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Vireo Health International Begins Trading on Canadian Securities Exchange

3/21/2019

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American medical cannabis company Vireo Health International, Inc. has begun trading on the Canadian Securities Exchange under the ticker symbol “VREO,” the company announced Wednesday.

Vireo currently has operations in Minnesota, New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Rhode Island, and Ohio.

Dr. Kyle Kingsley, Vireo’s CEO, called the listing “an historic milestone” for the company.

“We believe that science will drive the lion’s share of long-term opportunity in the cannabis industry. From novel, efficient, scaled processing equipment, to proprietary consumer products and our expansive intellectual property portfolio, Vireo has positioned itself as the cannabis company of the future.” – Kingsley, in a statement

Previously, Vireo raised more than $50 million through a brokered and non-brokered private placement offering in combination with Darian Business Development Corp.

The listing is the first public cannabis listing of 2019, according to Vice President of Corporate Communications Albe Zakes.

Canadian stock markets have been a haven for some American companies who could not otherwise list for public trading.

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4Blooms.Guru Announces APEX Branding Workshop for Cannabis, Hemp, and CBD Companies

3/20/2019

by Featured Announcement

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San Diego, March 20, 2019 — 4Blooms.Guru, a national marketing agency for cannabis companies announces the APEX Branding Workshop which explores and crafts a cannabis, hemp or CBD brand. The problem they’ve observed is many companies are struggling to find their voice and can’t clearly articulate their mission, products, and services — visually or through words.

As a consequence, brands waste time and money executing weak marketing campaigns because the messaging isn’t built on a solid foundation of their origin story. This is where their APEX session intercedes and helps create the focal point for high-quality engagement, growth and success.

“An authentic voice can be the difference between a good brand and a great brand. Without a unique, recognizable branding approach, your products and services will get lost in the crowd, no matter how excellent they may be.” — Susan Rust, CEO, 4Blooms.Guru

A few of the most common branding and marketing issues clients have expressed include:

Don’t know their own brand story or how to communicate it
Don’t know their ideal target customers or want a different fan base
Spending money but ROI is weak
Site traffic is acceptable but conversions and sales are underperforming

The APEX Branding Workshop addresses these concerns and so much more.

What is 4Blooms.Guru’s APEX Branding Workshop?

4Blooms.Guru’s APEX Branding Workshop is a fully customized, proprietary half-day workshop created by national cannabis marketing company, 4Blooms.Guru. We’ll guide you through our tailor-crafted workshop to identify your origin story and purpose, to help you find and refine the message that resonates with your audience.

From this workshop, arrive at the truth: Why does your brand exist, and why should I care? You know yourself and your company best; what we do is help you identify the deep underlying reasons that inspired to create your company to begin with. Based on the outcome of the branding workshop, we’ll craft a campaign and articulate clearly why people should be a customer and advocate of your company.

How Does the APEX Branding Workshop Work?

Through the use of highly-targeted questions and our custom method for brainstorming, we lead you through an exciting process of self-discovery, reflection, and analysis. As you reach the end of the workshop, you’ll gain a more thorough understanding and expression of important points such as:

What is your company’s purpose?
What does your brand stand for?
What is your Origin Story?
Who are your ideal buyers?
Who is competing in your space?
What sets you apart?
What are the benefits of buying from you?

With that information, we create a custom brand architecture document that with the style guide becomes your company go-to reference book for content, imagery, voice and style for your content, media, print and packaging. Once all of the key brand architecture pieces are all in place and ready to go, we’re then in a much better place to craft a smart branding campaign just for you.

Crafted Campaign Concepts: Express Yourself

Using the workshop as a launching point, we’ll dive into a fully customized branding and marketing campaign that covers these crucial main points:

Campaign theme
Target audience: Where are they? What influences them?
Channel distribution (social media, YouTube, etc.)
Approach (every marketing campaign needs a clever angle)

It’s your Origin Story that shines through. The campaign is a vehicle for embodying and delivering your unique story, purpose, mission and values. You will remain the same — only more focused, amplified, and energized with new purpose and direction.

Who Can Benefit from the APEX Branding Workshop?

All companies can benefit from the APEX Branding Workshop. In particular, the workshop provides exceptional benefits for:

Newer brands — Companies uncertain of how to make an entry in the market
Rebranding — Those with an existing customer base, but slow/stalled growth
Expansion — Successful brands that want to expand or integrate vertically

Some companies who have recently launched are great examples of cohesive branding, web, packaging and print following their strong origin story:

LiveBlackRain.com
OKiWellness.com
RaywearCC.com
CannaPride.com

Work Directly with Cannabis Branding Professionals

We’ve seen firsthand how our APEX branding workshop can transform branding efforts from shy, timid presentations into powerful expressions of mission statements in ways that are creative, engaging, and impactful. This all becomes possible because, through the branding workshop, they rediscovered who they are, what they stand for, and what they can accomplish.

We’d love to work with your brand to develop your voice. You can only get this level of attention and inquiry at 4Blooms.Guru. Get in touch with us now to schedule your half-day APEX Branding Workshop.

Here’s a parting word from Susan Rust, CEO of 4Blooms.Guru, about the importance of creating your Origin Story:

“As humans, we’re wired to tell, hear and remember stories. It goes back to our pre-writing cultures. We want to know ‘who your people are’ and how that fits into our closest community of friends, family and beliefs. We look for that which resonates with our own selves. Through the Origin Story, we connect deeply with the customer to make them fans, someone who will repeat your story to others. Now that’s a win.”

About Susan Rust

With her deep knowledge and insight into the current legal cannabis bloom, Susan Rust is our resident guru at 4Blooms.Guru. Susan is also recognized nationally as a trainer, speaker, and mentor in the Drupal open-source community. Her expertise includes web project rescues and operations specialists who help companies scale through process, accountability and leadership training. Susan brings her extensive experience as leader of the 4Blooms.Guru agency. Her versatile team specializes in compliant cannabis packaging, branding, web, packaging and advertising for marijuana dispensaries, products, and services.

About 4Blooms.Guru

4Blooms.Guru was inspired by this unique ecosystem which needs a team that understands the marketplace and has the passion to serve you well. Let our talented team create exciting brands and creative campaigns for you. Let’s make your business bloom!

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New Jersey Legislature Could Vote on Legalization Next Week

3/20/2019

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Lawmakers in New Jersey will reportedly vote on an adult-use legalization measure as early as next week after it passed two state legislative committees on Tuesday, NJ.com reports. The Senate Judiciary Committee advanced the bill on a 6-4 vote with one abstention, while the Assembly Appropriations Committee advanced it on a 6-2 vote with two abstentions.

Gov. Phil Murphy included legalization in his campaign platform and, according to the report, “made dozens of calls” to whip votes. Both chambers must pass the bill before it reaches Murphy’s desk.

The measure would allow adults 21-and-older to possess one ounce of flower or five grams of concentrates and includes expungement language. During testimony to the Assembly Appropriations Committee, however, Newark Mayor Ras Baraka called the bill’s expungement process “cumbersome and not effective.”

“It still penalizes individuals that have been convicted of marijuana charges. We should remedy all situations, and give people an opportunity to live their lives wholly and peacefully so that previous cannabis offenses do not deny them access to job opportunities that can help improve their quality of life.” – Mayor Ras Baraka to NJ.com

If the bill passes, legal sales would begin about a year later. If it fails, lawmakers will likely wait until after the November election before taking up the issue again.

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California Cannabis Firm Completes Renewable Energy Project

3/20/2019

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Canndescent has completed its commercial-scale solar project in Desert Springs, California, the company announced on Monday. The 282.6-kilowatt system uses 734 solar modules to power the production facility. The Environmental Protection Agency and National Renewable Energy laboratory estimates the system offsets as much carbon as a 430-acre forest, reducing annual carbon emission by 365 metric tons.

The company points out that indoor cannabis growers consume an estimated 1 percent of the electricity in the United States and CEO Adrian Sedlin said it was “natural and appropriate for the cannabis industry and Canndescent to lead business community in addressing some of the world’s pressing challenges” as the industry “comes of age.”

The California Energy Commission requires all new nonresidential buildings to have rooftop solar by 2023.

Canndescent Chief Compliance Officer Tom DiGiovanni noted that the lack of access to traditional financial services delayed the project, which took eight weeks to construct.

“Given the restrictions around cannabis banking and lending and the complexities of energy projects and California civil construction in general, this was extraordinarily difficult to pull off. Nevertheless, we got it done and have established a template for the ‘green industry’ to go greener.” – Giovianni, in the release

The company plans to release an opensource whitepaper later this year sharing its solar project plans.

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Illinois-Based Cannabis Company Raises $90M

3/20/2019

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Grassroots Cannabis has completed its first capital raise of $90 million to expand its operations, the company announced on Tuesday. The company announced in December it was seeking $40 million in capital and ultimately increased the round to accommodate the subscriptions.

Grassroots indicated they plan to expand cultivation facilities in Illinois, Maryland, and Pennsylvania, build out its recently obtained dispensary licenses, and work with Vermont-based partners PhytoScience Management Group to expand its cultivation and testing lab facility and hemp-derived CBD business.

Brian Schinderle, the company’s executive vice president of finance, indicated Grassroots’ footprint is now in 11 states.

“We would like to thank the strong support we saw from both existing and new investors and look forward to continuing to earn their allegiance by both executing on our existing plans and looking to prudently continue to expand our platform.” – Schinderle, in a press release

The company has so far raised $165 million in equity and equity-linked securities to date. The recent round was led by Beacon Securities, Ltd., and Stoic Advisory, Inc.

Grassroots also operates in Michigan, Oklahoma, Ohio, North Dakota Arkansas, and Connecticut.

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Florida Gov. Signs Bill Allowing Smokable Cannabis Products

3/19/2019

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Florida medical cannabis patients are officially able to buy and consume smokable cannabis products after Republican Gov. Rick DeSantis signed legislation this week overturning the state’s controversial smoking ban, NBC reports.

Senate Bill 182 passed Florida’s Senate on March 7 in a 34-4 vote and was approved by the House on March 13 by a vote of 101-11. The ban was originally imposed by the state legislature in response to Florida’s 2016 landslide vote in favor of medical cannabis legalization, but faced immediate backlash and lawsuits from patient advocates. A judge ultimately ruled that the ban was unconstitutional, but the state — under the leadership of former governor Rick Scott (R) — appealed that decision.

Gov. DeSantis requested legislation overturning the ban shortly after taking office in January. He said that if lawmakers failed to act by Friday, he would take action himself by pulling the state out of the appeal lawsuit, which would have also lifted the ban.

“Over 70 percent of Florida voters approved medical marijuana in 2016. I thank my colleagues in the Legislature for working with me to ensure the will of the voters is upheld.” — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R), in a press release

The shift is expected to open the market up to potentially tens of millions of dollars in additional revenue. The bill takes effect immediately, but Florida dispensaries probably won’t start selling smokable flower products until this summer.

End

Kentucky Hemp Product Sales Surged In 2018

3/19/2019

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The Kentucky industrial hemp industry saw a lucrative 2018 as hemp product sales surged from $17 million in 2017 to $58 million in 2018 — a more than three-fold increase, according to a WAVE 3 report.

In addition to the explosive hemp product sales, hemp processors from around the nation are also purchasing more raw hemp from Kentucky farmers — $18 million worth just last year — according to a state Agriculture Department review of hemp processor reports. Much of the hype has been attributed to the rising national popularity of hemp-sourced CBD, which has become a popular infusion for edible and topical oils, lotions, dog treats, soaps, and other wellness products.

Dean Williams, an agronomy professor at the University of Kentucky, said that the crop is making a strong comeback particularly in Kentucky, where farmers used to grow the plant extensively.

“The cannabinoids are by far the largest sector in the [hemp] industry, making up 93% of the acreage and farmers in Kentucky.” — University of Kentucky Agronomy Professor Dean Williams, via WAVE 3

The December passage of the 2018 farm bill — which removed industrial hemp from the Controlled Substances Act — has also drummed up more excitement around the industry. Hemp farmers are reporting that it’s gotten easier to offload their product since then.

“We need to approach it with some level of caution only because we don’t have a good idea of what supply and demand will be,” said Williams.

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New Mexico Lawmakers Approve Medical Cannabis & Decriminalization Bills

3/19/2019

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New Mexico lawmakers have approved a series of bills aimed at reforming the state’s cannabis laws but failed to act on pending adult-use legalization legislation, reports Paul Armentano of NORML.

Senate Bill 323 is a decriminalization plan that would reduce first-time cannabis possession penalties for up to one-half ounce from a criminal misdemeanor carrying a potential 15-day jail sentence to a ‘penalty assessment,’ punishable by a $50 fine. Jail time will remain an option for repeat offenders or individuals carrying more than a half-ounce of cannabis. Once signed, the decriminalization law will take effect on July 1, 2019.

Senate Bill 406 is medical cannabis legislation that expands access to the plant and adds protection for patients. The bill updates the state’s medical cannabis rules to allow patients suffering from post-traumatic stress, severe chronic pain, Crohn’s disease, Lou Gehrig’s disease, sleep apnea, and neuropathy to access the program. The bill also prevents employers, social service workers, and hospitals from discriminating against patients because of their cannabis use and/or their failure to pass a drug test (because of their cannabis use). Lastly, the measure prevents lawmakers from capping the amount of THC or other cannabinoids present in commercial cannabis products.

Senate Bill 204, meanwhile, creates regulations for student patients who attend public schools, allowing for certain medical cannabis products to be stored and administered in school settings.

New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham (D) is supportive of the reforms and is expected to sign the bills into law. She also said that the adult-use issue will be broached again during next year’s 30-day legislative session.

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Pura Vida Flower Review

3/18/2019

by Shango Los

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Consumers everywhere scour the market for cannabis that is grown without synthetic nutrients and is just simply clean. So much of the cannabis in the commercial market is being grown with chemicals trying to make up for poor growing technique. That is why I was so glad to discover Pura Vida cannabis in Washington State. This family-owned operation is really passionate about clean cannabis with great taste.

Pura Vida is a woman- and minority-owned and operated company from the Chan family in Tacoma, Washington. They grow indoors under lights in the city but capture as much of the natural world as possible by using hand-made, natural inputs.

One of the challenges of mono-cropping indoors is that sterile environments create a perfect situation for pest infestations. Most indoor growers solve this challenge by spraying pesticides that you probably don’t want to be smoking, or by drowning their flowers in blends of essential oils that may end up influencing the taste of the flower. Not here — Pura Vida goes to the effort and expense of using beneficial insects to defend their garden from pests, meaning nothing suspicious is getting sprayed on your flowers.

Similarly, when some growers scale up, they choose nutrients that are less easily available to cannabis plants or that impart a synthetic taste to the final product because they are seen as easier to use in commercial-sized grows. The Chan family passes on these quick and dirty solutions, instead choosing all-natural ingredients like nutrient and compost teas, some of which they make themselves to their own family specifications. Using aerated teas and other brewed inputs can give the plants what they get in nature and create thriving plants with a healthy root zone and wide terpene profiles.

This heightened level of care for the rhizosphere really comes through in the flowers — which is the entire point, right?

Pura Vida grows three flagship strains that are sure to please. They also have a rotating series of other chemovars that come and go, so make sure you follow their social media to learn about those drops.

Pura Vida’s slogan is “Live your best life” and it comes through their flowers. For this review, the review team sampled their White Gorilla and Crystal Coma strains.

The Pura Vida “White Gorilla” is a cross of The White and GG #4. The batch we enjoyed tested at 26% with significant myrcene, caryophyllene, limonene, linalool, and humulene. That alone should tell you to expect a grand combination of gas, musk, and citrus.

The smell when opening the jar was roasted cashews, gas, floral notes, and roasted coffee. It was divine. A really unique profile we have not come across. It has the gas notes we love from Gorilla Glue with the addition of something extra that really makes it unique.

When we smoked it, we tasted acetone, cooked mushrooms, white chocolate, and white pepper. It totally captures the front of the tongue chemical gas tone of the Gorilla Glue lineage while incorporating the mushrooms and hash profile of The White. This is a great one to bring out to impress friends at a sesh because it has a remarkable smell and a great, heavy stone that leaves people feeling classically baked, with heavy eyes and smiles.

In contrast, the Crystal Coma certainly did not give any sort of couch lock or sedation. It is a euphoric strain full of energy, focus, creativity, and excitement. She is the 2014 Los Angeles High Times Best Sativa winner for good reason.

If you like snow on your flower, this one is for you. While the number of trichomes is certainly not proof of good flower alone, if you love frosty nugs, this will not disappoint. It has excellent “bag appeal.” Containing less humulene, it doesn’t hit you quite like the White Gorilla does when you open the jar, but don’t let that turn you off. When you break it up, the air fills with smells of lemon shortbread, yeasty sourdough bread, and lofi seductive florals with a slight ping of skunky alcohol esters. Delightful.

The flower was incredibly smooth both smoked and vaped. The terpenes didn’t hit with the same force as the White Gorilla; rather, a pinene and lemon taste sneaks up the back of your tongue as the high comes on.

Pura Vida is very involved in their local community, too. Once per month they have all hands out to work in the community. In the past, they have done outreach missions to the homeless, visited senior citizen homes, and done beach cleaning. I know of so many cannabis companies that pay community involvement lip-service but always seem to be too busy to actually help. I’ve seen Pura Vida actually follow through and regularly. It is good leadership for other cannabis growers.

Pura Vida is clean cannabis, with the beloved density and trichomes of indoor cannabis grown incredibly well, by a company with integrity. We expect Pura Vida may grow into a national brand but, for now, you can pick them up in Washington State.

Check their website at PuraVida-Cannabis.com for retailers and availability, and follow @PuraVidaCannabis on Instagram for regular updates!

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Stoned-Driving Study Launching in Colorado; Subjects Wanted

3/18/2019

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The Colorado School of Public Health is conducting a study on how cannabis affects the operation of motor vehicles, according to The Denver Channel.

The study will delve deeper into how being stoned affects one’s ability to drive. Right now, many states with legalization have stoned driving laws that specify an amount of THC that is allowed in the bloodstream. Colorado‘s limit, for example, is 5 nanograms of THC per milliliter of blood — the problem with that standard, however, is that it’s not a true reflection of intoxication.

“It’s not fair for the medicinal patients. Because cannabis stays in your system for about 30 days and if you use marijuana every day, the amount in your body is going to compound. You might not have used cannabis that day, but there is still cannabis in your system, so that could cause you to be positive on a test where you weren’t inebriated at all.” — Tyler Prock, via The Denver Channel

Researchers at the Colorado School of Public Health will follow subjects who are daily users or weekly users, as well as a control group of non-users. Subjects will take a driving test, consume cannabis, and then be tested again. After driving, further tests will be done using a VR headset and an iPad to assess eye-hand coordination and eye movement.

Ashley Brooks-Russell, an assistant professor at the Colorado School of Public Health said, “The goal is to better understand impaired driving so that we can prevent impaired driving.” Researchers hope to improve roadside sobriety tests with the research.

Subjects are still being sought; all individuals will be compensated for their participation.

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Massachusetts Gov. Pushes for Harsher Cannabis DUI Rules

3/18/2019

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Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker has introduced a bill into the state legislature that would suspend the license of anyone who refuses a roadside drug test during a traffic stop — despite the lack of an accurate and effective test for cannabis impairment, MassLive reports.

Gov. Baker’s bill is seeking to make the penalty for refusing a drug test for cannabis the same as the penalty for refusing a breathalyzer test for alcohol. The problem with trying to equalize those standards is the lack of accurate testing methodologies for cannabis intoxication, unlike for alcohol.

“Drugged driving under the influence of marijuana is not new. What is new is our decision as a commonwealth to legalize, regulate and tax cannabis. In my opinion, that means that we have an enhanced obligation to address the issue of impairment anew as regulators, as industry, as participants in the criminal justice system and as policymakers.” — Cannabis Control Commissioner Britte McBride, via MassLive

The bill also includes provisions for expanded police training, changes to the state’s open container laws, and a public education program about the dangers of drugged driving that would cooperate with dispensaries across the state.

ACLU Field Director Matt Allen told reporters that it was too early for such legislation. “Our position is if a motorist faces legal penalties for refusing to take a test, that test should be based on evidence and science,” said Allen.

The bill is currently awaiting a hearing in the Massachusetts state legislature.

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DNA Test to Predict Cannabis Effects Launched in Alberta Dispensaries

3/18/2019

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A DNA test conducted in under an hour that claims to predict certain effects from cannabis that differ person to person has been launched in Alberta, Canada, The Vancouver Star reports.

The test is developed by Toronto company Lobo Genetics. Known as the Cube platform, the test uses oral swaps and then does a search of the DNA for certain markers identified by research to be associated with things like delayed onset, risk factors for mental illness, or whether the person is more likely to suffer memory loss. The test takes about an hour and costs $30.

“We’ve spoken to a lot of people that already thought there was something wrong with them – like they had taken cannabis before and they were the only one in their group where they had a strong reaction and then we test their genetics, and sure enough, they’re a slow metabolizer or they have one of the other [genetic] markers.” — John Lem, CEO of Lobo Genetics, via the Vancouver Star

Last week, Lobo Genetics set up five different stations at Nova Cannabis stores in Alberta, including two in Edmonton and one in each city of Calgary, Fort Saskatchewan, and Spruce Grove.

While an expert with the University of British Columbia was consulted about the development said that the technology is certainly based on science, he also said that most of the research has been on cells in a petri dish and not humans, which could be a limitation of the technology until more clinical research is completed.

The stations will remain in the Nova Cannabis stores for the rest of the month. As more brick and mortar cannabis stores are launched across Canada, Lobo Genetics hopes to expand their Cube stations to more provinces.

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Florida Congress Votes to Eliminate Cannabis Smoking Ban

3/15/2019

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The Florida House of Representatives has voted to approve legislation that would rescind the state’s ban on smoking medical cannabis. The state’s full Congress has now officially approved the measure, Forbes reports.

SB 182 passed the state House by a significant 101-11 margin in favor. The bill has already been approved by the Senate in a similarly wide margin of 34-4 in favor.

“I thank the Florida Legislature for taking action on medical marijuana and upholding the will of the voters.” — Gov. Ron DeSantis, on Twitter

SB 182 contains other changes to the medical cannabis program as well, such as tripling the previous limit of cannabis that doctors can order at one time — the new limit is now a six-month supply. This will reduce the number of doctor visits required by medical cannabis patients.

SB 182 also sets the standard that only minors with terminal illnesses will be able to smoke cannabis, among other small changes.

Gov. Ron DeSantis had tasked the legislature with getting a bill to rescind the smoking ban on his desk by March 15, which they have now successfully done. DeSantis is expected to sign the bill into law.

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Cannabis Industry Employment Grew 44% in 2018 and Is Only Getting Started

3/15/2019

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A report released by Leafly and Whitney Economics shows that the U.S. cannabis industry added more than 64,000 jobs in 2018, an employment growth rate of 44 percent.

Last year’s growth was more than double the industry’s progress in 2017, which saw a 21 percent increase in cannabis jobs.

The U.S. economy, according to federal statistics that exclude the cannabis industry, created 2.7 million new jobs as a whole in 2018.

The report analyzed cannabis sector employment data from a variety of sources, including economic formulas, state data, industry surveys, information from operators, and proprietary data. There is no official federal accounting of cannabis industry employment due to cannabis’ federal Schedule I designation.

The sector’s growth is notable in comparison to the recent decline in growth for jobs in the U.S. as a whole.

“Amid the roiling debate over American jobs, the legal cannabis industry remains a substantial and unrecognized engine of grassroots job creation. In 2019, America’s cannabis industry is one of the nation’s greatest economic success stories. That success deserves to be recognized and celebrated.” — Excerpt from the report

The total cannabis job count stated in the report was 211,000; that total raised to 296,000, however, when including ancillary cannabis industry jobs.

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Washington Senate Approves Cannabis Expungement Bill

3/15/2019

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The Washington state Senate has successfully passed legislation that, if signed into law, would vacate tens of thousands of prior cannabis convictions, according to an Inlander report.

The state Senate voted 29-19 in favor of the bill, which was introduced by state Sen. Joe Nguyen (D-White Center).

“This is something that has been legalized by the vote of the people and would not be criminalized right now. As we know convictions create an extreme hardship for folks, whether it’s housing or educational opportunities.” — State Sen. Joe Nguyen, via Inlander

More than 40,000 people in Washington are expected to qualify for expungement under the bill.

Previously, Gov. Jay Inslee (D) had promised to pardon individuals with minor cannabis possession charges on their record. However, under the rules stipulated by Gov. Inslee, it was estimated that only 3,500 people would qualify for expungement, an order of magnitude lower than those who qualify under the new bill. Inslee’s pardon promises included several stipulations that greatly limited those who would benefit.

Two amendments to the new expungement bill that would’ve limited who qualified to have their criminal records sealed — such as one clause preventing those with more than 2 prior convictions from qualifying and another setting a one-year timer on filing for expungement — were voted down.

The bill now must pass the Washington state House of Representatives before appearing on Gov. Inslee’s desk.

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Washington’s Home Grow Bills Are Dead, Again

3/15/2019

by Lukas Barfield

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Despite widespread optimism in the cannabis community that the time for home grows in Washington had finally come, the two home grow companion bills in the state’s House and Senate have failed to advance past key legislative deadlines.

HB 1131 and SB 5155, both bi-partisan bills, would have allowed Washingtonians over the age of 21 to grow up to six cannabis plants at their private residence. The bills died after a last-ditch effort by state Sen. Maureen Walsh (R-Walla Walla) to insert the language of the home grow bill into other cannabis proposals on the Senate floor.

The development continues to leave Washington as the only state with adult-use cannabis access where citizens cannot grow their own cannabis plants.

“It really came down to some of the Democratic leadership continuing to block our reform. Thankfully some of our strongest opposition, namely Speaker of the House Frank Chopp, will be stepping aside next year, so we are hopeful we can advance these same bills in the 2020 legislative session with a more cannabis friendly Speaker.” — Don Skakie of Homegrow Washington, in an interview

Home grow was originally excluded from Washington’s legalization proposal as a strategy both to push consumers toward buying from state-licensed stores, thus generating more taxes for the state, and to make legalization more attractive to on-the-fence voters.

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Canna Cribs Ep. 6 Features Denver’s Rare Dankness & House of Dankness

3/14/2019

by Featured Announcement

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The sixth episode of Canna Cribs, Season 1 released today on major streaming platforms. This episode features Denver, Colorado’s cannabis seed and genetics pioneer Rare Dankness™ and the company’s accompanying dispensary storefront House of Dankness.

In this episode, follow along with host Nate Lipton and the rest of the Canna Cribs team as they become the first-ever film crew to tour Rare Dankness’ state-of-the-art cultivation and propagation facility.

Rare Dankness was founded in 2010 after many years of growing, collecting, preserving, and experimenting with many varieties of cannabis. Through their global friend network, Rare Dankness has been able to work with some of the most sought after and highly coveted cannabis genetics. Their collection of genetics spans the last three decades and represents the finest specimens of cannabis strains in the world. Their work is not meant to replicate the “mothers,” but to complement the genetics by breeding with superior males.

Check out Canna Cribs Episode 6 below:

About Canna Cribs
Canna Cribs is an ongoing mini-documentary series produced by Growers Network that covers entrepreneurs and pioneers in the burgeoning cannabis industry. Catch up on the rest of the episodes in Canna Cribs Season 1 to see more in-depth tours of some of the world’s largest and most advanced cannabis grow sites.

About Growers Network
Growers Network is a private online community for cannabis cultivators and entrepreneurs to share their experiences, discuss the industry, and work together to overcome the many obstacles facing modern cannabis professionals. Join Growers Network here.

About Growers Network University aka GNU
From growing at home to growing at scale, Growers Network University will help you elevate your craft. Two flagship courses; one for hobbyists and one for commercial growers. Learn with expert growers as they teach you from their real-life experience, coupled with their recommended products. Learn more at GrowersNetwork.org/university.

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Alaska Legalizes Social Use Cannabis Clubs

3/14/2019

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Alaska’s Lt. Gov Kevin Meyer has signed off on rules crafted by the state’s Marijuana Control Board that will allow on-site purchase and consumption at permitted businesses, Rolling Stone reports.

Alaska is the first state to authorize social use cannabis consumption lounges, or on-site consumption, in the U.S. While there have been similar city-level authorizations in Denver and San Francisco, no state-level permits have been issued. Beginning April 11 in Alaska, however, businesses will be able to apply for a special on-site use endorsement that would enable retail locations to let customers consume cannabis inside their shop.

Consumption areas must be separated from retail areas by a wall or secure door, or be an outdoor patio. Ventilation must be provided and a security plan must be filed with the state. The law also allows local governments to opt out of allowing on-site consumption, as well as issue additional rules or restrictions.

The first businesses allowing on-site consumption are not expected until sometime this summer, at the earliest.

“When these rules go into effect, Alaska will be the first state to finalize and approve statewide rules for on-site consumption. We expect more to follow suit in the not too distant future,” said Erik Altieri, the executive director for the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, in a press release.

“Allowing social consumption is sensible from a business perspective, particularly for states with large amounts of tourists who otherwise have no place to legally consume, but it also has an important social justice component. By preventing retail outlets and other venues from being licensed and regulated for social consumption, many patients will have to choose between effective cannabis treatment for their ailments or being thrown out of public housing.” — Erik Alitieri, NORML executive director, via press release

Alaska has debated allowing on-site consumption since the state first passed adult-use cannabis legalization in 2015.

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San Francisco Will Issue Cannabis Smoking Permits for Events

3/14/2019

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The city of San Francisco will implement a system to permit cannabis smoking at events within city limits, according to the San Francisco Examiner.

The San Francisco Board of Supervisors approved legislation introduced by city Supervisor Rafael Mandelman that enables regulators to issue permits to events allowing for the on-site sale and consumption of cannabis. State legislation enabled cities and other local governments to opt-in to allowing event cannabis sales and consumption starting January 1, 2019.

The only opposition to the city’s new permitting legislation came from those concerned not by cannabis but by the act of public smoking of both cannabis and tobacco. The Board of Supervisors, however, passed the rules in a 9-2 vote.

“What we are recognizing here is that there are events, and have been for time immemorial, where people have been smoking cannabis. This is a public health life and safety issue. We want to have these events to be legal, permitted, safe.” — City Supervisor Rafael Mandelman, via the San Francisco Examiner

At first, the cannabis permits will only be available to events that have occurred previously with unpermitted cannabis smoking, including Outside Lands, Hardly Strictly, 420 celebrations, How Weird, Clusterfest, Carnaval, and Pride.

Unfortunately, the permits will not yet be available by this year’s April 20 celebrations. Representatives of the city have cautioned this year’s attendees to not purchase cannabis from in or near the celebration on Hippie Hill in the city, but rather from licensed dispensaries beforehand. Last year, there were reports of the illegal sale of cannabis-laced with fentanyl, which hospitalized many San Franciscans.

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Harvest Health Acquires Verano Holdings, Becomes Largest U.S. Cannabis Operator

3/14/2019

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Harvest Health and Recreation has acquired Verano Holdings for an $850 million all-stock deal that will make the combined companies the largest publicly-traded cannabis operator in the U.S., according to a story by the Motley Fool.

Harvest Health and Recreation is a vertically-integrated, multi-state cannabis operator that did not receive much press before its acquisition of Verano Holdings. When the acquisition is completed — expected by mid-year — the two companies will control 30 dispensaries, eight cultivation facilities, and seven manufacturing facilities.

Expansions are expected to continue. The two companies control nearly 200 licenses together across 16 states. Even if they acquire no further licenses, their current capacity stands at 123 dispensaries, 70 of which are expected to be open by the end of this year.

Harvest Health is also one of the few profitable cannabis companies to have emerged from the industry’s early years. While speculation in the industry is largely based around future expected earnings, Harvest Health is already profitable and the acquisition of Verano Holdings is not expected to change that.

Now, the main danger Harvest Health faces is that it may have overpaid for Verano Holdings — whose price tag is largely a product of speculation — and that issuing $850 million in common stock will devalue Harvest Health enough to make it struggle in competition with other mega cannabis companies like MedMen.

MedMen’s acquisition of PharmaCann had been the largest U.S. cannabis company acquisition before the current deal between Harvest Health and Verano was announced.

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Black Lawmakers to Block Legalization Without Social Justice in New York

3/13/2019

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Several Black legislators in New York say that unless the cannabis legalization legislation submitted by Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s office includes guarantees of revenue-sharing with communities most impacted by the decades of prohibition, there will be no legalization at all this year, according to a New York Times report.

The lawmakers want to see language in the state’s legalization bill that directs money to job training programs and to supporting minority entrepreneurs. Little has been done at the state level in other jurisdictions with legalized cannabis to address the racial inequalities exacerbated by prohibition.

“I haven’t seen anyone do it correctly. They thought we were going to trust that at the end of the day, these communities would be invested in. But that’s not something I want to trust. If it’s not required in the statute, then it won’t happen.” — Assemblywoman Crystal Peoples-Stokes, via the New York Times

While there is a broad stroke that mentions a “social and economic equity plan” in the current cannabis legalization proposal, there are no specifics. The counsel for the governor, Alphonso David, said specifics of the cannabis laws’ social justice elements would be written in after legalization was passed.

The issue has pulled several important Democratic Party lawmakers away from supporting the current cannabis legalization proposal. Even Gov. Cuomo recognizes the impasse, having gone from adamant that legalization would be passed in the first part of 2019 to being “no longer confident” that cannabis legalization would fit into this year’s budget.

Other advocates say that if there is not a clear plan for the inclusion of Black and other minority communities in the legislation, New York‘s strong underground market is far more likely to persist.

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Health Canada Warns Cannabis Online Age Gates Not Good Enough

3/13/2019

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Canada’s national Health Department sent a letter to all licensed cannabis producers in the country that normal age gates — where a visitor enters their birthday in order to view restricted content — aren’t sufficient to meet requirements, The Vancouver Courier reports.

Health Canada told producers and cultivators in the letter on March 8 that those age gates “may be easily circumvented by youth.” The standard enter-your-birthdate age gates are nearly ubiquitous on the modern internet and are considered sufficient for most industries.

Cannabis lawyer Harrison Jordan told the Vancouver Courier, however, that he spoke to an Alberta Gaming Liquor and Cannabis Board representative several months ago who indicated that the standard age gate wasn’t good enough. There has nevertheless been little change with regards to cannabis websites.

According to Jordan, the only verification services that might satisfy Health Canada’s requirements are third-party know-your-client software from companies like SecureFact, Trulio, or Jumio. Those services use things like mobile phone records or utility data to verify identity. Other services like Inverite can scan the barcode on the back of a government-issued ID to provide verification — some, however, believe these services are too intrusive as an age gate for someone who perhaps only wants to check which strains are available from a particular producer.

Canada‘s cannabis industry will need to solve this problem somehow. The maximum penalty under Canada’s cannabis laws for noncompliance is $5 million in fines and up to three years in jail. While an unlikely punishment for anyone in the near term, it’s a significant new problem facing Canada’s nascent industry.

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Law Firm Sues U.S. Customs Over Lifetime Bans for Canadian Cannabis Workers

3/13/2019

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The American law firm Davis Wright Tremaine LLP is suing U.S. Customs and Border Protection over the organization’s failure to properly disclose documents regarding lifetime bans given to Canadians and others working in the legal cannabis industry, The Vancouver Star reports.

Former U.S. Attorney and current law firm partner John McKay said that while U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) have the ability to question travelers about nearly any subject, there is no obvious legal authority for the agency to hand out lifetime bans.

“I want to know what their authority is to ban people or to threaten to ban people and to cause fear among law-abiding Canadians who want to enter the United States.” — John McKay, via The Vancouver Star

The suit brought claims that the CBP has withheld documents requested by the law firm that should be available under the Freedom of Information Act. The law firm requested the documents but the CBP did not provide them by the deadline set in the Act and did not communicate about possible extensions or other legal recourse regarding the lack of disclosure.

If the Department of Homeland Security has provided a directive to the CBP to provide lifetime bans, the bans may be legal and there would be no legal recourse for the law firm. The information is not yet public, however, so it’s unclear who — if anyone — ordered the lifetime bans. If it is solely a CBP decision, the bans may not be valid.

The CBP refused to issue an official comment on the issue.

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