CARP

US (CA): Partial ceasefire in Carpinteria’s cannabis wars

It’s been nearly four years since the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors rolled out the red carpet for the cannabis greenhouse industry in the Carpinteria Valley. Still, the community is plagued with the “skunky” smell of pot. It greets people when they open their front doors, closet doors, car…

US (WA): New licensing rules to make for easier entry into the industry

After blocking dozens of people with criminal records from entering the legal cannabis industry, Washington state officials managing the 9-year-old industry are preparing to chill out a bit.Right now, a past felony conviction can be enough to prevent people from getting a license they need to grow,…

US (OR): Liquor and cannabis commission issues recall for hemp labeled product with high THC

The Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission has issued a mandatory recall for a product labeled as a hemp tincture that can get consumers “high” because the product contains undisclosed levels of THC. Consumers using this mislabeled product may become unexpectedly impaired. The recall is for an item…

US (OK): Agricultural groups call for pause of cannabis licensing

Several Oklahoma associations have signed a letter sent to the state's cannabis authority asking for a temporary moratorium on issuing more licenses.  "On behalf of Oklahoma's farmers, ranchers, and rural citizens, the undersigned organizations write with great concern for the explosive growth in the number…

US (NJ): Hopewell Township permits cannabis cultivation, manufacturing

Hopewell Township Committee members are allowing the business operations of cannabis cultivators and manufacturers within the township’s Valley Resource Conservation (VRC) district. The decision came after months of discussions and a public hearing on Sept. 13, which had more than 100 attendees at the…

US (MA): Former mayor gets 6 years in prison for corruption on cannabis licensing

A former Massachusetts mayor, once a rising Democratic star after being elected at just 23 years old, was sentenced to six years in prison on Tuesday after being convicted of extorting hundreds of thousands of dollars from cannabis businesses that wanted to operate in his city. Former Fall River Mayor…

US (CA): Sonoma County Board of Supervisors to consider pause on cannabis cultivation permit

In its latest bid to untangle Sonoma County’s troubled cannabis regulations, the Board of Supervisors will consider temporarily banning a type of permit intended for small-scale farmers. The move, which would close a loophole that critics say is being abused, is being hotly contested by growers in the…

US: House of Representative approves bill to ease banking for cannabis businesses

The U.S. House of Representatives late Tuesday night approved a bill that would let banks to do business with cannabis companies without fear of penalty, giving traction to the least-disputed reform sought by the growing industry.  The so-called SAFE Banking Act would be a boon for cannabis companies, which…

US (OK): Fraudulently licensed cannabis grows may soon plateau, state narcotics bureau spokesman says

The number of fraudulently licensed marijuana-growing operations may soon decrease, an Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics official told lawmakers Tuesday. Mark Woodward, the OBN’s public information officer, told a state House of Representatives committee he expects hundreds of OBN grower licenses will be…

US (NY): New York officials say cannabis tax revenue will help fill budget gap from declining cigarette sales

New York officials are projecting that cannabis tax revenue will help keep the state’s budget afloat as cigarette sales continue to decline over the coming years. In a first quarterly update for the 2022 fiscal year that was released this week by Budget Director Robert Mujica Jr., state analysts said…

US (NJ): Cannabis commission will miss deadline to accept new business applications

But the commission at its meeting Tuesday evening did approve a new licensing platform to help it process applications when the time comes and says that alone is a significant step toward launching the new industry. Legislators baked clear deadlines into the legalization law — six months from the law’s…

US (SD): Next steps uncertain on MMJ rules that legislators had turned down

The South Dakota secretary of health is still studying her cards on what’s next for the few medical-cannabis regulations that didn’t get a green light from the Legislature’s Rules Review Committee last week. State law allows a rule-making agency such as the South Dakota Department of Health to amend its…

CH: Zurich to launch adult-use cannabis trial

Next year, Switzerland’s largest city, Zurich, will allow people to buy cannabis products from pharmacies and social clubs under controlled conditions. The…

IT: Ballot initiative moves Italy closer to cannabis decriminalization

The latest push for decriminalizing cannabis in Italy came out strong. The ballot campaign, launched only a couple of weeks ago, has already achieved the 500,000 signatures necessary to proceed.   Specifically, the referendum is aimed to decriminalize home cultivation and suspend penalties for possession and personal…

US (CA): Department of cannabis control releases proposed emergency regulations

Watch for current and prospective California cannabis business operators. The Department of Cannabis Control (“DCC”) just published a set of proposed Emergency Regulations!  On September 8, 2021, the DCC announced that it is conducting an emergency rulemaking action and that it will file proposed Emergency…

Zimbabwe Industrial Hemp Association to push the government to relax THC restrictions

The Zimbabwe Industrial Hemp Association (ZIHA) is to push for the Harare government to relax the THC restrictions for hemp.  It wants Zimbabwe to align with Malawi and define hemp as having THC levels of up to 1%.  Harare’s legislated limit for hemp is that cannabis plants must have less than 0,3% THC to qualify.…

US (CA): Crescent City Council approves cannabis cultivation facility

Indoor cannabis cultivation is officially legal in downtown Crescent City. The city council affirmed the right of Ocean Grown, LLC to exist on front Street on Tuesday. The council upheld the planning commission’s ruling in favor of the operation at the former Turf Club. The facility at 900 Front Street…

What the police could be doing in your irrigation system

Traditionally, when Dutch soccer clubs Ajax and Feyenoord play, police units are present. "As a rule, they don't do anything. They are passively present, sometimes out of sight. If it goes wrong, they intervene. This is just how 'police filters' work in irrigation systems," says Stefan Bakker of Netafim…

US (OH): State to allow MMJ growers to expand to meet demand

Ohio's medical cannabis cultivators can now request permission to expand their grow space. Expansion requests will be granted to businesses that have complied with rules and regulations, are already using the maximum amount of space allowed by the state and demonstrate a need to expand to keep up with…

Czech parliament approves tripling the amount of THC in industrial hemp

Industrial hemp could soon contain a higher level of active substances, and getting a license to grow medical cannabis will become much easier if an amendment approved by Czech Parliament is signed into law. The Chamber of Deputies, the lower house of Czech Parliament, again approved an amendment to…

US (CA): Santa Cruz County Sups pass moratorium on cannabis cultivation

On Tuesday, the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors approved a temporary ordinance prohibiting new cannabis cultivation licenses within 500 feet of residential structures. The moratorium stemmed from the supervisor’s Aug. 24 meeting, during which they discussed potential conflicts between residential…

US (CA): Stricter permits for outdoor cannabis projects in Santa Barbara County?

In just two weeks, zoning permit approvals for outdoor cannabis “grows” will likely reach the 1,575-acre cap that was set by the county Board of Supervisors for unincorporated areas outside the Carpinteria Valley — if the growers with permits are able to get their business licenses, authorities say. That…

US: License regulations in Florida, Massachusetts could impact high-stakes MMJ acquisition

A company already drawing scrutiny in Florida for potentially holding a stake in multiple medical cannabis businesses drew similar interest from Massachusetts regulators. Now a high-priced acquisition could hinge on how Florida handles its own licensing rules. Purchases in both Florida and Massachusetts…

US (SD): Lawmakers reject a handful of medical pot rules

South Dakota lawmakers on Monday rejected a handful of rules proposals governing medical cannabis from Gov. Kristi Noem’s administration but approved the bulk of the program. The Legislature’s Rules Review Committee, which is responsible for approving administration rules, effectively told the Department…

US (NJ): N.J. approves new cannabis grow site, but 24 other canna-business licenses continue to languish

New Jersey’s cannabis regulators on Tuesday moved to streamline the licensing of new weed businesses and approved another cannabis grow site — but it did not announce the recipients of some two dozen businesses that have sat in limbo for nearly two years.  The state’s Cannabis Regulatory Commission met on…

US (MT): Officials loosen proposed cannabis advertising restrictions

The Montana Department of Revenue has revised proposed regulations regarding cannabis advertising that had raised eyebrows among dispensaries, growers and others in the state’s burgeoning adult-use cannabis industry. This summer, the department has been navigating an exhaustive rulemaking process ahead…

Low EC values, 'flowering' and 'dark farming' point to cannabis cultivation

Last week, the Central Netherlands District Court fined someone €200,000. They had 'many items and substances' used for large-scale cannabis cultivation. And they were offering these…

The Press Democrat

US (CA): Cannabis growers, employees protest outside Sonoma County supervisors’ offices

Sonoma County cannabis growers and their allies gathered by the dozens Friday outside the Board of Supervisors’ office in Santa Rosa to denounce the county’s handling of commercial cannabis regulation and taxation, calling it overly burdensome and costly. Taxes levied by the county are excessive, growers…

US (AL): Medical Cannabis Commission wants plants in ground next year

The Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission will ask state lawmakers to revise the law passed earlier this year in an effort to get plants in the ground sooner so that products could be available next year. The bill the Legislature passed in May set up the 14-member commission to oversee an agency that will…

US (NM): Last-minute cannabis license prompts calls for investigation

New Mexico health officials in late June briefly opened a window to submit applications for lucrative licenses for pot production and then approved the only application received, the Santa Fe New Mexican reports. The Health Department's handling of the process that resulted in the license being issued…

US (MA): Grower looking to open cultivation on Cranberry Highway in Wareham

A cannabis cultivator and product manufacturer is looking to open up in the two-story former Sears location at 3119 Cranberry Highway, which is already an approved site for a separate cannabis retailer. Trava Inc. will lease 11,835-square feet of the building for the facility, which will employ 10 to 15…

US (MT): State updates proposed rules on MMJ advertising in response to providers' feedback

Montana regulators have adjusted their proposed new rules for medical cannabis advertising, in response to comments and concerns from cannabis providers. In July, the Montana Department of Revenue released rule proposals intended to implement House Bill 249, a state law approved earlier this year that…

USDA invests $700 million in grants to provide relief to farm and food workers impacted by COVID-19

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced that $700 million in competitive grant funding will be available through the new Farm and Food Workers Relief (FFWR) grant…

US (NM): Medical cannabis producers warn of cannabis shortage ‘crisis’

As New Mexico prepares for its new recreational-use cannabis industry, two cannabis producers are warning of an impending crisis if state regulators do not lift a moratorium on expanding existing medical cannabis production.  After the New Mexico Regulation and Licensing Department and its Cannabis Control…

Italy to allow small-scale cannabis growing at home

Italy is set to allow the small-scale cultivation of cannabis plants at home after a reform was approved by the Lower House's justice committee on Wednesday. The reform decriminalizes the growth of up to four female cannabis plants at home. But it also increases the penalties for crimes linked to the…

US (OK): 'One person surrendered almost 300' medical cannabis licenses, lawmakers are told

An interim legislative study on the relationship between medical cannabis producers and others in the state’s agriculture industry revealed the extent to which the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics is involved in compliance enforcement efforts. Showing lawmakers an Oklahoma state map filled with green dots,…

Guernsey receives seven applications to grow cannabis

Seven applications have been received for cannabis cultivation licences in Guernsey, said the island's government. It follows a deal in July with the UK Home Office allowing cannabis production for medicinal purposes. The Bailiwick of Guernsey Cannabis Agency will assess the applications before granting…

Zimbabwe licenses 57 cannabis producers as it eyes export market

Zimbabwe has licensed 57 foreign and local entities to grow medicinal cannabis in the southern African nation, the country’s investment agency said. “We have licensed 57 investors for medicinal cannabis production from Germany, Switzerland, Canada and as well some local players,” Zimbabwe Investment and…

US (MI): People couldn’t be denied cannabis licenses based on ‘Moral character’ or cannabis convictions under bill

Michigan cannabis regulators would no longer be allowed to deny a person a medical cannabis license based on their “moral character and reputation” or prior cannabis convictions under a newly filed Senate bill. Sen. Jeff Irwin (D) introduced the legislation—as well as a separate measure to legalize the…

US (CA): Promise of state-of-the-art odor control gets proposed greenhouse unanimous approval

Plans for a new cannabis greenhouse equipped with what’s promised to be a state-of-the-art odor-control system sailed through the County of Santa Barbara’s Planning Commission this Wednesday morning by a vote of 5 to 0. Even the commission’s two most vociferous critics of the cannabis industry’s…

MX: Senator says lawmakers will again take up cannabis legalization in new session

Mexican lawmakers will again take up the issue of establishing rules for a regulated marijuana market in the new legislative session that begins on Wednesday, a top senator says. The country’s Supreme Court first deemed the prohibition on personal consumption and cultivation of cannabis for adults…

CA Dep of Fish and Wildlife

US (CA): California will use cannabis tax money to support grower environmental clean-up

California officials on Thursday announced that they are soliciting concept proposals for a program aimed at helping small cannabis cultivators with environmental clean-up and restoration efforts. Applications for the California Department of Fish and Wildlife’s (CDFW) Cannabis Restoration Grant Program…

UK HEMP-30 initiative gains government support

A project seeking to increase industrial hemp production and processing in the UK has received government financial backing. Led by researchers at the University of York and Biorenewables Development Centre (BDC), the HEMP-30 initiative will plot a pathway to boosting the amount of industrial hemp…

CAN (NB): Growers to be able to sell their products at their own facilities

Licensed cannabis producers in New Brunswick now have the option to sell their products on-site at their facilities. The FarmGate program will increase visibility for local licensed producers and create potential tourism opportunities, according to Cannabis NB, the province’s Crown-owned cannabis…

Bahamas: PLP promises to set up a regulatory framework for MMJ

The Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) in “Our Blueprint for Change” promises to develop a cannabis industry if elected to office on September 16. The party said it would…

US (CA): How should Sonoma County address cannabis cultivation?

Is it more important to avoid over-concentration of cannabis operations or to limit the number of geographical areas where cannabis can be grown in the county? Should the County encourage fewer, larger operations or more, smaller operations? These are a few of the questions posed to Sonoma County…

Clever Leaves

Cannabis firms catch a whiff of opportunity in Brazil

International cannabis companies are showing interest in Brazil, both for its large consumer market for medicinal products and a proposal that could legalize planting of the crop. Major producers like Colombia’s Clever Leaves and Canada’s Canopy Growth are developing and selling medicinal cannabis…

NG: Gov. Ganduje of Kano state rejects legalization of cannabis

Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano State on Monday expressed his displeasure over an attempt at legalizing the use of cannabis in the country.  Ganduje expressed his feelings when the Chairman, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) retired Brig.- Gen. Buba Marwa, led top officials of the agency on a courtesy…

US (NJ): A review of the regulations for cannabis businesses

On August 19, 2021, the Cannabis Regulatory Commission (CRC) provided its initial rules for New Jersey's adult-use cannabis industry. Emily Seelman, Founder and CEO of Canna Business Services, weighs in on these newly released regulations. Seelman says, "It is promising to see the State of New Jersey…

US (GA): MMJ applicant's former partner admitted to paying a bribe for a license

The FOX 5 I-Team continues its investigation of the recent awarding of Georgia’s first-ever licenses to grow and sell medical cannabis. Our I-Team found one of the winning applicants in Georgia was once a business partner with a medical cannabis operator who admitted he had earlier in his career — with a…

US (MI): New Joint Ventures program aims to solve lack of equity in cannabis industry in Michigan

Michigan has created a program to help those participating in the state's cannabis industry social equity program reach their goals. The state's Marijuana Regulatory Agency on Tuesday unveiled the Joint Ventures Pathway Program. It's part of the existing social equity framework — aimed at helping those…

Panama's Congress approves MMJ bill

Panama's national assembly unanimously passed a bill on Monday that would regulate the use of medical cannabis, making it the first nation in Central American to do so. The proposal, which would set up a registry of authorized cannabis patients and permit further research on the drug, was approved by a…

US (NM): 900 New Mexicans are applying for a cultivation license

Indy White is with Purlife, an Albuquerque-based medical cannabis dispensary now gearing up to serve the recreational market. “What we're trying to do is be able to grow on a larger scale to be able to serve more of New Mexicans, not just the medical cannabis patients,” White said. Commercial…

US (MA): More cannabis licensing options, lower fees in the works

Michigan on Monday released a set of proposed cannabis industry rules that would add two new license types and reduce fees and costs for obtaining and renewing licenses. The 116 pages of rules are available for review and the state Marijuana Regulatory Agency is accepting public input through Sept. 27.…

US (CO): Governor urges senators to pass cannabis banking and tax reform before tackling legalization

The governor of Colorado on Friday sent a letter to the Senate sponsors of a federal cannabis legalization bill, urging them to pass incremental cannabis banking and tax reform first before moving forward with the comprehensive legislation to end prohibition. Gov. Jared Polis (D) is supportive of the…

JP: Minister directs local government to ease restriction on hemp

Japan is currently home to some of the harshest cannabis laws on planet earth. Currently, possession of cannabis carries a potential prison sentence of up to 5 years in Japan.…

US (AL): MMJ availability may take longer than expected

The chairman of the board that will oversee Alabama’s new medical cannabis industry expressed concern Wednesday that the timeline for making medical cannabis treatment available may be slower than expected. Alabama’s 14-member Medical Cannabis Commission held its first meeting on Wednesday afternoon in…

Fiji government says it will pursue hemp-only cannabis strategy

Fiji intends to take a hemp-only approach to cannabis, Attorney General and Minister for Economy Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum has told the country’s parliament. The government said it has already started a study aimed at developing hemp as an agricultural crop throughout the archipelago under funding in the…

US (MI): Tribe authorizes cannabis business

The GTB cannabis ordinance enacted by all six of The Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians Tribal Council in May will go into effect Aug. 29. Tribal chairman…

Courtesy of the Nevada County Sheriff’s Office

US (CA): Authorities investigate cannabis cultivations for environmental crimes

On Tuesday, The Nevada County Sheriff’s Office Special Investigations Unit, along with Nevada County Cannabis Compliance, California State Water Resource Board, California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Cal Fire and California State Parks, executed several cannabis search warrants. Over the past…

US: USDA launches national survey of 20,000 hemp growers to inform policy and industry stakeholders

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is moving forward with a large-scale survey to gain insight into the hemp market that has emerged since the crop was federally legalized under the 2018 Farm Bill. After requesting permission from the White House earlier this year to conduct the survey of about…

US (NV): Cannabis Board suspends grower's cultivation license

Pursuant to Nevada Cannabis Compliance Board Regulation (NCCR) 4.105, the Nevada Cannabis Compliance Board (CCB) called an emergency board meeting via Zoom yesterday to…

South Africa unveils US$1.9 billion cannabis industry plan

South Africa’s government unveiled a master plan aimed at harnessing a 28-billion-rand (US$1.9 billion) cannabis industry that could potentially create as many of 25,000 jobs and help attract foreign investment.The Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development led a two-year process to…

US (CO): "Congress should protect small cannabis businesses from big tobacco takeover"

The attorney general of Colorado on Wednesday sent a letter urging congressional leaders to ensure that small cannabis businesses are protected from being overtaken by Big Tobacco and other major industries as federal cannabis reform legislation advances. Attorney General Phil Weiser (D) wrote that his…

US (NM): New Mexico is officially accepting adult-use cannabis producer applications

Applications are now open for businesses interested in becoming legal cannabis producers licensed by the state of New Mexico. A day after the state released finalized rules for cannabis producers, the Cannabis Control Division announced on Wednesday that interested parties can now use an online…

US (MA): Cannabis company to pay nearly $300,000 for failing to pay proper wages to hundreds of employees

A cannabis dispensary with locations in Chicopee, Bridgewater, and Great Barrington will pay nearly $300,000 in restitution and penalties for failing to pay hundreds of employees premium pay on Sundays and covered holidays, Attorney General Maura Healey announced today. Theory Wellness, Inc., President…

US (NV): Nevada cannabis licensing focus of federal investigation

FBI agents have been interviewing Nevada cannabis industry insiders over the past year to determine whether illegal influence played a role in the awarding of lucrative cannabis licenses, several people questioned by federal agents told the Review-Journal. Authorities want to know if businesses or…

US (NM): Court ruling increases amount of medical cannabis New Mexicans may purchase

A judge has ordered the state Department of Health and the Regulation and Licensing Department to stop enforcing medical cannabis purchase limits under an old law and to begin operating under the new Cannabis Regulation Act — or argue why the agencies should not do so.Medical patients were previously…

US (OH): Cannabis legalization measure gets boost as attorney general OKs legal language

An effort to legalize marijuana in Ohio cleared its first hurdle on Friday.  Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost approved revised language for a law proposed by a group called the Coalition…

US (NJ): Cultivation licenses a point of disagreement for cannabis committee

As the cannabis committee works toward finalizing its first draft recommendation to the city council, the question of whether cultivation licenses should be allowed has become…

Is Germany set to become Europe’s first recreational cannabis market?

A GREEN surge in Germany is opening up the possibility it could be the first European country to fully embrace adult-use cannabis. For large chunks of April and May the Greens…

Morocco’s cabinet approves draft decree legalizing cannabis

Morocco is one step closer to a legal cannabis industry, after draft decree 2.21.642 was approved by the country’s lead executive body. The Cabinet, consisting of top ministers within Morocco’s government, approved the new decree, in a huge step of progress toward cannabis legalization. The meeting,…

US (NM): Cannabis regulators set to accept applications for growers

New Mexico cannabis regulators are one step closer to opening the proverbial floodgates for those who plan to apply for a cannabis cultivation license.  The state’s Regulation and Licensing Department and its Cannabis Control Division announced on Tuesday that the department finalized rules and regulations…

US (NC): Senators approve MMJ legalization bill in committee

A North Carolina Senate committee on Tuesday approved a revised bill to legalize medical cannabis in the state. This comes one week after the panel held a hearing to discuss the legislation and approve changes, but members did not vote at that prior meeting. Senators advanced the measure this time in a…

US (TX): Man indicted on 3rd degree felony theft over state hemp licenses

Travis County District Attorney José Garza has announced the indictment of Keenan Lopez Williams on a third-degree felony theft charge. Williams, 53, is accused of swindling…

US (NJ): Regulators approve rules for adult-use cannabis market

New Jersey’s cannabis regulators on Thursday approved rules to set up the recreational cannabis marketplace, giving application priority to women-, minority- and disabled veteran-owned businesses and paving the way for sales to begin. A timeline for when people 21 and older could head to a retailer to…

Oklahoma State Chamber

US (OK): MMJ authority gets its fourth director in three years

The Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority got its fourth director in three years of existence Wednesday with the announcement that Gov. Kevin Stitt has replaced Kelly Williams with Adria Berry, one of his former staffers who most recently has been a lobbyist for the Petroleum Alliance of Oklahoma. In a…

US (CA): Master grower filed lawsuit alleging missing payment

The thing to know about a civil lawsuit is that the facts as they are written are allegations; they have yet to be proved. An employment claim may be a case in point, brought against Ed St. George, the well-known Santa Barbara developer turned unpopular political pundit — he recently advised a pregnant…

US: FDA says Iowa’s medical cannabis law doesn’t risk federal funds for academic institutions

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently assured Iowa officials that academic institutions in the state aren’t at risk of losing agency grants and contracts even if they permit patients to use medical cannabis on their properties in compliance with state law. Under legislation that was enacted…

US (CA): Former mayor of Adelanto arrested on wire fraud and bribery charges alleging illicit payments for support of commercial cannabis activity

The former mayor of Adelanto was arrested Aug. 13 by special agents of the FBI on a federal grand jury indictment alleging he accepted more than $57,000 in bribes and kickbacks in exchange for approving ordinances authorizing various types of commercial cannabis activity within the city, and ensuring his…

Jcomp/Freepik

US (NJ): Regulators approve rules for adult use of marijuana

It’s been nearly a year since New Jersey voters passed a referendum to legalize marijuana—and on Thursday, regulators approved initial rules for the program that will set up the state’s retail market. The New Jersey Cannabis Regulatory Commission (NJCRC) has been taking public testimony for months on…

US (CA): Cannabis grower fined $40k for environmental violations

The Santa Barbara County District Attorney's Office on Tuesday announced a settlement with 805 Agricultural Holdings, LLC for alleged Fish and Game Code violations. Allegations state that the cannabis grower removed vegetation from a stream, graded a road through the stream and constructed hoop houses in…

US (IL): Cook County judge says ‘it’s very possible’ cannabis shop licensing process will have to be ‘redone’

A Cook County judge on Monday conceded that an ongoing lawsuit he is presiding over could potentially upend the state’s troubled cannabis licensing rollout and lead to a complete do-over. During a lengthy hearing, Judge Moshe Jacobius issued an order granting WAH Group LLC a place in Thursday’s third and…

Cannabis cultivator settles environmental protection action

District Attorney Joyce E. Dudley announced that her Consumer and Environmental Protection Unit has obtained a $40,000 stipulated final judgment against 805 Agricultural Holdings, LLC.  The settlement resolves allegations that the defendant committed Fish and Game Code violations in connection with the production…

Sam Fosness / Republic

US (SD): Hemp industry takes shape

“There are so many things that we can do with this product. It’s unbelievable. Whether it’s in the CBD oil extraction or the fiber end of things, it’s unbelievable what you can do with hemp,” Oren Lesmeister said, noting there are more than 17,000 products that are made with hemp. After the first year of…

It’s time for medical cannabis and the hemp industry in Costa Rica

After eight months of being stalled – frozen actually – like other economic revival projects, the time for the medical cannabis and hemp industry has come. Today (Tuesday August 17th) the initiative will start its final road in Congress, after passing in committee and opening the space for motions, in…

US (OK): MMJ brings in million in tax revenues

Medical cannabis is bringing in big money for Oklahoma State. Since 2018, the revenue gained from medical cannabis has steadily increased. The State Tax Commission reports more than $66 million in tax was collected last fiscal year, a 56% increase from 2019. The Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority says…

US (CA): Application for cannabis cultivation site in Santa Maria withdrawn

The application for a 40-acre cannabis cultivation site on the east side of Highway 101 in Santa Maria has been withdrawn. The project was facing opposition from the Santa Maria Joint Union High School District because it was set to be located about 900 feet away from the district's new Agricultural and…

Cannabis trade body launched in Jersey

A new government-backed cannabis trade organisation has been launched in Jersey in what has been described as a ‘landmark development’ for the emerging industry. The Cannabis…

IL: Medical cannabis reform failed to reach 86% of export goals - analysis

A report which was released last weekend by the Citizens' Empowerment Center in Israel (CECI) confirmed what thousands of Israeli medical cannabis patients have known for…

SVG: Media tour of the analytical service provider facility at the medicinal cannabis authority

The Medicinal Cannabis Authority, at its headquarters in Rivulet, hosted a media tour on Thursday, 12th August, 2021, of the newly completed Analytical Service Provider Facility where locally produced medicinal cannabis products will be tested for potency and safety. The lab is the gateway to export for…

Guyana’s cabinet signs off on plan to develop a hemp industry

Guyana’s Cabinet of Ministers greenlighted the cultivation and processing of industrial hemp, saying the sector could create thousands of jobs and create new industries. The government was swayed to support an initiative to develop a national hemp industry by a report from the Guyana Defence Force, the…

US (NY): Cannabis cultivation, distribution plant proposed for Ulster County

Cresco Labs, “a vertically integrated cannabis and medical cannabis company” that is moving forward in the planning process to develop a “major cannabis cultivation, processing, packaging, and distribution facility” in the Village of Ellenville in Ulster County, officials announced. According to Ulster…

New ‘Cannabis Initiative’ from UN body may cause serious harm to global industry

A secretive United Nations body is in the process of drawing up its first ‘ill-informed’ Cannabis Initiative which may deliver a serious blow to the booming global industry. The move by the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) is being viewed by some as ‘survival measure’ by a body dubbed a…

US (CT): Middletown approves rules allowing cannabis cultivation and sale

The city’s Planning and Zoning Commission on Wednesday approved regulations that would allow the cultivation and sale of cannabis in Middletown, without taking action on the commission chair’s proposal to allow cultivation in residential zones that currently allow farming. The regulations approved by the…

US (AK): THC levels in edibles can now double in Alaska. What does that mean?

Starting Sept. 1, cannabis retailers and manufacturers can sell edible products with 10 milligrams of THC per serving. That’s double the 5mg limit that has been on the books…

US (CA): Cannabis grower Helios Dayspring has lengthy list of violations

Two years after Helios Dayspring was caught breaking county zoning and state water quality laws — he was illegally expanding a cannabis operation on private land in the Los Padres National Forest and polluting the creeks — county officials are taking steps that could lead to the shutdown of his last…

US (FL): Secret recording reveals Burnette bragging that he and a state rep “tweaked” criteria to stifle medical cannabis competition

During a secretly recorded 2016 conversation between J.T. Burnette — a Tallahassee businessman on trial for racketeering, extortion, fraud and making false statements — and undercover FBI agents, Burnette bragged about working with former state Representative Halsey Beshears (R-Monticello) to give an…

US (UT): Paiute tribe explores getting into the medical cannabis business

The Paiute Indian Tribe of Utah is exploring getting into the medical cannabis business. In a closed-door meeting last week with Governor Spencer Cox and members of his cabinet, the tribe told him they were interested in ways to make cannabis a tribal enterprise. "From growing to cultivation sites to…

US (NM): Water rights create hurdles for cannabis growers

The New Mexico adult-use cannabis market is preparing to spring into action within the next few months. But lack of direction on regulations regarding ownership of water rights is holding back some entrepreneurs looking to take part in the marketplace. With only weeks left until regulators must begin…

US (CO): Colorado hemp plan wins approval from federal government

Regulators at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) have given the go-ahead to Colorado’s hemp management plan, which will govern the state’s sizable industry for the crop and ensure that businesses there continue to operate in compliance with federal law. Gov. Jared Polis (D) and state Agriculture…

Zimbabwe issues 55 medical cannabis licenses

THE Zimbabwe Investment Development Agency (Zida) has to date licensed 55 local and foreign investors for their medicinal cannabis sector-based strategy, meant to promote investments into the country. Zida is an investment agency responsible for promoting and facilitating both local and foreign…

Czech hemp group criticizes amendment on THC in hemp

A Czech hemp organization is pushing back against a regressive amendment regarding the limit for THC in industrial hemp, saying it jeopardizes the development of the country’s cannabis bio-economy. The Czech Cannabis Cluster (CzecHemp) said an amendment that surfaced last week in the Senate goes against…

US (TX): Ruling means smokable hemp can be sold in state but must be manufactured elsewhere

An appeals panel in Texas issued a mixed judgment Thursday in a lawsuit challenging the state’s ban on smokable hemp. Regulators may enforce a ban on the processing and manufacture of products intended for smoking or vaping, the court ruled, but they cannot prevent such products made elsewhere from being…

Should you pay $250,000 for an Oregon cannabis producer license?

People familiar with the Oregon cannabis industry know of its strange and lucrative secondary market for cannabis producer licenses. For the past few years, but especially the past year, we’ve helped many farmers buy and sell these licenses (or, more accurately, “interests in successor licenses”). To be…

US (NC): Easterm Band of Cherokee approved growing, sale, use of MMJ

The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians has approved growing, selling and using medical cannabis on its lands in Western North Carolina, tribal leaders said Thursday, making their territory the first place in North Carolina where medical cannabis is legal. The tribal council’s approval of a medical cannabis…

Case involving former CannTrust leaders remanded until Sept. 20

Three former executives of CannTrust Holdings Inc. accused of securities charges related to an unlicensed growing scandal had their case remanded by an Ontario court until September. During a virtual court session Monday, justice of the peace Warren Ralph agreed to remand the case involving the cannabis…

North Macedonia expects cannabis cultivation to boost GDP by €250mn a year

North Macedonia’s government expects the cannabis cultivation business, which Prime Minister Zoran Zaev says is “very profitable”, to create more jobs and to boost the country’s GDP by an estimated €250mn annually. Skopje legalised the use of medical cannabis in 2016 and is also looking to the example of…

US (NY): Temporary cannabis license floated

State Sen. Jeremy Cooney doesn’t want to let the state’s dilly-dallying deprive potential cannabis growers of a growing season next year. Cooney, a Rochester Democrat, has introduced S.7295 in the state Senate to require the state Office of Cannabis Management board to establish a provisional adult-use…

US (CA): Humboldt County supervisors declare drought emergency

The Humboldt County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a measure proclaiming a drought emergency Tuesday. The emergency proclamation opens the door for funding, immediate response and mitigation efforts to combat drying conditions that have contributed to low river flows and increased fire…

US (CO): Protecting cannabis growers

From wildly unpredictable weather patterns to unwanted cross-pollination, there’s a lot to worry about when you’re an outdoor cannabis farmer. So Colorado built a safety net.  Passed in June, House Bill 21-1301 helps outdoor cannabis cultivators prepare for damaging weather such as early snowstorms; build…

US (IL): Grower sues Illinois over latest cannabis social equity licensing plan

A new federal lawsuit aims to halt a series of newly announced lotteries to determine the winners of 185 upcoming pot shop permits, marking the latest threat to the state’s troubled cannabis licensing process. Sozo Health, a Michigan-based pot firm that applied for 11 licenses, filed the suit late last…

North Macedonia plans to expand MMJ exports

North Macedonia’s new draft law on the control of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances, which the government approved on Monday and will be sent to parliament soon, where is likely to be passed by the ruling majority, will enable exports of cannabis flowers for medical purposes. This will allow…

US (NJ): Egg Harbor council introduces cannabis regulations

The Egg Harbor City Council unanimously introduced an ordinance at its meeting Thursday establishing six marketplace classes of licensed cannabis businesses. The proposed…

US (CA): Board of Supervisors needs supervision on cannabis issues

In 2019, the Santa Barbara County Grand Jury convened an investigation into the influence used by cannabis industry lobbyists to manipulate cannabis ordinances within the…

US (NJ): Princeton opts out of cannabis licenses

Princeton has joined the growing number of New Jersey towns that are opting out of permitting the sale, cultivation, manufacturing and distribution of cannabis – at least for now. The Princeton Council introduced an ordinance banning the six classes of cannabis businesses at its July 12 meeting. The goal…

US (CO): Growers want cultivation in Mesa County

Some local business owners attended the public comment period at the Mesa County commissioners today to speak on the repeal of the ban on cultivation of cannabis in Mesa County. Back in April About 58% of voters in Grand Junction said yes to Ballot Question 2B, which removes a 2011 ban on cannabis sales…

US (ME): Cumberland considers moratorium on MMJ caregiver licenses

The Cumberland Town Council will hold a public hearing next week on a proposed six-month moratorium on the licensing of new medical cannabis caregiver operations. The temporary ban has been proposed to give town officials time to determine the actual number and locations of medical cannabis caregivers in…

US (CA): San Diego growers face steep challenges in entering the market

This fall, the San Diego County Board of Supervisors is expected to finalize an ordinance that allows cannabis retail sales, manufacturing and cultivation in the…

US (CA): LA County supervisors to reconsider cannabis ban after invasion of illegal grows

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday, July 13, to collaborate with federal, state and local officials to shut down illegal cannabis grow operations in the Antelope Valley, while agreeing to reconsider a longstanding county ban on commercial cannabis. Supervisor Kathryn Barger warned…

US (NY): Jamestown working to lure cannabis growers

The City of Jamestown is launching a new initiative aimed at bringing the commercial cannabis business into the city and it could generate millions of dollars in tax revenues.…

Ukraine: Medical cannabis legalization bill fails to get enough votes in parliament

Parliament has not passed bill 5596, which would provide patients with access to medical cannabis in the Ukraine and regulate its circulation. In total, 184 lawmakers voted in favor, while 33 voted against and 61 abstained. As a result, the bill was sent back for additional revision. Earlier, the…

US: USDA to seek White House permission for national hemp survey

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is requesting permission from the White House to conduct a survey of about 20,000 farmers to collect data on hemp production. In a notice published in the Federal Register on Thursday, the department said it wants to launch an annual “Hemp Acreage and Production…

AR: Senate advances bill on hemp and MMJ

Argentina’s Senate has overwhelmingly approved a law that would establish a regulatory framework for the development of the medical cannabis and industrial hemp sectors. The…

US: Majority leader Schumer presented a draft bill for federal cannabis legalization

Senator Chuck Schumer of New York proposed ambitious legislation on Wednesday to decriminalize marijuana at the federal level, the NYT reported. In a nutshell, the proposal would allow only people over the age of 21 to purchase cannabis, while CBD products would be sold as dietary supplements. Since…

US (NM): Fearing cannabis shortage, New Mexico may raise plant cap for producers

The Cannabis Control Division of the New Mexico Regulation and Licensing Department, a new agency tasked with creating guidelines for a legal cannabis industry in the state, has more than doubled the maximum number of plants a grower could produce. The change in the agency’s draft rules for cannabis…

Guam govt. to include registry, product tracking, and business compliance in cannabis contracts

Dubbed in its cover letter as a request for a "Cannabis Seed to Sale System and professional services," the government of Guam is seeking to contract out a wide range of…

US (NY): Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe prepares to issue first cannabis cultivation licenses

Some of the first cannabis retailers will begin receiving legal licenses in Akwesasne. The Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe is preparing to issue Tribal Cannabis Cultivation Licenses. The Tribe’s Compliance Department announced that applications for these licenses will be available starting Friday, July 16,…