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David Spradin is the CEO of a California-based marijuana company called Perfect Union.

It has 14 marijuana stores between Los Angeles and Sacramento, six stores in New Mexico and has had stores in Oregon and Washington, says Rick McAuliffe, a Rhode Island lobbyist who now also serves as a director for Spradin’s new local affiliate: Perfect Union-RI.

The company and 27 other businesses all filed applications last month for a chance to run one of six new medical marijuana dispensaries planned for Rhode Island. 

While Spradin’s local venture incorporated just in November, the Californian has been around, buying up one marijuana cultivation operation, in Warwick, and purchasing a Providence site for a possible second — indicators of the interest some outside investors have with Rhode Island’s booming, multimillion-dollar marijuana industry.

Spradin’s Western stores sell in both the recreational and medical markets “and he thinks the opportunity in Rhode Island and the Northeast is very good,” says McAuliffe, particularly if Rhode Island joins several Northeast states and legalizes recreational use of the drug.

There’s still more to be done to improve patient access to medical cannabis in Western Australia says the director of a medical clinic in Perth’s western suburbs.

In November 2019, changes were made to Western Australia’s medical cannabis program to make patient access a little easier. Previously, patients would need a referral to a specialist from a GP in order to gain a prescription for cannabis medicines, but the change enabled GPs the ability to prescribe medicines where a patient is over the age of 16, isn’t drug dependent and doesn’t have a history of drug use.

The involvement of a specialist certainly appeared to discourage access. Between November 2016 and August 2019, only 876 approvals were granted. But further improvements are still required, particularly where medicinal cannabis is classified Schedule 8.

Speaking with radio station 6PR’s Gary Adshead last week, Director of St Francis Medical group David Cooper said doctors are still experiencing barriers within Western Australia’s health system.

“The doctors have to apply to state health if the treatment is a schedule eight or a controlled drug treatment,” said Mr. Cooper – and this was resulting in delays of up to 6 weeks for some patients.

The year 2020 was a dud in many, many ways due to the pandemic. However, it was a record year for the emerging cannabis industry.

Cannabis entrepreneurs around the globe sold a record amount of cannabis and cannabis-infused products.

Unfortunately, no countries legalized cannabis for adult use in 2020, but a number of countries either allowed medical cannabis industries to launch or expand.

Many cannabis industry projections from years ago focused on the year 2020 and virtually every one of those projections proved to be too conservative.

Too many people who claim to believe in free markets don’t trust the American people with personal freedom.    

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article solely belong to the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Fresh Toast. 

One of the most frustrating problems in the efforts to end marijuana prohibition has long been the distrust of freedom and the pretense that we are somehow “boldly going where no politicians have ever gone before.”  

Specifically, marijuana has been sold over-the-counter to anyone over 18 for decades in the Netherlands (not just in Amsterdam.) It also allows for on-premise consumption. And with almost no regulations, except NO HARD DRUGS. And essentially no problems (except on the still banned supply).

However, when Nevada legalized recreational sales, even Las Vegas (!!!) did not initially license on-premise consumption because they were unsure how it might work and what the consequences might be. 

In the whole ‘scare’ industry of marijuana, there’s a lot of weird, often illogical, mainly contradictory, and definitely silly stuff floating around. Often, when investigating further, it’s found that there’s a lot of talk, but not a lot of substantial information that this talk is based on. One of the more troubling theories, as far as I’m concerned, is that cannabis and schizophrenia are linked. Is this something that the standard marijuana smoker really has to worry about?

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What is cannabis?

Cannabis is a flowering plant of the Cannabaceae family. It’s generally split into three species: Cannabis sativa, Cannabis indica, and Cannabis ruderalis. Some people consider them to be all the same species. Cannabis is known for its hemp fiber properties, its medicinal abilities, and its psychoactive effects, the latter of which have caused the plant to be unnecessarily scheduled in ways that keep it from public use.

Generally speaking, when referring to a plant that is less high in the psychoactive compound THC, the plant is considered hemp, and when it contains a large amount of THC, it’s considered marijuana. The cutoff in the US is .3% according to the last farm bill, but Europe makes the distinction at .2%. This distinction separates what can be used medicinally in many locations, especially where low-THC products are legal, but high-THC products are not.

What is schizophrenia?

Schizophrenia is a brain disorder which can include delusions and hallucinations for the sufferer. The condition is also associated with disorganized speech, general lack of motivation, and issues with proper thinking patterns. For many who suffer from it, it creates an inability to distinguish reality from fantasy. The symptoms of the disorder often take place in episodes of high intensity, intertwined with periods of normality. Approximately 1% of the population is estimated to have schizophrenia.  As of right now there is no cure for the disorder, and those with the condition are generally relegated to high doses of very strong medication. It is said that with medication, many with the affliction are able to keep their symptoms under control. There is no specific test that will give an answer as to whether a person has schizophrenia. Like many psychological disorders it is merely characterized by its symptoms, and diagnoses are given based on these symptoms.

An Illinois judge has ruled against more than three dozen applicants for craft cannabis cultivator licenses who filed suit against the administration of Gov. J.B. Pritzker for a delay in awarding the licenses. The craft grower licenses were supposed to be awarded by July 1 of this year to comply with state law, but state officials have not yet done so, citing delays necessitated by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. The delay has affected the issuance of 40 craft grower licenses, as well as licenses for cannabis infusers, transporters, and 75 additional recreational cannabis retailers, which were supposed to be issued by May 1.

Cook County Judge Allen Walker issued the ruling on December 24 in the suit brought by the Illinois Craft Cannabis Association, which sought a decision directing the Pritzker administration to issue the licenses immediately. In the ruling, Walker wrote that the first emergency order issued by Pritzker to delay awarding the licenses was insufficient. But the judge also ruled that a subsequent order issued by the governor that clarified the delay was ordered because the agency tasked with issuing the licenses, the Illinois Department of Agriculture, was focusing its efforts during the pandemic on protecting the food supply, including livestock and meat production facilities. 

“While (the later order) does not explicitly say: ‘IDOA’s issuing cannabis licenses by the (deadline) would have the effect of diverting needed resources from the pandemic effort thus making it more difficult for the governor to cope with the COVID-19 crisis,” Walker wrote in the order, “that is the point implicitly being made.” 

Trade Group Files Suit

The craft growers trade association filed suit against the Pritzker administration for the delay, citing mounting costs for applicants to rent and maintain facilities for their proposed cannabis operations. The suit claims that Pritzker’s order is unlawful because it failed to identify a sufficient legal basis for the delay and did not set a new deadline for the issuance of the licenses.

In addition to seeking immediate issuance of 40 craft grower licenses, 40 cannabis infuser licenses, and an unlimited number of transporter licenses as specified by state law, the suit seeks allowances for applicants who have lost business sites, employees, or other factors of their licensing plans because of the pandemic.

The final numbers are in for Oregon cannabis in 2020, and as expected, they’re impressive — on both the adult-use and medical sides of the industry.

Combined sales were $95.9 million in December, up 39.2% compared to a year earlier, driving the total for 2020 to $1,110,520,723.

That was a 39.7% increase over the $795.1 million sold in 2019 — a big uptick from growth rates of 22.6% in 2019 and 24.1% in 2018, according to data from the Oregon Liquor Control Commission.

Sales leaped when the pandemic hit in March and stayed strong, with some typical seasonal variation, as the year wore on. As the Business Journal reported, they crossed the $1 billion mark the day before Thanksgiving.

Adult-use sales alone topped $1 billion for the year, ending at $1,001,295,497, up 37.9%.

Employment in cannabis pre-2020 could be seen as more of a job, whereas now, people see the industry as a true career investment.

This year was a rollercoaster ride for the cannabis industry, which had its fair share of highs and lows. There were legalization breakthroughs, while various cannabis companies enforced massive layoffs.

However, there were also those that did quite a bit of hiring.

In November, pot stocks soared on both a Joe Biden presidential win and the legalization of recreational marijuana in four more states (Arizona, Montana, New Jersey, and South Dakota). There's been plenty of optimism that there could be significant changes ahead for the cannabis industry, including the decriminalization of marijuana and moving it off its current Schedule I classification with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). 

But time and time again, cannabis investors have gotten their hopes up after marijuana legislation passed in the House of Representatives only for it to end up going nowhere. Even a change in leadership at the White House may not be enough to move the needle. Arguably, one of the biggest obstacles for the cannabis industry is the U.S. Senate -- but power there could soon shift as well.

Runoff elections will dictate which party controls the Senate

In Georgia, two Senate runoff elections are scheduled for today, Jan. 5. All eyes are peeled on the race, given that Republicans currently hold 50 seats while Democrats occupy 48 (if you include the two independents who caucus with them, Bernie Sanders and Angus King). With two seats at stake, a Democratic sweep would give the party an equal share. And if there is a tie in the Senate, the deadlock is broken by the vice president -- a seat that Democrat Kamala Harris will soon hold.

Why does it matter if Democrats gain control?

Democratic control of the Senate is important to the pot industry, because Republicans have historically taken a harder stance on cannabis than Democrats. While multiple marijuana bills have passed the Democrat-controlled House in the past few years, there's been no progress in the Senate. In September 2019, the House passed the Secure and Fair Enforcement (SAFE) Banking Act. The bill was an effort to help the industry easily access banking services and avoid having to hold excessive amounts of cash, which many argue is a security issue. And even that failed to go anywhere in the Senate. 

When it comes to Virginia and cannabis, Virginia didn’t see any big changes with the last US election. This is because the state had already decriminalized cannabis earlier this spring, and expanded on its own medical legalization policy this past summer. However, there’s one other thing when it comes to Virginia and cannabis, something that’s often misunderstood. Virginia was actually the first state to legalize medicinal marijuana, back in 1979.

Missing the holidays already? We’ve got an answer – keep shopping! Just because its about the be New Year’s, doesn’t mean you have to stop giving gifts. We’ve still got all the best Delta-8 THC deals for everyone in your family. So, don’t be bummed out over the end of the holidays…just keep giving gifts

Was Virginia really first?

Indeed it was! And it went through with practically no buzz at all. In 1979, Virginia did an overhaul of its drug laws which included the inclusion of the use of cannabis medicines for people specifically suffering from glaucoma and cancer. The medical legalization allowed patients with these illnesses to receive the medications, but wasn’t expanded on past that point for many, many years. In fact, it wasn’t until 2017 that the bill was finally expanded to include more conditions and generally looser policies. It was updated yet again in the summer of 2020.

So, what happened to the bill? Not much. The issue with legalizations is that they don’t come compact with finished frameworks for regulation. They merely state the decision to change the legality of a specific thing. Once the status is changed, especially when a former black-market product becomes a regular market product, there has to be some kind of setup for how it’ll work. Will it be taxed, at what rate, and by what entity? How can it be used exactly, and where? Are there age restrictions? What’s the cost, and is there a cost ceiling? Where can the product come from, and what are the regulations for producing it?

These things and more must be figured out, and if they aren’t, the legalization is open to much debate in court, apart from the fact that it stymies the ability to have an operational industry. For years the law sat, practically unknown to the Board of Medicine, attorney general, or court system in general.

The city of Westfield received $45,000 this fiscal year that it didn’t get last year.

Quite the story in a time when the COVID-19 pandemic has hurt city finances and everything — especially the revenue picture — seems to turn out worse than expectations.

The payment, for the fiscal year’s first quarter, came from the state as the city’s share of marijuana taxes collected this year for the first time. The city’s first marijuana retailer, Cannabis Connection, opened in June.

Westfield is not alone in seeing new money from the state’s growing cannabis industry. But cities and towns, and the businesses themselves, don’t necessarily know what will happen next. As the industry begins to mature, there is burgeoning competition and market fluctuations as consumer acceptance and habits change following pandemic-related lockdowns.

Will the end of COVID-19 restrictions mean more business? Will new shops that open dilute receipts, or will greater social acceptance lead to more sales? Will new shops in neighboring communities — Springfield’s first opened in September, and its taxes aren’t in yet — change the bottom line in communities that had monopolies in the early days?

The Hemp Act of 2020 proposes four significant amendments to the federal laws currently governing the production of hemp, including increased THC concentrations.

As reported by Hemp Grower magazine, Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky introduced legislation on December 15 that would amend the definition of hemp from .3% THC to 1% THC. The bill would also make other major changes to the USDA’s interim final rule, which would affect hemp growers, processors, manufacturers, and shippers. The legislation is titled the Hemp Economic Mobilization Act (the “Hemp Act of 2020”). The Hemp Act of 2020 proposes four significant amendments to the federal laws currently governing the production of hemp.

First, the Hemp Act of 2020 would amend the federal definition of hemp by striking “.3 percent” and inserting “1 percent.” As hemp businesses know, the 2018 Farm Bill defines hemp as cannabis sativa with a delta-9 THC concentration of not more than .3 percent on a dry weight basis. The USDA then adopted a “total THC” testing requirement that further burdened growers and others in the industry.

As we wrote back in January 2019, the .3% threshold was created by a Canadian researcher in the 1970s who set a dividing line of .3% between hemp and marijuana for purposes of establishing a biological taxonomy. The dividing line was never intended to be used as a practical measure for countries to differentiate between hemp and marijuana for commercial purposes. We at the Canna Law Blog wholeheartedly support changing the threshold from .3% to 1%.

Second, the Hemp Act of 2020 would require testing of hemp-derived products rather than the hemp flower or plant itself.  The USDA interim rule requires that growers test hemp plants within 15 days of the anticipated harvest. As we have explained, this can prove an impossible obstacle for growers in some circumstances. The Hemp Act of 2020 proposes a significant statutory fix. Current law requires a State or Tribal plan to include a “procedure for testing . . . delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol concentration levels of hemp produced in the State or territory of the Indian tribe” (italics added). The Hemp Act of 2020 would replace “hemp” with “products derived from hemp plants” (italics added again.)

When it comes to Virginia and cannabis, Virginia didn’t see any big changes with the last US election. This is because the state had already decriminalized cannabis earlier this spring, and expanded on its own medical legalization policy this past summer. However, there’s one other thing when it comes to Virginia and cannabis, something that’s often misunderstood. Virginia was actually the first state to legalize medicinal marijuana, back in 1979.

Missing the holidays already? We’ve got an answer – keep shopping! Just because its about the be New Year’s, doesn’t mean you have to stop giving gifts. We’ve still got all the best Delta-8 THC deals for everyone in your family. So, don’t be bummed out over the end of the holidays…just keep giving gifts

Was Virginia really first?

Indeed it was! And it went through with practically no buzz at all. In 1979, Virginia did an overhaul of its drug laws which included the inclusion of the use of cannabis medicines for people specifically suffering from glaucoma and cancer. The medical legalization allowed patients with these illnesses to receive the medications, but wasn’t expanded on past that point for many, many years. In fact, it wasn’t until 2017 that the bill was finally expanded to include more conditions and generally looser policies. It was updated yet again in the summer of 2020.

So, what happened to the bill? Not much. The issue with legalizations is that they don’t come compact with finished frameworks for regulation. They merely state the decision to change the legality of a specific thing. Once the status is changed, especially when a former black-market product becomes a regular market product, there has to be some kind of setup for how it’ll work. Will it be taxed, at what rate, and by what entity? How can it be used exactly, and where? Are there age restrictions? What’s the cost, and is there a cost ceiling? Where can the product come from, and what are the regulations for producing it?

These things and more must be figured out, and if they aren’t, the legalization is open to much debate in court, apart from the fact that it stymies the ability to have an operational industry. For years the law sat, practically unknown to the Board of Medicine, attorney general, or court system in general.

With ever-climbing HPV-positive cancer rates, research on the effect CBD and THC has on the human papillomavirus can’t come soon enough.

Often called the common cold of the sexual world, the Centers for Disease Control states that HPV has infected over 79 million individuals worldwide. Both prevalent and highly contagious, HPV tends to thrive on porous skin located in the throat, anal cavity, cervix and tongue, making it extremely difficult to test and eradicate around the world.

Risk factors of HPV are a compromised immune system, smoking and poor diet and sleep. Thought to cause over 70% of cervical cancers, the World Health Organization states that HPV has more than 100 types and has one of the best known defenses: vaccination. 
For decades, researchers believed that marijuana played a role in HPV-related cervical cancer. However, a 2010 study, published in the U.S. National Library of Medicine, found that marijuana did not cause cervical cancer.

Understanding HPV’s infectivity

While once thought to only be contracted through sexual conduct, studies in the last two decades have showcased that HPV can live on surfaces. A 2002 study, published in the British Medical Journal found HPV DNA could live in a clinical environment, without skin-to-skin contact. A more recent and in-depth study, featured in Taylor & Francis Online, found that when comparing the bovine papillomavirus with the human papillomavirus, both showed a remarkable ability to retain a 50% infectivity at room temperature after 3 days. 

Additionally, in 2014, Penn State further researched earlier findings, discovering that unless a special method of cleaning instruments (autoclaving) or bleach was present, HPV was persistent on surfaces and was able to be transmitted. While still cited as a “sexually-transmitted infection,” HPV appears to be anything but. 

It’s easy to sit back in seclusion and complain about what a difficult year 2020 has been. Yes, we have all encountered great tribulations and changes we never expected. But as an old hippy, I highly recommend you get comfortable, smoke a fatty, go with the flow and consider the benefits of living during a pandemic. There is always a silver lining, if you just take the time to look.

Of course, in the world of cannabis, the number one reward for Californians was issued last March when Governor Newsom announced that all licensed marijuana businesses in California could continue with business as usual during the imposed lockdowns, deeming it an “essential” business. Wow – from illegal to essential, thanks to COVID-19. Cannabis sales sky rocketed, although now they are primarily executed by delivery services or curbside pickup services at dispensaries. More time at home equals more time to get high.

Thinking Outside the Bowl

During these singular times, many people experiencing loneliness have undoubtedly turned to cannabis as a companion to heighten creativity and elevate their mood. While the old-fashioned art of sharing a joint may be gone forever, here at the Swami Select farm, we have been learning how to smoke out of our own bowls or personal paraphernalia. We’ve even had Zoom calls where we pretend to pass the doobie. And the cool thing is, we can do this with friends all across the globe! Having a big imagination helps a whole lot during lockdown.

It’s funny how quickly a word can become so ubiquitous. Take “Zoom” for example. It’s a noun (“Are you on Zoom?”); a verb (“Let’s Zoom”); and even an adjective (“She has Zoom burnout”). We found that Zooming is a great way to have a seshin’ with your friends, share stories and music, and even check out cannabis together. 

While the traditional December Emerald Cup is cancelled for the first time in 17 years, we do still plan to hold the contest virtually in March. Judging will happen with the help of some sort of Zoom arrangement. It’s simply the time to think outside the bowl.

Rocky Mountain Extraction Services (RMES) has come a long way since incorporating 18 months ago.

The 2018 Hemp Farming Act was the catalyst, although opening their doors wasn’t quite so simple.

“Originally, we felt like [the Hemp Farming Act] was a green light,” says CTO Jerry Van Sickle. “What we found was that it was more of a yellow light.”

Because of hemp’s association with recreational marijuana, Van Sickle and CEO Scott McWhorter discovered challenges in commercial property leasing and banking for RMES — even though they were specializing in manufacturing organically-sourced CBD extracts and distillates rather than THC.

The pandemic — and the pain that has come along with it for millions of families, small businesses, and bars and restaurants — didn't slow the stock market in 2020.

Sure, it did take a toll on the shares of some Columbus companies, but shares of other companies flourished last year as consumers began working from home and stocked up on groceries and sanitizer rather than going out to eat.

 "It's the craziest year," said Greg McBride, Bankrate.com's chief financial analyst.

COVID-19 has devastated large swaths of the economy — travel, lodging, small storefronts, spectator sports, entertainment, among them — while other parts of the economy are going gangbusters, including companies in technology and health care, said Chip Elliott, senior editor of Columbus-based investment newsletter Market Witch.

"About half the U.S. is ... unemployed, facing poverty, hunger and eviction, and about half is doing very well, adapting into a New Era, with plenty of discretionary income," he said. "I don't ever remember anything like this."

Bill Cobb uses medical marijuana to treat PTSD and chronic back pain.

“I’m a 50-year-old Black man who’s been a civil rights worker,” said Cobb, now a criminal justice activist in Philadelphia. “I smoke to have my brain slow down. But to be honest, I also smoke because I enjoy it.”

Alleviating his physical and mental pain is difficult when he feels another sting: His doctor-recommended medicine is not covered by insurance. He pays out of pocket — as much as $120 a week.

“It’s way too expensive,” Mr. Cobb said. “It’s ridiculous.”

Other marijuana users in Pennsylvania agree.

America will need to be super stoned to survive the gorilla cage that it may get stuffed inside next year. It’s not that we’re trying to be pessimistic, but there is little doubt that the population can withstand another year of lockdowns and stimulus living.

If there is one thing we’ve learned over the past several long, excruciating months, it’s that humanity doesn’t do well with handling apocalyptic turns. Not unless it can, on occasion, they jump through an escape hatch in the brain that lets them forget that they’re just weeks away from moving into a cardboard box. It’s the reason that cannabis dispensaries continue to make money hand over fist while the rest of the country tries to figure out how in the hell to live on $1.64 per day. Some argue that weed is how we fix a three-legged economy and keep on kicking through the downtrodden like a well-endowed mule. But it’s going to have to go legal at the federal level first.

It might sound like a bit of a pipe dream to think that the federal government is just all of a sudden going to legalize marijuana in the United States and end its more than eight-decade-long reign of terror against the stoner class. But there’s a decent chance legal weed could finally get some much-needed consideration next year.

Strangely, that all depends on the outcome of Georgia’s runoff election scheduled for next week. So get those bets in while you still can.

This is one race that you won’t want to miss.

When investors talk about cannabis stocks, Canadian players Aurora Cannabis (NYSE:ACB) and Canopy Growth (NASDAQ:CGC) come to mind. But in 2020, U.S. cannabis companies not only proved their potential, but outperformed their Canadian counterparts. Two such companies are Illinois-based Green Thumb Industries (OTC:GTBIF) and Florida-based Trulieve Cannabis (OTC:TCNNF).