Legalization Archives - Page 13 of 36 - The Real Dirt with Chip Baker

San Francisco Suspends Cannabis Tax to Combat Crime

by The Real Dirt | Dec 6, 2021 | 420 News, Blog, Business, Cannabis Business, Cannabis Law, Cannabis Law and Compliance, Cannabis News, Industry News, Legalization

san francisco cannabis tax removed to fight against crime

San Francisco city officials approved an ordinance suspending the tax it planned to place on cannabis sales, according to multiple reports.

Set to go into effect on Jan. 1, 2020, the 1% to 5% it was going to impose was approved by San Francisco voters in November 2018, the San Francisco Examiner reported.

The decision is due to a rise in illegal sales and increased theft and meant to helping cannabis retailers who have been struggling, trying to compete with illegal cannabis drug dealers.

“Sadly, the illegal market is flourishing by undercutting the prices of legal businesses, which is bad for our economy as illegal businesses pay no taxes while subjecting workers to dangerous conditions and consumers to dangerous products. Now is not the time to impose a new tax on small businesses that are just getting established and trying to compete with illicit operators,” said Supervisor Rafael Mandelman, author of the ordinance, to the San Francisco Examiner.

Last month, a group of armed individuals stole thousands of dollars’ worth of merchandise from a cannabis retailer, BASA, which had already dealt with four thefts, according to the report.

Mandelman said he plans to work with the City Comptroller’s Office, the Treasurer, Tax Collector ‘s Office and the Office of Cannabis for recommendations — including a tax rate and structure — to implement in 2023.

Original Story from silive

Over 100 towns and villages opt out of New York recreational cannabis

by Travis C | Nov 30, 2021 | Blog, Business, Cannabis Business, Cannabis Law, Cannabis Law and Compliance, Cannabis News, Culture, Industry News, Legalization, Politics

towns and villages opt out of New York recreational cannabis industry

As the pieces begin falling into place to allow the New York recreational cannabis industry to begin operations, some local towns and villages are saying no to legal weed.

New data provided by the Associations of Towns of New York State indicates that around 9% of communities have opted out of the zoning portion of recreational marijuana legalization. How many towns is that? Across the state there are 84 of them that have opted out of both retail sale of marijuana and on-site consumption of cannabis.

The same can be said for villages. Around 9%, or 46 villages in New York have opted out of the law, leaving potentially millions in revenue on the table as New York recreational cannabis expands across the state.

For towns and villages that opt out of the New York recreational cannabis program, businesses will not be able to open if they sell or allow patrons to consume cannabis in their establishments.

There is still time for towns and villages opt out, however it does not look like the majority feel the same as the hundred or so that have already. “At this point, it appears there is not a major wave of opt-outs sweeping across the state,” Chris Anderson, research director for the Association of Towns recently said.

“We expect to see some more activity, but it’s certainly pretty late in the game. We have a good indication now it will be a low opt-out percentage statewide.”

There are hundreds of towns and villages across New York state, with the 120+ that have opted out making up a very small minority. It is likely that these towns and villages will see their surrounding communities generate revenue from recreational business while they miss out.

The towns and villages that have opted out will still have the opportunity to opt in once the New York recreational cannabis industry takes off. However the window for more to opt out is closing as the state gets closer to implementing a legal industry.

Uber enters cannabis market with Uber Eats delivery in Ontario

by The Real Dirt | Nov 22, 2021 | Blog, Business, Cannabis Business, Cannabis News, Culture, Industry News, Legalization

Uber eats cannabis delivery coming to Ontario

Uber will allow users in Ontario, Canada, to place orders for cannabis on its Uber Eats app, marking the ride-hailing giant’s foray into the booming business, a company spokesperson said on Monday.

Uber Eats will list cannabis retailer Tokyo Smoke on its marketplace on Monday, following which customers can place orders from the Uber Eats app and then pick it up at their nearest Tokyo Smoke store, the spokesperson said.

Uber, which already delivers liquor through its Eats unit, has had its sights set on the burgeoning cannabis market for some time now. Its CEO Dara Khosrowshahi told media in April the company will consider delivering cannabis when the legal coast is clear in the United States.

With more than three years into Canada’s legalization of recreational cannabis, the country is trying to fix its ailing pot market, where illegal producers still control a large share of total annual sales.

The partnership will help Canadian adults purchase safe, legal cannabis, helping combat the underground illegal market which still accounts for over 40 percent of all non-medical cannabis sales nationally, Uber said on Monday.

Global cannabis stocks tracker MJ ETF climbed 2 percent, while Uber’s shares were up 1.2 percent at $44.78 in premarket trading.

Cannabis sales in Canada will total $4 billion in 2021 and are forecast to grow to $6.7 billion in 2026, according to data from industry research firm BDS Analytics.

Asked about the possibility of expansion into other Canadian provinces, or in the United States, an Uber spokesperson said there is “nothing more to share at this time”.

“We will continue to watch regulations and opportunities closely market by market. And as local and federal laws evolve, we will explore opportunities with merchants who operate in other regions,” the Uber spokesperson told Reuters.

Last year’s pandemic-induced stricter mandates and lockdowns spurred demand for cannabis-related products from customers who were stuck at home with limited entertainment options.

Original Story from NBC News

Michigan Cannabis Recall May Affect $200M In Cannabis Products

by Travis C | Nov 19, 2021 | Blog, Business, Cannabis Business, Cannabis Law and Compliance, Cannabis News, Growing, Industry News, Legalization, Science & Technology

Michigan cannabis regulatory agency has recalled products impacting 400 retail locations across the state

In the largest product recall since the state legalized cannabis in 2019, the Michigan cannabis regulatory agency (Marijuana Regulatory Agency) has recalled enough products to impact over 400 retail locations around the state.

While the exact amount of products that are being recalled hasn’t been specified, the Marijuana Regulatory Agency (MRA) recalled all marijuana flower product that passed safety testing at Viridis Laboratories between Aug. 10 and Nov. 16. The agency released a full list of all locations impacted by the recall after calling lab test results “inaccurate and/or unreliable” in a notice issued just before 5 p.m. on Wednesday November 17, but provided no further explanation.

The recall Michigan cannabis recall only impacts flower products

“While we strongly disagree with this decision and firmly stand by our test results, we are fully cooperating with the MRA and working closely with our customers to minimize interruptions and retest affected products at no cost,” Viridis said in a prepared statement. “We have been cleared to continue testing at both of our state-of-the-art facilities. We look forward to continuing to serve our amazing customers using the best, most cutting-edge scientific methods available so we can fulfill our mission of promoting the health and safety of patients and adult-use consumers.”

According to a notice sent out by the MRA, customers who have the recalled product should return it to the retailer they purchased it from “for proper disposal.” “Consumers with weakened immune systems or lung disease are at the highest risk for health-related incidents such as aspergillosis, which can impact lung function, if these potentially harmful products are consumed,” the agency said Wednesday evening.

All Michigan cannabis products are required to have safety labels that contain the date product passed testing and the lab where it was tested. Viridis Laboratories, founded by former Michigan state police forensic scientists, operates labs in Bay City and Lansing. The license identification numbers for Viridis labs that should appear on labels are: “SC-000009, AU-SC-000113″ and “SC-000014, AU-SC-000103.”

The MRA is giving retailers holding the defective product three options: destroy the product and send the agency proof, resubmit the products for testing, or send the products back to the original source to be retested as part of a larger batch.

New Jersey Cannabis Regulatory Commission explains how cannabis licensing process will work

by The Real Dirt | Nov 18, 2021 | Blog, Business, Cannabis Business, Cannabis Law, Cannabis Law and Compliance, Cannabis News, Industry News, Legalization

The new jersey cannabis regulatory commission explained the licensing process

The state’s Cannabis Regulatory Commission (CRC) will begin accepting applications for recreational cannabis businesses beginning on Dec. 15.

At today’s New Jersey State League of Municipalities Conference in Atlantic City, the chair and executive director of the CRC discussed application and licensing rules and processes, including the types of businesses that will initially receive priority review of applications.

Before a packed conference room at the Atlantic City Convention Center, Dianna Houenou, CRC chair, said two types of recreational cannabis licenses will be given: conditional and annual.

“The annual license is the bread and butter of what we typically think of when someone is applying for a license. It gives business owners the authority to operate the cannabis operation year round,” Houenou said.

The newer conditional license delivers more of a provisional approval from the CRC. This is a license the commission can issue to applicants even if they haven’t identified a property and still have to work with a municipality in order to get necessary approvals and processes in place.

“The conditional license is meant to give applicants extra time to get all of their ducks in a row. … They then have 120 days to meet the additional requirements for the annual license,” Houenou commented.

Whether conditional or annual, the types of cannabis licenses are classified into six operational groups: cultivation, manufacturing, wholesale, distribution, retail and delivery services. Additionally, testing labs also have to be licensed by the CRC.

Within these groups, businesses can have additional designations, which are more of a description of ownership and size of operations.

According to Houenou, they are: microbusinesses (smaller operations, constrained by statute with respect to size, the amount of products handled, and the number of employees); social equity businesses (owned by people who have lived in economically disadvantaged areas or who have past convictions for cannabis offenses); diversely-owned businesses (minority-owned, woman-owned, or disabled veteran-owned businesses certified by the New Jersey Department of Treasury); and impact zone businesses (municipalities with a large population, high unemployment rate, or high numbers of crime or arrests for marijuana).

The CRC will be giving priority review to conditional applications as well as social equity businesses, diverse and impact zone businesses.

Houenou explains: “If you look across the country, historically you can see how the need for property control has posed a barrier for a number of applicants looking to operate [a cannabis] business. … We decided to lessen that burden as much as we could. So, we are prioritizing conditional license applications ahead of annual license applications.”

According to Jeff Brown, CRC executive director, the commission is not limiting the licenses it is granting at the state level, although it has the authority to do so. For now, he says, the goal is to let the market grow and develop.

Read Full Story on New Jersey Business

Weedmaps Releases First Data & Insights Report

by The Real Dirt | Nov 16, 2021 | 420 News, Blog, Business, Cannabis Business, Cannabis Law and Compliance, Cannabis News, Culture, Industry News, Legalization

Weedmaps releases first report on the state of the legal cannabis industry

WM Technology, Inc. (“WM Technology” or the “Company”) (Nasdaq: MAPS), a leading technology and software infrastructure provider to the cannabis industry, has released its first data and insights report, titled ‘Cannabis in America’.

This report shares current data and insights indicative of the marketplace, cannabis industry trends, cultural revelations, and the persistent questions at the center of the cannabis conversation in America today. It’s been almost ten years since adult-use cannabis was first legalized in Colorado, and the past 18 months have seen exceptional progress across the United States thanks to expanded legalization and market growth driving the industry to new heights.

View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211116005558/en/

“The insights from Weedmaps’ Cannabis in America report validate what we see every day: The stigma around cannabis is fading as it becomes more embedded in our culture and daily lives,” said Chris Beals, CEO of WM Technology. “This report highlights attitudes and trends within the industry by providing data and information directly from consumers – an important step as we work towards the goal of building a transparent and inclusive cannabis economy.”

Beals also added that, “Ultimately, this report represents the first steps of Weedmaps beginning to make its unparalleled levels of cannabis industry data available to policy makers, cannabis business holders and industry investors to help them make more informed and accurate decisions.”

Key takeaways include:

Cannabis delivery among Generation Z consumers increased by 125% year over year, with overall cannabis delivery increasing by 97%
The importance of social equity in the cannabis industry is growing, with 46% of cannabis consumers saying they want to patronize women-owned cannabis retailers, and 44% would like to give business to minority- or veteran-owned cannabis establishments
Cannabis use is being destigmatized, and 72% of cannabis consumers say that everyone or almost everyone knows they use cannabis
More than one-third, 36%, of Generation Xers believe cannabis is a good way to add tax revenue

Cannabis is big business as consumers are using and ordering more cannabis than ever before

The business of cannabis is entering a critical period as more states are backing cannabis-friendly measures, and efforts are being made towards federal legalization. The cannabis industry has become more sophisticated by appealing to new consumers and featuring distinctive brand elements often seen in more mature categories. New businesses, opportunities, and challenges continue to arise. Now, more than ever, cannabis means business.

Half (50%) of cannabis consumers said their consumption has increased since the start of the pandemic in March 2020. According to Weedmaps’ orders data, orders in H1 2021 increased by 55%, compared to H1 2020
While demand across categories remains consistent year over year, almost half (47%) of cannabis consumers believe edibles are becoming more popular. Millennials (ages 25-40) drove demand across categories for both H1 2020 and H1 2021, showing a slight preference for concentrates
The first half of 2021 saw a significant shift to cannabis delivery (60% vs. 40% in H1 2020)