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Austin to Vote on Cannabis Law Enforcement Reforms

Austin to Vote on Cannabis Law Enforcement Reforms

Austin cannabis reform vote happening in May

Residents in Austin, Texas will have the opportunity to vote on cannabis enforcement reforms in May.

Voters in Austin, Texas in May will vote on ending the enforcement of low-level cannabis offenses and no-knock raids by law enforcement, KXAN reports. The City Clerk’s Office on Monday qualified the ballot measure, known as the Austin Freedom Act.

Last year, the City Council approved a resolution prohibiting Austin police from spending city funds on lab tests to distinguish hemp from THC-rich cannabis in personal possession cases – a move meant to end arrests and fines for low-level cannabis possession.

Advocates submitted the petition signatures to officials last month. At the time, Ken Casaday, president of the Austin Police Association, said the 2021 resolution had already changed how the city police enforce cannabis laws and he didn’t “really see the point” of the initiative. He indicated that Austin police don’t make arrests for “low amounts” of cannabis.

Mike Siegel, political director of Ground Game Texas, which is backing the campaign, said the initiative would codify that “current informal policy.”

Everything to know about Connecticut cannabis license options

Everything to know about Connecticut cannabis license options

Connecticut cannabis license types

After a meeting of the Connecticut Social Equity Council (SEC) in the first week of January, regulators have announced that the Connecticut cannabis license process will begin in February.

The legislation which legalized cannabis in the state has a condition in its copy that the Connecticut cannabis license process could not start until the SEC approved a technical assistance plan for the cannabis industry. The approved plan will include outreach and providing resources to people interested in participating in the legal cannabis market.

Connecticut’s Department of Consumer Protection (DCP) announced on Twitter that they will begin accepting applications for certain adult-use cannabis establishment licenses in 30 days. The DCP also will announce the specific number of Connecticut cannabis licenses will be available for each establishment type.

Each cannabis license type will be released for applicants at different times. This time frame is planned for February to the final week of March, and will operate under two lottery systems.

The first lottery will be specifically for social equity applicants, who will have first access to applications on February 3rd. To be a social equity applicant there must be at least 65% ownership or control of the business by individuals who “meet the income and residency requirements for a social equity applicant outlined in the law,” DCP said in a press release.

Individuals who fall under the “Disproportionately Impacted Areas” category have the option to pay $3 million and skip the lottery system altogether.

The other Connecticut cannabis license lottery is for general applicants. These license types include retailers, micro-cultivators, delivery services, transporters and more. From February 3 to March 24 there will be a 90-day application period with each license being released at a different period throughout the process.

Connecticut cannabis license types and application dates

The DCP released every Connecticut cannabis license type and how many applications will be available for the general and social equity lotteries. Here are the various types and how many licenses will be released.

Disproportionately Impacted Area Cultivator: February 3, 2022 (non-lottery)

 

Retailer: February 3

6 general licenses, 6 social equity licenses

Micro-cultivator: February 10

2 general licenses, 5 social equity licenses

Delivery Service: February 17

5 general licenses, 5 social equity licenses

Hybrid Retailer: February 24

2 general licenses, 2 social equity licenses

Food and Beverage: March 3

5 general licenses, 5 social equity licenses

Product Manufacturer: March 10

3 general licenses, 3 social equity licenses

Product Packager: March 17

3 general licenses, 3 social equity licenses

Transporter: March 24

2 general licenses, 2 social equity licenses

In a DCP press release, Commissioner Michelle Seagull said, “This work by the Social Equity Council is a critical step in the licensure process for the emerging Adult-Use cannabis market in Connecticut and will be instrumental in ensuring the equity goals established in the law are met.”

Seagull explained that the initial number of available Connecticut cannabis licenses is not meant to be a cap, but,”a starting point for opening the adult-use cannabis market in an effective, measured and thoughtful way,” she said.

Despite legalization, California black market still thriving

Despite legalization, California black market still thriving

Californa black market cannabis

Lake County has some of the largest acreages in permitted cannabis grows in California. Yet, despite a legal market, illegal grows are unfairly undermining the profitability of lawful cultivators.

This illegal market that voters sought to eradicate with cannabis legalization is quickly eroding the permitted industry and threatening public safety. Amounting to an estimated 80% of all cannabis sales in California, the market is saturated with low-cost illicit product. Cannabis cultivators are unable to compete.

As the underground economy thrives, so does criminal activity and environmental harm.

Rural counties with land and industry prime for cannabis cultivation are at the front lines of this battle, including those in the Sacramento region. During a time of limited staffing and competing priorities, local governments require increased state funding for enforcement.

The path for the legal industry is already challenging. Growers face a long permit process, including extensive state-mandated environmental review and higher taxes intended to help monitor and ensure public health and safety.

Distribution is also affected by the struggles of the state’s licensed retail outlets, which must compete with illegal retailers that similarly flourish due to limited enforcement resources.

Unencumbered by these obstacles, illicit growers and suppliers can sell product at half the cost and distribute them nationally. The negative impact to residents and the environment from this activity is significant.

A 2020 raid on illegal cannabis grows in Lake County resulted in the seizure of over 51,000 plants and the discovery of 40 state Fish and Wildlife violations. This included storage of chemical pollutants near waterways and usage of underage labor. Stories like these are echoed across the state, with illegal grows linked to violent crime, environmental damage and wildfire.

Colombian Medical Cannabis Will Be Covered By Insurance

Colombian Medical Cannabis Will Be Covered By Insurance

Colombian medical cannabis

Khiron Life Sciences Corp., a vertically integrated medical cannabis leader with core operations in Latin America, announced on January 4th that the Government of Colombia has added medical cannabis to its list of mandated covered medications for every insurance provider in the country.

Khiron became the first licensed distributor of Colombian medical cannabis in March 2020. The company has currently sold 57,000 prescriptions, with over 16,000 patients across the country.

The plans to mandate insurance coverage for medical cannabis was implemented in December 2020, and throughout 2021 Khiron has been working with insurance providers across Colombia to include their medical cannabis in their coverage. In 2021, 60% of medical cannabis sales done by Khiron were through insurance providers.

The inclusion of medical cannabis in insurance coverage has greatly increased the number of prescribed patients as well as patient retention as medical cannabis becomes more easily accessible and more affordable through insurance.

Additionally, starting in 2022 any Colombian can get their medical cannabis card nearly for free, regardless of their insurance. These new implementations will make Colombia one of the only, and also the leading cannabis provider through insurance in the world.

The implications of having one sole provider of medical cannabis for the entire country of Colombia are yet to be seen. Whether there will be more space for competition in the future is also unknown.

All New York Cannabis Business License Types

All New York Cannabis Business License Types

New York cannabis business license types

Cannabis legalization in New York has many entrepreneurs looking to capitalize on what will likely become the largest cannabis industry in the country. However, the state’s Cannabis Control Board [CCB] has already announced delays to the cannabis business license process.

Little has been revealed in terms of the application process and regulations, which won’t be released until 2022. However the Marijuana Regulation and Tax Act, which legalized cannabis in New York, outline what cannabis business licenses will be available.

In total, there are nine separate cannabis business licenses for New York. These licenses are:

  • Cultivator
  • Processor
  • Cooperative
  • Distributor
  • Retail Dispensary
  • Microbusiness
  • Delivery
  • Nursery
  • On-site Consumption

New York Cultivator License

A Cultivator license allows everything involved with growing and harvesting cannabis plants for the purpose of sale to licensed processors. However a business with a Cultivator license can also perform minimal processing themself without a processing license.

Additionally a Cultivator licensee can have one Processor license and one Distributor license. Anyone with a Cultivator license cannot have any ownership connection to a cannabis retail dispensary.

New York Cannabis Processor License

A cannabis processing business purchases cannabis from cultivators and finishes production. This includes extraction, infusing, packaging, labeling and branding. A processor can only sell their finished product to a distributor.

However a process can also have a distributor license as long as they company is selling their own products. Just like the Cultivator license, a Processor Licensee cannot have any connection to a cannabis retail dispensary.

New York Cannabis Cooperative License

A cannabis cooperative in New York can cultivate, process and distribute their own cannabis products. Additionally a cooperative can sell to other distributors, on-site consumption businesses, registered organizations and retail dispensaries.

A Cooperative Licensee cannot sell directly to consumers, must have democratically elected leadership consisting of New York state residents and must be registered as an LLC or LLP. As with other New York cannabis business licenses, cooperatives can’t have an ownership connection to a retail dispensary, microbusiness or on-site consumption site.

Anyone who is a member of the co-op is prohibited from having any ownership connection to any recreational cannabis license.

New York Cannabis Distributor License

A Distributor licensee can purchase cannabis products from cultivators, processors, cooperatives, micro-businesses or registered organizations. They can then sell the products to retail dispensaries or consumption sites.

A distributor can’t be tied to any microbusiness, dispensary, consumption site or registered organization.

New York Cannabis Retail Dispensary License

A Retail Dispensary License allows someone to open a retail location which can purchase cannabis products from distributors and sell them to consumers. No one person is allowed more than three retail licenses.

This license includes strict zoning requirements. A retail store must be on ground level in a business district, and cannot be within 500 feet of a school or 200 feet of a religious organization. Any municipalities that want to opt out of allowing retail locations must do so before 2022, and hundreds of counties in the state have opted out already.

New York Cannabis Microbusiness License

A micro-business licensee will be allowed to cultivate, process, distribute, deliver and sell a limited amount of its own cannabis products. The CCB has yet to determine the size, scope, and eligibility criteria for micro-businesses, but they are prioritizing social and economic equity applicants.

Micro-business owners can’t have connections to more than one micro-business or any other type of cannabis business.

New York Cannabis Delivery License

A Cannabis Delivery licensee can deliver cannabis products from a retail store, micro-business or delivery business directly to the consumer. Each delivery business can have up to the equivalent of 25 full-time workers per week.

The CBB will provide more information about the application process, criteria, and scope of licensed activities in 2022. Licensees may not have any ownership connection to more than one delivery business.

New York Cannabis Nursery License

A cannabis nursery owner is permitted to produce clones, immature plants, seeds and other agricultural products used specifically for the cultivation process.  The nursery can sell these products to cultivators, co-ops, micro-businesses or registered organizations.

Cultivators may have a nursery license in order to sell products to other cultivators, co-ops or microbusinesses.

New York On-site Consumption License

On-site consumption licensees can purchase cannabis products and sell them to consumers for use in a designated area. Commonly called cannabis lounges or cannabis clubs, these sits will be similar to a hookah bar, but for cannabis.

The legislation outlines several strict regulations about the license application process, the physical site, and how business should be conducted at the site, similarly to retail dispensary locations. Licensees may not have any ownership connection to more than one site or any other type of cannabis business.

Thailand plans to legalize cannabis in 2022

Thailand plans to legalize cannabis in 2022

Thailand Ministry of Health to legalize cannabis

The Ministry of Public Health of Thailand stated that it will push for the legalization of cannabis in 2022.

As reported by the Bangkok Post, the country had already removed cannabis stems and branches from its list of category 5 narcotic substances but kept flowers and buds.

However, the new Narcotics Code, which came into force last Thursday, no longer includes cannabis and hemp.

According to the Thai newspaper, Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul outlined the next goals in the regulation of the plant: “What we have achieved so far is to declare that cannabis stems, roots, and leaves are not drugs. Starting next year, we will remove everything – stems, roots, leaves, buds, flowers, and seeds – from the list of narcotic drugs.”

Cannabis And Hemp In Thailand

The only exception to the new rule is that CBD extracts with a THC percentage higher than 0.2% will not be allowed. Charnvirakul justified this by saying that “the figure has not been set unilaterally by Thailand. It is the standard of the World Health Organization.”

In the meantime, once the new narcotics schedule comes into effect, all cannabis-derived products (such as oil, soap, cosmetics, and supplements, which normally have less than 0.2% THC) will be authorized in the country.

The objective behind the relaxation of cannabis regulations is to stimulate the economy, agricultural tourism, and encourage people to grow and process cannabis to supplement their income.

Thus, residents of the country who wish to grow cannabis at home will be able to do so without quantity restrictions. The only requirement is to obtain permission from local authorities before doing so.