5 million to $67.8 million, but the company reported an adjusted EBITDA loss of $57.9 million in the quarter which, it said, “includes restructuring payments such as contract and employee termination costs of $47.4 million.”

As of November 6, Aurora’s cash balance was about $250 million, according to figures outlined in a press release.

“Excluding these impacts,” the company said, “Adjusted EBITDA loss, as defined under the term credit facility, is $10.5 million. Aurora was in full compliance with its September 30, 2020 term debt covenants.” The company said its goal remains “to achieve positive Adjusted EBITDA in Q2 2021.”

CEO Miguel Martin described the Q1 results as “transitional” but “highlighting successes across a number of diverse profit pools,” including leading Canada’s medical market by revenue, a 40 percent revenue growth increase in international medical cannabis business, and the company’s Reliva CBD products number one Nielsen ranking in the U.S.

“While we are not satisfied with our past performance in the growing Canadian consumer business, we have a sense of urgency in the execution of our tactical plan to grow profitable market share. Our efforts are directed at delivering the highest quality products, refocusing on our leading premium and ultra-premium brands, better allocating our sales and marketing spend, and executing key account partnerships at both the province and retail levels.” – Martin in a statement

The company reported a 3 percent decrease in consumer cannabis revenues (to $34.3 million) from last quarter but a $3.6 million increase in consumer cannabis extract net revenue driven by vapes, edibles, and concentrates, led by a $1.1 million increase in U.S. CBD sales. The company’s medical cannabis net revenues increased 4 percent (to $33.5 million), which was “primarily attributable to a strong performance in the international medical business, which grew 41 percent quarter over quarter,” the company said.

Selling, General and Administrative — including research and development — was $46.9 million in Q1 2021, down $19.6 million, the company said, attributing the decline to the firm’s Business Transformation Plan. The company also reported a $3.2 million decline in capital expenditures from $16.4 million in Q4 2020 to $13.2 million in Q1 2021.

“Aurora continues to execute its announced plan for reducing production and complexity through the closure of five cultivation facilities,” the company said, noting that three facilities are now fully closed.

The firm indicated it remains Canada’s leading medical cannabis company by net revenues.

Note: All figures in Canadian dollars.

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FBI Raids Offices and Homes of California Officials in Cannabis Corruption Probe

11/06/2020

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The Federal Bureau of Investigation last week raided the offices and homes of officials in California as part of a cannabis-related corruption inquiry, the Southern California News Group reports. Search warrants were executed at the office of Baldwin Park City Attorney Robert Tafoya, and the homes of Compton Councilman Isaac Galvan and San Bernardino County Planning Commissioner Gabriel Chavez.

FBI spokeswoman Laura Eimiller confirmed the searches to the News Group but did not outline specifics about the action because the warrants are sealed. She indicated that there were no arrests made as part of the probe.

Chavez said he was “mystified as anyone else” by the raid during which agents only seized his laptop. Later, he said, he turned in his cell phone to the FBI’s West Covina field office.

According to a Los Angeles Times report, the investigation stems from a sworn declaration by a former Baldwin Park Police officer – who helps oversee the industry in the city – alleging that three cannabis operators had reported “questionable business practices, which included paying as much as $250,000 cash in a brown paper bag to city officials.”

Mark Werksman, an attorney representing Tafoya, declined to provide details but, in a statement, said the city attorney “shares the federal government’s interest in rooting out corruption in the cannabis industry and prosecuting political corruption of any kind.”

Baldwin Park officials came under fire in 2017 for granting an exclusive permit to Rukli Inc. to distribute cannabis produced in the city. A lawsuit challenging that permit was denied by a judge, according to the Times.

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New York Gov. Predicts Legalization Next Session as State ‘Desperate for Funding’

11/06/2020

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New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) on Thursday said the upcoming legislative year is “ripe” for passing adult-use cannabis laws “because the state is desperate for funding,” according to a North Country Public Radio report.

“Even with Biden, even with the stimulus, we’re still going to need funding. I think we’re going to get there this year.” – Cuomo to NCPR

Former Vice President Joe Biden, the Democratic presidential nominee, has not formally won the presidency as of Friday morning.

Cuomo’s comments come just days after New Jersey voters approved a legalization ballot initiative and less than a month after Vermont lawmakers approved legislation to allow a taxed and regulated cannabis marketplace. Cannabis sales in neighboring Massachusetts launched in 2018 along with sales in Canada. The green wall is closing in on the state and paired with the budget shortfalls pressure is on lawmakers and Cuomo to, finally, pass the reforms.

After years of opposition, the Democratic governor changed his tune in 2018 following a Health Department report supporting the move; however, the State Senate was controlled by Republicans who would not back the reforms. Last year, Democrats took control of the chamber, giving them control of both the Senate and House, but lawmakers couldn’t come to agreements on how the funds would be earmarked and the session ended without a deal.

The Legislature appeared poised this year to approve a legalization measure – Cuomo had included it in his executive budget – but that push was derailed by the coronavirus pandemic as lawmakers refocused their efforts on other issues.

The state estimates legal cannabis tax revenues could reach $700 million annually but is projecting $59 billion in revenue shortfalls through 2022 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

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Anti-Cannabis Group Files Lawsuit Over Montana Legalization Initiative

11/06/2020

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Anti-legalization group Wrong for Montana has filed a post-election lawsuit challenging the voter-approved legalization measure claiming the financial allocation provisions in the measure violate the state constitution, the Bozeman Daily Chronicle reports.

Montana voters approved the initiative 57 percent to 43 percent.

Wrong for Montana spokesperson Steve Zabawa, who also serves as the director of SAFE Montana, said the initiative’s wording and promotion are “not transparent” because it proposes that portions of the 20 percent tax on sales be used for conservation, substance abuse treatment, and veterans’ issues.

“Even though this thing got voted in last night doesn’t mean it’s going to be law. There’s a lot more that has to be done, and I think the Montana Supreme Court or the (Helena) District Court will throw this thing out.” – Zabawa to the Daily Chronicle

Dave Lewis, policy advisor to New Approach Montana and former Montana legislator, defended those allocations, telling the Daily Chronicle that the earmarking of funds are proposals – not part of the law – that require legislative approval.

“The Legislature is the only body of the (government) that can appropriate money. We’re not challenging that,” he said in the report. “If one part of this is unconstitutional, everything else still stands. [Zabawa’s] suing to say it’s unconstitutional, the way we talked about the money. Well, if we throw that out, then all the money just goes to the general fund.”

Prior to the election, the state Supreme Court rejected a similar lawsuit brought by Wrong for Montana regarding the appropriation of funds under the measure. However, the court ruled that the lawsuit failed to show the necessary urgency to be heard by the high court – rather than on the merits of the argument – and suggested plaintiffs take the case to district court.

Lewis indicated the initiative includes a severability clause that would protect the remainder of the bill if the proposed allocations are deemed unconstitutional.

The legalization for personal use and cultivation provisions of the measure are scheduled to take effect January 1, while commercial sales would become law on or by October 1.

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Study: Psilocybin Therapy More Effective than Traditional Antidepressants

11/05/2020

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A study of 27 people found that psilocybin therapy was more effective than traditional antidepressant medications, “producing large, rapid, and sustained antidepressant effects in patients with major depressive disorder.”

Alan Davis, an author of the study and a faculty member at both Johns Hopkins University and Ohio State University, described the effect as “more than four times greater” than usual antidepressant medications.

In the study, participants received two doses of psilocybin on different days along with about 11 hours of psychotherapy. The hallucinogen was administered in a supervised yet comfortable setting designed to put patients at ease, Davis told NPR.

“They have a blindfold on, they have headphones on, listening to music. And we really encourage them to go inward and to kind of experience whatever is going to come up with the psilocybin.” – Davis to NPR

Half the study participants began treatment immediately while the rest were waitlisted so they could serve as a comparison group until their own treatment began eight weeks later.

Davis explained that “there was a significant reduction in depression in the immediate-treatment group compared to those in the waitlist.” The effect, he said, “happened within one day after the first session and sustained at that reduced level through the second psilocybin session all the way up to the one-month follow-up.”

Dr. Charles F. Reynolds III, distinguished professor emeritus of psychiatry at the University of Pittsburgh’s School of Medicine and the author of an editorial that accompanied the research, said the study was notable for its scientific rigor and shows “a good deal of promise as a feasible approach to treating particularly chronic forms of depression.”

The study comes in the midst of psychedelic drug law reforms, akin to the medical cannabis push in the 1990s. During Tuesday’s General Election, Oregon voters approved a measure to legalize psilocybin for medical use, while voters in Washington, D.C. decriminalized psychedelic plants, including fungi containing psilocybin.

Voters in Denver, Colorado passed an initiative in May decriminalizing psychedelic mushrooms, while lawmakers in Oakland and Santa Cruz, California passed psilocybin decriminalization measures in June and February, respectively. In September, the Ann Arbor, Michigan City Council passed a resolution decriminalizing psilocybin possession.

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Woman Sues Cop Who Charged Her with Drug Felonies Over Licensed Hemp

11/05/2020

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A woman is suing a Tennessee State Highway Patrol officer after she was fired from her job following being charged with drug-related felonies despite the substance in question being legal, state-licensed, hemp, according to a Law360 report.

Rose M. Hembrook’s lawsuit against Trooper Donald Seiber states that the officer charged her with felony possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, sell or manufacture following a traffic stop in September 2019. During the stop, Hembrook provided the officer with hemp permits from the Tennessee Department of Agriculture and six certificates of analysis from a private laboratory. During the stop – for seatbelt and moving violations – two sheriff’s deputies also explained to Seiber that the farm had been investigated and the hemp permits were legitimate and in order.

“Trooper Seiber failed to examine and willfully ignored the readily available exculpatory evidence presented by both Ms. Hembrook and the two sheriff’s deputies. The exculpatory evidence provided to Trooper Seiber defeats any probable cause he had to arrest Ms. Hembrook.” – Hembrook’s attorneys in the complaint

In March, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation submitted its own forensic chemistry report to Seiber stating that the substance was hemp. That month Seiber initiated another traffic stop and, in her complaint, Hembrook said she pulled into an auto shop and ran into the building, calling for help and demanding another officer be called in. The complaint says during that stop she was harassed and intimidated before being placed under arrest for evading, resisting, and disorderly conduct.

All charges stemming from both cases were dropped in July.

Hembrook is suing for two counts of false arrest and two counts of malicious prosecution. She is seeking punitive and compensatory damages, pre- and post-judgment interest, attorney fees and litigation costs, and a judgment that Seiber violated her constitutional rights.

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The Biggest Loser on Election Day? The Drug War

11/05/2020

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With so much uncertainty hanging over an election marred by intense polarization and partisanship, one thing is clear: legalizing marijuana is an issue with broad, bipartisan support. Ballot initiatives to legalize marijuana for adult or medical use passed overwhelmingly in five states on Tuesday bringing the total number of states with adult-use legalization laws to 15, and legal medical marijuana states to 36.

But not all legalization measures are created equal. Only two of the night’s successful initiatives included provisions that would provide for retroactive relief for those still suffering from the criminalization of cannabis.

Arizona may have seen the biggest shift in the way the state classifies cannabis offenses. Currently, Arizona is the only state where first-time possession of any amount of marijuana is considered a felony offense. The newly passed Proposition 207 not only amends criminal penalties for marijuana possession and creates a regulated market for legal sales, but also creates a mechanism for the expungement of prior, low-level cannabis offenses.

The inclusion of any kind of retroactive relief in Arizona — where hundreds of thousands of lives have been impacted by prohibitionist laws which disproportionately impact the state’s communities of color (Hispanic people in the state are sentenced to significantly longer jail and prisons sentences than their white counterparts and on average, Black people are three times more likely to be arrested for marijuana possession than white people) — is a big win.

Similarly in Montana, where racial disparities in marijuana arrests are the highest in the nation, the successfully passed Initiative 190 allows an individual currently serving a sentence for a prior low-level marijuana offense to apply for resentencing or an expungement of the conviction. This is the only ballot measure or piece of legislation to provide for resentencing for those currently serving a marijuana sentence since the passage of California’s Prop. 64.

These provisions, though, are just the starting point for repairing the past harms of prohibition. We know that resentencing and expungement laws that are petition-based, as both of these measures are, are susceptible to an “uptake gap” which occurs when individuals are forced to navigate a complex and expensive legal process in order to clear their records. Petitioning the state is a complicated, expensive, and time-consuming process, doubly-so for those without formal legal training and/or the resources to engage an attorney.

The data shows that when expungement is not automatic, only a small fraction of eligible individuals receive them. In Denver for instance, where cannabis has been legal since 2012, less than 1% of all individuals eligible for the state’s expungement law have successfully vacated their convictions, a trend which is consistent across the country.

Beyond the barriers to accessing these petition-based laws, the class of offenses which are eligible for either expungement or resentencing are incredibly narrow in scope. These retroactive relief measures are limited to possession of two and one-half ounces or less and cultivating no more than six cannabis plants for personal use in Arizona, and one ounce or less and up to four plants in Montana. The provisions as drafted are silent as to charges which often accompany cannabis-related offenses such as conspiracy, money-laundering, and possession with intent to distribute. Nor do they contemplate an individual who may have been originally convicted on a marijuana-related offense but who ultimately pled to a different, potentially lesser offense.

Despite the limitations of these initiatives and the work that still needs to be done to ensure that any state which is set to legalize in the upcoming year is also providing relief for those still suffering under unjust marijuana laws, the passage of these initiatives, along with broader drug reform measures like Oregon’s Measure 110 which decriminalized all drugs for personal use and possession, are undoubtedly signs of monumental progress for criminal justice and drug policy reform across the country, signaling the imminent demise of the failed war on drugs.

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Florida High School Dean & Military Vet Fired for Medical Cannabis Use

11/05/2020

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A high school dean in Florida was fired on Wednesday by the Marion County School Board for using medical cannabis, the Ocala Star-Banner reports. Mike Hickman, who is also a military veteran, uses medical cannabis for pain stemming from surgeries related to his combat wounds.

In November 2019, Hickman broke up a fight at the school and was injured in the process, the report says. He had to report to a worker’s compensation physician for treatment and tested positive for cannabis during the visit. The superintendent of schools subsequently fired him for failing the drug test and an administrative law judge upheld the termination; however, the judge said the Marion County School Board could choose to suspend him instead.

The board offered Hickman a 20-day suspension without pay rather than termination if he stopped using medical cannabis – which is a violation of the Marion County Public Schools’ drug-free workplace policies. Hickman declined the offer and was fired.

Hickman’s attorney, Mark Herdman, called the 5-0 ruling “another unfortunate decision handed down by the Marion County School Board to fire yet another good employee.”

Chris Altobello, an executive director for the local teachers’ union, the Marion Education Association, decried the decision, saying Hickman “was no more impaired than someone who took an aspirin for a headache” and that the board “implied that this is tantamount to smoking pot in the boys bathroom.”

“Imagine if this employee just sat back and let the two students continue to fight without regard for their safety, we wouldn’t be here right now. Or if we were, it would have been for not intervening.” – Altobello to the Star-Banner

School officials argued that cannabis use is a violation of federal law and if they continued to employ Hickman the school could lose federal funding. In the ruling, Judge Suzanne Van Wyk said Hickman didn’t notify his supervisor that he was using medical cannabis as the board policy requires. She noted that he would be allowed “to continue teaching under the influence of opioid pain medications, which he took for years prior to the availability of medical marijuana.”

The board did agree to clarify its policies on medical cannabis. It is illegal under Florida law for medical cannabis patients to report to work under the influence.

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How COVID-19 Spurred a Technological Transformation in the Cannabis Industry

11/04/2020

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Traditionally, the cannabis industry has been powered by brick-and-mortar retail sales by dispensaries. But since 2020, cannabis is far from stuck in this traditional approach to driving sales and we are beginning to see glimpses of the future of the cannabis industry. In this article, we’ll dig into how the cannabis industry may transform to be predominantly online and how cannabis businesses will adapt to various changes brought on by COVID-19.

Shifting to Local Delivery

2020 has been an extremely trying year and has forced many businesses to shift and adapt to COVID-19. Although these changes have been difficult for many cannabis businesses, it’s also created a major shift in how the cannabis industry conducts itself. In 2020, even a major seed bank like Crop King Seeds had to change their business quite drastically. Prior to COVID-19, Crop King Seeds relied heavily on their physical location in Vancouver where they sold hundreds of cannabis seeds and accessories per day. But when the virus started to impact foot traffic to their store, they began experimenting with local delivery and eventually shifted to the nationwide delivery of their seeds.

They began having employees deliver orders to local customers while taking both online and phonecall orders. This shift in job responsibilities allowed employees to keep their positions and allowed them to safely fulfill orders. They also had setups of “curb-side” pickup where customers would wait in their cars and have their orders walked out to them, contact-free. Although hopefully in the near future we won’t need to worry about contact-free options, the shift to local delivery options is something that I believe will stick around post-COVID-19.

Delivery options have dramatically increased in the COVID-19 era, especially for the cannabis industry which was deemed essential during most pandemic-related lockdowns.

Improving Ecommerce Experience and Worldwide Shipping

As mentioned earlier, COVID-19 has had a huge impact on the amount of physical traffic your business will receive. This could potentially destroy businesses that rely solely on foot traffic. Businesses experienced with worldwide shipping, however, are presented with the opportunity to become a leader in the cannabis industry during this period. ILoveGrowingMarijuana, a seed bank based in Amsterdam, has been experimenting with shipping cannabis seeds online worldwide for the past few years, but they’ve really committed to this during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Shipping cannabis seeds online faces a large number of hurdles and challenges such as laws and regulations in multiple countries, germination guarantees, and shipping processes. That being said, during this time period, Growers Choice made the effort to adapt their shipping process to ensure that customers were receiving their seeds without issue. They began by completely revamping their online website, which in turn made the purchase and payment experience much easier for customers. Additionally, they began identifying logistical issues that were causing slow shipping times and began fulfilling orders in-house which helped to improve order and fulfillment times.

A woman uses her mobile phone to issue a digital payment.

Will These Industry Changes Stick Around After COVID-19?

As the cannabis industry continues to grow in both recreational and medicinal popularity across the world, the industry is going to continue to advance. As mentioned previously, COVID-19 has caused many industries to shift how they conduct business to adapt to health and safety guidelines, and the cannabis industry is no different. So once COVID-19 is under control and the world starts to return to normal, will we see these industry changes toward local delivery and worldwide shipping stick around?

I believe we will. As cannabis becomes legal and more widespread throughout the world, the demand for high-quality and convenient cannabis products is going to continue to climb. This means there will be more customers looking for cannabis businesses that they value and trust.

If the Amazon business model of the past 10-15 years has taught us anything, it’s that customers will repeatedly use a business that provides a convenient value to them, such as the delivery of cannabis products. Although this initiative will force cannabis businesses to shift and adapt, it will also allow them to potentially have a larger client base. There’s a reason the cannabis industry has been named the “Green Rush,” and that’s because it’s a vastly growing market, and any business that can provide additional value to its potential customers will grab a huge chunk of the marketplace.

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Shifting to Local Delivery

Improving Ecommerce Experience and Worldwide Shipping

Will These Industry Changes Stick Around After COVID-19?

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