Zimbabwe: Agricultural Marketing Authority granted permission to issue cannabis trade permits

Government has authorised the Agricultural Marketing Authority (AMA) to issue three specialised trade permits which will legalise cannabis trade related activities in Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe legalised the production of cannabis for medicinal or scientific purposes in April 2018 through a notice published…

CAN (BC): New sales programs to benefit cannabis producers, Indigenous businesses

Cannabis producers in B.C. will have greater access to local retailers and consumers, thanks to new direct delivery and farm-gate sales programs that are in development by the Province. Following input and recommendations from long-time cannabis growers, Indigenous leaders and other stakeholders,…

US: Hemp growers now eligible for USDA Coronavirus relief program

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced on Friday that it is expanding its coronavirus relief program for farmers—and this time around, hemp cultivators are eligible for benefits. In May, USDA said it would be making $19 billion available for agriculture producers to assist them amid the…

US (MI): First cannabis microbusiness approved

Michigan issued the very first recreational cannabis microbusiness license to a company in Presque Isle County’s Onaway this week. The business, Sticky Bush Farms owned by Benjamin Kolasa according to state licensing records, is allowed to grow up to 150 plants, the cannabis from which may then be…

Alleged failure to disclose material information leads to federal lawsuit

Keeping up with the multitude of (shifting) state and municipal cannabis regulations is a daunting task for any multi-state cannabis operator. One well-known tool for doing so…

US (WV): State to announce first MMJ growing permits

The first permits for growing medical cannabis will soon be issued in West Virginia. “We hope to issue grower permits within the next week,” said Jason Frame, Director of the West Virginia Office of Medical Cannabis. “It’s a huge step for O-M-C to actually start production of these physical facilities.”…

US (CA): Bureau of Cannabis Control accepting public university

The Bureau of Cannabis Control (Bureau) announced today a Request for Proposals (RFP) for university research grants for public universities in California. The Bureau has $30…

US: House postpones vote on federal legalization

A bill to federally legalize cannabis will no longer receive a previously announced vote in the House of Representatives next week. In an at least temporary blow to reform advocates, the legislation was not included in a weekly floor schedule posted by the office of Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) on…

US (MI): Report says agency obstructed examination of MMJ program

A memo written by counsel for Missouri House Democrats says the agency responsible for regulating the state’s medical cannabis industry obstructed an oversight committee’s…

US (IL): Department of Agriculture announces Cannabis Division manager

The Illinois Department of Agriculture (IDOA) named David Lakeman as division manager for the Department’s cannabis division. Lakeman comes to IDOA from Massachusetts, where he assisted the launching of the state’s cannabis industry. Lakeman represented the Massachusetts Municipal Association during the…

French government urged to speed up medical cannabis trials

French deputies on Wednesday urged President Emmanuel Macron's government to stop dragging its feet over testing cannabis for medical use, saying its tardiness compared to…

US (CA): Riverside County hemp crops could be restricted

Hemp growing would be banned in Anza, Aguanga, Sage and other parts of unincorporated Riverside County under the county’s first-ever hemp regulations. The proposed ordinance, to be considered by the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday, Sept. 15, is supported by residents concerned that hemp growing will…

US (CA): Cannabis licensing authorities unveil new unified license search tool

California’s three cannabis licensing authorities – BCC, CDFA and CDPH announced today the launch of a unified licensing search platform, the culmination of a collaboration between the California Department of Technology, the California Health and Human Services Agency Office of Innovation, the…

US (IL): Another chance for rural cannabis facility permit in Piatt County

The Piatt County board has granted the request of a potential cannabis growing facility for more time to gather information and communicate with neighbors before taking a vote on a special use permit needed for the indoor farm to come to fruition. The zoning board of appeals had recommended denying the…

US (MI): Evart-based cultivation facility gets the go-ahead for expansion

The Evart Zoning Board of Appeals approved a setback variance request for Evart Properties, LLC, at its recent meeting. Mark Wilson, the city's assistant manager, presented the request to the zoning board, saying the request was for a variance of the normal backyard setback in the industrial zoned…

US (MA): Pittsfield-based grower submits application to build new facility

A local cannabis company is seeking to expand its operations by demolishing a bowling alley that had closed because of the coronavirus pandemic and building a marijuana cultivation and processing facility in its place. Berkshire Roots has submitted an application to the city to build a two-story…

US: Bipartisan support grows for the MORE act

A pending bill that would decriminalize marijuana at the federal level is gaining bipartisan support as a vote on the measure scheduled in the House of Representatives next week approaches. Under the bill, the Marijuana Opportunity, Reinvestment, and Expungement (MORE) Act, cannabis would be removed from…

US: Committee advances legislation to facilitate clinical research on authorized cannabis products

Members of a Congressional committee have, for the first time, advanced legislation to facilitate clinical cannabis research by allowing scientists to access marijuana and marijuana products manufactured in accordance with state-authorized marijuana programs. Members of the House Energy and Commerce…

US (CA): Supervisors set to approve ordinance regulating hemp farms

The Board of Supervisors is slated Tuesday to consider imposing a series of regulations on where and how hemp growers can operate within unincorporated areas of Riverside…

JM: Cannabis Licensing Authority committed to facilitating cannabis import/export

Director of Research Development and Communications at the Cannabis Licensing Authority (CLA), Felicia Bailey, says the agency is committed to facilitating the import and export of cannabis until the import/export regulations are promulgated. Under the Interim Measures, licensees can export cannabis…

BVI: Cannabis industry on hold until governor responds to bill

Governor of the British Virgin Islands Augustus Jaspert is yet contemplating over the Cannabis Licensing Act which was previously passed in the House of  Assembly. The Act which was enacted two months ago put the framework for the establishment of a medical marijuana industry in the territory. Because the…

US: Internal Revenue Service releases tax guidance for the cannabis industry

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) on Thursday released updated guidance on tax policy for the cannabis industry, including instructions on how cannabis businesses that don’t…

Cannabis industry in Colorado takes on social justice

Few industries embody the successes and ongoing struggles in the fight for social justice, legal reform and inclusion more than Colorado’s cannabis industry. The pot industry is one that champions individual freedom and progressive values. It’s one whose pioneers, in many cases people of color, operated…

US: FDA teaches growers how to protect trade secrets

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is hosting a meeting next week to help inform cannabis researchers and cultivators about opportunities to protect their proprietary…

US (CA): Public comment period on regulated organic cannabis cultivation to end soon

The public comment period on what regulated organic cannabis cultivation will look like in California is coming to a close soon and we spoke with one of the people that was sitting at the table as the OCal regulations came together. The California Department of Food and Agriculture was mandated to get…

US (CA): Oxnard city council examines cannabis equity program and cultivation

The Housing and Economic Development Committee, Sept 8, provided input and comments on the Oxnard Cannabis Equity Program, with consideration on how to allocate the one percent local equity donation. The report included programs and recommended percentages; and provided input on advancing a cannabis…

US (MA): Bangor-based grower receives cultivation license

The state has licensed a fourth adult-use cannabis grow and announced plans to permit Maine’s third retail shop. Both are located in Bangor and have the same owners. On Thursday, the Maine Office of Marijuana Policy issued a license to Allure Cultivation to begin operating a midsized grow out of a…

US (MA): Woolwich-based cannabis cultivation facility gets pre-application

Two weeks after Woolwich voters approved cannabis ordinances, the planning board received its first preliminary application for a cannabis cultivation business. The select board reviewed the application process with Planning Board Chairman Greg Buczkowski Tuesday evening, Sept. 8. Buczkowski explained,…

US (MI): Pontiac-based MMJ grower rezoning approved

Pontiac City Council has approved the rezoning of a parcel off Walton Boulevard which the developer intends to turn into a medical cannabis grow and processing facility. The .9-acre vacant site is located between Richard Avenue and Walton Boulevard with access to West New York Avenue. It’s been rezoned…

US (MA): State issues six active cannabis licenses

The Office of Marijuana Policy, a part of the Maine Department of Administrative and Financial Services, announced Tuesday the issuance of Maine’s first active licenses for adult use cannabis establishments. OMP issued six active licenses Tuesday comprised of three cultivation facilities, two cannabis…

The future of compliance as a cannabis grower

The Cannabis industry is in an interesting compliance position today and could change dramatically if the United States government legalizes it. Each state has their own rules about testing, traceability, and use of agricultural chemicals and then other countries have strict current Good Manufacturing…

The importance of social equity for the cannabis industry

What happens when a movement becomes an industry? That’s precisely what’s playing out every day in the commercial regulated cannabis market. It’s important to consider how the…

US (MD): Investigation finds no bias in Maryland's cannabis license award process

An investigation into the Maryland Medical Cannabis Commission found “no evidence of bias or undue influence in the 2019 license application review process” and that former Del. Cheryl Glenn did not influence the process, despite her pleading guilty in January to accepting more than $33,000 in bribes. A…

SVG: Cabinet approves first cannabis dispensing license

The Cabinet of St Vincent and the Grenadines has given the green light for the start of operations of the first cannabis pharmacy here. This follows approval of the first…

ZA: Hopes for commercial legalisation of cannabis go up in smoke

As officially introduced in Government Gazette No. 43595 of 7 August 2020, the so-called Cannabis for Private Purposes Bill made its debut into the public sphere and recently tabled in Parliament on 1 September 2020. This Bill was drafted at the direction of the Constitutional Court in the seminal case…

US (PA): Departments of Agriculture and Health partner to offer hemp growers new testing resources

The Departments of Agriculture and Health announced a new partnership to make Pennsylvania’s six medical cannabis testing laboratories available to the agriculture industry for testing hemp crops for tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) levels. “Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine has been a great friend to…

Pakistan approval of industrial production of hemp could generate $1 billion revenue

The federal cabinet has approved the production of industrial hemp by the government in a decision that could result in a $1 billion market for Pakistan in the future, Minister For Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry said on Wednesday. The minister had first announced the decision on Tuesday on…

CAN (AB): Wheatland County amends bylaw regarding cannabis cultivation

Wheatland County has approved first, second and third readings regarding cannabis cultivation and cannabis production facilities within Wheatland County after a public hearing on September 1. The council approved to amend Land Use Bylaw No. 2016-01 to update multiple land use districts, specific use…

US (CA): Santa Barbara County's cannabis tax revenue takes big jump

Santa Barbara County’s tax revenue from cannabis operations took a big jump in the fourth quarter of the 2019-20 fiscal year, totaling more than twice as much as revenues from the fourth quarter last fiscal year, according to a report to be delivered Tuesday to the Board of Supervisors. In fact, taxes…

US (CA): Title 24, part 6, energy code impacts on California cannabis growers

California’s cannabis industry has recently been contemplating the Statewide Codes and Standards Enhancement (CASE) Team’s proposed code change proposals to the Energy Code as market actors assess potential impacts on cultivation operations. With a statewide cannabis market in disarray and the industry…

US: House to vote on cannabis legalization next month

The House will vote on legalizing cannabis next month. States would still have to vote to legalize the drug. Cannabis is already legal in 11 states. The MORE Act would remove cannabis from the Controlled Substances Act and erase some cannabis criminal records. The vote will come during the September work…

JM: Cannabis Licensing Authority to issue 100th licence by end of 2020/21 fiscal year

The Cannabis Licensing Authority (CLA) says it is aiming to issue its 100th licence before the end of the 2020/2021 fiscal year. Director of Research Development and Communications at the CLA, Felicia Bailey, said the authority is focused on achieving this goal through a reduction in the application…

US (AZ): Navajo tribe to cite hemp production over water regulations

Oliver Whaley, director of the Navajo Environmental Protection Agency, believes Clean Water Act violations committed by Dineh Benally and his hemp greenhouse production are enough for his office to stop operations, but there needs to be coordination. When NEPA received reports from residents that…

US (CA): Industrial hemp farms get approval in Santa Clara County

Although the cultivation of industrial hemp in California does not yet have federal approval, Santa Clara County has approved guidelines to get farmers rolling as soon they get the green light. Supervisors added industrial hemp regulations to the county’s zoning ordinance Aug. 25, making regulation of…

Systemic discrimination and the cannabis industry

Thanks to systemic discrimination against people of color, the legal cannabis industry is white as new fallen snow. The monochromatic reality goes against everything legalized cannabis was supposed to be about. It was meant to be a way to lift up oppressed communities from systemic discrimination, and…

ID: Ministry to revoke cannabis' designation as 'medicinal plant'

The Agriculture Ministry will revise a 2020 ministerial decree that lists cannabis as a “medicinal plant” under the ministry’s supervision. Signed on Feb. 3, the decree includes cannabis (Cannabis sativa) as one of 66 medicinal plants whose production is under the supervision of the ministry’s…

US: FDA releases new guidelines for cannabis research

The seven-page document of guidelines, which is still technically a draft subject to change, outlines the agency’s “current thinking” on a range of issues relevant to research and drug development. It provides some basic business and scientific guidance around cannabis. This includes how best to…

UK companies urging govt to loosen trade restrictions

Under the current regulations, healthcare providers are only permitted to import cannabis to fulfill existing cannabis prescriptions, severely limiting their ability to…

CAN: Health Canada to allow foliar sprays and food grade modified atmosphere packaging

Health Canada has updated their approach to the use of foliar sprays and “modified atmosphere packaging” for cannabis products, effective immediately. Beginning today, cultivation licence holders will be allowed to use foliar applications to plants for the purpose of applying nutrients or even watering…

US: Senator asks USDA to delay hemp regulation until industry can help revise rules

Sen. Cory Gardner (R-CO) is joining several of his colleagues in calling on the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to delay the implementation of proposed hemp rules, citing concerns about certain restrictive policies the federal agency has put forward in an interim proposal. The senator sent a letter…

US (NV): Cannabis board cracking down on cannabis companies that are late on taxes, license fees

Nevada’s Cannabis Compliance Board is implementing stricter procedures after holders of some 70 cannabis business licenses had past due taxes or didn’t renew their licenses on…

US (OK): OMMA formally moves for revocation of medical cannabis laboratory's license

The Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority wants to revoke a laboratory's operating license after a tip led to the discovery that the facility's leader falsified test results dozens of times, including in some cases for products that the agency alleges had unsafe levels of lead, mold and bacteria. Though…

US (WA): State seeking help to further study cannabis business odor emissions

Washington State cannabis regulators are looking to hire a contractor to help study cannabis odors. The state specifically wants to find ways to mitigate smells emerging from legal cannabis businesses and determine whether the emissions have any impact on public health. The Washington State Liquor and…

US (MN): White Earth Nation legalized medical cannabis

Minnesota’s White Earth Nation voted last Tuesday to fully legalize medical cannabis on the reservation. Now, all growing, regulating, and distribution will be allowed within the borders of the tribe as soon as they are able to get their distribution up and running. The vote was approved at a…

US (OK): Medical cannabis lab under investigation amid allegations of falsified test results

A medical cannabis testing laboratory is the subject of an investigation by the Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority amid allegations of falsifying product test results.…

BR: Bill proposed for the cultivation of medical cannabis and hemp

The Cannabis sector is heating revving up for a big start in the country. This Tuesday (18th), deputy Paulo Teixeira (PT-SP) handed over to the president of the Chamber of Deputies Rodrigo Maia (DEM-RJ) the proposed law 399/2015, which legalizes the cultivation of Cannabis in Brazil for medical and…

US (IL): License delays complicate state's goal to diversify the industry

Illinois set itself apart from other states in many ways when it became the 11th state to legalize recreational cannabis. The state was the first in the country to pass it through the Legislature instead of by voter referendum. The bill included provisions to tackle some of the biggest criticisms other…

Cannabis Certification Council

Cannabis Certification Council to release draft of organically grown cannabis standard for public comment

The Organically Grown Cannabis (OG) standard by the Cannabis Certification Council (CCC) has now reached the critical public phase. With the support of the OGC Technical Advisory Committee, the CCC has now made the first draft of the OGC standard available for public review and comment. The draft…

The cannabis industry needs banking now

The notion that cannabis may cure, treat or prevent COVID-19 makes some people roll their eyes. But the scientific uses of the cannabis plant do not surprise those of us…

BM: Social Justice Bermuda call for freer license to grow cannabis

Many black people will be frozen out of legal cannabis use because they will be unable to afford an annual $750 licence fee for personal cultivation, campaigners warned yesterday. Social Justice Bermuda said the fee could keep the illegal cannabis market alive by encouraging people to grow cannabis…

CAN (BC): Beaverdell-based operation receives micro cultivation license

A Kelowna husband and wife team have received the go-ahead to begin a small-batch craft cannabis operation in Beaverdell, B.C. "I'm a micro-cultivation producer and my forte is going to be craft cannabis," said Jeff Aubin, CEO Smoker Farms. Aubin says he and his wife and a good friend have been working…

US (CO): State explores more eco-friendly cannabis regulations

Legal cannabis could become less of a strain on Colorado's environment if the pot industry embraces a new set of waste removal and packaging rules — but not without a three-way tug-of-war between saving money, preventing black-market sales and encouraging environmental sustainability. Leftover cannabis…

CAN: Health Canada’s economic relief for the cannabis industry falls well short, says Canadian Chamber

The Canadian Chamber of Commerce’s National Cannabis Working Group issued the following statement in response to the Order Amending the Cannabis Fees Order (Extension of Deadline for Payment of 2020-2021 Annual Fee) published in the Canada Gazette, Part II today: “While we appreciate the flexibility…

US (CA): Santa Barbara County planning commission to deny greenhouse

A greenhouse operation proposed for a parcel off Fredensborg Canyon Road at the edge of Solvang city limits appears doomed to denial, but the Santa Barbara County Planning Commission won’t make the final decision until a special meeting set for Friday, Sept. 4. Commissioners intend to deny the greenhouse…

US (AR): MMJ growers granted licenses amid pandemic, controversy surrounds approval

Three medical marijuana cultivators were granted licenses as state sales have risen dramatically during the pandemic, said a Dept. of Finance spokesperson. The additions have drawn controversy, including a lawsuit filed against a cultivator in the River Valley. “These licenses are worth 10s of millions…

US: USDA explains why hemp growers cannot access Coronavirus relief benefits

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has explained its reasoning for denying hemp growers access to federal coronavirus relief. In a notice set to be published in the Federal Register on Thursday, the department said it was only providing benefits under the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP)…

US (NY): MMJ grower secures $5.1M financing for expansion in Warren County

Medical cannabis grower and dispenser Etain LLC has secured $5.1M in financing for an expansion at its Warren County production center.  The National Bank of Coxsackie approved a mortgage to cover the cost of constructing a 33,200-square-foot greenhouse and a 24,900-square-foot warehouse at Etain's processing…

Portugal to progress on regulating domestic hemp market

On August 4, the Portuguese government issued a regulatory document that authorizes the cultivation and exploitation of the domestic hemp market. According to the document, translated from Portuguese, the law “establishes the conditions, authorizations and inspection that apply to the cultivation,…

US (OH): MMJ businesses say system needs to grow to meet demand

Ohio’s medical cannabis industry is still riding what businesses say is an increased demand for its product even months after the coronavirus first caused a jump in demand and sales. But, they also say that without action from Ohio lawmakers and the Ohio Department of Commerce and Ohio Board of Pharmacy,…

CAN: Craft cannabis licensing scheme

Similar to the beer industry, the non-medical cannabis sector has developed the niche business area of craft cannabis, which allows smaller independently owned producers to develop small scale batch productions of various strains of cannabis. Much like its beer counterpart, the intention behind craft…

CAN (ON): CannTrust licenses reinstated for Vaughan-based facility

CannTrust Holdings has received notice from Health Canada that the licenses for its Vaughan Manufacturing Facility have been reinstated, effective immediately. "Over the past 12 months, CannTrust has been working diligently to resolve regulatory deficiencies within its business," the team with the…

Thailand to allow MMJ private production and sale

Thailand's cabinet approved amendments on Tuesday to its narcotics act to allow private production and sale of cannabis for medical use, officials said With a tradition of…

US: Congress and USDA asked for hemp pilot program extension

State agriculture departments and hemp industry advocates joined together to send letters to Congress and the head of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) on Wednesday to express concern about the pending expiration of the 2014 hemp pilot program. The National Association of State Departments of…

Tasmanian hemp association officer says changes to laws are needed

The Tasmanian Hemp Association's new executive officer plans to ramp-up the movement to change and improve laws relating to industrial hemp in Tasmania.Andi Lucas, who was born in Smithton and attended school in Launceston, has recently returned to Tasmania from the US with an intent to help the state…

CAN (ON): Companies struggling during the pandemic get fees extension

Cannabis companies are being given six extra months to pay off annual fees they owe the federal government, which says it's changing the deadline because of COVID-19. The…

US (NV): Cannabis board takes action against company stripping it of a dozen licenses

Nevada’s newly minted Cannabis Compliance Board voted Tuesday to strip more than a dozen licenses from one of the state’s largest cannabis companies, which has been plagued by accusations of fraud, unpaid taxes and more in recent years. In its inaugural meeting, the board — which officially took over…

US (MA): Lawmakers push cannabis social equity amendment to controversial policing bill

Massachusetts legislators are attempting to resolve what advocates view as a problematic provision of a policing reform bill that would direct cannabis tax revenue to law enforcement training. Three relevant amendments have been offered to the Senate-approved bill as it awaits action on the House floor…

US (FL): Lakeland-based lab receives testing certification

Modern Canna Labs has received its certified cannabis testing laboratory license from the Florida Department of Health, Office of Medical Marijuana Use. This certification comes after the OMMU adopted an emergency rule requiring licensed medical cannabis treatment centers to only use a certified lab for…

US (CA): Cannabis farmers in a poor California town want to go legit, but the raids keep coming

Ronnie Bell's prized possessions aren't the collectible toys or bongs that clutter his ranch-style house. What the 65-year-old values most is his extensive indoor cannabis grow. Bell's "bachelor pad" features a guest-bedroom-turned-nursery with a reflective grow-tent. There are racks of cannabis plants…

US: FDA issues draft guidance to encourage cannabis-related clinical research

“A range of stakeholders have expressed interest in development of drugs that contain cannabis and compounds found in cannabis. Recent legislative changes have also opened new opportunities for cannabis clinical research. As that body of research progresses and grows, the FDA is working to support drug…

US: FDA announces recall of dozens of hemp products

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is publicizing a voluntary recall of dozens of pet and human hemp products after the Florida Department of Health notified the company of lead contamination. The company, MHR Brands, first announced the recall last month and has been actively reaching out to…

CAN (ON): Chamber of Commerce: province to take $180M hit on ending cannabis delivery and pickup

Ontario stands to miss out on about $180 million in economic activity if the province's 100-odd privately-run cannabis stores aren't allowed to provide delivery or curbside…

US (OK): Edmond-based MMJ business shut down after finding dangerous chemicals in product

An Edmond medical cannabis business is shut down and fined more than half a million dollars after the Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority said their product tested above the legal limits for dangerous pesticides. According to a filing by OMMA, the company, Moon Mix, did not test the cannabis like it…

US (RI): State license first MMJ testing lab to ensure cannabis safety and potency

The state has licensed its first testing lab to better regulate and improve the safety of medical-cannabis products sold at the state’s three dispensaries and grown as well by state-licensed cultivators. Green Peaks Analytical, of Warwick, will be the first licensed third-party business to sample and…

US (CA): Long Beach's equity program fails to deliver its results

When city leaders laid the groundwork for legalizing cannabis two years ago, they wanted to make sure that those who were able to open cannabis businesses reflected the city’s…

US: Justice Department demands cannabis documents from CA officials in Federal Court filing

The Justice Department is asking a federal court to force California cannabis regulators to disclose documents about cannabis businesses’ licenses and shipping manifests for…

US (MA): Mayor's cannabis extortion trial delayed until 2021

A Massachusetts mayor charged with shaking down would-be cannabis businesses for their required licenses will not face a jury until January of 2021 at the earliest, a federal judge said in court Thursday, delaying the trial for the second time due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Jasiel Correia, 28, the former…

US: Hemp growers urge FMCSA to issue hauling guidelines

The co-founders of a major hemp products producer want federal regulators to develop procedures and guidelines for commercial haulers of hemp and hemp-processing materials. In…

How the US states have learned from each other to create more comprehensive medical cannabis policies

Medical cannabis was first legalized in California in 1996 – since then, 32 more states have done the same, and 11 have made the drug legal for recreational use. A. Lee Hannah and Daniel J. Mallinson take a close look at how the US states have learned from each other on how to regulate cannabis in the…

US (CA): Santa Barbara County supervisors amend cannabis ordinances to address conflicts

The Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors this week approved Land Use and Development Code ordinance amendments in an effort to resolve some of the conflicts that have grown from cannabis cultivation operations in the inland unincorporated areas. The amendments addressing four main issues will affect…

US (AR): Lawsuit challenges additional cannabis cultivation permits

The five existing medical cannabis cultivators in Arkansas have sued to stop the award of permits to three more cultivators. The lawsuit claims the three new permits awarded last month violated rules that said additional permits should be issued only on a determination that existing cultivation permits…

Jamaica to launch cannabis standards to empower local industry

The Bureau of Standards Jamaica (BSJ) will on Wednesday launch Cannabis Standards in an effort to strengthen the local industry. “Globally, the medical cannabis industry is in its growth phase with few international standards being available to guide the development of the industry,” BSJ noted in an…

EC: Hemp law goes into effect with 1.0% THC limit

Ecuador has legalized the growing of hemp, excluding it from the list substances subject to rules under the country’s Comprehensive Organic Criminal Code (COIP), and putting…

"Shouldn't Black Lives Matter in our medical cannabis industry?

During the 2020 legislative session, I, together with my Senate Champion, Sen. Jill Carter, jointly introduced HB 1449\SB 1012 “Health – Medical Cannabis Reauthorization Act.”…

US: State treasurers ask congress to include SAFE act in COVID-19 relief bill

On Wednesday, July 8, 2020, a bipartisan group of sixteen state treasurers, led by Oregon Treasurer Tobias Read, sent a letter to congressional leaders requesting that the…

US: Cannabis was deemed essential, yet the industry cannot bank legally

The coronavirus pandemic has exposed the hypocrisies surrounding archaic cannabis laws. In a time of mass furloughs and layoffs, the cannabis industry has been classified as…

US (NJ): Governor says legalizing cannabis a "no brainer" for Coronavirus recovery plan

The governor of New Jersey said on Tuesday that legalizing cannabis could simultaneously help the state recover economically from the coronavirus pandemic while also promoting racial justice. During an interview on the radio program Jim Kerr Anytime, Gov. Phil Murphy (D) recognized that the state is…

US (WA): NACB to create social equity recommendations to increase state-led cannabis social equity programs

The National Association of Cannabis Businesses (NACB) announced today that it will begin drafting recommendations for social equity programs as a way to correct social injustices that have plagued the cannabis community for years. These recommendations will provide policymakers with best practices to…

US (CA): Santa Barbara County Planning Commission rejects appeal of cannabis cultivation project

An appeal of a land use permit for a cannabis cultivation project off Highway 246 west of Buellton was rejected Wednesday in a unanimous decision of the Santa Barbara County Planning Commission. After several hours of presentations and public testimony, commissioners voted 5-0 to reject the appeal of a…

US (MA): Cannabis cultivation plan to go before Salisbury Planning Board

A proposed cannabis cultivation facility is scheduled to go before the Planning Board on July 22.  Salisbury-based Root & Bloom LLC plans to build a large-scale recreational cannabis cultivation and product manufacturing facility on 2.3 acres at 187 Lafayette Road. The proposed 39,600-square-foot commercial…

US (CA): State creates "first of its kind" cannabis appellation program

In February 2020, the California Department of Food and Agriculture (“CDFA”) released its proposed regulations for a first of its kind appellation program for cannabis cultivators.…

US (CA): Court rules Humboldt cannabis growers can't be sentenced under federal law as drug dealers

Federal prosecutors cannot punish two Northern California cannabis growers for violating U.S. drug laws because Congress has protected pot suppliers who follow the state’s medical cannabis law, a federal appeals court ruled Friday. In a 2-1 ruling, the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco…

US (MD): Black-owned businesses fighting to get Maryland medical cannabis licenses

Jume Akinnagbe walks the empty space of a 40,000 square foot Maryland warehouse with dreams of filling it with tens of thousands of cannabis plants. "When I think about getting one of those cannabis licenses, I think about social justice, considering that African Americans have been the community…

US (CO): Boulder Council passes hemp regulations, with difference over how to deal with odor

A philosophical debate played out Tuesday among Boulder City Council on how best to keep notoriously smelly cannabis businesses from too forcefully dominating the aromas sensed by passerby and workers in neighboring commercial spaces. City staff had been working on business licensing regulations for the…

US (MA): State fine cannabis companies for chemical crop protection use

The state Cannabis Control Commission on Thursday unanimously approved hefty fines against two cannabis companies for illegally using pesticides on their products, then trying…

US (CA): Medicinal requirement removed for cannabis cultivation in Oceanside

Cannabis cultivation facilities in town will be able to provide products for both medical and recreational cultivation uses. City Council introduced an ordinance that removes the medical restriction for cultivation facilities. The action follows a direction Council gave to staff in August 2019 to bring…

Consultations on the cultivation of cannabis for domestic use and export in Saint Lucia

National consultations on the cultivation of cannabis for domestic use and export are taking place in Saint Lucia, as the Caribbean country debates plans to diversify its agricultural industry. Saint Lucia is among an ever-shrinking group of countries in the Caribbean that have yet to enact cannabis…

US: House includes cannabis protections for states, banks and universities in funding bills

As Congress prepares large-scale legislation to fund federal agencies for the next year, cannabis reform seems to be making progress. House versions of spending bills unveiled this week include provisions to protect medical legalization laws from federal interference, ease cannabis businesses’ access to…

US (AR): Fort Smith-based cultivation center plans to provide low-cost products, create up to 150 jobs

With the additional cultivation and dispensary license issued by the Arkansas Medical Marijuana Commission June 30, Storm Nolan’s four-year quest to open a cultivation center…

CAN (ON): State to end delivery and pickup services for provincial shops

Ontario-based privately-run cannabis stores will no longer be allowed to provide delivery or curbside pickup services to customers this month when a provincial emergency order expires, according to a government spokesperson.  "As our province carefully moves towards recovery, the [emergency order] to temporarily…

CAN (BC): Updated order regarding industrial work camps

With the province beginning to reopen, the BC Provincial Health Officer has issued a new Public Health Order relating to Industrial Work Camps and workers within the…

Jamaica to help small farmers enter the cannabis industry

Jamaica is making it easier for its small business owners and farmers to enter the cannabis industry. The Cannabis Licensing Authority of Jamaica (CLA) announced in late June that its special permit policy is in an advance stage of completion and consultations with interested parties have begun. The goal…

Congress passes bill granting researchers access to commercially available cannabis

Last week, the U.S. House of Representatives approved a bill aimed at allowing researchers to have access to the cannabis available commercially in states where legal recreational, and/or medical cannabis programs exist. This new legislation would mark a major shift from the current practice where…

Cannabis businesses and TCPA litigation risks

Cannabis companies are facing a slew of class action lawsuits under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA), which prohibits unwanted automated calls and text messages. These businesses should act now to take compliance steps to reduce their TCPA class action litigation risks. Potential Damages…

US (NV): Cannabis Compliance Board takes over state's cannabis industry

The Nevada Cannabis Compliance Board became fully authorized and took over regulation of the state’s cannabis industry today. Last year, Gov. Steve Sisolak signed AB 533, creating the CCB. “Nevada’s first-ever Cannabis Compliance Board will play a vital role in both supporting the industry and holding it…

US (NY): Why 'seed-to-sale' rules are key to NY legalization debate

For years in New York, the supply chain for pot has existed outside the legal realm, conducted through underground market distribution channels hidden from government…

US (CA): Santa Barbara grand jury criticized over cannabis industry

The Santa Barbara County grand jury criticized county supervisors this week for allowing “unfettered access” to cannabis lobbyists as the board voted to let cannabis cultivation explode in the Santa Ynez Valley region and Carpinteria with little regulation and a flimsy tax regime that has deprived the…

US (AR): State awards more licenses

The Arkansas Medical Marijuana Commission on Tuesday voted to issue the state's final two licenses to grow cannabis, in response to a lingering debate over whether the state has enough supply of the drug to serve patients. Two prospective cultivators, in Fort Smith and Hot Springs, were made eligible to…

US (CA): Los Angeles to reset cannabis licensing program

The Los Angeles City Council on Wednesday approved a makeover of its widely criticized cannabis licensing program to enlist more operators who endured the consequences of the…

US (MA): Energy and water usage report required for renewal of cultivation license

In November 2019, the Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission (CCC) released new regulations dictating that Marijuana Cultivators engaged in indoor cultivation must include a report of their energy and water usage over the 12-month period preceding the date of their license renewal applications. This…

US (NV): Carson City moves forward on hemp lawsuit, policy

Carson City is working on a policy for hemp growing as it continues to fight a lawsuit brought by a cultivator who wants to grow on city open space land. The city recently responded to an amended complaint filed by Tahoe Hemp LLC, which now brings two other plaintiffs — James Jarrard as trustee of the…

Thailand to allow private sector cannabis production

Reopening its cannabis regulatory platform after months of disruption caused by the coronavirus, the Food and Drug Administration has prepared a draft bill to abolish a 5-year ban on the private sector making cannabis medicine. Two draft ministerial regulations, one on marijuana and the other on hemp,…

US (IL): State delays awarding cultivation licenses

Illinois will delay awarding more than 80 cannabis licenses meant to expand the industry, following setbacks in the application process brought on by the coronavirus pandemic. The state’s Department of Agriculture, which regulates cannabis grow facilities, had been set to award 40 craft grow licenses, 40…

CAN: Two new industry councils to support cannabis producers

The Canadian Chamber of Commerce National Cannabis Working Group, comprised of over 70 industry-leading companies is pleased to announce the creation of the National License Holders Council and the International Cannabis Council. As Canada considers how to boost its economy after the devastating impacts…

US (ME): Cannabis cultivation project moves on despite town meeting opposition

Planning Board members decried a “shameful” situation at a June 29 meeting after finding out a Route 6 cannabis cultivation project was already given the go-ahead by another government body — ten days before failing for the second time at Town Meeting. Maine-based cannabis grower Casco Botanical had been…

The importance of site selection for cannabis businesses

Site control is paramount when considering any type of cannabis facility. The most recent New Jersey Department of Health Request for Applications (RFA) in 2019 made evidence of site control and support of the local community mandatory elements of the application process, which required proof of lease or…

US: How cannabis laws complicate doing research

In the humid rooms of industrial-sized greenhouses on the outskirts of Geneva live hundreds of hemp plants of more than 60 varieties, a large part of Cornell University’s hemp breeding and genetics program. At Surge Laboratory, a short walk from the greenhouses, doctoral student Jacob Toth preps several…

US (CA): San Diego creates cannabis permitting bureau

San Diego is creating a new Cannabis Permitting Bureau to step up enforcement of city regulations and potentially revoke permits of dispensaries and production facilities that…