CCMA Political greenBrief
Tuesday, February 19, 2019
www.cannabismanufacturers.org
At Least Two Thirds Of CA Municipalities Ban Commercial Cannabis Activity. The State Remains A Patchwork Of Regulations And Rules, With Most Local Jurisdictions Choosing To Implement Their Own Regulatory Schemes On Top Of State Rules.
“We believe that this governor is committed to addressing our concerns, and he has a Legislature that is showing their willingness to author bills that will strengthen the regulated market while minimizing the illicit market.”Josh Drayton, Spokesman For The California Cannabis Industry Association, On Gov. Newsom’s Fight Against Illicit Grows
“California must be very careful not to let enforcement become a tool that the haves use to further shut out the have-nots.”Hezekiah Allen, Chairman Of Emerald Grown, On Enforcement Of The Illicit Market In CA
California’s Illicit Market For Pot Is Stifling Legal Sales. Now The Governor Wants To Step Up Enforcement (CA – Illicit Market)
Los Angles Times (February 18, 2019) Before he was elected governor, Gavin Newsom was instrumental in legalizing marijuana for recreational use in California. Now, as he settles into office, he faces the challenge of fixing a system that has been slow to bloom.
Pot Entrepreneurs Are Running Out Of Patience And Money While Waiting On L.A. Permits (CA – Cannabusiness)
Los Angeles Times (February 17, 2019) After California legalized recreational cannabis, Los Angeles leaders had vowed that entrepreneurs such as her — with roots in communities hit hardest by the war on drugs — would get an upper hand in L.A.’s potentially lucrative marijuana market. The slow rollout in a city that could become the biggest market for legal cannabis in the country has frustrated would-be entrepreneurs.
https://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-marijuana-justice-delay-20190217-story.html
Chart: Most California Municipalities Ban Commercial Cannabis Activity (CA – Cannabis Industry)
Marijuana Business Daily (February 18, 2019) Two-thirds of California municipalities prohibit marijuana businesses from setting up shop, underscoring the hurdles MJ entrepreneurs face in trying to break into the world’s largest legal cannabis market. In addition, many of those local jurisdictions are selective about the type of cannabis business they allow, such as testing labs only. Others permit medical marijuana companies but not recreational businesses.
https://mjbizdaily.com/chart-most-of-california-municipalities-ban-commercial-cannabis-activity/
UPS Sues California Cannabis Delivery Companies For Infringing On Trademark (CA – Delivery Services)
Marijuana Business Daily (February 18, 2019) United Parcel Service sued a group of California-based marijuana delivery businesses for federal trademark infringement, deceptive advertising and other claims. The defendants sell cannabis products through the websites upsgreen.com and ups420.com, according to the complaint.
https://mjbizdaily.com/ups-sues-california-cannabis-delivery-companies-for-infringing-on-trademark/
Youth Programs Left Wanting By California Cannabis Law (CA – Tax Revenue)
The GrowthOp (February 14, 2019) When California voters legalized marijuana, they were promised that part of the tax revenue from pot sales and cultivation would be devoted to programs to teach youth how to avoid substance abuse. But more than a year after the start of sales, there’s no money for those programs and questions are looming about how they might operate in the future.
Cal City Mayor Talks Cannabis And Commerce With Local Dems (CA – Cannabusiness)
The Daily Independent (February 19, 2019) California City is planning to have two storefronts to dispense legal medical and commercial cannabis as well as 10 mobile units that can sell the products anywhere in the state of California – while California City collects the taxes. The city is currently accepting applications and the California City Council will make the final determination as to who receives the permits.
What Will Congress Do With Cannabis Banking Following Initial Hearings? (USA – Cannabis Banking)
The GrowthOp (February 19, 2019) Congress is being asked to support a measure that would give banks permission to do business with the cannabis industry. Incidentally, cannabis businesses have been forced to operate mostly in cash, a situation that has presented challenges in paying employees, taxes and just making regular supply purchases the same as any other army of commerce.
Congress Extends State-Legal Medical Cannabis Programs’ Protections Timing (USA – Medicinal Market)
Marijuana Business Daily (February 19, 2019) Key protections for state-legal medical marijuana programs are included in the spending bill passed by the U.S. Congress and signed into law by President Donald Trump last week. The protections, which will remain in effect until Sept. 30, 2019, bar the Department of Justice from using funds to interfere with state-legal medical cannabis programs.
https://mjbizdaily.com/feds-extend-state-legal-medical-cannabis-programs-protections-2019/
Cannabis On Campus: A Deep Dive Inside Higher Education Pot Policy In Legal States (USA – Cannabis Use)
Civilized (February 18, 2019) Despite the growing number of states legalizing cannabis for adult use, many places even within those states remain under the grips of prohibition — those places, namely, are the thousands of colleges and universities around the United States. Even though many undergraduate students are of legal consumption age, it is still against the law to consume cannabis anywhere on campus at a school that receives federal funding
Worldwide Marijuana Conferences Confirm The Business Of Weed Is Officially Legit (World – Cannabusiness)
Forbes (February 15, 2019) Cannabis is rapidly becoming a global financial concern as nations ranging from the U.S. to Canada to Colombia to Israel — to name just a few — are actively discussing how to best partner up and get in on this economic juggernaut. Those imminent marijuana enterprises worldwide will soon create the industry’s global supply chains, lower costs, and potentially lead to scientific research for the plant as medicine.
