CCMA Political greenBrief
Wednesday, December 12, 2018
www.cannabismanufacturers.org
On Tuesday The Senate Approved The 2018 Farm Bill, Which Will Allow The Hemp Industry To Grow In The U.S.; It Next Travels To The House For Approval
“Now American-grown hemp can be found in your food, in your clothes and even in your car dashboard. The results mean jobs, economic growth and new opportunity. Hemp legalization is a victory for farmers and consumers throughout our country.”
Senate Majority Mitch McConnell (R-KY) On The 2018 Farm Bill
“The Farming Act provides much-needed certainty, so hemp farmers and hemp businesses can provide the goods people want. Hemp is a positive contributor to the U.S. economy and culture. Hemp is a clean agricultural product and has great potential to enhance our collective wellness and global environment.”
Gabriel Ettenson, President Of Elixinol, On The Passage Of The 2018 Farm Bill
The Senate Just Passed A $867 Billion Farm bill. Here’s What’s In It. (USA – Hemp Legislation)
The Washington Post (December 11, 2018) The Senate on Tuesday voted overwhelmingly to approve an $867 billion farm bill, as Congress appeared poised to pass legislation that will help an agriculture industry battered by President Trump’s trade war. In an 87-to-13 vote, the Senate approved legislation that allocates billions of dollars in subsidies to American farmers, legalizes hemp, bolsters farmers markets and rejects stricter limits on food stamps pushed by House Republicans. President Trump expressed support for the legislation on Tuesday and said he expects it will be signed into law.
Lawmakers From Both Parties Celebrate Hemp Legalization In The Farm Bill (USA – Hemp Industry)
Marijuana Moment (December 11, 2018) Members of Congress on both sides of the aisle are celebrating a hemp legalization provision that made it into the final version of the 2018 Farm Bill. Perhaps no one is more pleased than Senate Majority Mitch McConnell (R-KY), who fought for the provision over months of debate on the wide-ranging agriculture legislation. He even signed the conference report finalizing the bill language with a hemp pen on Monday. In opening remarks from the Senate floor on Tuesday, McConnell said the inclusion of hemp legalization is “a victory for farmers and consumers throughout our country.”
Farm Bill Passes, And These Hemp Companies Will Be Big Winners (USA – Hemp Industry)
The Street (December 12, 2018) The 2018 Farm Bill was passed by the Senate on Tuesday by a vote of 87-13. The next move is that the legislation heads to the House for a vote — and then if it passes there, it goes to President Trump to be signed into law. It is expected to face no significant challenges. The impact of this legislation on the cannabis industry is enormous. Last year, hemp sales in the U.S. reached $820 million, according to the Hemp Business Journal. That’s without hemp being completely legal. These sales have been projected to reach $2.1 billion by 2020 — and that’s not taking into account the passage of the Farm Bill.
Calpers Won’t Invest In Tobacco But Buys Marijuana Stock (CA – Cannabis Investments)
Barrons (December 12, 2018) The California Public Employees’ Retirement System, the biggest pension fund in the U.S., won’t invest in tobacco companies. But apparently it doesn’t have an issue with marijuana producers. The California Public Employees’ Retirement System, the biggest pension fund in the U.S., won’t invest in tobacco companies. But apparently it doesn’t have an issue with marijuana producers. The fund’s third-quarter filing of holdings to the Securities and Exchange Commission shows that it has a small position in Tilray stock.
https://www.barrons.com/articles/calpers-buys-marijuana-stock-tilray-51544551613
MedMen Focus On Expansion Despite California Employee Issues (CA – Cannabusiness)
Grizzle (December 11, 2018) The completion of an acquisition in Emeryville, CA, will help MedMen make strides in expansion in 2019. The closing on a dispensary license in Emeryville means MedMen will have one of the only two adult-use licenses for that area. The company faces its share of trouble as well, however. MedMen is the defendant in a class action suit, filed in L.A. Superior Court on behalf of two former employees of the company’s West Hollywood cannabis dispensary. The lawsuit has the potential to add roughly 100 employees, both current and previous.
https://grizzle.com/medmen-expansion-california-employee/
Sacramento Vegan Baker Sees Opportunity In Marijuana Edibles (CA – Cannabusiness)
KCRA 3 (December 11, 2018) A longtime Sacramento vegan baker is cooking up something new — marijuana edibles. Rey Ortega has been busy lately making marijuana-infused candy and cookies at his new manufacturing facility. He said edibles in the Golden State are so hot right now that he’s expecting to make millions in just his first year in business. His new facility in Sacramento is called Ms. Greenfields Edibles.
https://www.kcra.com/article/ms-greenfields-pot-edibles-sacramento-vegan/25471136
Sonoma County Restricts Cannabis Operations Near Bike, Pedestrian Trails Amid Opposition (CA – Local Ordinances)
The Press Democrat (December 11, 2018) The Sonoma County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday approved a setback requirement governing cannabis operations near county bike and pedestrian trails, further limiting areas where marijuana can be cultivated. The move came before an overflow crowd amid opposition from a proposed west county cannabis business and advocates who say it creates additional confusion and excessive regulation for marijuana proprietors.
https://www.pressdemocrat.com/news/9059126-181/sonoma-county-restricts-cannabis-operations
Marijuana Delivery Closer To Statewide Legalization, Santa Clarita Ordinance Still In Effect (CA – Local Ordinances)
KHTS (December 10, 2018) The Bureau of Cannabis Control (BCC) announced Friday that the organization is moving forward with regulations after a series of public hearings and hundreds of public comments. The proposal could impact a Santa Clarita ordinance, which prohibits the delivery of marijuana within city limits. After California voters passed Proposition 64 — which legalized cannabis in the state — the Santa Clarita City Council passed an ordinance to prohibit the sale, cultivation, manufacturing, testing and delivery of cannabis or products containing the substance within city limits.
Cannabis Summit To Offer Local History, Illicit Market Enforcement Panels (CA – Cannabis Events)
Monterey Herald (December 10, 2018) Cannabis’ past, present and future in Monterey County from Big Sur “Holy Weed” to NASA zero gravity horticulture practices will be covered by a number of local and statewide industry experts at this week’s Monterey Cannabis Summit hosted by the Monterey County Cannabis Industry Association. The two-day summit, which runs Thursday and Friday at the Portola Hotel and Spa, will also include a farm and dispensary tour, and an evening reception with former U.S. Rep. Sam Farr, who sponsored legislation aimed at prohibiting the use of Department of Justice funding to interfere with implementation of state medical cannabis laws.
Cannabis Cultivation Rules Back On Agenda (CA – Local Ordinances)
Trinity Journal (December 12, 2018) There are significant changes proposed to Trinity County’s zoning ordinance adopted in October 2017 allowing for commercial cultivation of cannabis, and the Trinity County Planning Commission is set to take up the discussion for a second time Thursday night, Dec. 13, during its regular meeting at 7 p.m. at the Trinity County library in Weaverville.
http://www.trinityjournal.com/news/local/article_a866d944-fda9-11e8-9dc3-0305aed31fbe.html
Cannabis Sector Mostly Lower As Investors Shrug Off Senate Vote To Legalize Commercial Hemp (USA – Cannabis Investments)
MarketWatch (December 12, 2018) Cannabis stocks were mostly lower on Wednesday, as the news that the Senate has approved a new U.S. Farm Bill that legalizes commercial hemp failed to ignite a rally. The bill is expected to head to the House for a vote by next week and would remove hemp from the classification that has made it illegal at the federal level. The U.S. cannabis market is estimated to be about 10 times bigger than the Canadian market, which is enjoying first-mover advantage since fully legalizing the substance in October.
Cannabis May Qualify For Study Grants As ‘Natural Product’ (USA – Cannabis Research)
Marijuana.com (December 10, 2018) Federally funded research into marijuana seems to be escalating, with one government agency recently posting a roundup of current “cannabinoid-related funding opportunities” for studies investigating the plant’s therapeutic potential. The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) on Dec. 8, 2018, shared a list of four research grant opportunities for studies on “natural products” such as cannabis. One would examine how cannabinoids other than THC affect pain and three others call for more broad clinical trials of natural products involving human participants.
https://www.marijuana.com/news/2018/12/cannabis-may-qualify-for-study-grants-as-natural-product/
Chicago Mayor Wants Legal Marijuana Revenue To Fund Pensions (IL – Cannabis Taxes)
Forbes (December 12, 2018) Tax revenue from legal marijuana sales should be earmarked to fund pension programs, the mayor of Chicago said on Wednesday. Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s (D) thoughts on how potential legal cannabis revenue should be spent come roughly a month before Gov.-elect J.B. Pritzker (D), who campaigned on ending marijuana prohibition, is set to take office. He has pledged to get to work on legalization “right away.”
Michigan Bill Would Remove Background Checks For Some Cannabis Investors (MI – Cannabis Legislation)
Ganjapreneur (December 12, 2018) The Michigan House of Representatives passed a bill on Tuesday that would remove some background check requirements for people who own 5 percent or less of a business seeking a cannabis license. Michigan’s current regulations require persons owning any stake at all in a potential cannabis business to undergo a background and credit check. This created a high barrier to entry for anyone who has ever been convicted of cannabis possession, among other charges.
https://www.ganjapreneur.com/michigan-aims-to-reduce-background-checks-for-cannabis-investors/
Former Detroit Lions Star Denied Entry Into Michigan’s Medical Marijuana Industry (MI – Cannabis Industry)
Civilized (December 10, 2018) Many NFL players are promoting the use of medical marijuana to help deal with injuries sustained during their careers, and as a result they’re also looking to start businesses in the cannabis industry. But apparently their celebrity status will not help them in Michigan. Former Detroit Lions football players Calvin Johnson and Rob Sims had their request to begin growing medical marijuana in Michigan denied on Friday. Johnson and Sims were two of the partners behind CRJJA Ventures, a company applying for four licenses in Michigan.
