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As the old adage goes, if at first you don’t succeed, Try, try again. After suffering a close defeat in 2016, Arizona’s new recreational cannabis law passed with 60% of the vote on November 3, 2020. So, if you’re an entrepreneur or weed enthusiast, what happens next and what should you do to prepare for the coming opportunities in Arizona? In this post, we give a quick overview of what was passed in Arizona and some of important parts of the new law to consider, as well as a short checklist of issues to consider.

Although typically referred to as Proposition 207, the new law’s name is the Smart and Safe Arizona Act (“Act”). The new law legalizes the possession of certain amounts of marijuana for those 21 years of age and older. And, in some instances, those with prior (or pending) marijuana convictions can move to have their records expunged. Not a bad add-on!

Don’t forget that Arizona passed another initiative in 2010 that allows the use of marijuana for medical purposes, and that’s still good law too. So, now consumers and patients will both have access to marijuana products in Arizona, although certain differences will remain between those who have a medical “card” and those who are simply purchasing marijuana for their own pleasure. One example is the amount of cannabis an individual may legally have – those with medical cards will be able to own more cannabis than those who are using for recreational purposes only. Also, licensees may now be owned by for-profit, publicly held companies, as opposed to nonprofit entities only.

As part of the Act, Arizona will now allow producers and manufactures of marijuana products to have their products tested by independent, Arizona-based labs (and because labeling must be accurate, testing is imperative). This is a new and exciting opportunity for those interested in the sciences, marijuana and guarantying safe and effective products in the Arizona marketplace. Although start-up costs could be significant with procuring the necessary testing equipment, the potential profits may be worth the investment. There are a few incubators in the Phoenix area, which could be potential locations for start-up companies (depending upon space availability, zoning laws, etc.).

Those wishing to pursue a new license may have to wait a little bit. While there is an “early applicant” period (which runs from January 19, 2021 to March 9, 2021), it’s limited to entities currently licensed as medical dispensaries, with a few other exceptions. Once the early applicant period ends, the State will issue additional licenses on a random basis. There are caps in place for the number of new licenses that will be issued by Arizona, which are based on the number of pharmacies in any Arizona county.

This winter, expect to spend more time than usual indoors. Here are 5 weed hacks that can help you make the most of this time.

Winter is fast approaching and it’s gonna be one to remember, for better or worse. With less incentive and options to go out and have fun, it looks like the majority of our time will be spent indoors. Smoking weed probably.

While you’ll hopefully spend your time doing a healthy mix of different activities, don’t beat yourself up if you end up smoking more weed than usual. It’s the holidays and it’s been a wild year. Here are 5 weed hacks you should use this winter:

Buy enough to keep you stocked up

While we should never hoard anything, having a sufficient stock of weed during the holiday season s a good investment. Buying anything during this time of the year is a pain and a hassle, made worse by the pandemic. Next time you visit your dispensary, buy enough to keep you stocked for a couple of weeks, that way you limit your level of exposure and can focus on other aspects of the holidays that are fun and also stressful.

Store it correctly

Photo by Zummolo/Getty Images

The luscious green plants stretch as far as the eye can see. Row after row, lovingly tended in a glasshouse that’s roughly the same size as 34 football pitches.

Thought to be one of the UK’s largest glasshouses, the 45-acre glasshouse in Wissington, Norfolk, sits in an area known for the growing of crops, vegetables and fruit, from peas and beans to tomatoes and strawberries.

But this crop is slightly different. Once filled with tomato plants, the glasshouse owned by British Sugar is now home to hundreds of thousands of cannabis plants grown for the pharmaceutical company GW Pharmaceutical.

We have a presumptive new Administration entering the White House in January, despite the fact that the current Administration continues to mount legal challenges concerning the sufficiency and legitimacy of the 2020 election. However, none of these legal strategies appear to be meritorious and most importantly none have proven to bear any fruit.

There appears to be a dearth of evidence to support these unfounded claims of fraudulent interference and systemic cheating during the 2020 election period. That said, we are destined for a Biden Administration come January 20, 2021. What does this mean for the cannabis industry?

Whenever an Administration transitions, there are enormous ramifications on a wide variety of issues. Certainly cannabis is one of those issues. What does a Biden Administration mean for the existing medical and recreational marijuana programs around the country? What does it mean for industrial hemp

Let's start with hemp.

The hemp industry and the farmers who grow the plant have enjoyed strong bipartisan support amongst policymakers in Washington D.C. for the past several years. Hemp is one of those policy issues that unites leaders across party and ideological lines. I would suggest very strongly that this is true for both the hemp and marijuana industry. These issues attract those from both sides of the aisle for a variety of reasons.

While the Amy Coney Barrett appointment leans the court considerably conservative, it is unlikely to impact the ongoing Green Wave.

Justice Amy Coney Barrett’s Oct. 27 confirmation to the Supreme Court may feel like ages ago after a historic election season complicated by President Trump’s attempts to reverse the results.

Under a month into the role, Justice Barrett stands poised to weigh in on a myriad of pressing issues, including voting rights, the census and the fourth amendment.

Cannabis reform likely won’t be one of those matters, legal experts say.

A Conservative Court Unlikely To Impact Reform Efforts Much

While the Barrett appointment leans the court considerably conservative, it is unlikely to impact the ongoing Green Wave.

The state Office of Medical Cannabis is continuing to move forward with approving applications for medical marijuana businesses with hopes of having dispensaries open in the spring.

Officials earlier this month approved applications for medical cannabis processors, which will use the plants to create pills, creams and other products for medical use, as well as prepare the plants to be used in a dry leaf form.

“It will be a fairly labor-intensive process,” Office Director Jason Frame said. “They’re using chemical processes and physical processes to extract certain parts of these plants for medicinal use.

While the 10 approved processors have offices in West Virginia, some companies have experience in other areas.

“It makes it more likely to be successful in this line of work,” Frame noted. “Many of them do have experience in this profession in other states.”

Legal cannabis continues to become a new reality in states throughout the U.S., giving lawmakers the unique challenge of installing a regulatory system on newly established marijuana markets. 

California is largely seen as the leader of the cannabis industry (both legal and illegal) due to the state industry’s size, experience, and innovative spirit. But the growing pains experienced by California’s legal cannabis market in its first four years offers essential lessons to states that are actively setting up their cannabis programs for the first time. 

Here are some issues newly legal states should tackle to ensure a smooth transition. 

The day before Thanksgiving has a bit of a sordid history. Back in 2007, the day was coined ‘Drinksgiving’ or ‘Blackout Wednesday’ by college students flocking back home to be with family for the holidays. Unfortunately, it is also a horrifically common night for drunk driving accidents, surpassing New Year’s Eve by a longshot.

‘Tis the season for America’s favorite foodie holiday, and whether turkey, tofurkey, or none of the above are on the menu, this is sure to be a Thanksgiving like no other. With Covid-19 spikes turning the U.S. map red and growing concerns about the capacity of states to handle an even higher coronavirus positivity rate if citizens choose to gather, some thought leaders in the cannabis industry are taking a stab at predicting the impact on Thanksgiving sales.

Marijuana makes you dumb. At least according to the tired trope surrounding its use. Back in the day, stoners were considered slackers and anyone who smoked weed was on a one-way ticket to Loserville.

Today, many of those stigmas have fallen away. But some still linger in the popular consciousness, like the perception that every hit on a joint results in a lower IQ. But does smoking marijuana actually make you stupid?

Not really, according to a review published in the journal Neuropsychology. Canadian researchers Scot Purdon and Daniel Krzyzanowski aimed to better understand what long-term cognitive effects cannabis could have on users. They analyzed 23 previous studies to determine if marijuana abstinence had any impact on verbal learning and memory abilities.

Based on available literature, they wrote, whatever impairment marijuana use inflicted upon memory and verbal learning “appear to resolve between 7 and 28 days of sustained abstinence.” However, they added, “years of regular use were inversely related to longer periods of abstinence and verbal learning performance, undermining a confident inference that abstinence alone has direct benefits to verbal learning and memory.”

This isn’t the first research conducted by Purdon that focuses on marijuana and memory. In 2018, Purdon conducted a study that found marijuana hinders verbal learning — the ability to read and retain information — for up to 24 hours after usage. Within one to three days, that impairment is reduced by half.

Whether you’re a long-distance runner, a trekking enthusiast, or a gymnast, fitness is a crucial part of every human being. With the ongoing pandemic and closure of gyms, online workout sessions are the new normal. A person’s fitness goal can be anything from losing fat to gaining muscle to improving joint flexibility and endurance. Sticking to a fitness regimen is the hardest thing that can keep you lingered from achieving your fitness goal. This is why many fitness freaks look for natural supplements that can promote energy and alleviate pain to keep you motivated and consistent towards the fitness goal.

Cannabidiol (CBD) is a component derived from the cannabis plant. It is non-psychoactive, meaning; it won’t give you a euphoria. This article will look into the seven unique ways CBD can help reach your fitness goal.

1. CBD ban boost energy

Exercising makes you feel strong and resilient. However, after a while, the repeating movements make your muscles feel weak and tired. This is called muscle fatigue, which reduces the muscle’s capability to perform over time. The most common symptoms of muscle fatigue are soreness, muscle cramps, and localized pain. CBD can be beneficial in relieving muscle fatigue and boosting energy. According to a 2017 report, CBD can influence mood-related neurochemical chemicals in the brain. It can help to fight a lack of stamina and increase strength. Purchase CBD vape juice that works from a trusted brand to ensure a higher CBD concentration and less THC.

2. CBD may promote healthy sleep

Adequate rest by sleeping is crucial for the healthy functioning of the body. Most people don’t realize that getting sufficient sleep can boost their fitness efforts. According to reports, when researchers put a group of fitness enthusiasts on a sleep schedule, they started losing weight from fat. It showed that people on a sleep-deprived diet lost less fat than their well-rested counterparts.

Cannabidiol (CBD) is an excellent plant component for healthy sleep. According to research, people who took CBD showed improvement in REM sleep behavior disorder (RBD). Pain is also a cause of disturbed sleep. Fitness enthusiasts often feel muscle soreness and pain in their joints due to their strenuous workouts. According to a 2018 review, consuming CBD can soothe pain, thus improving sleep. People who are deprived of sleep can take CBD vape juice for insomnia related issues which is an effective and trusted way to help you sleep better.

In the Nov. 3 election, voters in New Jersey voted to legalize cannabis for recreational and/or medical use. As the marijuana industry continues to grow generating jobs and profits in New Jersey, CPAs have been asked to provide their services to businesses that cater to the ever-growing industry–but this is uncharted territory.

The Court of Justice of the European Union has ruled member states must not prohibit the marketing of lawfully produced cannabidiol (CBD).

The case in question was in relation to a situation where parties produced hemp-derived CBD in the Czech Republic that was then imported into France for use in other products. Criminal proceedings were launched against the parties on the basis of a claim that French legislation only allows for the fibre and seeds of hemp to be put to commercial use.

The parties were sentenced to suspended terms of imprisonment of 18 and 15 months, along with EUR 10,000 fines – and appeals were subsequently lodged with the Court of Justice. One of the issues under the spotlight was the court questioned the conformity of French legislation with EU law where CBD is extracted from the whole plant and not just the fibre and seeds (which contain very little cannabidiol).

On this point, it seems the French legislation only applies to listed agricultural products – and unlike “raw” hemp, whole hemp plant derived CBD isn’t among them.

Also coming into play in the appeal was the restriction of trade between member states, which isn’t permitted unless there is a public health risk.

Precision® Extraction Solutions ("Precision"), the world leader in cannabis and hemp extraction technology, today announced a strategic partnership with Pressure Safety Inspectors (PSI). Through the partnership with PSI, Precision is launching a safety and certification program that will streamline compliance when buying Precision extractors.

A large scale East Ladner greenhouse which made the switch from vegetables to cannabis has deal to utilize renewable natural gas from the Vancouver Landfill.

Village Farms International Inc. announced its wholly owned subsidiary, Village Farms Clean Energy Inc., has renewed and expanded its existing contract with the City of Vancouver, which operates the landfill in Delta, under which the greenhouse receives captured landfill gas.

The plan is for Village Farm to significantly reduce its reliance on natural gas to produce CO2 in its operations, transitioning and converting landfill gas into renewable natural gas (RNG), which will also generate food-grade liquid CO2.

Licensed cannabis retailers in Maine sold more than $1.4 million worth of marijuana products during the first month of legal recreational pot sales, according to data released by state regulators on Monday. Legal sales of adult-use cannabis began on October 9, nearly four years after voters approved recreational marijuana sales for adults in 2016.

On Monday, the Maine Office of Marijuana Policy (OMP) released sales data collected by Metrc, the state’s cannabis track-and-trace system, for October 9 through November 8. The figures for the first 31 days of legal sales showed that smokable forms of cannabis were the most popular products, making up 76% of revenue. Cannabis concentrates accounted for 14% of sales, while infused foods and drinks made up the remaining 10%. A total of 21,194 transactions were logged by cannabis retailers during the first month in business. Sales figures released by the state are preliminary in nature and have not yet been audited by state regulators.

“In comparison, Maine’s medical marijuana program—which includes eight licensed dispensaries, more than 200 stores run by medical marijuana caregivers and individual caregivers that operate out of their homes or embrace the delivery model—sold on average $9.4 million in medical marijuana on a typical 31-day month in 2019,” reported the Portland Press Herald. 

As legal sales of recreational marijuana launched on October 9, eight retailers had been licensed by the state to begin operations, although only six shops were ready to open for business on the first day, in part due to reported product shortages. By the first week in November, a total of nine adult-use cannabis retailers were open for business in the state.

Erik Gundersen, the director of the OMP, congratulated licensed cannabis retailers on the successful launch of licensed sales while facing the ongoing challenges of a global pandemic.

It’s always interesting when a new location breaks stride and changes laws. We saw it with Thailand in Asia, with Uruguay in South America, and with Lesotho in Africa. With ranging reasons as to why to open these industries, the Arab world has now put forth its own example. As of the spring, Lebanon legalized medical cannabis.

It would be untrue to say that Lebanon is the first Middle Eastern country to legalize cannabis in some form. It’s neighbor to the south, Israel, has been a central location for the study and cultivation of cannabis for decades, pushing through its own medical legalization originally back in the 1990’s. But Israel stands apart from its Arab neighbors when it comes to many beliefs and ideologies, so Lebanon’s entrance into the legal cannabis game is still very much a first for that part of the world.

A bit about Lebanon and cannabis policy

Cannabis is illegal in Lebanon to possess or use. There are no personal use laws so even small quantities are considered a criminal offense. Regulation of the system and punishment is done through the Narcotic Drugs and Psychoactive Substances Law 673, which states that any narcotic use without a medical prescription is subject to a prison sentence of three months to three years, along with a fine. Individuals are permitted a certain amount of leniency if not involved in the drug trade, and showing of generally good character.

Sale and supply crimes are illegal. Offenders found guilty of these crimes face heavier sentences than for possession and use, and do not qualify for any sort of leniency. Personal cultivation is also illegal, with no individual-use amount applicable. Cannabis seeds are not legal in Lebanon and cannot be bought, sold, or possessed.

When it comes to CBD, Lebanon makes no differentiation between the cannabis plant, and the individual parts, like cannabinoids CBD or THC. This makes CBD just as illegal as a standard marijuana plant, regardless of the lower THC content. For this reason, it is illegal to sell or use the oil in Lebanon, although the country’s recent medical legalization could certainly change how CBD is used there.

If conservative states like South Dakota and Mississippi are relaxing their marijuana policies, will politically purple North Carolina be far behind?

Legalization initiatives triumphed in elections across the country this month, and those hoping North Carolina will follow suit have tempered expectations. While they see promise in a notable endorsement from the state, they know marijuana laws don’t change easily in the Tar Heel State.

Last week, the N.C. Task Force for Racial Equity in Criminal Justice recommended decriminalizing possession for up to 1.5 ounces of marijuana.

The task force, created by Gov. Roy Cooper and led by the state’s top law enforcer, Attorney General Josh Stein, cited data showing North Carolinians of color are disproportionately arrested for marijuana possession.

Holding small amounts of weed would still be a civil offense, but charges would no longer appear on criminal records. The task force also suggested studying the effects of legalizing the drug altogether.

The USDA recently approved funding for the National Industrial Hemp Council ($200,000) through the Market Access Program (MAP) of its Foreign Agricultural Service. Namely, the funding is aimed at supporting the hemp export market for the US.

The National Industry Hemp Council (NIHC) is an advocacy group promoting the hemp industry’s development through marketing and networking resources. One of its many goals is to place the US as a key exporter and a major player on the global hemp scene. 

The organization’s Senior VP for Trade and Marketing, Kevin Latner, commented that they were grateful for USDA’s vote of confidence and naming the NIHC the industry leader of the industrial hemp sector.

Latner also added that this recent announcement made it clear that NIHC was a trusted partner of the USDA for hemp food, feed, and fiber, as well as CBD brands looking to expand overseas.

The grant is expected to reinforce hemp marketing activity overseas, which may include paying for marketing efforts, funding trade missions, and other promotional activities.