Join the CCMA and the Manufactured Cannabis Safety Branch of the California DPH for a panel discussion on packaging and manufacturing requirements. June 19th from 6-9pm in Santa Monica. This is an opportunity for brands and manufacturers to hear how and why the requirements were developed, ask questions about the requirements and, most importantly, provide feedback to help influence packaging and manufacturing requirements going forward. Regulations are not set in stone. This is your chance to interact with the agency that determines the regulations. Event details below.

Cannabis Business Times (June 18, 2018) California cannabis cultivators and dispensaries likely have their eyes on the calendar as it inches toward July 1, the date when all cannabis products sold in the state must be lab-tested according to additional state regulations.When the legal adult-use market launched on Jan. 1, any product cultivated or produced after that date had to be tested according to a certain set of rules, but the state provided a grace period that allowed dispensaries to sell untested product as long as it bore a “Not Tested” label.

Cannabis Now (June 18, 2018) In an outdoor amphitheater at a former Boy Scouts’ camp in the Mendocino County redwoods, Lori Ajax, chief of California’s Bureau of Cannabis Control, is addressing a crowd of business leaders from all aspects of the California cannabis supply chain. In the audience, many people are openly enjoying cannabis as they listen closely to the responses she provides to the moderator and event organizer, Meadow co-founder and CEO David Hua.

PR Newswire (June 19, 2018)  The cannabis market could triple in size in the next four years, according to Arcview Market Research and BDS Analytics new report, ‘The State of Legal Marijuana Markets’. In fact, by 2022, the global cannabis market could be worth as much as $32 billion, a three-fold increase in just five years with the U.S. expected to fuel much of that growth with an expected market value of $23.3 billion. Much of the current growth we’re seeing comes from California’s cannabis market, which is expected to exceed $5.1 billion market value in the next year after legalizing its recreational use on January 1, 2018.

420 Intel (June 19, 2018) LA’s cannabis market is one of the most competitive in the nation, and its relationship with the city government has at times been strained. But with the launch of California’s state-regulated market, City Councilman Herb Wesson sees an opportunity for the city to lead by example. While he’s hardly a cannabis evangelist, Wesson recognizes the various benefits legalization can bring to a community, from jobs to tax revenue to increased personal freedom.

U.S. News (June 18, 2018) Former Mexico President Vicente Fox, who calls himself a soldier in the global campaign to legalize marijuana, is joining the board of directors of venerable cannabis publication High Times to advance his agenda. Speaking with The Associated Press about his views on cannabis and his new appointment, Fox said he foresees a day when a robust legal marketplace will produce new jobs and medicines while sharply reducing cartel violence in his home country.

Civilized (June 19, 2018) There are many arguments for the prohibition of cannabis, but do any of them hold water? To find out, Kurzgesagt’s latest video takes a look at 3 of the strongest arguments for keeping cannabis illegal. THC (the psychoactive compound found in marijuana) consumption has been linked to the development of psychosis. But this is largely confined to people who would be at risk of developing things like schizophrenia anyway.

High Times (June 19, 2018)  A cannabis company in Oregon has teamed up with a dispensary to help kids taken from undocumented parents. Leif Goods will donate $1 for each of its chocolate bars sold at Farma during the next week. In the last six weeks, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has separated nearly 2,000 migrant children from their parents.

L.A. Times (June 18, 2018) The legalization of recreational marijuana use in California has set off an advertising boom on billboards across the state. The gigantic ads try to persuade us — and our offspring — that we can easily get “chill vibes,” say “goodbye stress” or “get rid of pesky hangovers.” The proposed cure-all, of course, is marijuana.

Huffington Post (June 19, 2018) Buds, oils, tea, brownies, cookies, gummies, lollipops ― today, you can get THC in just about any form. What a time to be alive. Marijuana is legal in some capacity in 29 states and Washington, D.C. As long as you adhere to local laws, you don’t have to worry about the cops harshing your buzz. That is, unless you’re headed to the airport. The rules surrounding domestic air travel and marijuana possession can seem confusing and contradictory.

Smallcap Power (June 18, 2018)  Investing in Canadian marijuana stocks a year ago would have been a dream for most investors. After a significant run up, and with high expectation, most of the industry is trading at lofty multiples. However, a much larger cannabis opportunity in the U.S. is being overshadowed. Nine states in the U.S. have legal recreational cannabis and 30 states permit medical cannabis.

Ganjaprenuer (June 18, 2018) Washington state is updating its cannabis packaging and labeling rules. The Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board (WSLCB) used information derived from a workgroup of I-502 stakeholders, the Department of Health, and the Washington State Poison Control Center to take a “global” look at cannabis packaging and labeling. They also included consumer surveys in the decision-making process.