Category: Policy

Organizers from left to right Ariel Clark, Laura Albers, Alicia Wapen, Joseph Verdi and Travis Turner. (Photo: Authors Own)

Microscopes & Machines is a blended cannabis and hemp medical, science, and manufacturing technology conference.  The organizers had an incredible line up in the light and airy Grass Room, a famous and historical venue in Downtown L.A.

Built in the 1920’s in an area east near Skid-Row, this beautiful building has lived many lives in its century of use; it’s been an oyster company, an ice cream factory, a brothel and a marijuana cultivation facility. This quirky venue was perfect for the eclectic crowd attending the event.

“We have built the Cannabis nerd conference of our dreams!” said event Founder Laura Albers, welcoming the attendees.

An exhibitor space at the Grass Room in Downtown Los Angles (Photo: author’s own)

Assembled speakers included Dr. Sue Sisley, Dr. Jeff Chen, Dr. Pepper Hernandez, Dr. Andrea Small-Howard, John Clayborn Poss, Dr. Michael Masterman-Smith, Dr. Stuart Silverman, Dr. Michele Ross, among those representing the “Microscopes” track and Dr. Michele Ross, Dustin Powers, Boris Kogon, Dr. Wyeth Callaway, Noah Cook, Harrison Spence and Ace Shelander to name a few from the “Machines” track plus and many, many more speakers came together for this conference.

The sold-out conference took up all of the venue.  There were two main stages. One was the ‘’Microscopes’’ the other ‘’Machines.’’ “Microscopes” was for the medical, science, and research practitioners in cannabis.   “Machines” was for the experts from manufacturing, cultivation, processing and laboratory testing.  Essentially, the conference was a mash up of doctors and scientists and operational people.  They blended together the latest scientific thinking with the latest operational thinking of experts from manufacturers or testing laboratories, thereby uniting these two important disciplines.

Agricultural consultant and industry leader, Dustin Powers was their first speaker on the Machines stage.  Powers, a leading figure in the industry, got a rapturous welcome from the crowd.

Dustin Powers on stage at the Microscopes and Machines conferences in Downtown L.A.

Powers set the tone for the whole event through his passionate advocacy that the science of cannabis should become “open source” —open to anyone who cares to apply themselves to the science.   A distinguished speaker and businessman, Dustin knows his subject well.

Powers is well regarded in the cannabis community. He has been a partner for almost a decade in two large OMMP farms, as well as being a partner at Rebel Roots, an OLCC processor; he was former General Manager of Green Labs LLC, a WSLCB licensed grower/processor.   Powers has also trained directly in the science of  annabis under GreyWolf and Joe Oakes at PharmGold who have a reputation for deep thinking about the plant.

Following Powers, Dr. Wyeth Callaway PhD (aka Dr. Jack Hughes on Instagram) of market leader Jetty Extracts described the evolution of Jetty’s own cannabis science and chemistry in their extraction processes and & systems, which was a story of iterations and discovery.

Dr. Wyeth Callaway at the Microscopes & Machines conference in Downtown L.A. (Photo : author’s own).

Dr. Callaway pledged to give away Jetty’s IP in the spirit of helping the science of cannabis spread freely around the community and the world. In case there were any Jetty shareholders in the audience, he provided the caveat that his pledge will come through ‘’after we’ve scaled the business.’’

In the adjoining hall, on the Microscopes stage, Dr. Pepper Hernandez and Dr. Andrea Small-Howard held an intimate conversation on the human ‘’cannabis fingerprint.’’

Dr. Pepper Hernandez (left) and Dr. Andrea Small-Howard at Microscopes & Machines in Downtown L.A. (Photo author’s own)

Dr. Pepper discussed ‘’cannabis fingerprinting’’ as an innovative way for matching the various strains, phenotypes and cultivars of the major and minor #Cannabinoids to target specific human ailments and diseases through activating the human endocannabinoid system.

The science was getting pretty technical, but the upshot was that every human (and animal) interacts differently with cannabis so the challenge has been to deeply understand the role of individual elements of the plant’s biomolecular structure and match that to humans.

Another of the heroes of the Cannabis industry was also speaking at the event, Dr. Sue Sisley of the Scottsdale Research Institute.  Dr. Sue, by the time this article is published, will have secured her place in the history of cannabis.

Dr. Sue Sisley participated in the Microscopes and Machines conference in Los Angeles.

Dr. Sisley, a DEA-approved cannabis researcher, successfully sued the DEA to grant long-promised licenses for cannabis research contesting that the limited U.S. government supply ofcCannabis at the University of Mississippi was totally insufficient for research purposes.  Facing a court filing deadline, the DEA caved.  Dr. Sisley won a major victory that opens the door for 33 research licenses to be granted which will ultimately challenge the Federal government’s absurd contention that cannabis has no medical value.

I bumped into Rod Wolterman, Founder & Chairman of HemptownUSA, a large-scale hemp farming multi-state operator and major producer of exotic cannabinoids such as their 500 acres of CBG.

Rod Wolterman attended the Microscopes & Machines conference in Los Angeles.

With HemptownUSA, Rod has one of the largest privately-owned hemp processors in North America with a management team of some of the best of both Canadian and American professional cannabis executives. Rod founded Hemptown’s first operation in Oregon in 2016 and has been opening new states ever since.

I asked him what he thought of the show.  ‘’Very educational’’ Rod applauded the organizers.  “It’s really good to see the important collaborations and shared learnings happening.’’

Mr. Wolterman has extensive experience in the cannabis sector, having been active within the sector since 1998, when Provision 215 was approved to legalize medical cannabis at scale in California.

Attendees at the Microscopes and Machines conference in Los Angeles. (Photo author’s own)

I made sure to catch Dr. Jeffrey Chen. Dr. Chen is one of the world’s leading researchers into cannabis and its effects on humans and society.

Dr. Jeff Chen of University College Los Angeles (UCLA) takes a question from the audience at the Microscopes & Machines Cannabis and Hemp conference in Los Angeles, California (Photo Author’s Own).

Dr. Jeff Chen MD & MBA is a physician, researcher, and social entrepreneur.  He’s a thought leader on Cannabis policy, science, and business.  Dr. Chen has worked at the intersection of these areas for the last 5 years to educate and accelerate research into the diverse impacts of cannabis legalization on society.

Dr. Chen is the Founder and Executive Director of the UCLA Cannabis Research Initiative, one of the first university programs in the world dedicated to cannabis, where he leads a group of 40 interdisciplinary faculty drawn from 15 departments and 8 schools at UCLA.

He discussed the pros and cons of biosynthesized Cannabinoids (similar methodology to, say, penicillin’s creation) versus plant-derived Cannabinoids.

Professor Chen’s key takeout was that both plant-derived cannabis and biosynthesized Cannabis both have a role to play in the biomolecular chemistry of Cannabis.

Microscopes & Machines organizer and attorney Ariel Clark here leading the panelists discussing the “democratization of Cannabis medicine. “  From left to right Arial Clark, John Clayborn Poss, Sheila Gibson, Dr. Stuart Silverman and Dr. Michael Masterman-Smith in Downtown Los Angeles, California (Photo: Author’s Own)

A lively discussion was also had on the future of medical applications of cannabis.  Panelist John Poss defines this as “putting people before profits” to harness both socially responsible capitalism and academia to install cannabis as an integral and essential part of the world’s human and animal pharmacopeia.

How to do this?

“Education, education, education,” said physician Dr. Stuart Silverman. Legalization of Hemp has been a “starting gun“ for the commercialization of Cannabis Sativa L’s many molecules, such as CBD, CBG, CBN.

Pharmacologist, Dr. Masterman-Smith, argued that the efficacy of cannabis is on par with the pharmacological cocktails currently being prescribed. He feels that, relative to what’s on offer cannabis has better outcomes as a medicine overall.

Panelists discussed the dire lack of broad-scale clinical studies of cannabis as well as the many ways they’re advancing the science of cannabis and helping patients —in the face of the ongoing federal prohibition and limiting federal laws.

Los Angeles Grass Room was the setting for the Microscopes and Machines conference in Los Angeles.  (Photo author’s own)

The organizers designed their event to bring brought it all together towards the end with a panel on the theme of ‘’bridging the divide.’’  Getting both the scientists – the Microscopes people working more closely together with the application in the day-to-day operations – the Machines people.

From left to right: Dr. Andrea Small-Howard, Dr. Wyeth Callaway, Noah Cook, Ken White, Dr. Stuart Silverman and Dr. Pierre Geoffroy. At Microscopes & Machines Cannabis and Hemp conference in Los Angeles, California. (Photo author’s own). 

There was also an excellent cutting-edge panel on psilocybin at the end of the conference.

Ariel Clark leading panelists in the discussion on plant-based psychedelics. From left to right: Ariel Clark, Nicole Neubert, Madison Margolin, Will Goss, Dr. Michele Ross at the Microscopes and Machines conference in Los Angeles (Photo: author’s own).

Psilocybin is a Schedule 1 drug, but the U.S. FDA has granted permission for UCLA and Johns Hopkins University to study psychedelic mushrooms on mental health.  Several U.S. cities have already decriminalized this next great American industry.

There are over 200 types of psychedelic mushrooms, so humanity is only scratching the surface of this powerful little fungus family.

Dr. Michele Ross stated that psilocybin interacts with the serotonin system receptors as opposed to the endocannabinoid system’s receptors which cannabis interacts.

Dr. Ross went on to describe research showing how psilocybin engenders neurogenesis in the hippocampus, creating new neural pathways in the mind. This could lead to powerful new healing perspectives and spiritual breakthroughs, especiallyl for patients suffering from clinical depression, autism, anxiety, PTSD, suicidal ideation etc.; in particular, patients not responding to human-concocted pharmaceuticals.

Great panel, they were only missing the legendary Richard “Rick” Doblin who is the founder and executive director of the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS).

Microscopes & Machines wrapped up their conference with an after-party including comedians and live music to keep the good vibrations going from their day-long successful conference.

This comedian who has been based most of his life in West Hollywood, describes his visit to his grandmother in Mississippi where the cultural contrasts resulted in hilarity. Apparently, they don’t serve organic coconut milk half-caf lattes in Mississippi.

What is Microscopes & Machines niche in the crowded cannabis & hemp conference schedule? They brought together the brightest minds and voices from the cutting-edge of science and the brightest manufacturing teams in cannabis and hemp drawing those communities in cannabis ever more closely together to harness the power of innovation and take the industry to the next level.

Microscopes and Machines is produced by  A Dope Conference Company

The post Spotlight on Microscopes & Machines Conference: Where the Science of Cannabis Becomes Operational Reality appeared first on CannabisFN.

The annual Lift & Co. Cannabis Expo Toronto is a key calendar event for global Cannabis investors and industry stakeholders. With Toronto as the hub of the Canadian finance and media industries, this event location strategically draws in pre-eminent industry leaders, business owners, thought leaders, entrepreneurs, creatives, start-ups, and consumers. Here, they come together to connect, collaborate and discuss a diverse range of topics surrounding the future of the Cannabis industry.

CFN attended this year’s Lift & Co. Cannabis Expo Toronto to become immersed in Canadian Cannabis industry as it navigates the first legal summer and looks ahead to the legalization of edibles, concentrates and topicals this fall. Coinciding with the first anniversary of legalization, the introduction of these new products is anticipated to be a major growth catalyst, with new technologies, equipment, services and product lines already emerging to service this evolving industry. In total, the Canadian Cannabis industry is estimated by Brightfield Group to be worth $5 billion by 2021.

The Lift & Co. Cannabis Expo is organized by Lift & Co. (TSXV:LIFT) (OTCQB: LFCOF), a Cannabis-focused media and technology company that monetizes a house of marketing channels modelled after a classic CPG marketers toolkit. Their platform of media, education, events and data insights provides the infrastructure that enables Cannabis businesses to better understand, target, and reach Cannabis consumers in today’s highly regulated market space in a legally compliant way. Specifically, at their Expos, Lift & Co. provides an avenue for brands to directly access consumers and B2B connections. In the leadup to legalization, Lift & Co. expanded their suite of marketing solutions, including a budtender training program, CannSell, that also provides trade marketing channel for LPs in the form of branded education modules delivered directly to budtenders across the country through the CannSell platform. Recently, they’ve also invested in growth of their data insights business, which leverages the thousands of Cannabis reviews garnered from consumers on lift.co.

Lift & Co.’s expertise and relationships with these Cannabis stakeholders informs the experience and the programming at its signature events.  This year’s Expo theme was Get to Know Cannabis, further signaling a focus on education and collaboration for both Cannabis businesses and consumers. As its first Toronto event post-legalization, the Lift & Co. Cannabis Expo Toronto 2019 was the Company’s largest to-date achieving 45% attendance growth over the previous year and seeing a significant spike in attendance on Industry Day.

This year also marked the first-ever Canadian Cannabis Week (CCW), a week-long series of more than a dozen consumer and industry events happening across Toronto, culminating with the Expo. Going forward, CCW and Lift & Co. will showcase Canada’s global leadership position as a unique and premier destination for investors, companies and consumers to collaborate.

(Lift & Co. Expo Toronto 2019, Photo: Lift & Co.)

The floor of exhibitors included start-ups seeking investment, emerging and later-stage private and public companies, high-tech extraction and technical equipment, cultivation, retail, distribution, manufacturing, consumer-focused products like cosmetics, as well as a number of ancillary companies.

In addition to over 250 exhibiting companies, a comprehensive speaker program spans Lift & Co.’s business conference, the Expo Industry day and the Expo Consumer Weekend with leaders discussing the sector’s major investment opportunities, sharing an outlook on future growth opportunities and shining a light on current industry challenges.

Here are a few highlights from the Lift & Co. Cannabis Expo Toronto 2019:

Exhibitors

According to Lift & Co., major brands are now spending over six figures on their booth builds. 7ACRES stood out with a two-storey, matte black clubhouse with a second-floor balcony overlooking the show floor to promote their Khalifa Kush Enterprise (KKE) partnership, a brand launched with hip-hop artist and entrepreneur Wiz Khalifa.

The Cronos Group (CRON.TO) (CRON.TO) almost stole the show. They were able to create a display that interwove all three of their distinct consumer brands into one immersive journey: a person began in a vegetable-themed Spinach brand area leading into a giant-sized Battleship game board. From that space, attendees could touch a hidden bookcase door leading to the dimly lit Cove Room, and a cascading digital waterfall. Hopefully reaching a state of bliss, visitors exited through billowy curtains into the clean white lounge of the Peace Naturals brand. One of the objectives of the show is to give attendees a chance to discover and interact with Cannabis brands in ways they cannot otherwise, due to regulations; this was a keen example of a corporation creating a cohesive experience around three distinct consumer brands.

(Lift Expo Toronto 2019, Photo: Lift & Co)

HEXO’s (HEXO-T) approach was a bright yellow and blue interactive terpene bar, combining an experiential and educational experience.

(Lift Expo Toronto 2019, Photo: Lift & Co.)

Combining top consumer technology and Cannabis, several companies incorporated VR, including FIGR who showed off a preview of its new app that helps people understand cannabinoid levels, terpenes and the origin (or provenance) of a particular plant.

(Lift Expo Toronto 2019, Photo: Lift & Co)

Leveraging newer consumer entertainment technology, Biome Grow’s “Weed VR” gave users a library of Cannabis education on plants, cultivars and flowers they could read about, and reach out and “touch”.

Vape Showcase

For the first time, Lift & Co. expanded to the first floor of the Metro Toronto Convention Centre to feature a 10,000 square foot Vape Showcase, giving investors and consumers a first look at products that will be coming to the Canadian market when vapes are legalized later in 2019.

(Lift Expo Toronto 2019, Photo: Lift & Co)

Off the Show Floor: Marketing Cannabis in Canada

From left, panelists Angela Blake (partner, Bennett Jones), Alessandra Hechanova (Digital Marketing Manager, Canopy Rivers, Inc.), Kayla Rochkin (VP marketing, TREC Brands) and moderator Anne Gaviola (VICE Canada). (Lift & Co. Expo Toronto 2019, Photo: Lift & Co.)

The marketing regulations within the Cannabis Act are restrictive for Cannabis companies and the ways in which they can talk to the public about their products. This communication barrier is compounded by the fact that social media platforms operate in the United States and their policies are tied to US federal law, further preventing Cannabis companies from marketing to consumers online in ways other industries are able. A panel called Silent Mode: Social Media, Cannabis and Advertising tackled the topic, coming to the consensus that unless and until the US legalizes Cannabis, the Canadian Cannabis industry has to remain creative. Unlike a market like California where Cannabis brands have more leeway to speak to lifestyle, Canadian LPs cannot have any promotion that could conceivably link to a certain lifestyle nor make their products attractive to young people. However, there are permitted promotional opportunities like educational events, branded gear and celebrity partnerships (though, never endorsing the products).

Marketing Data and Information

Marketing constraints will be exacerbated when edible products are ready to roll-out later this year. In one on-stage presentation, Lift & Co.’s Chief Revenue Officer Jon Kamin and Ashley Chiu, Strategic Growth and Risk Leader at EY Canada presented early data insights about Canada’s upcoming edibles market, including a statistic that 1.5 million new Cannabis consumers will be entering the market with edibles; they will require educational information and product information to make informed choices. The full Lift & Co. and EY Canada report on Legalization 2.0 consumer insights is out now.

Cannabis consumer data was a key theme running through the Expo, including the keynote presentation made by Lift & Co. CEO Matei Olaru and Cy Scott the CEO of Headset. They presented early insights into Canadian emerging consumer profiles, identifying four key archetypes of consumers that brands should be targeting in today’s market. Their position is, while access to data on these consumers is still nascent, it’s not too early to start looking at Canadian data to meet the bottom line.

When asked about Lift & Co.’s strategic focus on data insights, Matei Olaru said, “This is an emerging, global CPG industry and Canada’s insights will inform market decisions here and around the world as other countries look to us for guidance. Understanding the consumer, what they’re buying and how they feel about a product transcends marketing restrictions and gives brands much-needed information they can leverage to innovate and create value for their customers and shareholders.”

Investors

As a leader out of the US, I took the opportunity to ask Cy Scott from Headset what advice he would give to investors in the Canadian Cannabis market? He told me: ‘’Like any investment, strong fundamentals are certainly key — but I would say with respect to the Cannabis market it’s having a long-term view that is critical. In Canada specifically, the market is still in its infancy with restrictive packaging, limited form factors and licenses which is a common thread across many new markets we’ve seen in the US. As these restrictions loosen, the opportunity grows as does the size of the overall addressable market. Finally, when making investments it is the organizations that are set up to be flexible and capable of moving quickly that will succeed longer term, as the landscape is constantly changing with new legislation, new licensees and new markets always on the horizon.’’

Also exhibiting at the show, I followed up to ask Cy Scott what the most attractive feature of Lift & Co. Expo is for his business? He said, ‘’the most attractive feature of the Lift Expo is the audience it attracts, both from an attendee as well as an exhibitor perspective. With the Business Expo, Industry and Consumer Day there is a lot of opportunity for us as an organization to connect with clients and partners in one of the most exciting markets today.’’

Apart from the opportunity to network one-on-one with leading Cannabis brands in the Canadian market, on-stage programming focused heavily on the investor audience. In “Cannabis Investing 2.0”, investors were urged to ignore the year-over-year performance of companies because of the rapidly growing market. In traditional markets, year-over-year growth is a good indicator, but the regulated market for Cannabis didn’t exist one year ago, and the stratospheric growth of the market makes it hard to measure versus past precedent. Panelists said the surest way to understand a company was to meet their team and look closely into the business.

Final Highlights:

Gift Bags

While the event cannot permit the sale or sampling of Cannabis, companies brought out swag in full force: baseball hats, rolling papers, printed t-shirts and every conceivable kind of branded stationery. Urban Juve, a Yield Growth company had plenty of samples of their new cosmetics line, which doesn’t currently contain Cannabis.  HEXO, for example, set up mini outposts across the expo floor and gave away Cannabis-free mini bottles of its Elixir Peppermint Oil Oral Spray—the 2018 Canadian Cannabis Award winner for Product of the Year—so consumers could get a feel for the real thing.

Beverages

Beverages are a hot investment item in Canada, with many companies such as Constellation Brands and Heineken striking lucrative deals with Canadian LPs to enter the market. According to Dooma Wendschuh, Province Brands’ CEO and co-founder, the company is light-years ahead of the competition; they say their product will be the world’s first-ever beer brewed from Cannabis.

On the other hand, Hill St. Beverages are infusing their beverages with Cannabis using a technology from Lexaria, encapsulating Cannabis oil into a sunflower oil and dehydrating it to create a water-soluble powder that can be combined with their alcohol-free beers and wines.

Lift & Co’s Lift Expo is far more than another event in the crowded Cannabis and Hemp conferences calendar.  Lift & Co are a linchpin to the industry, a focal point with an unbeatable combination of being a news source, an educational source and their conferences are a great forum for investors to meet companies up close and personally. By opening certain days of their events to the public, Lift & Co are also doing a brilliant job of democratizing and normalizing the entire Cannabis industry.  When the history of the Cannabis industry globally is eventually written, Lift & Co will have a central role in the global success of Cannabis.

The post Spotlight on Lift & Co. Cannabis Expo Toronto 2019 appeared first on CannabisFN.

There’s no doubt that cannabis has been a game-changer for the Canadian capital markets. After Canada liberalized its medical program in 2012, companies immediately began approaching the Canadian Securities Exchange (CSE) to raise the capital required to build indoor greenhouses and participate in a market that they knew would continue to grow over time.

In 2015, U.S. cannabis companies began to capitalize on state-by-state cannabis legalization frameworks. They couldn’t raise capital in the United States due to the plant’s federal status, which meant that they turned to Canada and the CSE to raise the capital that they needed to fund massive projects. These trends really began to expand in 2018 with multi-state operators.

Zuber Lawler’s Managing Partner Tom Zuber recently interviewed CSE CEO Richard Carleton in CFN Media’s studio in a three part series:

What Makes the CSE Unique?

There’s no doubt that it’s easier to be a public company in Canada than the United States. From exchange fees to officer insurance, the regulatory burden and cost of being a publicly traded company is much lower. These lower costs make the country more attractive for smaller businesses that cannot afford the significant costs of a U.S. listing.

For example, Canada has become a go-to country for oil and gas and mining exploration companies looking to raise under $10 million with market capitalizations of around $20 million to $50 million. By comparison, most companies that go public in the United States need to raise hundreds of millions of dollars and achieve market capitalizations of $1+ billion. 

The CSE’s approach to the cannabis industry, in particular, has also set it apart from other exchanges. Rather than taking a paternalistic approach, and making judgements on companies, the exchange is focused on ensuring that each company’s disclosure is complete and understandable by retail investors, who can then make their own informed decisions.

U.S. Companies Look to the CSE

The Canadian Securities Exchange began to see U.S. issuers interested in listing on the exchange in late 2015. While the exchange had already listed Canadian cannabis companies, the decision to list U.S. companies was complicated by the fact that they had to provide an opinion that businesses would operate under applicable laws in their jurisdictions.

While the Controlled Substances Act made it difficult to make that assertion, the exchange focused on helping companies come up with a complete disclosure that outlined those risks and helped investors understand them in detail. The SEC had also approved a prospectus for a U.S. issuer that touched the plant by that point, so there was some support south of the border.

By 2018, U.S. multi-state operators, or MSOs, began to approach the exchange. These listings were significantly more complicated than companies focused on a single state since the disclosures were much longer. Many of these companies also had complex cap tables with multiple share classes, which made it hard for investors to determine valuations.

What’s Next for Cannabis & the CSE?

The cannabis industry certainly shares some similarities with the rise of Internet companies. Many companies have achieved lofty valuations, including many Canadian cultivators, but there will be many long-term winners that emerge from the current market conditions. For example, Amazon’s and Google’s of the cannabis industry may already be present.

The global cannabis industry also continues to emerge. In addition to North America, Europe is quickly becoming the next major growth market. Many countries are liberalizing their cannabis laws and the CBD wellness market is already very well established. Many Canadian companies are quickly moving into the space to fill the void with joint ventures and investments.

For the CSE, the big question is whether they will continue to be a winner after legalization takes hold. The legalization of cannabis in the U.S. could open the door to U.S.-based listings, where the capital markets run much deeper. The answer to that question remains to be seen, but for now, the CSE continues to be the go-to exchange for cannabis companies around the world.

The post The Evolution of the CSE in the Global Cannabis Industry appeared first on CannabisFN.

There’s no doubt that cannabis has been a game-changer for the Canadian capital markets. After Canada liberalized its medical program in 2012, companies immediately began approaching the Canadian Securities Exchange (CSE) to raise the capital required to build indoor greenhouses and participate in a market that they knew would continue to grow over time.

In 2015, U.S. cannabis companies began to capitalize on state-by-state cannabis legalization frameworks. They couldn’t raise capital in the United States due to the plant’s federal status, which meant that they turned to Canada and the CSE to raise the capital that they needed to fund massive projects. These trends really began to expand in 2018 with multi-state operators.

Zuber Lawler’s Managing Partner Tom Zuber recently interviewed CSE CEO Richard Carleton in CFN Media’s studio in a three part series:

What Makes the CSE Unique?

There’s no doubt that it’s easier to be a public company in Canada than the United States. From exchange fees to officer insurance, the regulatory burden and cost of being a publicly traded company is much lower. These lower costs make the country more attractive for smaller businesses that cannot afford the significant costs of a U.S. listing.

For example, Canada has become a go-to country for oil and gas and mining exploration companies looking to raise under $10 million with market capitalizations of around $20 million to $50 million. By comparison, most companies that go public in the United States need to raise hundreds of millions of dollars and achieve market capitalizations of $1+ billion. 

The CSE’s approach to the cannabis industry, in particular, has also set it apart from other exchanges. Rather than taking a paternalistic approach, and making judgements on companies, the exchange is focused on ensuring that each company’s disclosure is complete and understandable by retail investors, who can then make their own informed decisions.

U.S. Companies Look to the CSE

The Canadian Securities Exchange began to see U.S. issuers interested in listing on the exchange in late 2015. While the exchange had already listed Canadian cannabis companies, the decision to list U.S. companies was complicated by the fact that they had to provide an opinion that businesses would operate under applicable laws in their jurisdictions.

While the Controlled Substances Act made it difficult to make that assertion, the exchange focused on helping companies come up with a complete disclosure that outlined those risks and helped investors understand them in detail. The SEC had also approved a prospectus for a U.S. issuer that touched the plant by that point, so there was some support south of the border.

By 2018, U.S. multi-state operators, or MSOs, began to approach the exchange. These listings were significantly more complicated than companies focused on a single state since the disclosures were much longer. Many of these companies also had complex cap tables with multiple share classes, which made it hard for investors to determine valuations.

What’s Next for Cannabis & the CSE?

The cannabis industry certainly shares some similarities with the rise of Internet companies. Many companies have achieved lofty valuations, including many Canadian cultivators, but there will be many long-term winners that emerge from the current market conditions. For example, Amazon’s and Google’s of the cannabis industry may already be present.

The global cannabis industry also continues to emerge. In addition to North America, Europe is quickly becoming the next major growth market. Many countries are liberalizing their cannabis laws and the CBD wellness market is already very well established. Many Canadian companies are quickly moving into the space to fill the void with joint ventures and investments.

For the CSE, the big question is whether they will continue to be a winner after legalization takes hold. The legalization of cannabis in the U.S. could open the door to U.S.-based listings, where the capital markets run much deeper. The answer to that question remains to be seen, but for now, the CSE continues to be the go-to exchange for cannabis companies around the world.

The post The Evolution of the CSE in the Global Cannabis Industry appeared first on CannabisFN.

The cannabis industry is projected to reach $66.5 billion by 2025, according to Grand View Research, representing a 23.9% compound annual growth rate. In addition to Canada’s maturing industry, investors are becoming increasingly comfortable with the regulatory environment in the United States, despite the plant’s status as a Schedule I Controlled Substance on a federal level (alongside hard drugs like heroin).

Large banks have started to participate in the cannabis industry from a distance. For instance, Goldman Sachs and Bank of America participated in Constellation Brands’ (NYSE: STZ) investment in Canopy Growth (TSX: WEED) (NYSE: CGC). Many investment banks also started offering equity research on Canadian cannabis companies. However, Canadian banks like GMP Securities and Canaccord Genuity have dominated the market.

Many boutique firms have also built up a sizable presence in the industry. For instance, Viridian Capital told Bloomberg that it’s turning down about 95% of the calls that it gets from family offices, hedge funds and wealthy investors looking to invest in the U.S. cannabis industry. The demand for cannabis investment has surpassed the available supply from private placements and other capital raises outside of the public markets.

Young America Founder Peter Formanek at Axial Concord from Axial on Vimeo.

Young America Capital, a boutique firm operating in the cannabis space, has grown from three to 55 people over the past eight years with a focus on helping disruptive companies raise capital. By leveraging services like Capital IQ and Pitchbook, the firm effectively reaches and forms relationships with hundreds of fund managers. The company says that about 80% of its business consists of placing capital rather than selling companies.

“We’ve been working in the cannabis industry on a very cautious basis,” says Young America Capital Founder Peter Formanek. “There’s a tremendous demand for our services. It’s a huge industry that’s going to be very prevalent for the next 20-30 years both on the medicinal and recreational side. It’s a mix of consumer products, biotechnology and other recreational activities.”

Legal marijuans sales surged past $10 billion in the U.S. last year and there are now 11 states where recreational cannabis has been legalized. The market in California alone is projected to be larger than the entire Canadian market. A growing push to ease federal regulations could further support growth in the industry over the coming years.

The post Investment Banks See Tremendous Potential in Cannabis Dealflow appeared first on CannabisFN.

CFN Media Group (“CFN Media”, “CannabisFN”), the leading agency and financial media network dedicated to the worldwide cannabis industry, today announced the release of the second video episode in its CFN Media & Viridian Capital Cannabis Markets Wrap series filmed at the MJMicro Conference and featuring the President of Viridian Capital, Scott Greiper, recounting the month’s activity and trends in the cannabis markets. 

You can watch the series on CFN Media’s site CannabisFN.com here:

“What’s most important to focus on for this session is just the continuation and acceleration of capital coming into the industry,” says Mr. Greiper. “There’s a massive rush to acquire as much IP and property [as possible] around the country [and globally].”

The new episode covers a wide range of topics, including:

• Key trends that occurred over the past month.
• Regulatory changes in the U.S. and Canada.
• Catalysts that could impact the industry ahead.

The exclusive actionable intelligence within each monthly video, borne from the Viridian Cannabis Deal Tracker, will be critical to both investors and companies positioned to profit in the cannabis industry.

You can watch the series on CFN Media’s site CannabisFN.com here:
https://www.cannabisfn.com/itl/scott-greiper-of-viridian-capital-advisors/

Learn how to become a CFN Media client company here: https://www.cannabisfn.com/become-featured-company/

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CFN Media’s Cannabis Financial Network (CannabisFN.com) is the destination for savvy investors and business people profiting from the worldwide cannabis industry. Viewers will see breaking news, exclusive content and original programming involving the people, companies and investments shaping the industry.

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Our powerful digital media and distribution platform conveys a company’s message and value proposition directly to accredited and retail investors and national media active in the North American cannabis markets.

Since 2013, CFN Media has enabled the world’s preeminent cannabis companies to thrive in the capital and public markets.

About Viridian Capital Advisors

Viridian Capital Advisors (www.viridianca.com) is a financial and strategic advisory firm dedicated to the cannabis market. We are a data- and market intelligence-driven firm that provides investment banking, M&A, corporate development, and investor relations services to emerging growth companies in the cannabis sector. Our banking practice, through broker-dealer Pickwick Capital Partners, provides capital and M&A to fund the growth of our clients, while our advisory practice helps to position and build their businesses. Leveraging our team’s decades of high level operating and transactional experience on Wall Street in a variety of emerging sectors, we provide comprehensive strategic and financial solutions that assist cannabis enterprises in realizing their full potential.

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CannabisFN.com is not an independent financial investment advisor or broker-dealer. You should always consult with your own independent legal, tax, and/or investment professionals before making any investment decisions. The information provided on http://www.cannabisfn.com (the ‘Site’) is either original financial news or paid advertisements drafted by our in-house team or provided by an affiliate. CannabisFN.com, a financial news media and marketing firm enters into media buys or service agreements with the companies that are the subject of the articles posted on the Site or other editorials for advertising such companies.  We are not an independent news media provider. We make no warranty or representation about the information including its completeness, accuracy, truthfulness or reliability and we disclaim, expressly and implicitly, all warranties of any kind, including whether the Information is complete, accurate, truthful, or reliable. As such, your use of the information is at your own risk. Nor do we undertake any obligation to update the items posted. CannabisFN.com received compensation for producing and presenting high quality and sophisticated content on CannabisFN.com along with financial and corporate news. No Securities will be offered during the video series.

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The post New CFN & Viridian Cannabis Capital Markets Wrap Discusses Key Industry and Regulatory Trends appeared first on CannabisFN.

Medical marijuana was legalized in Maryland in 2018 after years of debate in the General Assembly. Since then, the state has registered more than 17,000 patients, authorized more than 500 doctors, nurses, and dentists, and licensed more than 100 dispensaries located throughout the state.

The state cannabis industry is regulated by the Maryland Medical Cannabis Commission, or MMCC, which handles both patient and physician registration, as well as the licensing of authorized medical marijuana dispensaries.

Let’s take a look at what medical conditions quality for medical marijuana, how to register as a patient, and where to purchase medical marijuana as a patient.

Qualifying Medical Conditions

The MMCC is ‘encouraged to approve’ medial marijuana recommendations for several conditions where cannabis has been shown to be effective. Patients must be Maryland residents with a qualifying condition that’s diagnosed by a doctor or other medical professional.

The MMCC’s list of medical conditions include:

• Patients in hospice or palliative care.
• Patients with cachexia, anorexia, or wasting syndrome.
• Patients with severe or chronic pain.
• Patients with nausea, seizures, or muscle spasms.
• Patients with severe medical conditions where available treatments are ineffective and medical marijuana can be “reasonably” expected to provide relief.
• Patients with glaucoma or post-traumatic stress disorder.

Minors under the age of 18 are required to have at least one caregiver assigned to their accounts at all times. Caregivers must be parents legal guardians over the age of 21 that are registered with the MMCC prior to registering the patient.

How to Register as a Patient

The process to register as a Maryland medical marijuana patient is relatively straightforward and most of the process can be completed at a doctor’s office and online.

The three basic steps in the process include:

1. Register online with the MMCC. You will need a government-issued photo ID, proof of address, a clear recent photo, and the last four digits of your Social Security number.
2. Obtain a written certification from a provider registered with the MMCC. The provider must provide the patient’s commission-issued Patient ID number to issue the certification through the MMCC’s application.
3. Purchase medical cannabis within 120 days to avoid the certification becoming null and avoid. Dispensaries will require a Patient ID number.

You can view detailed overview of the process on the MMCC’s website: https://mmcc.maryland.gov/Pages/process_to_obtain.aspx.

Where to Purchase Medical Marijuana

Maryland has approved more than 100 dispensaries and a growing number of those approved have opened their doors. Under the current law, there can be no more than two dispensaries in each of the state’s 47 legislative districts, although that doesn’t include licensed growers that can be a dispensary.

Each dispensary offers different strains of marijuana that may be effective for different medical conditions. In addition to dried cannabis, many dispensaries offer extracts and oils that can be used in vape pens, topicals, pills, and other consumption methods and devices.

The MMCC provides an updated list of all dispensaries on its website: https://mmcc.maryland.gov/Pages/dispensaries.aspx.

Where to Go for Help

The best way to get help in the process is to consult with a licensed doctor or medical professional. In addition to advising you on your medical conditions, they can help you register as a patient to get the medicine you need.

There’s no doubt that the cannabis industry has experienced tremendous growth over the past several years. In fact, Grand View Research projects that the global market will grow at a 34.6% annual growth rate to reach $146.4 billion by 2025.

But some sub-sectors of the cannabis industry are growing faster than others.

Cannaccord analyst Bobby Burleson believes that the cannabis-infused beverages could capture 20% of the U.S. edible market and reach $600 million in value by 2022, making it one of the fastest growing subsets of the industry.

“Interest has spiked from the beer industry on mounting evidence of a substitution relationship between cannabis and alcohol, while large soda companies increasingly view CBD as a natural fit within their strategically important wellness offerings,” Burleson wrote.

The analyst projects that THC-infused beverages will grow from $106 million in 2018 to $340 million by 2022.

But CBD-infused beverages could see an even higher growth rate.

The analyst believes that CBD-infused drinks could grow from ‘negligible’ revenue in 2018 to upwards of $260 million in revenue by 2022, which translates to a parabolic growth rate.

The popularity of CBD-infused beverages comes amid a wider trend towards functional beverages, including kombucha, functional teas and vitamin waters.

Investors interested in the cannabis industry may want to keep an eye on companies investing in this attractive subset of the industry.

Back in 1969, a full 84 percent of Americans felt that marijuana should remain illegal. As the benefits of this plant became more apparent – and fear-based propaganda diminished – public perception completely reversed. In fact, two-thirds of Americans now believe weed should be legalized. This explains why Massachusetts residents voted to decriminalize marijuana, and it’s been the state’s Cannabis Control Commission (CCC) that’s overseen the industry since December 2018.

What is the Commission?

After the legalization of recreational marijuana use in July 2017, the Department of Health was tasked with overseeing the industry. While the Cannabis Control Commission was appointed in September of that year, it wouldn’t be until the end of 2018 when it took charge of the industry’s administration. The commission is involved in all aspects of regulation, but their mission statement is a simple one:

“To honor the will of the voters of Massachusetts by safely, equitably and effectively implementing and administering the laws enabling access to medical and adult use marijuana in the Commonwealth.”

The Cannabis Control Commission consists of five commissioners. The Governor, Attorney General and Treasurer get to choose one member each. They must then reach a majority decision on the remaining two commissioners. These individuals are tasked with regulating recreational marijuana use in Massachusetts, but they aren’t alone in the process.

The Cannabis Advisory Board was established at the same time as the Cannabis Control Commission. It has 25 members and is tasked with studying and providing recommendations to the commission. Their focus is the taxation and regulation of marijuana in the state.

What Does the Cannabis Control Commission Do?

Each member of the Cannabis Control Commission is tasked with different areas of responsibility. The chairman, for instance, deals with the medical marijuana industry and the lobbying of financial institutions to lend to cannabis-based businesses. The following tasks – all of which would seem like obvious duties of such a statewide commission – are handled by the CCC.

• Issuance of cannabis-based business licenses.
• Deciding upon and establishing regulations.
• Research and development.
• Collect statistics and economic data for public release.
• Address potential public safety concerns (e.g. DUI).

In essence, the Cannabis Control Commission is involved in every area of the Massachusetts marijuana industry. It’s also worth noting, though, that they focus on equity and diversity. Those who have been more adversely impacted by cannabis criminalization in the past receive preferential treatment. Businesses must also show plans for inclusion and diversity prior to receiving a license.

What’s New with the Cannabis Control Commission?

The Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission is tasked with regulating a new industry, so it’s no surprise that things are happening fast. Here are just a few of the latest developments within the commission.

• Marijuana delivery: In a 4-1 vote on April 26, the commission decided to allow marijuana delivery throughout the state. The public will still be allowed a comment period, but the delivery of cannabis to residential addresses could start as early as this year.
• First license denial: The Cannabis Control Commission issued its first license rejection on April 25. They stated that the business’s diversity and positive impact plans were insufficient. This showed that the commission is more than just a rubber stamp – as some detractors have claimed.
• Focus on local businesses: Chairman Steven Hoffman recently announced that the commission wouldn’t allow major national companies to take over and dominate the local industry. This is another sign that the group really is dedicated to using its power to improve Massachusetts.

Paving the Way Forward

In the two months following the first recreational marijuana store openings, Massachusetts earned around $4 million in tax revenue from sales. This new venture has proven very beneficial for The Bay State, and it’s the Cannabis Control Commission that’s leading the way forward. The commission’s diverse goals promise to improve the lives of those living in the state, and this is the case even for individuals who don’t partake in the once illegal substance.

San Diego Cannabis Industry Association (SDCIA) shines some southern California sunshine on the vexing issue of Cannabidiol (CBD).

From left to right. Patrick Murphy from the Law Office of Kimberly R Simms; Kelly Hayes from Greenspoon Marder, Josh Swider from Infinite Labs, at the San Diego Cannabis Industry Association. (Photo Author’s Own).

When President Trump signed the 2018 Farm Bill into law last December, the bill included provisions to de-schedule industrial hemp and its by-products. This has created a whole lot of confusion in the industry as to the legality of CBD.  CBD, which is derived from both hemp and marijuana, has been pushed to the center of the legalization debate. It is a complex question with a major impact on cultivators, manufacturers, retailers and consumers, who rely on CBD to improve their health.

The SDCIA is one of several industry associations tackling this thorny question for their members. CFN Media went along to their recent CBD & Hemp educational event to find out how this question is being managed by cannabis companies.

The event was packed to the rafters with the majority of attendees from the industry’s front lines.  An expert panel was assembled including the right mix of knowledge from different perspectives.  The expert CBD panel included Linda Strause, PhD from G. Randall & Sons/Randy’s Club, Kelly Hayes from Greenspoon Marder, Josh Swider from Infinite Labs, Dr. Tim Shu of VET CBD and Patrick Murphy from the Law Office of Kimberly R. Simms, APC.  Topics included CBD Myths versus Reality; Impact of the 2018 Farm Bill; and CBD Legal do’s and don’ts.

Participants at the recent SDCIA information session in San Diego, California (Photo: author’s own)

As an educational evening, the organizers sought to not only provide clarity to this vexing issue but also to create a common baseline of facts about CBD, hemp and Cannabis.  The lively panel was very well moderated by Rocky Goyal – the owner of the iconic local San Diego dispensary Apothokare.

Legal concerns were top of the list. Legal concerns from claims, out to labeling and distribution. Panelist and attorney Patrick Murphy, summed up the legal landscape well saying:  ‘’We know clearly what we can’t do but we don’t know what we can do.’’

I asked Patrick what do he advise his Firm’s clients? ‘’What we try to impart to our clients is that the hemp-derived CBD and Cannabis-derived CBD need to be considered as separate and distinct from each other. Surprisingly, even though the 2018 Farm Bill now defines hemp as an agricultural commodity under federal law and removes its current federal drug status, at this point in time, regulations surrounding hemp-derived CBD actually have less clarity than Cannabis regulations.’’

Definitely it goes that engaging in the hemp industry requires that businesses have a firm grasp of the regulatory landscape before operating.  It’s paramount these businesses speak with an attorney familiar with the hemp and Cannabis industries to ensure their products are legally compliant.

Dr. Linda Strause also advised that anyone new to the Cannabis industry should know that we are still in a non-regulated industry where even hemp remains in an evolving regulatory landscape.  Essentially, Dr, Strause advised companies attending to develop their own risk matrix for their products and keep on top of those evolving regulations.

Here are some of the points covered in this free-ranging expert panel conversation with plenty of input from the audience.

The term Cannabis is the botanical taxonomy for Cannabis sativa L. from which both marijuana and hemp are derived. Hemp is defined as having less than 0.3% THC.  Both hemp and marijuana produce the CBD molecule.

The Endocannabinoid System (ECS) is a global modulator system that helps our bodies maintain homeostasis across all our other physiological systems including our central nervous system, peripheral nervous system, inflammatory system, endocrine system, neuromuscular system, gastrointestinal system, excretory system, to name a few. The ECS is composed of both receptors and endocannabinoids.

When it comes to Cannabis products, whether marijuana or hemp, medical claims are strictly prohibited unless the products have gone through the FDA regulations process to demonstrate, in controlled, randomized, and blinded clinical trials, that it is both safe and efficacious.

Judging by the reception and engagement of these facts by the audience, the meeting went a long way towards creating a common base line of the above CBD facts.

CBD and the 2018 Farm Bill

Before the Farm Bill, Cannabis and any derivatives were Schedule 1, which made hemp as dangerous as fentanyl and heroin in the eyes of the Federal Government.  The Farm Bill created a distinct separation of “hemp” and “marijuana.” Key language in Section 1103 of the Farm Bill defines hemp as:

“The plant Cannabis sativa L. and any part of that plant, including the seeds thereof and all derivatives, extracts, cannabinoids, isomers, acids, salts, and salts of isomers, whether growing or not with a delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol concentration of not more than 0.3 percent on a dry weight basis.”

So, the Farm Bill descheduled explicitly removed industrial hemp and its byproducts from the Controlled Substance Act as long as it stayed under the threshold of less than 0.3 percent THC.  The CBD molecule is derived from the Cannabis plant and from hemp plant, regardless of THC levels. CBD industry advocates latched on to the Bill’s assertion that “all derivatives, extracts, cannabinoids, isomers, acids, salts, and salts of isomers” as descheduling CBD when derived from industrial hemp. However, several governmental agencies are responsible for CBD’s ability to be unleashed as mass marketed molecule in the human food chain.

The 2018 Farm Bill may have legalized hemp, but it failed to develop a systematic approach in which people can grow it as freely as they can grow tomatoes or cucumbers. So it’s going to be a highly regulated – some say over-regulated – crop in the United States for both human consumption and industrial production.

USA Government agencies reaction to descheduling of hemp

While the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) oversees laws related to the cultivation of industrial hemp, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) oversees medicine and food additives.  The FDA does not differentiate between CBD derived from hemp or Cannabis and until the agency approves CBD and establishes a regulatory framework, adding CBD to food and beverages is illegal.

FDA’s outgoing Commissioner, recently told lawmakers his agency is using its “enforcement discretion” to target products containing CBD. “We’re using enforcement discretion right now,” FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, MD, said during a hearing before a subcommittee of the U.S. Senate Committee on Appropriations in March in a response to a question from Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vermont). “I will take enforcement action against CBD products that are on the market if manufacturers are making what I consider ‘over-the-line’ claims.”

While early CBD research has shown promise as a treatment for conditions like epilepsy, autism and anxiety, as a consumer product it’s unproven and has been largely been operating without the ability to mount broad scale clinical trials to prove out and quantify the benefits of CBD. Despite this confusion CBD brands distributed in the regulated dispensary market are the safest bet for distribution because they adhere to the existing Cannabis market regulation.

Dr. Tim Shu of VETCBD with moderator Rocky Goyal owner of Apothokare dispensary in San Diego at the SDCIA industry event. (Photo: Author’s own)

One such company on the panel was VETCBD whose founder Dr. Tim Shu was on the panel.  CBD for pets is taking off in North America since the Farm Bill passed. The VETCBD line consists of  Cannabis products with CBD and THC, formulated and dosed specifically for animals, and produced, distributed, and sold within the regulated California Cannabis market. Their hemp line, Dr. Shu’s Pet Care, will be sold outside of the Cannabis marketplace, and will adhere to the same testing standards found in the regulated Cannabis market.

Applying the standards of California Cannabis industry to the new Hemp industry is a safe move. California has one of the most regulated Cannabis industries in the world. With that comes some of the highest standards of testing. This is in stark contrast to the hemp industry, for which there are no testing standards. For their hemp product line, Dr. Shu’s Pet Care, bringing the standards of Cannabis testing to this new and loosely regulated market by testing for potency, pesticides, microbials, solvents, and heavy metals. This allows consumers to have the same quality standards in a hemp product they would expect from a regulated Cannabis product.

I was vaguely aware that animals can benefit from Cannabis and CBD the same way humans can. But I can see why this market of pet CBD is booming. It’s because animals also have endocannabinoid systems which  are involved in regulating many physiological functions. It’s not only for cats and dogs either. Over the years Dr. Shu recalled that he had numerous species benefiting from Cannabis, including horses, pigs, ferrets, birds, rabbits, and rats.

The CBD molecule is the same whether it comes from hemp or marijuana variants of the Cannabis sativa L plant. However one of the most important factors in product formulation is the presence of other cannabinoids in a product in addition to CBD, like THC, CBC, and CBG. Studies have shown that when CBD is combined with other cannabinoids, greater therapeutic effect is achieved compared to when CBD is used alone, like in isolate forms. This is known as the “entourage effect” and products containing a variety of cannabinoids are called “full spectrum”. Many people know THC because of its psychoactive effects, but THC has many medicinal benefits as well, including pain relief, nausea control, appetite stimulation, and anti-inflammatory properties. THC can be used safely and effectively in animals for medical purposes, but dosing and formulation are key factors to prevent unwanted side effects.

Other brands who were not panelists included local San Diego hero Therapy Tonics.  Their CEO Chris Coggan was happy to attend.  ‘’It was a great event – not just for the knowledge sharing from the panel, but a great way of meeting the local Cannabis community. It’s much needed knowledge– as you can see – it’s standing room only!’’

I asked the organizers after the event whether the event was a success in their eyes.  Organizer Christian Valdez was happy with both the turnout and the knowledge shared.  ‘’Our objectives were to share knowledge, dispel myths and create a common base line of facts about CBD for our members.  So, you can see we have advanced a lot in the conversation –but there is still some way to go.’’

San Diego’s Marina Village was the picturesque setting for the recent SDCIA panel.(Photo Author’s Own)

Expect to see more events from the San Diego Cannabis Industry Association on this topic.  ‘’Yes, for sure, we’ll continue the knowledge sharing because that is what our members want.’’  And what would his team do differently next time? ‘’Definitely a bigger venue and perhaps longer session and more expert panels. ‘’

Events like these and the recent news that Walgreens and CVS have started listing CBD products suggest that the sky is truly the limit for the CBD molecule – regardless if it comes from hemp or marijuana.  The overall takeout was that when the federal government finally and totally ends prohibition of Cannabis, it is only then that CBD and its many benefits as a medicine will truly flourish.

At time of writing the FDA announced they have scheduled public hearings on May 31^stto discuss Cannabis derived products.

(Special thanks to Linda Strause PhD and Dr. Tim Shu for fact-checking this article for veracity).

 

 

While recreational marijuana use legalized in Michigan in 2018, legal frameworks are not expected to be complete until 2020. The state has had a medical marijuana landscape in place since 2008 however, so a thriving dispensary scene is already in place. In this article, we will look at the prevalence of cannabis use in Michigan and its potential future market, the laws governing use and possession, the impact of legalization there on the Midwest region, and then round up a partial list of current dispensaries and resources.

The Michigan Marijuana Market

When adult recreational use passed in Michigan, the law gave local jurisdictions the choice over whether they want the legal cannabis industry to operate in their town or not. More than 130 different local communities have passed ordinances that allow medical marijuana businesses to operate in Michigan, meaning a robust market is already established. Although more than 400 cities opted out or have not established the legality of cannabis, most people in Michigan are located close enough to a legalized municipality to make purchasing cannabis products easy.

According to the Lansing Business Review, Michigan has the potential to become the third largest medical marijuana market in the country, behind California and Colorado. In 2018, nearly 250,000 medical marijuana patients were registered in the state, and with adult recreational use now legalized the number of consumers is expected to fly through the roof. Regulated recreational stores are expected to open in 2020.

Medical Marijuana Laws in Michigan

The Michigan Compassionate Care Initiative was passed in 2008, making it the 13th state to legalize cannabis in the USA. While adult recreational use was decriminalized in 2018, many towns already had decriminalization laws on the books. The university town of Anne Arbor passed an ordinance in 1972 for example, which made them a pioneer of marijuana legalization not just in the United States but around the world. This has greatly contributed to the later legalization pushes and the widespread cannabis culture that is active in Michigan at the present.

Personal possession and cultivation are now legal for all adults over the age of 21 in Michigan, which is the second most populous state to have passed adult recreational use laws. Possession is limited to 2.5 ounces and cultivation is limited to 12 plants although up to 10 ounces may be possessed by each individual if it is stored under lock and key. Marijuana is also an approved medicinal substance for over two dozen different qualifying conditions and patients can receive herb from a qualified caregiver.

The Impact of Michigan’s Legalization on the Midwest Region

Michigan is the first state in the MidWest region to legalize marijuana for adult recreational use, meaning that it will affect the entire area. Also the most populous state in the Midwest, Michigan stands to become a model for marijuana legalization and pave the way for other states to pass similar legislation, according to a recent article in High Times Magazine. In the meantime, consumers from other MidWest states in order to purchase cannabis products legally, which will be an economic boon to the cannabis economy.

States like Illinois and Missouri already have medicinal marijuana programs in place, and the passage of recreational use in Michigan will surely encourage them and others to follow suit. The entire midwest is expected to be a major player in the multi-billion dollar cannabis industry with sales in Michigan alone projected to reach nearly 900 million dollars by 2015. Illinois recently passed a groundbreaking “Opioids Bill” which allows patients to trade in their opioid-based medications for cannabis instead. If and when this program is extended across the Midwest region daily cannabis use will become a norm for millions of people.

Medical Marijuana Dispensaries in Michigan

Adult recreational vendors are projected to open in 2020, but right now these are just some of the medicinal marijuana dispensaries that have been in operation since the Compassionate Care Initiative was passed in 2008. Here is a partial list of dispensaries found in the two main markets, Detroit and Anne Arbor, taken from Potguide.com, visit them for a complete list of all dispensaries in Michigan.

Detroit

420 Dank

11999 Gratiot Ave Detroit, MI 48213(313) 284-3063

5 & Dime

20561 Dwyer St Detroit, MI 48234(313) 733-6006

Amplified

19709 W Seven Mile Rd Detroit, MI 48219(313) 766-5662

BotaniQ Detroit

2540 Rosa Parks Blvd Detroit, MI 48216(313) 450-1400

Chronic Releaf

21651 W Eight Mile Rd Detroit, MI 48219(313) 693-4564

Corktown Collective

2101 W Lafayette Blvd Ste 106 Detroit, MI 48216(313) 265-3740

Far West Holistic Center

21221 8 Mile Rd Detroit, MI 48219(313) 977-9911

Green Cross

14239 Eight Mile Rd Detroit, MI 48219(888) 420-2790

Green Door Alternative

7304 Michigan Ave Detroit, MI 48210(313) 254-9468

Green Genie

24600 W McNichols Rd Detroit, MI 48219(313) 977-9027

Healing Tree Wellness Center

15308 Eight Mile Rd Detroit, MI 48205(313) 466-3366

House of Dank

3340 Eight Mile Rd Detroit, MI 48234(313) 305-4040

King SeaWeed

3600 E Eight Mile Rd Detroit, MI 48234(313) 733-4158

Michigan Medical

14917 Gratiot Ave Ste B Detroit, MI 48205(313) 264-1999

Motor City Kush Detroit

10 E 8 Mile Rd Detroit, MI 48203(313) 707-0903

Motown Meds

18334 W Warren Ave Detroit, MI 48228(313) 914-2319

Nature’s Alternative

15837 Mack Ave Detroit, MI 48224(313) 885-0000

Plan B Wellness Center

20101 W Eight Mile Rd Detroit, MI 48219(248) 470-4638

THC Detroit

19533 W Warren Ave Detroit, MI 48228(313) 266-7738

The Green Mile Detroit

6650 E Eight Mile Rd Detroit, MI 48234(313) 826-1479

The House of Mary Jane

19154 James Couzens Fwy Detroit, MI 48235(313) 340-9202

Utopia Gardens

6541 E Lafayette St Detroit, MI 48207(313) 332-0544

Anne Arbor

Ann Arbor Health Patient Collective

3060 Packard St Ann Arbor, MI 48108(734) 929-5645

Arbors Wellness

321 E Liberty St Ann Arbor, MI 48104(734) 929-2602

ArborSide

1818 Packard St Ann Arbor, MI 48104(734) 213-1420

Bloom City Club

423 Miller Ave Ann Arbor, MI 48103(734) 585-0621

Exclusive Provisioning Center

3820 Varsity Dr Ann Arbor, MI 48108(734) 494-0772

Green Planet

700 Tappan Ave
Ann Arbor, MI 48104
(734) 845-2172

Liv Wellness

603 E William St
Ann Arbor, MI 48104
(734) 780-7018

Medicine Man of Ann Arbor

2793 Plymouth Rd Ste K
Ann Arbor, MI 48104
(734) 800-4194

Om of Medicine

112 S Main St
Ann Arbor, MI 48104
(734) 369-8255

People’s Choice Alternative Medicine

2245 W Liberty St
Ann Arbor, MI 48103
(734) 369-8573

Treecity Health Collective

2730 Jackson Ave

Ann Arbor, MI 48103

(734) 369-3212

Marijuana Advocacy Organizations and Resources in Michigan

Michigan NORML – minorml.org

Americans for Safe Access, Michigan Chapter – www.safeaccessnow.org/michigan_advocacy

The Detroit Free Press Marijuana Coverage – www.freep.com/news/marijuana/

Cannabis legalization has been sweeping the United States, but the Midwest has been slow to change. Minnesota’s marijuana laws and medical marijuana program are somewhat progressive, but the legalization of recreational marijuana in the state won’t occur until 2020 at the earliest.

In this article, we will take a look at Minnesota’s marijuana laws, recreational legalization, medical marijuana program, and where patients can find dispensaries in the state

Table of Contents

• Minnesota Marijuana Laws
• Marijuana Recreational Legalization
• Minnesota Medical Marijuana Program
• Where to Find Dispensaries

Minnesota Marijuana Laws

Minnesota’s marijuana laws are restrictive compared to liberal states, like Colorado, but there have been some efforts to decriminalize the drug to some degree. For example, the state’s conditional release program lets first offenders opt for probation rather than a criminal trial.

The fines and prison time vary by amount:

• Possession of 42.5 grams or less is a misdemeanor punishable by a maximum fine of $200. These penalties go up to a 30 year prison sentence and $1 million fine for larger amounts.
• Distribution of 42.5 grams or less without renumeration is punishable by a maximum fine of $200. These penalties go up to a 30 year prison sentence and $1 million fine for larger amounts and school zone distribution.
• Cultivation of marijuana is punished based on the aggregate weight of the plants found.
• Hash and concentrates are punished the same as the marijuana plant, although there’s a lesser penalty for possession or district button without remuneration of marijuana plant.
• Possession of paraphernalia is a petty misdemeanor punishable by a maximum fine of $300, while the sale of paraphernalia is punishable by a maximum fine of $1,000.

Minnesota Recreational Marijuana

The legalization of adult-use cannabis has swept across the United States. With the legalization of adult-use cannabis in Michigan, many Minnesota residents are hopeful that the state can join the growing ranks of state-legal programs, but the next chance won’t appear until 2020 at the earliest.

A Minnesota Senate committee defeated a bill to legalize recreational marijuana in March 2019, which effectively kills any chance of legalization for the year. The next major push to legalize recreational marijuana is likely to occur during the 2020 election year if new ballot measures qualify.

Minnesota Senate Republicans argue that the state is not ready for the legalization of recreational marijuana, while Democratic Senators argue that the state is better off controlling the already-widespread use of illegal marijuana by introducing a regulated market.

Minnesota Medical Marijuana

Minnesota’s medical marijuana program was enacted in 2015 to provide patients with a 30-day supply of non-smokeable cannabis products. Currently, there are eight state licensed dispensaries—the maximum permitted by law—and two product manufacturers responsible for supplying those dispensaries.

The state’s 13 qualifying medical conditions include:

• Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
• Autism
• Cancer/cachexia
• Crohn’s disease
• Glaucoma
• HIV/AIDS
• Intractable pain
• PTSD
• Seizures
• Severe muscle spasms
• Sleep apnea
• Terminal illness
• Tourette’s Syndrome

There are roughly 1,500 healthcare professionals that are authorized to certify patients under the program, but only about 30 doctors have actually certified large numbers of patients, suggesting that there is still some stigma associated with prescribing medical marijuana.

There are five steps to secure a medical marijuana card:

1. Contact a licensed physician.
2. Wait for an email response.
3. Register online for a MMJ card.
4. Visit a Cannabis Patient Center.
5. Refill a Patient Self Evaluation Form for refills.

There are several other restrictions on medical marijuana use in the state. For example, smoking dried cannabis is prohibited, patients cannot grow their own marijuana, consumption in a motor vehicle is illegal, and medications cannot be taken to other states.

Minnesota Marijuana Dispensaries

There are eight Minnesota marijuana dispensaries that are owned by two companies: Leafline Labs Dispensary and Minnesota Medical Solutions. Under law, these products sold at these dispensaries are restricted to cannabis pills or tinctures and all patients must have a valid medical marijuana card.

Here are the eight dispensaries in the state:

Leafline Labs Dispensary
302 E. Howard St.
Hibbing MN 55746

Leafline Labs Dispensary
141 33rd Ave S
St Cloud, MN 56301

Leafline Labs Dispensary
2795 Pilot Knob Rd.
Eagan, MN 55121

Leafline Labs Dispensary
550 Vandalia St.
St. Paul, MN 55114

Minnesota Medical Solutions
104 7th St. S
Moorhead, MN 56560

Minnesota Medical Solutions
3456 E. Circle Drive NE
Rochester, MN 55906

Minnesota Medical Solutions
5232 W. 84th St.
Bloomington, MN 55437

Minnesota Medical Solutions
207 S 9th St.
Minneapolis, MN 55402

What’s Next?

Cannabis legalization has become increasingly widespread across the United States—and the Midwest is no exception. With the legalization of recreational marijuana in Michigan, many Minnesotans are hopeful that the state will pass its own recreational legalization laws in 2020.

The Ending Federal Marijuana Prohibition Act of 2019 was filed by Reps. Don Young (R-AK) and Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI) on Thursday, March 7, 2019. Created to catapult cannabis into the mainstream market, the bill boasts a total of 39 co-sponsors, the names of whom you can view here.

In addition to normalizing cannabis consumption and regulating it in the same way as tobacco and alcohol, the Ending Federal Marijuana Prohibition Act of 2019 eliminates marijuana and the plant’s psychoactive constituent THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) from Schedule 1.

Amending the Controlled Substances Act in such a way means that cannabis consumers do not run the risk of being faced with civil or criminal penalties. Not only this, but the bill abolishes criminal penalties for anyone caught exporting, importing, manufacturing, distributing and/or possessing marijuana with intent to supply.

“Our archaic marijuana policies — based on stigma and outdated myths — have been used to wage a failed War on Drugs. Families have been torn apart, communities left fractured, and over-criminalization and mass incarceration have become the norm,” Gabbard said during a press conference. “In 2017 alone, our country arrested 600,000 people just for possession of marijuana. Our bipartisan legislation takes a step toward ending the failed war on drugs, ending the federal prohibition on marijuana, and ensuring that our policies are guided by facts and the truth.”

Something that should be noted is that the Ending Federal Marijuana Prohibition Act of 2019 criminalizes cannabis shipments and transports to states that have not yet legalized pot sales and possession. Anyone who violates the law will be faced with a maximum of one year behind bars, a fine, or both. Regardless, the Act would finally legalize the green leafy plant nationwide.

The Ending Federal Marijuana Prohibition Act of 2019 Would Deschedule the Plant

Consumer and patient access to cannabis is simplified thanks to the Ending Federal Marijuana Prohibition Act of 2019. This law will effectively act as a catalyst for research and innovation, whilst removing the barricade that previously hindered criminal justice reform, cannabis research, and innovation.

“For too long, the federal government has stood in the way of states that have acted to set their own marijuana policy, and it is long past time Congress modernized these outdated laws,” Congressman Don Young told reporters. He went on to say how proud he was to introduce two pieces of bipartisan legislation with Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard. “I look forward to working with Congresswoman Gabbard and my friends on both sides of the aisle to see these initiatives become law.”

“The Ending Federal Prohibition Act is about acknowledging political, scientific, and economic reality. Marijuana legalization is here to stay and it is time that federal policy reflect that.” said NORML Executive Director Erik Altieri. “This legislation is effective in its simplicity, it will deschedule marijuana from the Controlled Substances Act and end federal prohibition once and for all, full stop.”

What’s more, cannabis could provide relief and hope for individuals who endure a medical ailment/condition caused by their jobs, such as veterans and football players. Descheduling cannabis under the Ending Federal Marijuana Prohibition Act of 2019 means that there is less demand for opioid prescriptions, what with cannabis being a safer and non-addictive alternative.

More than 100,000 veterans have lost their lives as a result of opioid overdose or suicide within the last 15 years, according to the Founder & CEO of Veterans Cannabis Coalition, Eric Goepel. Millions of servicemen have been prescribed addictive and often dangerous painkillers to ease problems like pain, post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, insomnia, nightmares and depression.

“If it helps veterans, it can help all Americans, said Goepel, adding that, “the time is long past due to end this 80 year injustice and dismantle prohibition.”

What Is the Marijuana Data Collection Act?

Aside from the Ending Federal Prohibition Act, both lawmakers introduced a separate bill titled the Marijuana Data Collection Act. This law would “allow us the opportunity to make sure we are governed by the truth and facts and not misinformation and lies,” Gabbard said.

Statewide legalization issues would be overseen under this measure, which would intensely analyze the aftermath of state legalized medicinal and non-medicinal cannabis programs from different perspectives. Examples of the issues that would be studied include public health, criminal justice, state revenues, employment, opioid use, and substance abuse.

The End of Federal Cannabis Prohibition

Since the Democratic-House flip that occurred late last year, there has been plenty of hype surrounding the topic of federal cannabis prohibition, with many activists hopeful that cannabis reform might occur in 2019. Now that the U.S. House of Representatives is dominated by Democrats, measures for reform should gain the required votes to pass.

While the House is on-board with the Ending Federal Prohibition Act and the Marijuana Data Collection Act, the Senate is not exactly supportive of the bills. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell could be the biggest roadblock, since the anti-pot politician is disapproving of nationwide legalization.

On the other hand, an increasing number of U.S. residents are warming up to the idea of legal weed. Just last year, national polling data accumulated by the Center for American Progress revealed how 68 percent of registered voters “support the legalization of marijuana.” This data indicates the highest level of support for cannabis legalization ever to be reported in a scientific nationwide poll.

Although the data is promising, it doesn’t mean that 2019 will be the year that the federal government gets on-board with cannabis reform. Not if McConnell has anything to do with it, anyway. At the beginning of March, McConnell halted a measure that would expand voting rights simply because, in his own words, “I get to decide what we vote on.”

It is easy to be cynical about the impact of international bodies on things like cannabis reform. First of all, such decisions are never fast – certainly not when shaking off policies that have been part of the lexicon since such organizations were founded. In the case of both the UN and the European Parliament, cannabis prohibition was in force when both were formed. Undoing such pollicies, therefore, was never going to be easy.

That said, it is also significant that right after the World Heath Organization recommended that at least CBD be descheduled and THC be rescheduled, even if only in processed form,  the European Parliament also passed a non-binding resolutionon sorting out cannabis policies in its own backyard.

Specifically, the European Parliament passed the resolution to incentivize European nations to agree on a unified, bloc-wide cannabis policy. The EP specifically calls for a legal definition of “medical cannabis” – and further to draw distinctions between specific medicines approved by regulatory bodies and other uses (including recreational and industrial). The commission also calls on member states to do more research, “stimulate innovation with regard to projects related to the use of cannabis for medicinal purposes” and to set standards for the same.

On the patient front, the EP wants member states ensure that patients have access to the full spectrum plant (or at least medicines based on the same) and that individual patient needs are considered.

On the consumer and business front, the EP also urges member states to consider tactics, including directing taxation from medical sales into funding such programs, to limit the impact of the black market.

What does all of this really mean?

Implications On Patients

The only “incentives” on the table, in essence, are to essentially greenlight the establishment of federally sanctified, cultivation, dispensation, authorization and payment mechanisms and gather taxes from the same to fund all the research and doctor education also clearly needed and called for.

However small a step this might sound to outsiders, this is in fact, the final figleaf that the German authorities appear to have been waiting for before going into a spring where it is widely expected to finally allow domestic cultivation.

Beyond that, creating a tax base for the medical market seems like a decent step, but in reality one that will not be able to fund the additional requirements. Why not? The dreams of selling high margin, highly branded cannaproducts to European public insurers (and the governments who regulate them) should stay on North American shores.

The entire discussion of cost and price is also about to come home to roost in Germany where the government is setting competing producers in the bid to undercut each others prices in the proposals and penalizing those who do not.

Tax revenue, in other words, from the strictly medical market will not fund doctor education and trials, in other words, and will either have to be privately funded, or funded by private and public partnerships.

The “fund it from tax revenue” idea that seems to have been lifted from the US, in particular, will not be the same animal, no matter how many Parliamentary resolutions wish it to be the case.

What “support for innovation” means is also unclear – but could easily encompass digital health initiatives across Europe.

So in sum, while it certainly could be “worse” it could also have been better too. This is going to be a step-by-step battle, and will not be “over” any time “soon.”

What Does This Mean For Investors?

There are also several noted things that this report does not say.

The first is that the European Parliament is not specific about flower versus processed products, although it certainly does seem to lean in the processed product direction. That said, the call for whole plant medication is a step in the right direction as are statements about personalized medicine access for patients who are also often comorbid. That seems to leave the door open for European countries (including Germany) who currently allow patients access to flower.

This means, in other words, that there will be an expanding, medical only market in Europe for the time being if not foreseeable future (five years).

The second issue is that the resolution also sidesteps the already looming regulatory differences between the cannabinoids already in the room. This means that anyone selling CBD in any European country should also see that the cards are on the table in terms of licensing (even if for bound for the lifestyle or even cosmetic market). Europe wide resolution on the same is also at least another two years off. In the meantime, countries are setting their own policies – which these days include banning unregulated sales of even CBD.

This means in other words, that any CBD play will be strictly regional until at least 2021.

Overall, in other words, while clearly good news about the intent long term of the European Union, there are a few key takeaways that suggest a highly targeted and cautious approach.

1. Look for medical production and processing plays with medical distribution in place. This means registration for a number of highly expensive procedures where outside investor money might well be welcomed.

2. Focus on the THC space. Why? Because legitimate investments and producers will need medical registration numbers for products that can then be sold Europe wide. This, rather than the CBD space, is easier to document and understand, particularly for non natives and foreign language speakers.

3. Look for other initiatives, including in technology, which look to streamline acceptance of medical cannabis into the very conservative medical and insurance industries. These are in their infancy in Europe, but beginning to show up.

4. Hire a consultant to give you the basic lay of the land before you start. Creativity is a necessary part of getting into the market, but some “creative” plays are doomed for a holding pattern if they are too far ahead of the rules. Holland, in other words, is not Austria, and there is a world of difference in “opportunities” in both countries right now. Those, particularly because of the relatively slow process of regional reform at the EU level, will continue to be all over the map for at least the next several years to come.

The post Does The European Parliament Vote On Medical Cannabis Mean Anything? appeared first on CannabisFN.

Every September, Bay Staters from all areas of Massachusetts gather in Boston for the annual Freedom Rally. Boston’s biggest event promoting cannabis legalization has helped steer Massachusetts in the right direction, what with residents voting to legalize the recreational use of cannabis for people aged 21 and older back in 2016.

The law legalizing recreational cannabis in Massachusetts went into full effect on July 28, 2017. Codified as G.L. Ch. 94G, the law allows consumers to carry a maximum of one ounce on their person and 10 ounces inside their home. Legislation was officially signed on December 30, 2016 by Governor Charlie Baker, who delayed the launch date for licensed recreational cannabis sales by six months.

After a two-year wait, in July 2018, the first few recreational cannabis dispensaries in the eastern half of the United States opened their doors in the “Bay State”. By the end of 2018, a total of five stores statewide were selling cannabis to customers aged 21 and above.

Now, here we are in the year 2019, which is expected to be a successful year for the cannabis industry in Boston, as well as many other parts of MA.

“People will get to see, over the course of the year, what a real market looks like,” said leading cannabis industry consultant, Kris Krane, during an interview with Boston.com.

Cannabis Control Commission (CCC) Oversees Cannabis in Boston, MA

When the recreational cannabis industry first kicked off in Massachusetts, everything was managed by the Department of Health. Then, in December, the Cannabis Control Commission (CCC) started overseeing everything to do with the weed industry.

Adult-use cannabis companies need not be vertically integrated in order to operate legally in MA. Vertical integration means that dispensaries need to cultivate and process the plants that are sold to their customers. Conversely, vertical integration is a requirement for businesses involved with the state’s medical cannabis program.

Instead of introducing the same requirement for recreational cannabis companies, the CCC is licensing companies that exclusively cultivate, process and package cannabis products to be sold inside retail stores.

Cannabis Dispensaries in/near Boston are Expanding Statewide

A growing number of cannabis dispensaries are opening their doors in and near Boston as a way of meeting demand from consumers amidst the novelty of recreational sales. Numerous new dispensaries have been approved by the CCC since adult-use legalization rolled out in November.

Experts predict that the number of dispensaries operating statewide will be in the dozens by the end of 2019. If all goes as planned, customers won’t need to worry about queuing up to buy their bud. They will, however, be limited to buying no more than a single ounce of cannabis flower or a maximum of five grams of concentrate in a single visit.

Identification must be shown by all customers to ensure they are of legal age. The age requirement for consuming cannabis in Massachusetts is 21, but medical cannabis patients as young as 18 can legally apply for the program.

What About Social Cannabis Consumption Lounges in Boston?

There’s a lot of hype circulating the cannabis industry lately in regards to social consumption lounges. Don’t be fooled into thinking that Boston will be transformed into an Amsterdam-style tourist hotspot now that weed is legal. Based on a recent news reportpublished by the Boston Globe, it will likely be years until social consumption businesses – such as cafes and lounges – begin ushering in customers.

Currently, social cannabis consumption lounges are banned by by default at the local level. However, there’s a chance that cannabis cafes may be permitted if Bostoners petition to hold a referendum. In February of 2018, the CCC delayed the licensing of social consumption businesses, due to safety concerns from Gov. Charlie Baker.

Instead, the CCC will focus on Massachusetts’ adult-use cannabis industry and re-address the issue later in the year. Progress has already been made, what with the board approving a measure to establish a social consumption pilot program with local municipal leaders in October of last year.

Cannabis Industry Presents Employment & Investment Opportunities in Boston

As many as 211,00 Americans are working full-time in the legal weed industry, based on a 2019 report. With cannabis now legal for sale and consumption in the State of Massachusetts, more weed-related jobs are expected to emerge statewide. What’s more, the job opportunities are considerably diverse; ranging from cannabis culinary roles to budtender jobs and lab technician positions.

State law forbids individuals with past drug-related convictions from qualifying as job candidates. All hope is not lost however, because the CCC has developed mechanisms to ensure former felons don’t miss an opportunity to capitalize on the “Green Rush”.

For example, the CCC will speed up the application process for “economic empowerment” applicants, as well as for people who may be applying for a license in an area that maintain a prohibitionist stance on cannabis legalization. This is according to a report from MassLive.

Startups are sprouting up across Massachusetts, one of which is CannaKorp. Located in Stoneham, MA, the company is striving to alter consumer’s experiences using medical cannabis. Thus far, it has attracted has raised $3.8 million from 21 investorsand it hopes to raise $5.8 million.

Even Boston University is getting on-board, with the second annual Cannabis Startup Competition set to take place in November.

Investors are paying close attention to the cannabis startups in “Beantown”, many of whom wouldn’t want to miss an opportunity to yield generous returns from the nascent, yet flourishing cannabis industry.

“The landscape for investing in cannabis has changed over the past several years from HNW risk-taking investors to institutional investors both cannabis specific and special situation funds,” said the managing director of Boston-based hedge fund Dutchess Capital, Douglas Leighton. “More Institutional investors are becoming comfortable investing in the space and it will continue to proliferate as the legalization continues to sweep across the country.”

The post Boston’s Marijuana Market: What You Need to Know appeared first on CannabisFN.