WeedLife News Network

Hot off the press cannabis, marijuana, cbd and hemp news from around the world on the WeedLife Social Network.

Cannabis Equity Applicants Still Face Barriers

The image has become familiar: presented by floor-to-ceiling shiny windows and a smiling, iPad-holding greeter, dispensaries in California look far more like an Apple Store than the smelly back alleys and strip mall parking lots where we used to buy our weed.

No longer the “devils lettuce,” cannabis is now a feature of “wellness,” and “plant medicine.” If Don Draper were real and working today, he’d certainly be pushing pot.

Pulp Fiction: Hemp Paper vs. Wood-Based Paper

Despite the fact that we’re living in the heyday of digital media, paper consumption is actually on the upswing — in the last 20 years alone, it’s risen 126 percent. About 208 million tons of paper are used worldwide each year and many of these paper products are used once and then thrown away. In the United States, for example, around 1 billion trees worth of paper is thrown out every year.

Oregon’s marijuana businesses face threat from devastating wildfires; 1 in 5 under some evacuation level statewide

Southern Oregon wildfires this week have plowed through small towns, leveled hundreds of homes and businesses and now threatens part of the state’s prized – and lucrative – outdoor cannabis crop.

Statewide, an estimated 20 percent of state-licensed marijuana businesses – roughly 408 – face some level of evacuation, the Oregon Liquor Control Commission said Wednesday. That includes stores, marijuana processors and producers.

Of those, the agency said 73 marijuana producers, most of them outdoor farms, have been ordered to evacuate.

A New DEA Rule Means 'Absolute Confusion' For CBD Businesses

A new U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) interim rule about CBD and hemp manufacturing has sown distress and confusion in the federally legal industry.

Operators say the rule makes it effectively impossible to produce CBD products legally. On his blog, North Carolina cannabis lawyer Rod Kight wrote that the new rule “threatens to destroy” the industry.

Investigation Finds No Bias In Maryland’s Cannabis License Award Process

An investigation into the Maryland Medical Cannabis Commission found “no evidence of bias or undue influence in the 2019 license application review process” and that former Del. Cheryl Glenn did not influence the process, despite her pleading guilty in January to accepting more than $33,000 in bribes.

A report released Thursday and written by the Zuckerman Spaeder LLP law firm said several allegations of bias leveled against the commission, including a claim that its former executive director was related to an applicant, were unfounded.

Social and Racial Equity in the Cannabis Influencer Industry

Both business and culture surrounding legal cannabis have certainly seen a lot of attention over the last few years.

With cannabis rapidly becoming legalized in more U.S. states, we are seeing that culture reach a much broader audience.

But, is that culture representative of Black and racially diverse industry professionals?

Outdoor Vs. Indoor Grown Cannabis: Which To Choose?

Just as some wine aficionados seek wine based on terroir, some cannabis consumers like to explore the subtleties of individual strains. Which type of cannabis works best in this situation?

When recreational cannabis consumers examine the array of flower available at their local dispensary, they’ll notice that cannabis buds may have the same strain name and potency but they look and smell differently. So how do they know which ones to purchase? 

Activists Say Black And Brown Chicagoans Are Being Ignored In Cannabis Dispensary Licensing

The lottery for licenses to run cannabis dispensaries in Illinois is set to happen in the next few weeks.

Gov. JB Pritzker vows there will be social equity as far as who gets those licenses. But several minority leaders call that an empty promise, and say Black and Brown Chicagoans are being ignored.

“It makes no sense that again, in 2020, Governor Pritzker, you have a Black lieutenant governor, you have a Black mayor of Chicago, you have a Black drug czar overseeing the marijuana industry here in Illinois, but you don’t have any Black-owned marijuana dispensaries?” said community activist Tio Hardiman.

What Does This Recent Milestone for Canadian Pot Companies Mean for Investors?

Canada updated its quarterly sales numbers for the nationwide cannabis industry on Sep. 4. During the second quarter, which lasted from April to June, household spending on unlicensed cannabis totaled 785 million Canadian dollars and was down 4.7% from the previous quarter. This number has declined in every period since the recreational market opened in Canada on October 17, 2018. In the legal market, CA$648 million was spent on recreational pot and CA$155 million was spent on medicinal marijuana, combining for a total of CA$803 million.

Florida’s Cannabis Industry Is About To Change In a Big Way

New Laws Mean That The Florida Cannabis Industry Could See Some Large Shifts

Arizona Dispensary Opens Medical Marijuana Drive-Thru Window

South Phoenix medical marijuana dispensary The Mint has opened a drive-thru window as a safety protocol because of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. This is the second dispensary drive-thru to open in the state.

The Mint operates the largest medical marijuana dispensary in Arizona and the third-largest in the nation.

“The CDC is encouraging people to use drive-thru services whenever possible, so this new offering could not come at a better time,” said Eivan Shahara, Co-Founder and CEO of The Mint Dispensary. “As an essential service in Arizona, adding a drive-thru option allows us to better serve patients as we continue to keep safety top-of-mind for everyone.”

New Zealand’s Inaugural Hemp Ideation Challenge

 

New Zealand’s first ever ‘Hemp Ideation Challenge’ will kick off on September 5, an event designed to help drive the country’s hemp industry forward.

The initiative, which runs to the 18th of September, will use a “challenge-driven innovation process” to accelerate development of new hemp products, discover new uses for the plant and identify innovative ways to produce, process and manufacture it.

The Legal Cannabis Industry Is Creating A New Workforce Amidst The Pandemic

Despite being a nascent and still federally illegal operation, most states deemed cannabis companies and ancillary services as essential businesses when COVID-19 hit the U.S. Since that time, consumer demand has sustained – if not grown – and patients have been able to continue getting their medicine. Now, the legal cannabis industry is looking towards the future and “new normal” with expanding, legitimized workforces that have kept the industry alive during a national economic downturn.

3 Best Marijuana Stocks in August: Are They Buys Now?

August was a fantastic month for the broad market indexes. That wasn't the case for the cannabis sector, though. Two of the biggest cannabis-focused exchange-traded funds (ETFs) were down last month.

But there were some notable outliers. The three best-performing marijuana stocks in August delivered sizzling returns of 40% or more during the month. Here are those high-flying stocks -- and whether or not they're smart picks to buy now.

CannaCon: Grow the Industry With Us

CannaCon the seminal cannabis convention is coming back to Oklahoma City Monday, September 28 to Tuesday, September 29 at the Cox Convention Center.

With over 100 exhibitors showcasing some of the best products in the industry including world class genetics, the latest in packaging, and the latest in extraction equipment, you will find everything you need to grow your cannabis business. CannaCon is dedicated to supporting emerging markets, and Oklahoma is home to a quickly growing medical cannabis industry.

Investors Wanted: 10 Tips for Success

The investor landscape in cannabis keeps evolving. Big-name investors with deep pockets fairly recently caught on to the potential of fast-growing cannabis companies, opening up the possibilities for funding expansions or making changes to the business.

At the same time, high valuations dropped toward the end of 2019 and several companies reported layoffs and course corrections to finish out the year.

With valuations being less speculative in nature and larger and perhaps savvier investors becoming more active in this space, how can your company grab and hold their attention?

The 6 Best Digital Advertising Options For Every Type Of Cannabis Brand

Some cannabis marketers look down on digital advertising, preferring the idea of building their brands without having to pay for clicks. Others believe that digital cannabis advertising isn’t even allowed.

Both notions are incorrect. First, brands that use digital advertising will be seen by many more eyeballs than purely organic marketing. Second, many forms of digital cannabis advertising are legally compliant in any state, and in some ways, these ads are actually less restrictive than the traditional advertising methods brands have frequently pursued instead. 

Extraction Service Provider Marijuana Stocks Could Be The Future

What Will These Pot Stocks to Watch Look Like in the Long Term?

The Critical Importance Of Social Equity In The Cannabis Industry

 

What happens when a movement becomes an industry? That’s precisely what’s playing out every day in the commercial regulated cannabis market. It’s important to consider how the cannabis industry has a more profound burden and responsibility to social equity than other industries.  

September Could Bring Good News For These Marijuana Stocks

How Next Months Trading Could Affect These Top Pot Stocks to Watch


WeedLife.com