Arizona to Invest $5M Into Psilocybin Research

5/15/2023

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Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs (D) last week signed the state’s $17 billion budget bill into law; the budget includes about $5 million dedicated to whole-mushroom psilocybin research, the Arizona Mirror reports.

Renowned medical cannabis and psychedelics researcher and principal investigator at the Scottsdale Research Institute Dr. Sue Sisley — who had pushed for the funding — said the $5 million was a good starting point for medical psilocybin trials. Additionally, the funding’s emphasis on whole mushroom research makes it unique from most other studies into the medical efficacy of psilocybin because they typically isolate the chemical from its natural source.

“We’re thrilled that the research on natural mushrooms will finally be able to move forward, so this is a big achievement that finally we’re going to get objective data. This will give us reliable insight into how these mushrooms might help or harm people. We need to learn more about how this works.” — Dr. Sisley, via the Arizona Mirror

The approved budget stipulates that nonprofit and/or university researchers who ultimately receive the grants must prioritize the use of veterans, first responders, frontline healthcare workers, and people from underserved communities as trial participants, the report said.

The funding for psychedelics research was supported by bipartisan state lawmakers including Reps. Kevin Payne (R), Jennifer Longdon (D), and Stacey Travers (D), and Sen. T.J. Shope (R).

“Arizonans, especially veterans, deserve alternatives to dangerous and addictive prescriptions,” Payne said in a statement. “This bill will help.”

End

Connecticut Medical Cannabis Sales Decrease for First Time Since Adult-Use Launch

5/15/2023

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Medical cannabis sales in Connecticut in April decreased for the first time since adult-use sales commenced in the state, according to state data outlined by CT Insider. Medical cannabis sales in April totaled $11.4 million, down from $12.6 million in March, but were still higher than adult-use sales in April, which reached $10.2 million.  

Adult-use cannabis sales in Connecticut commenced in January and totaled $5.1 million, while medical cannabis sales reached just over $8 million. In February, adult-use sales were just over $7 million, while medical cannabis sales totaled $11.4 million. In March, adult-use sales climbed to about $9.6 million, with medical sales totaling about $12.6 million. 

The price of medical cannabis since the launch of adult-use sales has remained stable, with an average product price of $35.68 in January, $36.11 in February, $37.06 in March, and $36.51 in April, according to state data. Adult-use prices have declined since the $44.61 average seen during the January market launch. In February, the average price was $41.82; $40.69 in March; and $39.58 in April.    

Despite the strong medical cannabis sales, patient counts are on the decline in the state. In January, there were 48,896 registered medical cannabis patients, compared to 46,048 in April. 

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Oregon Lawmakers Call for Investigating Alleged Campaign Donation Corruption by Cannabis Operators

5/15/2023

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Two Oregon state senators last week sent a letter to U.S. Attorney for Oregon Natalie K. Wight asking that she open a formal investigation into corruption in the state capitol related to campaign donations from cannabis operators in the state.  

The letter, sent to Wight by Sen. Brian J. Boquist (I) and Art Robinson (R), describes the donations made to state Sen. Rob Wagner (D), Gov. Tina Kotek (D), and former Secretary of State Shemia Fagan and others, as “large cash donations” in excess of $10,000 from “federally illegal drug operations.” 

Fagan earlier this month resigned from her position after reports emerged that she was also serving as a consultant for a cannabis company that had also contributed funds to her campaign. Fagan ultimately resigned from that position and announced a day later that she would step down as secretary of state.       

The claims in the letter hinge on a May 10 Willamette Week report that outlines the campaign donations made by Rosa Cazares and Aaron Mitchell, the operators of La Mota, the dispensary that Fagan had worked as a consultant for, to Kotek and Wagner. In all, the pair, along with a political action committee controlled by Cazares, gave more than $200,000 to top Democrats in the state, including $68,000 to Kotek, $10,000 to Wagner, and $45,000 to Fagan, the report says. The report adds that staffers picked up the cash donations.  

“As you know, federal law requires a variety of reporting for all cash transactions exceeding $10,000 inclusive of cashier’s checks, bank drafts, traveler’s check or money orders. The law has different requirements at different levels as to whom and how this illegal drug cash is reported. Then there is a combined $12,000 yearly limit reporting requirement as well. It is alleged ‘staff’ picked up bundles of cash? State employees?” — Boquist and Robinson in the letter 

While the letter names only Wagner, Koeck, and Fagan, it alleges other state senators and representatives, the state treasurer, Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Control (OLCC) commissioner, U.S. reps, the district attorney, and “partisan political groups” also received cannabis cash for their campaigns and describes the scandal as “simply the tip of the iceberg in the Legislative Assembly and Oregon State Capitol.” 

The letter also notes that the OLCC is embroiled in a scandal related to the diversion of rare Kentucky bourbon by agency officials and claims state Attorney General Ellen F. Rosenblum “is on both sides of the secret investigation” and calls for Wight to intervene in that inquiry.  

End

New Hampshire Gov. Says He Would Sign Cannabis Legalization Bill With State-Controlled Sales

5/15/2023

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During an appearance on WMUR’s CloseUp, New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu (R) said he would support cannabis legalization in the state under state control – similar to how the state sells liquor.  

The governor’s comments came the day after the state Senate rejected a cannabis legalization measure that had been approved by the House. 

During the interview, Sununu, who has long opposed the reforms, said he is coming around on cannabis legalization because it could help “harm reduction” and noted that other states have focused on tax revenues associated with the market.   

Sununu pointed out that polls in the state show a majority of New Hampshire residents back the reforms.  

“Whether we like it or not, this is probably inevitable in some way or form. So, let’s make sure we design a system that focuses on harm reduction as opposed to profits and when you have the system like our liquor stores – which is very unique in the country, one of the only states that has that – so, therefore, we have this amazing tool to control location, to control where it is, to control how it’s marketed, how it’s distributed, keeping it away from kids, making sure we don’t add a tax to it so we can, effectively, undercut these cartels that are bringing poly drugs in, right?” — Sununu on CloseUp     

During the interview, Sununu takes aim at so-called “Marijuana Miles” in Massachusetts and Maine, which he describes as a string of “pot shop, after pot shop, after pot shop” which he says “completely changes the fabric of the town.”  

“But with a single store in a town, or a town could say ‘We don’t want it here,’ fine, we won’t put it there. Right? Just like our liquor stores do now,” Sununu said. “Again, being able to control that aspect of it I think maintains what we are in New Hampshire, maintains a place where people want to be, and it doesn’t, kind of, overcome the town so-to-say.”  

Sununu indicated that were a bill that includes the state-control model to hit his desk, he would sign it into law.

End

Connecticut House Passes Psilocybin Decriminalization Bill

5/12/2023

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The Connecticut House on Wednesday approved a measure to decriminalize small quantities of psilocybin mushrooms, CT Examiner reports. Under the proposal, penalties for possessing less than a half ounce of psilocybin mushrooms would be reduced from a misdemeanor with penalties of up to a year in jail to a simple infraction with a $150 penalty for the first offense. 

The measure passed the chamber 86-64 with two Republicans backing the plan and 13 Democrats opposing it.  

Under current state law, for second offenses courts can order substance abuse treatment for a and up to three years in prison for a third. The bill would change that to a $200 to $500 fine for a second offense, and a drug education program for the third. 

During the debate, Rep. Steve Stafstrom (D) disclosed that he has a close friend that had self-medicated with psilocybin to deal with a painkiller addiction, depression, and suicidal thoughts, and credited psilocybin with saving his friend’s life. 

“What we’re saying is if those individuals are caught with this substance, rather than punishing them with a year in prison for self-medicating with this substance, we would instead give them a fine. And for a second offense, we would send them for some drug education counseling to hopefully get them the help and support they need.” — Stafstrom via CT Examiner 

In 2021, Connecticut lawmakers tasked the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services to study whether psilocybin could have a beneficial use in health care, particularly mental health care. The agency reported that there could be health benefits to the medical use of psilocybin “under the supervision of health professionals” for substance abuse, major depression, care for end-of-life anxiety, and depression treatment. 

The measure still requires approval by the state Senate. 

End

New Hampshire Senate Votes Down Cannabis Legalization Bill

5/12/2023

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The New Hampshire Senate on Thursday voted down the House-approved cannabis legalization bill by a 14-10 margin, the New Hampshire Bulletin reports. The vote was mostly across party lines and came after the chamber’s Judiciary Committee opposed the measure as “inexpedient to legislate.” 

Democratic Sen. Lou D’Allesandro, the chamber’s longest-serving member, voted against the bill while Republican Sen. Keith Murphy voted in favor.  

“It would say to our children that marijuana is safe and could be used without harmful consequences and nothing could be further from the truth.” — D’Allesandro during Thursday’s debate via New Hampshire Public Radio 

Lawmakers opposing the measure cited the state’s ongoing opioid crisis, traffic safety, the bill’s public consumption provisions, and potential effect on children as reasons they opposed the reforms. Proponents argued that New Hampshire adults are already consuming cannabis, that legalization would lead to multimillions of dollars in tax revenues for the state, and that polling shows a majority of New Hampshire adults back the reforms – a University of New Hampshire poll from February found 71% of residents support broad cannabis legalization.  

During the debate, Democratic Sen. Becky Whitley argued that it’s “undeniable” that “youth already use marijuana” and that legalization would lead to a “decrease in that use.”

The state House has passed previous legalization bills only for them to be rejected, or not considered, by the Senate. Republican Gov. Chris Sununu has long opposed the reforms but said last year he could see signing the “right” legislation.    

End

Washington D.C. Congresswoman Requests U.S. Botanic Garden Display Female Cannabis Plant

5/12/2023

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U.S. Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) on Thursday sent a letter to the U.S. Botanic Garden asking that it begin displaying a female cannabis plant for the first time. In the letter, Holmes Norton said that displaying both male and female cannabis plants “would be a historic opportunity to highlight the impact of marijuana on American society and, especially, the American economy.” 

“More and more states, as well as the federal government, are beginning to legalize various forms of cannabis.  In recent years, the House of Representatives has passed several bills that would have descheduled cannabis from the Controlled Substances Act.” — Holmes Norton in the letter 

Holmes Norton had previously requested the garden display a hemp plant and notes in the letter that it had recently put that plant on display. That request was sent to the garden’s previous executive director, Dr. Saharah Moon Chaptoin. 

In the letter, Holes Norton said that in 2021, states that legalized cannabis sales collected an estimated 20% more in taxes on retail cannabis sales than on the sale of alcohol products. 

“Twenty-one states and D.C. have legalized adult use marijuana,” Holmes Norton wrote in the letter. “Cannabis sales are projected to reach approximately $33.6 billion by the end of this year and as much as $53.5 billion by 2027.” 

Holmes Norton requested that the garden’s current executive director, Dr. Susan K. Pell, respond to her letter by May 24. 

End

Lavall Chichester: Cannabis Growth Marketing, SEO, and Media Strategies

5/11/2023

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Lavall Chichester is the CEO of Growth Skills, an award-winning growth marketing agency based in New York City that specializes in developing custom, multifaceted strategies to accelerate audience and revenue growth for brands. Lavall joins us to talk about the key components to a winning digital strategy, how Growth Skills built a high-traffic website geared toward cannabis and CBD consumers, and how brands can leverage growth marketing concepts with their own websites and social platforms.

Scroll down to read the full interview below!

Ganjapreneur: Before you started working with cannabis businesses, what are some of the industries that Growth Skills has served?

Lavall Chichester: Growth Skills works in a variety of industries like finance, ecommerce, and healthcare to name a few. We found a niche helping businesses use SEO & content to rank well in highly regulated or competitive industries like gambling, sports betting, crypto and alcohol. We build publishing websites like FlavorFix.com to help us better understand and service a specific industry. Flavor Fix helps us understand the cannabis and CBD audience, attract them to the website, and then use it to connect them with our clients. It’s one thing to say you do cannabis or CBD marketing. It’s another to be able to show that our website Flavor Fix ranks for “CBD Calculator” and many of the cannabis and CBD terms that these brands should be ranking for organically on Google. Action is always better than talking.

What are some of the marketing challenges that cannabis industry brands have in common with other industries?

Regulation in advertising is one of the main challenges cannabis has in common with other industries. Pharma, gambling, sports betting, alcohol and Crypto are some industries that have heavy regulations. The difference with cannabis and CBD is that it is very difficult to run ads on Google, Facebook and some of the large platforms. You either can’t do it for certain products, need to go through a long approval process, or have to do a work around which we figure out to target the CBD audience. They won’t allow Cannabis paid ads on those platforms. They also shadow ban accounts which stops organic growth.

What are some marketing challenges that are unique to the cannabis industry?

The biggest challenge for cannabis brands is not easily being able to run paid media ads on Google, Facebook and the other platforms. This makes it hard to get in front of customers in a way that works well for brands in other industries. This will change as legalization happens. Twitter just opened up the ability to run cannabis ads and Google has created a program to allow it as well. However, to me, the restriction of paid ads is a great opportunity to leverage things like SEO, Content, organic Social, and Email Marketing to grow organically and build your own “walled garden“ with a highly niche and engaged audience and customer base.

If a cannabis brand has a very limited marketing budget, where should they invest their resources for maximum benefit to their business?

Here is the exact way we built Flavor Fix on a tiny budget. If we can do it, you can too.

SEO & Content: Brands need to double down on using Search Engine Optimization (SEO) to rank organically for keywords that potential customers are using to find information and products and services like theirs. They need to drive that traffic to their website which is an asset that they own. You don’t own your Facebook or Instagram account. They can shut it down whenever they want. Build on the assets you own. Your website should be central to your plan. Create content to target weed strains, terpene flavors, CBD products and more. You can get information on what people are searching for and how many times from tools like SEMRUSH that I discuss below.

Cannabis Focused Media Buys: Cannabis and CBD Brands need to have a budget to do on-going media buys directly with the websites that their customers visit. Everyone wants to reach the audience through Google and Facebook who don’t even have the loyalty, deep niche reach and engagement; that a lot of the cannabis and CBD sites do.

They should put a media buying budget together with a focus on creative content executions on these sites and distribution to their email lists and social channels. This should include Influencers. Don’t do this programmatically cause the Ad Blockers will waste your money and you can be way more creative with direct buys. Why run a banner ad when you can partner with a publisher and build a cool calculator like our THC Edible Dosage Calculator and use that to be useful to potential customers and capture leads.

All of this will help support your SEO & Content work and put them directly in front of people who are highly interested in cannabis and CBD.

For example Ganjaprenuer was and still is one of the sites we do media buys with and partner content for Flavor Fix.

Why?

  • Because we know people interested in cannabis and CBD go to the site and sign up for their emails.
  • We have always gotten a return on the traffic they send us because Flavor Fix is built to convert traffic to a lead or a sale.
  • Working with them sends the signal to Google that Flavor Fix is also an authority on cannabis and CBD and helps us rank better organically.

So brands should partner with cannabis and CBD publishers and make amazing content and send that traffic to their website. If the content is good people will remember the brand and come back directly to the site, so it’s also not just about tracking every click from the website to yours.

Don’t cut a media buy short cause you don’t see thousands of clicks to your site.

People don’t always click and when they come to you directly the media platform won’t get the credit even though that’s how they found your brand.

Lead Capture: Brands then need to make sure that their website is built to convert the website traffic into:

  • A free email sign up for a newsletter
  • A freemium test if their product is B2B
  • A demo if it is a B2B SaaS product
  • A sale if they are selling online
  • Get directions if they are driving to a store location

How to collect email and contact info:

  • Use your Age Gate
  • Use free ebooks
  • Use coupon codes
  • Use calculators

These are proven ways to collect emails. On Flavor Fix we use these to collect over 200 emails a week.

Email: They then need to use Email to build a relationship and increase the value of the customer. Your list should be segmented by what the people are interested in. Not everyone wants to get a full newsletter. Tailor your content to what the people are interested in.

We call this Growth Marketing. It works. This is how we grew Flavor Fix so quickly.

Here are some Flavor Fix stats:

Google Search Impressions: 75+ million (Google Organic Search)
Google Search Impressions (Monthly): 11.7+ million (Google Organic Search)
New Unique Visitors (Monthly): 72,843+
Pageviews (Monthly): 119,452+
Email Subscribers: 9,000+ (Highly engaged and segmented by Interest)
Email Click Thru Rate: 29% – 35%
Active Influencers: 25+

What are some tools or methods cannabis brands can use to track the effectiveness of their marketing efforts over time?

Google Analytics (GA): Use GA to see if you are getting more traffic to your website during the periods you are running your campaigns. Make sure to set up Google Analytics 4 since Universal Analytics will be going away soon.

Hubspot: We use Hubspot to capture leads, nurture them and grow our emails lists. This allows us to see what types of content lead to a conversion.

SEMRUSH: Use SEMRUSH or one of the other keyword tracking tools to see how your content is ranking on search engines like Google. You can get a lot of useful data to track performance and lead your strategy.

Google Search Console (GSC): This is a must have if you want to perform well organically on Google. Use this to communicate changes on your website to Google and to monitor clicks and impressions on their search engine.

Bing Webmasters Tool: Don’t sleep on Bing. You can get a lot of traffic from them. Use their Webmasters Tools the same way you use GSC.

Google Data Studio: Use Google Data Studio to pull all the other data sources into one dashboard. This way you have everything in one place. We use Supermetrics and Zapier to help with connecting different data sources.

How has Search Engine Optimization evolved over the past several years? What would you say is the most important aspect of a good SEO strategy today?

People over complicate SEO. It really comes down to three things:

Technical: Making sure your website is optimized from a technical standpoint so it can rank for keywords. This means it must load quickly, be mobile friendly, have the proper page structure and meta data on it to rank. ADA Compliance is also a huge factor that SEO helps with. Read this free guide and this other article on why it is important for the cannabis industry.

Content: You have to have highly quality content in your website and you should produce and publish it frequently. Quality means that the content is unique, useful, well written and produced. Consistency is key and calculators perform well because they have a useful function. Make sure to have multiple types of content. Articles, images, video etc. Your goal should be to create enough content on a topic to show the search engines that you are an authority on the topic.

Backlinks: The next thing is to make sure you are getting backlinks from other sites that are authoritative in your industry. A back link is when one site links to another. You need to make sure the sites are linking to your home page and other important pages and articles for specific words that you want to rank for. This has to be an ongoing thing because it builds your website’s Domain Authority and ability to rank.

The last thing here is to think holistically about search. All modern platforms like Facebook, TikTok, YouTube, Amazon etc are all search engines. Make sure you are optimizing those to show up when people search for products and services like yours.

For a retail business, how important is your Google Business profile when it comes to SEO? By comparison, how important is it to set up profiles on third-party websites like Leafly, Weedmaps, etc?

This is a great question. The only way to dominate local searches using Local SEO is to first claim your Google Business profile and update it to make sure that your business name, address, phone number and website is correct and matches your website info. Do this for every location you own. Each Google My Business profile should have a link to the location page for the dispensary or store that the page is setup for. Don’t just link it to your main domain. Once this is done, you have to go out and find other websites that have directory pages and claim those as well. This is called Citation Building. You need to build citations with general directories but also niche directories. This is why Leafly, Weedmap directories can help your local SEO rankings.

In July, Flavor Fix will be launching directory pages for all dispensaries in the U.S to help these brands rank well for local cannabis searches. Once the brands find and claim their directories they can fully optimize them and use them to help rank in local searches. We are creating our directories with SEO advice on the backend to tell the brand owners how to optimize their local directories. It’s like having a Local SEO expert built into the back end of your Flavor Fix directory and brand pages.

What direct-to-consumer marketing channels would you say are most underutilized by cannabis brands?

Good old search engines like Google and Bing and secondary search engines like YouTube. There are so many people that I meet in the cannabis industry who have no idea how SEO works and how to research and optimize articles, images, pages and videos to rank and get site traffic and sales organically. It’s a big opportunity. Search is a human behavior. When we were cave people and hungry we crawled out of our caves and searched for food. Search engines and mobile devices amplifier this behavior. So if someone wants weed or CBD they will search online for it and either buy it from whoever ranks at the top of the search engine or go to their store. Humans are also built to find the path of least resistance. They are not going to go to the second page of Google or Bing to find your website.

How do you think the marketing landscape for cannabis will change after federal legalization?

Interest in cannabis and CBD will skyrocket. There is already an enormous monthly search volume on Google for cannabis related words like the strains.

Wedding Cake Strain gets 60,500 monthly searches (726,00 a year) on Google in the U.S alone. When Flavor Fix ranked number one on Google for that term we got an average of 5,445 visits a month to the site from that one term alone. Rankings go up and down so we are working hard on SEO to claim that number one spot again. When legalization happens these searches will explode in volume and new search terms will appear. This means more opportunity to get people to your site and have them buy from you.

Also know that the new people that legalization brings to the industry don’t have any loyalty to established cannabis or CBD brands. If you rank at the top they will find you and you will be the brand they look into and start to trust.

What should brands be focusing on now so they’re well-positioned when that happens?

  1. Get a credible company to do an SEO Audit of your website and implement their recommendations.
  2. Then start researching and writing articles to target keywords that have high search volume and are relevant to your brand. Publish at least two articles a week on a topic that is relevant to your brand, products and services.
  3. Then partner with a cannabis and publisher platform and have them add your products pages that are already ranking well and have them create awesome content for you and share it with their cannabis and CBD loving audience.

Do this for a year and see how huge a difference this will make from a website traffic and revenue perspective.

Thank you, Lavall, for answering our questions! Visit GrowthSkills.co to learn more.

End

New Jersey Gov. Signs Cannabis Industry Tax Reforms Bill

5/11/2023

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New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy (D) on Monday signed a bill to allow the state’s cannabis businesses to deduct some business expenses on state tax returns, NJ.com reports. Under the law, the business subject to the corporation business tax will be allowed to deduct from income all ordinary expenses associated with managing a licensed cannabis business, including the opportunity to qualify for research and development deductions.

The legislation essentially decouples cannabis businesses in the state from federal Internal Revenue Service Code Section 280E, a 1982 provision that prohibits the standard business tax deductions for operations associated with illegal drug trafficking.

In a statement posted on Twitter, the New Jersey Cannabis Trade Association said the law allows state-approved cannabis businesses to “be treated like any other legal enterprise operating in New Jersey” and that the industry “will cherish” the “normalcy.”

“The continued implementation of 280E placed severe financial constraints on cannabis operators, big and small, by prohibiting them from deducting common business expenses from their taxes.” — New Jersey Cannabis Trade Association in a statement

Following the bill’s signing, State Sen. Troy Singleton (D), one of the bill sponsors, said the law “aims to level the playing field for all cannabis businesses.”

“It will ensure that dispensaries are paying a fair amount of taxes by taking into account critical business expenditures,” he said, “and allowing these deductions from their income.”

The law takes effect immediately and applies to taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2023.

End

New Hampshire Senate Judiciary Committee Votes to Kill Cannabis Legalization Bill

5/11/2023

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The New Hampshire Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday recommended the state’s cannabis legalization bill as “inexpedient to legislation,” which could doom the measure in the full chamber, the New Hampshire Bulletin reports. The party-line vote was 3-2. 

Senate Majority Leader Sharon Carson (R), the chairwoman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, told the Bulletin that while she recognizes “the diverse opinions surrounding the legalization of recreational drugs, now is not the right time for such a measure.” 

“New Hampshire, like many other states, is grappling with the devastating impact of the drug crisis on individuals, families, and communities. … We have an existing medical marijuana program that serves the needs of individuals with legitimate medical conditions. Our focus should remain on ensuring that patients have access to the care they need while also prioritizing public safety.” — Carson via the Bulletin 

State Sen. Becky Whitley (D), who voted not to kill the bill, noted that polling has found more than 70% of New Hampshire residents back the reforms, which were passed by the House in early April. 

“…I just think it’s pretty rare to have an issue or a policy that is so broadly supported,” Whitley said in an interview with the Bulletin. “And so I think not acting on that – I think sends a pretty strong message to our constituents.” 

Gov. Chris Sununu (R) opposed cannabis legalization in the state and at a press conference earlier this month suggested the state should not legalize cannabis until its other drug problems are under control. 

“You don’t legalize more drugs for money,” Sununu said during the press conference. “Like, that’s just that’s not why you do it.”  

The Senate is expected to vote on the bill on Thursday.  

End

Kenosha, Wisconsin to Consider Reducing Cannabis Possession Penalties

5/11/2023

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The Kenosha, Wisconsin Public Safety and Welfare Committee on Monday passed an ordinance and resolution to reduce the fine for first-time possession of cannabis and reduce the bond for those arrested for possession, the Kenosha News reports. The measure passed the committee 3-2 and moves next to the full city council. 

If approved, adults found to be in possession of 25 grams or less of cannabis will face a citation of $1 plus the costs associated with prosecution. Currently, fines for possession range from $10 to $750. Individuals caught possessing more than 25 grams will continue to be referred to the District Attorney’s Office for state criminal prosecution. 

The resolution would reduce the bond for a first offense of cannabis possession to $62.26. Currently, the municipal bond for cannabis possession is $313. The bond would remain the same for those found consuming up to or fewer than 25 grams of cannabis while in a vehicle, possessing cannabis on school property, and for those who or are under the age of 18, the report says. 

Anthony Kennedy, one of the sponsors of the ordinance, said he believes citizens support the reforms and that they will pass the city council. He noted that the resolution and ordinance do not decriminalize cannabis but lessen the impact of getting caught possessing cannabis. 

Currently, cannabis possession is illegal throughout Wisconsin, except for Madison, which passed a decriminalization ordinance in 2020. Last November, residents in Milwaukee approved a non-binding referendum supporting broad cannabis legalization in the state. 

End

Florida Passes Bill Requiring Medical Cannabis Licenses for Black Farmers

5/10/2023

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Florida lawmakers have approved a bill that would require the state Department of Health to issue cannabis licenses to Black farmers who were qualified for the licenses but ultimately left out of the final awarding of the permits, WOKV reports. In October 2021, the state received 12 applications from Black farmers to grow medical cannabis, and in September officials awarded one license to Terry Gwinn but the license has not been finalized because of legal and administrative challenges. 

The measure would require the health department to issue the licenses to Black farmers whose applications did not have any identified deficiencies, regardless of what scores they received from the private contractors that evaluated the applications. It also would require the agency to award licenses to applicants whose applications were deemed to have met “all requirements for licensure” by an administrative law judge, and the bill would give those whose applications were found deficient a 90-day “cure” period to address the problems. 

Sen. Darryl Rouson (D) said Black farmers in the state faced discrimination from state and federal agriculture officials and “from societal and business norms that their counterparts did not have to deal with.” She said it is “shameful” that the licenses were not issued six years ago “when it was directed to be issued.”  

Jim McKee, an attorney who represents Gwinn, said the bill “will prevent any further delay” in allowing his client “to immediately move forward with licensed activities upon the bill becoming law.” 

The bill moves next to Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) who can either sign it or allow it to become law without his signature. 

End

Rhode Island House Approves Cannabis Advertising Bill

5/10/2023

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The Rhode Island House on Tuesday unanimously approved a bill to allow state-approved cannabis companies to advertise on billboards, the Boston Globe reports. Under the state’s cannabis legalization law, Rhode Island businesses were not allowed to advertise on billboards; however, companies in neighboring states, including Massachusetts and Connecticut, were advertising on billboards in the state.  

State Rep. Scott A. Slater (D), who introduced the cannabis legalization and advertising bills, said the state’s dispensaries were at “a serious disadvantage” because they were not allowed to advertise on billboards while out-of-state companies were already doing so. 

“Now that Rhode Island’s recreational cannabis industry is up and running, our dispensaries are facing a significant obstacle when competing with our neighbors in Massachusetts and Connecticut. … This bill will correct this inequity while also supporting these new local businesses in Rhode Island by hopefully keeping Rhode Islanders from crossing the border to shop for their cannabis in neighboring states.” — Slater to the Globe 

The bill allows the state Office of Cannabis Regulation to provide cannabis companies with forms, policies, and requirements for advertising products in the state. 

The measure still requires approval from the state Senate and by the governor.   

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Oklahoma Gov. Signs Bill Prohibiting Undocumented Workers at Cannabis Farms

5/10/2023

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Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt (R) has signed a bill extending the moratorium on new medical cannabis cultivation licenses in the state through 2026, KTEN reports. The measure also prohibits undocumented workers from working on state-approved cannabis farms.  

“If there is a medicine that is going to help someone, then Oklahomans have a big heart and we want that to help somebody, but this has gotten out of control. We have to make sure we have law and order to get illegal people and organized crime out of the State of Oklahoma.” — Stitt via KTEN 

The law also includes provisions to punish cannabis farmers who employ undocumented workers and implements stricter licensing measures. Under the law, cannabis farmers who are caught employing undocumented workers face a misdemeanor punishable by one-year imprisonment or a fine up to $500, or both. The state also has the option to revoke a grower’s license and deny future license applications, according to the bill text.  

Oklahoma lawmakers have been passing laws trying to reign in the state’s cannabis cultivation industry after a series of arrests of so-called “ghost owners” — individuals who obtained cannabis cultivation licenses for third parties, including foreign nationals. In March, the Senate passed a bill to let the state’s medical cannabis agency shut down non-eco-friendly cannabis cultivation operations, and last month Stitt signed a measure requiring growers to hold a $50,000 bond before they can begin operations.

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Missouri Cannabis Sales Reach $350M During First Three Months

5/09/2023

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Cannabis sales in Missouri have topped $350 million during the first three months of adult-use sales, the Missouri Independent reports. And while sales have remained strong, there was a slight dip in cannabis sales in April as adult-use sales fell about 3% from March, to $91 million, while medical cannabis sales slipped nearly 8% to $30.1 million, KSDK reports.  

Missouri cannabis sales nevertheless remain on track to achieve $1 billion in annual sales this year. 

Comparatively, it took seven months for neighboring Illinois to reach $300 million in cannabis sales after starting adult-use sales in January 2020. Illinois didn’t reach $1 billion in sales until 2022, according to the Independent. 

Missouri officials are also still processing nearly 100 requests for new cannabis businesses or changes to existing facilities. In February, the Department of Health and Human Services (DHSS) had 121 total pending requests – 39 for cultivation facilities, 36 for manufacturing facilities, seven for transporters, and one testing lab. The state has so far approved 23 of those requests, department spokeswoman Lisa Cox told the Independent, adding that 29 other requests are in final review and should be approved this month.  

Cox noted that the Division of Cannabis Regulation is also upping its staff and is about 30% through its hiring plan. She expects the agency should be fully staffed by the end of the year. 

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Ohio Cannabis Advocates Again Collecting Signatures for Legalization Initiative

5/09/2023

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Cannabis legalization advocates in Ohio are again collecting signatures to put the legalization question to voters in November after state lawmakers missed the deadline to pass a citizen-authored initiative to enact the reforms, WCMH reports. The Ohio Coalition to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol needs to gather 124,046 signatures to get the issue on ballots, spokesman Tom Haren said.  

“We’re building on an existing medical marijuana program that is popular, shown that it can be effective and provide safe, tested products to Ohio medical patients. This is a framework that works and will provide a quick alternative to an illicit market.” — Haren to WCMH 

A Spectrum News/Siena College poll from September found 60% of Ohioans back the reforms with 37% opposed and 3% unsure. 

The measure includes home grow provisions and imposes a 10% tax on cannabis products.    

Under Ohio’s initiated statute process, once a campaign submits enough signatures, lawmakers have four months to pass the bill, or an amended version, and if they fail to do so, the campaign can collect the remaining signatures needed to put the issue to voters. The group submitted the petition language and the required signatures on January 28, but lawmakers never took up the legislation. 

Haren told WCMH that cannabis legalization in Ohio could generate $400 million in revenue for the state. 

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Creso Pharma Acquires Australian Psychedelic Medicine Company

5/09/2023

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Creso Pharma has signed a deal to acquire 100% of Australia-based Health House International (HHI), which is focused on international distribution of medical cannabis products and possesses a number of licenses to store, distribute, import, and export controlled substances, including psilocybin and MDMA.  

In a statement, Creso CEO Willam Lay said HHI “has an enviable set of licenses” that Creso can use to its “immediate benefit, and adds another growing revenue channel to the group.” 

“The application for an import license for psychedelics marks another exciting opportunity for Creso Pharma, and we look forward to advancing this initiative to create a first mover advantage in the Australian market.” — Lay in a statement 

Combining Creso Pharma’s revenue and HHI cash receipts as a proxy for revenue, the unaudited pro forma revenue for the combined group is $8.26 million or over $33 million on a last quarter annualised basis, the company said in a press release. 

HHI trades on the ASX under the HHI symbol. 

Creso said it will also continue to examine the potential to import the finished product from its wholly owned psychedelics subsidiary Halucenex, which is currently conducting ongoing phase II clinical trial testing synthetic psilocybin on symptoms associated with post-traumatic stress disorder. 

In February, Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration announced that medicines containing psilocybin and MDMA for prescription by specifically authorized psychiatrists for the treatment of certain medical conditions would be permissible in Australia beginning July 1. 

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Oregon Licenses State’s First Psychedelic Medicine Treatment Center

5/08/2023

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Oregon regulators last week licensed the state’s first psychedelic medicine treatment center, the Oregonian reports. The license was granted to Epic Healing Eugene which is expected to start serving patients this month. 

Angie Allbee, head of psilocybin services for the Oregon Health Authority, told the Oregonian that “It may take some time for licensees to set up operations once they are issued a license.” 

“Each licensed service center, and the licensed facilitators who work for or with them, will set their own costs and manage their own operations and communications.” — Allbee to the Oregonian 

In a press release, Cathy Rosewell Jonas, founder and owner of Epic Healing Eugene and a licensed social worker, called the approval “the first step” and said the company “will soon work to create more access for people to this life-changing therapy through scholarships and creating ways for people to sponsor services for other people.”  

“Witnessing clients engage in their deep interpersonal journeys within themselves, as well as my own personal experience working with healing psychedelics, has enabled me to work through the challenges of opening up a service center in Oregon,” she said in a statement. 

Voters approved the reforms in 2020. Under the program, people 21 and older can take regulated amounts of psilocybin under the supervision of trained facilitators in licensed facilities. The state has already approved training programs, facilitators, workers, manufacturers, and one testing lab. 

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Tennessee Legislature Passes Hemp Cannabinoids Regulation Bill

5/08/2023

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The Tennessee General Assembly last week gave final approval to a hemp-derived cannabinoid regulation bill, sending it to Gov. Bill Lee (R), WATE reports. The legislation aims to regulate the production, sale, and distribution of hemp products that contain delta-8 and delta-9 THC.  

Under the measure, manufacturers and sellers of hemp products that contain THC must obtain a license from the Tennessee Department of Agriculture by January 1, 2024. The bill also requires that hemp products that contain THC are tested for safety at an accredited third-party laboratory. 

The legislation would also impose a 5% tax on the sale of hemp-derived cannabinoid products sold in the state. Under the bill, the revenues must be deposited into a special account in the state general fund and allocated to the agriculture department to be used exclusively for the regulation of products containing hemp-derived cannabinoids. 

The bill will also create new criminal offenses, such as a Class-A misdemeanor for a person knowingly selling or distributing hemp-derived THC products to individuals under 21 years old and selling or distributing the products in or on a public street, sidewalk, or park. 

In Tennessee, neither medical nor adult-use cannabis is permitted.  

Lee is expected to sign the bill into law. 

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Scammers Use Boston Address for Cannabis Pickup Scheme

5/08/2023

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A Boston family’s address has been used as part of a cannabis delivery scam for which perpetrators created a fake business, known as Starlight Greens Delivery Dispensary, and collected money from would-be customers but delivered no product, WCVB reports.

Denise King, the Boston homeowner, said several people have shown up at her home seeking an order they placed through the website – but Starlight does not exist in the Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission database. King noted that the Starlight Greens website had no telephone number, no 21-or-older site protection, and requested people pick up their order from the address listed, which runs contrary to its description as a cannabis delivery service.

King and her husband Jimmy have filed a police report with the Boston Police Department. Jimmy said he was concerned that some people can be violent.

The Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office told WCVB that it is investigating the incidents after receiving a report from the family.

The website, excellentcannabisdelivery.com, was offline as of Monday morning. A message on the site shows that the account has been suspended. A Google Maps search for “Starlight Greens Delivery Dispensary” leads to a listing in Chicago, Illinois with a website containing a misspelling – “greenleafdispentsary.com.” The link forwards users to smartcannabisdelivery.com which contains the same look as the suspended site and is also, likely, a scam.

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Maryland Gov. Signs Cannabis Legalization Bill

5/05/2023

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Maryland Gov. Wes Moore (D) on Wednesday signed the bill to legalize cannabis in the state, Maryland Matters reports. After signing the legislation Moore said it will “ensure that the rollout of recreational cannabis in our state drives opportunity in an equitable way.” 

“The criminalization of marijuana harmed low-income communities and communities of color in a profound way. We want to make sure that the legalization of marijuana lifts those communities now in a profound way.” — Moore via Maryland Matters 

Will Tilburg, acting director of the newly created Maryland Cannabis Administration, said the agency is “working quickly to implement the legislation and develop Maryland as a model for equity and safety in cannabis regulation.”

Moore’s final approval of the legislation came two days after his administration announced that the governor had created a blind trust for his assets, which included about $1.2 million in stock for Chicago, Illinois-based cannabis company Green Thumb Industries.

Don Murphy, a former Republican lawmaker from Baltimore County who now serves as the director of federal policies for the Marijuana Policy Project, said he would have preferred a bill with “no limits” on the number of cannabis licenses allowed in the state.

“Let the market decide,” he told Maryland Matters. “If you want equity applicants to benefit, they have to get in the game. When you limit the number of people who can get in the game, they’re just always going to be underrepresented.”

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Cannabis Clones & Seeds Now Available via Massachusetts Retailers

5/05/2023

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The Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission (CCC) on Tuesday authorized the sale of cannabis seeds and clones. The products can be sold by adult-use and medical retailers and through licensed delivery services. 

If licensees sell seeds or clones at wholesale or to consumers, the CCC requires that they be tracked via METRC, the state’s seed-to-sale tracking system. Seeds will be tracked in packages, while clones are tracked as immature plants. Clones are also subject to pesticide screening in accordance with state regulations. 

In a statement, CCC Executive Director Shawn Collins said the agency encourages home growers “to follow public awareness tips available through MoreAboutMJ.org.”  

“Safety is paramount to us at the Commission. I’m proud that for the first time ever, Massachusetts residents will now be able to purchase both seeds and clones from licensed retailers and dispensaries that are closely regulated and tracked.” — Collins in a press release 

Retailers may sell up to six clones to an individual customer per day but there is no limit on seeds. Massachusetts law allows adult consumers aged 21 or older to grow up to six plants at home, or up to 12 plants in households with more than one person over 21. Registered medical cannabis patients who have received a Certifying Healthcare Provider recommendation as part of the Medical Use of Marijuana Program may grow up to 12 vegetative plants, 12 flowering plants, and possess an unlimited number of seeds. They may purchase six clones per day, which are not counted against their 60-day cannabis supply. 

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Oregon Cannabis Trade Group Asks Lawmakers for Stricter Regulations Against Expansion of Bad Actor Businesses

5/05/2023

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In a letter to lawmakers, the Cannabis Industry Alliance of Oregon asked that a bill currently being considered by the House be amended to prevent La Mota – the cannabis company that had hired former Secretary of State Shemia Fagan as a consultant – from continuing its expansion in the state, according to a Willamette Week report outlining the letter.

In the letter, the organization said that “Companies that display a flagrant disregard for state laws and fair business practices have no place in Oregon’s cannabis industry” and calls out La Mota for allegedly owing cannabis companies throughout the state more than $1.5 million for product for which they are facing lawsuits. 

“The owners of La Mota have funded and accomplished their expansion by remaining in significant arrears with the Oregon Department of Revenue and [Internal Revenue Service], by refusing to pay vendors for products sold in their stores, and by taking advantage of the OLCC’s unmetered issuance of licenses.”— Cannabis Industry Alliance of Oregon, in the letter, via Willamette Week 

La Mota is not a member of the Alliance but is a member of the Oregon Cannabis Association, which did not sign the letter to lawmakers.  

The Cannabis Industry Alliance of Oregon suggests that House Bill 2515, which is currently being considered by the House Committee on Rules, should include “language that restricts the [Oregon Liquor and Control Commission] from renewing or issuing licenses to businesses that refuse to remain in reasonable good faith with the Oregon Department of Revenue” and provisions to “ensure vendors are paid for cannabis sold at retail stores.”    

“It’s imperative, as integral as this industry is to our state, that Oregon cannabis businesses pay their taxes, meet their obligations to vendors,” the association wrote in the letter, “and never again attempt to use ill-gotten funds to push personal political agendas.” 

La Mota had donated to the political campaign of Fagan before hiring her as a consultant. On Monday, Fagan quit that gig and then resigned as secretary of state the following day. 

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4/20 Marks the One Year Anniversary of Freedom Grams and Their Fight to Free Cannabis Prisoners

5/04/2023

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“Freedom Grams” Created by Industry Coalition Continues to Advocate for the Release of More than 40,000 People in the U.S. Still Incarcerated for Non-Violent Cannabis Possession

NEW YORK (May 3, 2023) — April 20, 2023, was the one-year anniversary of the non-profit cannabis brand Freedom Grams, launched by cannabis platform provider AROYA, retailer and manufacturer GABY Inc., and non-profit Last Prisoner Project. Each pack of Freedom Grams comes in the exact amounts of cannabis for which people are still in prison. All proceeds from Freedom Grams are funding the release of cannabis prisoners, as well as general cannabis justice reform.

Coming off the heels of 4/20, the biggest day for cannabis in the U.S., limited edition Freedom Grams kits are being sent out to influencers, journalists, and policymakers to amplify Freedom Gram’s message of cannabis criminal justice reform. Each box includes branded accessories to remind cannabis consumers of the double standards in the treatment of cannabis prisoners.

“We launched Freedom Grams to bring people together and create a real connection to cannabis prisoners. It’s great to see that more partners have joined us in this fight,” says Christian Hertel, VP of Marketing at AROYA.

Freedom Grams has received many accolades and recognition in the industry with a Grand Clio at Clio Cannabis and several other awards including the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, New York Festival, The One Show, and more.

Launched through California-based dispensary Mankind, Freedom Grams has connected with many more partners in the industry including Ball Family Farms and Dewey Cannabis Co. The initiative has expanded its reach to new states like Washington with over 60 retail partners.

Freedom Grams is an open-source brand. This means that other industry participants — growers, retailers, brands, or individuals — can join by creating Freedom Grams labels for their own product, with every partner donating their proceeds to Last Prisoner Project. The group was formed with one goal in mind: to work toward the release of people imprisoned for nonviolent cannabis offenses.

“I am happy to support Freedom Grams and the work they do in partnership with Last Prisoner Project to free the tens of thousands of people currently serving time for cannabis. There are multiple ways to support our incarcerated cannabis community, and this is a crucial one,” says Stephanie Shepard, Partnerships Manager at Last Prisoner Project.

Since October 2022, which saw President Joe Biden’s pardon of federal prisoners convicted for simple cannabis possession, the government has not made much progress. It took five months for pardon applications to open up and in its current state, it does not apply to state-persecuted individuals. All this while the cannabis market is estimated to reach over 31.8 billion USD in sales by the end of 2023.

Last Prisoner Project’s policy team has been working around the clock to ensure cannabis legislation across the country contains resentencing and record-clearing mechanisms. One of the big initiatives they launched in 2023 was the Pardons to Progress campaign, which urges governors to issue clemency grants to those incarcerated on state-level marijuana charges.

“Freedom Grams is a reminder that the fight doesn’t end with legalisation. It ends when every cannabis prisoner can go back home and be reintegrated into society without a record,” concluded Christian Hertel, VP of Marketing at AROYA.

Freedom Grams is an initiative by AROYA in partnership with Last Prisoner Project and GABY Inc., idea and execution by Serviceplan Group, together with design studio Moby Digg, type designer Michael Clasen, and creative coder Daniel Kuhnlein.

About AROYA
AROYA is a cannabis production platform. They specialise in cultivation sensors and analytical software for producing high quality yields. They believe in using the power of data to empower their consumers. Visit www.AROYA.io for additional information.

About Last Prisoner Project
The Last Prisoner Project (LPP) is a non-profit organisation dedicated to cannabis-related criminal justice reform. LPP works to redress the past and continuing harms of inhumane and ineffective laws and policies.

About GABY Inc.
GABY Inc. is a California-focused retail consolidator and the owner of Mankind Dispensary, one of the oldest licensed dispensaries in California. Mankind is a well-known, and highly respected dispensary with deep roots in the California cannabis community operating in San Diego, California. GABY curates and sells a diverse portfolio of products, including its own proprietary brands and distributes all its proprietary brands through its wholly-owned subsidiary, GABY Manufacturing.

About Serviceplan Group
Serviceplan Group is one of the largest independent, partner-managed agency groups worldwide. Serviceplan Group has developed the concept of the “House of Communication” — a fully integrated agency model that combines all modern communication disciplines from the areas of creative and content, media and data, and experience and technology commerce under one roof.

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