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Sparked by a NY Cannabis Insider story from earlier this month, New York’s Legislative Commission on Rural Resources has asked the Office of Cannabis Management for clarification and updates on the state’s rollout of its legal marijuana industry.

The commission, chaired by NY State Senator Rachel May and directed by Mayor Hal McCabe of Homer, sent a letter to Cannabis Control Board Chairwoman Tremaine Wright on Sept. 13 requesting a briefing from OCM to “clear up confusion and enable us to provide accurate information to our constituents.”

“I am frustrated with the rollout,” McCabe told NY Cannabis Insider. “I think we have an amazing opportunity and that we might be in danger of squandering it.”

Asked about the letter, OCM spokesperson Aaron Ghitelman wrote in an email Wednesday that the agency is “actively reaching out to answer” the commission’s questions “and brief them on our efforts.”

“We are excited to work with the Rural Resources Commission to get their feedback, answer their questions, and make sure every corner of New York benefits from the adult-use cannabis industry we are in the process of creating,” Ghitelman said.

‘News to all of us’

Earlier this month, NY Cannabis Insider published a statement made by OCM Executive Director Chris Alexander at an event in Yonkers: When questioned by an audience member about the anticipated timeline for the marketplace, Alexander responded that applications for non-conditional licenses will open in “the middle of next year.”

BOSTON - The North End is full of shops and restaurants with a lot of history, and now an aspiring business owner is trying to bring a new industry to the neighborhood.

It's not cannolis...it's cannabis, and a vacant storefront at the corner of Hanover and Commercial Streets is sparking quite a bit of controversy. 

"It's a bad idea, it's a bad location," said restaurant owner Damien DiPaola.

The company Bay State Herbal Solutions has submitted their plan to the city in hopes of winning their approval for the store. 

"I think CBD, THC, whatever gets you through the day is a gift," said a North End resident named Betsy. "Why not? We drink wine, we drink booze."

A virtual community outreach meeting is set for Wednesday night. The problem is many residents and business owners feel like they've been kept in the dark. 

JACKSON - What a difference a few months have made. The Mockingbird facility, which we first toured in January, is up and running and developing medical marijuana.

3 On Your Side has an update on Mockingbird and the work to make sure those who need the product will have access to it.

This is what Mockingbird looked like in January and then in February. This is the facility today. Employees are on site and work is underway for medical marijuana.

Another study has found that giving people legal access to medical marijuana can help patients reduce their use of opioid painkillers, or cease use altogether, without compromising quality of life.

The study, published in the peer-reviewed journal Substance Use and Misuse on September 27, surveyed registered medical cannabis patients in Florida, asking questions about their consumption habits and how marijuana has affected their use of traditional pharmaceuticals.

Researchers at the firm Emerald Coast Research and Florida State University College of Medicine asked 2,183 patients who were recruited at dispensaries across the Sunshine State to fill out 66-item cross-sectional surveys to learn more about the role of medical cannabis legalization amid the overdose crisis.

Nine in 10 patients (90.6 percent) said that they’ve found marijuana to be “very or extremely helpful in treating their medical condition,” and 88.7 percent said that cannabis was “very or extremely important to their quality of life.”

“The findings suggest that some medical cannabis patients decreased opioid use without harming quality of life or health functioning, soon after the legalization of medical cannabis.”

Respondents had a wide range of conditions that qualified them for medical marijuana under Florida’s law, including anxiety, pain, depression, sleep disorders and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Most patients said that they’ve used cannabis daily to treat their symptoms.

CHICAGO - Advocates and state lawmakers are pushing for more fairness in the cannabis industry.

They gathered on Tuesday in the West Loop to call on state leaders and regulators to do more to help business owners to get what's called "social equity cannabis licenses."

"The cannabis industry for social equity was to hire Black and brown people in communities that were hardest hit and we have not realized that yet," said State Rep. LaShawn Ford (D-8th).

The activists said Gov. JB Pritzker and state lawmakers need to do more to cut red tape and lower barriers to entry. They want to see more loans and grants distributed and more leniency for people who need more time to open their businesses so these license holders can compete with big cannabis corporations.

They also want producers to be able to grow more cannabis.

8th Wonder Cannabis, a partnership with Bayou City Hemp, plans to have locations across Texas.

Farmington Hills is hosting two public feedback sessions next week on the commercial cannabis industry, welcoming residents and members of the business community to share opinions and concerns.

“Cannabis Conversations” — outreach and education sessions — will run Oct. 3 from 6 to 8 p.m. and Oct. 4 from 9 to 11 a.m. at the city council chambers at Farmington Hills city hall, 31555 W. 11 Mile Rd.

At the sessions, the public will also hear results from the city’s recent information gathering efforts with commercial cannabis industry representatives on production and retail distribution of marijuana.

Cannabis Conversations are open to all members of the public and will also be livestreamed on YouTube. They will also be recorded and posted on the city’s website main page.

Questions can be submitted prior to or during the meetings via email to psmith@fhgov.com. Public comments will be limited to three minutes each.

For additional information, go to the City of Farmington Hills website at www.fhgov.com and click on the Cannabis Information Outreach icon.

After plants have been cured and trimmed, there remains a large mound of natural cannabis scraps to deal with

Whether it's to boost motivation, facilitate recovery or find more pleasure in exercise, weed can be your new exercise partner.

FAIRFIELD - A town task force decided to take action after finding evidence of underage drug use at a local park.

Fairfield CARES Community Coalition, a town-created task force aimed at addressing youth drug and alcohol use, recently helped get community watch signs installed at the entrances of the Mary Katona Memorial Open Space.

Catherine Hazlett, the coalition's program director, said this became necessary after nearby residents repeatedly found marijuana and vaping products discarded around the open space.

FAIRFIELD - A town task force decided to take action after finding evidence of underage drug use at a local park.

Fairfield CARES Community Coalition, a town-created task force aimed at addressing youth drug and alcohol use, recently helped get community watch signs installed at the entrances of the Mary Katona Memorial Open Space.

Catherine Hazlett, the coalition's program director, said this became necessary after nearby residents repeatedly found marijuana and vaping products discarded around the open space.

RENO - A Las Vegas-based facility that intentionally manipulated cannabis testing results will likely face disciplinary action after state regulators denied the company’s motion to dismiss the action Tuesday.

The Cannabis Compliance Board voted unanimously to reject Lettucetest LLC’s motion to dismiss disciplinary action against the company that could see it lose a marijuana business license and be barred from operating in the industry for 10 years.

For nine years, Arnold Marcus had been making a living selling spice grinders on Amazon.

His company, Golden Gate Grinders, had several colors available, repeat customers and an invitation to join the Amazon Accelerator program, a path toward becoming a supplier for Amazon's private label. Marcus, 68, would package orders and take customers' calls from his living room in San Francisco, proud that he was involved in every aspect of the business he built.

That changed overnight last year when Amazon removed his listings, flagging his products as a violation of company policy prohibiting the sale of drugs and drug paraphernalia. For the uninitiated, a grinder can be used for spices like oregano or rosemary, or for weed.

Marcus spent months fighting his ejection from Amazon's online marketplace, to no avail.

"There was no indication in all those years that this is a prohibited product," Marcus said this summer. "One day, they were supporting me and then one day it ended."

Amazon says its guidelines around drugs and drug paraphernalia are longstanding and state that products can't be primarily designed for making, preparing or using a controlled substance. Grinders that are equipped with features specifically for marijuana-related use are not allowed on the platform.

Ontario Cannabis Stores, the province's pot supplier, charges a 31% mark-up to retailers.

Parents encouraged to talk to their kids early and often to prevent substance abuse.

SAN DIEGO - San Diego health officials last week highlighted the mental health-related risks of marijuana, particularly frequent use of high-potency cannabis among youth.

The potency of cannabis — measured by the amount of THC found in products — has been on the rise for years, with a roughly 0.20 percent increase every year from 1970 to 2017, according to a study published by the Society for the Study of Addiction. THC is the chemical that gives cannabis its effect.

According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which cites various studies, regular use of marijuana, especially high-potency cannabis, is a risk factor for psychosis and mental health disorders such as schizophrenia.

Among youth, the risk is greater.

It’s for this reason that officials with Family Health Centers of San Diego, Scripps Mercy Hospital and Marijuana Prevention Initiative urged parents last week to talk to their children early and often about the risks. The Marijuana Prevention Initiative held a news conference Thursday at the City Heights Family Health Center.

2022 has been a tough year for a lot of cannabis brands. On the one hand, more markets than ever have opened.

But between inflation and taxation many are feeling the pinch.

That doesn’t mean it’s all doom and gloom, some brands are standing out, and they’re doing it by exploring those new markets and having a unique business model. 

On the retail side, The Artist Tree just launched their fifth location and the first licensed cannabis dispensary in Fresno, California. From nearly 100 applicants for a retail cannabis permit, The Artist Tree emerged victorious to become the first dispensary to serve the community of the Golden State’s 5th largest city. 

Cannabis is often marketed and presented as a less problematic drug than its contemporaries alcohol and tobacco.

However, just like everything else in this world, there is a risk associated with cannabis use.

Lucky for you, dear reader, there are ways to mitigate this risk while still partaking.

In a new review of previous studies published in the International Journal of Drug Policy, scientists have created general guidelines for lower-risk cannabis use. 

The article contains 12 recommendations, but there are a few major, actionable guidelines: Delay cannabis use until adulthood, avoid high-potency THC products, use infrequently, abstain from inhalation methods and refrain from driving high. 

First is waiting until adulthood. Luckily, you have confirmed you’re at least 21 to enter this section, so you’re at much lower risk than adolescents for cannabis use. Cannabis use prior to the completion of puberty is associated with “adverse health and psycho-social effects, especially in those who engage in intensive use,” according to the study.

he 420 Finder team has been supporting cannabis businesses for years, and the launch of the platform shows it.

WASHINGTON D.C. - As cannabis legalization continues to happen per state, 420 Finder, a leading cannabis technology company, is excited to announce the launch of its revolutionary new, sharply designed platform that connects cannabis users with local businesses safely.

Underpinned by years of national industry expertise, 420 Finder is an intuitive and flexible solution that focuses on helping local cannabis businesses connect with consumers, operate more efficiently, and create superior customer experiences.

"Many assume the plant sells itself, but it's not so simple for legal local businesses. The industry remains a highly regulated environment with an influx of challenges and increasing competition. With 420 Finder, cannabis users can find local businesses and connect safely," said Brad Overton, Director of Operations at 420 Finder.

420 Finder offers free accounts and free online ordering for all its Customers. For businesses, they offer online ordering with all memberships and opportunities for businesses to increase their exposure. The 420 Finder team has been supporting cannabis businesses for years, and the platform's launch shows it. They have used their experience to make the platform intuitive and easy to use. It eliminates redundancy and streamlines the process of getting cannabis to users as fast as possible. Most importantly, it creates a fun and interactive way for users to discover new businesses and deals in their area.

"We're here to power the upcoming explosion of innovative retail experiences that sustain healthy cannabis businesses and keep customers returning for more," he adds.

“We're going to have this entire new universe of plastic waste of the worst kind,” says one environmental activist.