EP 52 (8.12.2018) Cannabiz Convention, SALEM

On Episode 52, I'll be interviewing the Cannabiz Convention in Salem, Oregon THIS WEEK August 17th & 18th!
From their website:
"WHAT SHOULD YOU EXPECT?
BUSINESS TO BUSINESS • PUBLIC EDUCATION • LIFESTYLE
The Cannabiz Convention has something for everyone. Education for the public and professional, networking for the business owner and people looking to get started in the industry and culture for the user living the lifestyle."


NEWS (August 6 - August 13)

Quick Rips

• A new study suggests that cannabis consumers are reliable eyewitnesses to crimes Read More...
• L.A. Begins Licensing Cannabis Growers After Long Delay. "We've been hanging on by the skin of our teeth," said retailer and cultivator Donnie Anderson.
• Ohio Awards First Round of Medical Marijuana Processor Licenses. Seven provisional processor licenses were awarded Aug. 3, while six more applicants may be eligible for licenses upon the completion of tax and background check.
• Could Oregon’s Cannabis Oversupply Hurt California’s Legal Market?. Prices have plummeted in both states about 50 percent since 2015. Read More
• Oklahoma Governor Signs Revised Medical Marijuana Guidelines. The new rules amend or revoke the previous guidelines. Read More
• Oklahoma's Medical Marijuana Industry Will Be Cash-Only. Oklahoma’s adoption of medical marijuana will be green in more ways than one: Retail dispensaries, processors, growing operations and tax agencies will have to work within a cash-only industry. With marijuana still illegal at the federal level, businesses involved in medical marijuana won’t have easy access to the federal banking system to move money around. Customers will have to pay in cash at dispensaries and can’t write checks. Employees won’t be able to use direct deposit, instead getting paid in cash. Monthly excise tax remittances will have to be taken in cash to the Oklahoma Tax Commission’s offices in Oklahoma City. Read More
• Group Submits Signatures For Oklahoma Recreational Marijuana.  The pro-marijuana group Green the Vote submitted the signatures. Read More
• Florida Ruling Rejects Limits On Medical Marijuana Businesses. The ruling could have a revolutionary impact if it stands. Read More
• Voters in Missouri will be soon be considering three different medical cannabis initiatives on the state’s November ballot. Read More...
• OHIO IS HAVING TROUBLE FINDING PRODUCERS FOR CANNABIS EDIBLES MARKET. Forbes — It appears Ohio is having some difficulty scrounging up enough reputable cannabis companies to produce a variety of pot products for the state’s medical marijuana program. The Ohio Department of Commerce recently issued its first round of processor licenses, approving only 7 out of 104 applicants. The state says the majority of the businesses interested in producing marijuana–infused oils and treats did not meet the minimum requirements. So now, it’s back to drawing board. This means there are still several opportunities for stand-up cannabis operations to get in on the ground floor of the Buckeye bud scene. The state is permitted to grant 40 processor licenses during the initial round. The approved processors will be responsible for manufacturing and distributing cannabis-infused brownies, creams, patches and other non smokable forms of the herb to local dispensaries. Reports indicate it is possible that six more applicants could be given the green light if their background and tax checks come back clean. Some of the failed applicants will also be given another chance to re-apply. READ FULL STORY
• Cannabis Committee Proposes Guide for Quality Management Systems. From West CONSHOHOCKEN, Pa., August 7, 2018 – ASTM International’s cannabis committee (D37) is developing a guide for quality management systems (QMS) that provide a framework for organizations dealing with cannabis consumer products. The standard (WK61355) provides a guideline to show an organization’s ability to provide cannabis-related products or services that meet consumer safety standards along with local and state regulatory requirements. Read More
• Florida Seeks to Uphold Ban on Smoking Medical Marijuana. Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi’s office has filed a 57-page brief arguing that an appeals court should uphold a decision by the Legislature to ban smoking of medical cannabis...
• Greenfield, Calif., Marijuana Blaze Was Caused by Cigarette, Fire Chief Says. The fire caused $15 million in damages to Loudpack Farms' greenhouses.
• The Spokesman-Review — Bring up the topic of taxes at any cocktail party or the nearest water cooler, and the discussion eventually seems to turn to why all of our [Washington] state’s problems haven’t been solved, yet, with all that tax money coming in from legal cannabis sales. While it’s true that this new economic sector has brought in big chunks of money — (for fiscal year 2017, $300 million in taxes and license fees was collected)— the bulk of it goes to state agencies such as the Department of Health and Human Services to pay for surveying of youth on marijuana use; the University of Washington for public education materials; the Department of Social and Health Services for substance abuse programs; and Washington State University and UW for certain types of research. Read more
• Michigan approves medical marijuana testing labs. LANSING – The Michigan Medical Marijuana Licensing Board approved licenses for two testing facilities on Thursday, putting the last piece into the puzzle that will unlock the medical pot market in the state. The board approved a total of seven licenses last month, but none of them were for testing facilities, a necessary element for medical pot to make it from growers to processors and dispensaries. Read More
• Michigan Medical Marijuana Shops Won't Get Licenses In Time For State Deadline. Next month some medical marijuana patients in Michigan may be caught in the lurch of regulatory chaos. It's anticipated that many medical marijuana businesses in the state will have to shut their doors Sept. 15, as state officials impose a deadline for businesses to have new licenses issued under the state's program. Read More 
• How Are Georgia’s Medical Marijuana Patients Supposed to Access Cannabis Oil? A study commission has been tasked to expand access to the low-THC oil that patients may legally possess—but that cannot be produced or sold in the state...
• Wolf Says PA Not “Ready” For Recreational Pot. PA Inhales, Disagrees. A whole lot of Pennsylvanians find the governor’s stance half-baked. Read More
• Northern Mariana Islands House of Representatives Approves Bill to Legalize and Regulate Marijuana for Adult and Medical Use; Measure Now Heads to the Senate. The Senate approved a similar proposal in May.
• N.J. Could Vote On Legal Marijuana Bill Next Month, Top Lawmaker Says. A hearing on the bills was scheduled then canceled last month. Read More
• Another Major Beer Company Is Now Part Of The Marijuana Craze. Heineken has officially jumped into the California cannabis market. Read More

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Events:

• California Cannabis Business Conference - Oct. 22nd & 23rd - Aneheim, CA 
• Cannabiz Convention - August 16th-18th, 2018 - Salem, OR 
• The Cannabis Science Conference - August 27th-29th - Portland, OR
• The Infused Product Conference - August 27th & 28th, 2018 - Los Angeles, CA
• Cannabis Expo Show - Oct. 13th & 14th, 2018 - Salinas Valley (King City), CA
• Cannabis Expo Show - Nov. 10th & 11th, 2018 - Contra Costa (Antioch), CA
• Cannabis Collaborative Conference​ - January 23rd & 24th, 2019 - Portland, OR
• The Cannabis Conference - April 1st-3rd, 2019 Westgate Resort - Las Vegas, NV 

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BIG Stories:
Legal:​

• FBI, DEA Raid Illegal Marijuana Grow Operations Across Denver Metro Area. It was not immediately clear whether officers are making drug-related arrest. Read More
• Colorado Secretly Created a Way to Police Medical Marijuana Doctors, a Lawsuit Suppressed for Years Alleges. Nine physicians filed the lawsuit in March 2015 against the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.
• California Company Creates First Marijuana Breathalyzer Test. A California company said it has created the first marijuana breathalyzer test, which has the potential to be used by police to detect whether drivers have used the drug. As more states legalize marijuana for recreational and medical use, law enforcement officials have grown increasingly concerned about individuals driving while high. Until now, police officers in the U.S. did not have any roadside means to determine whether a driver had consumed cannabis. Read More

Politics:​

• CONGRESS CONSIDERS BILL WHICH ALLOWS GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES TO USE CANNABIS. Herb -- A new bill aims to protect employees of the federal government from being fired or otherwise targeted due to cannabis use. This legislation would apply to those who have residency in a state where cannabis has been legalized for adult use. As Marijuana Moment first reported, Congressman Charlie Crist, the bill’s sponsor, has already introduced a similar amendment that would have applied to United States Department of Veterans Affairs employees who use cannabis legally under their state’s law. That amendment was ultimately blocked by Republican House members, which suggests that this current, broader bill may meet a similar fate. Still, the bill is yet another sign of the increasing normalization of cannabis and changing employment standards as they pertain to the drug. READ FULL STORY

Medical/Health:

• If you’re still struggling with bad breath, and you brush, floss and use mouthwash regularly, then cannabis may very well be the next thing to try. Read More...
• Can Wildfires Impact Cannabis Quality and Test Results?. “When you start getting into how [it’s] going to affect product and manufacturing and production, this is the big variable,” Jon Vaught, CEO of Front Range Biosciences, a Colorado-based agricultural biotech company, told Cannabis Business Times. “It depends on where the wind’s blowing, what your situation is, where you’re located. You could be right next to a fire and have no issues at all, or you could be ten miles from it and have your building filled with smoke. It really just depends on the weather.” Smoke can stress or even kill the plants—especially those in outdoor or greenhouse operations—and the residue left behind can pose problems for lab testing and consumer health.
• The drug maker behind the first FDA-approved medication derived from marijuana has revealed how much it'll cost. A marijuana-derived drug that recently became the  first of its kind to win federal approval  is not going to be cheap. Called Epidiolex, the drug is designed to treat two rare forms of childhood epilepsy using a cannabis compound called  cannabidiol (or CBD)  . Analysts expect Epidiolex to cost $2,500 to $5,000 a month, which would be more expensive than some of the medical marijuana products, which cost from about $100 to more than $1,000 per month. However, Epidiolex might be covered by insurance, unlike the other products. Read More

Hemp:

• HEMP RETURNS TO GEORGE WASHINGTON'S MOUNT VERNON. The hemp plant is returning to its original home at Mount Vernon, Virginia where America’s first President George Washington cultivated it for its fiber and general usefulness. It was recently announced that hemp crops planted at Mount Vernon on June 13 are ready for harvest. Read More... 
• Hemp for Victory WWII Propoganda Film (1942) by Department of Agriculture. Office of Public Affairs.
• With a double-digit annual growth rate and products available nation-wide, cannabidiol (CBD) presents the cannabis industry with an opening to mainstream consumers and distribution channels, especially nonpsychoactive CBD derived from hemp. With a broad variety of health claims, CBD products give the industry access to a cross-section of consumers using prescription medications and shopping for supplements, nutraceuticals, analgesics and other OTC solutions. And consumers are taking notice. As Cannabis Business Executive found in their latest research, nearly half (47 percent) of those self-identified as medical cannabis users already check for CBD levels while making a purchase. The opportunity is being met by new CBD-only products at dispensaries, the creation of CBD-focused cannabis brands, and the growth of alternative retail channels. Yet the path forward is not without obstacles. Read More

Financial:

• Trump Tariffs Set To Hit Cannabis Industry. Vaping devices, batteries, filters, and cartridges are all subject to the new tariffs. Read More
• For the first time in months, all cannabis wholesale categories tracked by Cannabis Benchmarks saw an increase last week. With assistance from the good team at Cannabis Benchmarks, we follow the ups and downs in wholesale pricing across the entire market; we'll be watching to see whether last week's slight uptick signals any sort of broader pricing trend. Out west, we've seen supply gluts force prices down dramatically. And in the more tightly regulated markets of the mid-Atlantic and the East Coast, prices have been a bit stickier this year. What have you been noticing in the marketplace lately? Let us know: Send a message to digital editor Eric Sandy at esandy@gie.net and share your thoughts (or concerns!) about recent wholesale price movement. Follow the weekly price index cannabisbenchmarks.com.
• Concentrates Growth Keeps On Truckin'. The most persistenly muscular year-over-year growth (in dollar sales) in the cannabis industry during the past few years has revolved around concentrates. Yes, the entire industry in states like Colorado, Oregon, Washington and California grows every year, and subcategories, like gummies, have experienced jet-fueled growth in many states. But when we examine large categories — flower, edibles, topicals and concentrates — it’s the world of shatter, wax, Live Resin and The Mighty Vape that makes especially impressive gains month after month. Read More
• Wrigley Billionaire Moves From Chewing Gum To Medical Marijuana. He just led a $65 million investment round for Surterra Wellness. Read More
• Denver Marijuana Sales Reach Record High Of $587 million. Sales across the state continue to rise. Read More

Culture:​

• Northern California Cannabis Community Raising Funds as Carr Fire Rages Across Region. Outspoke, a cannabis consulting company, is hosting an ongoing silent auction to raise funds for cannabis growers affected by the wildfires.
• CULTURE spoke with former NBA champion Matt Barnes this weekend about #Smoke4aCure, his career and his reasons for getting into the cannabis industry. #Smoke4aCure is a four-day All-Star Weekend will feature a slew of professional athletes and musical acts spreading awareness about cancer and medical cannabis. Read More...

​International:

• Cannabis Advocates Encouraged by Policy Reform in the UK: Country Profile. The UK will allow doctors to prescribe medicinal cannabis products, but concerns over access abound.

Canada

• A Handful Of Grocery Stores Among First Licensed To Sell Legal Pot In Calgary. Eleven Calgary Co-op locations, including one gas station, received approvals to sell. Read More
• Pot smokers most happy with private retail model in Ontario. Premier Doug Ford and the Ontario Progressive Conservative government have signalled that cannabis will be sold in privately owned stores rather than through the newly created and government-owned Ontario Cannabis Store (OCS), with Ontario following the lead of the four Western provinces and Newfoundland and Labrador in selling cannabis through a private or mixed retail system. ​Read More
• In related news: Cannabis Retail Companies Flock to Ontario in 'Frenzy,' Despite Silence From Province on Licensing Plans. "The level of anticipation that's building up is massive right now."
• What Can the Global Cannabis Industry Expect From Canada’s Extract Market? As the industry continues to evolve and mature, there has been a move away from flower and into consumption in different methods. Vitalis Extraction Technology’s Joel Sherlock shares his insights on the emerging Canadian market and impending adult-use sales. Things to focus on include dose-control and cleanliness of product as well as scale-ability and efficiency as export markets emerge.  

California:​

• California Entrepreneurs See Santa Cruz As Fertile Ground For Cannabis Startups. Investors are starting to take note. Read More
• CHINATOWN, SAN FRANCISCO BANS CANNABIS STORES. San Francisco Board of Supervisors voted 8-3 on July 31 to ban medical dispensaries and recreational cannabis stores in the city’s historic Chinatown district. Read More... 
• California Testing Lab Backlogs Keep Cannabis Products From Reaching Market. California’s testing regulations are overwhelming the state’s licensed laboratories. Read More
• New Report on California Cannabis Consumers Highlights Robust Illicit Market, Regional Differences. Eaze released a data report Aug. 8 that outlines barriers to the legal market, as well as regional differences in purchasing behavior.
• WHAT THE FAQ? HEMP TRADE GROUP CHALLENGES CALIFORNIA’S BAN ON CBD IN EDIBLES. Marijuana.com — When your explanation of your explanation needs explanation, you know things are getting murky. That’s what happened when the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) released a statement of frequently asked questions about how food processors and retailers could use industrially sourced cannabidiol (CBD). The oil derived from the cannabis plant has been hailed as a natural medical miracle by some, but an untested ingestible by others, especially food industry regulators. Read More.
• Here’s What Is Choking California’s Legal Marijuana Industry. “Unlicensed retailers do not have to comply with worker protection laws, test products for pesticides and processing chemicals, or remit taxes,” said a report from the company outlining the findings. “That results in a large pricing benefit.”The findings bring into sharper view some of the difficulties of California cannabis. Read More
• California Compassionate Cannabis Programs Look to Tax Bill to Stay Alive. California’s Prop. 64 law pushed compassion programs into burdensome tax liability. One bill could solve the problem.

​Oregon:

• Lawmakers will continue shoring up marijuana regulations. A report funded by the federal government says Oregon produces more than 2 million pounds of marijuana each year, more than six times what it says can reasonably be consumed. SALEM, OR — In the wake of a new law enforcement report claiming that overproduction of cannabis remains a problem in Oregon, some state lawmakers say they'll continue to work on improving regulation and enforcement of the state's cannabis laws when they convene for a session next year. Read More
• Oregon Lawmakers Urge Congress to Lift Cannabis Ban. The National Conference of State Legislators passed a directive urging Congress to help legal cannabis businesses access banking services.
• Watch Out Oregon Cannabis Businesses: BOLI Gets Serious About Sick Leave. Take notice Oregon retailers, BOLI is getting serious. Read More
• Oregon’s New Cannabis Harvest Notification Rules Target State’s Diversion Problem. Effective Aug. 1, recreational cannabis cultivators must notify the OLCC of all outdoor harvests to prevent diversion into the illicit market.
• Cura Cannabis Solutions – one of the biggest cannabis companies in the United States by revenue – is expanding into the Canadian market through a partnership and supply deal with one of Canada’s top licensed producers, Cronos Group. Read More...
• Pot poisoning cases in dogs on the rise... Marijuana toxicity spiked after pot made legal in Oregon
• Marijuana on the border? November initiative seeks to legalize pot in Ontario. Idaho Statesman - Jul 20, 2018. Citizens in Ontario, Oregon, are collecting signatures for an initiative aimed at allowing the sale and use of recreational marijuana and licensed marijuana businesses to be able to operate legally within city limits...

Southern Oregon:​

• From warrant to arrest: Klamath County enforces illegal marijuana grows. Herald and News-13 hours ago. They are doing so by obtaining a permit through the Oregon Medical Marijuana Program.

MORE:
Fifty Years: How Marijuana Became Re-Legalized In America Part 6, 1992-1996