WeedLife News Network

Rhode Island’s Department of Business Regulation is rolling out some new medical dispensary licenses to better serve patients in the area.

After a series of delays and legal obstacles, the state of Rhode Island finally appears ready to dole out new licenses for medical marijuana dispensaries.

The state’s Department of Business Regulation announced last week that it will commence a lottery this Friday for five new dispensary licenses. 

In what local television station WPRI described as a “highly choreographed” event, the lottery will take place at the Rhode Island Department of Administration in the capital city of Providence, with limited general seating available to the general public. The lottery will also be livestreamed via Zoom.

The announcement comes on the heels of delays to the lottery process. The lottery was originally scheduled to be held in the first week of August, but that was postponed due to an appeal lodged by an applicant who had been rejected.

Matthew Santacroce, chief of the Office of Cannabis Regulation within the Department of Business Regulation, told the Providence Journal at the time that the lottery would not be conducted “until that appeal has run its course.” 

Dr. Bronner’s again showed support for psychedelic efforts around the country.

Dr. Bronner’s is pushing for psilocybin reform once again. According to state filings, Washington D.C.-based New Approach PAC, a lobbyist group, funded $14,000 between August and September to local firm Grossman Solutions to promote drug policy reform in Connecticut. Dr. Bronner’s is among New Approach’s biggest donors.

CT Insider reports that a task force in Connecticut is examining the efficacy of psilocybin mushrooms for use in therapeutic settings. House Bill 6296, sponsored by Representative Josh Elliot and four other representatives, created a task force responsible for studying the efficacy of psilocybin for a variety of conditions—a key step in legalizing psilocybin for therapeutic purposes. Grossman Solutions will help New Approach engage with Connecticut’s psilocybin task force.

“New Approach’s mission is to end the senseless and destructive policies of the War on Drugs and replace them with policies that prioritize public health, science, healing and community instead of criminalization,” Ben Unger, director of psychedelic policy for New Approach told CT Insider. “We approach this work knowing that the fight to end the drug war is a political fight, and we need to run professional and strategic political campaigns to make progress.”

CEO David Bronner is the grandson of company founder Emil Bronner. He said his goal is to free psychedelics, specifically legalization of psilocybin for therapeutic purposes, adding it’s exactly what his grandfather would have done. “The passion of my grandfather was to unite spaceship earth,” Bronner said. “We honor that legacy in different ways,” among them “integration of psychedelic healing in medicine and therapy.” Bronner also said that he believes “psychedelic medicine can really help people heal and wake up, and grapple with pressing problems.”

The funding arrived with a little bit of luck. Bronner admitted that his company experienced “windfall profits from being a soap business in the time of COVID,” and appropriated $15 million for advocacy—half of which went straight toward drug policy reform.

Miami, FL, Oct. 25, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- via NewMediaWire -- Amazonas Florestal, Ltd. (OTC:AZFL) announced last week on October 18th that the Company published its 3rd quarter financial reports and OTC disclosures—reporting consolidated revenues of $4.885 Million and over $500k in gross income; the highest reported revenue and gross profit figures in company history. 

AZFL’s latest acquisitions Gamma Engineering and Innova Consulting Group demonstrated solid growth potential and effective business models in their transition towards the rapidly emerging cannabis industry in Colombia. Innova alone has projected positive revenues from operations of more than $8 Million for its fiscal year 2021.

Project PA Hemp Home is partially funded by two grants from the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture. Photo provided by DON Enterprises

Affordable housing constructed with hemp-based building material is nearing completion in New Castle, Pennsylvania.

Project PA Hemp Home is the first full home renovation in the state using hempcrete and HempWood.

The nonprofit corporation behind the project is DON Enterprises, headquartered in New Castle. DON has grown from its core work in disability rights advocacy to become the second largest employer in Lawrence County and a force for economic development, employing over 1,000 people who provide a range of services from attendant care to construction.

The West Virginia Office of Medical Cannabis will hold a public signup event for medical cannabis patients from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday at the Parkersburg Municipal Building, 1 Government Square.

Patients who have not already seen a registered physician must bring the following items, in addition to the above: at least one piece of medical documentation that shows their diagnosis, such as medical records, a letter from a doctor, or office visit summaries; valid photo ID; two proofs of West Virginia residency for state registration; and cash, credit or debit to pay the $149 physician evaluation fee.

Patients who have a household income of 200 percent of the federal poverty level or less may apply for a waiver of the $50 patient ID card fee at the event. If a waiver is requested, applicants must provide their most recent W-2, paystubs within the last 30 days or proof of eligibility for low-income benefits.

Appointments are strongly encouraged and may be scheduled by calling 304-356-5090.

Patient cards are valid only in West Virginia. Registration does not mean medical cannabis products can immediately be obtained.

The West Virginia Medical Cannabis Act permits state residents with serious medical conditions to procure medical cannabis for certified medical use in the following forms: pill; oil; topical forms including gels, creams or ointments; a form medically appropriate for administration by vaporization or nebulization; dry leaf or plant form; tincture; liquid; or dermal patch.

The argument could be made that CBD has effectively replaced THC as the most famous three-letter acronym associated with cannabis at the moment. But let’s not get the two mixed up. CBD is short for cannabidiol, one of the compounds found in cannabis plants. Hemp and marijuana both belong to the cannabis plant family, and while they have their differences (more on that later!), CBD can be derived from either. The other compound found in cannabis plants is THC. THC gets you high, but CBD doesn't. Not even close.

With all that said, you probably don’t need another article touting the purported benefits of CBD oil for your skin (though, sure, I’ll cover the basics). Instead, here's the stuff about CBD that no one else is telling you — from sourcing to social impact to financial practices — straight from industry insiders. If you're thinking of working CBD into your beauty routine, read this first.

CBD Basics

Although more research needs to be done around how CBD works and its ability to manage specific issues (like anxiety and insomnia, for instance), there are a few key points many industry experts seem to agree on. “CBD acts as an analgesic and anti-inflammatory,” Cindy Capobianco, the co-founder and president of CBD company Lord Jones, tells TZR. “CBD has been used for centuries to successfully relieve pain and treat skin conditions such as eczema, psoriasis, and rosacea — even sunburn and bug bites — when used topically.” Studies suggest that, when ingested, those same properties can have a slightly different effect. “It has the additional benefits of mood stabilization, relief from anxiety, and promoting a calm sense of well-being,” Capobianco says.

How, exactly, does it do this? Experts say that comes down to the endocannabinoid system, or ECS. “The ECS is a network of receptors found throughout every mammal,” a representative from Dosist, a company known for its CBD dose pens, tells TZR. “This system is responsible for maintaining the body’s homeostasis, or balance, and helps regulate everything from sleep, to pain, to appetite, to immune function, to stress.” Studies seem to indicate that the body is pretty much primed to thrive on CBD — it naturally produces endocannabinoids, and CBD is a related phytocannabinoid. Both apparently affect the ECS in similar ways. “It’s often described as a lock and key system, where the cannabinoid is the key ‘unlocking’ a receptor, causing a series of reactions throughout the body,” Dosist explains. There's evidence to suggest this can lead to less anxiety, better sleep, reduced inflammation, calm skin, et al.

“Some studies have shown that topical CBD can also help reduce oil production in addition to reducing inflammation in the skin, which are two main players in the generation of acne,” Dr. Jennifer Vickers, a dermatologist with Sanova Dermatology in Texas, tells TZR, adding that the anti-inflammatory effects of CBD oil on the skin can help calm and reduce redness, too. “It also has antioxidant and regenerative qualities to help offset damage from the sun, pollution, and aging.” Basically, it seems everyone’s complexion can stand to benefit from an application of cannabidiol.

Congratulations to the winners of the Cannabis Cup Massachusetts: People’s Choice Edition 2021! Here’s what’s hot in Massachusetts!

The cannabis cup is virtual this year—virtually awesome, that is, with our People’s Choice Edition making it possible to judge safely from the comfort of your home. Here are the well-deserved winners of the Cannabis Cup Massachusetts: People’s Choice Edition 2021.

Thank you to all the judges who put their hearts and souls into judging the competition entries to help crown the best of Massachusetts! This is the first-ever High Times Cannabis Cup to be held in “The Bay State” of Massachusetts. We can’t wait to return next year!

For more info on how to become a judge and to sign up for updates, please visit CannabisCup.com/preregister.

Courtesy of Bountiful Farms

First Place: Bountiful Farms – Secret Formula

DENVER — Several nights a week during the fall, walking tours hit the flagstone sidewalks of Denver’s Capitol Hill neighborhood, stopping in front of old mansions to be told the tales of ghosts and hauntings. But one of those stops, one of those mansions, has an added ‘history’ that is being celebrated along with its spirited past.

“The house was built back in the 1800s for the Creswell family,” April Reed explained, showing off the scenic lobby of the Creswell Mansion on Grant Street.

Fake spider webs cover the banister, and a variety of Halloween decor fills each room of the mansion.

“We’ve basically turned the Mansion into somewhat of a haunted house in a way,” Reed, the event director of the space, told Denver7.

The decline in related stocks comes following a wave of posivity for the sector. So, has the industry already burnt out or will it find a new spark?

Cannabis investing was the best new thing five years ago. While the sector has gained a lot of ground, investors are still awaiting the next big step that turns the most famous leaf into green gold.

Both medicinal and recreational use has become more accepted by society, with several US states having legalised its use, as well as Canada, Mexico, South Africa, Uruguay and Georgia. In the Netherlands, possession in small quantities is tolerated and personal consumption is permitted at licensed coffee shops.

Researchers may be one step closer to developing the equivalent of a Breathalyzer for detecting marijuana use.

In an early study, scientists found that their rapid test was able to reliably detect THC in people's saliva in under 5 minutes. THC, short for tetrahydrocannabinol, is the active ingredient in marijuana.

Those facts have made it hard to develop a roadside test for marijuana use, akin to the Breathalyzer used to measure drivers' alcohol levels.

There are some existing saliva tests for THC, but they are hampered by issues like slow processing time or giving "binary" results -- similar to a yes/no on a pregnancy test.

Lee said his team was able to develop a test that not only quickly detects THC in saliva, but quantifies the amount.

It took about 3 minutes from "sample in, result out," according to Lee, who is based at Massachusetts General Hospital's Center for Systems Biology in Boston.

Olivia Newton-John has provided a health update as she battles cancer.

livia Newton-John has opened up on USA TODAY overnight about her ongoing health battle with cancer revealing cannabis use has been a huge part of her healing.  (Image Source: Getty Images.)

The $2.1 billion acquisition of Harvest Health & Recreation by Florida cannabis behemoth Trulieve Cannabis Corp. has finally been consummated, creating the largest marijuana company in the U.S., with a combined 149 dispensaries and operations in 11 states.

Harvest has 39 operating shops in five states, including one in Tucson at 2734 E. Grant Road, and was the first operator to sell adult-use marijuana in the state after the Arizona Department of Health Services gave the green light to legal sales in Arizona on Jan. 22.

A Chicago-based medical marijuana company is spending $170 million to expand in Pennsylvania through a pair of acquisitions which include a Lancaster dispensary and a Mount Joy growing-and-processing operation.

Cresco Labs recently agreed to buy three Cure Penn dispensaries, including one here on Fruitville Pike in the former Kmart Plaza, plus dispensaries in Philadelphia and Phoenixville (near King of Prussia) for $90 million.

The Fruitville Pike store is the county’s oldest dispensary, opening in March 2018 and operating seven days a week. It has nearly 20 employees.

“We’re continuously focused on normalizing the cannabis-buying experience,” said William Butler, Cresco Labs’ senior vice president for retail, in a prepared statement. “Our goal is for patients who prioritize their health and wellness to feel as comfortable buying cannabis products as they do visiting a supermarket or fitness center.”

The acquisition is expected to be completed by year-end. When that happens, the three Cure Penn dispensaries will become Sunnyside locations. However, they already carry some Cresco Labs products, including the Cresco, Remedi and Good News brands, as Cresco Labs is the largest wholesaler of brand cannabis products in the U.S.

Arrests made at Illegal Marijuana Dispensary

On Wednesday, October 20, 2021, at approximately 10:00 a.m., deputies from the Sheriff's Lakeside Substation Crime Suppression Team and detectives from the Sheriff's Lakeside Substation, with the assistance of the San Diego County Sheriff's Department's Marijuana Enforcement Team (MET), the Sheriff's Special Enforcement Detail, and a representative from San Diego County Code Compliance, served a search warrant at an illegal marijuana dispensary located at 8802 Winter Gardens Blvd in Lakeside.

The warrant was part of ongoing investigations by the Sheriff's Department of illegally operating cannabis facilities in San Diego County. Detectives seized the following during the search: 

There were four subjects arrested for various narcotics and weapons related charges. 

This warrant follows community concerns about illegal marijuana dispensaries operating near schools and residential areas.  We want to assure those we serve the San Diego County Sheriff's Department is listening to the community and recognizes the negative impact illegal marijuana dispensaries have on our neighborhoods. 

A Columbia man was arrested and charged for smuggling weed from a California airport to Columbia.

Kevin Antwan Simmons, 43, is charged with trafficking marijuana after officials found more than 40 pounds of weed and $4,000 in his suitcase at Columbia Metropolitan Airport, according to the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department.

“Law enforcement officers from the Sacramento area notified South Carolina-based Drug Enforcement Administration agents that Simmons was flying into Columbia October 17,” said Lexington County Sheriff Jay Koon. “Once Simmons landed and grabbed two suitcases at baggage claim, DEA and Lexington County narcotics agents approached him and he consented to a search of his bags.”

Sacramento officers found the weed in the suitcases when the bags were X-rayed before the flight departed, according to deputies.

Two people were killed on Monday in a fire at an alleged illegal marijuana grow operation in Los Angeles, officials say.

The Los Angeles Fire Department received reports of the warehouse fire from a paramedic crew that passed by it at around 12:18 p.m. Within moments of the report being received, the fire had already seared through the roof of the building, the fire department said in a news release.

The firefighters who arrived at the scene saw with three severely burned people running out of the building while calling out a fourth person’s name, Los Angeles Fire Department Capt. Erik Scott told KTLA.

The three burn victims were hospitalized, and one of them, who suffered injuries to 90% of his body, died at the hospital, KTLA reported. The other two are still hospitalized, one in serious condition and the other in critical condition. Fire crews discovered a person’s body inside the building during a search of the premises on Tuesday morning, The Los Angeles Times reported.

The fire spread rapidly throughout the building and triggered multiple explosions. It took 150 firefighters slightly over an hour to extinguish the blaze, and fire crews continued to extinguish hotspots throughout the night, according to the fire department’s release.

Investigators suspect the building may have been home to an illegal marijuana grow operation based on testing of materials from inside the building, which revealed positive results for hemp, the release said.

Using Sustainable Hemp Solutions, One World Pharma Seeks to Become a Major Supplier Within the Federal Government, and Public and Private Sectors, Both Nationally and Internationally.

Canadian cannabis firm The Green Organic Dutchman (TGOD) is celebrating its first medical cannabis shipment to Australia.

In September last year, TGOD inked a distribution agreement with LeafCann for Australian and New Zealand medical cannabis markets, where LeafCann will be the exclusive supplier of the company’s products in both countries.

While the first products were expected to be available to Australian patients by the end of the first quarter of this year, that didn’t eventuate for whatever reasons – and it’s not hard to think of a few.

In addition to challenges posed by the pandemic, anything related to cannabis tends to get bogged down by red tape.

Still, TGOD seems very happy with the way things have turned out.

The Batavia Town Board on Wednesday night voted to schedule a public hearing on a resolution that would enable the municipality to opt out of allowing cannabis retail dispensaries and on-site consumption sites through New York’s Marijuana Regulation & Taxation Act.

“I don’t think there’s enough information from the State of New York to enter into something that we could never get out of,” Town Supervisor Gregory Post said following the monthly board meeting at the Town Hall on West Main Street Road. “The bottom line is that we can always opt in to it when we have more details and it is something that we can administer.”

Post said he was concerned that “a decision made by five people (the Batavia Town Board) probably isn’t a clear and transparent representation of the whole community.”

If a local law to opt out is passed following the public hearing set for 7:10 p.m. on Nov. 17 at the Town Hall, it could lead to a permissive referendum organized by residents who disagree with its decision.

“People opposing that law could get together and find their way to the ballot and ask the community whether they want this or not,” Post said. “In my opinion, this is too early in the game … and jump into this thing not know what the down-the-road consequences and financial implications are.”

The company's merger with Aphria closed in May, but investors shouldn't rule out another one in the near future.

Cannabis company Tilray (NASDAQ:TLRY) is hoping to reach $4 billion in annual revenue by 2024. For a company that is currently at a run rate of less than $700 million -- it has a long way to go in reaching that target.