Alcohol, tobacco interests eyeing Michigan marijuana market

/in , , , , , , , /by

By John Schroyer

At a time when Michigan’s medical marijuana regulations are being written – and adult-use proponents are finalizing a legalization measure for the 2018 ballot – representatives from the alcohol and tobacco industries have had a seat at the negotiating table.

It’s not yet clear how the alcohol and tobacco interests will be involved in the marijuana business.

But there are signs the tobacco industry is at least eyeing the retail end of the market. And MJ industry officials have…

CONTINUE READING: Click Here to Continue Reading Article …

Colorado lawmakers pass bill adding PTSD to MMJ conditions list

/in , , , , , , /by

The Colorado Legislature has approved a bill that would add post-traumatic stress disorder to its list of medical ailments that qualify patients for medical marijuana, a move that could provide a shot in the arm to the state’s MMJ industry.

The state Senate signed off on the measure Tuesday, and the bill now heads to Gov. John Hickenlooper, who has not yet indicated if he will sign it into law.


MJBizConIf Hickenlooper does sign it, the move could result in a boost in the state’s MMJ patient…

CONTINUE READING: Click Here to Continue Reading Article …

What the cannabis industry can learn from the natural products business: Q&A with Loren Israelsen

/in , , , /by

By Bart Schaneman

Loren Israelsen feels the cannabis industry’s pain.

For more than three decades, he’s been dealing with regulatory and commercial issues in the global dietary supplement industry, including labeling and being viewed as a fringe business. Israelsen is the president of the United Natural Products Alliance.

The Salt Lake City-based trade association represents more than 100 natural products, dietary supplements and related companies. He’s watched firsthand the issues that arise…

CONTINUE READING: Click Here to Continue Reading Article …

Oregon marijuana company fined $5,300 over butane explosion

/in , , , , , /by

Oregon regulators fined Higher Level Concentrates $5,300 for workplace safety violations following a butane-extraction explosion last year that landed one man in a Portland burn ward.

The Oregonian reported that Oregon OSHA fined the extraction company, which is based in in Astoria, for failure to:

  • Ventilate the building
  • Have an adequate electrical system
  • Obtain city permits


MJBizConThe accident occurred last October, when, according to a lawsuit, William “Chris” West was handling butane…

CONTINUE READING: Click Here to Continue Reading Article …

Ohio issues applications for medical cannabis growers

/in , , , , , /by

Prospective medical marijuana growers can start applying for a license in Ohio now that the state has begun issuing applications for one of 24 available MMJ cultivation permits.

The Ohio Department of Commerce plans to issue up to 12 licenses for large grows totaling as much as 25,000 square feet of growing space and another dozen for small grows ranging up to 3,000 square feet.


MJBizConApplicants will be required to meet capital requirements and secure local zoning approval for the proposed…

CONTINUE READING: Click Here to Continue Reading Article …

Oregon signals more inspections of marijuana cultivation sites

/in , , , , , /by

An adviser to Oregon’s Gov. Kate Brown said state inspections of cannabis cultivation sites will become more frequent now that additional facilities have been licensed.


MJBizConSpeaking with local officials in southwestern Oregon, Jeff Rhoades didn’t offer any details about how inspections would be increased, the Grants Pass Daily Courier reported.

According to the newspaper, only 13 cultivation sites were inspected last year in Josephine County – where Grants Pass is the county seat – out…

CONTINUE READING: Click Here to Continue Reading Article …

Alaska orders Anchorage marijuana club to shut down

/in , , , , , /by

Marijuana businesses in Anchorage, Alaska, have for years now been pushing the envelope of what’s acceptable by state regulators, and recently they got another answer on one thing that’s not: cannabis social clubs.

The only club in Anchorage, Pot Luck Events, which has been operational since 2015, was ordered to close by the Alaska Alcohol and Marijuana Control Office (AMCO), which said the business was illegal and was risking the wrath of the U.S. Department of Justice, TV station KTUU…

CONTINUE READING: Click Here to Continue Reading Article …

Oregon vineyard owners sue to halt nearby cannabis cultivation

/in , , , , , /by

Oregon vineyard owners in the heart of the state’s wine region filed a lawsuit asking a judge to ban a neighbor from cultivating marijuana, complaining that the smell of cannabis could drift over and taint their grapes.

The suit could foreshadow a larger issue: Will expanding cannabis cultivation, particularly in states such as California and Oregon, cause conflicts with the already-established wine industry?


MJBizConThe Oregonian reported that Momtazi Vineyard – in Yamhill County, southeast…

CONTINUE READING: Click Here to Continue Reading Article …

Week in Review: RI rec push slows, pushback on California cannabis plan & China opportunity

/in , , , , , , , /by

By Omar Sacirbey, John Schroyer and Bart Schaneman

Adult-use legislation takes a hit in Rhode Island, California Gov. Jerry Brown’s proposal for cannabis regulation faces opposition, and a marijuana-related firm sets up shop in China.

Here’s a closer look at some notable developments in the marijuana industry over the past week.

Rhode Island rec resistance

Prospects for legalizing recreational marijuana in Rhode Island hit a speed bump this week
MJBizConafter Gov. Gina Raimondo called on lawmakers to…

CONTINUE READING: Click Here to Continue Reading Article …

Florida medical marijuana deal unlikely to allow smokable flower

/in , , , , /by

Florida lawmakers are working out a compromise to implement a voter-approved constitutional amendment legalizing medical marijuana, and any deal is unlikely to allow smokable MMJ as a form of treatment.

Smokable medical cannabis would help attract patients to the program and in turn bolster revenue for the state’s MMJ industry.

But Sen. Rob Bradley, an MMJ proponent and bill sponsor, told The News Service of Florida smokable flower is off the table.

“There is agreement between the…

CONTINUE READING: Click Here to Continue Reading Article …

MJ Freeway wins $10M PA medical cannabis tracking deal

/in , , , , , /by

(Note: This story has been updated from an earlier version.)

Embattled MJ Freeway received a key vote of confidence Thursday after Pennsylvania awarded the Denver company a $10 million contract to provide a seed-to-sale tracking system to keep tabs on the state’s new medical marijuana program.


MJBizConThe five-year contract is a shot in the arm for MJ Freeway, given that Pennsylvania’s MMJ market is forecast to generate more than $100 million in annual sales a few years after it’s up and…

CONTINUE READING: Click Here to Continue Reading Article …

Cannabis banking still unpredictable: Q&A with Colorado Bank Commissioner Chris Myklebust

/in , , , , , /by

By John Schroyer

Colorado State Bank Commissioner Chris Myklebust flew to Washington DC in March to meet with a group of state bank regulators.

He also met with U.S. Sen. Cory Gardner, a Colorado Republican, and a staffer for U.S. Rep. Ed Perlmutter, a Colorado Democrat. He brought up cannabis banking, and was encouraged.

Marijuana Business Daily spoke with Myklebust after he returned to Colorado to see what he learned from his trip.

Myklebust estimated that only about five or six financial…

CONTINUE READING: Click Here to Continue Reading Article …

West Virginia governor signs bill legalizing medical cannabis

/in , , , /by

It’s official: West Virginia has become the 30th state in the nation to legalize medical cannabis, and the first to do so in 2017.

Gov. Jim Justice on Wednesday signed Senate Bill 386, the Medical Cannabis Act, and said it was “a monumental day,” MetroNews reported.


Mirth ProvisionsThe legislature approved the bill the first week of April, and even though the program has its critics – in large part because it bans smokable MMJ, as do Minnesota and New York – the new law is another victory for…

CONTINUE READING: Click Here to Continue Reading Article …

U.S. Rep Polis predicts medical cannabis safeguard will get OK

/in , , , , , /by

Colorado Democratic U.S. Rep. Jared Polis, one of the four founding members of the Cannabis Caucus, said during a panel discussion Tuesday in Denver he believes the Rohrabacher-Farr Amendment – which protects medical marijuana businesses from the Department of Justice – will be renewed and remain in federal law.

Polis was one of 44 representatives who recently urged that language from the amendment be included in the base bill for the appropriations process to fund the entire federal government. The base bill…

CONTINUE READING: Click Here to Continue Reading Article …

Las Vegas may loosen MMJ dispensary rules, allow later hours

/in , , , , /by

Concerned they’re losing business to medical marijuana retailers in unincorporated parts of Clark County, city officials in Las Vegas are now eyeballing possible rollbacks to city MMJ rules that may let Sin City dispensaries stay open later and serve more customers.

Proposed changes could also give dispensaries more flexibility on what products they can carry, shrink business fees and revamp disposal requirements for expired MMJ, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported.


Mirth Provisions“I believe we’re…

CONTINUE READING: Click Here to Continue Reading Article …

Firm funds $1.85M marijuana research at Ohio University

/in , , , , , /by

Ohio-based Black Elk Biotech has awarded Ohio University (OU) a $1.85 million contract to examine therapeutic benefits generated from cannabis and other natural products.

Black Elk Biotech is a subsidiary of Black Elk, an Ohio company focused on products and medicines derived from fruits, trees, plants and other vegetation.

According to The Post – an independent student-run newspaper on the OU campus – the funding will bankroll research into natural treatments for various medical…

CONTINUE READING: Click Here to Continue Reading Article …

Regulations finalized for Ohio medical cannabis growers

/in , , , , /by

A panel of Ohio lawmakers signed off on final rules governing the state’s new medical marijuana cultivators, approving 24 licensed sites that will carry hefty fees.

The cultivator rules, which also spell out application and license fees for MMJ dispensaries, product processors and testing labs, passed the Ohio legislature’s Joint Committee on Agency Rule Review without objection on Monday, the Cleveland Plain Dealer reported.

They will be officially filed by the end of April and are set…

CONTINUE READING: Click Here to Continue Reading Article …

Hemp providing avenue for marijuana businesses to boost profits, extend brands

/in , , , /by

By Bart Schaneman

Marijuana businesses are increasingly expanding into CBD products derived from hemp, capitalizing on the hemp industry’s growth and less restrictive legal status.

The diversification allows cannabis-infused product companies, in particular, to expand their geographic sales reach, bolster profits and boost brand recognition.

Hemp-derived products don’t face the same restrictions as those containing THC, giving marijuana-infused products manufacturers the opportunity to expand…

CONTINUE READING: Click Here to Continue Reading Article …

Rhode Island governor calls for delay in legalizing rec marijuana

/in , , , , /by

A state that industry watchers have predicted would be among the next to legalize recreational marijuana – Rhode Island – appears to have hit a speed bump when it comes to legalization.

Rhode Island’s governor is calling on lawmakers to delay passing legislation that would legalize adult-use cannabis.

Democratic Gov. Gina Raimondo’s administration sent a letter to the House Judiciary Committee saying they should instead support legislation to create a 15-member study commission to…

CONTINUE READING: Click Here to Continue Reading Article …

Pushback on California proposal to merge rec, medical MJ systems

/in , , , , , , /by

A series of proposals from California Gov. Jerry Brown to merge regulations for medical and recreational marijuana have come under fire from some state lawmakers and political stakeholders, throwing the future of the regulatory changes into uncertainty.

Some in Sacramento are now saying Brown’s proposals – which are attached to a budget trailer bill – may not pass muster with the state legislature, according to the Los Angeles Times. Critics, including police chiefs, say the proposed…

CONTINUE READING: Click Here to Continue Reading Article …

Franwell wins Michigan cannabis tracking deal worth nearly $450K

/in , , , , , /by

Florida-based Franwell, which built Colorado’s cannabis tracking system, has been awarded a state contract from Michigan worth nearly $450,000 to implement a similar inventory tracking program for the state’s medical marijuana program.

The Michigan deal is in keeping with new regulations that will oversee a web of state-licensed MMJ businesses.

The contract, according to Crain’s Detroit Business, is worth $447,625.

Franwell beat out 10 competitors to win the contract, including BioTrackTHC, MJ Freeway, Kind…

CONTINUE READING: Click Here to Continue Reading Article …

North Dakota lawmakers OK medical marijuana industry rules

/in , , , , /by

North Dakota’s legislature has passed a bill establishing a regulatory structure for the state’s upcoming medical cannabis industry.

The measure – which now goes to the governor, who said he would sign the bill – includes several business-friendly provisions.

Dispensaries, for instance, will be able to sell smokable MMJ, which will help attract patients to the program and in turn bolster revenues for the state’s medical cannabis industry.

There’s one caveat, however: A doctor…

CONTINUE READING: Click Here to Continue Reading Article …

Week in Review: 4 takeaways from Canada’s recreational marijuana plan

/in , , , , , , , /by

By Omar Sacirbey

The biggest marijuana business development this week – and quite possibly this year – originated north of the border.

On Thursday, the Canadian government introduced landmark legislation to legalize recreational marijuana, giving entrepreneurs worldwide a look at how the country could regulate the first adult-use cannabis market in a G-7 nation.

Among the four notable business highlights:

  • The government hopes to fast-track the program and have it up and running by the middle of…

CONTINUE READING: Click Here to Continue Reading Article …

Colorado lawmakers abandon plans to regulate cannabis clubs

/in , , , , /by

Colorado lawmakers backed off plans to regulate marijuana clubs, saying the state would invite a federal crackdown by approving Amsterdam-style cannabis clubs.

The state House voted Thursday to amend a bill that would have set rules for how private marijuana clubs could work.

It was a dramatic reversal. Bring-your-own-MJ clubs had bipartisan support in the Colorado Legislature, and the measure had cleared the GOP Senate.

But lawmakers bowed to Democratic Gov. John Hickenlooper, who warned…

CONTINUE READING: Click Here to Continue Reading Article …

MD’s failed marijuana diversity bill spurs call for special session

/in , , , , /by

Black lawmakers in Maryland are calling for a special session of the legislature after the failure of a bill designed to mandate racial diversity in the ownership of the businesses that will participate in the state’s new medical marijuana industry.

The legislation would have added seven more licenses to cultivate cannabis, on top of the 15 already allowed. Five would have created diversity ownership, and two would have gone to companies that are suing the state for being removed from the…

CONTINUE READING: Click Here to Continue Reading Article …

New Mexico dispensary stays open despite State Fair violation

/in , , , /by

A New Mexico judge has issued a ruling that prohibits the state health department from imposing a penalty against a medical marijuana dispensary for displaying a cannabis plant at last summer’s State Fair.

The Santa Fe New Mexican reported that Judge David Thomson ruled that requiring New Mexico Top Organics-Ultra Health to close for five days was an excessive punishment not supported by law. He did uphold a $100 fine for the dispensary.


Mirth ProvisionsThe nonprofit marijuana producer had filed a…

CONTINUE READING: Click Here to Continue Reading Article …

Does vape lawsuit foreshadow litigious future for cannabis industry?

/in , , , , , /by

By John Schroyer

A turf war over Arizona’s medical cannabis vaporizer market has spilled into the courts, with one multistate marijuana company suing another over an alleged smear campaign.

While the case itself may not be a particular milestone, it’s another hallmark of the industry’s emergence into an atmosphere where high-stakes litigation is commonplace.

In the lawsuit – which is over a year old but was amended in early April to identify Colorado-based Openvape as the primary defendant…

CONTINUE READING: Click Here to Continue Reading Article …

Washington state’s cannabis tracking contract up for bid

/in , , , , , /by

By Bart Schaneman

Washington state regulators have begun accepting bids for a new seed-to-sale tracking system to keep tabs on marijuana commerce, a deal with an initial value of about $3 million.

The competition likely will be fierce, given that the contract involves one of the nation’s largest cannabis markets.

But businesses won’t be squaring off against the provider of the state’s current seed-to-sale system, BioTrackTHC. The company said it has no plans to bid for the new contract,…

CONTINUE READING: Click Here to Continue Reading Article …

Ohio to accept medical cannabis grower applications in June

/in , , , , , , /by

Ohio regulators will begin taking applications for its 24 available cultivation licenses in June and review them in July.

According to the Cleveland Plain Dealer, winning applicants will have nine months to meet the program’s requirements. It’s not clear when regulators will choose the winning applicants.


Mirth ProvisionsThe Ohio Department of Commerce is expected to release application forms and instructions in the next couple of weeks, the Plain Dealer reported. Officials will then host a webinar to…

CONTINUE READING: Click Here to Continue Reading Article …

Arkansas moves from lottery to merit-based MMJ licensing system

/in , , , , , /by

The Arkansas Medical Marijuana Commission has had a change of heart.

Instead of picking MMJ business winners and losers by random through a lottery, the commission will instead use a merit-based scoring system to award dispensary and cultivation permits.

The change was made to a draft regulation after pushback from stakeholders at a public hearing, the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reported. In other states, lottery permitting systems have commonly resulted in lawsuits.


Mirth ProvisionsThe commission has yet…

CONTINUE READING: Click Here to Continue Reading Article …

Israeli university launches medical cannabis research center

/in , , , , /by

The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, a leading Israeli academic institution, is launching a Multidisciplinary Center on Cannabinoid Research.

Additional research providing evidence of marijuana’s medicinal benefits could persuade more doctors to recommend medical cannabis. Israel already has a reputation as a cannabis research powerhouse.

According to The Jerusalem Post, the new center’s studies will highlight cancer, pain, stress management and inflammation as key areas, as well as a…

CONTINUE READING: Click Here to Continue Reading Article …

Week in Review: West Virginia nears legalization, NV distribution plan & Johns Hopkins exits study

/in , , , , , /by
Week in Review: West Virginia nears legalization, NV distribution plan & Johns Hopkins exits study – Marijuana Business DailyWeek in Review: West Virginia nears legalization, NV distribution plan & Johns Hopkins exits study – Marijuana Business Daily

CONTINUE READING: Click Here to Continue Reading Article …

West Virginia legislature approves medical cannabis legalization

/in , , , , /by

(This story has been updated from an earlier version.)

West Virginia appears poised to become the 30th state in the nation to legalize medical marijuana after the Republican-controlled legislature signed off on a bill Thursday night establishing an MMJ program.

The measure now goes to the desk of Democratic Gov. Jim Justice, West Virginia Public Broadcasting reported. He is expected to sign it.

According to West Virginia Public Broadcasting, the measure levies a 6% excise tax on MMJ and…

CONTINUE READING: Click Here to Continue Reading Article …

Sessions: DOJ task force will analyze marijuana enforcement

/in , , , , , /by

U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced the formation of a new task force subcommittee that will focus, at least in part, on marijuana enforcement policies.

The subcommittee – part of the Task Force on Crime Reduction and Public Safety – will tackle “a review of existing policies in the areas of charging, sentencing, and marijuana to ensure consistency with the (Department of Justice’s) overall strategy on reducing violent crime and with Administration goals and policies,”

CONTINUE READING: Click Here to Continue Reading Article …

Cannabis-centric ETF begins trading on Toronto Stock Exchange

/in , , , , , /by

A marijuana exchange-traded fund – billed as the world’s first – began trading on the Toronto Stock Exchange on Wednesday, the latest sign the cannabis industry is becoming more of a mainstream sector.

The newly launched Horizons Medical Marijuana Life Sciences ETF packages the stocks of 14 marijuana-related businesses into one security, CBC News reported. The Canadian unit of Horizons ETFs Management oversees the ETF.


Mirth ProvisionsAn exchange-traded fund owns and tracks certain assets and,…

CONTINUE READING: Click Here to Continue Reading Article …

California cannabis industry lauds governor’s ‘pro-business’ proposals

/in , , , , , , /by
California marijuana

By John Schroyer

California marijuana businesses apparently have an ally in the governor’s mansion.

Many in the cannabis industry are applauding a series of overhaul proposals issued Tuesday by Gov. Jerry Brown for his state’s regulatory system, which will begin overseeing cannabis businesses in January.

The proposed changes are expected to cut regulatory red tape and bolster MJ companies’ bottom lines.

They include a provision to eliminate a measure requiring every cannabis company to obtain…

CONTINUE READING: Click Here to Continue Reading Article …

California gov suggests big changes to new marijuana system

/in , , , , , , /by

California Gov. Jerry Brown has issued a series of proposed changes to his state’s upcoming marijuana regulatory system in an effort to reconcile differences between a 2015 medical marijuana oversight law and the new recreational cannabis ballot initiative voters approved last year.

Among the numerous changes Brown put forth were several significant ones that were immediately hailed by the industry as a step in the right direction:

  • Repealing a mandate that would require a local permit for…

CONTINUE READING: Click Here to Continue Reading Article …

Nevada to accept rec distribution bids from MMJ license holders

/in , , , , /by

Nevada’s Department of Taxation hasn’t received enough interest for the state’s new adult-use marijuana market from liquor wholesalers, so it’s opening the distribution business to existing medical cannabis license holders.

The department will soon begin accepting distribution applications from medical cannabis businesses, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal, a move that will give MMJ businesses another avenue into the upcoming recreational market.

MMJ license holders also will…

CONTINUE READING: Click Here to Continue Reading Article …

Pressure builds for Trump to maintain marijuana status quo

/in , , , , , /by

President Donald Trump is getting increasing pressure – from his circle of advisers and beyond – to maintain the current status quo when it comes to the cannabis industry.

The governors of the first four states to legalize recreational cannabis on Monday sent Trump a letter urging him to confer with them before announcing any major changes in federal marijuana policy.


Mirth ProvisionsThe governors – Alaska’s Bill Walker, Colorado’s John Hickenlooper, Oregon’s Kate Brown and Washington’s Jay…

CONTINUE READING: Click Here to Continue Reading Article …

Johns Hopkins backs out of cannabis PTSD study

/in , , , , /by

Johns Hopkins University has pulled out of a federally sanctioned study on using medical marijuana to treat post-traumatic stress disorder over a disagreement with a research group involved in the study.

Losing Hopkins is a major setback for the research program, which has been approved by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.

Any findings that show cannabis can be used to treat PTSD could bolster sales of medical marijuana and persuade federal policy makers and the Department Veterans…

CONTINUE READING: Click Here to Continue Reading Article …

West Virginia appears poised to legalize medical cannabis

/in , , , , , /by

West Virginia, one of only six states left in the nation with no form of legal cannabis, could soon become the latest state to approve a functioning medical marijuana industry.

Senate Bill 386, which already passed the state Senate in a lopsided vote, is slated for a possible floor vote in the House on Monday, according to MetroNews. The bill was fast-tracked in the House, the Herald-Dispatch reported, in a move to force members to vote on the issue instead of letting it expire when the…

CONTINUE READING: Click Here to Continue Reading Article …

Report: DOJ gathering intel on state marijuana cases

/in , , , , , , /by

The Department of Justice is apparently gathering information from at least the Colorado attorney general’s office regarding criminal marijuana investigations.

A records request filed with the DOJ by the International Business Times yielded an email from a Drug Enforcement Administration official to Michael Melito, a lawyer with the Colorado attorney general’s office, in which the DEA agent requested information about specific Colorado cannabis cases.


Mirth Provisions“Some of our intel people are…

CONTINUE READING: Click Here to Continue Reading Article …

Proposed medical cannabis rules in North Dakota cause a stir

/in , , , /by

Medical marijuana activists that successfully got MMJ legalized in last year’s election are threatening to run another ballot measure if state lawmakers stand by proposed regulations that would ban smokable marijuana for most patients.

A bill approved by the state Senate would prohibit smoking MMJ unless “a physician finds no other form of marijuana would help,” the Associated Press reported. That was changed by a House committee, but the bill still would require a medical…

CONTINUE READING: Click Here to Continue Reading Article …

Week in Review: Pro-cannabis bills in Congress, Canada rec legalization & Ohio’s testing plans

/in , , , , , , , , /by

By John Schroyer, Omar Sacirbey and Bart Schaneman

Federal lawmakers introduce a slew of pro-marijuana bills, Canada eyes legalizing adult-use cannabis by July 2018, and concerns crop up over a little-known provision in Ohio’s MMJ law.

Here’s a closer look at some notable developments in the marijuana industry over the past week.

Congress tries again

Thursday’s news that seven bills were introduced in Congress to reform national cannabis laws was greeted with exultation from many in the…

CONTINUE READING: Click Here to Continue Reading Article …

Seven pro-marijuana bills introduced Thursday in Congress

/in , , , , /by

Seven pro-marijuana industry bills were announced Thursday morning by a bipartisan group of U.S. lawmakers in the House and Senate, suggesting that 2017 may be the year real reform gets through the Capitol.

The sponsors range from longtime marijuana industry allies such as Oregon Democrat U.S. Rep. Earl Blumenauer to newcomers to the cause such as Florida Republican U.S. Rep. Carlos Curbelo.

Three bills were introduced in the Senate, along with four more in the House. In the upper chamber,…

CONTINUE READING: Click Here to Continue Reading Article …

Financial snafu could slow Massachusetts’ rec cannabis rollout

/in , , , , /by

The delays continue in Massachusetts’ quest to start a recreational marijuana program.

State Treasurer Deb Goldberg was awarded $300,000 by the state legislature to staff a cannabis oversight agency, but the money was sent to a reserve account that Goldberg can’t access, the Boston Business Journal reported.

The governmental misstep may further stall implementation of the state’s recreational marijuana industry.


Mirth ProvisionsGoldberg’s first request for funding for the Cannabis Control…

CONTINUE READING: Click Here to Continue Reading Article …

Groups working to develop standards for cannabis businesses

/in , , , , , , /by

By Bart Schaneman

Cannabis trade groups, state officials and marijuana industry leaders are pursuing the development of standards and best practices covering organic certification, labor practices and energy use in a bid to further legitimize and professionalize the industry.

These efforts could bolster both the marijuana sector’s image among consumers and MJ companies’ bottom lines.

Organic certification, for example, could allow cannabis companies to shore up consumer confidence about the safety…

CONTINUE READING: Click Here to Continue Reading Article …

DC’s medical marijuana program progressing, though more change in store

/in , , , , , /by

By John Schroyer

The District of Columbia’s medical cannabis companies have been ramping up in the past month, largely because of new business-friendly regulations that have reshaped the future in terms of possible market size.

But those companies still face big questions, especially with regard to expansion and uncertainty over the customer base’s potential size.

For instance, District Growers plans to increase its production space by adding 4,000 square feet to its existing 5,200-square-foot…

CONTINUE READING: Click Here to Continue Reading Article …

Las Vegas cannabis lounge options are taking shape

/in , , , , , , /by

Marijuana consumption lounges in Las Vegas are looking more and more as if they’ll become a reality for cannabis entrepreneurs.

At a Clark County marijuana advisory panel meeting Monday, the board “spent most of its first meeting” talking about proposals for such a concept and how cannabis clubs would be regulated, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported.

A representative from the resort hotel industry said clubs “are the realistic solution to making sure” that marijuana tourists…

CONTINUE READING: Click Here to Continue Reading Article …

Nevada medical cannabis licenses fetch almost $2 million

/in , , , , , , , /by

Oregon-based cannabis oil company Golden Leaf Holdings paid $1.925 million to acquire cultivation and extraction licenses from NevWa, a Nevada company that does business as Grassroots.

NevWa’s two licenses allow for distribution and sales in Nevada, including prominent tourist destinations Las Vegas and Reno, according to a news release.


Spring 2017 MJBizConGolden Leaf Holdings’ move comes as Nevada is preparing to introduce recreational marijuana into a state that already has a medical cannabis market.

A preliminary framework for Nevada’s adult-use…

CONTINUE READING: Click Here to Continue Reading Article …