CCMA Political greenBrief
Friday, February 8, 2019
www.cannabismanufacturers.org
Former House Speaker John Boehner To Be Chair Of The National Cannabis Roundtable, A Cannabis Industry-Funded Lobbying Group. Boehner Says The Roundtable Will Promote Changes To Federal Law That Makes It Easier To Research Cannabis And For Regulated Cannabusinesses To Operate
“The federal prohibition of marijuana is wrong, plain and simple. Too many lives have been wasted, and too many economic opportunities have been missed. It’s time Congress make the changes Oregonians and Americans across the country are demanding.”Sen. Ron Wyden’s (D-OR) On Senate Bill 420 Which Would Remove Cannabis From The Controlled Substance Act
“Cannabis is all around us. There’s illegal shops all around, advertised on Yelp, Weedmaps, operating without a license. It’s the illegal shops that are selling to children, selling untested products. Isn’t it better to have a facility that’s regulated than letting illegal ones pop up?”Teresa Tsai, Developer Of A New Cultivation Center In San Gabriel Valley, On Protests From Locals Over The Facility
EVENT: Malibu Fire Fundraiser On February 15th (Los Angeles – Cannabis Events)
On Friday February 15th, help the CCMA and Future Cannabis Project bring the cannabis community together for a fundraiser to benefit victims of the Woolsey Fire in Malibu. Daytime activities include conference sessions and yoga classes. The evening kicks off with a four course dinner prepared by a team of chefs followed by a party in a beautiful venue in downtown Los Angeles. Tax deductible proceeds will go directly to the Malibu Foundation, a non-profit working to assist in recovery for victims of the Woolsey Fire.
http://malibu.futurecannabisproject.org
TrackLoop Strengthens California Presence Through Multi-Year Distribution Deal In Rapidly Growing Cannabis Market (CA – Track & Trace)
PR Newswire (February 7, 2019) TrackLoop Analytics Corp. announced that it is signing a multi-year distribution agreement, focusing on refrigerated delivery vans for multiple use cases and industries, including Cannabis and Food. The agreement will open a strategic sales channel for the Trackloop in California, enabling it to scale the delivery of logistics and cold chain tracking technology in a key target market. TrackLoop’s real-time supply chain platform monitors temperature-controlled and highly regulated food products (fresh & frozen) in real time, securely and cost effectively, providing an enterprise grade solution to both large and small organizations.
California Voters Think Marijuana Legalization Works Better Than Kamala Harris And Gavin Newsom (CA – Cannabis Politics)
Marijuana Moment (February 6, 2019) Most California voters feel that legalizing marijuana has been “good” for the state. In fact, the state’s legal cannabis system is more popular among voters than Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA), Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) or the state legislature. Separately, the poll also shows widespread support for clearing the criminal records of individuals who’ve been convicted of possessing marijuana. Sixty-four percent said they agreed with that policy, compared to 28 percent who did not.
Marijuana Production Faces ‘War’ From Asian-American Communities In San Gabriel Valley (CA – Cannabis Protests)
Los Angeles Times (February 7, 2019) The men and women collecting petition signatures outside Metro Super Market in Temple City warned of a marijuana takeover and greedy politicians eager to speed it along. They accused Andre Quintero, the mayor of El Monte, of wanting to make the San Gabriel Valley famous as a cannabis hub. But the city’s push into marijuana is facing an extreme backlash from its more well-heeled neighbors in the San Gabriel Valley, who fear cultivation will bring crime and blight. Some experts say it’s no surprise that opposition to marijuana businesses is coming from Chinese Americans.
https://www.latimes.com/local/california/la-me-marijuana-development-el-monte-20190207-story.html
Big Drop In Cannabis Permit Applications Leads To Lower Sonoma County Tax Projections (CA – Tax Revenue)
North Bay Business Journal (February 7, 2019) Sonoma County officials expect a dip in cannabis tax revenue in the coming fiscal year, down from $3.5 million in fiscal 2017-2018. That was due to many cannabis businesses in the unincorporated areas failing to meet the requirements of the penalty-relief program, under which the county allowed cannabis businesses operating before it was legalized statewide to apply for permits. Nine cannabis businesses opened in Santa Rosa over the past three years, contributing about $930,000 in tax revenues from the city’s marijuana industry, the Press Democrat previously reported.
World’s First Cannabis Beer Launches Across California (USA – Cannabis Products)
The Daily Meal (February 7, 2019) The world’s first-ever cannabis-infused non-alcoholic beer is expanding from Nevada to California. “Cannabier” — made by Two Roots Brewing — will soon be offered in both THC-infused and full-spectrum CBD-infused varieties and will be available for purchase at select dispensaries in markets including San Diego, Los Angeles and San Francisco.
https://www.thedailymeal.com/drink/worlds-first-cannabis-beer/020719
Senator Files ‘420’ Marijuana Bill To Legalize It Federally (USA – Cannabis Legislation)
Forbes (February 8, 2019) Sen. Ron Wyden’s (D-OR) proposal, S.420, would deschedule marijuana by removing it from the Controlled Substances Act, establish a federal excise tax on legal sales and create a system of permits for businesses to engage in cannabis commerce. Aside from S.420, which would also authorize regulations on packaging and labeling of cannabis products and apply alcohol advertising guidelines to the product, Wyden introduced two separate pieces of marijuana legislation in the Senate this week. One of the bills, S.421, seeks to “reduce the gap between Federal and State marijuana policy.”
John Boehner To Chair New National Cannabis Lobbying Group (USA – Cannabis Politics)
Cincinnati.com (February 8, 2019) Former House Speaker turned cannabis investor John Boehner on Friday announced the launch of an industry-funded lobbying group called The National Cannabis Roundtable. A Republican from West Chester in suburban Cincinnati, Boehner will chair the roundtable. It will represent legalized marijuana businesses in 23 states and the District of Columbia, including New York-based Acreage Holdings.
Here’s Who Will Testify About Marijuana On Capitol Hill Next Week (USA – Cannabis Politics)
Marijuana Moment (February 6, 2019) When members of Congress convene for a hearing on banking services for the marijuana industry next week, they’ll hear testimony from a state treasurer as well as individuals representing financial institutions, a drug policy reform organization and a medical cannabis dispensary. The hearing is the first of the new Congress to address federal cannabis policy. It will cover the challenges that cannabis businesses face in securing accounts and credit lines from banks that are wary of taking on clients with ties to a federally banned substance.
https://www.marijuanamoment.net/heres-who-will-testify-about-marijuana-on-capitol-hill-next-week/
CBD Edibles Are Everywhere Now. They Also Might Be Illegal. (USA – CBD Market)
Vox (February 7, 2019) The incident at Fat Cat Kitchen may be a sign of a broader crackdown on CBD happening in the city. It also suggests a broader uncertainty over the legality of CBD, which is increasingly marketed as a cure for ailments like migraines and anxiety. The Drug Enforcement Administration maintains that CBD is illegal since it’s derived from cannabis, but the Food and Drug Administration approved a CBD prescription drug — the first of its kind to be legally sold in the US — in June, per the New York Times. But the FDA has also said that CBD-infused products can’t be sold as dietary supplements, nor can they be sold in food that crosses state lines.
https://www.vox.com/the-goods/2019/2/7/18215829/cbd-edibles-illegal-new-york-maine-ohio
In The Age Of Corporate Cannabis, How Can The Biggest Players Support Social Justice? (USA – Social Justice)
Civilized (February 7, 2019) There is no question that marijuana, CBD, and hemp are fast becoming a very lucrative industry. State-legal cannabis is already a $9.7 billion industry in the US, and is projected to surpass $30 billion globally by 2021. But how can this newly wealthy and successful cannabis industry-at-large use its power to right the wrongs of the War on Drugs? Decades of prohibition, racially disproportionate over-policing and incarceration have ravaged minority communities around the country — now desperately in need of the kind of reinvestment that a new generation of weed money may be able to offer.
Hawaii Lawmakers Unanimously Approve Marijuana Legalization Bill In Committee (HI – Legalization)
Marijuana Moment (February 7, 2019) A Hawaii Senate committee approved a bill on Thursday to legalize marijuana for adults 21 older in the state. Last week, the Committee on the Judiciary held a hearing and listened to spirited testimony from advocates and opponents of cannabis reform. When the committee reconvened for its latest meeting, they voted unanimously to advance the legislation forward. If legalization is enacted, however, retail sales would begin in February 2021 at the earliest.
The Cannabis Market Continues Its Expansion Around The Globe (World – Cannabis Market)
PR Newswire (February 7, 2019) In the U.S., states are given the right to dictate whether cannabis can be legal for medical or recreational use, or even both. However, cannabis still remains a Schedule 1 drug according to federal law. The U.S. may represent a strong growth opportunity for cannabis-based companies, but many are building operations in Latin America. Countries like Colombia, Argentina, Uruguay, Peru are among the several countries where companies have already, or are beginning to, establish operations.
