Author: Tom Hymes

[ad_1] Following a flurry of activity that completely altered the sweeping cannabis/hemp bill currently under consideration by Connecticut’s Senate, HB 5150 was decisively approved yesterday by the full House 130-16, with five Representatives abstaining. Now, the central question for HB 5150 in its zig-zag journey to ratification is which version will make it across the finish line, if indeed one does. The likelihood that HB 5150 will simply die seems unlikely this late in the process, but of course anything can happen. If it is destined for passage, however, the version currently before the Senate may be the one that…

[ad_1] Prepared statements from industry members started flowing into our inboxes immediately after the news broke that the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) will soon begin rescheduling cannabis from Schedule 1 to Schedule 3, a process that will take many months, if not longer, to complete. Of course, no one was surprised by the announcement, which was portended last August when HHS recommended the historic change. Only the timing was up in the air, but today that too was apparently put to rest in an unofficial announcement (i.e. a leak) that was “confirmed to the AP on Tuesday by five people…

[ad_1] Easy electronic payment is always the goal for any consumer-facing industry, and it is especially needed in ones where cash has been the principal form of currency for both illicit and legal sales, like cannabis. But because it is still federally illegal, cannabis sales currently cannot use the card networks, making Visa, MasterCard, AmEx, and Discover off-limits in dispensaries. Of course, that has not stopped many retailers from trying any number of work-arounds in order to continue accepting credit cards at the point of sale, but they come with risks and expenses that can impact everyone, especially when the…

[ad_1] Los Angeles-based Ispire Technologies (NASDAQ: ISPR) is a three-year-old company built on the foundation (and reputation) of a global enterprise with many years of experience as an ODM (original design manufacturer) of premium all-in-one disposable, 510 cartridge and pod system vaporizers. As such, when it came time to target the cannabis industry, the goal of the newcomer was to take the industry’s nascent but already packed vape sector by storm, and according to its co-founder and CEO, Michael Wang, that is precisely what Ispire has done. Created in 2009, the company was already a leader in its field, having…

[ad_1] Significant adjustments have been made to Connecticut House Bill No. 5150, the omnibus cannabis/hemp legislation that is waiting to be taken up by the full House. An amended version of the bill (LCO_3982) was filed this week that, among other changes, appears to create a wholly new product category in the state – “Moderate-THC hemp product” – along with a matching new vendor category – “Moderate-THC hemp product vendor” – neither of which are found in previous versions of HB 5150. A new Sec. 27, which becomes effective Jan. 1, 2025, defines the two brand new categories, as follows:…

[ad_1] By Tom Hymes Remediation in the cannabis industry has become an increasingly hot topic as the practice has expanded in legal markets throughout the country, and for good reason. Remediation is performed when a crop has already failed testing or is suspected of being so contaminated that it will fail. Of course, the actual magnitude of cannabis remediation is unknown because producers are not required to label products that have undergone remediation, but it is not very difficult to identify flower that has been treated via remediation. That is because no matter the grower or strain, remediated flower all…

[ad_1] The parade of legal actions that has beleaguered New York’s Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) seemingly forever was hardly mentioned during Thursday’s meeting of the Cannabis Control Board (CCB). Chair Tremaine Wright, in her opening statement extolling the program’s “season of growth for New York State cannabis,” said of the application process, “Our licensees have borne the burden of setbacks, stoppages, postponements, and delays. Nevertheless, they are steadfast, and they continue to rise above.” There was no further mention by board members, all but one of whom was present, of lawsuits or court orders or where culpability may lie…

[ad_1] New York experienced two remarkable incidents last week: a near catastrophic legal earthquake on Wednesday, and then an actual 4.8 seismic event on Friday. The latter event swayed buildings and rattled a few east coast nerves, but it was the Wednesday event, courtesy of a court Order by Judge Kevin R. Bryant, that was felt throughout the state and the cannabis community nationwide until it was remedied in an amended Order by Judge Bryant the following day. The judge’s decision will surely also have a greater impact on New York than the rare geologic event, which will be forgotten…

[ad_1] When Cannabis Business Executive profiled Greenlight in September 2022, the MSO was flying under the radar in three states – Missouri, Arkansas, and West Virginia – with two more – Illinois and South Dakota – about to open up. Founded in 2019 by CEO John Mueller and his brother, Jim, the Kansas City, Missouri-based vertical is the second cannabis act for the brothers, who in Q1 of 2019 sold their online Nevada and Salinas-California operations to Curaleaf for $70 million. CBE recently had the chance to touch base with Mueller to discuss the progress Greenlight has made since we…

[ad_1] When Cannabis Business Executive profiled Greenlight in September 2022, the MSO was flying under the radar in three states – Missouri, Arkansas, and West Virginia – with two more – Illinois and South Dakota – about to open up. Founded in 2019 by CEO John Mueller and his brother, Jim, the Kansas City, Missouri-based vertical is the second cannabis act for the brothers, who in Q1 of 2019 sold their online Nevada and Salinas-California operations to Curaleaf for $70 million. CBE recently had the chance to touch base with Mueller to discuss the progress Greenlight has made since we…

[ad_1] When Cannabis Business Executive profiled Greenlight in September 2022, the MSO was flying under the radar in three states – Missouri, Arkansas, and West Virginia – with two more – Illinois and South Dakota – about to open up. Founded in 2019 by CEO John Mueller and his brother, Jim, the Kansas City, Missouri-based vertical is the second cannabis act for the brothers, who in Q1 of 2019 sold their online Nevada and Salinas-California operations to Curaleaf for $70 million. CBE recently had the chance to touch base with Mueller to discuss the progress Greenlight has made since we…

[ad_1] When Cannabis Business Executive profiled Greenlight in September 2022, the MSO was flying under the radar in three states – Missouri, Arkansas, and West Virginia – with two more – Illinois and South Dakota – about to open up. Founded in 2019 by CEO John Mueller and his brother, Jim, the Kansas City, Missouri-based vertical is the second cannabis act for the brothers, who in Q1 of 2019 sold their online Nevada and Salinas-California operations to Curaleaf for $70 million. CBE recently had the chance to touch base with Mueller to discuss the progress Greenlight has made since we…