CCMA Political greenBrief
Tuesday, January 8, 2019
www.cannabismanufacturers.org
Senator Kamala Harris (D-CA) Calls for Cannabis Legalization in Her New Book, “The Truths We Hold: An American Journey.”
“We need to legalize marijuana and regulate it. And we need to expunge nonviolent marijuana-related offenses from the records of millions of people who have been arrested and incarcerated so they can get on with their lives.”Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA) On Legalization
“Israel is perfectly positioned to enter and disrupt the medical cannabis market that is expected to soar to $33 billion dollars worldwide in the next five years.”Saul Kaye, CEO Of Israeli Medical Cannabis Company iCAN, On Exporting Medicinal Cannabis
EVENT: Malibu Fire Fundraiser On January 18th (Los Angeles – Cannabis Events)
On Friday January 18th, help the CCMA and Future Cannabis Project bring the cannabis community together for a fundraiser to benefit victims of the Woolsey Fire in Malibu. The evening kicks off with a four course dinner by cannabis Chef Holden Jagger followed by a party with music and DJs 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://futurecannabisproject.org/2019/01/malibu-foundation-woolsey-fire-fundraiser/
Select Cannabis Businesses To Get A Second Shot At Retail Permits (CA – Licensing)
SF Examiner (January 7, 2018) San Francisco may bend the rules for a dozen medical marijuana sites after they failed to hit deadlines or meet other requirements to sell recreational cannabis. The Board of Supervisors Land Use and Transportation Committee on Monday approved legislation from the Office of Cannabis that would grandfather in 12 sites and allow them to apply to sell recreational cannabis. Some of the cannabis businesses had missed deadlines to obtain a temporary permit to sell recreational cannabis, while others run afoul of a rule prohibiting operation within 600 feet of one another, according to a Planning Commission report on the proposal.
http://www.sfexaminer.com/select-cannabis-businesses-get-second-shot-retail-permits/
Cannabis Licensing Rolls Into New Phase With New Year (CA – Licensing)
The Lompoc Record (January 8, 2018) The arrival of 2019 brought changes in the California cannabis licensing process, the potential for Santa Barbara County cannabis ordinance amendments, continued efforts to oust illegal operations and vague talk about hemp as a local crop. For the county’s cannabis growers with temporary permits, time is growing short to apply for a county land use permit, the first step on the path to an annual state license. Temporary permits that have been issued and extended will expire March 31. Cannabis growers operating without a state license after that will be doing so illegally.
Marin Lottery Picks 4 Cannabis Licensee Prospects (CA – Licensing)
Marin Independent Journal (January 7, 2018) Marin County conducted a lottery Monday to decide which of six semifinalists will go on to the next round in the labyrinthine process of obtaining a license to deliver medical marijuana in the unincorporated areas of the county. The process is far from over. Before a business can begin delivering medical marijuana, it must secure approval from the county for a site where its office will be located, even though it won’t be allowed to sell medical cannabis from this site.
https://www.marinij.com/2019/01/07/marin-lottery-picks-4-cannabis-licensee-prospects/
There’s A Lot More To Humboldt County Than ‘Murder Mountain’ (CA – Cannabis History)
Leafly (January 7, 2018) No need for a spoiler alert, because I haven’t yet watched Murder Mountain, a new true crime docu-series that promises to peel back the Redwood Curtain, revealing the violence and mayhem that lies at the heart of Humboldt County, California—a.k.a. “Weed Country.” For a brief moment in time, it was an idyllic life. Then came the war on weed, a true military-level operation, complete with armed helicopter raids and relentless, ruthless enforcement. All of which skyrocketed the price of an outdoor pound, while sending a lot of the OG small-time peacenik growers scurrying for cover.
https://www.leafly.com/news/industry/theres-a-lot-more-to-humboldt-county-than-murder-mountain
Kamala Harris Calls For Legalizing Marijuana And Ending War On Drugs In New Book (USA – Cannabis Politics)
Forbes (January 8, 2018) All the cool presidential candidates are doing it. Calling for marijuana legalization, that is. Over the course of the past several years, supporting the legalization of cannabis has become a mainstream consensus position for Democrats, particularly among the party’s likely presidential contenders. But the former California state attorney general also says in the new book, “The Truths We Hold: An American Journey,” that ending prohibition needs to be done “with eyes wide open, understanding that there is unfinished business when it comes to legalization.”
Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Hires Former Marijuana Lobbyist As Senior Advisor (USA – Cannabis Politics)
Marijuana Moment (January 7, 2018) The former director of federal policy for the Marijuana Policy Project (MPP) has joined the staff of newly sworn-in Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) as a senior counsel and policy advisor. Dan Riffle, who most recently served as communications director to former Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN) and a legislative aide to former Rep. John Conyers (D-MI), will bring his expertise on health care and tax reform to the freshman congresswoman’s team at a time when her proposal to raise the top marginal tax rate is dominating headlines.
Top Cannabis Analyst On Wall Street Raises Sales Forecast (USA – Cannabis Sales)
CNBC (January 8, 2018) Wall Street’s top cannabis analyst believes U.S. sales of marijuana will rise more than she previously expected to $80 billion by 2030 and told clients to expect major Canadian growers Canopy Growth and Tilray to outperform in 2019. While cannabis in the U.S. remains federally illegal, the U.S. market opportunity is quite sizable, with the current illicit market valued at around $40 billion to $50 billion and expected to flourish over the next decade. Sixty-six percent of survey respondents now support legalizing marijuana. That’s a record high and was the third consecutive year that support for legalization has increased to record levels.
Cannabis Cash Flows Into U.S. With Canopy Venture Arm Investment (USA – Cannabis Investments)
Bloomberg (January 8, 2018) Canadian marijuana money is finding its way into the U.S. Canopy Rivers Inc., the venture capital arm of the world’s most valuable cannabis company, Canopy Growth Corp., is investing more than $3 million in Headset Inc., a Seattle-based firm that provides data on the marijuana industry and tracks sales numbers in markets like California and Colorado. The cash infusion is part of a $12.1 million Series A round that values Headset at about $30 million.
Canopy Growth Positions For CBD Market Leadership (USA – CDB Market)
New Cannabis Ventures (January 8, 2018) Canopy Growth Corporation once again applauds the passage of the U.S. 2018 Farm Bill. Canopy Growth wishes to update the market on its hemp operations as it prepares for US market entry thanks to this transformative piece of federal legislation, one that enables expanded pathways to the American market for hemp-based products, including CBD products. Canopy Growth began adding strategic hemp assets to its portfolio in 2016 focused on consumer-packaged goods.
https://www.newcannabisventures.com/canopy-growth-positions-for-cbd-market-leadership/
Israel Passes Medical Cannabis Export Bill, Signaling Entrance Into Industry (World – Cannabis Exports)
Green Camp (January 8, 2018) Israel’s parliament, known as the “Knesset,” passed the Dangerous Drugs Ordinance bill on December 25 with 21 unanimous votes. Israel will now be the third country, after the Netherlands and Canada, to export medical cannabis globally. Recreational cannabis is still illegal in the country. The approved legislation sent cannabis company shares up about 10 per cent on Tuesday. There are currently eight medical cannabis companies operating in Israel, with dozens more in the application stage.
https://greencamp.com/israel-passes-medical-cannabis-export-bill-signaling-entrance-into-industry/
