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Before 2018, cannabis was illegal in Canada. Now, as of mid-October, Uber Eats can deliver it in Toronto as the result of a partnership with Leafly, an online marketplace for licensed cannabis retailers. This is the first time Uber will deliver cannabis anywhere in the world.

This deal is being touted by Uber and Leafly as a great leap forward for the industry. The companies claim the arrangement will provide several benefits, including more business for the retailers, increased choice and flexibility for consumers while reducing the illicit market, and less impaired driving. However, these arguments hold little water.

How it will work

Consumers are able to use the Uber Eats platform to order cannabis products from any of three Toronto-based retailers — Hidden Leaf Cannabis, Minerva Cannabis and Shivaa’s Rose — provided they are within the retailer’s delivery footprint.

The ordering experience is similar to ordering food delivery on the app: Customers navigate to the “recreational cannabis” category, then to their chosen retailer’s menu where they select their desired products, then state whether they will pick up the order or prefer delivery. Uber then transmits the order to the applicable store. Once filled, the order is delivered to the customer by the retailer’s own delivery staff, as prescribed by law.

Ontario’s provincial cannabis regulations were only recently modified to permit delivery, although they do not allow third-party delivery. The retailer’s drivers must be employees of the retailer and be CannSell certified, as well as are required to verify identity and age at the time of delivery.

Little to gain for consumers and retailers

From the consumer’s perspective, the deal will merely provide another online location to order cannabis for delivery, on top of the Ontario Cannabis Store (OCS) and other private retailers.

TUCSON - A house that basically heats and cools itself, doesn’t catch fire, and helps reverse climate change may sound too good to be true.

That’s what Tucson general contractor Micaela Machado hears from people when she describes homes made with hemp lime.

”You can grow a two thousand square foot home on four acres, in one season, which is four months,” Machado said. “You can heat and cool it so easily, especially in a place like here in the desert, it’s just a whole lot less energy to heat and cool your house.”

Machado mixes hemp stalks with lime and water and shapes it into bricks. No, this is not the kind of hemp that creates a high. There are thousands of varieties of cannabis, and industrial hemp must have less than three-tenths of a percent of THC, the psychotropic chemical in marijuana.

Hemp cultivation became legal at the federal level with the 2018 Farm Bill.

“There’s a total stigma to it still, because it’s cannabis, but people don’t understand, it’s not a smokable cannabis,” said Machado.

In a surprise move, this month President Joe Biden pardoned people convicted of marijuana possession at the federal level – and encouraged state governors to follow suit.

In the same statement, he asked the U.S. attorney general and secretary of health and human services to review marijuana’s classification as a Schedule 1 drug under the U.S. Controlled Substances Act – a change that could have huge ramifications for Florida’s booming cannabis industry.

Federal law currently classifies marijuana as a dangerous substance on the same level as heroin, with no medical benefit. For context, that’s a higher classification than drugs such as fentanyl and methamphetamine (both Schedule 2), which are responsible for thousands of U.S. overdose deaths each year.

Rescheduling marijuana as a Schedule 3 substance or descheduling it altogether could pave the way for cannabis growers and dispensaries to function as legitimate businesses. One of the biggest wins would be the ability to qualify for standard business tax deductions, said Nima Tahmassebi, partner at Perlman, Bajandas, Yevoli & Albright in Coral Gables.

Section 280E of the federal tax code eliminates trade or business deductions for businesses that traffic Schedule 1 or Schedule 2 drugs, including cannabis sellers. That applies even if ventures operate in states where cannabis is legal. 

“That can cause the effective tax rates on cannabis businesses to be extremely high – 40% to 80%, rather than 21%,” Tahmassebi said.

If you love crypto or work in the marijuana industry, you need to know about BudBlockz. Here’s how it is changing the landscape in both arenas.

If the last few years have taught us anything, it’s that the line between the physical and virtual worlds is now more blurred than ever. The continued growth of cryptocurrency and its ability to impact real-world landscapes has been particularly noteworthy, and BudBlockz is the latest digital asset to showcase the integration of crypto with other sectors.

In this case, BudBlockz has quickly united the crypto arena with the legal marijuana industry. Given the success that both sectors are currently enjoying, it’s no wonder that interest in the BLUNT token has soared.

A growing community set to change the community

BudBlockz and the BLUNT coin isn’t the first time that a marijuana-related asset has entered the blockchain. However, it is far more than a meme coin. Budblockz is the world’s first decentralized platform specifically geared to support the legal marijuana industry and its community has the potential to change the landscape of this growing sector through an advanced ecosystem that utilizes asset-backed NFTs and fractional ownership to great effect.

The marijuana industry is growing with a CAGR of over 32%, but businesses and consumers continue to face several issues. The private yet secure transactions provided by BudBlockz support dispensaries, farms, and consumers by creating an open 24/7 marketplace in legal jurisdictions. As businesses continue to face banking issues despite the changing legislation, the decentralized blockchain tech that provides instant transactions also highlights how digital currencies and utility tokens can pave the way for a new era.

BudBlockz has further demonstrated the ability to unite different sectors by introducing digital NFTs. At its heart, though, the commitment to supporting the marijuana sector is underpinned by the fact that it sets out to launch its own dispensaries. Meanwhile, members of the BudBlockz decentralized autonomous organization will additionally have a say in future decision-making processes.

North Dakota would join 19 states, including Montana, in having legalized recreational pot if voters approve the measure.

Similar ballot questions will appear on ballots this year in four other states, including South Dakota.

The vacation rental market is getting a 420-friendly renovation as some industry business owners are starting to offer cannabis at select rental locations.

With cannabis growing beyond the traditional confines of dispensaries and cultivation sites, the hospitality space appears to be the next big industry endeavor despite current regulations lagging behind the mainstream interest.

Sites like BudandBreakfast.com and Vibesbnb.com are two options that connect guests with hosts who allow marijuana use on their properties. Some properties provide more than just a space to use cannabis – specific rentals can offer a variety of cannabis experiences and activities like yoga, massages, and sometimes even cannabis education classes. Comparable to navigating VRBO or Airbnb’s site, BudandBreakfast and Vibesbnb allow potential visitors to search by location, price, amenities, and available facilities.

Upon the property’s booking, the rental owner designates specific smoking areas for guests. Rental owners also have the option to provide cannabis for guests or specify if guests need to bring their own. This novel business model is proving to be immensely popular – some rental spaces are currently booked six months in advance.

As of now, BudandBreakfast hosts 2,000 listings – a much smaller market than VRBO and Airbnb’s listing reach. Despite the limited cannabis rental properties now available, analysts expect huge returns for cannabis tourism. Forbes predicts that tourism for cannabis is a $17 billion industry.1 Combined with cannabis sales estimates projected to climb from $25 billion in 2021 to $42 billion in 2026,2 it is clear that the industry has the capital to develop into tourism and hospitality fields.

Beyond the aforementioned rental websites, many individuals are actively seeking to break new ground with cannabis-friendly spaces across the country. In Washington D.C., Nicole Butler manages a bed-and-breakfast where she greets guests with cannabis products.3 To amplify the ‘bed-and-breakfast’ aspect of the rental, she provides guests with a variety of cannabis-infused snacks and food.

Whether these companies are using RegA+, RegCF or RegD, they are now able to accept investments via credit cards from investors using KoreConX All-In-One Platform, without the abusive high fees normally charged from companies in this sector

The collaboration would be the first of its kind in the history of the world.

BREMERTON - Pelican Delivers is thrilled to announce it is currently in talks with Tesla to create and produce vans specifically for delivering cannabis.

Pelican Delivers is the first and only, on-demand patented cannabis delivery service in the United States and Canada. The company collaborates with state/province-licensed cannabis stores to purchase products and then deliver them directly to the consumer, utilizing innovative technology to facilitate dynamic workflow of orders, real time lead generation for drivers, escrow, release and transfer of funds and authentication of customer identity prior to delivery. Pelican Delivers strives to always comply with both state/provincial laws and interstate commerce.

In the company’s most exciting news to date, Pelican Delivers is collaborating with renowned electric automotive company, Tesla, to design and manufacture delivery vans specifically created for delivering cannabis. The historical announcement comes at a time when electric vehicles are wildly sought-after for both individual and commercial use, and when cannabis use is at an all-time high.

“We couldn’t be more pumped about our concept of electric cannabis delivery vans,”
says founder and CEO of Pelican Delivers, Dave Comeau. “This is an idea we’ve had for some time, so to be in current talks with Tesla about our vision is such a humbling experience. We can’t wait to see what the final product will look (and drive) like.”

About Pelican Delivers

Founded by husband-and-wife team Dave & Tina Comeau in 2017, Pelican Delivers is an on-demand nationwide patented cannabis delivery service, which officially started in 2018. Prior to Pelican Delivers, Dave was the IT Supervisor at one of Washington State’s largest Tribal Casinos. Having gained this casino experience, Dave and his family opened the Ponderay Café & Casino in Bremerton WA, where he was the general manager. In 2010, Dave was a Medical Marijuana Grower and processor where he grew the business from one small tent in his garage to an 8,000 sqft warehouse. In 2016, Dave opened a chain of retail cannabis stores (Better Buds) in Washington State with annual revenue over 16 million.

Cannabis became legal in Canada four years ago, and while Quebec was slow to introduce edibles, a new selection of ready-to-eat pot-infused foods are now available.

The SQDC’s edible cannabis catalogue includes items like dried beets, cauliflower and figs – a notable departure from what consumers might expect to see at their local dispensary.

Unlike other provinces, which sell candy-like edibles, the sale of cannabis chocolates and gummies are off-limits in Quebec, because they could appeal to children.

But some fear that Quebec’s hesitancy to embrace candy and sweets-based edibles could backfire as weak competition to the black market.

“If we want to kill the black market, we do have to offer the consumer what they want,” said Pierre Leclerc, CEO of the Quebec Cannabis Industry Association.

He says that the SQDC’s collection simply can’t stand up to what might be offered on the street, or in other provinces.

AVALON - A new report out of Florida argues medical marijuana can contribute mightily to ending the U.S. opioid crisis.

Researchers believe medicinal cannabis can serve as a viable pain management alternative to opioids. After surveying thousands of people, study authors report patients using medical marijuana were in less pain and functioned better both physically and socially.

Additionally, and perhaps most importantly, the study also notes the majority of those who took oxycodone, codeine, or another opioid for pain were able to stop or reduce their opioid use by switching to medical cannabis.

Overall, scientists from Emerald Coast Research, a contract research organization based out of Florida, and Florida State University College of Medicine say their findings indicate medical cannabis can potentially reduce opioid use in certain individuals under proper medical supervision. While more research is necessary, medical cannabis may be a powerful asset in the fight against the opioid epidemic.

The ongoing drug crisis has been a national problem for over a decade, but COVID-19 only made matters worse. In 2020, preventable opioid-related deaths increased by over 40 percent. Bigger picture, drug overdose deaths tied to opioids (including non-prescription drugs such as heroin) have increased more than eight-fold since 1999. Officials have connected over 550,000 U.S. deaths to opioids during that time (1999-2020).

Opioids are certainly good at suppressing pain, but that effect is highly addictive. While the U.S. may be the “epicenter” of the opioid crisis, it’s hardly exclusive to North America. Opioids are a worsening public health issue in numerous countries including Sweden, Australia, and the United Kingdom.

Under the proposal, the city would obligate 1% of marijuana sales tax dollars to grow the fund.

If approved, the fund would be named for Herman Malone, a longtime minority business activist in Denver who died last year.

Denver Mayor Michael Hancock and the Denver Economic Development & Opportunity department are proposing the creation of a $15 million investment fund for minority- and women-led startups, which would be created using marijuana sales tax dollars. 

The city officially announced the proposal Wednesday and said the investment program would be named the Malone Fund after Herman Malone, a longtime minority business activist in Denver who died last year.

Under the proposal, the city would obligate 1% of marijuana sales tax dollars to grow the fund. The creation of the fund must be decided on by the Denver City Council, which is expected to vote on the issue this month.

If approved, the fund would become Denver's first equity-focused investment tool designed specifically to level the playing field for minority- and women-owned small businesses, the city said.

Cannabis-related exchange-traded funds and stocks were lifted this week after President Biden’s pardon on Thursday of those convicted of simple marijuana possession.

The president also called for a review of how marijuana is categorized under federal law, with the moves boosting speculation that a loosening of cannabis restrictions is on the horizon.

Cannabis ETFs offering exposure to the industry in the U.S. have been beaten down badly over the past few years as the industry takes longer than anticipated to develop. Still, they had record gains Thursday after President Biden’s announcement.

The AdvisorShares Pure US Cannabis ETF (MSOS), the first and biggest ETF offering exposure to the U.S. market, gained 33% Thursday. The ETFMG Alternative Harvest ETF (MJ) added 20% and the ETFMG U.S. Alternative Harvest ETF (MJUS) rose by 26%. The ETFs rose again earlier Friday before coming down from their highs.

Additionally, shares of cannabis companies such as Canopy Growth Co. and Tilray Brands Inc., which maintain the first- and fourth-largest holdings in MJ, also jumped by approximately 22% and 33%, respectively.

“President Biden’s announcement is obviously tremendously uplifting for the industry,” Jason Wilson, cannabis research and banking expert at ETF Managers Group, told ETF.com in an interview.

Elegance Brands, Emerald Health Pharmaceutical, and High Times are the stocks included in the stock promotion scheme.

The Securities and Exchange Commission announced on September 30 that it had charged eight in a stock promotion scheme that included promoting Emerald Health Pharmaceuticals and High Times Holdings stocks. The SEC says investors purchased $80 million of securities following the promotions. The individuals received payments based on the number of securities sold.

The SEC’s announcement attached the legal complaint that alleged recidivist securities law violator Jonathan William Mikula promoted the securities of four issuers Elegance Brands Inc. (now Sway Energy Corp.), Emerald Health Pharmaceuticals Inc., Hightimes Holding Corp., and Cloudastructure Inc. without disclosing that he received compensation for the promotions. Mikula is alleged to have promoted the securities through Palm Beach Venture, a newsletter for which he served as an author and chief analyst, and presented the recommendations as unbiased and not paid for, while he was secretly compensated in the form of cash and lavish expenses.

In addition to Mikula, the SEC’s complaint also charged Christian Fernandez and Amit Raj Beri, associates of Mikula’s, who allegedly acted as middlemen for the promotional scheme. The gentlemen earned millions of dollars off the promotions but hid the payments by submitting fake invoices for consulting services. Beri in particular acted as the middle man for the cannabis companies Emerald Health and HighTimes. High Times was not charged.

Elegance Brands

Beri also was listed as the CEO and CFO in various SEC filings of the company called Elegance Brands, which produced a product called Gorilla Hemp. Elegance was approved by the SEC for a Reg A offering but after nine months had raised less than a million dollars. When it was decided to promote Elegance through the Palm Beach Ventures newsletter, Beri made changes to the offering but did not prepare a new offering statement with the SEC. Thus any securities sold after that point were considered unregistered. The complaint stated, “At Mikula’s urging, and in order to “facilitate” the promotion, Elegance agreed to engage Individual 1, an associate of Mikula’s, and pay him 3% of investor funds raised through the promotion and provide him with 8.9 million shares of Elegance’s stock, which amounted to 10% of the company’s outstanding stock.”

The complaint said that the newsletter published an article stating that Gorilla Hemp was retailing for $3.95 a can; that Gorilla Hemp could yield Elegance a 2,630% price increase; that Elegance had distribution agreements in place for Gorilla Hemp with the largest adult beverage distributor in the United States; and that Elegance’s share price was projected to increase by 9,900% in five years.

Grinder sellers are tired of getting dropped after being flagged by Amazon algorithms.

On one hand Amazon, the world’s largest retailer, openly supports specific pieces of cannabis legislation for reform and allows unregulated employees to consume cannabis on their own time. But on the other hand, harmless accessories like grinders are inconsistently flagged and banned from the platform, sending mixed messages, as Harris-Bricken’s Canna Law Blog pointed out.

Arnold Marcus, 68, who operated the vendor Golden Gate Grinders on Amazon, detailed to The Seattle Times how his cannabis grinder listings were suddenly flagged as a violation of company policy prohibiting the sale of drugs and drug paraphernalia, after he built his business up for nearly 10 years. Losing Amazon seller account privileges is like the kiss of death, given how much success depends upon e-sales nowadays.

Most of us are familiar with the legal games vendors play: Just as cannabis pipe sellers have to disguise their wares with the meaningless phrase “For Tobacco Use Only,” Amazon weed grinder sellers have to list them as “spice grinders” or as vague “herb grinders.”

For nine years, Marcus operated on Amazon without incident. It was his livelihood. Adding to Marcus’s success on Amazon, the platform even invited him to join the Amazon Accelerator program, which could lead to him becoming a supplier for Amazon’s private label.

“There was no indication in all those years that this is a prohibited product,” Marcus said. “One day, they were supporting me and then one day it ended.”

PHILADELPHIA - Older patients with lower back and leg pain due to chronic spinal stenosis experience statistically significant improvements following the use of hemp-derived CBD gel caps, according to data published in the journal Cureus. 

Researchers affiliated with Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia assessed the efficacy of the twice-daily administration of hemp-derived CBD gel caps (15mgs) in a cohort of 48 patients (mean age: 75) with spinal stenosis.

Investigators reported that patients averaged a nearly two-point decrease in their pain scores (on an 11-point scale) during the trial period. Authors also reported improvements in patients’ appetite, sleep quality, and overall quality of life. Trial participants did not acknowledge any adverse side effects from CBD therapy.

“This open-label, prospective, observational study found that treatment with hemp-derived CBD gel caps was associated with significant improvements in pain scores and several quality-of-life measures,” they concluded. “CBD gel caps were not associated with any adverse effects. Using CBD to help alleviate pain in spinal stenosis is supported by the evidence in this study.”

Previous studies have reported reduced analgesia and prescription opioid use in patients using either CBD-rich gel caps or topical creams.

Last week, President Joe Biden pardoned thousands of people with Federal offenses for marijuana possession, reigniting the conversation around marijuana legalization.

For nine years, Arnold Marcus had been making a living selling spice grinders on Amazon.

His company, Golden Gate Grinders, had several colors available, repeat customers and an invitation to join the Amazon Accelerator program, a path toward becoming a supplier for Amazon's private label. Marcus, 68, would package orders and take customers' calls from his living room in San Francisco, proud that he was involved in every aspect of the business he built.

That changed overnight last year when Amazon removed his listings, flagging his products as a violation of company policy prohibiting the sale of drugs and drug paraphernalia. For the uninitiated, a grinder can be used for spices like oregano or rosemary, or for weed.

Marcus spent months fighting his ejection from Amazon's online marketplace, to no avail.

"There was no indication in all those years that this is a prohibited product," Marcus said this summer. "One day, they were supporting me and then one day it ended."

Amazon says its guidelines around drugs and drug paraphernalia are longstanding and state that products can't be primarily designed for making, preparing or using a controlled substance. Grinders that are equipped with features specifically for marijuana-related use are not allowed on the platform.

he 420 Finder team has been supporting cannabis businesses for years, and the launch of the platform shows it.

WASHINGTON D.C. - As cannabis legalization continues to happen per state, 420 Finder, a leading cannabis technology company, is excited to announce the launch of its revolutionary new, sharply designed platform that connects cannabis users with local businesses safely.

Underpinned by years of national industry expertise, 420 Finder is an intuitive and flexible solution that focuses on helping local cannabis businesses connect with consumers, operate more efficiently, and create superior customer experiences.

"Many assume the plant sells itself, but it's not so simple for legal local businesses. The industry remains a highly regulated environment with an influx of challenges and increasing competition. With 420 Finder, cannabis users can find local businesses and connect safely," said Brad Overton, Director of Operations at 420 Finder.

420 Finder offers free accounts and free online ordering for all its Customers. For businesses, they offer online ordering with all memberships and opportunities for businesses to increase their exposure. The 420 Finder team has been supporting cannabis businesses for years, and the platform's launch shows it. They have used their experience to make the platform intuitive and easy to use. It eliminates redundancy and streamlines the process of getting cannabis to users as fast as possible. Most importantly, it creates a fun and interactive way for users to discover new businesses and deals in their area.

"We're here to power the upcoming explosion of innovative retail experiences that sustain healthy cannabis businesses and keep customers returning for more," he adds.

It wasn't that long ago that advocates were promoting hemp as the crop that would save agriculture, promising unprecedented profits.

On paper the prospects are bright. CBD, processed from hemp, is seen by many as a magic elixir for health and beauty aids. A variety of products can be manufactured from the plant's fibers.

But in just four years the crop has gone from boon to bust, thanks to overproduction and a federal regulatory scheme that has made processors wary of developing new hemp-related products.

Oregon growers can attest to the crop's change in fortune.

Acreage in the state soared after Congress legalized hemp in 2018. Growers planted nearly 64,000 acres in 2019, a more than fivefold increase from 2018.

Farmers accustomed to earning a few hundred dollars per acre were inspired to switch to hemp after hearing about others earning $50,000 per acre in revenues from hemp.

CORVALLIS - An Oregon State University study found that spent hemp biomass – the main byproduct of the cannabinoid (CBD) extraction process of hemp – can be included in lamb diets without any major detrimental effects to the health of the animals or their meat quality.

The findings are significant because the hemp byproducts, known as spent hemp biomass, currently have little to no economic value for the hemp industry, the researchers said.

Spent hemp biomass also has not been legalized as feed for livestock by the Food and Drug Administration due to the potential presence of THC and its potential impacts on animal health, so this finding is one step forward to getting that approval.

“To our knowledge, our study is the first to evaluate the effects of feeding spent hemp biomass to livestock,” said Serkan Ates, an associate professor in Oregon State’s College of Agricultural Sciences.

“The findings are important for both hemp farmers and livestock producers because they provide evidence that this byproduct of hemp can be used in livestock diets.