CCMA Greenbrief November 3: U.S. Attorney General’s Views on Marijuana Create Uncertainty Over Medical Cannabis… First Commercial Insurer to File Cannabis Business Insurance Is Approved by Insurance Commissioner… Gilroy Bans Commercial Cannabis…

 

Political greenBrief
Friday, November 3, 2017
“The regulation of an industry that has been illegal for more than 100 years is a significant challenge.”
Joe Devlin, Sacramento’s First Chief Of Cannabis Policy Enforcement
 
 “Consumers who visit cannabis businesses, workers who work there, businesses who sell products to or rent property to cannabis businesses, and the investors, owners and operators of cannabis businesses all should have insurance coverage available to help them recover when something goes wrong just as any other legalized business does.”
Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones
Sacramento Council Members Question Expansion Of Pot Sales After Audit Cites Non-Compliance Issues (CA – Cannabis Sales)
The Sacramento Bee (November 2, 2017) Some Sacramento City Council members say they will not allow medical marijuana dispensaries to sell recreational pot until they take care of problems identified in a recent audit. The City Council is expected to discuss how to regulate sales of marijuana for recreational use on Nov. 28, about a month before such commerce becomes legal in California. State voters in November 2016 legalized recreational marijuana for adults, but local governments can decide if and how the drug can be sold in their jurisdictions.
http://www.sacbee.com/news/state/california/california-weed/article182207126.html
Legal Or Not, Commercial Weed Will Not Be Coming To Gilroy (CA – Cannabis Industry)
Gilroy Dispatch (November 1, 2017) Unlike what’s going on in neighboring Hollister, the green dreams of pot entrepreneurs in Gilroy are drying up. The city has already legislated against medical marijuana dispensaries and will take action in the next few weeks to ban recreational growing and sales of cannabis.
http://www.gilroydispatch.com/news/legal-or-not-commercial-weed-will-not-be-coming-to/article_d9f684e2-bf5b-11e7-9ea2-f783c0ca2880.html
Approved Medical Marijuana Dispensary At Wardlow Rd. And Norwalk Blvd. (CA – Medical Cannabis)
Orange County Breeze (November 2, 2017) According to the currently posted map of medical marijuana dispensary locations in Long Beach, a medical marijuana dispensary location on the northwest corner of Wardlow Rd. and Norwalk Blvd. is “pending.” This is the site of Dutch Auto Detail Services and backs up onto the residential district of El Dorado Park Estates. It is directly across Norwalk Blvd. from Huff’s restaurant and its shopping center, including Twice Baked gluten-free bakery and Benley Vietnamese Kitchen.
http://www.oc-breeze.com/2017/11/02/111955_approved-medical-marijuana-dispensary-at-wardlow-rd-and-norwalk-blvd/
Filling Approved For First Admitted Insurer In California To Sell Cannabis Insurance (CA – Cannabis Insurance)
Insurance Journal (November 2, 2017) The California insurance commissioner has approved the first filing by an admitted commercial insurance company to sell cannabis business insurance. Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones on Thursday announced the approved filing from Golden Bear Insurance Co.
https://www.insurancejournal.com/news/west/2017/11/02/470292.htm
Orrick Partner McGregor Scott Gets Second Nod For US Attorney Post (CA – Cannabis Insurance)
Law (November 1, 2017) McGregor Scott, an Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe white-collar partner in Sacramento, will be President Donald Trump’s pick to lead the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California, a post he earlier held in the George W. Bush administration. Scott served for six years as the top federal prosecutor for the 34-county district, an area that stretches from the Oregon border to Bakersfield. He joined Orrick’s Sacramento office in 2009, where he focuses on white-collar criminal defense and corporate investigations.
https://www.law.com/sites/therecorder/2017/11/01/orrick-partner-mcgregor-scott-gets-second-nod-for-u-s-attorney-post/?slreturn=20171002224434
California Mayor Curses Out Marijuana Advocate (CA – Cannabis Industry)
High Times (November 1, 2017) The state of California is set to legalize the sale of recreational cannabis in January, so naturally, there are plenty of questions regarding regulation, distribution and overall consumption of the plant. Unsurprisingly, there is an existing demographic of California citizens who aren’t quite sold on the move, despite its measured success in other West Coast states like Colorado, Nevada and Washington.
https://hightimes.com/news/california-mayor-curses-marijuana-advocate/
High Hampton Announces Appointment Of Additional Strategic Advisors (CA – Cannabis Industry)
Business Insider (November 1, 2017) High Hampton Holdings Corp. is pleased to announce that it has engaged Steve Selleck and Dove Byrne as strategic advisors to the Company. Mr. Selleck has garnered over 25 years of hands-on experience in the construction and disaster recovery industry. He is the Co-Founder and Managing Director of Strategic Response Partners which has successfully grown into one of the United States’ preeminent and largest disaster management firms.
http://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/High-Hampton-Announces-Appointment-of-Additional-Strategic-Advisors-1006560368
Doctors Approved To Certify Patients For Medical Marijuana (CA – Medical Cannabis)
WNEP (November 1, 2017) More than 100 doctors have been approved as practitioners who are able to certify patients for medical marijuana. State health officials call it a huge development. “We will get medical marijuana to patients within the next six months. We are one step closer, one step closer,” said Pennsylvania’s Physician General Dr. Rachel Levine.
Doctors Approved to Certify Patients for Medical Marijuana

Black Market Cannabis: How Hard Should Officers Crack Down? (CA – Cannabis Market)
Good Times (November 1, 2017) When Southern California Congressmember Ted Lieu (D-Torrance) introduced an amendment earlier this year to slash funds to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) devoted to cannabis eradication, he had Colorado in mind more than California. Lieu, a frequent and outspoken critic of President Donald Trump, offered his budget amendment to address “a pretty idiotic scenario” in Colorado, says Lieu’s chief of staff, Marc Cevasco.
http://goodtimes.sc/santa-cruz-news/black-market-cannabis-hard-officers-crack/

American Diversified Holdings Corporation Announces New Business Initiative In Cannabis Delivery Systems; Attendance At MJBizCon Expo In Las Vegas On November 15-17, 2017 (CA – Cannabis Industry)
Globe Newswire (November 1, 2017) American Diversified Holdings Corporation announces a new business initiative with Hemp Plus and Cannabis delivery systems. Attendance at the MJBizCon Expo in Las Vegas, Nevada will be instrumental in developing existing relationships for its premier launch of new delivery systems that offer portability and innovation for the Cannabis market.
https://globenewswire.com/news-release/2017/11/01/1172119/0/en/American-Diversified-Holdings-Corporation-announces-new-business-initiative-in-Cannabis-Delivery-Systems-attendance-at-MJBizCon-Expo-in-Las-Vegas-on-November-15-17-2017.html
Survey Says Veterans Strongly Back Legalizing Medical Marijuana (USA – Medical Cannabis)
The Washington Post (November 2, 2017) Veterans tend to be an older, more conservative group, but that doesn’t stop them from advocating for a radical change in direction from the nation’s outdated policies on marijuana.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/powerpost/wp/2017/11/02/survey-says-veterans-strongly-back-legalizing-medical-marijuana/
Jeff Sessions Hates Weed But Cannabis Lawyers Are Ready To Fight Back (DC – Cannabis Legalization)
Merry Jane (November 2, 2017) According to two top cannabis law firms, U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions’ threats to crack down on America’s legal cannabis industries could be mere bloviation. The cannabis industry is playing a waiting game for the time being, but they may be able to relax, at least for now.
https://merryjane.com/news/jeff-sessions-hates-weed-but-cannabis-lawyers-ready-to-fight-back
FDA Sends Warning Letter To 4 CBD Companies Over Anti-Cancer Claims (DC – Medical Cannabis)
Ganjapreneur (November 2, 2017) The Food and Drug Administration has sent a warning letter to four CBD companies demanding that they stop making claims that their products “prevent, diagnose or cure cancer” without evidence to back their claims. Stanley Brothers Social Enterprises, the makers of Charlotte’s Web, are among the four companies to receive the letters, along with Greenroads Health, Natural Alchemist, and That’s Natural! Marketing and Consulting.
https://www.ganjapreneur.com/fda-sends-warning-letter-to-4-cbd-companies-over-anti-cancer-claims/
Michigan Regulators Allowing Dispensaries To Stay Open With No License Impediments (MI – Cannabis Dispensaries)
Ganjapreneur (November 2, 2017) Michigan regulators have decided to allow the state’s medical cannabis dispensaries to continue operating without facing an impediment to receiving an operations license under the new regime. Previously, state Department of Licensing and Regulation officials had warned that businesses continuing to operate without state or municipal approval would not be considered for license approval when the new rules take effect in the state.
https://www.ganjapreneur.com/michigan-regulators-allowing-dispensaries-to-stay-open-with-no-license-impediments/
El Paso County, Texas Approves ‘First Chance’ Cannabis Offender Program (TX – Cannabis Industry)
Ganjapreneur (November 2, 2017) El Paso County, Texas commissioners have unanimously approved a measure that allows first-time cannabis offenders to avoid jail time or criminal charges, opting instead for eight hours community service and a $100 fine, KFOX14 reports. The new rules will apply to individuals caught with 4 ounces of cannabis or less.
https://www.ganjapreneur.com/el-paso-county-texas-approves-first-chance-cannabis-offender-program/
New Jersey Court Ruling Forces State To Reconsider Cannabis Schedule Classification (NJ – Cannabis Classification)
Ganjapreneur (November 2, 2017) A decision by the New Jersey Superior Court of Appeals will force the state administration to reconsider cannabis’ Schedule I designation under state statutes. The case was brought by a convicted cannabis trafficker who sought to have the Director of the Division of Consumer Affairs reschedule cannabis from Schedule I to Schedule IV, arguing that because the legislature has determined cannabis has medicinal value via the New Jersey Compassionate Use Medical Marijuana Act, it should be rescheduled accordingly.
https://www.ganjapreneur.com/new-jersey-court-ruling-forces-state-reconsider-cannabis-schedule-classification/