3.5.2018 @5oh3_kush from Fireside Dispensary

https://www.forbes.com/sites/karlkaufman/2018/02/28/a-canadian-marijuana-company-is-now-trading-on-the-nasdaq/#657416997558NEWS
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• For the past four years, the Messenger has hosted the Best Of Awards in the region. This year’s issue hits stands on March 29. You can Vote now for your favorite restaurants, beers, weed and peeps. Don't forget, if you are interested in supporting your favorite cannabis dispensary, local product, or budtender . . . you can vote now by going to www.roguevalleymessenger.com (or by clicking here). Voting is open until Tuesday, March 20.
• MedMen Is America’s First $1 Billion Marijuana ‘Unicorn’ Chain stores have arrived in the legal marijuana industry — and it could be a billion-dollar idea. MedMen, a cannabis retail company that operates 11 marijuana dispensaries across California, New York, and Nevada, has sold a minority stake of the company to a Canadian investment firm at a $1 billion valuation, making it the first US cannabis startup to achieve elusive “unicorn” status. On February 14, MedMen closed a $41 million round of funding, according to Daniel Yi, vice president of corporate communications at MedMen. The Toronto-based firm Captor Capital led the round, buying 2.5% of MedMen for $25 million, in its first marijuana-related investment. MedMen previously raised $135 million between two private equity funds. Founded in 2011, MedMen set out with a goal of mainstreaming marijuana in America. Customers shop for marijuana edibles, vaporizers, and flower (the green stuff you smoke) around sleek wooden tables lined with iPads. Sunlight streams through the floor-to-ceiling windows.
• Young adult cannabis-consuming drivers in California beware: Sen. Jerry Hill introduced a bill on Feb. 16 that would implement a zero tolerance policy on drivers under the age of 21 who drive under the influence of cannabis. Senate Bill 1273 would apply to Californians under the age of 21 who are pulled over by authorities on suspicion of driving under the influence of cannabis and tests positive for THC in an oral swab saliva or chemical test. The bill creates seven DUI drug categories including cannabis, depressants, dissociative anesthetics, hallucinogens, inhalants, narcotic analgesics and stimulants—although its main objective would be focused on drivers who consume cannabis. “This bill will save lives by making it illegal for drivers under age 21 to drive under the influence of marijuana, just like current law for alcohol,” said Sen. Hill. The law would be modeled after similar alcohol laws. Current law prohibits anyone under the age of 21 from having any amount of alcohol in their system. If young drivers test at 0.01 or higher for alcohol on a breathalyzer test, their license is suspended by the DMV for at least one year.
• The Girl Scouts of Colorado have decided that selling cookies outside of cannabis dispensaries is just as allowable as peddling them in shopping centers or outside of grocery stores.According to The Denver Post, the Girl Scouts of Colorado just updated its 2018 policy so that “adult-oriented” businesses like dispensaries and bars will be treated just like any other businesses. The sales sites will still need to be approved by the Girl Scouts, but adult-oriented businesses will receive equal consideration. “(Potential cookie sales) sites are now all treated the same, and approval of those sites is contingent on whether they meet our guidelines and safety requirements,” explained Annie Marie Harper to The Denver Post. “Safety is the biggest concern.” This came about because of the recent Girl Scouts controversy with one scout who sold cookies in front of a dispensary in San Diego, California. She turned a profit, but faced some backlash. Her action sparked a discussion about where it was appropriate to sell cookies, and how the munchies market could be tapped into safely. Mashable reminded readers that in 2014, Colorado Girl Scouts officially stated, “If you are wondering, we don’t allow our Girl Scouts to sell cookies in front of marijuana shops or liquor stores/bars.” This represents a significant change in policy for the Colorado Girl Scouts, but not one that is surprising. Girl Scout Cookies is a popular strain of cannabis, and the pairing of delicious cookies and the munchies is almost inevitable, especially in a legal state. Despite some moral outcry, this is sure to be the beginning of a long and happy relationship between cookies and cannabis.
• Forbes — The Silver State’s marijuana industry is still in its infancy, but the cannabis market has raked in more than $30 million in tax revenue for the state so far. Retailers in Nevada have sold more than $195 million in cannabis during the first six months of its adult-use market. Unlike other states (including California, Maine and Massachusetts) that legalized recreational marijuana in 2016, Nevada implemented its program a full six months ahead of the new year. The state charges a 15% tax on wholesale marijuana and a 10% tax on retail sales. That netted the state nearly $3.7 million in tax revenue for July 2017 – its first month of recreational sales. Tax revenue hit a peak of nearly $5.84 million in October 2017.
• Medical cannabis is legal in 29 states, but NBA players who live and play in states with legalized cannabis aren’t allowed to consume. Executive Director of the National Basketball Association (NBA), Michele Roberts, believes that there are “substantial signs that support its efficacy and the value that it has for us, especially pain management.” Current NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said that if the science behind medical cannabis checks out, the league would be open to legalizing cannabis. Under the NBA’s current rules, cannabis consumption is banned along with other drugs like LSD and cocaine, and players can be suspended or put into drug treatment programs if they test positive. Many current and former NBA players have come out in favor of the NBA looking into medical cannabis. Minnesota Timberwolves star Karl-Anthony Towns and former NBA Commissioner David Stern have supported the idea of the league taking a closer look at the medical benefits to cannabis. Former NBA player Al Harrington has been an outspoken supporter of the medicinal benefits of cannabis, and he also owns Viola Extracts, a vaporizer and extract company, and Harrington Wellness, a product line focusing on CBD and recovery. While Roberts is optimistic that public policies and league rules will eventually change, she is also worried that if the NBA did get on board with the legal consumption of cannabis, Attorney General Jeff Sessions could crack down on the players for doing something that is legal in more than half the country. Sessions rescinded an Obama-era rule that offered protection to individuals and businesses in states with legal cannabis. “If we do go down that road, we have to protect our players from—my words—a crazed attorney general who says he will prosecute violations of the law involving marijuana and he doesn’t care what individual states say,” Roberts added.
• As the acceptance of cannabis continues to grow in the U.S., the age-old stigma against hemp is starting to fade away as well. Although the state of Missouri is not very far along with legalizing smoke-able cannabis, it could be the next state to legalize hemp. According to U.S. News, Missouri’s House of Representatives recently gave initial approval to a bill that would legalize hemp for industrial use. Those who have been supporting this bill argue that it will be good for farmers and businesses, as it would add another legal cash crop. As legalization ramps up, hemp is expected to be a very lucrative business. If the bill passes, cultivators will still need to obtain a permit from the state Department of Agriculture before they can begin to legally plant.
• According to a recent report from the California Growers Association, fewer than one percent of California’s cannabis cultivators  have a legal license to grow. The report details that an estimated 68,150 people are currently growing cannabis in California, and that most of them are doing so illegally. An estimated 80-90 percent of cultivators who did business with medical dispensaries before recreational cannabis legalization began on January 1 are apparently being pushed into the black market. Many of the cultivators who are being left behind now that legalization has taken hold are companies that have been operating just below the law. According to Alex Traverso, chief of communications at the California’s Bureau of Cannabis Control, this has led to over 500 cease-and-desist letters. “Just this past week we went from going to licensed operators to do compliance checks to now sending out cease-and-desist letters to the unlicensed operators that we’re finding advertised on different platforms,” Traverso said. “That’s the first step. We’re getting those letters out, and we will follow up relatively soon on the next step, which is not yet available for me to relay.” According to the California’s Bureau of Cannabis Control, only 1,220 licenses have so far been issued to cannabis retailers, delivery services and distributors, and fewer than 2,700 commercial licenses in general have been issued. Data from the California’s Department of Food and Agriculture indicate similar numbers are being reported on cultivators as well. Of the nearly 50,000 growers it estimates, so far only 1,483 have been issued licenses. California has been pretty transparent in its legalization process, including allowing feedback from the public on rules and policyand working on the creation of a state cannabis bank. However it’s going to take some time for California’s Bureau of Cannabis Control to continue with legal business as usual, and also maintain control over the illegal cultivation sites
• “We’re so pleased to add the talents and leadership of Brian Rucker, who has been a prominent executive in the business of live music for years, to our team as we aggressively expand our live music and lifestyle initiatives,” said Adam Levin, CEO of High Times Media.  “He brings the right background, experience and smarts for the job. Together, we’re committed to creating memorable, unique gatherings in exquisite settings that celebrate the Legal Cannabis lifestyle while connecting fans, creative talent and companies in exciting ways.” High Times Media, the premier brand in the burgeoning Legal Cannabis industry, has named Brian Rucker as Senior Vice President – Events & Partnerships, to oversee the company’s fast-growing lifestyle and music operations.
• LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — Arkansas took the first step Tuesday toward launching its medical marijuana program, as state regulators named the five businesses they intend to license to grow the drug. The state Medical Marijuana Commission announced the top applications for cultivation facilities, which will grow and provide cannabis for dispensaries to sell under a 2016 voter-approved measure. The panel is expected later this year to license up to 32 dispensaries to sell the drug. The companies have seven days to pay a $100,000 licensing fee and post a $500,000 performance bond in order to receive the licenses.
• ​Entrepreneur — The idea of circumventing federal law and creating a state-held bank in California to serve the marijuana industry moved from words into action this month, but whether it’s viable remains to be seen. That’s the purpose of a new feasibility study launched by state Treasurer John Chiang and state Attorney General Xavier Becerra. Chiang’s department will focus on the financial and operational issues, Becerra’s on the legal. Both have their potential roadblocks. Read More.
• Cannabis strains fought across 2017 for consumer affection, and people inhaling deeply over aromatic jars and examining buds under big magnifing glasses in dispensaries across Colorado, Oregon and Washington chose their faves with their wallets. And as it has been for several years, cannabis lovers in Colorado crowned Blue Dream as their queen, according to cannabis marketing firm BDS Analytics. Pot-swooning consumers in California, too, went especially ga-ga for the sativa-dominant hybrid Blue Dream. And those quirky Oregonians went their own way of course, embracing Gorilla Glue #4 with especial ardor. But they did not forsake Blue Dream — it was their second pick.
• A bill now in the Colorado Legislature would allow dispensary licensees across the state to set up social consumption establishments. The proposal was introduced late Monday, February 26, after rumors had circulated for weeks. Backed by dispensary chain Terrapin Care Station, HB 1258 has bipartisan sponsorship from Democratic representatives Jonathan Singer and Jovan Melton, Democratic Senator Stephen Fenberg and Republican Senator Tim Neville. It attempts to address Colorado’s lingering social cannabis consumption issue by allowing medical and recreational dispensaries to add areas for pot use on their existing properties. To Read The Rest Of This Article On WestWord, Click Here
• Forbes — Voters in the nation's smallest state could have a chance to send a big message about marijuana legalization this fall. Under a new bill filed in the state House of Representatives on Wednesday, Rhode Islanders would be able to decide on a ballot measure calling for the end of cannabis prohibition. "Do you support the legalization of possession and use of marijuana by persons who are at least 21 years of age, subject to regulation and taxation that is similar to the regulation and taxation of tobacco and alcohol?" the proposed question reads.
  
• Illinois voters would be able to say whether they support legalizing recreational marijuana under a proposal lawmakers have approved. Senators voted 37-13 Thursday to put a non-binding question on the November ballot. Chicago Democratic Sen. Bill Cunningham is the sponsor. He says the referendum question will act as a statewide opinion poll. Sen. Heather Steans and Rep. Kelly Cassidy introduced legislation to legalize recreational marijuana last year. The Chicago Democrats previously said they do not expect the measure to be debated this session. The proposal now goes to the House for vote. To make it to the ballot, it needs Gov. Bruce Rauner’s signature. The governor calls the effort misguided and legalization a mistake.
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BIG STORIES:

International
A Canadian Marijuana Company is Now Trading on Nasdaq

National
Trump Administration Weighs in On Industrial Hemp
Hemp History Week Details Released

Regional
99% of California Cannabis Growers Are Still Unlicensed

State
Why Baker County Is Oregon's Cannabis Sales Hotspot

Local
Marijuana Industry Grows by 913% in 4 Years!
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EdUcAtIoN sTaTiOn
Cannabis & Sports With Orthopaedic Surgeon Dr. Charles Bush-Joseph of the Chicago White Sox