Amanda Mac: Organizing a Cannabis Festival Event

7/10/2019

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Amanda Mac has worn numerous hats in the cannabis industry, including running an educational series for fellow cannabis professionals, co-hosting a radio show with activist Stacy Bloch, and working with a variety of brands. We recently caught up with Amanda to discuss her vision for Bellingham Budfest, a festival coming to Bellingham, WA on July 14, and the process of coordinating the inaugural celebration, including working with city officials, business owners, and citizens.

Check out the interview below!

Ganjapreneur: What is the venue / location of the event? What types of amenities / presentations / performances will there be?

Amanda Mac: Bellingham Budfest 2019 will be held at beautiful Zuanich Point Park, 2600 N Harbor Loop Dr, Bellingham, WA 98225, right on the waterfront. The event will feature seven bands, eight silent disco DJ acts, five educational panels and even a cannabis infusion demo in the boathouse. There will be a silent disco, a glass gallery featuring local artists, and many other vendors including I-502 licensees. We are a Towards Zero Waste festival and have partnered with Eco Crews and Sustainable Connections to help us achieve this goal. We will be the first festival in Whatcom County to require our food vendors only use compostable materials. Weedmaps is sponsoring a water bottle refilling station to encourage attendees to bring their own water bottle, as we are forbidding the sale and give away of single use plastics like water bottles.

What was it like coordinating and cooperating with the relevant authorities? Were they hesitant or skeptical initially?

We have focused on uniting the community behind this event. This angle has gone a long way towards bringing together the relevant players such as the City and Port of Bellingham, Bellingham Police and the Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board. Every battle that we thought would have to be fought has turned into another opportunity to advance our goals of normalizing and legitimizing Cannabis in our community. This is the right time and Bellingham is the right place to take the idea of a Cannabis celebration to the next level.

How did you first get involved in the cannabis industry, and what inspired you to pursue event organizing in cannabis?

The cannabis industry is in need of the next generation of cannabis events that combines the industry with the community in a way that promotes tourism and safe use. I’ve been passionate about the movement since I wrote my first college research paper about legalizing cannabis at 18 years old. Event organization has been the number one passion of mine throughout my life and the idea for Bellingham Budfest struck me within days of moving to Bellingham.

What is the biggest challenge facing the Washington State cannabis industry right now? How about the industry as a whole?

Unnecessary restrictions on everything from packaging to advertising and on and on. Now that we’re several years in and the sky hasn’t fallen, perhaps treating Cannabis on par with alcohol would be a logical step. Reforming the mission of the LCB is a good idea as well. They are too focused on the punitive aspect and not focused enough on assisting licensees to conform to regulations. They lack uniformity in interpretation and enforcement of law. Individual agents have too much autonomy in how they do their jobs. An agent in Chelan County should make the same decision that an agent in Whatcom County does. This is often not the case.

What do you think the timeline for a major cannabis policy shift at the federal level looks like? What would be the ideal outcome?

There will be a fundamental shift in Federal policy in the next two years, likely less than two in our opinion. An ideal outcome initially would be for the Feds to allow individual states to set policy for themselves and to allow inter-state commerce between states. Federal guidelines for international export/import would also help us regain some lost ground. More Federal dollars for scientific research would also help us catch up to other nations.

What advice would you give to someone thinking about starting a business or finding a career in the cannabis industry?

Be aware of the risks involved. Starting any type of business is risky and trying to prosper in the highly competitive, over-regulated Cannabis Industry is far riskier than most. But if you’re willing to do the long hours, be super flexible and agile in the market, and pour all your creative juice into it, the reward of being involved in something so historic and right is hard to beat.

To learn more about Bellingham Budfest, visit their website.

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Florida’s Cannabis Vertical Integration Rules Found ‘Unconstitutional’

7/10/2019

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Florida’s 1st District Court of Appeals has ruled that the legislature-approved medical cannabis rules created an “oligopoly” and are inconsistent with the constitutional amendment approved by voters in 2016, the Orlando Sentinel reports. The regulations, passed during a special legislative session in 2017, required vertical integration – allowing a limited number of businesses to control all aspects of the medical cannabis supply chain.

The case against the state was brought by Florigrown and last year Leon Circuit Court Judge Charles Dodson ruled in favor of the company, deciding that regulations approved by lawmakers improperly carried out the amendment.

Florigrown CEO Adam Elend told the Sentinel the ruling is a “game-changer.”

“It drops a bomb on the current licensing scheme. It’s just changing the whole regime. People are not getting medicine. The dispensaries are out of stock all the time. The products are limited, and the prices are high. That’s what happens in an oligopoly and that’s what we have.” – Elend, to the Sentinel

Joe Redner, a Tampa strip-club operator and one of Florigrown’s owners, called the ruling a “good thing for the state of Florida.”

“If the Legislature can create oligarchies in any field, it’s crony capitalism,” he said in the report. “They’re picking winners and losers. And that’s not fair. It’s not right. It’s not constitutional,”

Redner had previously sued the state – and won – over the ban on patients growing their own medical cannabis. That case was appealed by the Health Department and is still working its way through the court system.

In Tuesday’s decision, judges Scott Makar, James Wolf and T. Kent Wetherell wrote in the majority opinion that the legislature-approved rules “amend the constitutional definition of [medical marijuana treatment centers]” and force cannabusinesses to “conform to a more restricted definition” than the amendment approved by citizens.

While the judges concluded that “it is in the public interest” for the Health Department to license non-vertically integrated cannabis operators “without applying unconstitutional statutory provisions” they are not requiring the agency to act immediately.

In Florida, medical cannabis business licenses sell regularly for about $50 million. The decision will likely cause the prices of those licenses to drop as the Health Department complies with the court decision.

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Jay-Z Joins Caliva as Chief Brand Strategist

7/10/2019

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California cannabis company Caliva has added Jay-Z as its chief brand strategist, Rolling Stone reports. A large part of his role includes social justice issues surrounding cannabis legalization and he will also help the company with creative decisions, including outreach efforts and strategy.

Jay-Z’s social justice efforts will include “advocacy, job training and overall employee and workforce development” for previously incarcerated people seeking to enter the cannabis space, according to the report.

“Anything I do, I want to do correctly and at the highest level. With all the potential in the cannabis industry, Caliva’s expertise and ethos make them the best partners for this endeavor. We want to create something amazing, have fun in the process, do good and bring people along the way.” – Jay-Z, in a statement, via Rolling Stone

According to the report, Jay-Z approached Caliva, which CEO Dennis O’Malley called “humbling.”

“To find that we were in complete alignment around our values and ethos was just a home run,” O’Malley said in a statement. “We believe this partnership is unparalleled in this or any business and we could not be more pleased to be working with him and have him as our Chief Brand Strategist.”

While Jay-Z is not launching a brand, he is the latest rapper to enter the cannabis industry. Snoop Dogg launched Leafs by Snoop in 2015; 2 Chainz formed the Gas Cannabis Co. last year; Wiz Khalifa, Juicy J, and Freddie Gibbs each have their own strains; and B-Real of Cypress Hill opened a dispensary in California in 2018.

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Hawaii Gov. Allows Decriminalization Law to Take Effect Without Signature

7/10/2019

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Hawaii Gov. David Ige has allowed a cannabis decriminalization bill to take effect without his signature while vetoing a measure to allow patients to transport medical cannabis products between islands and another to make permanent the state’s industrial hemp cultivation program.

According to a Hill report, the decriminalization bill makes possession of three grams or less of cannabis a violation, punishable by a $130 fine. The Marijuana Policy Project notes that the three-gram threshold is “the smallest amount of any state that has decriminalized (or legalized) simple possession of marijuana.” Previously, getting caught possessing any cannabis in Hawaii was punishable by $1,000 fines and 30 days in jail. The new law takes effect Jan. 11, 2020.

In a release, the governor’s office indicated Ige vetoed the medical cannabis transport law due to federal law.

“Both the airspace and certain areas of water fall within the exclusive jurisdiction of the federal government. This bill may lead travelers, acting in reliance on this provision, to erroneously believe they are immune from federal prosecution.” – June 24 veto message from Ige’s office

The notice indicates that the governor also has concerns about the plan over the roles of the state departments of transportation and public safety.

Ige is vetoing the hemp legislation over concerns that the licensing structure outlined in the bill “cannot be enforced” and that it wouldn’t “meet [U.S. Department of Agriculture] requirements for an approved industrial hemp program.”

Under the 2018 federal Farm Bill, which removed hemp from the Controlled Substances Act, the USDA must approve state hemp program plans.

Ige’s office also indicated that the hemp bill “creates practical problems in the enforcement of existing medical cannabis.”

The hemp bill passed in late April and state Rep. Richard Creagan (D) – who served on one of the conference committees that passed the bill – told the Hawaii Tribune-Herald that he had expected Ige to sign the bill. Hawaii does have an active hemp pilot program but there are just 17 licensed farmers participating.

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Study: Teen Cannabis Use Declines Post-Legalization

7/09/2019

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A recent study has found an 8 percent decline in the number of high schoolers who have used cannabis within the last 30 days, and a 9 percent drop among teenagers who have used cannabis 10 times in the last month, suggesting that cannabis use among youth may decline following recreational legalization.

The JAMA Pediatrics-published study from researchers in Montana, Oregon, Colorado, and California, focused on data from high school surveys in states with legalized medical and recreational cannabis use.

“…There was no evidence that the legalization of medical marijuana encourages marijuana use among youth. Moreover, the estimates … showed that marijuana use among youth may actually decline after legalization for recreational purposes.” — “Association of Marijuana Laws With Teen Marijuana Use,” JAMA Pediatrics, July 8

The researchers note that the decline is consistent with previous research that concluded: “it is more difficult for teenagers to obtain marijuana as drug dealers are replaced by licensed dispensaries that require proof of age.”

Mark Anderson, an associate professor at Montana State University and the first author of the paper, suggested to CNN that the team’s research is “the most credible to date in the literature” because the study was “based more on policy variation than prior work.”

The study analyzed data from high school surveys from 1993 to 2017 – about 1.4 million student surveys – from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s annual national Youth Risk Behavior Surveys.

“Because many recreational marijuana laws have been passed so recently, we do observe limited post-treatment data for some of these states,” Anderson said in a CNN interview. “In a few years, it would make sense to update our estimates as more data become available.”

A study published in the American Journal of Health last week found a contrasting result: youth who only use cannabis reached its highest levels ever in 2017 – 6.3 percent – after being just 0.6 percent in 1991. That study also found an increase in dual use of alcohol and marijuana from 3.6 percent in 1991 to 7.6 percent in 2017, while dual use of alcohol and cigarettes declined from 11.8 percent to 1.7 percent.

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Connecticut Opens Hemp Manufacturer Licensing

7/09/2019

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Applicants planning on manufacturing hemp products for human use in Connecticut must pay a $50 application fee and a $250 fee if approved for the two-year permit, according to the agency website. Applicants growing and processing hemp for industrial purposes and retailers do not need DCP licensing, but they do need a permit from the Department of Agriculture.

The program is operating under pilot program rules signed into law by Gov. Ned Lamont in May; last year’s federal farm bill requires U.S. Department of Agriculture approval for final rules for permanent programs.

Consumer Protection Commissioner Michelle H. Seagull told the Middletown Press that she is “pleased” to have gotten the program up and running so quickly after the bill’s signing.

“I want to thank the Department of Agriculture and our legislators for their support in making the start of this program a success. I look forward to this program growing as an important part of the state’s economy, and encourage those with questions about hemp manufacturing to reach out to us.” — Seagull, to the Middletown Press

In his budget, the governor earmarked $136,000 to the Agriculture Department to develop and regulate the industry. The agency is also provided a lab technician to conduct compliance testing for hemp crops.

Bryan Hulburt, former executive director of the Connecticut Farm Bureau who now serves as the Connecticut Agriculture commissioner, noted prior to joining the government that there are a lot of steps that need to be taken in advance by farmers before they even put seeds into the ground, including a USDA seed waiver, seed procurement, financing, and field preparation.

In April, the USDA released guidance for farmers seeking to import hemp seeds from outside the U.S.

Hulburt estimated that 500 pounds to 1,500 pounds of hemp flower could yield between $37,500 to $150,000 per acre.

“Having a high value crop would keep farmers on the land, be an incentive for farmers to put more land into production, attract new farmers to the industry, stabilize farm incomes, add business opportunities for agricultural support businesses, employ more people, support the opportunity for value-added production, and generate more revenue for the state,” Hulburt said in an interview with the Press.

Farmers will have to show that they are doing some research to qualify for the program.

End

A cannabis bud under the purple glow of indoor LED grow lights.

CannTrust Puts 12,000 kg ‘On Hold’ After Health Canada Discipline

7/09/2019

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Health Canada has ruled a greenhouse operated by CannTrust Holdings non-compliant, pushing the company to hold more than 12,000 kilograms of inventory, according to a Canadian Press report.

The agency determined that the company had provided inaccurate information about its Pelham, Ontario greenhouse and placed an inventory hold on about 5,200 kilograms of cannabis flower harvested in the rooms in question. CannTrust placed its own voluntary hold on 7,500 kilograms of equivalent flower products at its Vaughan, Ontario facility that had been produced using flower from the Pelham greenhouse.

The rooms received a license in April, but the company said the flower was grown at the facility from October 2018 to March while it had applications pending for the rooms with Health Canada.

According to a Financial Post report, Health Canada is performing quality inspections on the products at the Pelham facility and those results are expected in 10 to 12 business days. CannTrust indicated there would be a shortage of its products while the agency performs its checks.

Peter Aceto, CEO of CannTrust, told the Financial Post that the company was working with Health Canada “to make this right.”

“We made errors in judgement, but the lessons we have learned here will serve us well moving forward,” he said in the report.

CannTrust is publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange and fell 22.47 percent at the end of trading on Monday. The overall financial losses will not be known until regulators complete their investigation.

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Michigan Releases Emergency Adult-Use Cannabis Rules

7/08/2019

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Under emergency adult-use cannabis industry rules in Michigan, cannabis businesses will be easier to open than medical cannabis businesses, delivery will be allowed, and the door is open for social use, according to an MLive report.

Organizers of special events and festivals will be required to obtain a permit from the state if they want cannabis consumption to be permitted at the event and the state will have a special license for clubs and lounges to allow consumption so long as there are not alcohol or food sales at the establishment.

The rules also eliminate the requirement for adult-use businesses to show they have the funds to start the businesses and licensing fees will be much cheaper than their medical counterparts. According to the rules, a 100-plant “entry-level” recreational cultivation license will cost $4,000 while a 500-plant entry-level medical growing license will cost $10,000. The rules also allow a special license for grows larger than 10,000 plants.

Retail dispensary licenses will range from $20,000 to $30,000, while a medical dispensary license will cost $66,000.

Medical and recreational cannabis products can be sold at the same store; however, the products must be physically separated. Shop owners will be able to use the same entrance and point-of-sale systems for the transactions.

Under the emergency regulations, online mail-order sales, mobile dispensaries, and drive-thrus are prohibited. Recreational businesses will be allowed to obtain clones from current medical producers for their initial grows in an effort to help get the adult-use market off the ground.

The Marijuana Regulatory Agency is set to begin accepting business license applications on November 1 – the same cutoff date for municipalities planning to ban cannabusinesses – and plan on issuing social equity rules for the industry later this month. Adult-use sales are expected no later than March 2020.

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Israel College Offers Medical Cannabis Bachelor’s Program

7/08/2019

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Israel’s Max Stern Yezreel Valley College will offer a bachelor’s degree program in medical cannabis starting next academic year – the first in the country to offer such a program, the Jerusalem Post reports. Third-year students enrolled in the program will have the opportunity to get hands-on experience at cannabis farms and production plants, and attend seminars with industry professionals.

Yezreel Valley College president Prof. Itzhak Harpaz compared the burgeoning cannabis industry with Israel’s cyber industry a decade ago.

“This industry is already characterized by many new ventures and technologies, and it is already clear that its economic potential can reach tens of billions of dollars. We are proud to be the first to develop an academic specialization in the field of medical cannabis. Considering the significant impact that this industry will have on the Israeli economy in the coming years, skilled professionals are required to enter the field of medical cannabis and progress alongside it.” – Harpaz, to the Post

Earlier this year, the government gave final approval to a plan for exporting medical cannabis. Officials estimate the exports could bring $1.09 billion into government coffers. In Israel, cultivation and export permits are granted by the Health Ministry and require law enforcement approval. Last year, the government announced a pilot program to make medical cannabis available in pharmacies.

Throughout the U.S. and Canada, several traditional institutions have announced various degree programs focused on the business and cultivation of cannabis and potential medical applications. Other organizations have launched cannabis-centric schools that focus exclusively on the industry.

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Arkansas Medical Cannabis Sales Top $2M In 2 Months

7/08/2019

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Medical cannabis sales in Arkansas have totaled $2.2 million since the first dispensary opened in the state on May 10, according to Department of Finance and Administration figures outlined by the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. The state has so far registered 15,743 medical cannabis patients and caregivers and licensed five dispensaries.

The sales are higher than Ohio’s first two months, which, according to the Ohio Medical Marijuana Control Program, were just shy of $2 million. Ohio has a significantly larger population than Arkansas.

Doralee Chandler, director of Arkansas Alcoholic Beverage Control, called the sales “some of the strongest in the industry.”

“They have remained consistent with the addition of each dispensary. Based on this pattern, we do not anticipate any decrease in sales for existing dispensaries as new ones open across the state and begin to service the needs of qualifying patients in remaining regions.” – Chandler, to the Democrat-Gazette

The state is set to license another 27 dispensaries – bringing the total to 32 – and five cultivators. Medical cannabis sales are subject to the regular 6.5 percent state sales tax and another 4 percent privilege tax. Since May, the state has collected $47,289 in sales taxes and $55,396 from the privilege tax, according to Finance Department figures.

Dragan Vicentic, owner of Green Springs Medical Dispensary in Hot Springs, told the Democrat-Gazette that the average price-per-gram is about $15 – higher than most other state-legal programs and what can be found in the state’s illicit market – but he expects prices to drop 25 percent to 40 percent once all five cultivation facilities are operational.

Arkansas officials anticipate 40,000 total patients, which would generate $2.5 million in annual sales tax revenues.

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Canopy Growth Board Fires Founder Bruce Linton

7/05/2019

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Canopy Growth founder Bruce Linton has been fired as co-CEO and has been replaced by Mark Zekulin as sole CEO, according to a CNN report. The company announced the shakeup on Wednesday but the company had indicated Linton had “stepped down.”

“I was terminated and the co-CEO is working through a transition position as they search for a new CEO,” Linton said in a CNN interview. According to the report, Zekulin will be out once the company finds a permanent hire. Linton told CNN that Canopy’s board now includes four directors installed by Constellation Brands – an alcohol distributor that owns about 38 percent of Canopy stock – and he had fallen out of favor with those directors.

According to Canopy, Rade Kovacevic, who currently leads the company’s Canadian operations and recreational market strategy, will serve as president.

“Creating Canopy Growth began with an abandoned chocolate factory and a vision. The Board decided today, and I agreed, my turn is over. Mark has been my partner since this Company began and has played an integral role in Canopy’s success. While change is never easy, I have full confidence in the team at Canopy – from Mark and Rade’s leadership to the full suite of leadership – as we progress through this transition and into the future.” – Linton, in a statement

Zekulin said in a statement that the company will “never be the same” without its founder.

“I personally remain committed to a successful transition over the coming year as we begin a process to identify new leadership that will drive our collective vision forward,” he said in a statement. “I know the company will continue to thrive as the Canopy story continues on for years to come.”

Last year, Canopy lost C$670 million on C$226.3 million in revenues, according to the CNN report. Constellation first acquired a 9.9 percent stake in Canopy in 2017.

End

1 in 4 Canadian Cannabis Patients Say Access is Harder Post-Legalization

7/05/2019

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One in four medical cannabis patients in Canada say it is harder to access medical cannabis products since legalization took effect last year, according to a survey by Abacus Data commissioned by Canadians for Fair Access to Medical Marijuana and the Arthritis Society and the Canadian Pharmacists Association.

Of the 1,500 respondents, 39 percent indicated they are medical cannabis patients; compared to 45 percent who had never been a patient and 16 percent who are former patients. Just 19 percent of respondents who identified as patients said obtaining medical cannabis was easier since legalization, compared to 26 percent who said obtaining the products they need is harder, and 55 percent who indicated their access has remained the same.

The survey also found that 38 percent of medical cannabis users “heavily rely” on medical cannabis, along with other treatments, to deal with their symptoms; compared to 32 percent who “somewhat rely” on it and 30 percent who don’t rely on medical cannabis but it “helps with symptoms.” In all, 61 percent of medical cannabis users said they self-medicated, with the majority of patients using cannabis for pain (66 percent); insomnia and anxiety (58 percent); and general stress (51 percent).

Max Monahan-Ellison, vice president of CFAMM, said that in order to have an “effective medical system” for medical cannabis patients, “it needs to be more accessible.”

“This means treating cannabis like other medically authorized treatments by eliminating tax, improving insurance coverage and HCP training, providing convenient distribution through established medical systems like the pharmacy, and more.” — Monahan-Ellison in a statement

Patients also reported using cannabis for arthritis (33 percent); mental health conditions (22 percent); nausea (13 percent), eating disorders (9 percent); cancer (4 percent), multiple sclerosis (3 percent) and epilepsy (3 percent).

In all, 40 percent of patients surveyed said the cost of medical cannabis in Canada had increased either “somewhat” or “significantly” post-legalization, while 29 percent said the cost had remained the same and just 8 percent said the cost had decreased – 23 percent said they were unsure.

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Missouri Gets 500+ Medical Cannabis License Applications

7/05/2019

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More than 500 individuals and businesses have applied to sell medical cannabis in Missouri, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports. In all, the applicants want to open 175 cannabis businesses across the St. Louis metro area.

According to records obtained by the Post-Dispatch, a least nine out-of-state entities are seeking to enter Missouri’s market, applying for at least 25 licenses. Massachusetts-based Curaleaf is seeking eight shops throughout the state. Other applicants are from Kansas, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Arizona, and Tennessee.

According to the report, the industry is expected to be worth about $20 million per year and under the constitutional amendment approved by voters last year, the state must approve 60 commercial cultivators, 86 manufacturers, and 192 dispensaries.

Currently, just two firms are allowed to grow CBD-rich hemp products in the state – the Noah’s Arc Foundation and Beleaf Medical – and both have applied for a medical cannabis license. Other Missouri-based applicants include MoFarma 21, which is run by a retired cardiologist; Arnold Councilman Jason Fulbright; Green Care, run by an attorney; and Bradford Goette, a board member of the Missouri Medical Cannabis Trade Association.

State officials opened the application process for medical cannabis patients early but some in the space don’t expect products to be available to patients until mid-2020. The business pre-licensing application process began in January.

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Impression Healthcare Advances Trial Testing CBD Treatment for Gum Disease

7/04/2019

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Medical cannabis company Impression Healthcare Limited has been approved for a Phase 2a Clinical Trial in Australia investigating the effectiveness of CBD-infused mouthwash and toothpaste products in the fight against gum disease. Specifically, the trial will investigate the products’ safety and effectiveness against Gingivitis and Periodontitis, which are two highly prevalent problems around the world whose treatment have so far been dominated by major pharmaceutical companies.

The trial is the result of concerted efforts by Impression and AXIM Biotechnologies Inc., a U.S.-based manufacturer of pharmaceutical-grade medical cannabis products.

AXIM, a US-based innovator in cannabinoid medicines, will supply the unique mouthwash and toothpaste products for the trial and has agreed to provide commercially available products if the trial proves successful. Impression, which is listed on the Australian Stock Exchange (ticker code ‘IHL’) with a market capitalization of about $20 million, has first right of refusal over all current and future such products by AXIM until June 2022.

“Formal registration of the gingivitis and periodontitis trial represents significant progress in IHL’s medicinal cannabis activities and is the culmination of many months of work by our team and research partners,” said Joel Latham, Impression’s CEO, in a statement. “We are excited to have assembled highly qualified researchers for a world first trial for the use of CBD in treatment of Gingivitis and Gum Disease, which are major problems representing a major market.”

Recent research from Impression’s Australian peer Botanix Pharmaceuticals indicates that CBD could have potent antibiotic properties. Lab tests from that study showed the cannabinoid was killing bacteria, including bacteria highly resistant to existing antibiotics.

Impression believes that, should the anti-inflammatory and antibiotic nature of CBD prove helpful in halting the progress of gum disease, the products will have a strong case for meeting the criteria of Category B under Australia’s Special Access Scheme, administered by the federal Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA). This means that patients — with the approval of their doctor or dentist — would then be able to access the CBD-infused mouthwash and toothpaste products.

“We are confident that the quality of the trial will supply the requisite peer-reviewed data for unique product sales under the SAS and will further develop commercialisation opportunities for our products in this field,” said Mr. Latham.

Impression’s gum disease trial is the first of four separate clinical trials investigating unique cannabinoid products. The other three trials will cover concussion remediation, Sleep Apnea, and TMJ disorders.

Impression’s concussion trial aims to investigate neurological damage after traumatic brain injury as a result of playing Australian-centric sports; namely, the AFL (Australian Rules Football) and the NRL (National Rugby League). Similar product lines are being developed by Canadian companies Aurora Cannabis and Canopy Growth for the UFC and NHL Alumni Association, respectively. 

About Impression Healthcare Limited

Impression Healthcare Ltd (ASX:IHL) has a rapidly expanding medicinal cannabis business with four unique clinical trials driven by the medical community for globally significant markets. The Company has its license to import, export and distribute cannabis products, and sales channels already in place with Australia’s largest distributor of cannabis medicines.

IHL also has strong revenue growth from existing products; including, sports mouthguards for teeth protection and to reduce concussion risk, and sophisticated devices made to combat sleep apnoea, snoring and bruxism. Under this business, Impression offers best-in-class oral devices that are sold direct to the consumer and via our growing B2B Preferred Practitioner Network of Dentists.

Investors: investors@impression.healthcare

Website: www.impression.healthcare

End

Report: CBD in Legal Markets Outpacing THC Sales

7/03/2019

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According to a new report by Headset on the CBD industry, CBD products in legal cannabis markets have grown at a faster rather than their THC-rich counterparts.

According to the report, sales of CBD topicals grew nearly 60 percent while high-THC topicals sales grew just 10 percent in legal markets. Headset found topicals drew the highest sales of non-inhalable CBD products in Colorado and Washington, followed by tinctures and sublingual, edibles, capsules, and beverages.

For CBD edibles, honey, sugar, and sweeteners represented 30 percent of sales, followed by mints (25.7 percent); gummies (21.5 percent); chocolates (17.7 percent); candy, lozenges, and gum (14.8 percent); cookies (11.2 percent); caramels, chews, and taffy (7.8 percent); cooking ingredients (7 percent); and other baked goods (2.3 percent).

“So far in 2019, almost 50 percent” of all dollars spent on [cannabis] edibles were spent on gummies, which is by far the largest segment by total market share,” the report states. “Over 20 percent of that was spent toward CBD products.”

The researchers note that while CBD is becoming more popular, they “don’t think it’s hit a plateau.” The report notes that a third of all non-inhalable product sales are CBD products.

“While hemp-derived CBD has been available almost nationwide for awhile, it only recently hit traditional retail outlets. More consumer familiarity with the compound means more consumers who are comfortable with the idea of cannabis, and clearly some of CBD’s new mainstream audience is making its way into a dispensary.” — Headset’s Understanding the CBD Market in State-Legal Cannabis, June 2019

The report notes that the passage of the Farm Bill has quickened interest in sales at licensed cannabis retailers in legal states.

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New Jersey Gov. Signs Medical Cannabis Expansion Bill

7/03/2019

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New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy has signed the medical cannabis expansion bill which will increase the number of industry licenses in the state, allow for home delivery, and lowers the threshold for patients to qualify for the program, according to an NBC4 report. The Democratic governor had backed the expansion plan after lawmakers were unable to legalize cannabis for adult use during the session.

The reforms will allow patients to buy 3 ounces of cannabis per visit 18 months after the bill takes effect and a commission will establish the limits once it is convened. The measure also allows physician assistants and nurse practitioners to recommend patients for the program and makes qualifying for the program easier by lowering the threshold from debilitating illnesses to “qualifying” conditions.

The measure creates a five-member commission to regulate the program, moving it from the purview of the Health Department. It also phases out the 6.625 percent sales tax over three years.

The bill also creates a new licensing system, creating three new categories for cultivation, processing and dispensing; the current system only has one license that covers all three levels of production and distribution. Under the measure, 15 percent of those new licenses would be made available to minority business owners, and 15 percent for women, veterans, and disabled people. The administration is seeking applications for 24 growers, 30 manufacturers, and 54 dispensaries with 38 in northern New Jersey, 38 in the central region, and 32 in the southern part of the state.

The plan is expected to add nearly 100 dispensaries; currently, there are just six.

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Cannabis Church Founder Announces Candidacy for Indiana Governor

7/03/2019

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First Church of Cannabis Founder Bill Levin is seeking the Libertarian Party nomination for governor of Indiana, according to an NWI Times report. Levin ran as a Libertarian for a state House seat in 2014 and received 11 percent of the vote.

In 2016, Libertarian candidate Rex Bell garnered just 1.3 percent of the vote in the gubernatorial race in a losing effort to Republican incumbent Gov. Eric Holcomb.

Levin, dubbed the “Grand Poohba” and “Minister of Love,” founded the church in response to Indiana’s 2015 “religious freedom law” but the congregation does not use cannabis in its ceremonies. According to the Cannaterian “Deity Dozen” commandments, the church considers cannabis a “healing plant.”

“It brings us closer to ourselves and others. It is our fountain of health, our love, curing us from illness and depression,” Levin wrote in a 2015 memo posted on a GoFundMe site. “We embrace it with our whole heart and spirit, individually and as a group.”

“It’s real simple. It’s love and human compassion versus greed and selfishness. It’s an easy win. Our state needs love, compassion, and good health right now.” – Levin, in an interview with High Times

Levin told High Times that if Indiana were a ballot initiative state, cannabis would have been legalized a decade ago.

“But unfortunately, the GOP controls the state and nobody is talking about ballot initiatives. When I’m elected governor, ballot initiative is one of the things I am going to put on point,” he said in the interview. “We will have it so the people of this state can decide what their future is, rather than the corporations who buy our politicians.”

The church had sued the state over cannabis prohibition, saying it violated their religious freedom. The church was not successful in that case.

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CBD Company Inks Branding Deal with Bellator MMA

7/02/2019

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cbdMD has inked a multi-year promotional deal with mixed martial arts company Bellator that includes in-cage branding. Bellator events are broadcast to nearly 1 billion people in over 160 countries via the Paramount Network and sports streaming service DAZN.

Caryn Dunayer, President of cbdMD, said in a press release that the fight league’s partnership with Viacom/Paramount “will facilitate a unique opportunity to educate athletes and fans about the many benefits of CBD.”

The CBD company sells topicals, capsules, edibles, bath bombs, and tinctures.

According to MMA news site Bloody Elbow, cbdMD sponsored the bout between Lyoto Machida and Chael Sonnen at Bellator 222, which was held last month in New York City.

The other major MMA organization, Ultimate Fighting Championship, announced last month that they would partner with Aurora Cannabis Inc. on CBD’s medicinal properties, according to Bloody Elbow, and that heavyweight Alexey Oleynik had signed a deal to represent ETFMG Alternative Harvest ETF, which is a cannabis-focused, publicly traded exchange fund.

In 2016, UFC star Nate Diaz was investigated by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency over his use of a CBD vape pen. In 2017, former UFC champion Frank Shamrock launched a cannabis-focused talk show.

Last year, Kushy Punch announced a partnership with Vanes “The Nightmare” Martirosyan for his World Middleweight title fight against Gennady “GGG” Golovkin. The fight marked the first time that HBO and the California State Athletic Commission approved a cannabis company as a sponsor for a boxing title contender.

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North Dakota Advocates Aim for 2020 Adult-Use Initiative

7/02/2019

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North Dakota legalization advocates are hoping to put recreational cannabis legalization on the ballot in 2020, two years after a different initiative failed by a 59 to 41 percent margin. This version of the measure would allow adults 21-and-older to possess up to two ounces of cannabis, not allow home-growing or public consumption, and tax sales at 10 percent.

David Owen, leader of Legalize ND, told the Jamestown Sun, that the 2018 initiative was “too vague” and the new version has drawn on regulations in other legal states.

Under the measure, selling to minors and “obviously intoxicated” persons would be a Class A misdemeanor, there would be limits on advertising, penalties for driving under the influence, and employers would be allowed to ban employees from consumption. The bill also includes a requirement that any amount of cannabis over one ounce in a private residence would need to be secured in order to prevent underage use.

The industry would be regulated by a governor-appointed, three-member, non-partisan Marijuana Control Commission. The governor could also choose to appoint a 10-member Marijuana Advisory Board to make recommendations on regulations.

Half of the tax revenues would be allocated to the general fund; 10 percent to Health and Human Services for drug treatment programs; 10 percent to the Department of Education; 10 percent to the Legacy Fund, which is controlled by the Retirement and Investment Office; 10 percent to Parks and Recreation; and 10 percent to the Commerce Department for workforce development.

According to the report, another group is hoping to put a constitutional amendment to voters that would end cannabis prohibition in the state altogether. The legislature recently passed a law removing the criminal penalties for possession of less than a half-ounce from a misdemeanor to an infraction.

In May, lawmakers in the state moved to study the implications of legalization with a possible ballot initiative in mind.

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Cannabis Investment Firm Attorney Running for Kansas U.S. Senate Seat

7/02/2019

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Barry Grissom, a former U.S. attorney who currently serves as corporate counsel for Nevada-based medical cannabis investment firm Electrum Partners, is running for a U.S. Senate seat in Kansas, the Kansas City Star reports. If elected, Grissom would end an 80-plus-year drought for Kansas Democrats in the Senate.

“My position on cannabis use, whether adult use or medical use I believe that’s something every state should have the right to decide. When I was the United States attorney, the federal prosecutor, I had what I believe was a unique perspective. Cannabis prohibition doesn’t work. I’m very pro-law enforcement. When we spend money going after folks in the cannabis business I think it’s a waste of taxpayer money.” – Grissom, to the Star

Last year, Grissom caught headlines in the state when he called cannabis’ Schedule I federal designation “absurd” – despite prosecuting cannabis crimes. During remarks at a conference held by the Missouri Cannabis Industry Association, Grissom referred to cannabis advocates as patriots standing up for liberty.

“I soon became a true believer that enforcement of cannabis laws was immoral,” he said at the conference during his keynote remarks, according to a Star report. The speech led to the group’s Associate Chairman Dan Viets to refer to Grissom as one of the most “outspoken, articulate and effective advocates” for legalization.

In May, Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly signed the bill to legalize a low-THC medical cannabis program – Kansas had previously been just one of three states without any medical cannabis law on the books, either CBD or full plant.

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California Church Files Lawsuit Over Cannabis Crop Raid

7/01/2019

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A California church that uses cannabis as a sacrament is suing the state following a law enforcement raid, claiming that officials violated their First and Fourth Amendment rights, according to a report by Kelley Lincoln of Redheaded Blackbelt. The June 11 raid on the Redwood Spiritual Healing Ministry led to the seizure of all of the church’s plants.

The suit argues that the County of Humboldt and the state Department of Fish and Wildlife violated their First Amendment right of religious freedom and their Fourth Amendment right of due process. The lawsuit also argues that the CDFW search warrant did not include that the property was a church when it was given to the judge to sign off on. Additionally, the lawsuit claims that officials violated the Fourth Amendment by destroying the crops before the case could be taken to trial.

Attorney Matthew Pappas noted that “it’s not the job of law enforcement to execute punishment,” including destroying property.

“When you go in with a search warrant, it is the investigatory stage. It is not the time when you execute a judgement and render punishment and that’s what these law enforcement folks are doing.” – Pappas, to Redheaded Blackbelt

Last year, Pappas, on behalf of the church, told officials the property was legally a church after the property had received an abatement notice.

CDFW spokesperson Janice Mackey defended the action of the agency, saying that the plants were being cultivated illegally since the church never received a license from either the state or county to cultivate cannabis.

“As part of the licensing process, cultivators are required to check in with CDFW to either apply for a Lake and Streambed Alteration Agreement or written verification that one is not needed,” she said in the report. “If we suspect illegal cultivation activity near a sensitive watershed, we have various avenues to check for compliance.”

Those “various avenues” she said include “breaking locks, cutting [cables], taking down netting on plants or forcing entry into a locked door.” The plants destroyed in the raid were grown in several greenhouses.

“We will eradicate plants that are not permitted or licensed by the state,” Mackey said. “We focus our efforts on those sites doing the most environmental damage.”

The lawsuit is seeking for all of the church’s seized property to be returned, a permanent injunction prohibiting law enforcement from raiding the property over cannabis cultivation, and attorney and lawsuit costs.

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Idaho Advocates Preparing for 2020 Medical Cannabis Ballot Initiative

7/01/2019

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Advocates in Idaho are launching a ballot initiative push to legalize medical cannabis in the state in 2020, according to a report from Grizzle. The organizers have 10 months to gather 55,057 petition signatures to put the issue to voters during next year’s general election.

The drive by the Idaho Cannabis Coalition is led by John Belville, a former addiction counselor who suffers from peripheral neuropathy. Belville told Grizzle he has purchased cannabis oil from neighboring Oregon to treat his condition rather than prescription pain killers. He called Idaho a “prohibition island” bordered by recreational-use states – Washington, Oregon, and Nevada – along with Montana and Utah which have medical cannabis programs. Idaho is also bordered by Canada, which allows adult-cannabis sales and use federally.

On New Year’s Day, recreational legalization advocates in the state – Legalize Idaho and Idaho Moms for Marijuana – held a rally at the capitol building supporting the broader reforms.

Ballot initiatives to legalize medical cannabis in Idaho have failed four times in the past. In 2012 and 2014, advocates were unable to collect enough signatures to put the issue to voters; in 2016 the petition was withdrawn even before signatures were counted. Last year the effort was led by the Idaho Medical Marijuana Association which stopped collecting signatures five months before the midterm elections. The now-defunct organization’s President Tesla Gillespie said at that time that the group wasn’t sufficiently funded to collect enough signatures.

In 2015, lawmakers did approve a bill to legalize CBD products for epileptic children; however, then-Gov. Butch Otter vetoed the plan. In 2018, the state House passed a CBD legalization bill with a veto-proof majority, but the Senate never voted on the measure.

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New Mexico Officials Won’t Qualify Out-of-State Cannabis Patients Despite Law Changes

7/01/2019

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New Mexico non-residents are not allowed to apply for a medical cannabis card in the state despite an amendment to the law that deleted the residency requirement from the definition of “qualified patient,” the Albuquerque Journal reports. The amendment does allow out-of-state medical cannabis patients to access the state program while in the state starting in 2020.

State Department of Health officials told the Journal that allowing non-residents to obtain a medical cannabis card would encourage transport of the products across state lines, which violates both state and federal laws.

“For this and other reasons, the department does not believe it would reasonable to interpret the statute as permitting nonresidents to enroll in the New Mexico Medical Cannabis Program.” — Health Department spokesman David Morgan, to the Journal.

Licensed medical cannabis company Ultra Health LLC is threatening to file a lawsuit against the agency if it fails to adopt the non-resident rule within 14 days. CEO Duke Rodriguez said that “every attorney” the company has had review the amendment has indicated “there’s no dispute” with the language.

The Health Department said they would comply with the reciprocity rules but would not change the residency requirements.

The recent legislature-approved changes also sparked some confusion for individuals in the custody of the Corrections Department, namely inmates and those awaiting trial. The law includes language stating that persons “serving a period of probation or parole or who is in the custody or under the supervision of the state or a local government pending trial as part of a community supervision program shall not be penalized for conduct” permitted by the state’s medical cannabis law.

Rodriguez contends that the language would allow inmates to use medical cannabis while incarcerated.

“Inmates, by law, must be provided reasonable health care by the state. If medical cannabis is a sanctioned activity by the state, then it seems logical by public policy that these inmates would have reasonable access,” he said in an April interview with NM Political Report. “I’m not sure why there would be any confusion.”

Ultra Health has previously sued the state as part of a 2016 lawsuit over plant caps that ultimately raised cultivation limits for licensed producers from 450 to 2,5000.

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Oregon Congressmen Introduce Interstate Cannabis Commerce Bill

6/28/2019

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U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-Oregon) and Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-Oregon) have introduced legislation that, if approved, would allow Oregon to move forward with its plan to export cannabis to border states with legalized use.

The State Cannabis Commerce Act would expand the ban on federal interference on cannabis programs – which have been approved in various forms through budget agreements since 2014.

In a release announcing the bill’s introduction, Wyden called on the federal government to “end its senseless and out of touch prohibition” of cannabis, while emphasizing that the current “gap between state and federal laws will only grow more confusing for both legal businesses and consumers” as more states legalize.

“As we fight for that ultimate goal, however, Congress can and should immediately act to protect the will of Oregonians and voters in other states from federal interference – and that should include interstate cannabis commerce.” – Wyden, in a press release

Earlier this year, the Oregon Congressmen introduced a package of bills to end federal cannabis prohibition and tax and regulate cannabis products. Last week, the House passed a Blumenauer-sponsored amendment to protect state-approved cannabis programs from federal interference.

“This week, we are turning to a top priority for Oregonians – allowing for interstate sale of cannabis,” Blumenauer said in a statement. “It’s past time we protect the states, like Oregon, that have gotten it right.”

Oregon’s recently-approved cannabis export law requires federal approval before a company can send a product to another state – namely Washington state, California, or Nevada. The measure follows a report earlier this year by the Oregon Liquor Control Commission that found the state has six-and-a-half years of cannabis oversupply based on current demand.

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